Brachycorythis Lindl.
苞葉蘭屬
Terrestrial perennial herbs with fleshy ellipsoid tuberoids. Stems erect, with several cauline leaves. Leaves alternate, closely spaced, usually elliptic or oblong, reducing in size upward and becoming bract-like. Inflorescence terminal, with several racemose flowers; bracts often erect, leafy, usually equal or longer than flowers. Flowers rose, purple to pale purple, resupinate; sepals free, dorsal one erect, concave, lateral ones larger than dorsal one, often spreading or reflexed; petals nearly erect, usually connivent with dorsal sepal forming a hood; lip adnate to base of column, spreading or reflexed, often obcordate, not divided, base saccate or shortly spurred, apex retuse or shallowly lobed; column short and stout; anther terminal, erect, basally connate with column, 2-celled, cells separated, parallel and proximate, with auricles or staminodes on outer sides; pollinia 2, sectile, with short caudicle attaching to viscidium; stigma entire, on a concave surface below rostellum; rostellum slightly protruding, conduplicate and roof-like.
About 30 species, distributed from tropical Africa to Asia, mainly in south Africa and Madagascar. One species in Taiwan.
