Ione Lindley.

Herbs, epiphytic. Rhizome creeping, elongate. Pseudobulbs usually well spaced on rhizome, with 1 leaf at apex. Scape arising laterally from base of pseudobulb; raceme usually several to many flowered, rarely reduced to a solitary flower; floral bracts large or small. Flowers small. Sepals similar; lateral sepals usually ± connate at base along lower margins just below lip. Petals smaller than sepals; lip unlobed or inconspicuously 3-lobed, often ligulate, base usually adnate to column foot, immobile. Column short; foot very short or inconspicuous; rostellum 2-lobed, reflexed; anther terminal, 2-locular, with conspicuous connective; pollinia waxy, 4, subglobose, equal in size, in 2 pairs, with a common Y-shaped stipe and a single viscidium or each pair with a stipe and a viscidium.

After publication of the treatment for the Flora of China, one species was newly recorded from China (see JIN Xiao-Hua et al. 2010. Acta Bot. Yunnan. 32: 331-333, i.e., Sunipia angustipetala Seidenf.).

About 20 species: Nepal to Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam; 11 species (one endemic) in China.

(Authors: Chen Xinqi (陈心启 Chen Sing-chi); Jaap J. Vermeulen)