Habenaria aitchisonii Rchb. fil.

Plants up to 40(-50) cm tall with sessile, oblong, up to 5 cm long, tuberoids. Leaves 2, basal, subopposite, sessile, orbicular, 4-8 cm long, lying flat on ground, dark green with pale coloured spots, slightly pubescent above. Stem with several small, appressed sheaths slightly pubescent above. Inflorescence subdense, sub¬secund. Bracts lanceolate, shorter than ovary. Flowers erect, ± appressed to the rachis, green or yellowish-green. Perianth segments ± 5 mm long; dorsal sepal forming a hood with petals, ovate-concave, .c.3 mm broad; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-lanceolate, deflexed; petals falcately oblong-lanceolate. Labellum 3-parted above base, c.7 mm long, yellowish-green; side-lobes thread-like, spreading, slightly longer than the linear deflexed mid-lobe. Spur 8-10 mm long, shorter than ovary, slightly inflated towards the tip. Column short; anther canals very short, upcurved; stigmatic processes clavate. Ovary glabrous.

Distribution: Mainly in forests, up to 3500 m. Western Himalaya, extending east-wards to Nepal and Sikkim, also Kurram Valley and Waziristan.

Fl. Per.: July-August.