a genus of plants of the family Orchidaceae. They are perennial epiphytic grasses with tuberous thickened stems (tuberidia or pseudobulbs) at the apex of which are one or two leaves. The flowers are solitary or in racemose inflorescences of up to 10 cm in diameter. They are white, pink, dark red, bicolored, or multicolored. The flowers stay in bloom for more than a month. There are more than 20 species, distributed in tropical America. Miltonia are highly valued as ornamentals. Several species, including Miltonia vexillaria and M. roezlii, which are used in the development of many hybrid garden varieties, are cultivated in greenhouses.