Displays the following properties in addition to those in the emended genus description. Cells are motile, 0.5–1.0×1.0–3.0 μm, occurring singly or in pairs. Colonies are beige, round, convex and smooth with entire margins. Indole is not produced. Phenylalanine deaminase reaction is weakly positive. Acid is produced from the substrates listed in the genus description and from glycerol (weakly), inositol (weakly) and cellobiose. Carbon sources utilized at 28 °C are as listed in the genus description as well as melibiose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, gentiobiose, d-ribose, d-xylose, l-rhamnose, d-arabitol, d-mannitol, d-sorbitol (weakly), d-tartrate, d-malate, citrate and quinate. Carbon sources not utilized at 28 °C are as listed in the genus description as well as raffinose, lactulose, l-fucose, l-arabitol, xylitol, dulcitol, d-tagatose, adonitol, erythritol and betaine. The DNA G+C content is 54.1–54.6 mol%.

The type strain was isolated from a cypripedium orchid in California, USA.

type strain: LMG 2657T (=ATCC 29267T =DSM 3873T =LMG 2655T) [= ICMP 1591]