Types of Orchids

The estimates of orchid vary on the number of orchid species. Whatever the estimate one uses, the orchid family is the largest or one of the largest plant families in the plant kingdom. The plant taxonomists vary in their estimates because what constitutes a species and genus is often a matter of opinion. Some taxonomists are even called as "lumpers" as they tend to see fewer species and genera when viewing the same group of specimens. The other taxonomists are called as "splitters" because they often tend to see more species and genera when viewing the same group of specimens.

In the addition to orchid species there are 110,000 cultivars (cultivated varieties) of orchids registered on the International Register of Orchids. Most of these are inter specific hybrids or inter generic hybrids which are created by people via hands of pollinations. About 3,000 cultivars are usually added annually. The orchid family or the Orchidaceae, is the most numerous in the plant kingdom. There are about 25,000 to 30,000 known species of orchids around the whole world. Orchids are usually found in all continents except the Antarctica, right from hot tropical jungles to the cold climate in North America. However, some of the orchids are also found only in certain region of the world and nowhere else take for example, the Vanda genus colonizes only South East Asia.

Broadly there are two types of orchids:
Terrestrial orchids and Epiphytes.

Terrestrial orchids, such as Cymbidium, always grows on the ground, while the epiphytes establish themselves on trees. Each of these types of orchids can grow in two different ways:

Sympodial orchids:

In the sympodial orchids the new shoots emerge alongside of the old plants, causing lateral spread. The Catleya orchid is sympodial-epiphytes. Most of the epiphytic- sympodial orchids have storage stems, pseudobulbs or bulbs, in order to help them survive in the dry season.

Monopodial orchids:
In the monopodial orchids the new growth is added to the apex which increases the plant's height. The leaves are well arranged alternately around the stem. The various examples of monopodial orchids are Vanda, Phalaenopsis.

Most of the popular orchids grown today are the hybrid species, creating by plant breeders in their hundreds of thousands. These various and numerous "new" species may be the result of crossing two related species, or from three to four different genera.

Orchids are considered to be the most beautiful, the most sensual, the most exotic, and the most costly flowers.

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