After Pleione, mother of the seven Pleiades from Greek mythology.
Terrestrial, epiphytic or epilithic herbs, sympodial. Stems thickened into variously shaped pseudobulbs, clustered, lasting only 1 or 2 seasons. Leaves apical, 1 or 2, deciduous, thin, pleated, shortly stalked. Inflorescences terminal racemes, often appearing with new growth, with bracts. Flowers resupinate, 1 or 2, rarely more, often large, usually white, pink or red. Sepals similar, free, spreading. Petals similar to sepals, free. Labellum entire or obscurely 3-lobed, base enclosing column, tip fringed or toothed, lamina with 2-9 longitudinal ridges. Column slender, often 2-winged. Pollinia 4.
About 16 species from India to China,Taiwan, Burma and Thailand.
Compact, mostly terrestrial plants with large flowers often appearing after the leaves have fallen.
Wimber & Cribb (1981), Cribb & Butterfield (1988).
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.
