3. Herminium pugioniforme Lindl. ex Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6:130. 1890. King & Pantling, Orchids of Sikkim Himal., Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta, 8:333, pl. 437.1898; Duthie l.c. 199; Blatter, l.c. 164; Stewart l.c. 71.1972.
J. RENZ
Plants dwarf, 5-10(-15) cm tall. Tuberoids small, globose, sessile. Leaves solitary, basal, oblong-spathulate, subobtuse, up to 5 x 1.5 cm. Inflorescence 1-3 (-5) cm long, 0.7-0.8 cm broad, rather lax. Bracts minute, broadly ovate, much shorter than ovary, c.1.4 mm long. Flowers green, ± erect. Dorsal sepals broadly ovate, forming a hood with the petals over the column; lateral sepals somewhat longer, 1.6-2.2 mm, ± obliquely elliptic, spreading. Petals oblong-ovate, slightly concave. Labellum fleshy, 1.8-2.0 mm long, with much widened base, excavated into two oval pits, suddenly narrowed into dagger-like anterior portion. Ovary shortly pedicelled, twisted.
Fl. Per.: July to early August.
Isotype: Kashmir, alt. 12000 ft., Aitchison (K); Garwhal, alt. 14-15000 ft. Duthie; Sikkim, alt. 15-16000 ft., J.D. Hooker.
Distribution: Alpine Himalaya from Kashmir to Sikkim, S. E. Tibet. In grassy pasture, up to 5000 m. To be expected in Pakistan area.
