Gastrodia elata Blume 1856
Photos by Ji Xu Yue Du and The Orchid Encyclopedia
Gastrodia elata f. viridis (Makino) Makino 1940
Photo courtesy of Natsui
To 
Common Name The Beautiful Gastrodia - Japanese - Ao-tenma [Green Gastrodia] - In China Tian Ma
Flower Size 1/4" [7 to 8mm]
Found in Assam India, eastern Himalayas, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan at elevations of 800 to 2350 meters in high marsh or in montane, mixed pine and broadleafed forests as a medium to large sized, warm to cold growing, mycoheterotrophic terrestrial species with no leaves and an elongate stem that blooms in the summer on an erect, 12" to 43" [30 to 110 cm] long, many flowered, racemose inflorescence with oblong-lanceolate, membraneous, acuminate, often exceeding he ovary floral bracts and carrying weakly opening, resupinate flowers.
Used in the Malaysian Penninsula as a cure-all by drinking the juice from the compressed plant.
The pseudobulbs of this species are also roasted and consumed much as we would eat potatoes.
Synonyms Gastrodia elata f. alba S.Chow 1983; Gastrodia elata f. flavida S.Chow 1983; Gastrodia elata f. glauca S.Chow 1983; Gastrodia elata f. pilifera Tuyama 1941; Gastrodia elata f. viridis (Makino) Makino 1940; Gastrodia elata var. gracilis Pamp. 1915; Gastrodia elata var. obovata Yue J.Zhang 2010; Gastrodia elata var. pallens Kitag. 1939; Gastrodia elata var. viridis (Makino) Makino 1916; Gastrodia mairei Schltr. 1913; Gastrodia elata Blume 1856
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 4 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 5 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; Native Orchids of Shaanxi - Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide; Orchids of Huanglong Perner, Tang Si-Yuan 2007 photos fide; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Mountains, China Xiaohua, Xiaodong and Xiaochun 2009 photo fide; A Field Guide to the Orchids of China Singchi, Zhongjian, Yibo, Xiaohua and Zhanhuo 2009 photo fide; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing fide; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing fide; The Wild Orchids in Yunnan Xu Xiang Ye & Liu 2010 photos fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 7 2017 photo fide; Atlas of Native Orchids of China Vol 1 Jin Xiaohua, Li Jianwu and Ye Deping 2019 photo fide;
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