Pennilabium J.J.Sm.,
Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg sér. 2, 13 (1914) 47
Small monopodial epiphytes. Stem very short or rarely elongated. Leaves few to several, distichous, sheathing at the base, glabrous, deciduous, duplicate. Inflorescence lateral, a several-flowered raceme with thickened and often flattened rachis, the flowers appearing in succession, one or two at a time. Floral bracts usually distichous. Flowers rather small, ephemeral, resupinate. Sepals free. Petals free, similar to the sepals. Lip with slender spur, not mobile, with distinct lateral lobes often having toothed or fringed margins; spur usually slender, inside without callosities. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, entire, solid, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
Continental Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines; about 10 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Luzon (Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Sorsogon), Bohol, Leyte, Mindanao (Agusan, Cotabato); 2 species.
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
This is a little known genus of small monopodial orchids with short-lived flowers. Typical species of Pennilabium are easily recognised by the side lobes of the lip having minutely fringed or toothed margins, but not all species (including both Philippine members) are typical. The latter can still be assigned to this genus on account of the successively appearing ephemeral flowers having a slender spur and the inflorescence with distichous floral bracts. The genus is very rare in cultivation, and the Philippine members are insufficiently known.