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

[OCRC_Dir_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

[euplusia]

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

[Leafmite]

What a nice one!

[No-Pro-mwa]

So exiting to find a new one.

[Orchid Whisperer]

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!

[trdyl]

Very cool!

Thanks for posting.

[OCRC_Dir_China]

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.

[orchidsarefun]

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.

[OCRC_Dir_China]

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.
[IMG]C:\Users\OCRC Dir\Pictures\OCRC%20NOID%20FROM%20Northeast%20chin a%201.jpg[/IMG]
[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.

[OCRC_Dir_China]

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