三褶贝母兰 san zhe bei mu lan

Pseudobulbs 2-8 cm apart on ascending, stout rhizome, cylindric or narrowly oblong, tapering above to narrowly ovoid, 3-9.5 × 0.6-1.2 cm, slightly ridged when old, with 2 leaves at apex, sheathed with large bracts at base. Leaf blade narrowly elliptic-oblong, 6-11 × 1.6-2.5 cm, with 5-7 veins, midvein prominent, base narrowing gradually into grooved petiole 1.3-5 cm, margin entire, apex acute-acuminate. Inflorescence hysteranthous; peduncle erect, greenish, 3-15 cm, slender, smooth, with imbricate, convolute, sheathing sterile bracts at interface between peduncle and rachis; rachis slightly zigzag, 2-6-flowered, continuing to develop and producing a further set of sterile bracts at interface between peduncle and rachis and flowers annually. Flowers small, 1-1.2 cm in diam., sepals and petals white or cream-colored, lip white or cream-colored, sometimes tinged with light yellow or light brown at front of lateral lobes, lamellae yellow. Dorsal sepal oblong-lanceolate, 12-15 × 3-5 mm, with 3-5 veins, midvein prominent, apex acute; lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, 12-15 × 3-4 mm, with 3-5 veins, midvein prominent, somewhat acute. Petals reflexed, filiform, 1-veined, entire, acute; lip 11-15 × 6-7 mm, smooth, grooved at base, 3-lobed; lateral lobes clasping column, narrowly oblong, 8-11 × 2-3 mm, straight on sides, entire, obtuse or somewhat acute; mid-lobe oblong-obcordate, 3-4 mm, margin undulate, crenulate, apex retuse; callus with 3 lamellae, median lamella short, lateral lamellae parallel, extending from base of lip to 2/3 onto mid-lobe, low initially, then rising, abruptly terminating. Column slightly arcuate, 9-13 mm, narrowly winged at tip, entire. Fl. Mar-Jun.

On trees and rocks in lower montane forests; 1800-2200 m. SE Xizang, SW Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Laos, Nepal].