China: Rare orchid species discovered in southwest China.

Shotlist Malipo County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, southwest China - July 2, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Aerial shot of mountains, forests 2. Trees, plants 3. Various of rangers working in natural reserve 4. Various of rare orchid species Freckled Cypripedium (Cypripedium lentiginosum) 5. Various of rangers working in natural reserve, installing infrared camera 6. Freckled Cypripedium 7. Aerial shot of mountains, forests Storyline A rare orchid species under national Grade-II protection has been spotted in bloom in a nature reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province for the first time, showcasing the continued ecological improvement in China's southwestern border regions. Footage of the rare plant, known as the freckled Cypripedium (Cypripedium lentiginosum), was captured on July 2 by the rangers in the Laoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Yunnan's Malipo County during field monitoring. The Freckled Cypripedium is mainly distributed in the high-altitude mountainous areas of southwest China. This latest discovery was made in a karst valley within the reserve at an altitude of 1,700 meters, where the average annual temperature is 18 degrees Celsius and air humidity remains above 80 percent year-round, providing an ideal micro-habitat for the plant's growth. To protect this rare plant, the reserve has launched a special monitoring plan, adjusting patrol routes to avoid the core growth area, using infrared cameras to document pollinating insect species and their activity patterns, and collecting data to prepare for subsequent artificial breeding research. To date, the Malipo Laoshan Provincial Nature Reserve has recorded a total of 2,213 species of nationally protected wild plants.