翘距虾脊兰 Calanthe aristulifera

  • Scientific Name: Calanthe aristulifera Rchb.f.
  • Ref: Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 36:74. 1878
  • Synonyms:
    • Alismorkis aristulifera Kuntze
    • Calanthe aristulifera var. kirishimensis (Yatabe) Honda
    • C. elliptica Hayata
    • C. furcata f. raishaensis (Hayata) M.Hiroe
    • C. kirishimensis Yatabe
    • C. raishaensis Hayata
  • Chinese Common Name: 翘距虾脊兰 qiàojù xiājǐ∙lán, 翘距根节兰 qiàojù gēnjié∙lán
  • Japanese Common Name: キリシマエビネ [霧島海老根] kirishimaebine
  • Family: Orchidaceae
  • Genus: Calanthe
  • Distribution: Damp places along valleys, dense forests; 1500-2500 m. N Fujian, Guangdong, N Guangxi, E and N Taiwan [Japan].
  • Photo: 04/05/2019, Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Zhejiang
Plants 28-55 cm tall. Rhizome elongate, thick. Pseudobulbs subglobose, ca. 1 cm in diam., with 3 sheaths. Leaves 2-4, basal, not well developed at anthesis, not deciduous; blade obovate-elliptic or elliptic, 15-30 × 4-8 cm, papery, abaxially densely puberulent, apex acute; petiole-like base (6-)27-30 cm, usually forming a pseudostem 13-20 cm. Scapes 1 or 2, arising from leaf axils, 25-60 cm, densely puberulent; rachis 6-25 cm, laxly to subdensely 8-20-flowered; floral bracts persistent, narrowly lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, glabrous, apex acute. Flowers white or pink, occasionally flushed purple; pedicel and ovary 15-20 mm, puberulent. Dorsal sepal oblong-lanceolate, 12-17 × 5-8 mm, abaxially puberulent, 5-veined, apex acuminate; lateral sepals oblong, oblique, 12-17 × 4-7 mm, abaxially puberulent, 5-veined, apex acute. Petals narrowly obovate or elliptic, 11-15 × 2.5-4.5 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, apex subacute; lip adnate to entire length of column wings, flabellate, 8-16 × 8-12 mm, 3-lobed above middle; lateral lobes subsquare to suborbicular, falcate, 5-6 × 4-6 mm, apex obtuse-rounded; mid-lobe subsquare to oblate, 3-4 × 4-5 mm, margin slightly undulate, apex emarginate and apiculate in sinus; disk with 3-5(-7) ridges; ridges fleshy, extending almost to apex of mid-lobe, apices raised and triangular; spur cylindric, 20-32 mm, outside puberulent, inside villous. Column ca. 6 mm, dilated at apex, ventrally puberulent, wings decurrent to lip and connecting to ridges on disk; rostellum 2-lobed; anther cap beaked; pollinia clavate, unequal in size, 1.5-2 mm, with short caudicles; viscidium subelliptic, ca. 0.5 mm. Fl. Feb-May. 2n = 40. (Flora of China)

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