Phreatia loriae Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 3 (1907) 318
Type: Loria & Ginthani s.n. (1892, upper St. Joseph R.) (holo B?, lost)
Epiphytic, erect, very small, stemless, 7-10 cm high; roots numerous, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Leaves linear-lanceolate, subacute, somewhat narrowed towards the base, glabrous, coriaceous, 7-9 cm long, near the middle 0.4-07 cm wide. Inflorescence erect, nearly as long as the leaves, densely many-flowered, carrying flowers to near the base, c. 0.3 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts patent or pendent, ovate-oblong, obtuse, sometimes as long as the flowers, sometimes a little shorter. Flowers very small, erect-patent. Median sepal oblong, obtuse, almost 0.1 cm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals triangular-ovate, obtuse, strongly oblique, glabrous, as long as the median sepal. Petals obliquely oblong, obtuse, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip at the base long cuneate-clawed, blade rhombic-spathulate, broadly obtuse, glabrous, almost as long as the sepals. Column short, foot well-developed; rostellum suberect, broadly triangular, obtuse, shortly bilobulate, large; clinandrium dorsally square-oblong, a little shorter than the rostellum. Anther cucullate-reniform, glabrous; pollinia obliquely pyriform. Ovary shortly pedicellate, clavate, glabrous, only slightly more than 0.05 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1906)
Colours: Not recorded.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-131M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.