Unbranched perennials, hairless or almost so. Leaves undivided, untoothed, often linear/lanceolate, keeled and rather fleshy. Flowers of rather diversed shape, but two-lipped, the lower lip often developed to appear the predominant part of the flower; often spurred; in a stalked spike with a leaflike bract at base of each flowers. Fruit egg-shaped to cylindrical.