二叶兰 er ye lan

Plants terrestrial, autotrophic, with a subterranean rhizome. Rhizome whitish yellow, cylindric, 7-10 × 0.6-1.5 cm, branched, several noded, with small wartlike outgrowths, with several fleshy roots to 9 × 0.8 cm. Leaves 2, basal, emerging after anthesis, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 6-8 × 1.8-2.5 cm, thinly leathery, contracted into a short petiole-like stalk at base, apex acute; petiole conduplicate or somewhat tubular, ca. 2 cm, articulate. Inflorescence arising from apical node of rhizome, erect, 15-20 cm, slender; peduncle greenish with several green sheaths 1-2.5 cm; rachis (1 or)2- or 3-flowered; floral bracts greenish, narrowly ovate, 9-15 × 5-7 mm. Flowers opening widely; pedicel and ovary 15-25 mm; sepals and petals greenish to whitish, petals with a purplish red longitudinal line at base; lip greenish to whitish with purplish red markings. Dorsal sepal narrowly obovate-elliptic, ca. 27 × 5 mm, apex acute-acuminate; lateral sepals linear-obovate, ca. 25 × 4 mm, apex acute. Lip ovate, ca. 14 × 11 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, small; mid-lobe recurved, ovate, ca. 7 × 6 mm; disk with 2 convergent lamellae extending from base of lip to base of mid-lobe. Column 11-13 mm; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs. Capsule erect, narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 35 × 10 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Nov-Dec.

● SE Yunnan.

Among the present authors, Cribb observes that this taxon is probably best treated as a variety of the widespread and variable Cymbidium lancifolium. It does not differ significantly from C. lancifolium var. papuanum (a synonym of C. lancifolium in the present treatment), which also has long rhizomes, short pseudobulbs, and small leaves. The latter has been found in New Guinea and Thailand. On the other hand, Chen observes that C. rhizomatosum is quite different from C. lancifolium and differs by its leaves appearing after anthesis.