Bhutanthera albovirens Renz, Edinburgh J. Bot. 58: 102. 2001.

BHUTAN. Tongsa district, Thita Tso, Rinchen Chu, 13. 07. 1937. Ludlow and Sherriff, 3441 (Holotype: BM! [BM000074511]).

Plant 4–6 cm tall. Tuber globose, 0.5–1 × 0.4–0.5 cm. Stem with 2 leaves and tubular sheaths. Leaves subopposite, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, subacute, 1–1.9 × 0.4–1.1 cm. Inflorescence terminal, 1–2-flowered; floral bract lanceolate, acuminate, 3 × 0.5–1mm. Flowers white, sepals and petals yellowish green, 0.8–1cm across; pedicel and ovary fusiform, 6–8 mm long. Dorsal sepal ovate, obtuse, 5 × 3.5 mm; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, falcate, subacute, 6–6.5 × 3–4 mm. Petals obovoid, rounded, 3–5 × 2.5–4 mm. Lip deeply 3-lobed, spurred, base quadrate, 0.5 × 2 mm (wide); lateral lobes oblong, rounded, 3.5–4 × 0.8mm; mid-lobe oblong, rounded, 5 × 0.6 mm; spur conical, globose, rounded, curved forwards, 2–3 × 0.8–1 mm. Column short, broad, 1 mm tall; anther-cap long-beaked, 1.5–1.9 mm long.

July–September.

Terrestrial on alpine cliffs and in rock crevices at elevations of 4270–4720 m.

Endemic to Bhutan.

BHUTAN: Upper Kulong Chi district, Shingbe, 17.09.1949, Ludlow & Sherriff, 21196 (BM! [BM000074510]).

Our description is based on Pearce and Cribb (2001) and an image of the holotype. Herminium albovirens is similar to H. albosanguineum, but differs in having yellowish-green sepals, yellowish-green to white petals and a white lip. More material of these species is needed to assess their variability.