Aorchis Vermeulen 1972, is a small genus of two terrestrial

Terrestrial plant

A terrestrial plant is one that grows on land. Other types of plants are aquatic , epiphytic , lithophytes and aerial ....

 species from the orchid family (Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae

The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...

), subfamily Orchidoideae

Orchidoideae

The Orchidoideae, or the orchidoid orchids, are a subfamily of the orchid family .They typically contain the orchids with a single , fertile anther which is erect and basitonic....

, tribe Orchideae, subtribe Orchidinae.

These frequent species occur in shrubs and alpine meadows at elevations of 2300--4300 m, from the Himalaya to China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

 and the Russian Far East, often forming extensive colonies. In the past they have been described as belonging to the genera Habenaria

Habenaria

Habenaria, commonly called bog orchids, are a far ranging genus of orchid, one of approximately 800 described Orchidaceae genera within that large and diverse family. There are species in both tropical and temperate zones.-Description:...

, Gymnadenia

Gymnadenia

Gymnadenia is a genus in the orchid family containing 22 terrestrial species.They can be found in damp meadows, fens and marshes, and on chalk or limestone, often in alpine regions of Europe and Asia up to the Himalayas. The Fragrant Orchid has been introduced into the USA.These hardy terrestrial...

or Galeorchis.

These orchids are between 8 and 15 cm tall. They have a sympodial

Sympodial

Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and in biology is often used to refer to the outward morphology or mode of growth of organisms.-In botany:...

 growth, with long, slender, creeping rhizome

Rhizome

In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...

s.

The erect stem

Plant stem

A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...

 is cylindric, with 1 or 2 tubular sheaths at its foot.

The broad, acute leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 are elliptic, spatulate or spatulate-oblanceolate. The plants show mostly two opposite leaves, (rarely 1 or 3) with a leafstalk, folded lengthwise.

The inflorescence

Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...

 (1,5 – 5 cm) is a raceme with 1-5 flowers; twisted to one side, growing on an erect scape (= naked peduncle rising from the ground). The main stalk is glabrous with spreading floral bracts. The glabrous, epigynous ovary

Ovary (plants)

In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...

 is spindle-shaped. They bloom from July till August.

The pink sepal

Sepal

A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...

s and petal

Petal

Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...

s, are oblong with an obtuse apex. The dorsal sepals form a hood with the petals.

The pink lip

Labellum

Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...

is marked with many purple dots and is as long as the sepals. It shows an oblong, elliptic or ovoid shape with a nearly entire margin. There is a short spur.

Species

• Aorchis cyclochila (Russian Far East to Japan).
• Aorchis spathulata (Himalaya to SC. China).