Brachypeza archytas (Ridl.) Garay

Stems short, often branching from base, with numerous cord-like roots. Leaves 4 or 5, arranged like a fan, strap-shaped, 100–220 × 16–25 mm, often yellowish green, apex unequally notched. Racemes 150–350 mm long, arching. Flowers crowded, 8–10 × 6–8 mm, white with purplish markings. Sepals and petals not spreading widely. Dorsal sepal c. 8 × 2.5 mm. Lateral sepals triangular, c. 6 × 4 mm. Petals spathulate, c. 5 × 2 mm. Labellum c. 3 × 5 mm, with deep basal spur; lateral lobes large, rounded, with purple spots. [See also Du Puy et al. (1993: 526–527)]

Locally common; usually growing low down on trunks of large trees in tall evergreen rainforest developed on plateaus and terraces.

Brachypeza archytas features on a Christmas Island 45c postage stamp as part of a series of five stamps on indigenous orchids, issued 16 August 1994.