Ponerorchis pathakiana - Arunachal Hemipilia

Arunachal Hemipilia is a slender, terrestrial orchid up to 20 cm tall. Stem is up to 16 cm long, about 1 mm in width, hairless, with 2 tubular sheaths at base, 1-leaved. Leaf is linear to narrowly linear-lanceshaped, mostly curved, 3.2-7.5 x 0.1-0.3 cm, uniformly green, pointed at tip. Flower-cluster-stalk are 1-2.5 cm long, somewhat densely 2-5 flowered; floral bracts ovate-lanceshaped, 3-5 x 1-1.2 mm, shorter than flower-stalk plus ovary, green, occasionally with pale purplish tinge, pointed at tip, 1-veined. Flowers are almost one-sided, pinkish-purple with pinkish- white tinge at base of lip; flower-stalk plus ovary narrowly elliptic-spindle-shaped, 5-7.5 x 0.8-1.2 mm, green, hairless, with minute granular depositions mainly along ridges. Dorsal sepal is erect, narrowly elliptic-lanceshaped, 4-4.5 x 1-1.2 mm,pinkish-purple; lateral sepals spreading to recurved, narrowly elliptic-lanceshaped, slightly oblique, 4-5 x 1-1.2 mm, pinkish-purple. Petals are narrowly ovate-lanceshaped, 4.4-5 x 1.5-2 mm, oblique, pinkish-purple; lip 5.5-7 mm long, 3-lobed slightly above its base, pinkish-white with purple-pink spots near base, pinkish-purple above, tips of lobes sometimes wavy or irregular, with 5 stout raised veins of which 2 enter into lateral lobes and 3 enter into middle lobe; lateral lobes (free portion) linear, 3.4-4 x 0.3-0.5 mm, blunt at tip; mid-lobe (free portion) oblong-strap-shaped, 3.5-4 x 0.8-1.5 mm, blunt at tip; spur nearly round or squarish or conical, 0.8-1 x 0.5-0.8 mm, slightly curved, blunt at tip. Arunachal Hemipilia is found in Arunachal Pradesh, at altitudes of 2800-3400 m. Flowering: August.