苞舌兰属 bao she lan shu

Authors:Authors: Xinqi Chen & Alexandra Bell

Herbs, terrestrial. Pseudobulbs ovoid or globose, with a few leaves. Leaf blade plicate, narrow, base contracted into a long petiole-like stalk, not articulate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence terminal, erect, racemose, arising from base of pseudobulb; peduncle with several sheaths; rachis sparsely few flowered; floral bracts shorter than pedicel and ovary. Flowers opening widely, medium-sized. Sepals similar. Petals similar to sepals but usually wider; lip not spurred, adnate to base of column, 3-lobed; lateral lobes suberect; mid-lobe clawed at base; disk and claw of mid-lobe often with keels or other appendages. Column arcuate, slender, upper part enlarged, winged, without column foot; rostellum not lobed; pollinia 8, in 2 groups, narrowly obovoid, subequal in size, waxy, commonly adherent to a solitary triangular viscidium.

About 46 species: tropical Asia to Australia and the Pacific islands; three species in China.