北插天天麻 bei cha tian tian ma

Gastrodia autumnalis T. P. Lin.

Plants 10-40 cm tall. Rhizome 1.8-2.6 cm, 0.5-0.8 cm in diam., fleshy, villous. Peduncle pale whitish brown, 20-32 cm, 3- or 4-noded, with several sheaths at base; sheaths not persistent; rachis 1-6 cm, subdensely 2-8-flowered; floral bracts pale brown, narrowly oblong-ovate, 2.5-4 mm, apex acute. Flowers erect, not resupinate, not opening widely, white, sometimes tinged brown; pedicel and ovary white, tinged pale brown, 7-9 mm; pedicel elongating in fruit. Perianth tube cylindric, 5-8 mm, slender, lacking a deep sinus between lateral sepals, outer surface smooth; free portion of sepals deltoid, 0.8-1.5 mm, margin crisped; free portion of petals elliptic or suborbicular, smaller than sepal lobes, margin crisped; lip connate with perianth tube for most of its length, only apical portion free; free portion of lip exserted at sinus between lateral sepals, simple, ovate, slightly concave, small, glabrous, sometimes absent. Column 4-6 mm, with glandular spots on ventral surface toward base; column wings 1-1.5 mm wide; column foot short. Capsule ellipsoid, to 20 mm. Fl. Oct.

● Forests; 900-1500 m. C and N Taiwan.

This species has a petaloid lip. It may well represent a peloric form of a species such as Gastrodia menghaiensis.