Terrestrial herbs without rhizomes, 15-30 cm tall. Roots filiform, less than 1 mm in diam. Pseudobulbs closely aggregated, ovoid, 1.5-2 cm long, 1-1.5 cm in diam., enclosed by 2 or 3 membranaceous sheaths, sheath ovate-lanceolate, 2-3 cm long, acute at apex. Leaves 2, petiolate, ovate or elliptic, 3-8 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, apex acute, base contracted, decurrent into petioles, glabrous on both surfaces, with more or less distinct curved lateral veins, margins often crisped or wavy; petiole 3-5 cm long, 6-8 mm wide, enclosing peduncle. Peduncle green, slender, 7-10 cm long, 2.5 mm thick, glabrous, distinctly 3-ridged, rachis ca. 8-15 cm long; bracts ovate-triangular, 1-2 mm long, acute, 1-nerved; pedicel and ovary ca. 12-15 mm long. Flowers 6-12, loosely arranged, pale green, sometimes tinged with light purple, perianth widely opening; dorsal sepal erect or bent forward, linear, 6-7 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, apex obtuse, strongly revolute; lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, 5-6 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, apex acute, revolute, spreading horizontally, slightly keeled; petals linear-filiform, 5-6 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, revolute, spreading horizontally or +/- ascending; lip cuneate-obovate, 6-7 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, erect-ascending near base, bent abruptly downward from middle, apex truncate-rotundate, apiculate, +/- serrulate; disc glabrous, without callus at base, base slightly elevated laterally, with a shallow canal; column green, curved, 3-4 mm long, apex slightly winged, wings rounded-obtuse, base broadly dilated, without callus; anther yellowish green, orbicular-elliptic, 1 mm long, 2-celled, cells surrounded by whitish wall; pollinia of 2 bony masses, obliquely ovoid, waxy, 0.5 mm long. Capsules fusiform, ca. 1.5 cm long, stalk 5-6 mm long.

NANTOU: Yunghai to Tienchi (Noko cross path), Su & Chen 9098.

East India, Tibet and southwestern China, extending to Korea, Japan, as for north as Hokkaido. Taiwan, subalpine coniferous forests at 2,200-2,600 meters in the central mountainous region, often growing on rocks on trailside.

Liparis campylostalix is similar to L. japonica. Besides the differences mentioned in the key, L. campylostalix is characterized by the following features: dorsal sepal erect or bent forward; lateral sepals spreading horizontally; petals spreading or slightly ascending. Liparis japonica is notable for the following: dorsal sepal bent backward; lateral sepal positioned below lip; petals deflexed and positioned lower than lateral sepals.