Calanthe arcuata Rolfe 1896 Photo by Japan Orchid Website

Thin Lipped variety Photo by Paul Christian and Rareplants.co.uk Orchid Website

THROUGH EARLY

Common Name The Arched Inflorescence Calanthe - In China Hu Ju Xia Ji Lan

Flower Size 1.2 to 1.4" [3 to 3.4 cm]

Found in southern China in humus rich and moist places or in rocks covered with soil and leaf litter at elevations of 1400 to 3100 meters as a small to medium sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with small, conical, pseudobulbs carrying 3 to 4, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, to narrow lanceolate leaves taht blooms in the spring through early fall on an erect, usually solitary, 12 to 20" [30 to 50 cm] long, densely short hairy, racemose, usually laxly 10 flowered inflorescence

CAUTION There seems to be two distinct types of this species, I have included a photo of each above but I am not positive that the determination is correct for both.

Synonyms Calanthe arcuata var. brevifolia Z.H.Tsi 1981; Calanthe caudatilabella Hayata 1914; Calanthe puberula var. caudatilabellata (Hayata) M.Hiroe 1971

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide; Native Orchids of Shaanxi - Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide as C arcuata var brevifolia; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Maountains, China Xiaohua, Xiaodong and Xiaochun 2009 as Different colored photo fide; A Field Guide to the Orchids of China Singchi, Zhongjian, Yibo, Xiaohua and Zhanhuo 2009 thin lipped photo hmm; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing fide; The Wild Orchids in Yunnan Xu Xiang Ye & Liu 2010 photos fide;

Calanthe arcuata var. brevifolia Z.H.Tsi 1981 Photo by Harry Jans Alpine Orchid Website

Distinguished by the shorter leaves, the lip slightly trilobed, the lateral lobes are almost semiorbicular, obtuse apically, the midlobe oblong to rhombic-elliptic, obtuse with an apiculate apex and not narrowed at the base.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Native Orchids of Shaanxi - Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide; Orchids of Huanglong Perner, Tang Si-Yuan 2007 photos fide;

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