Greek pteron – wing; stylos – style; an allusion to the prominent wings on the upper part of the column.
Terrestrial herbs, sympodial, deciduous, stoloniferous. Tubers spherical, paired at base of leaf, also often produced singly at ends of stolons. Leaves basal in rosettes or along stems, ovate to oblong, margins entire, thin, green to grey-green, stalkless to stalked. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, erect. Flowers resupinate, 1-several, small to large, mostly green or reddish. Sepals dissimilar, dorsal adhering to petals to form a hood-like structure (galea), laterals erect or hanging, joined towards base. Petals usually shorter than sepals, asymmetric. Labellum entire or 2?4-lobed, variously shaped, often with a basal appendage, thin or fleshy, hinged, mobile or capable of active movement. Column slender, arching, prominently 2-winged towards tips. Pollinia 4, mealy.
These native terrestrial orchids are occasionally grown in pots by enthusiasts. Many species are very hardy and grow well and multiply in a light well drained compost that is normally changed annually. Other species do not multiply vegetatively and have proved less amenable to cultivation. It is beyond the scope of this work to describe all the species currently grown, so one or more representatives belonging to each of the major groups are described.
About 100 species from Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand and New Caledonia.
Terrestrial orchids with green or reddish hood-like flowers; leaves in basal rosettes.
Backhouse & Jeanes (1995).
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.