Hippeophyllum Schltr.,
in K.Schum. & Lauterb. Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 107
Sympodial epiphytic plants. Rhizome creeping, stem short. Leaves few, sheathing at the base, glabrous, laterally flattened, articulate, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence terminal, a raceme. Flowers very small, not resupinate, green. Sepals free. Petals free, narrower than the sepals. Lip without spur, not mobile, 3-lobed. Column slender. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 4, solid-waxy, caudicles absent, stipe absent, viscidium absent.
Distribution
Malesia; about 6 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Leyte; 1 species [H. wenzelii Ames].
Habitat
Epiphyte in lowland forest.
Notes
This genus is very similar in habit to Oberonia, which also has laterally flattened leaves and terminal rat tail-like racemes packed with minute flowers. On close inspection, however, the flowers of Hippeophyllum are quite similar to those of certain species of LIparis, with a slender column and geniculate lip, whereas the flowers of Oberonia resemble those of certain species of Malaxis, with a very short compact column and a flat lip. Moreover, long creeping rhizomes as in Hippeophyllum are rarely seen in Oberonia.