Ludisia discolor

Description:

Terrestrial orchids. Plants 10-25 cm tall, with creeping rhizomes. Leaves 2-4, arising from the base of the stem; leaf blade ovate to ovate-oblong, 3-7 cm long, fleshy, green or sometimes veined with red or golden adaxially, purplish-red abaxially. Racemes 3-8 cm long, few to more than 10-flowered. Flowers white or reddish; dorsal sepal ovate-elliptic, 8-9 mm long, navicular, coherent with petals forming a hood. Petals semi-ovate, 8-9 mm long; lip 9-10 mm long, apex widening to transverse-oblong shape, 5-6 mm wide, base with a shallowly bilobed sac; column inflated at apex.

Distribution:

Hong Kong Island, Castle Peak, Lantau Island. Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and S. E. Asia.

Habitat and Ecology:

In shady and moist places under forests of valleys. Flowering: Feb.-Mar.

The golden veined leaves and white to pink flower make it an attractive ornamental plant. In Hong Kong, most localities of its occurrence are in Country Parks, so habitats of the plants are under protection. This species is also protected by the Forestry Regulations (Cap. 96 sub. leg.) and the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586).

References:

郎楷永，1999：中國植物誌17：157。科學出版社，北京。
邢福武等，2000：深圳野生植物275。中國林業出版社，北京。