Phreatia paleata (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f. ex Kraenzl. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV. 50. II. B. 23 (1911) 27
Basionym: Eria paleata
Epiphytic, erect, c. 40 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, glabrous. Pseudobulbs crowded, 1.5-2.5 cm high, near the middle 0.7-1.2 cm wide, 3-leaved (including the leaf-bearing sheaths). Leaves suberect, ligulate, apex obtusely bidentate, to the base gradually narrowed, 18-30 cm long, near the middle 1.5-2 cm wide. Inflorescence erect, densely many-flowered, cylindrical; peduncle with several scales, as long as the leaves or nearly so. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, a little shorter than the flower. Flowers not resupinate. Sepals very broadly elliptic, obtuse, 0.33 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, towards the base along the front margin dilated. Petals obliquely ovate, subacute, a little shorter than the sepals. Lip almost as long as the sepals, in basal half papillose-puberulous; claw ligulate, short; blade ovate, subacute; spur ovoid, obtuse, porrect, a third as long as the lip. Column very short; clinandrium 3-lobed, shorter than the rostellum. Anther reniform-cucullate, umbonate, apiculate; pollinia obliquely obovoid; stipe linear; viscidium elliptic, very small. Ovary shortly pedicellate, cylindrical, 0.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill and montane forest; 433 to 3467 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Distribution: Malesia (?Sulawesi, New Guinea), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-179M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.