Platanthera sinica Tang & F. T. Wang, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 1: 59. 1951.滇西舌唇兰 dian xi she chun lan

Plants 35-50 cm tall. Rootstock creeping, cylindric, to 4 cm, stoloniferous. Stem erect, stout, with 2 or 3 tubular sheaths at base, usually 3-leaved. Leaves cauline, oblong or elliptic, 8-11 × 3-4.5 cm, base contracted and clasping, apex obtuse or acute. Peduncle slender, with several scattered, lanceolate bracts; rachis 10-12 cm, laxly 8-12-flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, basal ones exceeding flowers, apex acuminate. Flowers fragrant, yellowish green, petals and lip white and sometimes tinged yellow; pedicel and ovary cylindric, 14-15 mm. Dorsal sepal erect, forming a hood with petals, elliptic, cymbiform, 6-6.5 × 3-3.5 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, apex obtuse; lateral sepals reflexed, ovate, oblique, 6.5-7 × 3.5-4.5 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, apex obtuse. Petals erect, linear, oblique, 5.5-6 × 1.4-1.5 mm, 1-veined, apex truncate and slightly emarginate; lip linear-subulate, ca. 14 × 1-1.8 mm, base slightly dilated, entire, apex emarginate; spur pendulous, cylindric, 16-18 × ca. 1.5 mm, slightly thickened toward apex, apex obtuse. Column short; staminodes conspicuous; anther locules parallel; connective rather broad, apex slightly concave; pollinia obovoid, with short caudicles and linear-ellipsoid viscidia; rostellum erect, short; stigma lobes confluent, concave, elliptic, lying directly below rostellum. Fl. Jun-Jul.

● Forests, grassy slopes; 2500-3500 m. NW Yunnan (Gongshan to Zhongdian).