Phreatia crinonioides Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1923) 149
Type: Ledermann 10233 a; 11179 (syn B, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, rather stout, to 25 cm high; rhizome very short. Pseudobulbs subglobose, 0.7-0.8 by 0.8-0.9 cm diam., usually 1-leaved. Leaf ligulate, 14-23 cm long, above the middle 1.5-2.2 cm wide, acuminate, gradually somewhat narrowed towards the base. Inflorescences ascending or erect, usually as long as the leaves, 19-20 cm long; rachis densely many-flowered, c. 10 cm long, c. 1 cm diam. across the flowers; peduncle slender, with several acuminate peduncle-scales. Floral bracts lanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, patent, usually almost as long as the flowers. Flowers not resupinated, patent. Sepals ovate, 0.3 cm long, shortly acuminate. Lateral sepals strongly oblique; mentum oblong, 0.2 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely triangular-ovate, 0.2 cm long, subacute, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip with a short claw, square-ovate, 0.3 cm long, almost 0.2 cm wide, shortly and obtusely acuminate, with slightly undulate margins, inside except for the apex sparsely papillose-puberulous; spur ascending, oblong, obtuse, short. Column short; rostellum long, deeply bifid; column-foot elongated. Ovary pedicellate, clavate, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1923)
Colours: Flower white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1000 to 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-55M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.