Chloidia Lindley; Cnemidia Lindley; Govindooia Wight; Muluorchis J. J. Wood; Schoenomorphus Thorel ex Gagnepain.

Herbs terrestrial, autotrophic [rarely mycotrophic outside Flora area]. Rhizome ascending, stout; roots wiry, fibrous. Stem erect, rigid, branched or unbranched, noded, with sheaths at nodes. Leaves 2 to many, plicate, ovate to narrowly lanceolate, base contracted into amplexicaul sheaths. Inflorescence a short raceme or panicle, terminal or arising from leaf axils near apex of stem, several or many flowered. Flowers resupinate or not. Dorsal sepal free; lateral sepals free or connate to form a synsepal and embracing base of lip. Petals free, similar to sepals or slightly smaller; lip cymbiform, slightly shorter than sepals, entire, with or without a short spur, sometimes constricted at middle, base loosely embracing column, distally expanded, apex acuminate and reflexed. Column short; anther dorsal, erect; rostellum prominent, erect, bifid after viscidium removed; pollinia 2, granular-farinaceous, sectile, with slender caudicle and peltate viscidium.

About 20 species: mainly in tropical and subtropical Asia, with a few species extending to Australia and the Pacific islands and one in Central and North America; seven species (three endemic) in China.

(Authors: Chen Xinqi (陈心启 Chen Sing-chi); Stephan W. Gale, Phillip J. Cribb)