Sarcochilus japonicus Miquel, Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 2: 206. 1866.

Stems pendulous, 2-13 cm, slender, with many nodes, densely many leaved. Leaves narrowly oblong or oblanceolate, 2-4 × 0.5-0.7 cm, leathery, obtuse and minutely bilobed. Inflorescences often 2 to many, opposite to leaves, 3-5 cm, laxly few flowered; peduncle slender, with 2 sheaths; rachis 3-5 mm, not thickened, floral bracts persistent, well spaced, ca. 5 mm apart from each other, distichous, broadly ovate-triangular, ca. 2.5 mm. Flowers pale yellow; pedicel and ovary ca. 5 mm. Dorsal sepal oblong, 5-7 × 2.5-3 mm, obtuse; lateral sepals ovate-lanceolate, 5-7 × 3-3.5 mm, obtuse. Petals narrowly oblong, 5-6 × 1.5-2 mm, obtuse; lip base with a claw ca. 1 mm, lip 3-lobed; lateral lobes suberect, falcate, narrowly suboblong, ca. 2.5 × 1.2 mm, obtuse-rounded; mid-lobe suborbicular, ca. 0.5 mm wide, fleshy, abaxially ± conic-swollen; disk slightly concave at base, densely hairy. Fl. Sep-Oct. 2n = 36, 38.

Epiphytic on branches at forest margins along rivers or valleys; 900-1000 m. N Fujian, N Guangdong, NE Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan, N Taiwan [Japan].