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 the 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 cleft in three. The lateral lobes are
small, and the terminal lobes are oblong and pointed at the tips
with wavy margins and dark reddish-brown dots in the center parts.
Bloom time: June-July. |