Neuwiedia Blume,
in Hoev. & De Vriese, Tijdschr. Natuurl. Gesch. Physiol. 1 (1834) 140
Sympodial terrestrial plants without rhizome. Stem short, several- to many-leaved. Leaves spirally arranged, sheathing at the base, glabrous, plicate, persistent, convolute, thin-textured. Inflorescence a many-flowered terminal raceme. Flowers small to medium-sized, resupinate, not opening widely, white or yellow. Sepals free. Petals free, somewhat broader than the sepals. Lip without spur, not mobile, not lobed, broader than the petals. Column-foot absent. Three fertile anthers, pollen not aggregated into pollinia, powdery.
Distribution
Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea; about 10 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Luzon (Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon), Mindoro, Palawan, Mindanao (Agusan); 1 species [Neuwiedia veratrifolia Blume].
Habitat
Terrestrial in lowland forest.
Notes
Clearly related to Apostasia, but immediately distinguished from that and all other orchid genera by the three fertile anthers. Neuwiedia is not particularly attractive and difficult to keep alive in cultivation, therefore hardly ever seen in collections.