Golden Thread Orchid

Botanical Information

Botanical Classification

Orchidaceae: *Hua Ye Kai Chun Lan* and *Jin Xian Lan*.

Morphological Characteristics

1. *Hua Ye Kai Chun Lan* (Cymbidium), a terrestrial plant, 10–18 cm tall. The rhizome is creeping and elongated.Leaves are alternate, with 2–4 leaves on the lower part of the stem; petioles are 4–10 mm long, expanded at the base to clasp the stem; the base is sheath-like; leaf blades are ovate-elliptic, 1.5–3.5 cm long and 1–3 cm wide, with an acute apex and a rounded base; the upper surface is blackish-purple with a golden-yellow reticulate venation, while the lower surface is pale purplish-red with 5–7 arcuate veins.The inflorescence is a raceme bearing 2–6 sparsely arranged flowers; the rachis is pubescent. The floral bracts are ovate-lanceolate, pale purple, 6–8 mm long, approximately two-thirds the length of the ovary, and tail-pointed at the apex. The flowers are pale purple and pubescent on the outside;the median sepal is ovate, concave inward, 6 mm long, with a blunt apex; the lateral sepals are oblong-elliptic, slightly oblique, longer and somewhat narrower, with a slightly pointed apex; the petals are nearly sickle-shaped, shorter than the sepals and fused with the median sepal to form a pouch;The labellum is bifid, forming a “Y” shape; the lobes are tongue-shaped and linear, with blunt tips, approximately 6 mm long and 1.5 mm wide; the claw is 5 mm long, with 6 fringed filaments on each side; the base bears a spur 6–7 mm long, the tip of which points toward the labellum, and a callus is present in the middle. Flowering period: September–October.

2. Golden-thread Orchid, a terrestrial plant, 4–10 cm tall. The rhizome is creeping, up to 4–5 cm long. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and expanded at the base to clasp the stem; leaf blades are ovate, 2–5 cm long and 1–3 cm wide, with an acute apex and a rounded base; the upper surface has a fine, scale-like network of veins and is glossy, while the lower surface is dark red.The inflorescence is a raceme bearing 2–3 flowers; the floral bracts are ovate-lanceolate, approximately 1 cm long;flowers are pale red; the median sepal is rounded, initially acuminate, covered with long, stiff hairs on the outside, glabrous on the inside, deeply concave, and fused with the petals to form a helmet-like structure 7 mm long; the lateral sepals are ovate-oblong, highly asymmetrical, 8 mm long, with an acuminate apex, covered with long, stiff hairs on the outside, and glabrous on the inside;Petals are semi-ovate, extremely asymmetrical, 9 mm long, with an acute apex; the labellum is deeply bifid, forming a “Y” shape, with narrow-oblong lobes that are obtuse at the apex, approximately 5 mm long and 0.3 mm wide; the claw is 5–6 mm long, with tuft-like filaments on both sides; the spur is approximately 4 mm long, with two calli arising anteriorly at the base.Flowering period: August–September; fruiting period: September–October.

Distribution Area

1. Variegated Lip Orchid: Found in southwestern China, as well as Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi. 2. Golden-thread Orchid: Found in Fujian, Taiwan, and other areas.