Discover new orchids in Khanh Hoa

The Tropical Biology Institute has just announced a new orchid species in Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa province.

Liparis honbaensis Aver tree.et Vuong.(Photo: Truong Ba Vuong).

New species is Hon Ba smooth , Liparis honbaensis Aver et. Vuong . Their samples were collected by the survey team from Hon Ba Nature Reserve, the green tropical forest area, on dry rocks with moss at an altitude of about 1,400 m. This is endemic to Vietnam.

Lan Liparis is characterized by sessile leaves and sharp tips. Flowers are greenish-yellow, broad, 4 to 5mm wide, flower stalks are 6 to 8mm long. The sepals of the broad-leaved species, petals with rolled edges inward form like a needle. Liparis honabensis is quite close to L. luteola Lindl but with many flowers, the base of the flower lips has 2 parts of the bottle that are bulky.

The study is the result of cooperation between the Institute of Tropical Biology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) and Komarov Botanical Institute (Russia). In 2014, a species of orchid Miguelia cruenta Aver et. Vuong is also found in the area above.