Jewel orchids are truly the trinkets of the orchid family. Jewel orchids are so called because of their extraordinarily beautiful foliage with a variety of colors and patterns. They are not a specific genus of orchids, but rather a grouping based on their unique leaf morphology. The leaves are often velvety which increases the visual effect of the colors and sometimes provides a different coloration when viewed from different angles.  Unlike the vast majority of orchids, these plants are not popular for their flowers but for the magnificent ornamented foliage. 

In India, under the subtribe Goodyerinae, 24 species of ‘Jewel orchids’ are found under 7 genera, viz. Aenhenrya, Anoectochilus, Cheirostylis, Goodyera, Odontochilus, Rhomboda and Zeuxine, of which and 6 species are endemic to India.