Peristylus formosanus (Schltr.) T.P.Lin 1977

Plant and Inflorescence

Photos by © Ming-I Weng and Flickr Orchid Photo Website

Part shadeWarmColdSummer Fall

Common Name The Formosa Peristylus - In China Tai Wan Kuo Rui Lan

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm] long

Found in Taiwan, Japan and the Ryukyu Islands in open places and grasslands at elevations below 300 meters as a small to medium sized, warm to cold growing terrestrial with subglobose tubers giving rise to an erect stem with 2 to 3 tubular sheaths at the base and carrying 3 to 4, in a basal rosette to somewhat spaced along the stem, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, obtuse to acute leaves that blooms in the summer and fall on an erect, cylindric, 5.2 to 14.4" [13 to 36 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence with 2 to 3, sterile, lanceolate bracts and ovate-lanceolate, basal ones exceeding the flowers, acuminate floral bracts

CAUTION Often cited as a synonym of P lacertifera but are now considered by some to be separate because of differences in the lip shape and flower color

Synonyms Coeloglossum formosanum Makino & Hayata 1906; Habenaria brevicalcarata Fukuy. 1932; *Habenaria formosana Schltr. 1919; Habenaria tentaculata var. acutifolia Hayata 1911; Peristylus lacertifer var. formosanus (Schltr.) S.S.Ying 1990

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing fide; The Atlas of Wild Orchids in Hainan Island, China Shenyan and Junmei 2010 photo fide

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