Herminium albosanguineum (Renz) X.H. Jin, Schuit., Raskoti & L.Q. Huang, Cladistics 2015.

Raskoti, Bhakta Bahadur, Schuiteman, Andre, Jin, Wei-Tao & Jin, Xiao-Hua, 2017, A taxonomic revision of Herminium L. (Orchidoideae, Orchidaceae), PhytoKeys 79, pp. 1-74 : 9

3. Herminium albosanguineum (Renz) X.H. Jin, Schuit., Raskoti & L.Q. Huang, Cladistics 2015.

Basionym.

Bhutanthera albosanguinea Renz, Edinburgh J. Bot. 58: 101. 2001.

Type.

BHUTAN. Thimphu district, Darkey Pang Tso, north of the Paro, Wood J.R., 7405 (Holotype: E! [E00008001]) .

Description.

Plant 4.5 cm tall. Tuber not seen. Stem with tubular sheaths at base, 2-leaved. Leaves lanceolate, acute, 2.3-2.5 × 0.4-0.8 cm. Inflorescence terminal, racemose, 2-flowered; rachis 1 cm long; floral bract triangular. Flowers 1-1.3 cm across; sepals white, petals and lip red; pedicel and ovary twisted, 7-9 mm long. Dorsal sepal elliptic-obovate, rounded, margins glandular, 5 × 4 mm; lateral sepals elliptic, subacute, 6 × 4 mm. Petals spathulate, rounded, cucullate at apex, 5 × 2.2 mm (at wide apex). Lip 3-lobed, narrowed and subunguiculate at base, spurred, base 1 × 1 mm; lateral lobes lingulate, obtuse, 3 × 1 mm; mid-lobe lingulate, obtuse, 3 × 1 mm; spur conical, 2 mm long. Column short, 1.5-2 × 1.5 mm; pollinaria 1.6 mm long. Fruit not seen.

Flowering time.

August.

Habitat.

Terrestrial on rock crevices or cliffs at an elevation of 4100 m.

Distribution.

Endemic to Bhutan.

Note.

Our description is based on Pearce and Cribb (2001) and an image of the holotype, which is apparently the only collection made of this species so far. Herminium albosanguineum is similar to H. albomarginatum , but differs in having a fewer-flowered inflorescence, white sepals, red petals and lip. It is also similar to H. albovirens ; see under that species for a comparison.