Greek phragma – partition; pedilon – slipper; an allusion to the 3-celled ovary and the slipper-like labellum.
Terrestrial or less often epiphytic or epilithic herbs, sympodial, with fibrous roots. Stems short, enclosed by leaf-bases. Leaves apical and lateral, 2-ranked, strap-like, leathery, persistent, green, stalkless. Inflorescences terminal racemes or panicles, erect. Flowers resupinate, 1-several, large, short-lived, variously coloured. Sepals dissimilar, dorsal free, laterals fused for their entire length. Petals usually longer than sepals, free, spreading or hanging. Labellum pouched in distal half, 3-lobed, margins curved in. Column short, with 2 fertile stamens and a fleshy staminodal plate at tip. Pollinia 2 per anther, granular.
About 20 species from Mexico, C and S America.
Pouched labellum resembling a slipper; lateral sepals completely fused; anthers 3, the middle one sterile; ovary 3-celled.
Hennesy et al. (1989), Cash (1991), McCook (1998).
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.