Phreatia iridifolia Schltr. 1913 SECTION Phreatia

TYPE Drawing by Schlechter and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website

EARLY

Common Name The Iris-Like Leaved Phreatia

Flower Size

Found in New Guinea on trees in forests at elevations around 300 meters as a small sized, hot growing epiphyte with a very short stem carrying 6, erect-spreading, equitant, gladiform-ligulate, subacute, fleshy leaves that blooms in the winter on an erect, peduncle few bracted, equal in length to the leaves, 4.8 to 8" [12 to 20 cm] long overall, twice as long as the leaves, sublaxly many flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, acuminate, about as long as the pedicel, floral bracts.

Schlechter states that the flowers are white and the orchid has equitant leaves therefore distinguishing itself from others.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; *Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1913 drawing fide

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