Trichotosia fractiflexa (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 26 (1971) 179
Basionym: Eria fractiflexa
Epiphytic, pendent, several-stemmed, to 1 m long. Stems unbranched, many-leaved, terete, entirely covered with the pilose leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, lanceolate-ligulate, 7-10 cm long, below the middle 1-1.6 cm wide, obliquely acuminate, coriaceous, underneath sparsely and shortly bristly-hairy, above glabrous. Inflorescences pendent, laxly 10-15-flowered, fractiflex, almost as long as the leaves, 7-9 cm long, densely hairy, peduncle very short. Floral bracts ovate, obtusely acuminate, about half as long as the flowers. Flowers outside densely pilose-hairy. Sepals oblong, about 0.5 cm long, subobtuse. Mentum semi-oblong, 0.2 cm long, obtuse. Petals falcate-ligulate, 0.45 cm long, sparsely pilose, almost as long as the sepals. Lip narrowed at the base, broadly cuneate, above the middle 3-lobed, 0.3 cm wide, almost glabrous, with two parallel keels at the base extending to the middle, on the mid-lobe with a third median keel; lateral lobes obliquely ovate, subacute; mid-lobe almost square, 0.15 by 0.15 cm [‘1.5 cm’], notched, minutely apiculate; margins slightly undulate. Column almost reaching the middle of the lip, almost glabrous, foot well-developed. Ovary cylindrical-obconical, 0.25 cm [‘2.5 cm’] long, densely pilose. (After Schlechter, 1923)
Colours: Flower greyish yellow, with red-brown hairs.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 1400 to 1500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July, August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 704-36M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.