Description: Terrestrial herbs, sympodial; roots few and inconspicuous, filamentous; tubers entirely encased in a multilayered, persistent, shaggy fibrous sheath (tunica).
Leaves basal, 1 per shoot, convolute, sparsely to densely covered in patent trichomes.
Inflorescence racemose, 1–several-flowered, terminal; flowers resupinate. Dorsal sepal free, similar to or slightly shorter and narrower than lateral sepals. Lateral sepals free. Lateral petals free, similar to, or slightly longer than dorsal sepal. Labellum free, attached at base of column by a short claw; lamina strongly 3-lobed [or undivided], with shortly toothed margins [or entire], with many stalked [or sessile] calli, in 2 [or more] longitudinal rows [or scattered]. Column lacking free filament and style; column wings fused to column, expansive in upper half, narrow to broad. Column foot absent. Anther erect, parallel to the axis of the column, persistent. Pollinia 4, soft and mealy. Stigma entire. Rostellum ventral.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 10 species, Australia, all States except N.T. and S.A.
Text by P.H. Weston
Taxon concept: Hopper & Brown (2004, Australian Systematic Botany 17: 171-240)
| One species in NSW: Cyanicula caerulea |
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