Greek di – two; podion – little foot; an allusion to the pair of stipes on the pollinia.
Epiphytic or terrestrial herbs, sympodial or monopodial, often saprophytic. Stems erect or climbing, simple or branched, lacking pseudobulbs. Leaves scale-like and purplish, sometimes strap-like and green, in 2 ranks, folded. Inflorescences terminal or lateral racemes, usually erect. Flowers resupinate or non-resupinate, many, crowded, white, yellow or pink, often with darker blotches. Sepals and petals similar, free, tips often curved backwards. Labellum 3-lobed, with a basal callus, midlobe with a tuft of hairs. Column short, with or without narrow wings. Pollinia 2, waxy, with a pair of stipes.
Most species are leafless saprophytes that defy cultivation by conventional methods.
About 20 species from SE Asia, the Philippines, New Guinea,Australia and New Zealand.
Often pinkish flowers with darker blotches in erect crowded racemes.
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.