Epiphytic herbs, with short, usually rather inconspicuous, compressed pseudo-bulbs bearing 1-2 leaves at the apex, the base enveloped in few to many distichous, imbricating, conspicuously foliaceous bracts. Leaves and bract blades elliptic-lanceolate to narrowly linear, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, contracted at the base into short or elongate conduplicate petioles. Inflorescences axillary from the base of the pseudobulb, often short, erect or arching, 1-to few-flowered scapes or sometimes elongate, many-flowered racemes. Flowers relatively large and con-spicuous, on long slender pedicels subtended by elongate, spathaceous, or sometimes minute and inconspicuous bracts, the perianth segments and the lip usually being all on one plane so that the flowers are typically flat. Sepals subequal, spreading, free, or the laterals very shortly connate at the base. Petals subequal to the sepals or a little broader. Lip entire, broadly spreading, the apex often bifid, the base sessile or very shortly and broadly clawed and affixed to the base of the column usually at a right angle, the disk inconspicuously or sometimes prominently lamel-late. Column short, the apex or anterior portion variously 2-auriculate or 2-alate, the clinandrium short, truncate, or the apex 2-lobed, or sometimes membranaceous and dilated, 2-to 3-lobed, the base without a foot. Anther terminal, operculate, incumbent, 1-or imperfectly 2-celled; pollinia 2, waxy.
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