Cymbidium kanran var. aestivale Y. S. Wu; C. kanran var. purpureohiemale (Hayata) S. S. Ying; C. linearisepalum Yamamoto; C. linearisepalum f. atropurpureum Yamamoto; C. linearisepalum var. atropurpureum (Yamamoto) Masamune; C. linearisepalum f. atrovirens Yamamoto; C. linearisepalum var. atrovirens (Yamamoto) Masamune; C. misericors Hayata var. oreophilum (Hayata) Hayata; C. nigrovenium Z. J. Liu & J. N. Zhang; C. oreophilum Hayata; C. purpureohiemale Hayata; C. sinokanran T. K. Yen; C. sinokanran var. atropurpureum T. K. Yen; C. tosyaense Masamune.

Plants terrestrial, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs narrowly ovoid, 2-4 × 1-1.5 cm, enclosed in leaf bases. Leaves 3-5(-7), deep green, lorate, 40-70 × 0.9-1.7 cm, thinly leathery, articulate 4-5 cm from base, apical margin often finely toothed. Inflorescence arising from base of pseudobulb, erect, 25-60(-80) cm; rachis laxly 5-12-flowered; floral bracts narrowly lanceolate, mostly 15-26 × 1-2 mm, though basal one to 40 mm. Flowers usually strongly fragrant, variable in color; pedicel and ovary 20-25(-30) mm; sepals and petals pale yellowish green with purplish red striations; lip yellowish, mottled purplish red. Sepals sublinear or linear-lanceolate, 30-50 × 3.5-5(-7) mm, apex acuminate. Petals narrowly ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 20-30 × 5-10 mm; lip subovate, 20-30 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, loosely clasping column; mid-lobe recurved, oblong-ovate, 11-16 × 8-12 mm, margin slightly incised; disk minutely papillate-pubescent, with 2 longitudinal lamellae extending from base of lip to base of mid-lobe; lamellae convergent toward apices and forming a short tube. Column slightly arcuate, 10-17 mm, narrowly winged; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, broadly ovoid. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 45 × 18 mm. Fl. Aug-Dec, fr. Feb-Apr. 2n = 40, 41.

Cymbidium ×nishiuchianum Makino ex J. M. H. Shaw (Orchid Rev. 110: 13. 2002) was recently described as a hybrid of C. goeringii and C. kanran.

Forests, streamsides, shaded places, moist and rocky slopes; 400-2400 m. Anhui, N Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, SE Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [S Japan, S Korea].