Eria braccata Lindl. 1859 SECTION Conchidium

Photo by Marius Wasbauer

Common Name or Meaning The Large Bracted Eria

Flower Size 1 to 2" [2.5 to 5 cm]

Found in Sri Lanka in subtropical montane forests at elevations of 1000 to 1800 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with a branched rhizome giving rise to small, crowded, flattened, globose, pale green pseudobulbs enveloped by 3, basal sheaths and carrying 2 apical, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, apiculate, minutely serrulate apically, 15 to 19 veined, pale bright green leaves that blooms in the mid spring, summer and mid fall on a 2" [5 cm] long, single to 3 flowered inflorescence carrying fragrant flowers.

CAUTION!!! This species and E reticosa are close, Hooker separates them by the entire lip of E braccata and the trilobed lip of E reticosa. If conspecific then E reticosa takes precedence.

Synonyms Conchidium braccatum ( Lindl.) Brieger 1981; Dendrobium braccatum Lindl. 1830; Eria rupestris Blatt. & McCann 1931; Eria uniflora (Lindl.) Dalzell 1952; Eria velifera Wight ex Lindl. 1859; Pinalia braccata (Lindl.) Kuntze 1891; Pinalia reticosa (Wight) Kuntze 1891; Porpax braccata (Lindl.) Schuit., Y.P.Ng & H.A.Pedersen 2018

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchid Culture in Ceylon and The East Price 1918/2003; Miniature Orchids Northern 1980 as E reticosa; Die Orchideen lieferung 11 Schlechter/Brieger 1981 plant only; A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon Dassanayake & Fosberg 1981 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 57 No 1 1988 photo fide; Orchids Travel By Air A Pictoral Safari Mulder, Mulder-Roelfsema and Schuiteman 1990 photo fide; Orchids of Kumaun Himalayas Pangtey, Samant and Rawat 1991 as E reticosa; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002; Genera Orchidacearum Vol 4 part 1 Pridgeon, Cribb, Chase and Rasmussen 2005; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007 as Eria reticosa drawing ok; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007

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