鸟舌兰属 niao she lan shu

Authors:Authors: Xinqi Chen & Jeffrey J. Wood

Ascolabium S. S. Ying.

Herbs, epiphytic, small, monopodial. Stems short or sometimes ± elongate, enclosed in leaf sheaths, rooting at nodes near base. Leaves several to many, usually distichous, either nearly lorate with conduplicate basal half and praemorse apex, or subterete and deeply channeled above, jointed and sheathing at base. Inflorescences axillary, racemose, erect or spreading, usually many flowered. Flowers small, opening widely. Sepals and petals similar; lip firmly adnate to base of column, immovable, 3-lobed, spurred; lateral lobes suberect, small, usually adnate to column; mid-lobe larger, oblong, porrect or decurved, base often with thickenings at spur entrance; spur slender, usually rather long, unornamented inside. Column short, footless; rostellum short, 2-lobed; pollinia 2, waxy, globose, cleft, attached by a common, short, linear stipe to a broad viscidium.

About five species: from the Himalayas to Indonesia and the Philippines; three species (one endemic) in China.