Amitostigma papilionaceum Tang F. T. Wang & K. Y. Lang, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 20: 83. 1982.

蝶花无柱兰 die hua wu zhu lan

Plants 2-3.5 cm tall. Tubers oblong, 6-10 × ca. 4 mm. Stem with tubular sheaths at base, 2-leaved. Leaves basal, subopposite, porrect, ovate-orbicular, elliptic, or lanceolate, 0.3-0.7 × 0.1-0.6 cm, slightly fleshy, apex acute. Peduncle ebracteate; rachis 1-flowered; floral bract ovate-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, much shorter than ovary, apex acute. Flower horizontal to erect, pale purple, with dark purple spots at base of lip, rather large; ovary and pedicel ca. 7 mm. Dorsal sepal erect, ovate-lanceolate, concave, 4-5 × 1.3-1.5 mm, 1-veined, apex subobtuse; lateral sepals spreading, oblong-lanceolate, slightly oblique, 4-5 × 1.3-1.5 mm, 1-veined, apex subobtuse. Petals connivent with dorsal sepal and forming a hood, ovate, slightly oblique, 4.5-5.5 × 2-2.5 mm, 1- or 2-veined, apex subobtuse; lip broadly elliptic-obovate, 7-9 × 5-8 mm, deeply 3-lobed below middle; lateral lobes linear-oblong, 3-4.5 × 1-2 mm, 1-veined, apex obtuse; mid-lobe spatulate to obovate, 5-5.5 × 4-5 mm, 3-veined, margin denticulate, apex rounded; spur pendulous, globose, 1.5-2 mm, apex rounded. Fl. Jul.

● Rocky soils, cliffs; ca. 2500 m. NW Sichuan.