Dendrolirium tomentosum

Velvety Eria is a small sized, tree-dwelling orchid with cylindrical pseudobulbs carrying up to 3, linear, soft, pointed leaves .The plant blooms in the spring on a basal, erect, velvet-hairy, 5 cm long, many flowered inflorescence, which is densely light brown woolly, with 6-7 funnel-shaped basal sheaths. Flowers are 1 cm across, petals linear-lanceshaped, 9-13 x about 2 mm, tapering; lip recurved, almost oblong in outline, 10-13 x about 4 mm, 3-lobed; lateral lobes almost erect, small; mid-lobe subobovate-oblong, 6-7 x 2-4 mm, margin strongly wavy, tip rounded and apiculate; disk with a broad and thick band about 7 mm from base to mid-lobe and often finely papillate around band. Sepals are densely light brown woolly below; dorsal sepal oblong-lanceshaped, 10-15 x about 3 mm, shortly tapering; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-lanceshaped, 10-15 x 4-5 mm, tapering. Column is almost cylindric, about 4 mm (not including anther cap), foot 3-4 mm. Velvety Eria is found growing on trees or rocks, at altitudes of 800-1500 m, in NE India, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. Flowering: April-May.