Eucosia Blume
in Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie; 1825), p. 415, t. 18

Introduction: Only three species are known in this genus of dwarf terrestrial orchids, one native to Java, one to New Guinea and one to New Caledonia.

Derivation of genus name: Greek eu (good, well), kos (m), os (ornament) referring to the pilose flowers

Type species: Eucosia papuana Schltr.

Characteristics of the genus: The Papua New Guinea species E. papuana has beautifully marked leaves, dark brown-green with silver venation; few flowered, flowers not widely opening, dorsal sepal and petals forming a hood, brown-red sepals, the petals and the labellum are white with brown-red tips. It differs from Goodyera by the absence of a rostellum. Over its known range this species is constant in its habit and does not appear to be an abnormal form of Goodyera.

Number of species in New Guinea: 1

Species shown here: Eucosia papuana Schlechter
drawn by N.H.S. Howcroft from live specimen ex Kaisenik, Wau, Morobe Province
Key to Illustration: A: habit; B: flower, side view; C: dorsal sepal; D: petal; E: lateral sepal; F: labellum; G: column and labellum, side view; H: same as G, greatly enlarged; I: column, viewed from bleow; J: anther

View photo: Eucosia sp.

Habitat: Growing in humus in shady places on the forest floor

Conservation status: not known