Orchidaceae, commonly called the orchid family, is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
The Pleurothallidinae are a neotropical subtribe of plants of the orchid family (Orchidaceae) including 29 genera in more than 4000 species.
Cypripedioideae is a subfamily of orchids commonly known as lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids. Cypripedioideae includes the genera Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium and Selenipedium. They are characterised by the slipper-shaped pouches of the flowers – the pouch traps insects so they are forced to climb up past the staminode, behind which they collect or deposit pollinia, thus fertilizing the flower. There are approximately 165 species in the subfamily.
Cypripedium is a genus of 58 species and nothospecies of hardy orchids; it is one of five genera that together compose the subfamily of lady's slipper orchids (Cypripedioideae). They are widespread across much of the Northern Hemisphere, including most of Europe and Africa (Algeria), Russia, China, Central Asia, Canada the United States, Mexico, and Central America. They are most commonly known as slipper orchids, lady's slipper orchids, or ladyslippers; other common names include moccasin flower, camel's foot, squirrel foot, steeple cap, Venus' shoes, and whippoorwill shoe. An abbreviation used in trade journals is "Cyp." The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek Κύπρις (Kúpris), an early reference in Greek myth to Aphrodite, and πέδιλον (pédilon), meaning "sandal".
Paphiopedilum, often called the Venus slipper, is a genus of the lady slipper orchid subfamily Cypripedioideae of the flowering plant family Orchidaceae. The genus comprises some 80 accepted taxa including several natural hybrids. The genus is native to Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, southern China, New Guinea and the Solomon and Bismarck Islands. The type species of this genus is Paphiopedilum insigne.
Aerangis, abbreviated as Aergs in horticultural trade, is a genus of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). The name of this genus has been derived from the Greek words 'aer' (air) and 'angos' (urn), referring to the form of the lip. It is the type genus of the subtribe Aerangidinae, which has recently been subsumed in the subtribe Angraecinae. Approximately 50 species in this genus are known mostly from tropical Africa, but also from the Comoro Islands, Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
Phragmipedium is a genus of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae) and the only genus comprised in the tribe Phragmipedieae and subtribe Phragmipediinae. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek phragma, which means "division", and pedium, which means "slipper". It is abbreviated 'Phrag' in trade journals.
The taxonomy of the Orchidaceae has evolved slowly during the last 250 years, starting with Carl Linnaeus who in 1753 recognized eight genera. De Jussieu recognized the Orchidaceae as a separate family in his Genera Plantarum in 1789. Olof Swartz recognized 25 genera in 1800. Louis Claude Richard provided us in 1817 with the descriptive terminology of the orchids.. The next step was taken in 1830-1840 by John Lindley, who recognized four subfamilies. He is generally recognized as the father of orchid taxonomy. The next important step was taken by George Bentham with a new classification, recognizing subtribes for the first time. This classification was first presented in a paper that Bentham read to the Royal Society in 1881. Then it was published in 1883 in the final volume of Genera Plantarum. The next great contributors were Pfitzer (1887), Schlechter (1926), Mansfeld (1937), Dressler and Dodson (1960), Garay, Vermeulen (1966), again Dressler (1981). and Burns-Balogh and Funk (1986). Dressler's 1993 book had considerable influence on later work.
Apostasioideae is one of the five subfamilies recognised within the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Only two genera, Neuwiedia and Apostasia, and 15 species, are recognised within the Apostasioideae in contrast to the other orchid subfamilies which are highly species rich.
The Orchidoideae, or the orchidoid orchids, are a subfamily of the orchid family (Orchidaceae).
Selenipedium is a genus of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). The genus has been given its own tribe, Selenipedieae, and subtribe, Selenipediinae. It is abbreviated Sel in trade journals.
Epidendrum, abbreviated Epi in the horticultural trade, is a large neotropical genus of the orchid family. With more than 1,500 species, some authors describe it as a mega-genus. The genus name refers to its epiphytic growth habit.
Govenia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the orchid family Orchidaceae. The type species, Govenia superba, was transferred from Maxillaria superba and a genus name was given to commemorate J.R. Gowen, secretary of the Horticultural Society of London.
Artorima is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At present, only one species is known: Artorima erubescens, native to southern Mexico.
Dichromanthus is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. As currently delimited, it is monophyletic and includes four species:
- Dichromanthus aurantiacus(Lex.) Salazar & Soto Arenas - much of Mexico, south to Honduras
- Dichromanthus cinnabarinus(Lex.) Garay - from Texas to Guatemala
- Dichromanthus michuacanus(Lex.) Salazar & Soto Arenas - from Texas and Arizona south to Honduras
- Dichromanthus yucundaaSalazar & García-Mend. - Oaxaca
Funkiella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae native to Mexico and Central America.
- Funkiella hyemalis(A.Rich. & Galeotti) Schltr - from central Mexico to Guatemala
- Funkiella laxispica(Catling) Salazar & Soto Arenas - Oaxaca
- Funkiella parasitica(A.Rich. & Galeotti) Salazar & Soto Arenas - from central Mexico to Costa Rica
- Funkiella stolonifera(Ames & Correll) Garay - Chiapas, Guatemala
- Funkiella tenella(L.O.Williams) Szlach. - Chihuahua, Durango
- Funkiella valerioi(Ames & C.Schweinf.) Salazar & Soto Arenas - Costa Rica, Guatemala
- Funkiella versiformisSzlach. - Costa Rica
Hintonella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Hintonella mexicana, native to central and southern Mexico.
Galeottiella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Traditionally it had been included in subtribe Spiranthinae, but following molecular phylogenetic and morphological studies it is now placed in a subtribe on its own, Galeottiellinae.
Rhynchostele is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, native to Mexico, Central America and Venezuela. The genus name is abbreviated as Rst. in the horticultural trade.
