Cordiglottis J.J.Sm.,
Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg sér. 2I, 5 (1922) 95
Small monopodial epiphytic or sometimes terrestrial plants. Stem short. Leaves few, distichous, sheathing at the base, glabrous, deciduous, terete or laterally compressed, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, a dense, few- to many-flowered raceme, with the flowers opening in succession. Flowers small, ephemeral, resupinate. Sepals free. Petals free, usually fairly similar to the dorsal sepal. Lip without spur, mobile, concave, entire or 3-lobed, in the centre with a callus. Column-foot present. Pollinia 4, almost equal to unequal, arranged in two bodies (in some species, not in the Philippines, apparently 2 incompletely cleft pollinia), solid, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present. Stigma large.
Distribution
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippines; 7 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
One species [Cordiglottis filiformis (Hook.f.) Garay].
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland and lower montane forest.
Notes
Cordiglottis is a small genus of short-stemmed monopodial orchids characterised by terete or laterally flattened leaves and dense inflorescences with short-lived, small, but sometimes colourful flowers opening in succession. It appears to be related to Thrixspermum. Species of this genus are on the whole uncommon, both in the wild and even more so in cultivation.