About Spiranthes sinensis (Pers.) Ames
Spiranthes sinensis, commonly called the Chinese spiranthes, is an orchid species native to eastern and southeastern Asia. For a long time, S. sinensis was considered a species complex, with over 30 taxonomic names synonymized under it. Recent research using both molecular and morphological data has determined that this original complex actually contains six separate distinct species. True S. sinensis sensu stricto is glabrous, produces pale blush-pink flowers, and blooms in the spring. This species was previously believed to grow across all of Asia and Australia, but it is in fact restricted to southeast Asia, eastern East Asia, and southern Japan. The other five species split from the original S. sinensis complex are Spiranthes australis, Spiranthes flexuosa, Spiranthes maokensis, Spiranthes sunii, and Spiranthes suishanensis.
