Cymbidium chawalongense C. L. Long, H. Li & Z. L. Dao; C. floribundum var. pumilum (Rolfe) Y. S. Wu & S. C. Chen; C. illiberale Hayata; C. pumilum Rolfe.

Plants epiphytic, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs subovoid, slightly bilaterally flattened, 2.5-3.5 × 2-3 cm, enclosed in leaf bases and surrounded by several green sheaths. Leaves usually 5 or 6, lorate, 22-50 × 0.8-1.8 cm, papery, with midvein usually raised more than 2 lateral veins abaxially (especially toward base), articulate 2-6 cm from base, apex obtuse or acute. Inflorescence arising from within sheaths at base of pseudobulb, suberect, 16-28(-35) cm; rachis usually densely 10-40-flowered; floral bracts 2-10 mm. Flowers usually not scented, 3-4 cm in diam.; pedicel and ovary 15-30 mm; sepals and petals reddish brown or occasionally greenish yellow, very rarely grayish brown; lip white, mottled purplish red on lateral lobes and mid-lobe. Sepals narrowly oblong, 16-18 × 4-7 mm, apex obtuse. Petals narrowly elliptic, 14-16 × 4-7 mm, apex obtuse; lip subovate in outline, 16-18 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect; mid-lobe slightly recurved; disk minutely papillate, with 2 longitudinal lamellae nearly convergent at their apices. Column slightly arcuate, 11-14 mm; pollinia 2, deltoid. Capsule suboblong, 3-4 × 1.3-2 cm. Fl. Apr-Aug, fr. Oct-Dec. 2n = 40*.

Trees in forests or at forest margins, rocks and cliffs along streamsides or valleys; 100-3300 m. N Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, E Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, NW and SE Yunnan, Zhejiang [Vietnam].