Chinese twisted orchid

Family: orchids. Found in floodplain and upland meadows, not uncommon along roadsides in the Far East (Ussuri, Zeya-Bureya districts).

A plant with a shortened rhizome from which several thickened roots arise, arranged in a cluster. Stem 10-40 cm tall, pubescent in the upper part, with few leaves. Leaves mostly basal, linear or narrowly lanceolate, 3-10 cm long, up to 1 cm wide. Stem leaves few, much smaller than the basal ones, clasping at the base. Inflorescence spike-like, one-sided, spirally twisted. Bracts narrowly oval, up to 8 mm long. Perianth segments bright pink, obtuse, 3-5 mm long, inner ones slightly narrower and shorter than the outer. Lip up to 4.5 mm long, whitish, oblong, in the middle due to the bending of the edges constricted and rounded-expanded at the tip, with wavy margins, on the anterior expanded half above with numerous small papillae, at the base glabrous with two narrow callus-like tubercles located on its sides, slightly above the base. Flowers in July-August.

Species of this genus, after seed germination, remain underground for a long time. The first green leaf appears only in the 8th year, and the plant flowers in the 13th-14th year. Vegetative reproduction is occasionally noted.