Greek askos – bag; kentron – spur; an allusion to the large spur at the base of the labellum.
Epiphytic herbs, monopodial. Stems erect, simple, lacking pseudobulbs, aerial roots abundant. Leaves in 2 ranks, strap-shaped or sub-cylindrical, sheathing at base. Inflorescences axillary racemes, erect or spreading. Flowers resupinate, many, small, crowded, pink, red or orange. Sepals and petals similar, broad, spreading. Labellum 3-lobed, with a short backward-pointing spur at base. Column short. Pollinia 2 on a single short stipe.
About 7 species from the Himalayas to SE Asia.
Many small brightly coloured flowers in dense racemes; backward-pointing spur at base of labellum.
Christenson (1992).
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.