Family | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily | Epidendroideae |
Tribe | Arethuseae |
Scientific name | Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. |
Synonyms | Bletilla elegantula (Kränzlin) Garay & G. A. Romero; Bletia gebina (Lindley) Reichenbach f.; Bletia hyacinthina (Willdenow) R. Brown; Bletia striata (Thunberg) Druce; Bletilla gebina (Lindley) Reichenbach f.; Bletilla hyacintha (Smith) Reichenbach f.; Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. forma alba; Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. forma gebina (Lindley) Ohwi; Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. var. alba; Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. var. albomarginata Makino; Bletilla striata (Thunberg) Reichenbach f. var. gebina (Lindley) Reichenbach f.; Calanthe gebina Lodd. ex Lindley; Coelogyne elegantula Kränzlin; Cymbidium hyacinthinum (Smith) R. Brown; Cymbidium hyacinthinum (Thunberg) Swartz; Cymbidium striatum (Thunberg) Swartz; Epidendrum striatum (Thunberg) Thunberg; Epidendrum tuberosum Loureiro; Gyas humilis Salisbury; Jimensia striatum (Thunberg) Garay & Schultes; Limodorum hyacinthinum (Smith) Donn; Limodorum striatum Thunberg; Sobralia bletioides Brongniart ex Decaisne |
Common name | (Japanese common name) shi-ran (シラン, 紫蘭 [meaning: purple orchid]) |
(English common name) Aka Chinese ground orchid | |
Habitat | Mountain slope |
Distribution | (Japan) Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa |
(Other nations) Korea, China | |
Chromosomal number | 2n=32 |
Description | Leaves 15-30cm long, 1-5cm wide. Scapes 30-70cm tall. Flowers purple, pink, pale blue or white sepals 2.5-3cm long, 6-8mm wide, flowering in April to June. Fruits 3-3.5cm long. Terrestrial. Perennial plants. |
Reference | Bletia striata [Thunb] Druce 1917 |
Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. f. | |
Bibenzyl synthase genes (US Patent 5589620/1996) | |
Use of plant extracts for treatment of HIV, HCV and HBV infections (US Patent 5837257/1998) | |
Hair growth promoter (US Patent 5750107/1998) | |
Compositions of matter useful in the treatment of viral infections derived from plant extracts (US Patent 5989556/1999) | |
Method of making and/or treating diseases characterized by neovascularization (US Patent 6164281/2000) | |
Process for preparing an anti-viral medicinal product from plant extracts (US Patent 6214350/2001) | |
Dietary food supplement containing natural cyclooxygenase inhibitors and methods for inhibiting pain and inflammation (US Patent 6818234/2004) | |
Note | Cultivated in many places. Natural plant is rare. |
Photo in Ikebukuro Seibu in 2009 below is that of an orhid which was cultivated by Mr. Eiji Kurata and displayed at the 40th Anniversary Exibision 2009 of Tokyo Wild Plants Society (Orchid and Lily Group) in Ikebukuro Seibu. | |
Photo in Ikebukuro Seibu in 2011 below is that of an orhid which was cultivated by Mr. Tadao Kumagai and displayed at the 40th Anniversary Exibision 2011 of Tokyo Wild Plants Society (Orchid and Lily Group) in Ikebukuro Seibu. |
May 2007 at Tsukuba Botanical Garden |
April 2008 at Kochi Prefecture Makino Botanical Garden |
April 2008 at Kochi Prefecture Makino Botanical Garden |
(fruits) |
June 2009 at Tsukuba Botanical Garden |
May 2008 at my home |
May 2008 at my home |
May 2006 at my home |
May 2009 at Ikebukuro Seibu |
July 2009 at Tsuikuba Botanical Garden |
June 2011 at Ikebukuro Seibu |