Cymbidium xichouense X.Y.Xu, C.C.Ding & S.R.Lan, 2021

Xu, Xinyu, Ding, Chang-Chun, Hu, Wenqi, Yu, Xia, Zheng, Yu, Zhang, Diyang, Liao, Xingyu, Liu, Xuedie, Liu, Zhong-Jian & Lan, Siren, 2021, Cymbidium xichouense (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae), a new species from China: evidence from morphological and molecular data, Phytotaxa 484 (3), pp. 291-297 : 293-295

Cymbidium xichouense X.Y.Xu, C.C.Ding & S.R.Lan sp. nov. (Ħ̊兰) (Figs 2,3)

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan Province, the junction of Xichou Country and Maguan Country , 1400 m, under the cluttered woods, open forests or forest margins. 30 Sep 2020, Xu F001 (holotype: FAFU) .

This new species is similar to C. qiubeiense , but differs in its oblong-lanceolate sepals, green sepals and petals, white to green lip with side lobes tinged brown and midlobe tinged with green and disc with three ridges.

Terrestrial herbs. Pseudobulbs ovoid, 1.0–1.5 × 0.6–0.9 cm, enclosed in pale purple-brown persistent leaf bases and sheaths. Leaves 4–5, subterminal, lorate, deep green, 30.0–40.0 cm × 0.5–1.0 cm, apex acuminate, margins serrulate, base contracted into a long petiole; petiole purplish black, hard and wire-like, 10–20 cm long, not articulated at base. Scape arising from the base of the pseudobulb, erect, 25–30 cm long; inflorescence with 2–3 flowers; floral bracts lanceolate, green, 0.5–0.6 cm long; pedicel and ovary 2.5–2.7 cm long; flowers fragrant; sepals and petals green; lip white to green, tinged with brown on the side lobes and green on the midlobe; sepals oblong-lanceolate, 0.9–2.0 cm × 0.5–0.6 cm, apex acuminate, with 5 veins; petals oblong-lanceolate, 2.2–2.3 cm × 0.6–0.8 cm, apex acuminate; lip elliptic-pandurate in outline, 1.8–1.9 cm × 1.2–1.3 cm, trilobed, side lobes erect; midlobe nearly elliptic, 0.9–1.0 × 0.9–1.0 cm, recurved; disc with 3 ridges; column 1.5–1.7 cm long, slightly arcuate; pollinia 4, in two pair.

Etymology: —Referring to the area in Yunnan Province where the species was found, derived from the Chinese Xichou.

Phenology:— Flowering October–December.

Distribution:— Yunnan Province, on the border of Xichou County and Maguan County.

Habitat:— Under thick woodlands, open forests or forest margins at 800–1800 m.