A research team from the South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has recently discovered a cluster of rare orchids in the Nanling Mountains of Lechang City, Shaoguan. The species was later identified as Calanthe sieboldii, a National First-Class Key Protected Wild Plant in China. This marks its first recorded discovery in the wild in Guangdong Province.
Calanthe sieboldii was listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2004, with fewer than 300 individuals remaining in the wild. In China, it was previously known only from scattered mountain regions in provinces including Jiangxi, Anhui, and Hunan.
The species has very specific habitat requirements, typically growing in moist, shaded broad-leaved forests at elevations of 800-1,500 meters, and is regarded as a natural indicator of ecosystem health. The newly discovered population in Lechang is extremely small and sparsely distributed, and has been assessed as Critically Endangered within Guangdong Province.
The Nanling Mountains are known for their well-preserved forest ecosystems and abundant water resources, with multiple provincial nature reserves providing ideal habitats for wildlife. Following this discovery, the research team has now recorded a total of 10 National Key Protected Wild Plant species newly documented in Guangdong.
The team is working with forestry authorities to set up temporary conservation sites, strengthen field patrols, and conduct ex situ conservation and artificial propagation. These efforts aim to build backup populations and reduce the species' extinction risk.
Author | He Fengyu
Photo | South China Botanical Garden, CAS
