The flowers are small, fleshy, fragrant, often white or reddish purple and do not open widely.

The labellum is rigidly fixed to the column, usually longer than the petals and has three lobes with a spur at its base.

[9][10] The following is a list of species accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019:[1] Orchids in this genus occur in China, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malesia, New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Vanuatu and northern Australia.

[1] The small, entomophilous, colourful flowers of Schoenorchis gemmata produce nectar and fragrance during the daytime and they are believed to be pollinated by insects of the order Hymenoptera.

Only 20 individuals of Schoenorchis mishmensis K.Gogoi, Mega & Chowlu are known to exist in the wild, and it is therefore thought to be critically endangered.