Luisia Gaudich.,
in Freyc., Voy. Bot. (1826) 426, t. 37
Monopodial epiphytes. Stem elongated, with several leaves distichous. Leaves sheathing at the base, glabrous, terete, deciduous, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, very short, a raceme or carrying a single flower. Flowers small to medium-sized, resupinate, usually greenish with a maroon lip. Sepals free. Petals free, often much longer than the sepals. Lip adnate to the column, without spur, flat, more or less clearly divided into a basal part and an apical part of different thickness and texture. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, solid, with a short slit, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
Tropical Asia, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, east to Samoa; about 30 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Calayan, Luzon (Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Cagayan, Isabela, Zambales, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Sorsogon), Polillo, Mindoro, Palawan, Negros, Leyte, Samar, Camiguin, Mindanao (Lanao, Surigao, Agusan, Davao), Sulu, Tawi-Tawi; 5 or 6 species.
Habitat
Epiphyte in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
An easily recognised genus by the terete leaves and the very short inflorescences carrying distinctive dark-lipped flowers, which are very similar in most species. Occasionally cultivated, although of very limited horticultural value.