Herminium pugioniforme Lindl. ex Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 130. 1890.

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 : 34-35

39. Herminium pugioniforme Lindl. ex Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 130. 1890. Fig. 5I

Herminium nivale Schltr., Acta Horti Gothob. 1: 134. 1924. Type: CHINA. Sichuan, Dongrergo, Smith H., 3631 (Holotype: UPS!).

Monorchis pugioniformis (Lindl. ex Hook.f.) O. Schwarz, Mitt. Thüring. Bot. Ges. 1: 96. 1949.

Androcorys pugioniformis (Lindl. ex Hook.f.) K. Y. Lang, Guihaia 16: 105. 1996.

Type.

INDIA. Uttarakhand, Garhwal, Dudu Glacier under Srikanta , 14000-15000 ft, 10.08.21883, Duthie J. F., 517 (Syntype: K! [K000387533]) ; Sikkim, Samdong , 16000 ft, 11.09.1849, Hooker J. D., s.n. (Syntype: K! [K000387531], K-LINDL!) ; Kashmir, Kilan Marg , 12000 ft, 08.1877, Aitchison, 106 (Syntype: K! [K000387532]) .

Description.

Plant 5-20 cm tall. Tuber globose, 5-8 × 4-8 mm. Stem with 1 or 2 tubular sheaths and 1 leaf at base. Leaf oblanceolate, 2-4 × 0.4-1.2 cm, apex obtuse. Inflorescence 3-10 cm, rachis 1-4 cm, 3-20-flowered; floral bracts ovate, much reduced, shorter than ovary, apex acute. Flowers green; ovary and pedicel 4-5 mm, fusiform, apex beaked, 3-5 mm. Dorsal sepal broadly elliptic-orbicular, concave, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.2 mm, apex obtuse; lateral sepals obovate to elliptic, oblique 1.7-2.2 × 1-1.2 mm, apex obtuse. Petals obovate, oblique, concave, 1.3-1.5 × 0.5-0.8 mm, apex obtuse. Lip narrowly lingulate-oblong, 1.5-2.0 mm long, base rather abruptly dilated, 0.6-1.1 mm wide, with two basal concavities separated by a longitudinal callus ridge, apex obtuse. Column 0.5-1 mm, anther with 2 divergent locules hooded with ca. 0.6 mm broad connective; pollinia 2, clavate, attached to ellipsoid viscidium by short caudicle; rostellum triangular; stigma gibbous, attached to base of rostellum. Fruit fusiform, 3-4 mm long.

Flowering time.

July-September.

Habitat.

Terrestrial in Abies forests, alpine grasslands, meadows and valleys at elevations of 2700-5200(-5500) m.

Distribution.

Bhutan, China, India, Nepal.

Note.

Pridgeon et al. (2001: 257) stated that this species may occur up to 5500 m, but we have not seen specimens collected above 5200 m.

Specimens examined.

BHUTAN: Gasa, Baiteng , 5040 m, 25.08.2000, Miehe G. and Miehe S., 00-329-04 (K) ; Gasa, Upper mangde Chu near Kitchisabo , 5190 m, 11.09.2000, Miehe G. and S., 00-368-17 (K); Tangey, lower Tsorim Chu , 4670 m, 14.09.2000, Miehe G. and Miehe S., 00-385-17 (K) ; Paro, Tso Phu Valley , 4610 m, 08.07.2000, Miehe G. and Miehe S., 00-175-24 (K) .

CHINA: Sichuan, Songpan county, Huanglongsi , 3450 m, 30.07.2002, Luo Y.B., 853 (PE) ; Tibet, Bomi county, Zhamo Highway, 4200 m, 27.07.2010, Southern Tibet Expedition, STET1287 (PE); Dagze county , 5200 m, 02.09.1965, Zhang Y.T. and Lang K.Y., 2475 (PE); Damxung, Nyainqentanglha Shan, 4880 m, 11.08.1989, Dickoré B., 3753 (K); Lhasa, 5000 m, 19.08.1965, Zhang Y.T. and Lang K.Y., 1938 (PE); Lhasa, Ximala Hill, mountain, 4900 m, 10.08.1965, Zhang Y.T., Lang K.Y., 2114 (PE); Medog county , 2664 m, 08.09.2009, Southeast Tibet Expedition, SET-ET 1362 (PE); Melong Gompa, 4900-5200 m, 02.07.1932, Gould B. J., 2236 (K); Zayu county , Chawalong from meigu to Ridong, 4500 m, 17.07.2010, Southern Tibet Expedition, STET0655 (PE) ; Yunnan, Zhongdian, 3880 m, 11.08.1981, Beijing Hengduan Mountain Team , 3018 (PE) .

INDIA: Kashmir, Mt. Kolahoi, 4250 m, Stewart R. R., 9390 (K).

NEPAL. Rasuwa, Gosaithan , 4000 m, 21.07.2008, Raskoti B. B., 20149 (KATH) .

Figures

Figure 5. Flowers of representive species of Herminium. A H. monorchis B H. latilabre C H. forceps D H. fallax E H. lanceum F H. edgeworthii G H. monophyllum H H. quinquelobum I H. pugioniforme.