Osaran

Osaran is a perennial herb that grows epiphytically on the trunks of evergreen broad-leaved trees or on cliff rocks from the Kii Peninsula, Shikoku, and southern Kyushu to Okinawa and Taiwan, blooming with white flowers from late June to July.
It has pseudobulbs at the base, from which it sends out roots to attach itself. In spring, it produces new bulbs from the bulbs formed the previous year, which then grow two oval leaves. A flower stalk emerges from between the leaves, bearing one or two flowers. It sheds its leaves in winter and enters dormancy. The name comes from the appearance of the connected bulbs, which are likened to a reed (osa) used in weaving. Often, only one new bulb grows from a single bulb, but if two grow, it branches there.Mamedutaran also seems to be frequently found growing alongside it.

The flowers are white and shaped like a Clione. The labellum is three-lobed, with the tip of the central lobe being yellow, while the side lobes are small and point upward. It has red spots. The lateral sepals are white, extend diagonally upward, and open slightly. The lateral petals and dorsal sepal are also white and are arranged above to protect the stigma from rain. The flowering period seems to be about five days.

A reed (osa) is a part of a loom used to control the warp threads, resembling bamboo slats densely arranged like an abacus without the beads. Although it is the origin of the name Osaran, it is not clear how they resemble each other.

Ministry of the Environment: Vulnerable (VU)
Kumamoto Prefecture: Endangered (EN)
Miyazaki/Kagoshima: Vulnerable (VU)
Okinawa Prefecture: Endangered (EN)

Orchidaceae, Eria genus
Osaran, Eria japonica