Tainia

Arethuseae subtribe Bletiinae

Creeping terrestrials, rarely epiphytes. Pseudobulbs erect, cylindric to ovoid, concealed by scarious bracts, unifoliate. Leaves elliptic-ovate, decurrent to the petiole. Inflorescences erect, scapose racemes. Sepals and petals free, the lateral sepals fused to the long column foot. Flowers campanulate. Lip three-lobed, the lateral lobes erect, articulate to the column foot, the disc with parallel longitudinal keels, the base usually without a spur. Column straight to lightly arcuate, with winged lateral margins, with a foot (mentum), the anther usually with two crests; pollinia 8, in four unequal pairs.

From the Greek tainia, meaning fillet, referring either to the long narrow leaves or to the elevated keels on the lip.

A genus of 14 species widespread in Asia from Sri Lanka and India to Borneo, New Guinea and Australia.

Perner, H. 2000. Tainia dunnii Rolfe 1908 [3]. Die Orchidee 51(1): Orchideenkartei Seite 917-918.

Tanaka, R. and T. Matsuda 1972. A high occurrence of accessory chromosomal type in Tainia laxiflora, Orchidaceae. Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 85:43-49.