Roscoea praecox K. Schum.

Plants 7--30 cm tall. Bladeless leaves 4 or 5, pinkish brown veined, margin hyaline, apex obtuse. Normal leaves absent at anthesis, sometimes 1 or 2 short, underdeveloped leaves present; ligule apparently not raised. Inflorescence exserted from leaf sheaths; peduncle enclosed or exserted; bracts greenish, lanceolate, 4--6.5 cm. Flowers 1--3 opening together, violet, purple, or white. Calyx 3--4.5 cm, apex 2-toothed. Corolla tube scarcely exserted from calyx; lobes lanceolate, equal, ca. 3 cm. Lateral staminodes rhombic, 1.7--2.5 cm, midvein weak, base narrowed into a claw. Labellum reflexed, white marked at junction of limb and claw, obovate, 2.5--4 × 1.5--2 cm including ca. 7 mm long claw, apically 2-cleft for more than 1/2 length of limb; lobes sometimes emarginate at apex. Anther cream; connective spur ca. 7 mm. Fl. Apr--Jun.

Yunnan.

* Shrubby hillsides, grassy mountains; 2200--2300 m.

Roscoea intermedia Gagnepain var. anomala Gagnepain; R. intermedia var. macrorhiza Gagnepain.