December 12, 1912] Orchid. Novae btChiticab Ins. Phiuppinarum 1581 



PHREATIA Lindl. 



Phreatia Elmeri sp. nov. 



Caulis elongatus, pluriarticulatus, folia disticha, longe vagi- 

 nantia. Racemi laterales, pluriflori. Caules circiter 15 cm. 

 longi, usque ad 3 mm. in crassitudine, simplices, laxe foliati, 

 vaginis foliorum dejectorum et viventium tecti. Folia lineari- 

 oblonga, subfalcata, obtuse et inaequali biloba, coriacea, usque 

 ad 8 cm. longa, circiter 7 mm. lata. Racemi graciles, folia ex- 

 cedentes. Flores circiter 2 mm. distantes. Bracteae inflores- 

 centiae lanceolatae, 2 — 2.5 mm. longae, ovaria pedicellata aequan- 

 tes. Sepala lateralia ovato-lanceolata, obtusiuscula, 1.5 mm. 

 longa. Sepalum dorsale simile. Petala lanceolata, circiter 1 mm. 

 longa. Labellum orbicularis, subapiculatum, concaviusculum, 

 1.25 mm. longum. Gynostemium brevissimum. 



Phreatia Elmeri is a near ally of P. caulescens Ames from which 

 it is readily separable by its smaller more crowded flowers. P. 

 caulescens is only known from specimens collected in Luzon. 



Mindanao: District of Davao, Todaya (Mt. Apo), May, 

 1909, A. D. E. Elmer, 10622. 



Found growing in loose tufts, hanging from moss covered tree 

 trunks in a forested ridge 6000 feet above sea level on Mt. Calelan. 

 Stems decurved, the ends suberect, terete, not rigid; leaves much 

 paler green beneath than above, recurved, coriaceou.s. not rigid; 

 peduncles from the axils of the upper leaves, j-ellowish green, 

 terete, limp, horizontally spreading; flowers white. 



Phreatia luzoniensis Rolfe ex Awes Orchidaceae 1; 96. 



This is a very near relative of Phreatia secunda Lindl. (P. 

 microtidis Lindl.) and in herbarium specimens well nigh indis- 

 tinguishable from it. No reliance can be placed on the com- 

 parative lengths of the inflorescence and leaves, in distinguishing 

 these species apart, as Mr. Rolfe was led to believe. Schlechter's 

 No. 15893 from Sumatra distributed under the name Phreatia 

 secunda Lindl. resembles very closely the Philippine material 

 referable to P. luzoniensis Rolfe. P. microtidis, which J. J. Smith 



