Hylophila Lindl.,
in Wall, Cat. (1831) n. 7396
Sympodial terrestrial plants. Stem elongated, slightly succulent, basal part creeping, forming a rhizome, apical part erect. Leaves few, crowded, spirally arranged, sheathing at the base, glabrous, persistent, convolute, green, herbaceous. Inflorescence terminal, a several- to many-flowered raceme. Flowers very small to rather small, resupinate. Sepals free. Petals free, about as long as the dorsal sepal, usually cohering at the apices. Lip deeply sac-shaped, not mobile. Column sometimes with conspicuous stelidia; column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, sectile, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium present. Stigma without clearly separated lobes.
Distribution
Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 5 species; in New Guinea 3 species, one of which (not fully identified) belongs to the group formerly classified as the genus Dicerostele.
Habitat
Terrestrial in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
A member of the taxonomically difficult Goodyera alliance, easily recognised by the sac-shaped lip.