Calanthe simplex Seidenfaden Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2): 42. 1975.

匙瓣虾脊兰 chi ban xia ji lan

Plants 30-60 cm tall. Rhizome inconspicuous. Pseudobulbs conic, ca. 2 cm in diam., enclosed in leaf sheaths. Leaves 3, well developed and spreading at anthesis, not deciduous; blade oblong, ca. 30 × 4-7 cm, apex acute; petiole-like base sheathing, ca. 10 cm. Scape arising from leaf axil, erect, to 70 cm, stout, densely puberulent, with 2 tubular sheaths above middle; rachis 20-32 cm, laxly ca. 20-flowered; floral bracts persistent, lanceolate, 10-25 mm, abaxially densely puberulent. Flowers yellowish green; pedicel and ovary ca. 15 mm, densely puberulent. Dorsal sepal elliptic, 9-11 × 5-5.5 mm, abaxially densely villous, 5-veined, apex acute; lateral sepals oblong, slightly oblique, 11-13 × ca. 6 mm, abaxially densely villous, 5-veined, apex acute. Petals obovate-lanceolate or spatulate, ca. 10 × 4-4.5 mm, abaxially densely villous, 3-veined, apex acute; lip adnate to entire length of column wings, reniform, ca. 6 × 12 mm, ± fleshy, unlobed, undulate at margin, apex slightly emarginate and with a recurved mucro in sinus; disk with 3 slightly fleshy ridges at base, irregularly papillose; spur cylindric, 11-14 mm, slightly dilated toward apex. Column 7-8 mm, thick, dilated toward apex, densely villous, wings decurrent to base of lip; rostellum 2-lobed; lobes ca. 1 mm; pollinia narrowly ovoid, equal in size, ca. 1 mm. Fl. Oct-Dec.

Mixed forests; 2400-2600 m. SW Yunnan [N Thailand].