Epipogium R.Br.,
Prodr. Fl. Novae Holland. Ins. Van-Diemen (1810) 330
Leafless sympodial terrestrial plants lacking chlorophyll, with tuber-like or coral-like rhizomes. Inflorescence a many-flowered raceme (in tropical Asia; elsewhere also one- to few-flowered). Flowers small, resupinate or not, yellowish or whitish, ephemeral. Sepals free. Petals free, similar to the sepals. Lip spurred [abnormal unspurred forms appear to be fairly frequent locally], not mobile. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, granular, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium present. Ovary strongly swollen at anthesis, distinctly stalked.
Distribution
Tropical Africa, Europe, continental Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, east to Fiji; 2 or 3 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Luzon (Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Laguna), Mindoro, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Mindanao (Lanao, Misamis, Davao, Cotabato); 1 species [Epipogium roseum (D.Don) Lindl.].
Habitat
Terrestrial in lower montane forest.
Notes
Epipogium roseum, the only species occurring in the Philippines, can be compared to a mushroom, as it appears and disappears very quickly. The inflorescence is known to grow, flower, set fruit, and die within a week. Like all leafless terrestrials it is almost impossible to cultivate.