Derivation of name uncertain, but possibly from a personal name.
Terrestrial or epilithic herbs, sympodial, with creeping rhizomes. Stems ascending, fleshy, terete, pink to brown. Leaves along rhizomes, in loose rosettes or along stems, several, large, velvety, upper surface dark green to black with 5 main longitudinal reddish veins, lower surface pink or brownish and glossy, shortly stalked. Inflorescences terminal racemes, erect, with bracts. Flowers resupinate, several, small. Sepals similar, dorsal and petals cohering to form a hood, laterals curved backwards. Petals smaller than sepals. Labellum 2-lobed at tip, base pouched, joined to column, twisted, tip frilled. Column large, clubbed, twisted. Pollinia 2, slender.
1 species from China, SE Asia and Indonesia.
Large, dark green to black, velvety leaves with reddish longitudinal veins.
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.