Cheirostylis monteiroi S. Y. Hu & Barretto Chung Chi J. 13(2): 15. 1976.

箭药叉柱兰 jian yao cha zhu lan

Plants 9-13 cm tall. Rhizome olive-green, moniliform, with 4-6 nodes, internodes 5-15 mm, nodes 6-10 mm in diam.; roots hairlike, in narrow rows along rhizome internodes. Stem erect, short, ca. 2.5 cm, 2- or 3-leaved. Leaves congested, green with dark green venation, ovate, 1.2-1.6 × 0.8-1 cm, midvein conspicuous on both surfaces, base subcordate, apex acute or acuminate; petiole-like base and sheath purplish green, 0.3-0.4 cm. Inflorescence 7-9 cm, slender, pubescent, with 3-7 sterile bracts; rachis ca. 1 cm, 2-8-flowered; floral bracts purplish red, cymbiform, ca. 7 mm. Flowers small, glabrous; ovary and pedicel cylindric, 5-6 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous. Sepals olive-green, tinged with pinkish red, ca. 5 mm, connate for ca. 3/5 of length and forming a tube; tube ca. 3 mm, base slightly swollen; free apical lobes ca. 2 mm. Petals appressed to dorsal sepal, white, oblanceolate, oblique, ca. 5 × 1.5 mm; lip 8-11.5 mm, 3-partite; hypochile saccate, fleshy, margin incurved, containing 2 bifid calli; mesochile short; epichile nearly orbicular in outline, ca. 7 mm, 2-lobed; lobes white, tinged with green at middle, margin deeply 5-8-laciniate, each division ca. 2 mm. Column cylindric, ca. 3 mm; stelidia ca. 1.5 mm, acuminate; anther yellow, broadly ovoid, ca. 1 mm; viscidium linear-lanceolate, ca. 1 mm; rostellum arms ca. 1.5 mm. Fl. Mar-May.

● In shade on damp rocks, along streams in forests; ca. 300 m. Hong Kong.