脆舌姜 cui she jiang

Pseudostems 0.8--3 m. Leaves sessile; ligule red spotted at base, 2-lobed, 3--4 cm, membranous, fragile; leaf blade lanceolate or narrowly so, 40--50 × 9--11 cm, slightly puberulent except densely pubescent along sides of midvein, base cuneate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences arising from rhizomes, ovoid or capitate, 4--8 × 3--7.5 cm; peduncle very short; bracts red, ovate or oblong, 3--5 × 2.8--3.8 cm, brown pubescent, apex convex, acute, inner bracts triangular, 3.8--4 × 1.1--1.3 cm, apex attenuate; bracteoles pale red, 2.8--3 cm, white puberulent. Calyx 1.9--2.2 cm, apex 3-toothed, bearded. Corolla tube 3.1--4.2 cm, white pubescent; lobes red, lanceolate, 2.3--3.2 cm × 8--9 mm, lateral ones narrower. Labellum brown with purplish brown spots; central lobe ligulelike, 2--2.4 cm × 7--9 mm; lateral lobes auriculate, 1.3--1.5 cm. Filament ca. 3 mm; anther ca. 2 cm; connective appendage purple, ca. 1.3 cm. Ovary white, pubescent. Fl. Jul.

Forests; ca. 600 m. S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna Dai Zu Zizhizhou) [N Thailand].