Geodorum Jacks.

Greek geo – earth; doron – gift; an allusion to the terrestrial habit.

Terrestrial herbs, sympodial. Stems thickened into wholly or partly subterranean pseudobulbs, almost spherical or flattened. Leaves apical, 2 to several, large, thin, pleated, deciduous, stalked. Inflorescences lateral racemes, dense, erect with the tip nodding, straightening in fruit. Flowers resupinate, few-many, confined to upper part of stalk, medium sized, opening widely or only partly, variously coloured. Sepals similar, free. Petals often slightly larger than sepals, free. Labellum obscurely 3-lobed, concave, keeled, base fused to base of column foot. Column short, winged, with a short foot. Pollinia 2, waxy.

About 10 species from S Asia to Australia and the W Pacific.

Moderately robust terrestrials with the flower stalk bending over at 180 degrees below lowest flower and straightening after flowering has finished.

Source: Jeanes, J. (2005). Orchidaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

Hero image
kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Lilianae
order      Asparagales
family       Orchidaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
species         Geodorum densiflorum (Lam.) Schltr.