Cephalanthera erecta (Thunb.) Blume 1858

Plant and Inflorescence

Flower Closeup

Photos courtesy of Natsui from Japan and his Japan Orchids Page

Part shadeColdSpring

Common Name The Erect Cephalanthera - In Japan - Gin-ran - The Silver Orchid - In China Yin Lan

Flower Size .4" [1 cm]

Found in the far eastern Russia, Korea, northern China, eastern Himalayas, Bhutan and Japan in open forests and thicket margins at elevations of 800 to 2300 meters as a small to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with an erect stem, carrrying several, plicate, elliptic, basally clasping, acute, graduating smaller towards the apex leaves that blooms in May and June on a terminal, erect, stout inflorescence carrying a few to several flowers.

Synonyms Cephalanthera erecta f. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kudô) M.Hiroe 1971; Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata N.Pearce & P.J.Cribb 2001; Cephalanthera erecta var. szechuanica Schltr. ex H.Limpr. 1922; Cephalanthera nanlingensis A.Q.Hu & F.W.Xing 2009; Cephalanthera szechuanica Schltr. 1924; Cymbidium erectum (Thunb.) Sw. 1799; Epipactis erecta (Thunb.) Sw. 1805; Limodorum erectum (Thunb.) Kuntze1891; *Serapias erecta Thunb. 1784

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002; Native Orchids of Shaanxi Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Maountains, 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 as C nanlingensis; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 as C nanlingensis drawing ok; Orchids of Huanglong Perner, Tang Si-Yuan 2007 photos fide; Atlas of Native Orchids of China Vol 1 Jin Xiaohua, Li Jianwu and Ye Deping 2019 photo fide;

Cephalanthera erecta f. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kudô) M.Hiroe 1971

Plant and Flowers in situ Japan

Photos by © Hisanori Takeuchi and his Orchids of the World Website

A plant form of the previous species.

Synonyms *Cephalanthera subaphylla Miyabe & Kudô 1932

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