A video record of Yunnan orchid cultivation from 10 years ago
A new variety of Cymbidium tortisepalum (lianban lan) discovered in the dense forests of the Hengduan Mountains - Bilonghe. It has now been successfully introduced and is growing. Its delightfully quirky flower lip looks like a "doll's head" wearing a floral hat, with a chubby little face, a bright red mouth and big eyes.
Yunnan orchids are famous for Cymbidium tortisepalum (lianban lan).
Class Monocotyledoneae, order Orchidales, family Orchidaceae, perennial herb. China has about 161 genera and more than 1,100 species of orchids; Yunnan has 133 genera and 684 species, accounting for 83.13% of China's orchid genera and 62.18% of its species, ranking 1st among all provinces and regions. For the monotypic genus Tangtsinia, Yunnan is the distribution center. Among those that are relatively primitive in evolution and rather unusual in form are the genera Cypripedium and Paphiopedilum, named for their flower lips that are specialized into pouch-like, ladle-like or slipper-like shapes. China has 15 species of Paphiopedilum, and Yunnan has 12. Among them, Paphiopedilum armeniacum is endemic to Yunnan and is called "Jintong" and "Jindou" in Hong Kong, China; it is a rare orchid species in the world. Paphiopedilum malipoense is the representative of the most primitive known species. Yunnan has 13 species of Cypripedium. The orchid "Shuangyecao" in Zhiwu Mingshi Tukao is Cypripedium margaritaceum, and there is also Cypripedium palangshanense, both of which are endemic to Yunnan.