ORCHIDACEAE
Hemipilia Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. 296. 1835.
By: Lokesh R. Shakya
Taxon Description
Plants terrestrial. Tubers subglobose, ovoid to ellipsoid. Stem erect, stout, sheathed at base; sheaths usually tubular. Leaves 1 or 2, rarely 3; nearly radical or basal, rarely cauline on lower part of stem, alternate, base contracted into sheath. Inflorescence terminal, erect, loosely racemose, laxly few- to many-flowered, second, rachis glabrous. Flowers resupinate, pink or purple; ovary subsessile, cylindric to fusiform, glabrous. Sepals subequal. Petals linear to ovate, forming hood with the dorsal sepal. Lip 3-lobed or obscurely 3-lobed, spurred; spur horizontal or straight, cylindric to fusiform, rarely as long as pedicel and ovary. Column short, suberect; anther oblong, 2-locular, locules parallel; pollinia 2, oblong or clavate, granular, sectile; caudicles short or long, each with viscidium; vescidia cymbiform, orbicular or elliptic, naked.
Taxon Statistics
About 17 species distributed in the Himalayas, NE Europe, Russia, Korea, Myanmar, China and Thailand. Five species recorded from Nepal.
Key to Species
1 a. Leaves fleshy, broadly ovate-cordate …………………………………………………………………………………………Hemipilia cordifolia
b. Leaves not fleshy, oblong, linear to linear-lanceolate ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
2 a. Leaves basal ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
b. Leaves inserted along stem …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
3 a. Sterile bracts absent. Leaf surface without reticulate markings ………………………………………………………… Hemipilia calcicola
b. Sterile bracts present. Leaf surface with reticulate markings ……………………………………………………………. Hemipilia cucullata
4 a. Inflorescence 2–6- flowered. Spur 10 mm, as long as pedicel and ovary ……………………………………………… Hemipilia chusua
b. Inflorescence 6- to densely many-flowered. Spur 3–3.5 mm, shorter than pedicel and ovary ……… Hemipilia secundiflora
Hemipilia chusua (D. Don) Soo in Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung. 12: 352 (1966).
Orchis chusua D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal: 23 (1825).
Chusua pauciflora (Lindl.) P.F. Hunt in Kew Bull. 26 (1): 175 (1971); Pearce & Cribb, Fl. Bhutan 3(3): 134 (2002).
Plant 8–20 cm. Tuber globose or ellipsoid, 8–10 x 5–8 mm.*Stem with basal sheaths, basal sheaths 1 or 2, tubular. Leaves 1–4, inserted along the stem, distant, narrowly oblong, 3–5 X 0.3–1 cm, acute, sheathing at base. Inflorescence 2–5 cm, 2-6 flowered. Sterile bracts absent. Fertile bracts foliaceous, lanceolate, 10–20 X 3–4 mm, longer than pedicel and ovary, acuminate. Flowers uniformly light pink to dark purple; 2–2.5 cm across, pedicel and ovary fusiform, curved, ca 1 cm. Dorsal sepal erect, lanceolate, 5–8 X 2–3 mm, acute, 3-veined. Lateral sepals oblong, 8–10 X 3–4 mm, acuminate, oblique, 3-veined. Petals ovate, 4–7 X 2.5–3.5 mm, 3-veined. Lip variably 3-lobed, 10–16 X 8–12 mm, margin entire; lateral lobes diverging, broad, obtuse; spurred; spur cylindric, subclavate, 1 cm. Column 1.5–2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, Bhutan, Russia, India, China, Korea, Japan, Myanmar.
Altitudinal range: 2400-4900 m.
Ecology: Alpine grassland.
Flowering: July to August.
Use: Medicine, Ornamental.
Hemipilia cordifolia Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (Lindley) 4: 296. 1835.
Plant 14–25 cm. Tubers ovoid to ellipsoid, 1.5–2.5 X 0.8–1.2 cm. Stem 7–12 cm, basal sheaths absent. Leaf 1, fleshy, broadly ovate-cordate, dark green with purple spots, 3.5–9 X 3–7.8 cm, acute, sheathing at base, sheaths clasping. Inflorescence 6–8.5 cm, laxly few to many-flowered. Sterile bracts lanceolate, 10 X 1.5 mm, acuminate. Fertile bracts ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5–7 X 2–3 mm, shorter than the pedicel and ovary. Flowers, uniformly purplish pink, 1–1.2 cm across, pedicel and ovary slender, fusiform, 1.2 cm. Dorsal sepal erect, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 4.5–5 X 2.5–3 mm, obtuse, 3-veined. Lateral sepals ovate, falcate, 4.5–5 X 3.5–4 mm, obtuse, 5-veined. Petals ovate-lanceolate, 5 X 2 mm, obtuse, 1-veined, connivent with the dorsal sepal. Lip entire or obscurely 3-lobed, spurred, ca. 8 mm, lateral lobes broad, ca. 5 mm, rounded, reflexed; mid-lobe rounded, ca. 15 mm, margins crenulate; spur cylindric, 1 cm, obtuse, horizontal. Column ca. 2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Myanmar.
Altitudinal range: 1800–2400 m.
Ecology: Shrubby roadside slopes of north facing temperate forest.
Flowering: July to August.
Hemipilia calcicola (W. W. Sm.) Y. Tang & H. Peng, BioMed Centr. Evol. Biol. 15(96):28(2015).
Gymnadenia calcicola W.W. Sm., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 8: 188. 1914.
Plant 9–14 cm. Tubers globose, 8–10 X 6–8 mm. Stem 3–6 cm; basal sheaths membranous, tubular. Leaves 2, basal, inserted towards base of the stem, linear-lanceolate, 4.8–7 X 0.5–0.7 cm, acute, sessile, sheathing at base. Inflorescence rachis 2–3.5 cm; secund to subsecund, subdensely 6 to 10-flowered. Sterile bracts absent. Fertile bracts oblong-lanceolate, 8 X 18 mm, as long as or shorter than pedicel and ovary, acute, 1-veined. Flowers pink or pinkish violet, 14 mm, pedicel and ovary weakly curved, ovary swollen, 6.5 mm. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, 5–5.5 X 1.4–2 mm, acute, 1-veined. Lateral sepals lanceolate, weakly falcate, 4.5–5.5 X 1–1.5 mm, acute to acuminate, 1-veined. Petals linear, subacute, 4–4.7 X 0.8–1 mm, 1-veined. Lip 3-lobed, ca. 6 mm; lateral lobes linear 2 mm, mid-lobe linear 3 mm; spur saccate, 4–4.5 mm, broad, obtuse. Column ca! 1.5–2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, India, Bhutan, China.
Altitudinal range: 3700-5000 m.
Ecology: Open moist areas.
Flowering: August to September.
Hemipilia cucullata (L.) Y. Tang, H. Peng & T. Yukawa
Orchis cucullata L., Sp. Pl. 939. 1753.
Neottianthe cucullata (L.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16:292 (1919).
Plant 10–25 cm. Tubers globose to ovoid, 5–10 X 6–10 mm. Stem 5–10 cm; basal sheaths membranous. Leaves 1 or 2, basal, lanceolate, 3–6 X 0.5–1 cm, acute, subopposite, surface with reticulate markings, sheathing at base. Inflorescence 9–21cm, terminal, erect, dense 5 to 20-flowered. Sterile bracts 1–4, linear. Fertile bracts lanceolate, 4–5 X 1–2 mm, longer than the pedicel and ovary, acuminate. Flowers uniformly pink or bluish-purple, 6–8 mm across, pedicel and ovary fusiform, weakly curved, 3–5 mm. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, 3.5 X 1.4–1.7 mm, acute, 1-veined. Lateral sepals lanceolate, weakly falcate, 3.5–4.5 X 1–1.5 mm, acute to acuminate, 1-veined. Petals filiform, 3.5 X 0.4 mm, 1-veined. Lip 3-lobed, ca. 4.7 mm, surface densely pubescent; base widely clawed; lateral lobes 2–3 mm, linear-oblong, obtuse; mid-lobe 2.5–4 mm, oblong; spur porrect, ca. 4 mm, curved, base broad. Column ca. 1.2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, Europe, India, Bhutan, China, Japan.
Altitudinal range: 2900-3200 m.
Ecology: Moist shady places.
Flowering: August to September.
Uses: Medicine, ornamental.
Hemipilia secundiflora (Hook. f.) Schltr. in Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16: 291. 1919.
Habenaria secundiflora Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6(1): 165. 1890.
Plant 9–28 cm. Tubers globose to ellipsoid, 8 X 6 mm. Stem 15 mm, slender, slightly curved, basal sheaths tubular. Leaves 2 or 3, inserted along stem, distant, alternate, linear to linear-oblong, 4.8–12 X 0.5–1.5 cm, acute, sessile, sheathing at base. Inflorescence secund to subsecund, subdensely 6 to densely many flowered. Sterile bracts linear, 10–20 X 2–3 mm, acuminate, 1-veined. Fertile bracts lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 8 X 16 mm, longer than pedicel and ovary, acute, 3-veined. Flowers 14 mm, pink or purple, pedicel and ovary with swollen ovary, weakly curved, 6.5 mm. Sepals similar, lanceolate, 5 X 1.5–2 mm, acute, 1-veined. Petals linear, 4–4.7 X 0.8–1 mm, subacute, 1-veined. Lip 3-lobed, ca. 5 mm; lateral lobes 1.5 mm, acute; mid-lobe 3 mm, oblong-lanceolate, 3-veined; spur saccate, contracted at base, 3–3.5 mm, broad, obtuse, inflated, apex subacute. Column short, ca. 1–1.5 mm.
Distribution: W-E Nepal, Himalaya (Uttar Pradesh to Sikkim), India, Bhutan, China.
Altitudinal range: 2200-3200 m.
Ecology: On mossy rocks and open slopes
Flowering: August to September.