Liparis nigra - Black Liparis

Black Liparis is a small to large sized, terrestrial orchid among boulders in wet areas near streams with cylindrical pseudobulbs enveloped basally by clasping sheaths and carrying up to 5, ovate, pleated leaves. The plant blooms in the spring on a branch-end, 25-35 cm long, densely many flowered inflorescence. Flowers are about 20-50, dark purplish red, perianth widely spreading; dorsal sepal linear, curled, 1.8-2 cm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, pointed or blunt at tip, often bent backward, 3-5-nerved; lateral sepals oblique, ovate-lanceshaped, 1.3-1.5 cm long, 4-5 mm wide, blunt at tip, often reflexed and twisted, hidden by recurved lip, 5 nerved. Petals are linear, strongly curled, 14-17 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, 1- or 2-nerved. Lip is obovate-wedge-shaped, 1.4-1.8 cm long, 1.3-1.4 cm wide. Black Liparis is found in Arunachal Pradesh to Indo-China, at altitudes of 500-1700 m.