After William Cattley (?–1832), English horticulturist and orchid enthusiast.
Epiphytic or epilithic herbs, sympodial, with creeping rhizomes. Stems thickened into stalked, often laterally compressed pseudobulbs, sheathed, green. Leaves apical, 1 or 2 (rarely more), leathery, stalkless. Inflorescences terminal racemes, erect. Flowers resupinate, 1-several, small to large, variously coloured. Sepals similar, fleshy, free, spreading. Petals usually wider than sepals, free. Labellum entire or 3-lobed, stalkless or clawed, base tubular and enclosing column, tip fringed or undulate. Column usually long, curved. Pollinia 4, waxy, somewhat compressed.
About 50 species from tropical C and S America.
Few, often large, colourful flowers with a basally tubular labellum; stalked, often laterally compressed pseudobulbs.
Withner (1988, 1993, 1996).
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.