Brachypeza Garay,
Bot. Mus. Leafl. 23 (1972) 163
Monopodial epiphytes. Stem very short. Leaves few, sheathing at the base, glabrous, deciduous, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence a lateral raceme with swollen rachis. Flowers appearing in succession, small to medium-sized, ephemeral, resupinate. Sepals free. Petals free, similar to the dorsal sepal. Lip spurred, hinged to the column. Column-foot very short. Pollinia 2, cleft, solid, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 7 species; in New Guinea one, non-endemic, species [Brachypeza indusiata (Rchb.f.)Garay].
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland forest.
Notes
Plants of Brachypeza look like a Phalaenopsis, but the small flowers are very different, more similar to Pteroceras (which does not occur in New Guinea). The lip consists almost entirely of the spur and is highly mobile, being hinged to the relatively very short column-foot.