Phreatia saccifera Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 191
Type: Schlechter 14640 (holo B, lost; iso BR, K, P)
Epiphytic, erect, 30-40 cm high. Rhizome very short; roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs subglobose, depressed, c. 1.2 cm high, above the base to 1.5 cm diam., usually 2-leaved, sometimes covered with a leaf-like sheath. Leaves narrowly strap-shaped or oblong-ligulate, apex obliquely bilobulate, gradually narrowed towards the base, 10-30 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide; leaf-sheath 3.5-4.5 cm long. Inflorescence erect, nearly straight or flexuose, terete, glabrous, with 4-6 oblong, acute, distant peduncle-scales, usually surpassing the leaves, sometimes shorter; rachis densely many-flowered, elongated, cylindrical, 10-13 cm long, c. 1 cm diam. across the flowers. Floral bracts patent, ovate, acuminate, as long as the flowers. Median sepal ovate, subobtuse, glabrous, 0.3 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, subobtuse, towards the base along the front margin strongly dilated, 0.3 cm wide. Petals obliquely ovate-lanceolate, acute, 0.2 cm long, glabrous. Lip at the base cuneate-clawed, rhombic-ovate, acuminate, minutely puberulous, 0.3 cm long, at the base with an oblong, obtuse, 0.15 cm long spur. Column short, foot long; clinandrium dorsally raised-lobed; rostellum triangular, bifid, not surpassing the clinandrium. Anther cordate. Ovary clavate, glabrous, 0.4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower pure white.
Habitat: epiphyte in hill and montane forest; 300 to 2500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, March, April, July, August, September, November, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 549-223M.JPG.