Habenaria goodyeroides D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 25. 1825; H. goodyeroides var. formosana Hayata; H. hayatana Schlechter; H. pandurilabia Schlechter; H. tenii Schlechter; Herminium goodyeroides (D. Don) Lindley; Peristylus sphaerocentron Tang & F. T. Wang.

Plants usually robust, (17-)28-60(-90) cm tall. Tubers oblong, 1.5-4 × 0.5-2 cm. Stem with 2-4 tubular sheaths at base, 4-6-leaved. Leaves usually clustered midway along stem, ovate to oblong-elliptic, 3.5-17 × 2.5-6.5 cm, apex obtuse or acute. Inflorescence (10-)22-44(-60) cm; peduncle cylindric, stout; sterile bracts 1 to many, occasionally foliaceous, lanceolate, 8-35 mm; rachis 4-21 cm, sublaxly to densely many flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, 6-15 mm, ca. as long as to slightly exceeding ovary, apex acuminate. Flowers erect to horizontal; sepals olive to brownish green; petals and lip pale yellowish green to creamy white; ovary 6-11 mm including pedicel. Dorsal sepal erect, ovate-lanceolate to broadly ovate, concave, 4-5.5 × 2.5-3.5 mm, 1-veined, apex obtuse; lateral sepals spreading, oblong, oblique, 4-6 × 2-2.8 mm, 1-veined, apex acute to obtuse. Petals spreading, broadly ovate, oblique, 4-5.5 × 3-4(-5) mm, 2- or 3-veined, base concave, apex obtuse; lip spreading, oblong-obovate, 4-6 × 3.5-4 mm, shallowly 3-lobed toward apex; disk ecallose but with a dark, triangular nectary toward base; lateral lobes ovate-triangular, 0.8-1.8 mm, apex obtuse; mid-lobe ovate, 1-1.8 mm, slightly broader than lateral lobes, apex obtuse; spur pendulous, globose-scrotiform, ca. 2 mm, apex rounded, neck contracted. Column ca. 1.5 mm; viscidia ellipsoid; rostellum with short arms. Fl. Jun-Aug. 2n = 23 + 2f, 42, 46, 47.

Broad-leaved forests, scrub, grassy slopes; 500-2300 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, Cambodia, N India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].