Flickingeria tricarinata Z. H. Tsi & S. C. Chen Acta Phytotax. Sin. 33: 201. 1995.

三脊金石斛 san ji jin shi hu

Flickingeria tricarinata var. viridilamella Z. H. Tsi & S. C. Chen.

Rhizome creeping, 4-6 mm in diam., internodes 5-10 mm. Stems pendulous or nearly ascending, golden yellow, often branching. Pseudobulbs golden yellow, fusiform, slightly compressed, 4.5-6.5 cm × 8-15 mm. Leaf blade narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 11.5-12 × ca. 2.5 cm, leathery, apex acuminate and slightly emarginate. Inflorescence usually 1-flowered; peduncle ca. 4 mm. Flowers only lasting half a day, pale yellow, thinly textured; pedicel and ovary ca. 6 mm. Dorsal sepal ± reflexed, ovate-oblong, ca. 14 × 5 mm, acute; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-triangular, similar in size to dorsal sepal, base oblique and relatively wide; mentum perpendicular or at an obtuse angle to ovary, ca. 6 mm, broadly obtuse. Petals ascending, oblong, ca. 10 × 3.2 mm, acute; lip obovate in outline, ca. 12 mm, 3-lobed; lateral lobes suberect, ovate-triangular, ca. 5 × 4 mm, rounded; mid-lobe somewhat transversely narrowly oblong, ca. 4 × 14 mm, adaxially with small papillae, base cuneate, margin undulate, apex with lobules ± narrowly obovate; disk with 2 longitudinal lamellae extending from base to cuneate base of mid-lobe, and 1 central keel extending to near apex of mid-lobe; lamellae taller and crisped in apical half. Column ca. 4 mm, stout; foot ca. 5 mm. Fl. Jun.

● Epiphytic on tree trunks in forests; 800-900 m. S Yunnan.