Orchipedum Breda,
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Asclep. (1827) s.n.
Sympodial terrestrial plants. Stem elongated. Leaves several, sheathing at the base, glabrous, dorso-ventrally flattened, not articulate, convolute, herbaceous. Inflorescence terminal, a many-flowered raceme. Flowers rather small, resupinate, usually green with a white lip. Sepals free. Lateral sepals patent. Petals free, about as long as the dorsal sepal, usually cohering at the apices. Lip spurred, with the almost globose spur curved inwards, at the base connate to the column, 3-lobed, lateral lobes crenate-fringed, mid-lobe clawed, the disk of the lip with two lamellae, on the lateral walls of the spur with a tuft of clavate hairs. Stigma lobes not separated. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, sectile, caudicles present, stipe apparently absent, viscidium present.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, the Philippines; 2 species.
Distribution in the Philippines
Luzon (Sorsogon), Cebu, Leyte, Mindanao (Surigao, Agusan); 1 species [Orchipedum wenzelii (Ames) J.J.Sm.].
Habitat
Terrestrial in lowland and lower montane forest.
Notes
Orchipedum is a very distinctive genus with unusually complex flowers. It is allied to Goodyera and Moerenhoutia, but immediately recognised by the remarkable incurved spur. The plants are rather robust for a member of this alliance, but not particularly showy.