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.
Aporostylis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At the present time, only one species is known: Aporostylis bifolia, native to New Zealand.
Chamorchis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Chamorchis alpina, known as the false orchid or false musk orchid, and found in subarctic and subalpine parts of Europe: Scandinavia, the Alps, the Carpathians, northern European Russia.
Changnienia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Only one species is known, Changnienia amoena, native to China.
Chauliodon is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Chauliodon deflexicalcaratum, native to tropical Africa.
Cheiradenia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Cheiradenia cuspidata, native to northern South America.
Clematepistephium is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Clematepistephium smilacifolium, endemic to the island of New Caledonia. Its closest relative is Eriaxis, also endemic to New Caledonia.
Coilochilus is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Coilochilus neocaledonicum, endemic to New Caledonia. Its closest relative is Cryptostylis, sole other genus of subtribe Cryptostylidinae.
Degranvillea is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At the present time, there is only one known species, Degranvillea dermaptera, endemic to French Guiana
Dickasonia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. There is only one known species, Dickasonia vernicosa, which is native to the Himalayas from Darjeeling, through Bhutan and Assam to Myanmar.
Dossinia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At the present time, only one species is accepted, Dossinia marmorata, endemic to Borneo.
Dunstervillea is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. At present, only one species is known, Dunstervillea mirabilis, native to Venezuela to Brazil, and eastern Ecuador.
Entomophobia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Only one species is known, Entomophobia kinabaluensis, endemic to the Island of Borneo. The epithet "kinabaluensis" refers to Mount Kinabalu in Sabah.
Evotella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Evotella rubiginosa, endemic to South Africa.
Gynoglottis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only one known species, Gynoglottis cymbidioides, endemic to Sumatra.
Nohawilliamsia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Only one species is recognized as of June 2014, Nohawilliamsia pirarensis, native to northern South America.
Dendrobieae is a tribe in the subfamily Epidendroideae, in the family Orchidaceae.
Zygopetalinae is an orchid subtribe in the tribe Cymbidieae with 418 species.
