Herbs epiphytic. Roots fibrous. Stems erect, stout; sheaths tubular, variously enclosing stems. Leaves 1, erect, sessile or petiolate; blade leathery. Inflorescences terminal [axillary], 1-several lax or clustered racemes [solitary flower]. Flowers sometimes distichous, resupinate, opening simultaneously; sepals distinct [variously connate], subequal, membranous [thickly fleshy], pubescent [smooth or verrucose]; petals glabrous [verrucose, papillose, pubescent, ciliate, or fringed]; lip simple [2-5-lobed], membranous [thickly fleshy], callous, base loosely articulate to base of column or apex of column foot [sometimes inflexibly adnate]; column semiterete, stout [slender], winged [wingless], with or without column foot, apex with anther exposed or hooded; anther apical or adaxial; ovary articulate between ovary and minute curved pedicel; pollinia 2, pyriform with viscidium [spheric without viscidium] and caudicles [naked, with or without viscidium]; stigma adaxial [apical], 1-2-lobed; rostellum apical or adaxial. Fruits capsules, deciduous at pedicel (ca. 1 mm), ellipsoid, 3-valved.

Pleurothallis is the largest genus in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae, and perhaps in the Orchidaceae.