Orchids in the genus Caleana are terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herbs usually with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and a dark red, oval-shaped, tuber.

The dorsal sepal and the two lateral petals are similar in size and are narrow linear in shape with pointed or club-shaped ends.

[3][4][5][6][7][8] The genus Caleana was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.

In 1989 Mark Clements noted that none of the characters used to separate Paracaleana from Caleana is "sufficiently significant" to maintain two genera.

[7][12][13] The following is a list of the species of Caleana accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at April 2018.

[6] Orchids in the genus Caleana are pollinated by male thynnid wasps which are attracted to the flower by pheromones.

When that insect visits another duck orchid and the process is repeated, the transported pollinia will adhere to the stigma of the second flower and it will be pollinated.