Orchis aphylla F. W. Schmidt in J. Mayer, Samml. Phys. Aufsätze Böhm. Naturgesch. 1: 240. 1791, not Forsskål (1775); Epipactis epipogium (Linnaeus) Allioni; Epipogium aphyllum f. albiflorum Y. N. Lee & K. S. Lee; E. aphyllum var. stenochilum Handel-Mazzetti; E. gmelinii Richard; Limodorum epipogium (Linnaeus) Swartz; Satyrium epipogium Linnaeus; Serapias epipogium (Linnaeus) Steudel.

Plants 10-30 cm tall. Rhizome coralloid, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.8 cm, branching. Stem pale brown, with a few membranous sheaths; sheaths amplexicaul, pale brown, 5-9 mm, membranous. Rachis laxly 2-6-flowered; floral bracts narrowly ovate, 6-9 × 2.8-4 mm. Flowers not resupinate, usually pendulous, weakly spreading to widely spreading, yellow, tinged with pink or pale purple; pedicel 3-5 mm; ovary 3-5 mm. Sepals spreading, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 12-18 × 2-3 mm, apex obtuse or acute. Petals similar to sepals, spreading, often slightly wider than sepals, apex acute; lip cordate-ovate when flattened, concave, 6-10 × 6-12 mm, 3-lobed near base; lateral lobes erect, ovate-triangular, 3-3.5 × ca. 3 mm; mid-lobe reflexed, ovate-elliptic, concave, 8-10 × 6-7 mm, lateral mar-gins nearly slightly erose and involute, apex acute; disk with 4-6 longitudinal, purplish red, papillose ridges; spur large and thick, 5-8 × 4-5 mm, apex obtuse. Column 6-7 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep. 2n = 68.

Forests, crevices, mossy places; 1200-3600 m. S Gansu, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shanxi, NW Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Japan, Kashmir, Korea, Nepal, Russia; Europe].