Vrydagzynea Blume
in collection des Orchidees le plus remarquables de l'archipel Indien et du Japon, Vol. 1; 1858, p. 71

Introduction: About forty species of this genus are distributed from India, China, S.E. Asia to New Guinea and one species extending to Australia. The center of distribution is in New Guinea. the genus belongs to the Anoectochilus alliance.

Derivation of genus name: Honouring the Dutch scientist Theodore Daniel Vrydag Zynen the genus was described by Carl Blume in 1825. Zynen was a contemporary of Blume; especially known for his writings about new medicines of vegetable origin. Schlechter misspelled the genus name in some of his works as Vrydagzenia, which is incorrect!

Type species: Vrydagzynea gracilis Blume

Characteristics of genus: Small terrestrial herbs with short creeping rhizomes of irregular shape with fleshy stems and thin textured, dark green and glossy leaves. The erect, short, usually dense inflorescence carries few to may small flowers, sepals not spreading widely; the concave dorsal sepal forming a hood with the petals.

Number of species in New Guinea: Approximately fifteen species are recorded for New Guinea.

Species shown here: Vrydragzynea argyrotaenia Schlechter
drawn by N.H.S. Howcroft from live material collected on Manki Range, Bulolo, Morobe Province.

Habitat: In New Guinea the genus occurs from sea level to around 1600 m altitude in the forest undergrowth in damp conditions in leaf litter and soil. At higher elevations plants may be found growing in the moss on the trunks of trees in shaded conditions.

Conservation status: not known