Finding

SITF has determined this plant to be Calanthe sylvatica, not Calanthe sinica (Oct 2026). Using the key in Flora of China, this plant keys to C. sylvatica. The plant is not deciduous. The floral bracts are persistent. The lip is spurred and trilobed. The lip crest is adorned with wartlike structures and is mucronate. The flowers are pinkish or purple. The most important characteristics are the densely pubescent leaves and the length of the spur. There is no evidence of pubescence in the foliage. The length of the spur is listed as 1.9cm. The lip measurements noted in the key is 1.1cm to 1.7cm for C. sylvatica and <0.9 cm for C. sinica. Based on the length of the spur and no pubescence, as well as the other key characteristics, this is C. sylvatica.

Finding

SITF confirms this plant as Masdevallia microptera (Sep 2026). This plant matches the IOSPE and Orchidroots photos and Luer's drawing on the IOSPE. Using the key from from Icones Pleurothallidinarum, Volume 23, Systematics of Masdevallia (Part Four), there appears to be a typo in couplet #10 of the key for Subsection Oscillantes where the second choice should likely be #11, not #18. Otherwise, the key never takes you to couplet #11 and subsequently to M. microptera. On enlargement, one of the photos shows the lip with a hook at the apex of the midlobe that matches the "uncinate" (shaped like a hook or curved at the tip) wings in the description.

Finding

SITF has determined this plant to be Bulbophyllum ericssonii (Sep 2026). This identity was most likely caused by a mistake in names between B. viridescens, a species which is not umbellate, and B. virescens which is synonymous with B. ericssonii and which is umbellate, as is this plant. The photo of B. ericssonii on the IOSPE is a close match to this plant in color and form. Also, there are almost 50 images by different photographers closely matching this plant.

Finding

SITF confirms this plant as Vanda tessellata (Sep 2026) with no subspecies name. There is a previously awarded plant, V. tessellata 'Emrys Chew' AM/AOS, which is a cultivar of Vanda tessellata (‘Mary Motes’ x ‘Alice Motes’) and which is similar in color to this plant. This color has also been known in the trade as "var. rufescens" a name for an uncommon red color form of Vanda tessellata and, although not recognized as a subspecies by Kew/POWO, It can be found on the Internet.

Finding

SITF confirms this plant as Dendrobium terminale (Sep 2026). Dendrobium capitellatoides is a similar species. The dorsal sepal of D. terminale and this flower is oblong-elliptic, while that of D. capitellatoides is distinctly triangular. The latter species flower is typically 15cm or less in size and this is 20cm. The leaves of capitellatoides are described as linear-lanceolate and those of terminale more triangular. The single, broad keel, small erect petals and the shape of the leaves look correct for this species.

Finding

SITF confirms this plant as Vanda alpina (Sep 2026). This plant matches available photos including orchidroots.com, and the IOSPE. V. cristata is a similar species to V. alpina; however, it has prominent horns at the apex of the lip. V. alpina and this plant do not. The leaves of this plant are distinctly bilobed and one of them shown in the photo is also unequally bilobed, as they should be for this species.