Orchidaceae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Orchid" redirects here. For other uses, see Orchid (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding
citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2013)
Orchidaceae
Temporal range: 800 Ma
Pre

O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N

Late Cretaceous Recent

Colour plate from Ernst

Haeckel'sKunstformen der Natur,
1904

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiosperms

(unranked):

Monocots

Order:

Asparagales

Family:

Orchidaceae
Juss.[1]

Type genus

Orchis
Tourn. ex L.

Subfamilies

Apostasioideae Horaninov

Cypripedioideae Kosteletz
ky

Epidendroideae Kosteletzk
y

Orchidoideae Eaton

Vanilloideae Szlachetko

Distribution range of family

Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often
colourful and often fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family. Along with the Asteraceae, they
are one of the two largest families of flowering plants. Orchidaceae has about 27,800 currently
accepted species, distributed in about 880 genera.[2][3] The determination of which family is larger is
still under debate, because verified data on the members of such enormous families are continually
in flux. Regardless, the number of orchid species nearly equals the number of bony fishes and is
more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number ofmammal species.
The family also encompasses about 611% of all seed plants.[4] The largest genera
are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species),Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species)
and Pleurothallis (1,000 species).
The family also includes Vanilla (the genus of the vanilla plant), Orchis (type genus), and many
commonly cultivated plants such asPhalaenopsis and Cattleya. Moreover, since the introduction of
tropical species into cultivation in the 19th century, horticulturists have produced more than
100,000 hybrids and cultivars.
Contents
[hide]

1Description
o

1.1Stem and roots

1.2Leaves

1.3Flowers

1.4Fruits and seeds

1.5Pollination

1.6Asexual reproduction

2Taxonomy
o

2.1Evolution

2.2Genera

2.3Etymology

3Distribution

4Ecology

5Uses
o

5.1Perfumery

5.2Horticulture

5.3Use as food

5.4Traditional medicinal uses

6Cultural symbolism

7See also

8Notes

9References

10External links

Description[edit]

Orchids are easily distinguished from other plants, as they share some very evident shared derived
characteristics, or "apomorphies". Among these are: bilateral symmetry of the flower
(zygomorphism), many resupinate flowers, a nearly always highly modified petal(labellum),
fused stamens and carpels, and extremely small seeds.

Stem and roots[edit]

All orchids are perennial herbs that lack any permanent woody structure. They can grow according
to two patterns:

Monopodial: The stem grows from a single bud, leaves are added from the apex each year
and the stem grows longer accordingly. The stem of orchids with a monopodial growth can reach
several metres in length, as in Vanda and Vanilla.

Sympodial: Sympodial orchids have a front (the newest growth) and a back (the oldest
growth).[5] The plant produces a series of adjacent shoots which grow to a certain size, bloom
and then stop growing and are replaced. Sympodial orchids grow laterally rather than vertically,
following the surface of their support. The growth continues by development of new leads, with
their own leaves and roots, sprouting from or next to those of the previous year, as in Cattleya.
While a new lead is developing, the rhizome may start its growth again from a so-called 'eye', an
undeveloped bud, thereby branching. Sympodial orchids may have visible pseudobulbs joined
by a rhizome, which creeps along the top or just beneath the soil.

Anacamptis lactea showing the two tubers

Terrestrial orchids may be rhizomatous or form corms or tubers. The root caps of terrestrial orchids
are smooth and white.
Some sympodial terrestrial orchids, such as Orchis and Ophrys, have two subterranean tuberous
roots. One is used as a food reserve for wintry periods, and provides for the development of the
other one, from which visible growth develops.

In warm and constantly humid climates, many terrestrial orchids do not need pseudobulbs.
Epiphytic orchids, those that grow upon a support, have modified aerial roots that can sometimes be
a few meters long. In the older parts of the roots, a modified spongy epidermis, called velamen, has
the function to absorb humidity. It is made of dead cells and can have a silvery-grey, white or brown
appearance. In some orchids, the velamen includes spongy and fibrous bodies near the passage
cells, called tilosomes.
The cells of the root epidermis grow at a right angle to the axis of the root to allow them to get a firm
grasp on their support. Nutrients mainly come from animal droppings and other organic detritus
collecting among on their supporting surfaces.

The pseudobulb ofProsthechea fragrans

The base of the stem of sympodial epiphytes, or in some species essentially the entire stem, may be
thickened to form a pseudobulb that contains nutrients and water for drier periods.
The pseudobulb has a smooth surface with lengthwise grooves, and can have different shapes,
often conical or oblong. Its size is very variable; in some small species of Bulbophyllum, it is no
longer than two millimeters, while in the largest orchid in the world, Grammatophyllum
speciosum (giant orchid), it can reach three meters. Some Dendrobium species have long, canelike
pseudobulbs with short, rounded leaves over the whole length; some other orchids have hidden or
extremely small pseudobulbs, completely included inside the leaves.
With ageing, the pseudobulb sheds its leaves and becomes dormant. At this stage it is often called a
backbulb. Backbulbs still hold nutrition for the plant, but then a pseudobulb usually takes over,
exploiting the last reserves accumulated in the backbulb, which eventually dies off, too. A
pseudobulb typically lives for about five years. Orchids without noticeable pseudobulbs are also said
to have growths, an individual component of a sympodial plant.

Leaves[edit]
Like most monocots, orchids generally have simple leaves with parallel veins, although
some Vanilloideae have a reticulate venation. Leaves may be ovate, lanceolate, or orbiculate, and
very variable in size on the individual plant. Their characteristics are often diagnostic. They are
normally alternate on the stem, often folded lengthwise along the centre ("plicate"), and have
no stipules. Orchid leaves often have siliceousbodies called stegmata in the vascular bundle sheaths
(not present in the Orchidoideae) and are fibrous.
The structure of the leaves corresponds to the specific habitat of the plant. Species that typically
bask in sunlight, or grow on sites which can be occasionally very dry, have thick, leathery leaves and
the laminae are covered by a waxy cuticle to retain their necessary water supply. Shade-loving
species, on the other hand, have long, thin leaves.

The leaves of most orchids are perennial, that is, they live for several years, while others, especially
those with plicate leaves as in Catasetum, shed them annually and develop new leaves together
with new pseudobulbs.
The leaves of some orchids are considered ornamental. The leaves of the Macodes sanderiana, a
semiterrestrial or rock-hugging ("lithophyte") orchid, show a sparkling silver and gold veining on a
light green background. The cordate leaves of Psychopsis limminghei are light brownish-green with
maroon-puce markings, created by flower pigments. The attractive mottle of the leaves of lady's
slippers from tropical and subtropical Asia (Paphiopedilum), is caused by uneven distribution of
chlorophyll. Also, Phalaenopsis schilleriana is a pastel pink orchid with leaves spotted dark green
and light green. The jewel orchid (Ludisia discolor) is grown more for its colorful leaves than its white
flowers.
Some orchids, as Dendrophylax lindenii (ghost orchid), Aphyllorchis and Taeniophyllum depend on
their green roots for photosynthesis and lack normally developed leaves, as do all of
the heterotrophic species.
Orchids of the genus Corallorhiza (coralroot orchids) lack leaves altogether and instead wrap their
roots around the roots of mature trees and use specialized fungi to harvest sugars. [6]

Vanda cultivar

Flowers[edit]
Orchidaceae are well known for the many structural variations in their flowers.
Some orchids have single flowers, but most have a racemose inflorescence, sometimes with a large
number of flowers. The flowering stem can be basal, that is, produced from the base of the tuber,
like in Cymbidium, apical, meaning it grows from the apex of the main stem, like in Cattleya, or
axillary, from the leaf axil, as in Vanda.
As an apomorphy of the clade, orchid flowers are primitively zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical),
although in some genera likeMormodes, Ludisia and Macodes, this kind of symmetry may be difficult
to notice.

Dactylorhiza sambucina,Orchidoideae for reference

The orchid flower, like most flowers of monocots, has two whorls of sterile elements. The outer whorl
has three sepals and the inner whorl has three petals. The sepals are usually very similar to the
petals (and thus called tepals, 1), but may be completely distinct.
The medial petal, called the labellum or lip (6), which is always modified and enlarged, is actually
the upper medial petal; however, as the flower develops, the inferior ovary (7) or the pedicel usually
rotates 180 degrees, so that the labellum arrives at the lower part of the flower, thus becoming
suitable to form a platform for pollinators. This characteristic, called resupination, occurs primitively
in the family and is considered apomorphic, a derived characteristic all Orchidaceae share. The
torsion of the ovary is very evident from the longitudinal section shown (below right). Some orchids
have secondarily lost this resupination, e.g. Zygopetalum and Epidendrum secundum.

Longitudinal section of a flower of Vanilla planifolia

The normal form of the sepals can be found in Cattleya, where they form a triangle.
InPaphiopedilum (Venus slippers), the lower two sepals are fused into a synsepal, while the lip has
taken the form of a slipper. In Masdevallia, all the sepals are fused.
Orchid flowers with abnormal numbers of petals or lips are called peloric. Peloria is a genetic trait,
but its expression is environmentally influenced and may appear random.

laelia cultivar shows the normal form of sepals.

Orchid flowers primitively had three stamens, but this situation is now limited to the
genus Neuwiedia. Apostasia and the Cypripedioideae have two stamens, the central one being
sterile and reduced to a staminode. All of the other orchids, the clade calledMonandria, retain only
the central stamen, the others being reduced to staminodes(4). The filaments of the stamens are
always adnate (fused) to the style to form cylindrical structure called the gynostemium or column (2).
In the primitiveApostasioideae, this fusion is only partial; in the Vanilloideae, it is more deep;
inOrchidoideae and Epidendroideae, it is total. The stigma (9) is very asymmetrical, as all of its lobes
are bent towards the centre of the flower and lie on the bottom of the column.
Pollen is released as single grains, like in most other plants, in
the Apostasioideae, Cypripedioideae and Vanilloideae. In the other subfamilies, that comprise the
great majority of orchids, the anther (3), carries and two pollinia.
A pollinium is a waxy mass of pollen grains held together by the glue-like alkaloid viscin, containing
both cellulosic strands and mucopolysaccharides. Each pollinium is connected to a filament which
can take the form of a caudicle, as in Dactylorhiza or Habenaria, or a stipe, as in Vanda. Caudicles
or stipes hold the pollinia to the viscidium, a sticky pad which sticks the pollinia to the body
ofpollinators.
At the upper edge of the stigma of single-anthered orchids, in front of the anther cap, there is
the rostellum (5), a slender extension involved in the complex pollination mechanism.
As mentioned, the ovary is always inferior (located behind the flower). It is three-carpelate and one
or, more rarely, three-partitioned, with parietal placentation (axile in theApostasioideae).
In 2011, a member of the genus Bulbophyllum, Bulbophyllum nocturnum, was discovered to flower
nocturnally.[7]

Fruits and seeds[edit]

Cross-sections of orchid capsules showing the longitudinal slits

The ovary typically develops into a capsule that is dehiscent by three or six longitudinal slits, while
remaining closed at both ends.
The seeds are generally almost microscopic and very numerous, in some species over a million per
capsule. After ripening, they blow off like dust particles or spores. They lack endosperm and must
enter symbiotic relationships with various mycorrhizal basidiomyceteousfungi that provide them the
necessary nutrients to germinate, so that all orchid species are mycoheterotrophic during
germination and reliant upon fungi to complete their lifecycles.

Closeup of a Phalaenopsisblossom

As the chance for a seed to meet a suitable fungus is very small, only a minute fraction of all the
seeds released grow into adult plants. In cultivation, germination typically takes weeks.
Horticultural techniques have been devised for germinating orchid seeds on an artificial nutrient
medium, eliminating the requirement of the fungus for germination and greatly aiding the
propagation of ornamental orchids. The usual medium for the sowing of orchids in artificial
conditions is agar agar gel combined with a carbohydrate energy source. The carbohydrate source
can be combinations of discrete sugars or can be derived from other sources such
as banana, pineapple, peach or even tomato puree or coconut water. After the preparation of the
agar agar medium it is poured into test tubes or jars which are then autoclaved (or cooked in a
pressure cooker) to sterilize the medium. After cooking, the medium begins to gel as it cools.

Pollination[edit]
The complex mechanisms which orchids have evolved to achieve cross-pollination were investigated
by Charles Darwin and described inFertilisation of Orchids (1862). Orchids have developed highly
specialized pollination systems, thus the chances of being pollinated are often scarce, so orchid
flowers usually remain receptive for very long periods, rendering unpollinated flowers long-lasting in
cultivation. Most orchids deliver pollen in a single mass. Each time pollination succeeds, thousands
of ovules can be fertilized.
Pollinators are often visually attracted by the shape and colours of the labellum. However,
some Bulbophyllum species attract male fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) solely via a floral chemical
which simultaneously acts as a floral reward (e.g. methyl eugenol, raspberry ketone or zingerone) to
perform pollination.[8] The flowers may produce attractive odours. Although absent in most
species, nectar may be produced in a spur of the labellum (8 in the illustration above), or on the
point of the sepals, or in the septa of the ovary, the most typical position amongst the Asparagales.
In orchids that produce pollinia, pollination happens as some variant of the following sequence:
when the pollinator enters into the flower, it touches a viscidium, which promptly sticks to its body,
generally on the head or abdomen. While leaving the flower, it pulls the pollinium out of the anther,
as it is connected to the viscidium by the caudicle or stipe. The caudicle then bends and the
pollinium is moved forwards and downwards. When the pollinator enters another flower of the same
species, the pollinium has taken such position that it will stick to the stigma of the second flower, just
below the rostellum, pollinating it. The possessors of orchids may be able to reproduce the process
with a pencil, small paintbrush, or other similar device.

Ophrys apifera is about to self-pollinate

Some orchids mainly or totally rely on self-pollination, especially in colder regions where pollinators
are particularly rare. The caudicles may dry up if the flower has not been visited by any pollinator,
and the pollinia then fall directly on the stigma. Otherwise, the anther may rotate and then enter the
stigma cavity of the flower (as in Holcoglossum amesianum).
The slipper orchid Paphiopedilum parishii reproduces by self-fertilization. This occurs when the
anther changes from a solid to a liquid state and directly contacts the stigma surface without the aid
of any pollinating agent or floral assembly.[9]
The labellum of the Cypripedioideae is poke-bonnet-shaped, and has the function of trapping visiting
insects. The only exit leads to the anthers that deposit pollen on the visitor.
In some extremely specialized orchids, such as the Eurasian genus Ophrys, the labellum is adapted
to have a colour, shape and odour which attracts male insects via mimicry of a receptive female.
Pollination happens as the insect attempts to mate with flowers.
Many neotropical orchids are pollinated by male orchid bees, which visit the flowers to gather volatile
chemicals they require to synthesizepheromonal attractants. Males of such species as Euglossa
imperialis or Eulaema meriana have been observed to leave their territories periodically to forage for
aromatic compounds, such as cineole, to synthesize pheromone for attracting and mating with
females.[10][11] Each type of orchid places the pollinia on a different body part of a different species of
bee, so as to enforce proper cross-pollination.
A rare achlorophyllous saprophytic orchid growing entirely underground in Australia, Rhizanthella
slateri, is never exposed to light, and depends on ants and other terrestrial insects to pollinate it.
Catasetum, a genus discussed briefly by Darwin, actually launches its viscid pollinia with explosive
force when an insect touches a seta, knocking the pollinator off the flower.
After pollination, the sepals and petals fade and wilt, but they usually remain attached to the ovary.

Asexual reproduction[edit]
Some species, such as Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Vanda, produce offshoots or plantlets
formed from one of the nodes along the stem, through the accumulation of growth hormones at that
point. These shoots are known as keiki.

Taxonomy[edit]
Main article: Taxonomy of the Orchid family

The taxonomy of this family is in constant flux, as new studies continue to clarify the relationships
between species and groups of species, allowing more taxa at several ranks to be recognized. The
Orchidaceae is currently placed in the order Asparagales by the APG III system of 2009.[1]
Five subfamilies are recognised. The cladogram below was made according to the APG system of
1998. It represents the view that most botanists had held up to that time. It was supported
by morphological studies, but never received strong support in molecular phylogenetic studies.
Apostasioideae: 2 genera and 16 species, south-western Asia
Cypripedioideae: 5 genera and 130 species, from the temperate regions of the world, as well as tropical America and tropical
Asia
Monandrae

Vanilloideae: 15 genera and 180 species, humid tropical and subtropical regions, eastern North America
Epidendroideae: more than 500 genera and more or less 20,000 species, cosmopolitan
Orchidoideae: 208 genera and 3,630 species, cosmopolitan

In 2015, a phylogenetic study[12] showed strong statistical support for the following topology of the
orchid tree, using 9 kb of plastid and nuclear DNA from 7 genes, a topology that was confirmed by
a phylogenomic study in the same year.[13]
Apostasioideae
Vanilloideae
Cypripedioideae
Epidendroideae
Orchidoideae

Evolution[edit]
A study in the scientific journal Nature has hypothesised that the origin of orchids goes back much
longer than originally expected.[14] An extinct species of stingless bee,Proplebeia dominicana, was
found trapped in Miocene amber from about 15-20 million years ago. The bee was carrying pollen of
a previously unknown orchid taxon, Meliorchis caribea, on its wings. This find is the first evidence of
fossilised orchids to date[14] and shows insects were active pollinators of orchids then. This extinct
orchid, M. caribea, has been placed within the extant tribe Cranichideae,
subtribe Goodyerinae (subfamily Orchidoideae).
Genetic sequencing indicates orchids may have arisen earlier, 76 to 84 million years ago during
the Late Cretaceous.[15] According to Mark W. Chase et al. (2001), the overall biogeography and
phylogenetic patterns of Orchidaceae show they are even older and may go back roughly 100 million
years.[16]
Using the molecular clock method, it was possible to determine the age of the major branches of the
orchid family. This also confirmed that the subfamily Vanilloideae is a branch at the basal dichotomy
of the monandrous orchids, and must have evolved very early in the evolution of the family. Since
this subfamily occurs worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions, from tropical America to tropical
Asia, New Guinea and West Africa, and the continents began to split about 100 million years ago,
significant biotic exchange must have occurred after this split (since the age of Vanilla is estimated at
60 to 70 million years).

Genera[edit]

Main article: List of Orchidaceae genera

The following are amongst the most notable genera of the orchid family: [citation needed]

Aa

Abdominea

Acampe

Acanthephippium

Aceratorchis

Acianthus

Acineta

Acrorchis

Ada

Aerangis

Aeranthes

Aerides

Aganisia

Agrostophyllum

Amitostigma

Anacamptis

Ancistrochilus

Angraecum

Anguloa

Ansellia

Aorchis

Aplectrum

Arachnis

Arethusa

Armodorum

Ascocenda

Ascocentrum

Ascoglossum

Australorchis

Auxopus

Baptistonia

Barkeria

Barlia

Bartholina

Beloglottis

Biermannia

Bletilla

Brassavola

Brassia

Bulbophyllum

Calypso

Catasetum

Cattleya

Cirrhopetalum

Cleisostoma

Clowesia

Coelogyne

Coryanthes

Cymbidium

Cyrtopodium

Cypripedium

Dactylorhiza

Dendrobium

Disa

Dracula

Encyclia

Epidendrum

Epipactis

Eria

Eulophia

Gongora

Goodyera

Grammatophyllum

Gymnadenia

Habenaria

Herschelia

Ida

Ionopsis

Laelia

Lepanthes

Liparis

Ludisia

Lycaste

Masdevallia

Maxillaria

Meliorchis

Mexipedium

Miltonia

Mormodes

Odontoglossum

Oeceoclades

Oncidium

Ophrys

Orchis

Paphiopedilum

Papilionanthe

Paraphalaenopsis

Peristeria

Phaius

Phalaenopsis

Pholidota

Phragmipedium

Platanthera

Pleione

Pleurothallis

Pomatocalpa

Promenaea

Pterostylis

Renanthera

Renantherella

Restrepia

Restrepiella

Rhynchostylis

Roezliella

Saccolabium

Sarcochilus

Satyrium

Selenipedium

Serapias

Sobralia

Sophronitis

Spiranthes

Stanhopea

Stelis

Thrixspermum

Tolumnia

Trias

Trichocentrum

Trichoglottis

Vanda

Vanilla

Yoania

Zeuxine

Zygopetalum

Etymology[edit]
The type genus (i.e. the genus after which the family is named) is Orchis. The genus name comes
from the Ancient Greek (rkhis), literally meaning "testicle", because of the shape of the twin
tubers in some species of Orchis.[17][18] The term "orchid" was introduced in 1845 by John
Lindley in School Botany,[19] as a shortened form ofOrchidaceae.[20]

Distribution[edit]
Orchidaceae are cosmopolitan, occurring in almost every habitat apart from glaciers. The world's
richest diversity of orchid genera and species is found in the tropics, but they are also found above
the Arctic Circle, in southern Patagonia, and two species of Nematoceras on Macquarie Island at 54
south.
The following list gives a rough overview of their distribution: [citation needed]

Oceania: 50 to 70 genera

North America: 20 to 26 genera

tropical America: 212 to 250 genera

tropical Asia: 260 to 300 genera

tropical Africa: 230 to 270 genera

Europe and temperate Asia: 40 to 60 genera

Ecology[edit]

A majority of orchids are perennial epiphytes, which grow anchored to trees or shrubs in
the tropics and subtropics. Species such as Angraecum sororium are lithophytes,[21]growing on rocks
or very rocky soil. Other orchids (including the majority of temperate Orchidaceae) are terrestrial and
can be found in habitat areas such as grasslands or forest.
Some orchids, such as Neottia and Corallorhiza, lack chlorophyll, so are unable to photosynthesise.
Instead, these species obtain energy and nutrients by parasitising soil fungi through the formation
of orchid mycorrhizas. The fungi involved include those that form ectomycorrhizas with trees and
other woody plants, parasites such as Armillaria, andsaprotrophs.[22] These orchids are known
as myco-heterotrophs, but were formerly (incorrectly) described as saprophytes as it was believed
they gained their nutrition by breaking down organic matter. While only a few species are
achlorophyllous holoparasites, all orchids are myco-heterotrophic during germination and seedling
growth, and even photosynthetic adult plants may continue to obtain carbon from
their mycorrhizal fungi.

Uses[edit]

As decoration in a flowerpot

A flower of a Blc. Paradise Jewel 'Flame' hybrid orchid plant. Blooms of the Cattleyaalliance are often used in
ladies' corsages.

Perfumery[edit]
The scent of orchids is frequently analysed by perfumers (using headspace technology and gasliquid chromatography) to identify potential fragrance chemicals.

Horticulture[edit]
The other important use of orchids is their cultivation for the enjoyment of the flowers. Most
cultivated orchids are tropical or subtropical, but quite a few which grow in colder climates can be
found on the market. Temperate species available at nurseries include Ophrys apifera (bee
orchid), Gymnadenia conopsea (fragrant orchid), Anacamptis pyramidalis (pyramidal orchid)
and Dactylorhiza fuchsii (common spotted orchid).
Orchids of all types have also often been sought by collectors of both species and hybrids. Many
hundreds of societies and clubs worldwide have been established. These can be small, local clubs
such as the Sutherland Shire Orchid Society, or larger, national organisations such as the American
Orchid Society. Both serve to encourage cultivation and collection of orchids, but some go further by
concentrating on conservation or research.
The term "botanical orchid" loosely denotes those small-flowered, tropical orchids belonging to
several genera that do not fit into the "florist" orchid category. A few of these genera contain
enormous numbers of species. Some, such as Pleurothallis and Bulbophyllum, contain
approximately 1700 and 2000 species, respectively, and are often extremely vegetatively diverse.
The primary use of the term is among orchid hobbyists wishing to describe unusual species they
grow, though it is also used to distinguish naturally occurring orchid species from horticulturally
created hybrids.

Use as food[edit]
Further information: Vanilla

Vanilla fruits drying

The dried seed pods of one orchid genus, Vanilla (especially Vanilla planifolia), are commercially
important as a flavouring in baking, forperfume manufacture and aromatherapy.
The underground tubers of terrestrial orchids [mainly Orchis mascula (early purple orchid)] are
ground to a powder and used for cooking, such as in the hot beverage salep or in the Turkish frozen
treat dondurma. The name salep has been claimed to come from the Arabic expression h asyu altha`lab, "fox testicles", but it appears more likely the name comes directly from the Arabic
name sah lab. The similarity in appearance to testes naturally accounts for salep being considered an
aphrodisiac.
The dried leaves of Jumellea fragrans are used to flavour rum on Reunion Island.
Some saprophytic orchid species of the group Gastrodia produce potato-like tubers and were
consumed as food by native peoples inAustralia and can be successfully cultivated,
notably Gastrodia sesamoides. Wild stands of these plants can still be found in the same areas as
early aboriginal settlements, such as Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Australia. Aboriginal
peoples located the plants in habitat by observing where bandicoots had scratched in search of the
tubers after detecting the plants underground by scent. [Note 1]

Traditional medicinal uses[edit]

Orchids have been used in traditional medicine in an effort to treat many diseases and ailments.
They have been used as a source of herbal remedies in China since 2800 BC.Gastrodia elata is one
of the three orchids listed in the earliest known Chinese Materia Medica (Shennon bencaojing) (c.
100 AD). Theophrastus mentions orchids in his Enquiry into Plants (372286 BC).

Cultural symbolism[edit]
Orchids have many associations with symbolic values. For example, the orchid is the City Flower
of Shaoxing, China. Cattleya mossiae is the national Venezuelan flower, whileCattleya trianae is the
national flower of Colombia. Vanda 'Miss Joaquim' is the national flower of Singapore. Guarianthe
skinneri is the national flower of Costa Rica. Orchids native to the Mediterranean are depicted on
the Ara Pacis in Rome, until now the only known instance of orchids in ancient art, and the earliest in
European art.[Note 2]

Some cultivars

'Mrs Mahler Mem Fred Tompkins'

'Queen Sirikhit Diamond Crown'

'Hawaiian Wedding Song Virgin'

'Chia-lin'

Hawaian Variable Prasan

'Barbara Belle'

Beaumesnil 'Parme'

'Chocolate Drop' x 'Pao de Acucar'

'Empress Frederick'
Cattleya mossiae

'Hermine'

'Little Angel'

'Marjorie Hausermann York'

'Miva Breeze Alize'

'Nobile's carnival'

Pernell George Barnett 'Yankee Clipper'

'Portia'

Up to the Kingdom
Kingdom Plantae Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae
Order Orchidales
Family Orchidaceae Orchid family
Contains 153 Genera and 576 accepted taxa overall

Down one level

Genus Acriopsis Blume P

Genus Aglossorrhyncha Schltr. P
Genus Agrostophyllum Blume agrostophyllum P
Genus Amerorchis Hultn amerorchis P
Genus Anoectochilus Blume anoectochilus P
Genus Aplectrum Torr. Adam and Eve P
Genus Appendicula Blume P
Genus Arethusa L. dragon's mouth P
Genus Arundina Blume bamboo orchid P
Genus Basiphyllaea Schltr. basiphyllaea P
Genus Beloglottis Schltr. lady's tresses P
Genus Bletia Ruiz & Pav. bletia P
Genus Bletilla Rchb. f. bletilla P
Genus Brachionidium Lindl. cup orchid P
Genus Brassavola R. Br. brassavola P
Genus Brassia R. Br. brassia P
Genus Broughtonia R. Br. broughtonia P
Genus Bulbophyllum Thouars bulbophyllum P
Genus Calanthe R. Br. P
Genus Calopogon R. Br. grasspink P
Genus Calypso Salisb. fairy slipper P
Genus Campylocentrum Benth. bentspur orchid P
Genus Catasetum Rich. ex Kunth catasetum P
Genus Cattleya Lindl. cattleya P
Genus Caularthron Raf. P
Genus Cephalanthera Rich. cephalanthera P
Genus Cheirostylis Blumr P
Genus Chiloschista Lindl. chiloschista P
Genus Cleisostoma Blume P
Genus Cleistes Rich. ex Lindl. rosebud orchid P
Genus Cochleanthes Raf. cochleanthes P
Genus Coelogyne Lindl. coelogyne orchid P

Genus Comparettia Poepp. & Endl. comparettia P

Genus Corallorhiza Gagnebin, orth. cons. coralroot P
Genus Corymborkis Thouars crow orchid P
Genus Cranichis Sw. helmet orchid P
Genus Crepidium Blume P
Genus Cyclopogon C. Presl ladies'-tresses P
Genus Cymbidium Sw. cymbidium P
Genus Cypripedium L. lady's slipper P
Genus Cyrtopodium R. Br. cyrtopodium P
Genus Cystorchis Blume cystorchis P
Genus Dactylorhiza Neck. ex Nevski keyflower P
Genus Deiregyne Schltr. lady's tresses P
Genus Dendrobium Sw. dendrobium P
Genus Dendrophylax Rchb. ghost orchid P
Genus Dichaea Lindl. leafystem orchid P
Genus Dichromanthus Garay lady's tresses P
Genus Didymoplexis Griff. P
Genus Dienia Lindl. P
Genus Dilomilis Raf. dilomilis P
Genus Diplocaulobium Kraenzl. P
Genus Dipodium R. Br. hyacinth-orchid P
Genus Disperis Sw. P
Genus Domingoa Schltr. domingoa P
Genus Elleanthus C. Presl tiger orchid P
Genus Eltroplectris Raf. eltroplectris P
Genus Encyclia Hook. butterfly orchid P
Genus Epidendrum L. star orchid P
Genus Epipactis Zinn helleborine P
Genus Eria Lindl. P
Genus Erythrodes Blume false helmetorchid P
Genus Eulophia R. Br. ex Lindl. wild coco P
Genus Eurystyles Wawra custard orchid P
Genus Flickingeria A.D. Hawkes flickingeria P
Genus Galeandra Lindl. & F.A. Bayer hooded orchid P
Genus Galearis Raf. galearis P
Genus Geodorum Jacks. P
Genus Goodyera R. Br. rattlesnake plantain P
Genus Govenia Lindl. govenia P
Genus Gymnadenia R. Br. gymnadenia P
Genus Habenaria Willd. bog orchid P
Genus Hapalorchis Schltr. hapalorchis P
Genus Harrisella Fawc. & Rendle harrisella P
Genus Helleriella A.D. Hawkes helleriella P
Genus Hetaeria Blume hetaeria P

Genus Hexalectris Raf. crested coralroot P

Genus Ionopsis Kunth violet orchid P
Genus Isochilus R. Br. isochilus P
Genus Isotria Raf. fiveleaf orchid P
Genus Jacquiniella Schltr. tufted orchid P
Genus Koellensteinia Rchb. f. koellensteinia P
Genus Laelia Lindl. laelia P
Genus Leochilus Kn. & Westc. leochilus P
Genus Lepanthes Sw. babyboot orchid P
Genus Lepanthopsis Ames lepanthopsis P
Genus Liparis Rich. widelip orchid P
Genus Listera R. Br. twayblade P
Genus Lycaste Lindl. lycaste P
Genus Macradenia R. Br. macradenia P
Genus Malaxis Sol. ex Sw. adder's-mouth orchid P
Genus Masdevallia Ruiz & Pav. masdevallia P
Genus Maxillaria Ruiz & Pav. tiger orchid P
Genus Mesadenus Schltr. ladies'-tresses P
Genus Micropera Lindl. P
Genus Microthelys Garay green medusa orchid P
Genus Miltonia Lindl. pansy orchid P
Genus Moerenhoutia Blume moerenhoutia P
Genus Nervilia Comm. ex Gaudich. P
Genus Nidema Britton & Millsp. nidema P
Genus Oberonia Lindl. fairy orchid P
Genus Odontoglossum H.B. odontoglossum P
Genus Oeceoclades Lindl. monk orchid P
Genus Oncidium Sw. dancing-lady orchid P
Genus Ophrys L. ophrys P
Genus Orchis L. orchis P
Genus Paphiopedilum Pfitzer Venus' slipper P
Genus Pelexia Poit. ex Lindl. hachuela P
Genus Peristylus Blume peristylus P
Genus Phaius Lour. nun's-hood orchid P
Genus Phalaenopsis Blume moth orchid P
Genus Phreatia Lindl. phreatia P
Genus Piperia Rydb. rein orchid P
Genus Platanthera Rich. fringed orchid P
Genus Platythelys Garay platythelys P
Genus Pleurothallis R. Br. bonnet orchid P
Genus Pogonia Juss. pogonia P
Genus Polystachya Hook. yellowspike orchid P
Genus Ponthieva R. Br. shadow witch P
Genus Prescotia Lindl. Prescott orchid P

Genus Prosthechea Kn. & Westc. appendage orchid P

Genus Pseuderia Schltr. pseuderia P
Genus Pseudorchis Sg. bog orchid P
Genus Psilochilus Barb. Rodr. psilochilus P
Genus Psychilis Raf. peacock orchid P
Genus Psychopsis Raf. butterfly orchid P
Genus Pteroglossaspis Rehb. f. pteroglossaspis P
Genus Renanthera Lour. renanthera P
Genus Restrepiella Garay & Dunst. P
Genus Sarcanthopsis Garay sarcanthopsis P
Genus Scaphyglottis Poepp. & Endl. scaphyglottis P
Genus Schiedeella Schltr. lady's tresses P
Genus Sobralia Ruiz & Pav. sobralia P
Genus Spathoglottis Blume ground orchid P
Genus Spiranthes Rich. lady's tresses P
Genus Stanhopea J. Frost ex Hook. stanhopea P
Genus Stelis Sw. leach orchid P
Genus Stenorrhynchos Rich. ex Spreng. lady orchid P
Genus Taeniophyllum Blume taeniophyllum P
Genus Tetramicra Lindl. wallflower orchid P
Genus Tipularia Nutt. tipularia P
Genus Tolumnia G.J. Braem dancing-lady orchid P
Genus Trichocentrum Poepp. & Endl. dancinglady orchid P
Genus Trichoglottis Blume trichoglottis P
Genus Trichosalpinx Luer bonnet orchid P
Genus Triphora Nutt. noddingcaps P
Genus Tropidia Lindl. tropidia P
Genus Vanda W. Jones ex R. Br. vanda P
Genus Vanilla Mill. vanilla P
Genus Vrydagzynea Blume vrydagzynea P
Genus Wullschlaegelia Rchb. f. wullschlaegelia P
Genus Xylobium Lindl. P
Genus Zeuxine Lindl. zeuxine P

Orchidaceae
Dari Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas
?

Orchidaceae

Lukisan Ernst Haeckel, Kunstformen der

Natur

Klasifikasi ilmiah
Kerajaan:
Divisi:
Kelas:
Ordo:
Famili:

Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Liliopsida
Asparagales
Orchidaceae
Juss.

Subfamilia
Lima anaksuku:

Apostasioideae

Cypripedioideae

Epidendroideae

Orchidoideae

Vanilloideae

Lihat pula: Daftar marga

anggota Orchidaceae

Suku anggrek-anggrekan (bahasa Latin: Orchidaceae) merupakan satu suku tumbuhan

berbunga dengan anggota jenis terbanyak. Jenis-jenisnya tersebar luas dari daerah tropika basah
hingga wilayah sirkumpolar, meskipun sebagian besar anggotanya ditemukan di daerah tropika.
Kebanyakan anggota suku ini hidup sebagai epifit, terutama yang berasal dari daerah tropika.
Anggrek di daerah beriklim sedang biasanya hidup di tanah dan membentuk umbi sebagai cara
beradaptasi terhadap musim dingin. Organ-organnya yang cenderung tebal dan "berdaging"
(sukulen) membuatnya tahan menghadapi tekanan ketersediaan air. Anggrek epifit dapat hidup dari
embun dan udara lembap. Orchidaceae adalah sumber inspirasi dari nama kereta api Argo Anggrek,
kereta api eksekutif yang melayani Surabaya Pasar Turi-Gambir.
Anggota pentingnya yang dikenal baik manusia adalah anggrek hias serta vanili.berkelopak bunga
indah dan berwarna-warni
Daftar isi
[sembunyikan]

1Ciri-ciri botani

2Kekerabatan antar anggrek spesies berdasarkan sifat morfologi tanaman dan bunga

3Anggrek Berdasarkan Tipe Pertumbuhan

4Anggrek Berdasarkan Tempat Tumbuh

5Pemanfaatan
o

5.1Jenis-jenis anggrek hias

6Pranala luar

Ciri-ciri botani[sunting | sunting sumber]

Anggota suku ini cenderung memiliki organ-organ yang sukulen atau "berdaging": tebal dengan
kandungan air yang tinggi. Dengan demikian ia dapat hidup pada kondisi ketersediaan air yang
rendah. Air diperoleh dari hujan, tetesan, embun, atau uap air di udara. Namun, anggrek tidak
ditemukan di daerah gurun karena perakarannya tidak intensif. Anggrek menyukai cahaya matahari
tetapi tidak langsung sehingga ia biasa ditemukan di alam sebagai tumbuhan lantai hutan atau di
bawah naungan. Sebagai tanaman hias, anggrek tahan di dalam ruang.
Akar serabut, tidak dalam. Jenis-jenis epifit yaitu mengembangkan akar sukulen dan melekat pada
batang pohon tempatnya tumbuh,namun tidak merugikan pohon inang. Ada pula yang tumbuh

geofitis,dengan istilah lain terrestria artinya tumbuh di tanah dengan akar-akar di dalam tanah. Ada
pula yang bersifat saprofit, tumbuh pada media daun-daun kering dan kayu-kayu lapuk yang telah
membusuk menjadi humus. Pada permukaan akar seringkali ditemukan jamur akar (mikoriza) yang
bersimbiosis dengan anggrek.
Batang anggrek beruas-ruas. Anggrek yang hidup di tanah ("anggrek tanah") batangnya pendek dan
cenderung menyerupai umbi. Sementara itu, anggrek epifit batangnya tumbuh baik, seringkali
menebal dan terlindungi lapisan lilin untuk mencegah penguapan berlebihan. Pertumbuhan batang
dapat bersifat "memanjang" (monopodial) atau "melebar" (simpodial), tergantung genusnya.
Daun anggrek biasanya oval memanjang dengan tulang daun memanjang pula, khas
daun monokotil. Daun dapat pula menebal dan berfungsi sebagai penyimpn air.
Bunga anggrek berbentuk khas dan menjadi penciri yang membedakannya dari anggota suku lain.
Bunga-bunga anggrek tersusun majemuk, muncul dari tangkai bunga yang memanjang, muncul dari
ketiak daun. Bunganya simetri bilateral. Helaian Kelopak bunga(sepal) biasanya berwarna mirip
dengan mahkota bunga (sehingga disebut tepal). Satu helai mahkota bunga termodifikasi
membentuk semacam "lidah" yang melindungi suatu struktur aksesoris yang membawa benang
sari dan putik. Benang sari memiliki tangkai sangat pendek dengan dua kepala sari berbentuk
cakram kecil (disebut "pollinia") dan terlindung oleh struktur kecil yang harus dibuka
oleh serangga penyerbuk (atau manusia untuk vanili) dan membawa serbuk sari ke mulut putik.
Tanpa bantuan organisme penyerbuk, tidak akan terjadi penyerbukan.
Buah anggrek berbentuk kapsul yang berwarna hijau dan jika masak mengering dan terbuka dari
samping. Bijinya sangat kecil dan ringan, sehingga mudah terbawa angin. Biji anggrek tidak memiliki
jaringan penyimpan cadangan makanan; bahkan embrionya belum mencapai kematangan
sempurna. Perkecambahan baru terjadi jika biji jatuh pada medium yang sesuai dan melanjutkan
perkembangannya hingga kemasakan.

Kekerabatan antar anggrek spesies berdasarkan sifat morfologi

tanaman dan bunga[sunting | sunting sumber]
Berdasarkan hasil analisis varian untuk karakter tinggi tanaman, panjang daun, lebar daun,
perbandingan antara panjang daun dengan lebar daun, jumlah kuntum bunga, panjang tangkai
bunga, diameter bunga dan panjang kelopak bunga dari keenambelas anggrek spesies yang diuji
menunjukkan adanya perbedaan pengaruh yang nyata.
Tampak bahwa G. scriptum mempunyai panjang daun, lebar daun dan panjang tangkai bunga nyata
paling tinggi di antara keenambelas anggrek spesies yang diuji. Namun, nilai diameter bunga
(6,24 cm) spesies ini nyata lebih kecil dari D. stratiotes. Bunga D. stratiotes memiliki diameter yang
nyata paling besar di antara spesies yang diuji, yaitu 9,27 cm. Demikian juga jumlah kuntum bunga
yang dihasilkan oleh G. scriptum nyata lebih sedikit daripada D. secundum, masing-masing 27,75
dan 50. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa panjang dan lebar daun yang besar tidak menjamin akan
menghasilkan bunga yang besar dan banyak jumlahnya.
Tinggi tanaman D. anosmum memiliki nilai tertinggi, yaitu 118,40 cm, yang nyata berbeda dengan
tinggi tanaman ke lima belas anggrek spesies lainnya. Batang anggrek ini berupa pseudobulb atau
batang semu yang tumbuh menggantung ke bawah. Hanya pada saat tumbuhnya tunas baru saja,
pertumbuhan pseudobulb dari anggrek ini ke arah atas. Pertumbuhan batang selanjutnya
menggantung ke arah bawah, seiring dengan bertambah panjangnya pseudobulb.Tanaman anggrek
yang terpendek adalah B. lobii(5,00 cm). Berbeda dengan D. anosmum, B. lobii memiliki batang
berupa bulb. Nilai tinggi tanaman anggrek jenis ini tidak nyata berbeda dengan D.
bracteosum (17,77 cm), D. capra (12,15 cm), D. johannis (34,48 cm), D.
macrophyllum (31,12 cm), D. phalaenopsis (20,02 cm), P. amboinensis, P. violaceae, A.
miniatum dan G. scriptum.

G. scriptum memiliki daun terpanjang dan terlebar. Lebar daun G. scriptum sama dengan lebar
daun P. violaceae, P. amboinensis dan D. macrophyllum. Lebar daun terkecil dimiliki D.
capra (1,09 cm) yang sama dengan D. bracteosum (1,56 cm), D. johannis (1,76 cm), D.
phalaenopsis (2,36 cm) dan A. miniatum (1,52 cm).
Nilai perbandingan panjang dengan lebar daun terbesar dimiliki oleh V. tricolor, sebesar 10,48; yang
tidak berbeda nyata dengan D. capra (9,55). Nilai perbandingan panjang dengan lebar daun terkecil
dimiliki oleh D. stratiotes (2,20) yang tidak berbeda nyata dengan D. macrophyllum, D.
secundum, D. undulatum, D. veratrifolium, P. amboinensis danP. violaceae (masing-masing dengan
nilai 3,05; 2,75; 2,25; 2,48; 2,73 dan 2,68).
Jumlah kuntum bunga yang terbanyak dimiliki oleh D. secundum (50 buah) dan paling sedikit dimiliki
oleh B. lobii (1 buah) yang tidak nyata berbeda dengan D. anosmum, D. bracteosum, D. capra, D.
johannis, D. phalaenopsis, D. stratiotes, P. amboinensis, P. violaceae dan A. miniatum. Karakteristik
bunga B. lobii terletak pada labellumnya yang dapat bergoyang apabila ditiup angin. Dengan adanya
ciri khas bunga yang seperti ini, anggrek B. lobii memiliki sebutan anggrek lidah bergoyang atau
kembang goyang. G. scriptum memiliki tangkai bunga yang paling panjang di antara keenam belas
anggrek spesies yang diuji, yaitu 92,27 cm. Panjang tangkai bunga terpendek dimiliki oleh
anggrekD. anosmum (1,36 cm) yang sama dengan panjang tangkai bunga anggrek D.
bracteosum, D. secundum, P. amboinensis, P. violaceae, A. miniatum dan B. lobii.
Diameter bunga anggrek yang paling besar, yaitu 9,27 cm dimiliki oleh D. stratiotes. D. stratiotes ini
memiliki mahkota bunga (petala) yang panjang terpelintir tegak ke atas. Besarnya diameter bunga
anggrek tersebut sama dengan besarnya diameter bunga D. anosmum. Diameter bunga terkecil
dimiliki oleh anggrek D. secundum (0,74 cm). Ukuran diameter anggrek ini paling kecil disebabkan
oleh bunga ini tidak dapat membuka atau mekar dengan maksimal. Ukuran bunga yang mini,
tersusun sangat rapat, dan dalam satu tangkai bunga terdiri atas kuntum bunga yang banyak,
merupakan ciri khas yang membuat D. secundum diberi sebutan sebagai anggrek sikat. Ukuran
diameter bunga anggrek ini sama besarnya dengan anggrek A. miniatum (1,13 cm).
Kelopak bunga (sepala) terpanjang dimiliki oleh anggrek B. lobii (6 cm) yang nyata berbeda dengan
kelima belas anggrek spesies lainnya. Anggrek ini memiliki sepala dorsale atau kelopak bunga
bagian atas tegak, berwarna kuning dan panjang. Sepala paling pendek dimiliki oleh anggrek
jenis A. miniatum (0,63 cm) yang sama ukurannya dengan anggrek D. secundum (0,92 cm). Dari
keenambelas jenis anggrek yang diuji, hanya ada empat jenis yang mempunyai tipe pertumbuhan
batang monopodial, yaitu P. amboinensis, P. violaceae, Vanda tricolor dan A. miniatum. Kedua belas
jenis anggrek lainnya tipe pertumbuhan batangnya tergolong simpodial. Dari segi aroma bunga,
terdapat keanekaragaman aroma bunga mulai dari tidak beraroma sampai sangat beraroma.
Demikian pula dengan warna kehijauan daun, hanya Vanda tricolor yang warna daunnya berbeda
dengan kelima belas jenis anggrek lainnya.
Masing-masing jenis memperlihatkan karakter yang berbeda satu dengan yang lainnya. Perbedaan
tersebut dikarenakan perbedaan habitat asal diambilnya tanaman anggrek yang bersangkutan.
Habitat asal tanaman anggrek memberikan pengaruh terhadap pertumbuhan anggrek melalui
pengaruh sinar matahari, cuaca atau keadaan iklim, suhu udara, kelembapan udara serta
tersedianya unsur hara yang dapat diserap oleh tanaman anggrek untuk mendukung pertumbuhan
tanaman anggrek, yang pada akhirnya berpengaruh terhadap kualitas dan kuantitas bunga yang
dihasilkannya. Meskipun terdapat keragaman karakter dari masing-masing jenis anggrek yang diuji,
terdapat pula kesamaan karakter.

Anggrek Berdasarkan Tipe Pertumbuhan[sunting | sunting sumber]

Monopodial
Anggrek ini hanya memiliki satu batang dan satu titik tumbuh saja. Bunganya tumbuh dari ujung
batang. Anggrek ini dapat diperbanyak dengan stek batang dan biji. contoh: Vanda sp., dan
Phalaenopsis sp. (Anggrek Bulan).

Simpodial
Anggek ini memiliki lebih dari satu titik tumbuh. Tunas baru muncul dari sekitar batang utama. Bunga
bisa muncul di pucuk atau sisi batang, tetapi ada juga yang muncul dari akar tinggal. Batangnya
menyimpan air cadangan makanan atau umbi semu. Anggrek ini dapat diperbanyak dengan cara
split, pemisahan keiki, biji. Contoh: Dendrobium sp., Cattleya sp.

Anggrek Berdasarkan Tempat Tumbuh[sunting | sunting sumber]

Anggrek Epifit
Anggrek yang tumbuh menumpang pada pohon lain tanpa merugikan tanaman inangnya dan
membutuhkan naungan dari cahaya matahari. Akar anggrek menyerap makanan dari air hujan,
kabut dan udara sekitar. Contoh : Cattleya sp., Dendrobium sp., Vanda sp. Phalaenopsis sp.
Anggrek Terestial
Anggrek yang tumbuh di tanah dan membutuhkan cahaya matahari langsung. akarnya mengambil
makanan dari tanah. Contoh : Phaius sp.
Anggrek Saprofit.
Anggrek yang tumbuh pada media yang mengandung humus atau daun-daun kering, serta
menbutuhkan sedikit cahaya matahari. Jenis ini tidak memiliki daun dan klorofil. Contoh : Goodyera
sp.
Anggrek Litofit.
Anggrek yang tumbuh pada batu-batuan atau tanah berbatu, dan tahan terhadap cahaya matahari
penuh. Anggek ini mengambil makanan dari hujan, udara, humus. Contoh : Paphiopedilum sp.

Pemanfaatan[sunting | sunting sumber]

Anggrek dikenal sebagai tanaman hias populer yang dimanfaatkan bunganya. Bunga anggrek
sangat indah dan variasinya hampir tidak terbatas. Anggrek biasa dijual sebagai tanaman pot
maupun sebagai bunga potong. Indonesia memiliki kekayaan jenis anggrek yang sangat tinggi,
terutama anggrek epifit yang hidup di pohon-pohon hutan, dari Sumatera hingga Papua. Anggrek
bulan adalah bunga pesona bangsa Indonesia. Anggrek juga menjadi bunga
nasional Singapura dan Thailand.

Bunga anggrek

Anggrek sering dipergunakan sebagai simbol dari rasa cinta, kemewahan, dan keindahan selama
berabad-abad. Bangsa Yunanimenggunakan anggrek sebagai simbol kejantanan, sementara
bangsa Tiongkok pada zaman dahulu kala mempercayai bahwa anggrek sebagai tanaman yang
mengeluarkan aroma harum dari tubuh Kaisar Tiongkok.
Pada pertengahan zaman, anggrek mempunyai peran penting dalam pengembangan tehnik
pengobatan menggunakan tumbuh-tumbuhan. Penggunaannya pun meluas sampai menjadi bahan
ramu-ramuan dan bahkan sempat dipercaya sebagai bahan baku utama pembuatan ramuan
ramuan cinta pada masa tertentu. Ketika anggrek muncul dalam mimpi seseorang, hal ini dipercaya
sebagai simbol representasi dari kebutuhan yang mendalam akan kelembuatan, romantisme, dan
kesetiaan dalam suatu hubungan. Akhirnya, pada permulaan abad ke-18, kegiatan mengkoleksi
anggrek mulai menjadi kegiatan yang banyak dilakukan di segala penjuru dunia, terutama karena
keindahan tanaman ini.
Vanili (Vanilla planifolia) juga merupakan anggota suku anggrek-anggrekan. Tumbuhan ini
dimanfaatkan buahnya. Untuk menghasilkan buah, vanili harus "dikawinkan" oleh manusia, karena
serangga penyerbuknya tidak mampu hidup di luar daerah asalnya, meskipun sekarang usahausaha ke arah pemanfaatan serangga mulai dilakukan.

Jenis-jenis anggrek hias[sunting | sunting sumber]

Penyebutan jenis anggrek hias biasa disebutkan dengan nama genusnya saja karena banyak sekali
hibrida antarspesies dan antargenus yang telah dibuat. Akibatnya, penamaan anggrek memiliki
semacam aturan khusus yang agak "menyimpang" dari aturan penamaan botani biasa.
Berikut adalah nama-nama genus anggrek hias populer:

Cattleya, bunganya besar dan spektakuler, namun sulit dipelihara

Dendrobium, tanaman hias paling populer dari antara jenis-jenis anggrek

Grammatophylum, anggotanya termasuk Grammatophyllum scriptum yang dikenal juga

dengan nama lokal anggrek Papua raksasa
Oncidium, termasuk di dalamnya anggrek "golden shower"
Phalaenopsis, kepopulerannya mendekati Dendrobium. Anggrek bulan adalah salah satu
jenisnya

Spathyphyllum, anggrek tanah

Vanda, biasanya sebagai bunga potong