Epiphytic herbs with short or elongate, ovoid or semiterete pseudobulbs, the bases enveloped in 2-4 papery, brown, imbricating bracts, the apices with 1-2 lanceolate, plicate, subcoriaceous, strongly veined, acute or acuminate leaves. In-florescences short or elongate, erect or arching racemes from the base of the pseudobulbs. Flowers few to many, on short pedicels, reminiscent of those of a small-flowered Maxillaria. Sepals subequal, membranaceous, spreading, the dorsal sepal free, the laterals broader, adnate to the foot of the column, forming a short mentum, the dorsal surface, particularly near the apex, usually with an erect central keel. Petals membranaceous, subequal to the dorsal sepal. Lip entire or 3-lobed, the lateral lobes or margins erect, the base articulated with the foot of the column; disk smooth, callused or with parallel prominent nerves or lamellae. Column short, erect, somewhat arcuate, semiterete, the apex subclavate or nar-rowly winged, the base produced into a foot. Anther terminal, operculate, incum-bent, 1-celled or imperfectly 2-celled; pollinia 2 or 4, waxy.
Home