Erect, terrestrial herbs arising from
small tubers and growing in very shallow soil or leaf mould in
forest. Leaves 1-few, alternate or opposite. Flowers solitary or
in racemes, Bracts leaf-like. Dorsal sepal united with the petals
to form a hood-like structure varying from a ± flat limb
to an elongate spur; lateral sepals each usually with a
conspicuous spur or pouch near the inner margin. Petals variously
shaped, often falcate. Lip greatly modified and characteristic
of the species, joined to the column and bearing a
distinctive appendage. Worldwide: 75 species in tropical and South Africa, Mascarenes and Indomalesia Rwanda: 9 taxa. |
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