Terrestrial herb; leaves evergreen, tufted, linear, arcuate, 20-70 cm. long, 6-17 mm. wide, acuminate, scabridulous on the margins; scapes 25-60 cm. long, loosely sheathed; racemes loosely 5- to 12-flowered, erect, the bracts herbaceous, linear, 8-30 mm. long, acuminate; flowers fragrant, purplish green; sepals spreading, broadly linear, acuminate, the dorsal one 3-4 cm. long, 3.5-4.5 mm. wide, longer than the lateral ones; petals slightly shorter than the sepals, linear-lanceolate, 2-3 cm. long, 4.5-5.5 mm. wide; lip slightly shorter than the petals, about half as long as the dorsal sepal, smooth, glabrous, spreading, the lateral lobes small; column 10-14 mm. long.

Dec.-Jan.

Honshu (Kii Prov.), Kyushu; very rare

Japan Red List (2000)

A terrestrial orchid that grows under evergreen broad-leaved forests. Its leaves are fascicled, broad-linear, leathery, somewhat falcate, and 20-70cm in length. The flower stalks are erect and 25-60cm tall, with scattered sheathing leaves. The inflorescence blooms sparsely from December to January and bears 5-10 greenish-purple flowers. The lip is shorter than the sepals, pale yellow with purple-red spots, and has two ridges in the center.

Out of 34 mesh squares surveyed, the species is already extinct in 13 mesh squares, and its current status is unknown in 10 mesh squares. In the remaining 11 mesh squares, only a few individuals are left in 10 of them. In many natural habitats, the species has declined to less than half or 1% of its previous population. The main factor causing the decline is the collection for horticultural purposes, but the impact of deforestation has also been noted in 16 mesh squares.