A new orchid was discovered on Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, China.
 

I just received this from a former student.

A new orchid was discovered on Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, China.
A New Orchid Genus, Danxiaorchis, and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Tribe Calypsoeae.
Abstract
Background
Orchids have numerous species, and their speciation rates are presumed to be exceptionally high, suggesting that orchids are continuously and actively evolving. The wide diversity of orchids has attracted the interest of evolutionary biologists. In this study, a new orchid was discovered on Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, China. However, the phylogenetic clarification of this new orchid requires further molecular, morphological, and phytogeographic analyses.
Methodology/Principal Findings
A new orchid possesses a labellum with a large Y-shaped callus and two sacs at the base, and cylindrical, fleshy seeds, which make it distinct from all known orchid genera. Phylogenetic methods were applied to a matrix of morphological and molecular characters based on the fragments of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer, chloroplast matK, and rbcL genes of Orchidaceae (74 genera) and Calypsoeae (13 genera). The strict consensus Bayesian inference phylogram strongly supports the division of the Calypsoeae alliance (not including Dactylostalix and Ephippianthus) into seven clades with 11 genera. The sequence data of each species and the morphological characters of each genus were combined into a single dataset. The inferred Bayesian phylogram supports the division of the 13 genera of Calypsoeae into four clades with 13 subclades (genera). Based on the results of our phylogenetic analyses, Calypsoeae, under which the new orchid is classified, represents an independent lineage in the Epidendroideae subfamily.
Conclusions
Analyses of the combined datasets using Bayesian methods revealed strong evidence that Calypsoeae is a monophyletic tribe consisting of eight well-supported clades with 13 subclades (genera), which are all in agreement with the phytogeography of Calypsoeae. The Danxia orchid represents an independent lineage under the tribe Calypsoeae of the subfamily Epidendroideae. This lineage should be treated as a new genus, which we have named Danxiaorchis, that is parallel to Yoania. Both genera are placed under the subtribe Yoaniinae.

To view full text and great photos of the flower use the link below.
PLOS ONE: A New Orchid Genus, Danxiaorchis, and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Tribe Calypsoeae

Thanks for sharing. It is appearantly a quite attractive new find. Will study the phylograms more exactly later.

What a nice one!

So exiting to find a new one.

Very attractive lemon-yellow terrestrial member of the Calypsoeae. From the photos, it appears to be leafless when in bloom. I've not found pictures on the web that show leaves. Thanks for the info, OCRC!

Very cool!

Thanks for posting.

I and many others believe that there are many unknowns’ still left in mainland China and could possibly run into the hundred’s. But politics’ and funding hold back the work, we have some we believe are new species and two possibly new hybrids. But we are waiting for them to bloom again so we can compare them and the blooming period.
I will post a picture of one, from the China and North Korean border sometime today.

I bet that there are many yet to be discovered in North Korea and Myanmar too..

...meant to add unless they are/were considered herbal remedies and that would make them very rare. I wonder how many are extinct because of that reason.

It’s very easy to walk into the DPRK (North Korea), from China side. I was over one kilometer inside on an expedition a few years ago looking for any orchids. I believe that the North Korean side of Changbaishan mountain hold new ones.

---------- Post added at 09:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 AM ----------

This little guy came from the Chinese side of the Chinese and DPRK boarder. One of my wife’s students found it while hunting for herbs used in (TCM) Traditional Chinese Medicines. It has tuber roots so the TCM collectors would like it allot.
She carried in her coat pocket for at least 2 to 3 days, by the time my wife received it. And when I received it from my wife, it looked like no hope. I did plant it and care for it and it did produce flowers but the leafs and flowers but deformed, to the point I would not use it for identification purposes. It dose appear to be something new. But I will wait for it to re-bloom and document it.
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[IMG]C:\Users\OCRC Dir\Pictures\OCRC%20NOID%20FROM%20Northeast%20Chin a%202.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]C:\Users\OCRC Dir\Pictures\OCRC%20NOID%20FROM%20Northeast%20Chin a3.jpg[/IMG]

---------- Post added at 09:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:34 AM ----------

If the pictures don’t load up you can go to Social Groups and then to Orchids of China, I posted 3 new pictures of them in the album.

I found this article about the new orchid.
Tourist finds new species of orchid|Society|chinadaily.com.cn
Tourist finds new species of orchid

I sometimes wondering if advertising its existence opens the door to its extinction? What do you think, Director?

Lovely flower.

With just estimated 100 of these plants I have thought about that a lot, good thing is no GPS are mentioned. One major problem in China is enforcing laws, its common practice to turn a blind eye. It is legal to remove wild orchids and deal in them in China so long as you don’t try to send them or transfer them out of the country (China being a CITES member makes that a real head scratcher). After half of my life bush beating, I do have GPs coordinates to some of the rarest orchids in the word but I keep them within my personal notes.
I have been fighting all of the illegal dealers on EBay, those willing to send orchids from one country to another. And put it’s the buyers responsibility to get proper paper work for import or I will make it as a silk scarf, or toy, shirt, to get it passed inspection and CITES required paper work. I have contacted EBay a dozen times over the last six years, and have yet to receive one reply from them. I work with CITES a lot about things like this and the CITES wiki manual posting info and pictures so CITES and inspection personal have some kind of information to help them.
Education and strict punishment for poachers and illegal dealers is what I would like to see more of.

New ones are found all the time.

I agree with you but in smaller quantity now, I have seen in my life time going from covered hill sides to just small random patches mostly due to human destruction.

I wrote what I thought was a good response last night but unfortunately Orchid Boards and my android tablet are a mis-match, so here I am at my brother's old PC tower. I just said something to the effect of: as long as there is profitability in the destruction of something, it is usually swept under the rug. The Press is your best weapon to create the fundimental outrage. I don't know how that goes in China, Mr. Director. Especially when and if it is rare and found only in some country. It has got to be labled a national treasure, and all interlopers need to be given public punishments, whether harsh or mild. I am then thinking about that Meryl Streep movie "Adaptation" in which the bad guy who tears out rare orchids (Ghost orchids) in the Fakahatchee Strand preserve by hiring a few Indian (Native American) kids to do his dirty work, thus circumventing poaching laws. So, will it ever end?

Well first just call me Ken, I have never get used to being called mister. I tell my students just call me Ken some choose to call me professor but I do prefer Ken.

Now profiteers are alive and well, but some of us make their life hell. I have been known to give poachers a good knock upside the head. I would like to die knowing that my grandchildren grow up and see orchids and wildlife as I have been so fortunate to be able to see.

As for China there are many profiteers, yesterday I spent half a day sneaking photos of illegally obtained and kept sea turtles at the pet market. They won’t let you take photos of the sea turtles because they know that this is evidence against them. And they will fight you if you try to take photos of the turtles, the last place I stopped the pet shop owner and me about came to blows because I took a photo of his sea turtle.

I sent the photos to a guy who writes articles about the poachers and illicit dealers, in the south of China and Hong Kong. His work has taken down some 271 individuals, and I would dare say that his life is in danger because of it.

I have been fighting the illegal orchid trade in China I started in 2006, many people know about me and many dealers would like to see me have an accident. One woman confessed while I was filming her and my wife was translating, she was fined and jailed for two years. I gave the Director of the United Nations ESCAP a copy of a video showing some orchid poachers filming them self’s looking for orchids found them dug them up placed them in pots and was talking about how much they wanted for them and posted it on the internet for sale that’s how uncontrolled and blind the system is in China.
Many people I have known over the years have received death threats and some killed.

But you can’t win without trying, the illegal orchid triangle will go down and hard if we keep on fighting them and make public their activity’s.

keep up the good work !

....here is an example of resources being managed but maybe publicising the orchid names sets the wrong example for wannabe copycat producers.

Pillars of biodiversity: Growing orchids for beauty - Beauty | The Star Online

Yunnan China is with no question or doubt the gateway to orchids in mainland China. I know the TianZi Biodiversity Nature Reserve very well. I work with some northern Yunnan orchid farms in helping them improve their farms. I also show them how not to be dependent on wiled orchids to stock their nurseries. Yunnan is a fantastic place to view orchids in their natural surroundings and a person could spend a life time there studding them.

And about the copycat thing; you are 100 percent right, if one Chinese is making money another will set up shop right next door and mimic everything and try to take the business away.

Remember an estimated staggering 86% of species of all life on Earth remain unknown to our science!

86 Percent of Earth's Species Still Unknown?

Yes I can believe that,

Funding is a major hold back; for just one five day expedition with six people can run 5,000 RMB that’s about $833 dollars and it’s just an eight hour train ride, and cheapest way we can go and stay.

Ken, you be careful over there. You have more guts than I do, qudo's (sp) to you.

Actually I feel very safe inside China, and I am an old soldier who has been around the block many times lol. But thank you for the thought, my son and family think I am crazy but that’s been their opinion since I was about five years old.

Checked out that new orchid, and it looks fantastic. I've always wished that I could grow the leafless terrestrials, but for now I am sticking to the leafless epiphytes.

Interesting topic! Bookmarked.

this is interesting and quite old!

i hope the original posters are still doing this awesome work

Love thread like this, feels it's taking reader along the adventure of new discovery. I do hope OP is safe and sound most of all.