孔唇兰属 kong chun lan shu

Authors: Xinqi Chen, Stephan W. Gale & Phillip J. Cribb

Herbs, terrestrial, small. Tubers subglobose, small. Stem erect, with 2 or 3 sheathing cataphylls at base and 1 cauline leaf. Leaf linear-lanceolate, base vaginate and sheathing stem, apex obtuse. Inflorescence terminal, ebracteate, racemose, 6-8-flowered; floral bracts broadly ovate, small, much shorter than ovary. Flowers resupinate, yellowish green to green. Dorsal sepal connivent with petals, erect, ovate, concave; lateral sepals spreading or deflexed, narrowly ovate, apex obtuse. Petals erect, obliquely ovate, apex obtuse; lip ligulate, entire, apex obtuse, dilated and with 2 glands at base, spurless. Column short; anther large, 2-locular, with narrow connective; pollinia 2; rostellum prominent; lateral lobes spreading; stigma simple, pulvinate, not adnate to rostellum.

● One species: China.

In habit, Porolabium is similar to the genus Herminium (to which the sole species was referred initially), but it differs in its solitary leaf; its unlobed, ligulate, and spurless lip, which bears 2 depressions at its swollen base; its large rostellum; and its simple, cushionlike stigma. Further analysis of fresh material is required to better resolve generic affinities.

Lower Taxon

• Porolabium biporosum (Maximowicz) Tang & F. T. Wang