落叶兰 luo ye lan

Plants terrestrial, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs very small, often borne in a row and somewhat rhizomelike, with several thickened roots to 5-8 mm in diam. at base. Leaves 2-4, lorate, deciduous in winter (but often not completely deciduous in cultivation), emerging in spring, only terminal pseudobulb with leaves during growing period, (10-)25-40 × 0.5-1 cm, inconspicuously articulate toward base, apex subobtuse. Inflorescence arising from base of pseudobulb, erect, 10-20 cm; rachis 3- or 4-flowered; floral bracts sublinear-lanceolate, mostly 5-6 mm, though basal one to 10 mm. Flowers fragrant, small, 2-3 cm in diam., very variable in color, greenish white, pale green, pale red, pale yellow, or pale purple; pedicel and ovary 13-17 mm. Sepals narrowly oblong, 12-20 × 3-6 mm, usually 5-veined, apex acute; lateral sepals spreading horizontally. Petals loosely clasping column, narrowly ovate, 10-16 × 2.5-5 mm; lip suboblong-ovate, 10-12 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes incurved, small, narrow; mid-lobe recurved, suborbicular, 3-4 × 3-4 mm; disk with 2 longitudinal lamellae extending from near center of lip to base of mid-lobe, ca. 3 mm. Column 7-8 mm; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs. Fl. Jun-Aug.

● N Fujian, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan.

This species is often cultivated in orchid greenhouses. It was reported to be found in Zhejiang, but no specimen has been seen.