Dilochia Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. (1830) 38
Sympodial terrestrial or sometimes epiphytic plants with very short rhizomes. Stem slender, often very tall, not branching, not fleshy, many-leaved. Leaves sheathing at the base, arranged in two rows, glabrous, deciduous, convolute, thin-textured but rather stiff. Inflorescence terminal, a raceme or a panicle, sometimes carrying a single flower, arising from a mature stem. Flowers medium-sized to rather large, resupinate, fairly showy. Sepals free. Petals similar to the lateral sepals or somewhat narrower. Lip without spur, not mobile. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 8, solid, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium absent.
Distribution
Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 6 species; in New Guinea one, non-endemic, species [Dilochia wallichii Lindl.].
Habitat
Usually terrestrial in shrubby and swampy vegetation on poor soil, also epiphytic on tall trees, in the lowlands as well as in the mountains.
Notes
Cane-like plants somewhat similar to Arundina, but the terminally produced flowers are far less showy, not at all Cattleya-like. In addition, the flowers of Dilochia are not produced one-by-one as in Arundina, and they last longer. Rarely seen in cultivation, but not difficult.