Paraphalaenopsis denevei is found in lowland riverine forests below 300 m elevation. Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua occurs in swamp and lowland forests, where it is occasionally found growing on rocks. Paraphalaenopsis laycockii and P. labukensis Shim, A.L.Lamb & C.L.Chan grow in forests as epiphytes at elevations up to 1000 m.
Pendent epiphytic or rarely lithophytic herbs. Stem unbranched, leafy. Leaves few, pendent, coriaceous, terete, with a longitudinal groove along their length, acute. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, unbranched, subclavate, spreading horizontally, few-flowered; peduncle and rachis terete. Flowers resupinate, with spreading perianth; pedicel terete, elongate, usually longer than floral segments; bracts triangular- ovate, cucullate, shorter than ovary. Sepals free, spreading, oblanceolate to elliptic, the laterals oblique. Petals spreading, oblanceolate. Labellum porrect, firmly attached to column foot, clawed at base, trilobed, lacking a spur, with a lobed, raised callus between side lobes, midlobe porrect or slightly deflexed, broadening at tip, side lobes erect on either side of column. Column terete-clavate, with a foot; anther-cap obovoid, pollinia two, deeply cleft, stipe broadly spatulate, viscidium subcircular-cordate; stigma a ventral cavity; rostellum bifid. Ovary six-ridged, rarely angular.
Paraphalaenopsis is a genus of four species endemic to Borneo.
No uses have been reported for Paraphalaenopsis; it is frequently cultivated and used in hybridization.
