Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae is a family of flowering plants distinguished by highly specialized flowers, tiny dust-like seeds, and close relationships with pollinators and fungi.

Orchid flower: A flower with fused reproductive structures, usually bilateral symmetry, and often a distinctive lip. Its specialized architecture shapes orchid pollination.
Pollination syndrome: A set of floral traits associated with pollination by a particular kind of animal or other agent. Orchid floral forms often match the behavior and anatomy of their pollinators.
Orchid cultivation: The propagation and care of orchids in gardens, greenhouses, and collections. Specialized growing methods address orchid light, moisture, and root needs.
Vanilla planifolia: A climbing orchid native to the Americas whose cured fruits provide commercial vanilla. It is the orchid family’s most widely used food crop.
Orchidaceae phylogeny: The evolutionary relationships among orchids and their major lineages. Revised relationships help explain how the family’s traits evolved.
Column (botany): A flower structure formed by the fusion of stamens and pistil. Orchids unite their reproductive organs in this characteristic structure.
Sexual deception in orchids: A pollination strategy in which orchid flowers mimic female insects and attract males seeking mates. Some orchids achieve pollen transfer by eliciting attempted mating.
Orchid hybrid: An orchid produced by crossing distinct orchid species or cultivars. Breeding has created a vast range of ornamental orchid varieties.
Phalaenopsis: A genus of tropical orchids commonly called moth orchids and widely grown as houseplants. Its long-lasting flowers made it a leading cultivated orchid.
Orchid extinction risk: The likelihood that orchid species will disappear, assessed using population and threat data. Habitat loss and collection threaten many narrowly distributed orchids.

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