Phreatia caespitosa

Phreatia caespitosa J.J.Sm., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23 (1915) 18

Type: Pulle 1095 (holo L)

Pseudobulbs close together, conical, 2-leaved; cataphylls covering the base of the pseudobulbs distichous, overlapping, at their base tubular, triangular, obtuse or more or less acuminate, becoming larger upwards, the upper one frequently with a small leaf blade. Leaves of unequal size, erect, linear, at the apex narrowed, when dried coriaceous, the smaller leaf 3-4.5 by 0.37-0.5 cm, the larger leaf 9-14 by 0.55-0.6 cm, obtuse, minutely and more or less unequally 2-lobulate, with a thick, about equally long or a little longer mucro between the lobules, at the base conduplicate, mid-rib dorsally prominent; sheaths to 1.6-2 cm long. Inflorescences arising at the base of the pseudobulbs, erect, rather densely many-flowered, surpassing the leaves; peduncle rather stout, 13.5-19 cm long; peduncle-scales small, c. 7-8, tubular, laxly appressed, the lower ones larger and sometimes with a short articulate blade, 1-4.5 cm long, the upper ones more or less in bract-like; rachis curved, 5.75-11 cm long. Floral bracts at the base somewhat dilated, linear-subulate, distinctly longer than the ovary, the lower ones sometimes sterile, to 0.55-0.9 cm long, the upper ones shorter. Flowers slightly more than 0.2 cm long. Median sepal ovate-triangular, subobtuse, concave, 1-nerved, 0.15 cm long, almost 0.1 cm wide. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acute, concave, 1-nerved, 0.15 by 0.16 cm; mentum shortly saccate, rounded, making an acute angle with the ovary. Petals elliptic-ovate, obtuse, concave, 1-nerved, slightly more than 0.1 by 0.07 cm. Lip erect, concave, clawed, 3-nerved, when flattened 0.15 cm long; claw fairly broad, shortly sacculate, on either side near the base with a small, triangular, obtuse, incurved lobule, 0.05 cm long; blade at the base shortly cuneate, transversely crescent--shaped, almost 0.1 cm long, 0.16 cm wide, in front broadly rounded with a very short obtuse apicule, the basal lobules falcate-triangular, obtuse, front margin slightly papillose. Column short, dorsally convex; clinandrium deeply concave; rostellum erect; stigma transverse; column-foot in the middle obtusely incurved, 0.05 cm long. Anther cucullate, cordate-ovate, obtuse, 0.05 cm long. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, 0.28-0.35 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)

Colours: Flower white.

Habitat: Terrestrial in montane forest; 2400 m.

Flowering time in the wild: February.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 549-28M.JPG.

Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.

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