Orchidaceae

:Orchid re-directs here; for alternate uses see Orchid (disambiguation)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over 800 See List of Orchidaceae genera.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Orchids (Orchidaceae family) are among the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant (angiospermae) families, with over 800 described genera and 25,000 (some sources give 30,000) species, and another 100,000 + hybrids and cultivars produced by horticulturalists. The Kew World Checklist of Orchids includes about 24,000 accepted species. About 800 new species are added each year. Orchids, through their floral complexity and their interactions with pollinators and their symbiosis with mycorrhizae, are considered by some, along with the grasses, to be examples of the most complex floral evolution known.

Related Topics:
Flowering plant - Angiospermae - Genera - Species - Hybrid - Cultivar - Horticulturalists - Pollinator - Symbiosis - Mycorrhizae - Evolution

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Orchids get their name from the Greek orchis, meaning 'testicle', from the appearance of subterranean tuberoids in some terrestrial species. The word 'orchis' was first used by Theophrastos (372/371 - 287/286 BC), in his book "De historia plantarum" (The natural history of plants). He was a student of Aristotle and is considered the father of botany and ecology.

Related Topics:
Greek - Terrestrial - Theophrastos - 372 - 371 - 287 - 286 BC - Aristotle - Botany - Ecology

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All orchid species are protected for the purposes of international commerce under CITES as potentially threatened or endangered in their natural habitat, with most species listed under Appendix II. A number of species and genera are afforded protection under Appendix I, including all of Paphiopedilum and all of Phragmipedium. Many other species are protected by both international and national legislation, while hybrids are specifically exempted.

Related Topics:
CITES - Paphiopedilum - Phragmipedium

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~