Herbs, terrestrial, rarely epiphytic, sympodial. Roots fasciculate, fleshy, villous. Stems simple, rhizomatous. Leaves mostly basal, subsessile to petiolate; blade not articulate, thin, delicate. Inflorescences terminal, few- to many-flowered racemes; peduncles bracteate, glandular-pubescent. Flowers not resupinate, erect or suberect, dishlike; perianth spreading; dorsal sepal lightly adherent to petals at apex; lateral sepals distinct or connate; petals free or adnate to basal flanks of column, obliquely triangular, clawed, conspicuous, often forming “pseudolip”; lip adnate to base of column, distinctly to obscurely clawed, deeply concave, fleshy; column semiterete, dilated and slightly winged distally, short, apex pointed; anther adaxial, erect behind rostellum; pollinia 4, bright yellow, clavate, joined in pairs, firm but somewhat mealy, attached to caudicles; stigma entire; viscidium terminal; pedicellate ovary pubescent. Fruits capsules, suberect, ellipsoid [obovoid].

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical, North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 25 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Ponthieva brittoniae, Ponthieva racemosa

Key

1	Perianth more than 5 mm; petals conspicuously striped green, 3.5–5 mm wide; lip distinctly clawed, suborbiculate; leaves present at anthesis; shady broadleaf forests.	Ponthieva racemosa
1	Perianth less than 5 mm; petals not conspicuously striped green, 1.5 mm wide; lip indistinctly clawed, obovate; leaves withering or absent at anthesis; open pinelands.	Ponthieva brittoniae