South-west China only (south-east Yunnan, south-west Guizhou & west Guangxi).
On limestone cliffs in shade of mixed forest; 800–2250 m.
A lithophytic herb often forming clumps of up to 15 growths; roots elongate, redpubescent. Stems short, 4- to 6-leaved, often upcurving. Leaves coriaceous, 4–6, ligulate, obliquely obtuse at the apex, 20–50 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, dark green above, paler beneath. Inflorescence horizontally spreading to suberect, 2- to 5-flowered; peduncle terete, green, papillose below, glabrous above; bracts cucullate, elliptic, truncate, 1.2–3 cm long, green. Flowers very slightly papillose on outside of sepals; dorsal sepal white with a green base and venation; synsepal pale green or white with darker green veins; petals pale greenish yellow with darker veins in lower half, flushed with purplish brown above; lip yellow flushed with purple and brown; staminode off white with dark green venation; pedicel and ovary glabrous, green. Dorsal sepal obovate, shortly apiculate, 3.8–4.3 cm long, 2.2–2.5 cm wide, with reflexed basal margins, papillate at base on inner surface. Synsepal ovate, obtuse, 3.5–3.8 cm long, 2.3–2.6 cm wide, with reflexed basal margins and inflexed apical ones. Petals falcate-pendent, linear-tapering, rounded at apex, 8–9 cm long, 1–1.1 cm wide, basal part incurved over base of column, with a few raised warts on inner side towards the base and a few hairs on the margin but not ciliate, papillose on inner surface at base and at apex. Lip deeply saccate, pointed at apex, 4–4.5 cm long, 2–2.5 cm wide, with inflexed triangular side lobes. Column 1–1.2 cm long, with a pubescent stalk and blunt pubescent filaments; staminode obcordate, with a blunt basal umbo, bilobed at apex, 9–11 mm long, 6–7.5 mm wide, scarcely papillate on side margins.
Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/46697/3010979
Described from China (Yunnan Province, Wen Shan District).
Pflanze: Krautige Pflanze mit 3 - 6 Blättern je Trieb. Blätter: lanzettlich, 35 - 40 cm lang und 5 - 5,5 cm breit, grün, Unterseite blasser zur Basis weißlich. lnfloreszenz: aufrecht bis überhängend mit einer Blüte, 40- 45 cm hoch, grün, sehr glänzend, Blüte: 10 cm breit und 8 cm hoch, Dorsales Sepalum: 5 cm lang und 2,5 cm breit, oval zugespitzt, rückseitig gekielt, hellgrün mit dunkleren grunen glänzenden Adern, Synsepalum: 4 cm lang und 2,5 cm breit, oval, ruckseitig gekielt, hellgrun mit dunleren grunen glanzenden Adern, Petalen: schmal lanzettlich, 6 cm lang und 1,3 cm breit, glänzend hell grünlichgelb mit grünen Adern und brünlichen Einfärbungen, schrag sichelartig herabgebogen, mit gewellten Rändern und schwarzen Härchen am unteren Rand und an der Basis. Lippe: länglich, umgekehrt helmförmig, ca. 4 cm lang und 2,5 cm breit, glänzend gelbgrün bis hell purpurnbraun. Staminodium: elliptisch bis oval herzformig mit deutlicher Einbuchtung, weiß, im Zentrum grün gefleckt.
Herbaceous plant, with 3-6 leaves per shoot. Leaves lanceolate, 35-40 cm long and 5-5.5 cm wide, green, underside paler and whitish towards the base. Inflorescence erect to pendant with a solitary flower, 40-45 cm high, green, very glossy. Flower 10 cm wide and 8 cm high. Dorsal sepal 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, pointed oval, dorsally keeled, light green with darker green glossy veins. Synsepal 4 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, oval, dorsally keeled, light green with darker green veins. Petals narrowly lanceolate, 6 cm long and 1.3 cm wide, glossy light greenish-yellow with green veins and brownish markings, obliquely falcate-pendant, with undulate margins and black indumentum on the lower margin and at the base. Lip oblong, inversely helmet-shaped, ca. 4 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, glossy yellow green to light purple brown. Staminode elliptic to oval heart-shaped with a distinct concavity, white, marked green in the middle. Translated by Odile Weber.
