The following article was written
for the Orchid Species Bulletin published by the Orchid
Species Society, which is based in Brisbane, Queensland in May 1997.
Bear in mind that any cultivation notes refer to the sub-tropical conditions of
Southern Queensland, Australia.
Eria biflora Griff. has glossy green, fleshy stems
that are up to 15-20 cm long which are narrowed at the base. The stems are widened and
flattened at the top bearing 3-5 leaves. The linear-oblong, fleshy, yellowish green leaves are up to 7-11 cm long
and 1.8 cm broad. Flowers are produced in pairs (sometimes threes) along the upper
nodes of the stem with 2-3
broad yellow to orange bracts. They are produced in autumn and have pale yellow to milk white flowers
that barely open and are about 4 mm across.
Eria biflora is distributed from Sikkim in the Himalayas between 600-1,000 m altitude, southwards through
Myanmar (Burma) and
Thailand where it is found from 1,000-1,350 m elevation, to Sumatra. It was first described by William Griffith in
1851.