 The genus "Phreatia" was first formally described in 1830 by John Lindley and the description was published in his book "The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants".The name "Phreatia" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "phreatos" meaning "a well" or "reservoir".The following is a list of "Phreatia" species accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019