Lithophytic or occasionally epiphytic plants with short and stout rhizomes, up to 30 cm high. Pseudobulbs borne close together, ovoid or conical-ovoid, often longitudinally sulcate, 2.5–4.5 cm × 8–12 mm, ca. 3.5 cm in diam., basally usually enveloped by scarious sheaths. Leaf solitary, arising from pseudobulb apex, narrowly elliptic or narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 15–25 × 2–3.5 cm, papery, plicate, leaf vernation prominent, base contracted into a distinct petiole, apex short acuminate, lamina dark green to bluish green; petiole 4.5–8 cm. Inflorescence arising from base of mature pseudobulbs, often pendulous, 13–18 cm or longer; peduncle 4.5–7 cm long; rachis weakly zig-zag, laxly 12–18-flowered; floral bracts deciduous, elliptic or broadly ovate, papyraceous, 7 × 9 mm. Flowers pinkish white or salmon-pink, ca. 5 mm in diam., lip white or greenish white, tinged with orangish yellow or carmine red blotches, anther and stigma red; pedicel and ovary 3–4 mm. Sepals broadly ovate-elliptic, 5–7 × 4–6 mm, 7-veined, acute; lateral sepals dorsally carinate. Petals ovate-elliptic, 4–5 × 2.5–3 mm, 3–5-veined, obtuse; lip broadly oblong in outline, 5–6 × 3 mm, contracted into epichile and hypochile at apical 2/3; hypochile shallowly cupular in center, margin spreading horizontally, with 3 thickened veins extending from base to above middle; epichile transversely oblong or elliptic, 4–5 mm wide, apex emarginate, slightly undulate margined. Column 3.5–4 mm, apex broadly winged; stelidia sharp, with conspicuous acute teeth along upper margin; anther broadly elliptic in outline, top truncate to retuse; pollinia 4 in 2 pairs, connected by caudicles to a sticky substance, pyriform, ca 0.5 by 0.4 mm; stigma suborbicular; rostellum semi-orbicular. Flowering in April and May. Capsule narrowly obovoid, ca. 2 cm × 5–6 mm; fruiting pedicel 2–3 mm. 1.2–1.5 cm in diam.

Pholidota leveilleana is endemic to N and W Guangxi (Luocheng, Du’an, Jingxi, Nandan, Huanjiang, Tian’e, Fengshan, Napo), S Guizhou (Huishui), China, where it grows as lithophyte in sparse forests and shaded rocks, with elevations ranging from 500 m to 900 m a.s.l.

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