象牙白 xiang ya bai

Plants epiphytic, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs subcylindric, 4-10 × 2-2.5 cm, enclosed in leaf bases. Leaves 8 or 9, distichous, lorate, 37-76 × 1.2-2.4 cm, base with narrow membranous margins, articulate, apex acuminate and unequally bilobed. Inflorescences 1 or 2, arising from leaf axils, suberect, 20-45 cm; rachis 2-11(-15)-flowered; floral bracts ovate-triangular, 5-6 mm. Flowers fragrant, not opening widely; pedicel and ovary 20-30 mm; sepals and petals white or pinkish, sometimes tinged purplish on outer surfaces; lip white or pinkish, with a suboblong yellow patch at center of mid-lobe; column purplish to pink. Sepals narrowly oblong-elliptic, 48-60 × 15-20 mm, apex acuminate; lateral sepals slightly oblique. Petals narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 46-52 × 8-12 mm, apex acuminate; lip subobovate or obovate-elliptic, 45-52 × 20-32 mm, base fused to basal margins of column for ca. 5 mm, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect and loosely embracing column; mid-lobe broadly subovate, 12-13 × 14-18 mm, margin crisped; disk densely pubescent on lateral lobes and at center of mid-lobe, with 2 longitudinal lamellae; lamellae inflated and confluent at their apices, forming a subdeltoid callus at base of mid-lobe. Column slightly arcuate, 36-40 mm. Fl. Oct-Dec.

● Trees in forests; 1000-1800 m. SE Yunnan (Maguan, Malipo).

Given that this entity is intermediate in morphology between the sympatric species Cymbidium eburneum and C. mastersii, it may be of hybrid origin. This possibility needs to be explored.