Cymbidium aspidistrifolium Fukuyama; C. bambusifolium Fowlie (1986), not Roxburgh (1832); C. javanicum Blume; C. javanicum var. aspidistrifolium (Fukuyama) F. Maekawa; C. lancifolium f. aspidistrifolium (Fukuyama) T. P. Lin; C. lancifolium var. aspidistrifolium (Fukuyama) S. S. Ying; C. lancifolium var. papuanum (Schlechter) S. S. Ying; C. lancifolium var. syunitianum (Fukuyama) S. S. Ying; C. maclehoseae S. Y. Hu; C. nagifolium Masamune; C. papuanum Schlechter; C. syunitianum Fukuyama.

Plants lithophytic or terrestrial, autotrophic. Pseudobulbs usually somewhat tufted, cylindric to narrowly fusiform, usually tapering toward apex, slightly bilaterally flattened, 2-7(-15) × 0.5-1(-1.5) cm, several noded, naked. Leaves 2-4, borne at apex of pseudobulbs, oblanceolate-oblong to narrowly elliptic, 6-17(-25) × 1.9-4(-6) cm, base contracted into a petiole-like stalk, apical margin finely toothed, apex acuminate; petiole-like stalk 3-18 cm, articulate. Inflorescence lateral, arising from an intermediate node of pseudobulb, erect, 8-20 cm or longer; rachis (1 or)2-6-flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, 10-15 mm. Flowers usually not scented, 2-2.5 cm in diam.; pedicel and ovary 20-25 mm; sepals and petals white or pale green, midvein sometimes purplish brown; lip white or pale green with purplish brown markings. Sepals oblanceolate-oblong, 22-27(-30) × 5-7 mm, apex acute. Petals suboblong, 15-23 × 5-7 mm, apex acute; lip ovate-oblong, 15-20 mm, not fused to basal margins of column, obscurely 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect and loosely clasping column; mid-lobe recurved, broadly ovate, 6-11 × 6-12 mm; disk with 2 longitudinal lamellae extending from base of lip to base of mid-lobe; lamellae convergent toward their apices and forming a short tube. Column ca. 15 mm; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 50 × 15 mm. Fl. May-Aug, fr. Oct-Dec. 2n = 38*, 39, 40, 42.

Open forests, bamboo forests, forest margins, broad-leaved forests, humus-rich rocks along valleys; 300-2200 m. N Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, S Hunan, S Sichuan, Taiwan, SE Xizang, Yunnan, S Zhejiang [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam].