西藏杓兰 xi zang shao lan

Cypripedium compactum Schlechter; C. corrugatum Franchet; C. corrugatum var. obesum Franchet; C. lanuginosum Schlechter; C. macranthos Swartz var. tibeticum (King ex Rolfe) Kraenzlin.

Plants 15-35 cm tall, with a stout, rather short rhizome. Stem erect, glabrous or pubescent near upper nodes, with several sheaths at base and 3 or rarely 2 or 4 leaves above. Leaf blade elliptic, ovate-elliptic, or broadly elliptic, 8-16 × 3-9 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, minutely ciliate, apex acute, acuminate, or obtuse. Inflorescence terminal, with 1 flower, usually appearing before full development of leaves; floral bracts foliaceous, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 6-11 × 2-5 cm, apex acute or acuminate; pedicel and ovary 2-3 cm, glabrous or occasionally slightly pubescent toward apex. Flower large, nodding; sepals and petals white or yellow, boldly striped with purple to deep maroon; lip purple or dark maroon, usually with a white-margined rim. Dorsal sepal elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 3-6 × 2.5-4 cm, abaxially glabrous or occasionally sparsely puberulent, ± minutely ciliate, apex acuminate, acute, or mucronulate; synsepal similar to dorsal sepal, but slightly shorter and narrower, apex shallowly 2-lobed. Petals lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 3.5-6.5 × 1.5-2.5 cm, with very conspicuous veins, densely pubescent toward adaxial base, sparsely minutely ciliate, apex acuminate or acute; lip deeply pouched, subglobose to ellipsoid, 4-6 × 4-5.5 cm, outer surface often wrinkled, inner bottom hairy. Staminode ovate-oblong, 1.5-2 × 0.8-1.2 cm, abaxially ± keeled, base subsessile. Fl. May-Aug. 2n = 20.

Sparse forests, forest margins, scrubby slopes, grassy slopes, stony places; 2300-4200 m. S Gansu, W Guizhou, W Sichuan, E and S Xizang, W Yunnan [Bhutan, India (Sikkim)].

Cypripedium froschii Perner (Orchidee Beih., Deutsch. Orchid. Ges. 6: 10. 1999), collected from Lijiang, Yunnan, appears to be a natural hybrid between C. tibeticum and C. yunnanense, both of which are native to Lijiang. Its flower is similar to that of C. yunnanense but much larger.