Epidendrum ensifolium L.
Tufted terrestrials. Roots 5-6 mm thick. Pseudobulbs ovoid, slightly compressed, 2-3 cm tall, 1-2 cm wide. Leaves 3-5, linear, 30-50 cm long, 1-1.5 or rarely to 2.5 cm wide, coriaceous, apex acute, base cuneate, main veins 3, elevated on lower surface. Peduncle basal from pseudobulb, 10-25 or rarely to 40 cm longl, remotely few-sheathed; rachis 10 cm or longer; bracts lanceolate, nearly equal or less than half length of pedicel and ovary, acuminate; pedicel and ovary 2.5-3.5 cm long. Flowers ca. 10, pale green, greenish yellow to pale yellow, perianth with few (1, or 3-5) reddish lines and dots, or rarely without any lines and dots, fragrant; sepals oblong to oblanceolate, 2.5-3.6 cm long, 7-8 mm wide, acute or obtuse at apex, lateral ones slightly oblique or falcate; petals elliptic to lanceolate, 2-2.6 cm long, 710 mm wide, often with more red spots near base; lip pale yellow or nearly white, with many large reddish patches, ovate-oblong, obscurely 3-lobed or nearly unlobed, 1.6-2.2 cm long, 8-10 mm wide, lateral lobes or basal sides erect, midlobe reflexed, ovate, obtuse, entire or slightly undulate, disc with 2 yellowish keels often joined at their apex; column pale yellow, 1.2-1.5 cm long, with reddish spots and short lines on ventral side; anther yellowish white, shortly hirsute; pollinia 4, in 2 unequal pairs, attached to crescent-like viscidium.
TAIPEI: Kawakami & Shimada s. n. Dec 1909. MIAOLI: Urbansong, Su 7921. NANTOU: Hoshe, Su 8189; Shanlinchi, Su 9045. HUALIEN: Tailukou, Su 9356; Nengkauyueh, Su & Chen 9385.
Japan, southern China, northern India, Sikkim, Indochina, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and New Guinea. Taiwan, commonly found in forest at 500-2,000 m throughout island.