Habenaria aitchisonii Rchb.f., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot., ser. 2, 3: 113. 1888.

Pandey, Tirtha Raj & Jin, Xiao-Hua, 2021, Taxonomic revision of Habenaria josephi group (sect. Diphyllae s. l.) in the Pan-Himalaya, PhytoKeys 175, pp. 109-136 : 109

5. Habenaria aitchisonii Rchb.f., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot., ser. 2, 3: 113. 1888.

Habenaria wolongensis Habenaria wolongensis K.Y. Lang, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 22(4): 314, 1984, syn. nov. Type. CHINA, Sichuan, Wolong, 2200 m elev., 1982, K. Y. Lang, L. Q. Li & Y. Fei 1528 [lectotype designated by Pandey and Jin (in press): PE (01147127!), isolectotype: PE (01147128!)].

Habenaria diceras Habenaria diceras Schltr., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 5: 101, t. 78. 1912. Type. CHINA, Yunnan, Lijiang Range eastern flank, 2700-3000 m elev., 1906, G. Forrest 3074 [holotype: E (E00381986 image!), isotype: P (P00426380 image!].

Habenaria bihamata Habenaria bihamata Kränzl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 17: 106. 1921. Type. CHINA, Yunnan, Pe yen tsin, S. Ten s. n. (type: B n.v., probably lost).

Habenaria pubicaulis Habenaria pubicaulis Schltr., Acta Horti Gothob. 1: 139. 1924. Type. CHINA, Sichuan, ca. 3900 m elev., 1922, Harry Smith 3858 [holotype: UPS (V-091292 image!); isotypes: PE (01516965!), E (E00381983 image!), LD (1073030 image!), S (S07-285 image!)].

Type.

Afghanistan (now Pakistan), Darban Valley , Kuram District, 2280 m elev., 1880, Aitchison 413 [holotype: K (K000247484 image!), isotype: AMES (00256482 image!)] .

Description.

Terrestrial herbs, 10-50 cm tall. Tubers oblong or ellipsoid. Stems erect, papillate-pubescent. Leaves 2, opposite, basal; base narrowed and amplexicaul; blade ovate or ovate-orbicular, 2-7 cm long, 1.5-6 cm broad, apex acute. Inflorescence 8-45 cm long, laxly to densely many (up to 40) flowered; rachis 1.5-8 cm long, papillate-pubescent; sterile bracts ovate to lanceolate, 0.7-1.5 cm long, acuminate; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, margins ciliate, ca. 0.7 cm long, apex acuminate. Flowers bright green, with often faintly yellowish lip; ovary and pedicel arcuate, 0.7-1.2 cm long, papillate-hairy. Dorsal sepal forming a hood with petals, erect, ovate, concave, 3-5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm broad, apex obtuse or acute; lateral sepals reflexed, obliquely ovate-oblong, 3.5-5.5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, apex obtuse or acute. Petals 2-lobed, glabrous; upper lobe obliquely falcate-lanceolate, 3-5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm broad; lower lobe a tooth at the base of upper lobe, ca. 0.5 mm long; lip deeply 3-lobed near the base, spurred; lateral lobes linear, retrorse, embracing erect sepals, 6-12 mm long, apex slightly bent; mid-lobe reflexed, linear, 5-9 mm long, ca. 1 mm broad; spur pendulous, cylindrical-clavate, 7-8(-10) mm long. Column stout, anthers diverging, connective wide; pollinium granular; caudicles short, stout; stigmatic processes converging, subclavate. (Fig. 12 ).

Phenology.

Flowering from July to September.

Habitat.

Open Juniperus / Larix montane forests, thickets, grasslands; 1800-4400 m elev.

Distribution.

N Pakistan, U Ganga and Indus, U Yarlung Zangbo, W, C and E Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling, Bhutan, M Yarlung Zangbo, L Yarlung Zangbo, Yarlung Zangbo-Brahmaputra, N and S Hengduan. (Fig. 13 ).

More illustrations.

Wu et al. (2010, fig. 192, 4-6).

Additional specimens examined.

N PAKISTAN: Hazara, Rawalpindi district, 2500 m elev., 1975, J. Renz 10800 (RENZ). U GANGA & INDUS: Mussoorie, 2128 m elev., 1898, P.W. Mackinnon s. n. (CAL0000092710); Mussoorie, 1824 m elev., 1899, P.W. Mackinnon 22991 (CAL0000092691); Mussoorie, 2300 m elev., 1983, J. Renz & Y.P.S. Pangtey 13641 (RENZ). U YARLUNG ZANGBO: Dinggyê, 4151 m elev., 2013, PE-Tibet team 3421 (PE); Gyirong (Jilong), 3700 m elev., 2013, PE-Tibet team 3825 (PE); Gyirong (Jilong), 2950 m elev., 1975, Qinghai-Tibet Team 7034 (PE). W NEPAL: Karnali, Mugu, Pina-Ghurchi, 2800 m elev., 1985, P.R. Shakya, M.N. Subedi, R.K. Uprety 8783 (KATH); Jumla to Dori Lekh, 3200 m elev., 1979, K.R. Rajbhandari & B.Roy 3378 (KATH). C NEPAL: Dhawalagiri, Mustang, Muktinath-Thorungse, 3900 m elev., 1983, K.R. Rajbhandari 8173 (KATH); Mustang, Dhampus, 2450 m elev., 1988, M. Suzuki et al. 8881592 (KATH); Mustang, Larjung, 2550 m elev., 1996, T. Hoshino et al. 9668062 (KATH); Mustang, 1999, S. Ishizawa et al. 990912020 (TI). E NEPAL: Sagarmatha, Solukhumbu, 3570 m elev., 2005, Watson et al. DNEP3 BX107 (KATH); Solukhumbu, Thame, 2800 m elev., 2013, B.B. Raskoti 00987 (KATH). SIKKIM and DARJEELING: Sikkim, Lachen Valley, 3648 m elev., 1895, R. Pantling 398 (CAL); Lachen, 2584 m elev., 1909, Smith & Cave 2669 (CAL0000092699). BHUTAN: Gasa, Upper Mo Chu, Laya, 3950 m elev., 1983, C. Sargent 114 (RENZ 16003). M YARLUNG ZANGBO: Yadong, Phari, Kang me, 1882, Dr. King’s Collector s. n. (CAL0000092702). L YARLUNG ZANGBO: Mainling, 3100 m elev., 1972, Tibet Chinese Medicinal Plants Survey team 3858 (PE); Nyingchi, near township, 3200 m elev., 1964, Anonymous 793 (PE). YARLUNG ZANGBO-BRAHMAPUTRA: Lhünzê, 3889 m elev., 2013, FLPH Tibet Expedition 13-0890 (PE); Zayü, 4100 m elev., 1973, Qinghai-Tibet Team 1218 (PE); Zayü, 3200 m elev., 1935, C.W. Wang 65772 (PE). N HENGDUAN: Batang, 3520 m elev., 1983, K.Y. Lang et al. 2410 (PE); Danba, 3000 m elev., G.L. Qu 7522 (PE); Luhuo Xian, NW of Luhuo along highway 317, 3385 m elev., D.E. Bufford et al. 33485 (K); Wenchuan, Wolong Nature Reserve, 2220 m elev., 1982, Lang et al. 1528 (type of H. wolongensis , PE). S HENGDUAN: Cawarong, 3450 m elev., 1982, Qinghai-Tibet Team 10547 (PE); Dali, 3000 m elev., 2001, H.K. Kadoorie Team s. n. (PE); Daocheng, 3100-3200 m elev., 1981, Qinghai-Tibetan Team 4235 (PE); Dêqên, 2200 m elev., 1935, C.W. Wang 69920 (PE); Heishui, 3200 m elev., Q. Li 73191 (PE); Heqing, 2730 m elev., 1996, Y.B. Luo 40 (PE); Jinyang, 3500 m elev., K.Y. Lang 14900 (PE); Jiulong, Tanggu Xiang, 3700 m elev., 2005, D.E. Bufford 33420 (K); Kangding, 3470 m elev., 1982, Lang et al. 1534 (PE); Kangding, 3650 m elev., 1982, K.Y. Lang et al. 944 (PE); Luding, 2500 m elev., 1938, Z.B. Wang 9772 (PE); Muli, 3200-3400 m elev., 1983, Qinghai-Tibet Team 14063 (PE); Shangri-la, 4200-4300 m elev., 1981, Hengduan Team 3322, 2832 (PE); Shangri-la, Napa Hai, amongst shrubs, 3350 m elev., 2002, H. Sun 08 (K); Shangri-la (Zhongdian), 3000 m elev., 1937, T.T. Yu 12539 (PE); Weixi, 3600 m elev., 1935, C.W. Wang 68356 (PE); Xiangcheng, 3500 m, elev. Qinghai-Tibetan Team 004810 (PE); Yulong (Lijiang), 3040 m elev., 1922, G. Forrest 22208 (K); Yulong (Lijiang), 2700-3000 m elev., 1913, G. Forrest 10985 (PE); Yulong (Lijiang), 2750 m elev., 1981, Qinghai-Tibet Team 213 (PE).

Note.

This species is distributed along the whole range of the Himalaya up to the Hengduan Mountains at elevations between 2000 and 4500 m (temperate to alpine) and thus is the most widespread Habenaria species in the Pan-Himalaya. The type material was collected from the Darban Valley along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the western end of the distribution ( Aitchison 1888). Similar plants from the Hengduan Region were described as new species by Schlechter (1912, 1924) and Kränzlin (1921), respectively, but were later reduced to synonyms ( Chen and Cribb 2009). There is considerable variation in the size of the plant, in the colouring of the leaves, with yellowish-white markings that occasionally give a false impression of this being a new species; the peduncle is also quite variable in length as is the density of the inflorescence, from subdensely few-flowered to densely many-flowered. Habenaria wolongensis from Sichuan also falls within the range of variation of H. aitchisonii and is here reduced to synonymy.

Figures

Figure 12. Habenaria aitchisonii A habit B floral bract C pedicellate ovary with spur D petal E dorsal sepal F lateral sepal G lip (A photographed from K. Y. Lang et al. 944, PE B-G drawn from the same specimen by T. R. Pandey).

Figure 13. Distribution of Habenaria aitchisonii (black circles) in the Pan-Himalaya.