尖药兰属 jian yao lan shu

Authors:Authors: Xinqi Chen, Stephan W. Gale & Phillip J. Cribb

Herbs, terrestrial, small. Tubers ovoid to cylindric, fleshy. Stem erect, terete, short, glabrous, with 1 to several basal sheaths and 1-3 subradical leaves. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, adaxially often with yellow or white reticulate veins, basally contracted into a petiole-like amplexicaul sheath. Inflorescence with 1 to several foliaceous sterile bracts, and with several to more than 20 secund flowers in a terminal raceme; floral bracts ovate to lanceolate. Flowers resupinate, small to medium-sized; ovary twisted, shortly pedicellate. Sepals and petals similar; sepals not widely spreading, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, subequal in size. Petals linear-oblong to lanceolate; lip usually decurved, linear-lanceolate or linear-ligulate, nearly as long as sepals, base concave, spurred, margin entire, lateral margins involute, apex acuminate; spur pendulous, urn-shaped, ellipsoid, or conic, shorter than ovary, contracted at neck. Column very short with 2 elongate lateral appendages; anther erect, 2-locular, locules contiguous, parallel; connective distinct; rostellum small to elongate; pollinia 2, clavate, granular-farinaceous, sectile, each attached by short caudicle to naked viscidia; stigma entire, large, raised. Capsule ovoid.

Three species: SW China to the Himalayas; three species (two endemic) in China.