Published as Epipogum aphyllum in Summa Vegetabilum Scandinaviae Systematicae Coordinatum : 32. 1814. Basionym is Orchis aphylla F.W. Schmidt 1791, published in J. Mayer, Sammlung physikalischer Aufsaetze, vol.1: 240. 1791; and based on the basionym Satyrium epipogium Linnaeus, 1753, published in Species Plantarum 2: 945. 1753.

         Epipogium aphyllum is a rarely seen orchid known from Europe and Asia. It has no leaves and no chlorophyll and fully depends on nutrients provided by a fungus connected to the coral-like rhizome, i.e. it is obligate mycotrophic. The presence of E. aphyllum can only be detected when it produces an inflorescence above ground and flowers. But often the plant sets out to flower for a year or more, which in other words lets this orchid apparently disappear from a known growing site. The species has so far only been found once in Huanglong, in 2002, at an altitude of 3400 m in the deep moss layer of coniferous mountain forest in the Huanglong valley. The plant was 9 cm tall and carried a single flower of about 2.5 cm diameter. E. aphyllum is known to reach a height up to 30 cm and to carry up to 6 flowers.

         Flowering: August (July-August).

        裂唇虎舌兰是一种比较少见的兰花， 主要分布在欧洲以及亚洲。它既没有叶片也没有叶绿体， 是一种腐生兰， 依靠真菌为其提供各种营养， 真菌与一种珊瑚状根状茎相连。只有当裂唇虎舌兰的花序长出地面开花后人们才有可能看到这种植物。通常裂唇虎舌兰的植株要经过一年甚至一年以上才能长出地面开花， 在没有开花之前的一段时间里， 裂唇虎舌兰就会好像在原生长地消失了一样。2 0 0 2年我们在黄龙发现了裂唇虎舌兰， 后来再也没有在别的地方发现新分布点。在黄龙沟， 裂唇虎舌兰主要生长在海拔约3 4 0 0米的高ft 松林厚苔藓层中， 植株高9厘米左右， 花序顶生， 只有一朵花， 花直径大约2 . 5厘米。据说裂唇虎舌兰植株高能达到3 0厘米， 花序上着生的花朵数最多达到6朵。

        花期：8月（7月至8月）。