Smithanthe rhodocheila (Hance) Szlachetko & Margońska.

Plants 8-35 cm tall. Tubers oblong-cylindric, 2-4 × 1-2 cm, fleshy. Stem erect, terete, stout, with 4-6 leaves below middle and 1-3 bractlike leaflets above leaves. Leaf blade linear-lanceolate to suboblong, 10-15 × 1.5-2 cm, base amplexicaul, apex acuminate. Raceme loosely 2-10-flowered, 3-8 cm; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-1.7 cm, shorter than ovary, apex acuminate; ovary twisted, terete, including pedicel 2-3 cm. Flowers with green sepals and petals and orange-yellow to red lip. Dorsal sepal forming a hood with petals, erect, suborbicular, concave, ca. 9 × 8 mm, 3-veined, apex obtuse; lateral sepals reflexed, oblong, 9-10 × ca. 5 mm, 5-veined, apex obtuse. Petals spatulate-linear, ca. 8 × 2 mm, 1-veined, apex obtuse; lip spreading, ovate in outline, 1.8-2 × ca. 1.5 cm, 4-lobed, with short claw at base, spurred; lateral lobes spreading, oblong, ca. 7 × 5 mm, apex obtuse; mid-lobe bilobed, lobules nearly subovate, ca. 4 × 3 mm, apex obliquely truncate; spur pendulous, dull yellow, cylindric, 2-3 cm × ca. 1 mm, apex often upcurved; rostellum deltoid, large, with elongated arms; stigmas clavate. Capsule fusiform, ca. 1.5 cm, apex beaked. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Oct-Nov. 2n = 38, 42.

Shaded places or soil-covered rocks in forests or along valleys; 300-1500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi [Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].