Hemipilia cordifolia Lindley var. subflabellata Finet; H. flabellata var. grandiflora Finet; H. flabellata var. leptoceras Soó; H. quinquangularis Tang & F. T. Wang; H. sikangensis Tang & F. T. Wang.
Plants 15-28 cm tall. Tubers narrowly ellipsoid, 1.5-4.5 cm. Stem with 1 tubular cataphyll at base, 1-leaved. Leaf abaxially purple, adaxially green with purple spots, cordate to broadly ovate, 2-10 × 2-9 cm, base cordate to rounded, apex acute to cuspidate. Inflorescence 12-24 cm, with 3 or 4 lanceolate sterile bracts; rachis 4-8 cm, laxly to subdensely 3-15-flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, largest to 11 mm. Flowers variable in color, from purplish red to nearly pure white; pedicel and ovary erect, sometimes arcuate toward apex, 12-18 mm. Dorsal sepal oblong to narrowly ovate, concave, 6-9 × 2.5-4 mm, 3- or 5-veined, apex obtuse or acute; lateral sepals obliquely ovate to oblong, falcate, 7-10 × 3.5-5 mm, 3-veined, apex obtuse. Petals broadly ovate, slightly oblique, 5-7 × 3-5 mm, 3-veined, apex subacute; lip simple, 8-10 mm, basally contracted into short claw; claw oblong or cuneate, ca. 2 mm; blade widely dilated, flabellate to orbicular, 6-8 × 6.5-8.5 mm, margin irregularly crenulate, apex truncate or obtuse, sometimes emarginate; spur usually straight and horizontal or sometimes slightly curved downward, conic-cylindric, attenuate, 13-18 mm, apex obtuse or shallowly 2-lobed. Column ca. 3 mm; rostellum ligulate, ca. 1 mm, apex rounded. Capsule ca. 3 cm. Fl. Jun-Aug.
● Forests, crevices on limestone cliffs; 1600-3200 m. NW Guizhou, SW Sichuan, C and NW Yunnan.
