Orchids in the genus Corybas are perennial, deciduous, sympodial, usually terrestrial herbs, lacking roots. (
A few sometimes grow as epiphytes on the fibrous bark of tree ferns or on the mossy branches of trees.)
They have an underground tuber which is more or less spherical and fleshy.
New tubers form at the end of root-like stolons.
There is a single, heart-shaped, kidney-shaped or almost round leaf, usually at ground level and a short erect stem with a single flower at the top.


The flower has a short stalk with a small, leaf-like bract at its base.
The flower is resupinate, dull-coloured and resembles the fruiting body of a fungus.
The dorsal sepal is much larger than the lateral sepals and petals and curves forward, often forming a hood over the column.
The lateral sepals and petals are small, linear to almost thread-like.
As is usual in orchids, one petal is highly modified as the central labellum and in this genus is often the most obvious part of the flower.
The labellum is large, deeply concave or tube-shaped with its base attached to the base of the column and sometimes completely surrounding the column.
Sometimes there is a pair of small, ear-like appendages on either side, near the base.
The column is small, enclosed by the base of the labellum and has small wings.
In temperate regions, flowering occurs between autumn and spring and in tropical regions in most months.
The fruit that follows flowering is a non-fleshy, dehiscent capsule containing up to 500 seeds.
As the fruit matures, the flower withers and the flower stem elongates to a length of up to 30 cm (12 in), aiding in seed dispersal.
Orchids in the genus Corybas are perennial, deciduous, sympodial, usually terrestrial herbs, lacking roots. (A few sometimes grow as epiphytes on the fibrous bark of tree ferns or on the mossy branches of trees.) They have an underground tuber which is more or less spherical and fleshy. New tubers form at the end of root-like stolons. There is a single, heart-shaped, kidney-shaped or almost round leaf, usually at ground level and a short erect stem with a single flower at the top.

The flower has a short stalk with a small, leaf-like bract at its base. The flower is resupinate, dull-coloured and resembles the fruiting body of a fungus. The dorsal sepal is much larger than the lateral sepals and petals and curves forward, often forming a hood over the column. The lateral sepals and petals are small, linear to almost thread-like. As is usual in orchids, one petal is highly modified as the central labellum and in this genus is often the most obvious part of the flower. The labellum is large, deeply concave or tube-shaped with its base attached to the base of the column and sometimes completely surrounding the column. Sometimes there is a pair of small, ear-like appendages on either side, near the base. The column is small, enclosed by the base of the labellum and has small wings. In temperate regions, flowering occurs between autumn and spring and in tropical regions in most months. The fruit that follows flowering is a non-fleshy, dehiscent capsule containing up to 500 seeds. As the fruit matures, the flower withers and the flower stem elongates to a length of up to 30 cm (12 in), aiding in seed dispersal.
Corybas (plant)