多根兰 duo gen lan

Plants terrestrial, lacking green leaves and pseudobulbs at anthesis (and possibly afterward). Rhizome subterranean, yellowish white, 9-12 × 0.6-1.2 cm, fleshy, often branched, several noded, slightly papillate, with several hairy roots 8-12 cm. Inflorescence arising from apex of rhizome, suberect, 40-45 cm; peduncle greenish, tinged purplish red, with 4 or 5 pale yellow-green sheaths 4-5 cm; rachis 5-10 cm, 3-10-flowered; floral bracts pale yellow-green, narrowly triangular, 12-15 mm. Flowers not opening widely, purple-red to yellowish; pedicel and ovary greenish, 15-17 mm. Sepals narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 17-19 × 3-5 mm, apex acuminate; lateral sepals slightly oblique. Petals narrowly elliptic, 11-13 × 4-5 mm, apex acuminate; lip elliptic-ovate, 13-14 × 5-7 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, 3-lobed; lateral lobes suberect; mid-lobe slightly recurved, ovate, 5-6 × 4-4.5 mm, apical margin crisped; disk with 2 fleshy lamellae. Column slightly arcuate, 11-12 mm; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs. Capsule erect, green. Fl. Jun-Jul.

● Humus-rich places in dense forests; ca. 1500 m. SE Yunnan (Malipo).

Among the current authors, Cribb observes that this is unlikely to be a mycotrophic species, given that it has typical autotrophic roots, not the rhizomatous structure found in all mycotrophic orchids. It also has green capsules, thus it is photosynthetic at least when in fruit. This taxon is close to Cymbidium lancifolium but probably warrants specific rank. It is not known whether it has been grown in cultivation to ascertain if it develops leaves after flowering. As mentioned under C. rhizomatosum, elongate rhizomes are found in C. lancifolium var. papuanum (a synonym of C. lancifolium in the present treatment). On the other hand, Chen observes that the flowers of C. multiradicatum differ greatly from either C. lancifolium or other species, showing little relationship with them.