Gastrochilus sinensis Z. H. Tsi Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin. 9(2): 23. 1989.

中华盆距兰 zhong hua pen ju lan

Stems repent, 10-20 cm or more, ca. 2 mm in diam., slender. Leaves distichous, well spaced, very shortly petiolate; blade green, with purple-red spots, elliptic or oblong, 1-2 × 0.5-0.7 cm, apex acute and with 3 short awns. Inflorescences 2 or 3, subumbellate, 2- or 3-flowered; peduncle ca. 1 cm, slender, upper part enlarged; floral bracts ovate-triangular, ca. 1 mm; pedicel and ovary yellowish green, with purplish red spots, ca. 7 mm. Flowers small, widely opening, yellowish green, with purplish red spots. Dorsal sepal subelliptic, concave, 4-5 × ca. 2.5 mm, apex obtuse; lateral sepals slightly oblique, oblong, ca. as large as dorsal sepal, abaxially ± carinate. Petals subobovate, slightly smaller than sepals, apex rounded; lip with an epichile and a saccate hypochile; epichile reniform, ca. 2.5 × 4-5 mm, margin and adaxial surface densely shortly hairy, with a central cushion, apex broadly emarginate; hypochile subconic, ± laterally compressed, 3.5-4 mm tall, ca. 3 mm in diam., apex obtuse-rounded and slightly bent forward, densely hairy near entrance. Column ca. 2 mm; anther cap narrowed toward apex. Fl. Oct.

● On tree trunks in forests, on rocks along valleys; 800-3200 m. N Fujian, NE Guizhou, NW Yunnan, NW Zhejiang.