Calanthe
nipponica, an evergreen orchid plant that grows to 30-50cm in
height, inhabits coniferous forests deep in the mountains. Spherical
pseudobulbs lay beneath the ground surface, lined from old to new,
and from the latest arise 3-5 dark green broad lanceolate leaves,
15-30cm long, 1.5-3.5cm wide, with tips sharply pointed. Five to
twelve yellow-green flowers dispersively bloom on upper parts of the
spikes, with 1.5-2cm-long, broad lanceolate sepals, lateral petals
shorter than the sepals, and lips that abruptly spread and then
cleft in three. Lateral lobes are small, and the terminal lobes are
oblong and pointed at the tips with margins wavy and dark
reddish-brown dots in the center parts. Bloom time: June-July. |