Introduction:A genus with some twenty species distributed from the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia to New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia and Fiji.
Derivation of genus name: By Carl Blume in 1825 from the Greek hetaireia = relationship in allusion to having many features in common with the genus Goodyera.
Type species: Hetaeria oblongifolia (Blume) Blume
Characteristics of genus: Terrestrial, deciduous herbs in plant habit similar to Goodyera.
Number of species in New Guinea: About eleven species are recognised for New Guinea, one of which, H. falcatula Schltr. perhaps belongs to the genus Zeuxine. Species in this genus are distinguished by inverted flowers with the lip uppermost in the flower.
Habitat: The species grow in leaf litter in the forest undergrowth and an elevation of 150 - 400 m.
Conservation status: not known
Species photo:Hetaeria oblongifolia Blume
