Aerangis Rchb. F.

Epiphytic herbs with short or elongated woody stems bearing numerous elongated aerial roots in the lower part. Stems usually unbranched, covered with the remains of overlapping leaf-bases, bearing few–several leaves apically. Leaves in 2 rows, usually thick and fleshy in the living state, sometimes leathery during the dry season, sheathing at the base, much longer than broad and usually wider in the upper half, unequally bilobed at the apex. Inflorescence lateral, a short or elongated raceme, rarely branched, few–many-flowered. Flowers resupinate, white or variously tinted with green or brown. Sepals and petals free, spreading or reflexed. Lip entire, often similar to the sepals and petals, spurred at the base. Column short and stout or somewhat elongated and more slender, often narrowed towards the base and enlarged at the level of the stigma; androclinium straight or sloping, the anther-cap sometimes beaked; rostellum entire, elongated, deflexed or porrect; pollinia 2, sessile on a single stipes; viscidium variously shaped; stigma an oval or rhomboid sticky depression. Ovary elongated, straight or curved. Capsule cylindric or ellipsoid, often much elongated.