Odontochilus pumilus J. D. Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 6: 99. 1890; Anoectochilus pumilus (J. D. Hooker) Seidenfaden & Smitinand; Cheirostylis franchetiana King & Pantling; Cystopus pumilus (J. D. Hooker) Kuntze; Myrmechis franchetiana (King & Pantling) Schlechter; Zeuxine franchetiana (King & Pantling) King & Pantling; Z. pumila (J. D. Hooker) King & Pantling.

Plants 5-12 cm tall. Rhizome creeping. Stem stout, with several leaves. Leaves ovate to long ovate, 7-14 × 5-8 mm, somewhat fleshy, base obtuse, margin somewhat undulate, apex acute; petiole-like base and sheath 5-8 mm. Inflorescence 2-3 cm, pubescent, proximally with 1 lanceolate sterile bract; rachis 1-4-flowered; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 4-5 mm, shorter than ovary, abaxially pubescent, margin ciliate. Flowers barely opening, pale white or grayish white; ovary and pedicel cylindric, 7-8 mm, slightly pubescent. Sepals ovate, 1-veined, connate at base; dorsal sepal cymbiform, 5-6 mm, apex obtuse and recurved; lateral sepals 6-7 mm, oblique, apex obtuse-acute. Petals connivent with dorsal sepal for almost entire length and forming a hood, oblanceolate, oblique, 5-6 × ca. 2 mm, 1-veined, base slightly contracted, apex obtuse; lip Y-shaped, 7-8 × ca. 3 mm, 3-partite; hypochile dilated, concave-saccate, ca. 3 × 3 mm; calli oblong, truncate, entire to slightly emarginate; mesochile ca. 2 × 1 mm, glabrous, margin involute, minutely crenulate; epichile distinctly 2-lobed; lobes diverging widely, oblong, 2-3 × 1-1.5 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Damp places in forests; 2800-3800 m. W Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, S Vietnam].