峨眉手参 e mei shou shen

Plants robust, 30-50 cm tall. Tubers ellipsoid, 1-3.5 cm, with 4 or 5 elongate lobes. Stem stout, with 3 or 4 tubular sheaths at base and 5 or 6 cauline leaves. Leaves widely spaced, narrowly elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 9-11 × 2-3 cm, apex subobtuse or acuminate. Inflorescence ca. 14 cm, stout; peduncle with 2 lanceolate bracts 2-4 cm; rachis 6-7 cm, densely many flowered; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, apex long acuminate, basal ones longer than flowers. Flowers white; ovary 8-9 mm including pedicel. Dorsal sepal erect, ovate, slightly concave, ca. 3 × 2 mm, 3-veined, apex obtuse; lateral sepals spreading, elliptic, oblique, ca. 4 × 2 mm, 3-veined, apex obtuse. Petals straight, broadly rhombic-ovate, oblique, ca. 3 × 2.5 mm, 2-veined, apex obtuse; lip spreading, rhombic-ovate, ca. 3 × 2-2.5 mm, obscurely 3-lobed at apex, apex slightly reflexed; lateral lobes shallow, rounded; mid-lobe ca. 1.5 mm wide, apex obtuse; spur pendulous, curved slightly forward, cylindric, tapering slightly toward apex, 4-5 mm, much shorter than ovary, apex obtuse. Column ca. 1.5 mm; viscidia lanceolate. Fl. May-Jun.

● Thickets, alpine grasslands; ca. 3100 m. SW Sichuan.