The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family.
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.
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.
The Vandeae is a large monophyletic tribe within the family of orchids.
Brachycorythis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains approximately 40-50 species native mostly to Africa and Madagascar but also some from South and East Asia.
Ceratandra is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains 6 known species, all endemic to South Africa.
- Ceratandra atrata(L.) T.Durand & Schinz
- Ceratandra bicolorSond. ex Bolus
- Ceratandra globosaLindl.
- Ceratandra grandifloraLindl.
- Ceratandra harveyanaLindl.
- Ceratandra venosa(Lindl.) Schltr.
Chauliodon is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Chauliodon deflexicalcaratum, native to tropical Africa.
Cynorkis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is native to tropical and southern Africa, as well as several islands in the Indian Ocean.
Diaphananthe is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. As currently conceived, it contains 33 accepted species, all endemic to sub-Saharan Africa
- Diaphananthe arbonnieriGeerinck
- Diaphananthe bidens(Afzel. ex Sw.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe bueae(Schltr.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe cerifloraJ.B.Petersen
- Diaphananthe delepierreanaJ.-P.Lebel & Geerinck
- Diaphananthe divitiflora(Kraenzl.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe dorotheae(Rendle) Summerh.
- Diaphananthe eggelingiiP.J.Cribb
- Diaphananthe fragrantissima(Rchb.f.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe gabonensis(Summerh.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe garayanaSzlach. & Olszewski
- Diaphananthe ichneumonea(Lindl.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe lanceolata(Summerh.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe lecomtei(Finet) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe letouzeyi(Szlach. & Olszewski) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe lorifoliaSummerh.
- Diaphananthe millarii(Bolus) H.P.Linder
- Diaphananthe odoratissima(Rchb.f.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe pellucida(Lindl.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe plehniana(Schltr.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe rohrii(Rchb.f.) Summerh.
- Diaphananthe sanfordianaSzlach. & Olszewski
- Diaphananthe sarcophylla(Schltr. ex Prain) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe sarcorhynchoidesJ.B.Hall
- Diaphananthe spiralis(Stévart & Droissart) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe subclavata(Rolfe) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe suborbicularisSummerh.
- Diaphananthe thomensis(Rolfe) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe trigonopetalaSchltr.
- Diaphananthe vagans (Lindl.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe vandiformis(Kraenzl.) Schltr.
- Diaphananthe vesicata(Lindl.) P.J.Cribb & Carlsward
- Diaphananthe welwitschii(Rchb.f.) Schltr
Diceratostele is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At the present time, there is only one known species, Diceratostele gabonensis, native to western and central Africa.
Eggelingia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, and named after the Scots forester, William Julius Eggeling. It contains 3 known species, all native to tropical Africa:
Eurychone is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. The genus was founded in 1918 by Rudolf Schlechter. It contains two known species, both native to tropical Africa.
Evotella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Evotella rubiginosa, endemic to South Africa.
Neobolusia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains 3 known species, all native to eastern and southern Africa.
Pachites is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains two known species, both endemic to South Africa. One of these, Pachites appressus, is very rare.
Stenoglottis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae native to southern and eastern Africa. Six of the 8 known species are endemic to South Africa.
- Stenoglottis fimbriataLindl. - Swaziland, South Africa
- Stenoglottis inandensisG.McDonald & D.G.A.Styles - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis longifoliaHook.f. - South Africa
- Stenoglottis macloughlinii(L.Bolus) G.McDonald ex J.M.H.Shaw - South Africa
- Stenoglottis modestusTruter & Joliffe - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis molweniensisG.McDonald ex J.M.H.Shaw - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis woodiiSchltr. - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis zambesiacaRolfe in D.Oliver & auct. suc. - Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, northeastern South Africa
Aerangidinae is classified as a subtribe within the tribe Vandeae in the family Orchidaceae. However, it is likely to soon become a synonym of Angraecinae with the genera below re-allocated to this sub-tribe. As traditionally circumscribed, it consists of 36 genera and about 300 species. The type genus of this subtribe is Aerangis. Members of this group are epiphytic orchids having a monopodial habit and are endemic to tropical Africa and Madagascar. They are distinguished from the other subtribes in Vandeae by having an elongate rostellum, an elongate spur, and two pollinia. Most genera in the group indicate pollination by moths, however leaf beetles are reported as frequent visitors, but it is unknown whether they are vectors for pollination.
Rhipidoglossum is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains about 20-30 species, all from sub-Saharan Africa.
Dendrobieae is a tribe in the subfamily Epidendroideae, in the family Orchidaceae.
Dracomonticola is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Dracomonticola virginea, native to Lesotho and South Africa.
