Gastrodia elata Blume 1856 f. viridis Photos courtesy of Natsui

To

Common Name The Beuatiful Gastrodia - Japanese - Ao-tenma [Green Gastrodia]

Flower Size 1/4" [7 to 8mm]

Found Assam India, eastern Himalayas, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan at elevations of 800 to 2350 meters in high marsh or in montane, mixed pine and broadleafed forests as a medium to large sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial species with no leaves and an elongate stem that blooms in the summer on an erect, 4 to 6" long, many flowered, racemose inflorescence

Used in the Malayasian Penninsula as a cure-all by drinking the juice from the compressed plant.

The pseudobulbs of this species are also roasted and consumed much as we would eat potatoes.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 4 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 5 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002; Native Orchids of Shaanxi - Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Mountains, China Xiaohua, Xiaodong and Xiaochun 2009 photo fide;

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