Herbs, perennial, terrestrial, leafless, rootless, mycotrophic, solitary or colonial. Rhizomes branching, articulate, annular, stout. Stems erect, yellowish brown, pink, pinkish red, or reddish purple, glabrous; sheathing bracts 2–5, reduced. Inflorescences racemes, consisting of entire aboveground portion of plant. Flowers 2–25, resupinate, tan, brown, magenta, purple, or maroon; dorsal sepal lanceolate; lateral sepals falcate to lanceolate, base distinct and free; petals linear, lanceolate, or elliptic; lip 3-lobed; lamellae 3–5(–7), prominent; column arcuate, apex narrowly winged; anthers terminal, white, yellow, or maroon; pollinia 8, firm, in 4 pairs, 2 pairs per anther cell; stigma subterminal. Fruits capsules, pendent, ellipsoid; seeds 0.5–0.7 mm.
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Sep and lateral pet similar, 5–7-veined; lip 3-lobed, usually with 5–7 longitudinal ridges convergent below and extending nearly to the tip; lateral lobes of the lip upturned and partly embracing the fleshy, distally dilated column; anther terminal, with 8 pollinia, yellowish or brownish to purplish, nongreen mycotrophs arising from a cluster of coralloid rhizomes; stem bearing a few sheathing scales and a loose terminal raceme of dull yellow fls striped with purple. 7, N. Amer., esp. Mex.
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