Hemipilia cordifolia - Heart-Leaf Hemipilia

Heart-Leaf Hemipilia is terrestrial orchid, 13-27 cm tall. Tubers are ovoid to subspherical, 1.5-4.5 cm. Stem with 1 tubular cataphyll at base, 1-leaved. Leaf is heart-shaped to round, purplish below, and dark green with purple spots above, 2.5-8 × 2-6.5 cm, fleshy. Inflorescence is 11-25 cm, with 2 or 3 lanceshaped sterile bracts. Rachis is 5-10 cm, laxly to subdensely 3-to more than 10-flowered. Floral bracts are lanceshaped, tip long-pointed. Flowers are purplish red to pink; pedicel and ovary erect, often arcuate toward apex, 7-15 mm. Dorsal sepal is oblong to ovate- lanceolate, 4-6 × 2-3.2 mm, 5-veined, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals are spreading to reflexed, oblong-ovate, falcate, 6-7 × 3.5-4 mm, 5-veined, tip long-poited. Petals are connivent with dorsal sepal and forming a hood, ovate, slightly oblique, 3.2-4.5 × 2-3 mm, 3-veined, tip somewhat pointed. Lip is variable in outline, 7-9 × about 5 mm, 3-lobed though lateral lobes sometimes reduced, adaxially finely papillate, apical margin usually frilly. Heart-Leaf Hemipilia is found in the Himalayas, from Mussourie to Nepal, at altitudes of 1800-2300 m.