Introduction: A genus of some ten terrestrial species distributed from New Guinea to Vanuatu and Polynesia. The New Guinea species were previously included in the genus Platylepis A. Rich. The latter genus occurs in Africa, Madagascar and the Seychelles Islands.
Derivation of genus name: Commemorating the collector (Moerenhout) of the type species from Tahiti.
Type species: Moerenhoutia plantaginea (Guill.) Blume
Basionym: Pterochilus plantaginea
Characteristics of genus: The plant habit is similar to the species in the genus Goodyera, with a glabrous stem, three to five closely spaced leaves, almost in a rosette. The erect inflorescence is few to densely multi-flowered.
Habitat: Plants grow on humus on the forest floor in shaded conditions from ca. 1000 to 2000 m above sea level.
Conservation status:
not known
