阿里山斑叶兰 a li shan ban ye lan

Peramium arisanense (Hayata) Makino.

Plants possibly epiphytic, ca. 25 cm tall. Rhizome stout, densely noded. Stem ascending, ca. 4 cm, 5-7-leaved. Leaves subrosulate at base of stem, ovate or oblong, 1-4 × 0.6-1.5 cm, possibly with white reticulate venation, base cuneate, apex acute; petiole-like base and tubular sheath 1-2 cm. Peduncle ca. 11 cm, sparsely pubescent, with 8 or 9 sterile bracts; rachis ca. 10 cm, densely 12-25-flowered, secund; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 3.5-4 mm, glabrous. Flowers small; pedicel and ovary ovoid-fusiform, ca. 3 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Sepals glabrous, 1-veined; dorsal sepal ovate-lanceolate, 3-3.8 × 1-1.2 mm, apex obtuse; lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, oblique, 3.5-4 × ca. 1.2 mm, apex obtuse. Petals linear-lanceolate, falcate, ca. 3.5 × 0.7 mm, apex obtuse; lip ovate-lanceolate, 3.5-4 × ca. 1.5 mm, 3-veined; hypochile saccate, projecting beyond base of lateral sepals, glabrous, containing 2 parallel lamellae toward base; epichile linear-ligulate, apex obtuse, slightly recurved. Column ca. 1.5 mm; anther ovoid, ca. 0.8 mm; rostellum remnant deeply bifid. Fl. Aug.

● Forests; ca. 2500 m. N Taiwan.

This species remains poorly circumscribed, and its placement is accordingly problematic. It has been considered synonymous with Goodyera schlechtendaliana (see FRPS 17: 133. 1999), though its habit and small flowers indicate that it is more closely affiliated with G. repens. Critical re-examination of floral characters, in particular the degree of pubescence on the sepals and the presence of papillae in the lip hypochile, is required to refine its delimitation.