Greek liparos – shiny or greasy; an allusion to the shiny leaves of many species.
Epiphytic, epilithic or terrestrial herbs, sympodial, with short creeping rhizomes. Stems usually thickened into spherical to cylindrical pseudobulbs, usually dense, green. Leaves lateral and/or apical, 1?several, thin and pleated or leathery and smooth, stalkless or stalked. Inflorescences terminal racemes, erect or arching. Flowers resupinate or non-resupinate, few-many, small, usually green or yellowish. Sepals similar, dorsal free, laterals free or sometimes fused. Petals similar to sepals, free. Labellum entire or 2-lobed, free, with calli or ridges. Column long, arching, 2-winged at tip. Pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, waxy.
About 250 species from most tropical and temperate parts of the world.
Many small, often greenish flowers in erect or arching racemes; sepals and petals narrow and often curved backwards.
Seidenfaden (1976).
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.
