Greek harpe – sickle; phyllon – leaf; the leaves on these plants are sickle-shaped.
Epiphytic, epilithic or terrestrial herbs, sympodial, with stout, short, branching rhizomes. Stems thickened into slender, cylindrical pseudobulbs, compressed, with papery sheaths at base. Leaves apical, solitary, sickle shaped, rigid. Inflorescences terminal racemes, cylindrical, erect. Flowers nonresupinate, many, dense, small, white with pink flushes. Sepals similar, dorsal free, laterals fused to column foot, fleshy. Petals narrower than sepals, free, thin-textured. Labellum entire, pouched at base, small. Column short, curved, with a short foot. Pollinia 8, waxy.
5 species from Mexico to Venezuela and the West Indies.
Many small non-resupinate flowers in dense erect cylindrical racemes; sickle shaped leaves.
Garay (1974), Withner (1998).
Source: (2005). Orchidaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
