Coelogyne assamica - Assam Coelogyne

Assam Coelogyne is a small to medium sized, tree-dwelling orchid with close set spindle-shaped pseudobulbs carrying 2, elliptic-lanceshaped, pointed, pleated leaves, which are 3 to 5 nerved, gradually narrowing below into the 30 cm long stalk. The plant blooms on a branch-end, arching to hanging, up to 37 cm long, axis slightly fractiflex, racemose, which is 2-8 flowered. The raceme arises on a newly emerging pseudobulb. Flowers are pale yellow, more than 7 cm in diameter, lip darker yellow with intricate brown veins on lateral lobes, veins on mid-lobe orange-brown. Dorsal sepal oblong, about 3.2 x 1 cm; lateral sepals linear, sickle shaped, about 2.8 x 0.6 cm, pointed. Petals are narrowly linear, about 30 x 2.5 mm; lip obovate with deep recess on each side, about 2.6 x 1.2 cm, prominently veined, 3-lobed; lateral lobes not spreading, triangular; mid-lobe somewhat round, about 1.2 x 1.3 cm. Column is arcuate, club-shaped, about 2 cm, tip about 6 mm in diameter, tapering. Assam Coelogyne is found at altitudes of 700 m, in NW Yunnan, Bhutan, NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. Flowering: January.