Dryadorchis Schltr.,
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 976
Monopodial epiphytic plants. Stem elongated. Leaves 3-5, sheathing at the base, glabrous, dorso-ventrally flattened, articulate, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, a raceme with swollen rachis. Flowers small to medium-sized, ephemeral, resupinate, appearing successively, attractively coloured. Sepals free. Petals free, somewhat smaller than the sepals. Lip mobile, without spur. Column-foot present, short. Pollinia 4, in two masses, solid-waxy, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
New Guinea, endemic. About 5 species.
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland and, predominantly, montane forest.
Notes
Undoubtedly, this genus of very pretty small monopodials is closely related to the mainly Australian genus Sarcochilus, from which it differs in the short column-foot, the swollen rachis of the inflorescence, and the ephemeral flowers. The five known species all appear to be rare even in the wild.