Erect or semi-pendent, epiphytic herbs with complanate, elliptic-oblong, rugose pseudobulbs 1.5-5 cm. tall and 7-15 mm. wide, approximate and inserted at an acute angle on the usually arching rhizome; the short internodes and bases of the pseudobulbs enveloped in the persistent, chartaceous bases of the closely imbricating bracts, the upper pair of which is usually foliaceous. Leaves coriaceous, 2-3 (very rarely 1 or 4) from the apex of the pseudobulbs, ligular, the apex obscurely and unequally 2-lobed, 3.5-18 cm. long and .7-1.5 cm. wide, contracted below into very short, conduplicate petioles. Inflorescences 1 to several, often loosely fasciculate, 1-flowered scapes 1.8-4 cm. long, produced from the base of the mature pseudobulb, the peduncles closely enveloped in numerous broad, acute, imbricating, chartaceous bracts. Flowers small to relatively large, the size apparently correlated with the size of the plant. Sepals subequal, free, not spreading, linear-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, 1.5-3 cm. long and .3-.6 cm. wide, greenish yellow to greenish lavender, the laterals adnate to the column foot, forming a short, acute mentum. Petals lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, greenish yellow, 1.2-2.5 cm. long and .2-.3 cm. wide. Lip entire, linear-oblanceolate, obtuse to subacute, canaliculate, 1.2-2.5 cm. long and .3-.6 cm. wide, usually pale yellowish green, the long narrow base articulated with the foot of the column, the lateral margins somewhat erect, the apex conspicuously thickened, usually dark maroon to nearly black; the disk with a rather obscure, yellow central keel, which extends from the base about 2/5 the total length of the lip. Column elongate, semi-terete, somewhat arcuate, 8-20 mm. long, produced at the base into a short foot.
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