Calanthe nipponica, an evergreen orchid plant that grows to 30-50cm in height, inhabits coniferous forests deep in the mountains. Spherical pseudobulbs lie 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.