Podochilus Blume,
Bijdr. (1825) 295
Small sympodial epiphytes with very short rhizomes. Stem elongated, not fleshy, many-leaved, branching or not. Leaves sheathing at the base, distichous, glabrous, dorso-ventrally flattened or laterally compressed, deciduous or not, duplicate, usually less than 1 cm long, stiffly thin-textured to carnose. Inflorescence terminal, sometimes lateral as well, a few- to several-flowered raceme or carrying a single flower. Flowers usually opening in succession, very small, resupinate, often hardly opening, usually whitish with purple spots at the apex. Lateral sepals connate at the base, forming a mentum, sometimes also the dorsal sepal connate with the lateral sepals. Petals free, usually narrower than the dorsal sepal. Lip without spur, not mobile. Column-foot present. Pollinia 4, solid, enveloped in tubular sheaths, caudicles absent, stipe absent, viscidium present.
Distribution
Tropical Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia; about 60 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Luzon (Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Tayabas, Camarines, Sorsogon), Catanduanes, Biliran, Mindoro, Palawan, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Camiguin, Mindanao (Zamboanga, Lanao, Bukidnon, Surigao, Agusan, Davao, Cotabato), Basilan; about 10 species.
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland forest.
Notes
A relative of Appendicula. Very small, sometimes almost moss-like plants with tiny whitish flowers. Almost completely devoid of ornamental qualities, and therefore rarely cultivated.