Photo taken on April 21 shows Pleione albiflora in bloom. (Xinhua/Yu Yunjiang)

Recently, staff at the Xiaoheishan Provincial Nature Reserve in Longling County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, discovered a peculiar small white flower while reviewing photographs from a survey of wild plants. Upon identification, it was confirmed to be Pleione albiflora, a wild species protected at the national second level. 

Photo taken on April 21 shows the microhabitat of Pleione albiflora blossoms. (Xinhua/Jiang Hong)

According to reports, Pleione albiflora is a perennial, epiphytic herb. It typically flowers from April to May each year. The plant is named for its solitary blooms and pseudobulbs, which resemble garlic cloves and serve as nutrient storage organs.

Photo taken on April 21 shows Pleione albiflora in bloom. (Xinhua/Yu Yunjiang)

"Globally, there are approximately 27 known species of Pleione, with about 25 species found in China," explained Jiang Hong, a senior engineer at the Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland. He noted that the Pleione genus is mainly distributed across the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains.

Click here to view the Chinese report

(Editors: Ines, Jennifer)