Trichotosia paludosa (J.J.Sm.) Kraenzl. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV. 50. II. B. 21 (1911) 154
Basionym: Eria paludosa
Stems elongated, appressed pilose, 50-70 cm long, internodes 2-4 cm long. Leaves patent, narrowly lanceolate, at the apex strongly obliquely narrowed, narrowly obtuse, narrowed at the base, initially pubescent on both sides, above becoming glabrous, 10-16.5 by 1.2-2.2 cm; sheaths tubular, as long as the internodes, pubescent, at the apex long and densely ciliate. Inflorescences laxly racemose, 8- to 10-flowered, 5-6.8 cm long, rachis villose. Floral bracts patent, orbicular-ovate or ovate, acuminate, with short, fleshy-conical, obtuse apicule, concave, pilose outside, surpassing the ovary, distinctly shorter than the flowers, 0.9 by 0.8 cm, the upper ones smaller. Flowers 1.5 cm wide. Sepals outside villose. Median sepal oblong, at the apex narrowed, narrowly obtuse, 0.85 by 0.35 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, at the base in front obliquely dilated, acuminate, with a rather large conical apicule, concave, 6-nerved, 0.8 cm long, at the base 0.7 cm wide; mentum somewhat incurved, subconical, somewhat dorsally flattened, broadly obtuse, 0.5 cm long. Petals somewhat obliquely linear-oblong, towards the apex somewhat dilated, obtuse, 3-nerved, dorsally with a few long hairs, very sparsely long ciliate, 0.7 by 0.18 cm. Lip above the base strongly recurved, 3-lobed, concave, outside sparsely long appressed pilose, inside in the basal part puberulous, basal keels 2, closely spaced, in the basal part parallel, above divergent, somewhat thickened, puberulous, from the base extending to near the apex of the lateral lobes, with a third puberulous keel from the middle of the lip extending to the base of the mid-lobe; lip when flattened with a claw-like narrowed base, in outline obtriangular, 1 cm long, 0.46 cm wide across the lateral lobes; lateral lobes erect, small, just about as long as the column, triangular, obtuse; mid-lobe dilated, transversely oblong, with a few long marginal hairs, 0.26 by 0.55 cm, apex emarginate-bilobulate, the lobules recurved, undulate, angular, convex. Column slender, dorsally flattened, around the stigma dilated, constricted at the apex, lightly curved, dorsally convex, in front velvety hairy, 0.43 cm long; clinandrium deeply concave, with incurved wings; rostellum short, obtuse; stigma transversely elliptic; column-foot making an acute angle with the column, straight, linear, at the incurved apex dilated, truncate, in front grooved, velvety hairy, 0.53 cm long. Anther cucullate, with two backwards-pointing lobules; pollinia pear-shaped, laterally flattened. Ovary 0,65 cm long.(After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Hairs on plant and flower red-brown. Flower whitish.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 700 to 1700 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, March, April, May, June, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map: 704-74M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.