Description: Epiphytic [or epilithic] herbs, sympodial; roots creeping over the surface of the substrate, fibrous.
Leaves in a fan-like arrangement on the short stem [or scattered along a long stem], several [to many] per shoot, distichous, laterally flattened, conduplicate basally but otherwise fused along opposite margins.
Inflorescence racemose, many-flowered, the flowers in loose whorls of c. 6, terminal; flowers not resupinate [or resupinate]. Sepals free, similar. Lateral petals free, similar to, or shorter than sepals. Labellum free, attached at base of column; lamina unlobed to deeply 3-lobed, often with toothed margins, unornamented. Column lacking free filament and style, stubby; column wings fused to column, narrow. Column foot absent. Anther incumbent, cap-like. Pollinia 4, waxy. Stigma entire. Rostellum not prominent, ventral.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 330 spp., E Africa, S & SE Asia, Malesia, Pacific. Aust.: 4 spp. (3 spp. endemic), Qld, N.S.W.
Text by P. H. Weston
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Perianth red; labellum distinctly 3-lobed, otherwise with entire margins | Oberonia titania |
| Perianth cream; labellum not distinctly lobed, with a shortly 2-fid tip and erose to fimbriate margins | Oberonia complanata |
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