Mitostigma Blume, Mus. Bot. 2: 189. 1856, not Decaisne (1844).

Herbs, terrestrial, slender. Tubers subglobose to ovoid, undivided, fleshy, neck with several slender roots. Stem erect, 1- or occasionally 2-leaved, glabrous or occasionally pubescent. Leaves basal or cauline, usually green and unspotted, rarely with purple-brown blotches, oblong, lanceolate, elliptic, or ovate, base contracted into amplexicaul sheath. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, glabrous; peduncle elongate, with 1 or more sterile bracts; rachis 1- to several flowered. Flowers often secund, resupinate, white, pink, mauve, or purple, rarely yellow; ovary usually straight, twisted, shortly pedicellate, cylindric-fusiform, glabrous. Sepals free, oblong to ovate, 1-veined. Petals free, often connivent with dorsal sepal and forming a hood, usually wider than sepals; lip spreading, spurred at base, 3-lobed; disk often papillose; mid-lobe often divided, forming 2 lobules; spur cylindric to narrowly conic, short to elongate. Column very short; anther usually erect, oblong-ellipsoid to obovoid, 2-locular, locules parallel or slightly divergent; pollinia 2, oblong, sectile, granular-farinaceous; caudicles straplike; viscidia naked, oblong-ovate; rostellum rather small, 3-lobed, base with ± ascending arms on both sides, margin adnate to column; stigma ventral, 3-lobed, lobes confluent, relatively large, flat to somewhat raised; auricles 2, large, stout, placed laterally at base of anther. Capsule suberect.

The generic affinity of several of the entities presently referred to Amitostigma remains questionable and in need of re-examination; many of the endemic Chinese taxa are poorly known.

About 30 species: E Asia and adjacent areas; 22 species (21 endemic) in China.

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