Hetaeria Blume,
Bijdr. (1825) 409 ['Etaeria']
Sympodial terrestrial plants. Stem elongated, slightly succulent, basal part usually creeping, forming a rhizome, apical part erect. Leaves few, crowded, spirally arranged, sheathing at the base, glabrous, persistent, convolute, green, herbaceous. Inflorescence a many-flowered terminal raceme. Flowers very small, not or only partly resupinate, greenish or brownish. Sepals free. Petals free, about as long as the dorsal sepal, usually cohering at the apices. Lip without spur, not mobile. Column in front with two lamellae. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, sectile, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium present. Stigma with two clearly separated lobes.
Distribution
Sri Lanka, tropical continental Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Pacific islands, east to Tahiti. About 20 species; in New Guinea c. 4 species.
Habitat
Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
In habit similar to the green-leaved species of Goodyera, Hylophila, etc., but with very small, not resupinate flowers. It is certainly the least ornamental genus in this alliance.