Trichotosia subsessilis (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 26 (1971) 180
Basionym: Eria subsessilis
Epiphytic, pendent, several-stemmed. Stems unbranched, tufted, to 1 m long, 0.4-0.5 cm diam., terete, many-leaved, entirely covered with the shortly finely pilose, at the rim densely setose leaf-sheaths. Leaves erect-patent, linear-lanceolate, 7.5-11 by 1-1.4 cm, subobtusely and obliquely acuminate, glabrous above, minutely strigose-finely tomentose below, coriaceous. Inflorescences to 3 cm long, subsessile, rather densely 6-8-flowered, 3-4 times shorter than the leaves, erect-patent, densely setose-pilose. Floral bracts recurved, ovate-elliptic, obtusely acuminate, a little shorter than the flowers. Flowers densely pilose. Sepals elliptic, 0.5 cm long, subobtuse. Lateral sepals at the base along the front margin dilated; mentum semioblong, 0.3 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely and narrowly ligulate, subobtuse, outside and along the margin sparsely pilose, almost as long as the sepals. Lip at the base slightly dilated, cuneate, 3-lobed in apical third, 0.7 cm long, near the base 0.1 cm wide, above the middle and across the mid-lobe 0.33 cm wide, inside especially in the apical half papillose-puberulous, with two indistinct keels extending from the base to the middle, in the apical half with a third, small, median keel; lateral lobes short, obliquely ovate, subobtuse; mid-lobe obreniform, in front broadly obtuse with a very obtuse apicule. Column 0.25 cm long, lateral lobes of the clinandrium obliquely semi-oblong; foot medium-sized. Ovary very short, 0.45 cm long, obconical, very densely setose-pilose. (After Schlechter, 1923)
Colours: Hairs brown. Flowers reddish white with darker stripes, lip yellow with a few red stripes.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest; 850 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 704-97M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.