Cypripedium bellatulum H. G. Reichenbach, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 3: 648. 1888; Cordula bellatula (H. G. Reichenbach) Rolfe.

Plants lithophytic or terrestrial. Leaves 4 or 5, distichous; blade abaxially heavily purple spotted and carinate, adaxially tessellated with dark and pale green or green and whitish green, sometimes dark green and slightly mottled with whitish green, oblong-elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 11-18 × 2.9-4.2(-6) cm, apex acute or obtuse and unequally bilobulate. Scape arching, terminating in 1 or rarely 2 flowers; peduncle deep purple or green spotted with purple, 2.5-5 cm, white pubescent; floral bract green, spotted with purple, ovate or elliptic, conduplicate, 2-2.6 × 1.5-2 cm, abaxially ± hairy on midvein, minutely ciliate; pedicel and ovary 3-3.5 cm, white pubescent. Flower white or rarely yellowish white, 6-8 cm in diam.; dorsal sepal and petals usually with large maroon spots 1.5-2 mm in diam.; synsepal, lip, and staminode with smaller spots. Dorsal sepal broadly ovate, 2.6-3.5 × 3.5-5 cm, slightly concave, minutely ciliate, rounded, slightly mucronate or retuse at apex; synsepal ovate-orbicular, 2-3 × 2-3 cm, concave, minutely ciliate. Petals broadly elliptic or broadly ovate-elliptic, 4.5-6 × 3-5 cm, adaxially hairy toward base, minutely ciliate, rounded at apex; lip ellipsoid-ovoid, usually 3-3.5 × 1.5-2 cm, apical margin incurved. Staminode suborbicular or subsquare, 8-10 × 8-10 mm, usually slightly tridenticulate at apex. Fl. Apr-Aug. 2n = 26.

Shaded cliffs or rocky and well-drained places in forests in limestone areas; 1000-1800 m. W Guangxi, SW Guizhou, S Yunnan [Myanmar, Thailand].