Epiphytic herbs without pseudobulbs, the foliaceous stems short or elongate. Leaves usually narrow, distichous, congested or relatively distant, the blades articulated to the conduplicate bases, often deciduous, pergameneous, coriaceous or fleshy. Inflorescences slender, erect, few-flowered, pseudoterminal racemes produced from the uppermost leaf axils and usually exceeding the leaves in length. Flowers usually large in relation to the size of the plant, rarely small, on slender pedicels subtended by small, inconspicuous bracts. Sepals subequal, free, broadly spreading, narrow, usually almost completely hidden by the petals and lip. Petals very broad, spreading, much exceeding the sepals in width, distinctly veined. Lip sessile at the base, broadly spreading, usually undivided, similar to the petals or a little broader, rarely smaller, prominently radiate or reticulate-veined. Column very short, stout, wingless, footless, densely setose or hispid on all sides or sometimes only at the apex, the rostellum terminal, erect, usually prominent. Anther erect, applied to the rostellum, distinctly 2-celled; pollinia 4, waxy.
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