Foliage leaves either towards or at the base of the stem, or on separate sterile shoots. Inflorescence terminal, few-to many-flowered. Bracts often reflexed. Flowers not resupinate, variously coloured. Sepals ± united to the petals and the lip, the intermediate linear or ligulate, the laterals obliquely semi-elliptical or oblong. Petals ± spathulate, linear or lanceolate, ± united to the sepals at the base. Lip erect, ± hooded, with a broad or narrow mouth, the apex sometimes recurved, usually with 2 spurs at base, sometimes with 2 extra shorter ones, rarely spurs absent; spurs long and slender to short and obtuse. Column erect and ± incurved, included in the lip; anther dependent from the front of the column, the loculi parallel; pollinaria 2, each with sectile pollinium, caudicle and usually separate naked viscidium, rarely the 2 viscidia are united to form 1; stigma forming the upper lobe of the column, flat or hooded, rostellum projecting forward between the stigma and anther-loculi, ± 3-lobed or 3-toothed, the middle lobe sometimes longer than side lobes. Ovary not twisted, often 6-ribbed. Capsules usually ellipsoid.. Terrestrial herbs with sessile undivided tubers. Stems unbranched, leafy, or covered with leaf-like sheaths
Lip thin-textured or fleshy, forming a hood with a wide or narrow mouth, almost always 2-spurred at the base, occasionally 2 vestigial spurs also present; spurs long and slender or short and blunt, rarely absent.
Column inside lip, erect, ± incurved; anther dependent from front of column with parallel loculi; pollinaria 2, each with sectile pollinium, caudicle and viscidium; rarely the 2 viscidia are united.
Foliage leaves basal or ± basal on flowering stem, or if foliage leaves on separate sterile shoots then flowering stem with sheathing leaves.
Sepals partly united with petals and lip; petals similar to sepals but usually narrower.
Stigma flat or hooded; rostellum 3-lobed, projecting between stigma and anther loculi.
Inflorescence terminal, few-to many-flowered; bracts often large, frequently reflexed.
Terrestrial herb with globose, ovoid or ellipsoid tubers.
Flowers non-resupinate.