Fewer than 40 specimens of Habenaria plurifoliata, a rare and endangered orchid, have been discovered in a nature reserve in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, offering a welcome boost to conservation efforts.

The plants were found for the first time in Longling County’s Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve, growing in two humid valley meadow sites. Each specimen stands over 70 centimetres tall, an uncommon height for wild orchids.

A single plant can produce between 10 and 25 flowers. The blooms are green or greenish-white, with gently curved petals shaped like a sickle or tongue. Its buds resemble tiny drill bits, while the fruits are spindle-shaped.

With a naturally narrow distribution across Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou, the discovery provides valuable data for future population surveys, habitat research and long-term protection of this delicate species.

Source: China Central Television