Herminium lanceum

Family: Orchidaceae

What it is like

An orchid. It is 14-83 cm tall. The tubers are round or oval and 10-15 mm long by 5-12 mm wide. The stem has 2 tube shaped sheaths at the base. There are 2-4 leaves widely spaced on the stem. They are 6-20 cm long by 1 cm wide. The flowering stalk is 12-43 cm long. There are many flowers. They are pale yellowish green.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed forests, bamboo forests and grasslands between 700-3,600 m above sea level in southern China. It grows in Yunnan in China. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The whole plant is stewed with meat and eaten as a tonic. The fleshy root is cooked with chicken or meat

Edible parts

Plant, root

How it is grown

In Yunnan plants are harvested in August and September.

Its other names

Local names

Lianxiongde, Mukago-sou, Pan long shen

Synonyms

Spiranthes lancea (Thunb. ex Sw.) Bakh.f. & Steenis;