Plants in this genus are terrestrial herbs with a succulent rhizome and a loose rosette of leaves.

They are found in tropical Africa and Asia to New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific Islands.

Orchids in the genus Hetaeria are terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herbs with a creeping, succulent, above-ground rhizome anchored to the ground by wiry roots.

The flowers are non-resupinate and usually small, dull-coloured and hairy with the dorsal sepal and petals joined to form a hood over the column.

[2][3][4] The genus Hetaeria was first formally described in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume and the description was published in Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië.