Plants terrestrial, small to medium-sized, unbranched. Tubers 1 or 2, ellipsoid, roots few. Stem erect, with few sheaths at base. Leaves basal or cauline, ovate to lanceolate. Inflorescence terminal, many-flowered raceme. Sterile bracts usually many, foliaceous. Flowers not resupinate, often showy, white, green, yellow, pink, red or purple. Sepals and petals small, subequal, mostly fused in basal part. Petals slightly smaller than sepals. Lip simple, hooded, bearing 2 short to long spurs at back. Column erect, long, usually incurved, inside the hooded lip; terminal lobe forming the stigma, hooded; pollinia 2, granular, sectile, anther loculi hanging, with a 3-lobed rostellum between them; viscidia 2, attached by caudicles to pollinia.

Worldwide about 90 species, distributed in Tropical & S. Africa, W. Indian Ocean, Indian Subcontinent to S. Central China. One species(Satyrium nepalense) and two varieties in Nepal.