Which larger system does the orchid belong to. Orchids: types, description of varieties with photos, features of each flower. Types of dendrobium orchids

Currently, there are many heat-loving species of orchids on sale, so a lover of these beautiful flowers can easily create a wonderful collection for their rooms.

But first, let's get acquainted with the classification of groups of the entire orchid family:

• Bletiaceae(Bletinae) - consists of the genera: Bletia, Calanthe, Hysis, Faius. In home collections there are mainly several terrestrial species of blethylls, calanthus and faius.
• Dendrobium(Dendrobiinae) - includes the genera: Bulbophyllum, Cirrhopetalum, Dendrobium. Of greatest interest are the rhizomatous dendrobiums...
• The Catasetinae group consists of the genera: Catasetum, Clowesia, Cycnoches, Mormodes, Dressleria.
• Maxillariaceae(Maxillariinae) - consists of the genera: Lycaste, Maxillaria, Zygopetalum. The most decorative are the lycastes, among which the species stands out: Skinner's lycaste (L. skinneri).
• Spirantaceae(Spiranthinae) - the group consists of the genera: Haemaria, Macodes, Anoectochilus, Goodyera. Most of the jewel-leaved species under consideration are rhizomatous terrestrial orchids, with a rosette of rather large, unusually beautiful velvety leaves, of various shades with sparkling silver, golden, and reddish veins.
• Coeloginaceae(Coelogyninae) - the group consists of the genera: Coelogyne, Pleione, Dendrochilum, Pholidota. The species of the first two genera, orchids with large beautiful flowers, abundant and long-lasting flowering, are of greatest interest for indoor culture.
• Cypripediaceae(Cypripedieae) - consists of the genera: Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium, known as "Venus's slippers".
• Cymbidium(Cymbididiinae) - the group includes the genera: Ansellia, Cymbidium, Grammatophyllum.
• Epidendrin(Epidendrinae) - a group that includes well-known rhizomatous genera with a sympodial type of branching: Brassavola, Cattleya, Epidendrum, Laelia, Leptotes, Sophronitis.

Oncidium, Cambria (Oncidiinae, Cambria) - which includes remarkable representatives of such genera (based on general characteristics) as Brassia, Miltonia, Odontoglossum, Oncidium, Rodriguezia, Trichopilia.

The most popular types of orchids

When purchasing orchids, you should first of all inquire about their belonging to a specific genus and species. Orchids are famous for their abundance of species with unsurpassed patterns on the flowers. The graceful flowers of these exotic aristocrats amaze with the abundance of stripes, dots, specks, color tints...

Ascocentrum and Ascocenda
The genus Acocentrum is often called the "miniature epiphytic orchid". In appearance, they are somewhat reminiscent of orchids belonging to the popular genus Vanda, although ascocentrums are smaller in size. Ascocendes are common in culture - intergeneric hybrids of Asconcentrum with Vandas, which are one of the most advanced and popular miniature hybrid genera of the Sarcanthaceae subtribe. They are distinguished by constant and abundant flowering of up to 6 peduncles per year. In this aspect, only phalaenopsis can compare with them.

Brassavola
About 50 species, native to the tropics of Mexico and Honduras. The flowering period may vary depending on the species. Some types of Brassavola are more, others - less fastidious, but in principle all will require attention and regular care. Reacts well to night temperature drops to 13 - 15 degrees. In winter, watering is greatly reduced and placed in a well-lit place, possibly in full sun. In summer, the place should be very bright, but the orchid should be shaded from the midday sun.

Dendrobium
Most common in culture dendrobium noble(D. nobile), dendrobium phalaenopsis(D. phalaenopsis), bouquet flower and a number of others. In nature, this is a typical epiphyte, as reflected in the name (Greek dendron - “tree”, bios - “life”). There are more than a hundred varieties and hybrids of this species. Parish and Lindley dendrobiums are also grown indoors.

Phalaenopsis
The genus Phalaenopsis was founded in 1825 by the German botanist Carl Ludwig Ritter von Blume. Phalaenopsis means “butterfly-like” in Latin. And it’s not for nothing that it received such a name - the inflorescence, whether from afar or up close, is an exact copy of a fairy-tale flock of flying butterflies with bright silk wings. The Phalaenopsis plant has a very short stem and succulent paired leaves. They grow naturally in tropical regions from the Himalayas to Australia. There are up to 60 species in the genus and a large number of artificial hybrids. Flowering time may depend on the specific species or hybrid. This type of orchid is ideal for beginners, as it is quite unpretentious...

Vanda Orchid(Vanda)
The name was borrowed from India, where in Sanskrit this word was used to call a certain type of orchid. Vanda leaves are two-rowed, differing in structure - there are types with flat leaves, and others with cylindrical leaves. Peduncles are long, most often with a large number of large flowers, appearing from the axils of the leaves. Vanda has blue - a rare color for orchids. Flowers of many types have a pleasant aroma. Flowering occurs in autumn-winter. There are many hybrids, they are often found on sale, but it is difficult to call Vanda easy to cultivate. These large orchids are among the most light-loving, requiring constant attention, as well as high air humidity. Night temperature in winter should not fall below 14-15 degrees. In summer you can expose it to full sun. In order for it to bloom, you will have to provide it with bright lighting, high air humidity...

Cymbidium(Cymbidium)
This genus of orchids is very suitable for keeping indoors. Hybrid cymbidium (Cymbidium hybridum), obtained as a result of selection, is popular. Some hybrids reach a height of 70 cm. It blooms in winter for several months. Flowers of pastel shades (diameter up to 4 cm) are located on strong, erect peduncles. It is believed that cymbidium can help a person reduce temper and irritability.

Oncidium
On the branched peduncles of oncidium - the butterfly orchid - there are often golden flowers of bizarre shape. About 450 species are native to tropical America, many found only in the mountains. The Brazilian species is often called the butterfly orchid. American flower growers call them "dancing dolls." In Germany, oncidium also received the name calloused orchid because of the warty growths on the flower lip. Some types of orchids bloom in late autumn, others in winter. Bird-billed oncidium flowers are shaped like a bird's beak and emit a vanilla scent. Fr. is considered the most unpretentious. Forbesa, Fr. curly and o. wide.

Cattleya
One of the most popular orchids that can be grown indoors. Named after the English gardener William Cattley. Cattleya comes from the tropical regions of North, Central, and South America and is one of the most beautifully flowering species. The largest number of species grows in Brazil and the Amazon jungle. The extraordinary beauty of these orchids so amazed Europeans that some of them were given the names of Catholic saints and Christian holidays. The most amazing part of the flowers is the wide and bright painted lip. Flowers come in a wide variety of colors: crimson, pink, purple, yellow, etc. There are many intergeneric hybrids - brassocattleya, leliocattleya, sofroleliocattleya. The most common varieties in cultivation are Cattleya hybrid and Skinner. The flowering period depends on the species. Various species require moderate or warm conditions. Cattleyas need good lighting, excellent ventilation, warm (minimum) temperature 15-19 degrees, moderate humidity, well-drained soil... (see continuation)

Lelia(Laelia)
The genus Laelia was described by John Lindley in 1831. Orchids with a sympodial growth form, externally resembling cattleyas. They are very popular among flower growers not only in the countries in which they live, but throughout the world. Growing conditions for lilies: cool, light areas, high humidity during the growth and flowering period, a dry period is required upon reaching maturity. Laelias are photophilous, but depending on the type, they provide more or less shade from direct sun in summer. During the period of ripening of new shoots (late summer - autumn), it is necessary to provide an abundance of light and fresh air. In summer they water quite abundantly, in winter they significantly reduce watering. The flowering period of lilies varies from species to species...

Miltoniopsis(Miltoniopsis)
Due to the unusual shape of the flowers, miltoniopsis is sometimes confused with pansies, which is why the plant is also called the “pansy” orchid. They are very similar to Miltonia, but the pseudobulbs have only one leaf. The orchid will reward you with active growth for regular replanting. The old substrate is thoroughly removed from the roots. Do not plant the plant deep. The substrate should cover only the roots, and the pseudobulbs should be on the surface.

Miltonia(Miltonia)
German flower growers noticed the similarity of the miltonia flower with the pansy flower and called it the “pansy” orchid. Miltonias come from the tropics of America; there are cold-loving (mountain) - "Colombian" and heat-loving - "Brazilian" orchid species. Need regular care. For Brazilian miltonias, the optimal temperature throughout the year is about 21-23 degrees during the day, 13-15 degrees at night. They need high air humidity all year round. In summer and spring, miltonias are protected from direct sun; in summer they can be placed in a shaded place. When kept in an apartment, there must certainly be access to fresh air.

Miltoniopsis is an orchid that prefers cool growing conditions. Just like its relative Cambria, after flowering it needs to lower the temperature to 14 degrees. The roots of these orchids are much thinner and less fleshy than, for example, those of the butterfly orchid. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the soil of miltoniopsis is evenly moistened at all times. Water the plant more intensively in summer and moderately in winter. At the same time, try to avoid both waterlogging and drying out of the substrate. Such extremes can lead to the death of the plant's sensitive roots.

Makodes petola (M. petola (Blume) Lindl.)
Macodes petola is grown not for its small and inconspicuous flowers, but solely for the beauty of its leaves. Belongs to the group of so-called jewel orchids. This group consists of several genera (Ludisia, Macodes, Gudiera, Anectohilus, etc.), the taxonomy of which is constantly changing, species wander among genera and subspecies. All of them are from the tropical zone, without a dormant period, growing on mossy stones, trunks, and forest floor. They differ from other orchids in the rich color of their leaves, iridescent with gold or silver veins. A terrestrial plant with fleshy creeping shoots, bearing leaves at the top, brought together in a loose rosette, short-petiolate, broadly ovoid, velvety emerald green (leaves) with a network of bright golden (silver) veins shimmering in the light. The flowers are small, reddish-brown with a white lip, collected in a long erect apical raceme up to 15 cm long. The sepals and petals are prostrate, the lip is three-lobed, inverted, the column is twisted in the opposite direction. Blooms in autumn-winter...

Paphiopedilum
The slipper orchid, sometimes called “Venus’s slipper,” is one of the most famous and popular genera among the various types of orchids. The shape of its flowers with a pronounced bag-like lip very much resembles a woman's slipper. Easy-to-care species native to the tropics and subtropics of Asia were selected for the rooms. As a rule, types and varieties of paphiopedilum are offered for sale, which can be kept in a warm room in winter.

Paphiopedilum hybridum is grown in culture - a large group of garden hybrids bred by crossing natural species. Flowering occurs in winter or spring and lasts from several weeks to several months. Other species include Paphiopedilum remarkable, darling, callosum, Spicera and Sukhakula.

Ophrys flyworm(Ophrys insectifera)
An unusually rare plant in our area with an unusual shape and color. Distributed in Europe, Asia Minor. Grows in damp, swampy meadows, low-lying swamps, sometimes among bushes, on old bottoms of lime quarries; mainly on carbonate soils. All specimens of this species in Russia are under protection.

Vanilla - fragrant orchid
Fragrant orchids: the most fragrant of them is vanilla, the ovaries of which, dried in a special way, are highly valued as a spice. Tropical orchid flowers have a distinct vanilla scent to a greater or lesser extent.

Bletilla(Bletilla)
A genus of beautifully flowering herbaceous terrestrial species of the Orchidaceae family. 5 to 10 species from East Asia; some of them are popular garden ornamental plants. At home, Bletilla hyacinthina is usually grown. In autumn, after the leaves die, the temperature is lowered to 5-13 degrees and watering is almost completely stopped. After this, the orchid blooms in the spring. Without a cold dormant period it does not bloom. In summer you can place it in full sun with plenty of watering.

The scientific name of the genus is formed by adding a diminutive suffix to the name of the American genus of orchids - Bletia. Representatives of these two genera are similar, while plants from the genus Bletilla are smaller in size.

Vuilstekeara(Vuilstekeara)
Elegant and spectacular vuilstecarea is the work of breeders. Vuilstekeara Cambria was obtained by multi-stage crossing of Cochlyodes, Miltonia and Odontoglossum. From the first she got a bright color, from the second she got a beautifully painted lip, and from the third she got a star shape. Known in culture since 1914. The name is given in honor of the Flemish gardener who created this hybrid Vuylsteke (19th century). Created for existence in poorly heated rooms. About 100 years ago, after the first flowering of the hybrid, it was the most expensive flower in Europe. The most popular varieties: V.Cambria, V. Edna, V. Plush, V. Monica, V.Linda Isler.

This orchid needs frequent ventilation and abundant watering, but after the next watering you should wait for the surface of the substrate to dry. In winter, watering is significantly reduced, but the substrate continues to be sprayed daily with warm water. In order not to spoil the appearance of the flowers, you need to make sure that splashes of water do not fall on them. In winter, the optimal temperature is: 18-20 degrees during the day, 13-18 degrees at night. In summer you can take it out onto the balcony, and the plant can withstand short-term temperature drops of up to 5 degrees. Vuilstekear can be placed under the openwork crown of a tree in the garden for the summer. In the room it will feel better on the east window. The flowers last up to 8 weeks; the peduncle branches on an adult plant. If in the fall the plant is placed in a cool room for 2 weeks (with a night temperature of 12-13 degrees), then at the end of winter the vuilstekeara will bloom again.

All orchids love moist air to one degree or another. Phalaenopsis, oncidium, and paphiopedilum are no exception. You can create the most suitable living conditions for them with the help of a green pillow. Plant a moisture-loving plant, such as indoor bamboo, in a large pot, and carefully place a pot of orchids between its branches. Increased air humidity around tropical flowers is guaranteed.

What does the flower look like? Appearance of the plant: flowers form racemes or spike-shaped inflorescences, less often solitary. The sepals consist of three identical petals of medium size, and the fourth is fundamentally different from the others. It forms a lip - this is part of the perianth with two or three petals fused. The inside of the lip is filled with nectar.

The fruit of an orchid is a seed capsule with valves or berries.. The capsule contains 4 million dust-like seeds. Orchid leaves are simple, alternate. The stem may have one or more leaves, depending on the variety. The stem can be: long or short; erect or creeping.

The root of an exotic flower is considered an important organ that performs a number of functions: in a vertical position it is strengthened in the substrate, together with the foliage it participates in the process of photosynthesis, and nourishes the plant with minerals and water.

Attention! The dominant part of orchids are perennial herbaceous plants; subshrubs and large vines are less common.

Photo

Country of origin

Orchids are the oldest plants on Earth. Their trace can be traced back 65 million years ago. Prehistoric remains of a flower were found in Verona. It can be assumed that the birthplace of orchids is Italy.

The Aztecs, who lived in Mexico, also knew about the existence of marvelous flowers, namely the “Vanilla” variety. The ancient people prepared hot drinks based on cocoa, coffee and vanilla pods. The first handwritten evidence of orchid cultivation, dating back to the 11th century, was found in China. Or perhaps the nature of this country gave the world an amazing plant.

Reference! In the 16th century, the orchid was brought to the European continent from the West Indies. The first person to classify flowers was the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus.

Read in detail about the history of the origin of the orchid and its care.

Variety and features

Orchid seeds are similar to pollen and are very small in size., easily scattered by the wind. As a result, these plants can be found everywhere, growing throughout the globe, in parts of the world where there is eternal ice. Part of Southeast Asia and the islands of the Malay Archipelago boast the greatest diversity.

The living environment of exotic beauties is different. Some species grow at an altitude of 1,000-2,500 m above sea level, in tropical forests, which are characterized by fog, high humidity, and dew. Others are on the plains, fields, forests. Still others are in rocky crevices, mountainous areas, and savannas. The shape and appearance depend on the area of ​​residence.

You can find out what types and colors of wild orchids are, where and how they grow in nature, how they differ from domestic ones, and also see their photos.

Homemade

Is this a houseplant or not? 15 years ago, a halo of mystery and inaccessibility hung over the orchid. And now, everyone can buy such a miracle. Breeders have succeeded in breeding hybrid varieties. Therefore, growing and propagating flowers at home has become a reality. Popular varieties for window sills are: Phalaenopsis, Zygopetalum, Dendrobium nobilis, Vanda.

The biggest

In Indonesia, near Jakarta, there is a botanical garden. It is an epiphyte and grows on ficus. The dimensions are impressive: the length of the inflorescence reaches 3 meters in length, which in turn consists of 100 flowers. The total number of them is several thousand, and the size of each is 15 cm. Such a miracle weighs 2 tons. Flowering lasts for several months.

Huge reed orchid plant, but due to its color it was called “Tiger”. The giant loves a humid tropical climate, lots of sun, and frequent watering.

Unusual

Scientists from the Spanish University of Vigo spoke about two unusually marvelous finds. In the Baracoa Mountains of Cuba, a rare species of orchid, Tetramicra riparia, was discovered near a rocky stream. It is a fragile plant with flowers less than 1 cm in size. The second type is even smaller in size. He was found in the western part of the island. This is Encyclia navarroi - bright purple in color, shaped like a daffodil. The shoot is 7 cm long and contains 20 tiny inflorescences.

Orchids - owners of the most unusual and unique flower shapes. For example varieties: “Flying Duck”, “Spider”, “Angel”, “White Heron”, “Dove”, “Monkeys”, “Butterflies”, “Naked Man”. They all truly live up to their name.

You can learn about unusual varieties of orchids, as well as see their photos.

History of the name

Why was it called an orchid? One day, Plato’s student, the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus, drew attention to a wonderful flower. The roots resembled two fused onions. The scientist, looking at the plant, named it “orchis”, which translated from Greek means “testicle”. Since then, the orchid has been scientifically called Orchidáceae.

Other names

What is its other name? In Russia, a genus of flowers in the Orchidaceae family is called Orchidaceae.. One of the assumptions about the origin of the name is the word “yatro”, (egg) from the Stavropol-Caucasian dialect. The family is also called “aristocrats”. And in Latin, Orchidáceae means “Derived from God.” The flower is exquisite and rightfully deserves a noble, lyrical name.

In nature, it often happens that flowers are similar to each other, although they belong to different families and classes. This is how the Schizanthus flower looks like an orchid, but it is not an orchid. This representative of the flora belongs to the nightshade family; its closest relatives are potatoes and tomatoes. Schizanthus is grown in flower beds, balconies, and window sills. Another plant that has an external resemblance to an exotic orchid is night violets. They are quite similar to Cymbidium from the orchid family.

Bearded iris belongs to the iris genus. It has a wedge shape. The color is light purple with stripes on the lower petals. This plant also has an original appearance, which is similar to orchids.

Look at the photo how the Schizanthus flower looks like an orchid:

And this is a photo of a flower called Bearded Iris, it also resembles an orchid:

Admire the photo of the night violet, which looks like a cymbidium (orchid family):

Lifespan

Representatives of the Orchid family live up to 100 years in the wild.. There are specimens of 130 species that are 50 years old, and the life cycle of 500 species is about 20 years. At home, the maximum life expectancy is 10 years, and the average is 5 years.

How many years an exquisite flower will live depends on the comfortable conditions in the room. It is necessary to maintain temperature and humidity conditions, carry out regular watering, fertilizing, and replant as necessary.

You will find out how long an orchid lives, what it depends on and whether it is possible to rejuvenate the plant.

Harm and benefit

With all the beauty and splendor, there are mixed reviews about the presence of orchids in the house. Owners of beautiful flowers have no idea about their benefits and harms.

1. Decoctions from orchid flowers help cope with insomnia, lack of appetite, depression, and diseases of the nervous system.
2. In France, the leaves of the plant are added to ice cream.
3. The well-known vanilla seasoning is nothing else like orchid.
4. In Mexico, the roots of the flowers are used for cooking.

Despite all the positive qualities of this elegant plant, there are a number of contraindications. In nature, there are varieties of orchids that contain poison that is dangerous to humans..

• Orchid scent.
• Frequent migraines.
• The appearance and development of cancer cells.
• The strong odor can lead to dizziness and fainting.

Important! The best place for an orchid is a well-ventilated room where regular air exchange occurs.

You can find out whether it is possible to keep an orchid at home, whether it is poisonous or not, and whether it causes benefit or harm to the human body.

Unfortunately, not all varieties of exotic flowers are suitable for growing indoors. The following varieties are most suitable for home use::

What price?

The price of blooming orchids in a pot varies from 400 to 3000 rubles. It all depends on the variety, size of the plant, and place of purchase. For example, in a store near your home the cost will be higher than in chain hypermarkets, but in gardening farms there is more choice. The average cost in Russia is 700 rubles. Flowers sold are mainly produced in the Netherlands.

Thai flowers in Russia are brought in sealed transparent bottles. There are 3-5 shoots and nutrients for them. But orchids do not take root in our climate. Such beauties cost 500 baht (900 rubles).

You can purchase Chinese phalaenopsis orchid seedlings in online stores. They are sold in bulk from 100 pcs., unit price from 30 rubles.

An indoor flower in a pot is an ideal gift, and an orchid in a pot is every woman’s dream. But in order not to miss the choice, you should pay attention to the following nuances:

Read about how to choose the right orchid when purchasing, and from there you will learn about the purpose of a passport for a plant, where it is issued and what its contents are.

Landing

It’s easy to buy an exotic plant at a flower shop, but it’s much more difficult and interesting to grow it yourself. After all, seed material costs much less than a finished flower. Before planting, it is important to decide what you will plant: bulbs or seeds.

The purchase of seeds should be approached with the utmost seriousness. On Chinese websites where they are sold, unscrupulous sellers may send products of poor quality. But even if everything is fine with the seeds, it is almost impossible to grow an orchid from them. This process occurs in laboratory conditions.

With bulbs everything will be easier. For the bulbous planting method:

• Choose a pot. The root system quickly colonizes the prepared space. Regular visual inspection of the orchid is also necessary. Based on this, a small pot made of inexpensive transparent plastic is better suited. There is no need to plant bulbs in clay pots. When transplanting, it is quite difficult to remove the plant from them and the only way out is to break the expensive pot.
• Prepare the ground. For bulbs, choose a special soil. Its composition must necessarily contain the following components: bark, peat and coconut fiber, mainly in crushed form.
• Bulb planting procedure. First, make drainage holes in the selected container. Then fill the pot with the mixture from the substrate and place the onion. Place a layer of moss on top. No need to water or spray. After about 2-3 weeks, roots appear.

Below is a clear example of the lush bloom of an orchid in the video:

Diseases and prevention

Susceptible to many. The main thing is to diagnose them in time and take the necessary measures.

Representatives of the orchid family suffer from diseases associated with rot.. Among them: gray, brown, black, root and fusarium rot.

Signs of such ailments are rotting of the root system, the leaves become covered with gray, brown, black spots. As the disease progresses, the foliage begins to dry out and rot. This happens against the background of excess liquid in the pot, low room temperature, and high humidity.

Treatment

Reference! At the initial stages of the development of the disease, you can fight with the use of special solutions of fungicides, the preparations “Fundozol”, “Topsin” with a concentration of 0.2%, solutions with the presence of copper.

If the disease is advanced, most likely, treatment will not give the desired effect. The plant is waiting for death.

Prevention

It is necessary to follow the rules for caring for an orchid. Use drugs to support immunity, which increase the plant’s resistance to disease.

Exotic

They are susceptible to infectious diseases that appear on the leaves. These include: powdery mildew, leaf spot, anthrocnose. The main features of the disease are manifested in wet spots on the foliage of brown shades, possibly the appearance of a white coating.

Help

Diseases can be eliminated with fungicide solutions, drugs “Toxin-M” and “Skor”, copper-containing chemicals.

Prevention of development

Regular ventilation of the room, moderate watering, use of properly selected fertilizers.

There are cases when orchids suffer from viral diseases. Unfortunately, they cannot be treated with drugs. The plant will have to be destroyed.

Pests

Can cause no less problems, such as aphids, whiteflies, spider mites. The most effective means of combating them are insecticides. They also use soap solutions and spraying with Fitoverm and Actellik. Don’t forget to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, inspect them, and wash them in a warm shower.

Reproduction

Orchids of different varieties and types can interbreed. Such interspecific hybridization gave the right to life to many beloved and popular varieties. Commonly used orchid breeding methods are:

• side shoots, children. They are given special conditions for growth, and then separated from the stem and replanted separately;
• air layering, which is also rooted on the mother plant in a greenhouse, and then planted in a separate pot;
• vegetative method, dividing the rhizomes and planting shoots containing pseudobulbs.

Below is a visual video of how roots are separated using:

Orchids are uniquely beautiful flowers that need appropriate conditions.. Don’t neglect the care rules and get Asian exotica right at home.

Perhaps, few flowers can compare in beauty and unusualness with the outlandish overseas beauty orchid. No wonder this flower created a real sensation in Europe in the 18th century, and varieties of orchids cost a fortune. The variety of species of these flowering plants is impressive, and if previously they were grown in greenhouses and conservatories, today orchids can be seen in the homes of many indoor plant lovers.

Description and characteristics of the orchid flower

In the wild, orchids are found on all continents (excluding Antarctica), and there are more than 30 thousand species of these amazing plants. The orchid family is the largest, it includes not only varieties, but also hybrids obtained through the work of breeders.

ON A NOTE!

Orchids existed on Earth already at the end of the Mesozoic era (Cretaceous era).

The plant is rosette, has simple or alternate dense dark green leaves. The roots can be round or flat. Orchids have three types of root systems:

• vines;
• epiphytes;
• lithophytes.

Inflorescences are usually formed in the axils of the leaves; the number of flowers on peduncles depends on the variety. Inflorescences are either a raceme or a spike; some types of orchids have single flowers. Orchid flowers are characterized by mirror symmetry, as well as a certain construction scheme: three petals and three sepals. Among the petals, one particularly stands out in size - the so-called lip, which most often has a spur with nectar. The stamens are fused with the pistil, the anthers consist of nests (the number can be different - 2, 4 or 8). In this case, pollinium is formed in each nest - glued pollen.

The sizes of orchid buds, as well as their shapes, are different: from tiny to giant flowers (up to 15-17 cm). The color range is varied, from rare sky blue shades to violet, purple and orange.

The plant is a perennial; under appropriate conditions in the wild, the age of some orchid species reaches 80-120 years. Just as the sizes, shapes and shades of orchids are varied, the aromas of this flower are just as multifaceted. The smell is not persistent, but you can catch notes of coffee, rose, cinnamon, watermelon, vanilla, chocolate, and citrus. There are species without odor, there are orchids with a very bright and strong fragrance, others have a barely audible aroma, revealing only at certain times of the day.

The types of orchids are different, and therefore the conditions for growing these plants are also different:

• cool mode (for Australian dendrobiums, celogina);
• moderately warm conditions;
• orchids that need constant warmth (vandas, phalaenopsis, cattleyas).

The flower is quite demanding in terms of temperature, humidity, and type of soil (substrate), so not every gardener decides to grow it. But today a large number of hybrid forms have been developed that grow well at home if basic agricultural practices are followed.

How to determine the type of orchid by flowers

There are a great many species, varieties and hybrids of orchids, and it is not so easy to remember the names, as well as the characteristics of certain varieties.

Based on the type of growth, there are two large groups:

• monopodial;
• sympodial.

The first group includes plants that have one (hence the name “mono”) stem, directly on which leaves form. Buds of orchid flowers form in their axils. The stem is straight and grows upward, while plants of that group lack pseudobulbs.

The most common types of monopodial orchids are phalaenopsis and vanda. The latter can grow well and delight with flowering even without a substrate.

Sympodial species form several shoots that grow from the very base. Flowers are regularly renewed; as soon as one bud fades, new buds are formed in its place. Such orchids have pseudobulbs, which can be used as propagation material. This group includes beautiful cattleyas, magnificent cymbidiums, unpretentious dendrobiums, as well as laelia and oncidium.

The group of orchids that have luxurious leaves (varieties Goodyer, Makodes and others) is called Precious.

Varieties of orchids

The total number of orchid species has exceeded thirty thousand, and it is quite difficult to describe each of them. But there are those that are popular and widespread, and that’s what we’ll talk about.

Calypso bulbous

Delicate, graceful, fragile - these are the epithets most often awarded to this magnificent type of orchid. Because of the special shape of the flower, Calypso is often called “Venus’s slipper”, as well as “Lady’s slipper”.

The Calypso orchid grows in the cool forests of the northern territories and loves quiet places. In Russia, this wonderful flower is protected (listed in the Red Book); unfortunately, it is rarely found in the wild.

The flowers are solitary, formed on a stem up to 18-20 cm high. The color of the petals is pink, lilac, red, violet, purple. There is a very pleasant aroma.

Reproduction occurs through bulbs or by seed germination (the scheme is complex, since this requires the presence of special fungal thread-like formations).

Wanda blue

One of the most luxurious types of orchids, it is the only plant whose petals are painted sky blue by nature itself. Forms a large plant with hard, leathery, sword-shaped leaves and tall peduncles. It belongs to the epiphytes and forms powerful aerial roots. The flowers are large (up to 8-9 cm in diameter); an ornament representing an intricate script is visible on a blue background.

In the wild, there are more than a dozen different varieties of this species, but two are suitable for greenhouses and home cultivation, including blue vanda. Requires light and regular watering. The juice of this flower is used in official medicine (as a component of drugs to improve vision).

Cymbidium eburneum

Belongs to one of the most popular varieties of the orchid family, valued for its spectacular flowers. Cymbidium eburneum has an erect peduncle, which is crowned with a luxurious white flower with yellow spots. This species is native to the rainforests of China and Burma; hybrid forms are most often found on sale.

The second name of the flower is “ivory”; flowering begins in the spring and requires abundant watering, spraying, and moderate temperatures. The aroma of the flowers is bright and strong, reminiscent of the familiar lilac.

Odontoglossum cordate

A beautiful epiphytic orchid characterized by elongated upper flower petals and a heart-shaped lip. On the yellow background of the upper petals of the flower there are chaotic brown stripes and spots. The lip of the flower is pinkish with purple spots.

The plant is large in size and requires high-quality substrate and moderate watering. It needs a lot of fresh air, so in city apartments it is often grown on balconies and loggias. Cover from direct sun rays is necessary.

Habenaria radiata

This type of orchid is cultivated in Japan, China, Korea - in gardens, and also as a houseplant. In the Land of the Rising Sun, it is poetically called the White Heron Orchid, since the lip of the plant’s flower is very similar to the outstretched wings of a large bird.

The height of habenaria radiata reaches 20-30 cm, the peduncle is tall and strong.

The color of the petals is pearly white. The variety is considered quite whimsical and requires a certain temperature regime and special watering. Prefers a high level of humidity - up to 60-70%, does not tolerate drought.

Oncidium beautiful

Among the various species of orchids of the genus Oncidium, Oncidium beautiful stands out. This is a very large and beautiful orchid from the group of epiphytes, forming straight peduncles. Each of them produces 18-20 magnificent bright yellow flowers. The upper petals of the flowers have dark burgundy spots. The diameter of the flowers is up to 6-8 cm.

Young leaves of Oncidium beautiful have a green or grayish color, and in older plants they acquire a purple and even brown tint. The flowers have a pleasant aroma. This type of orchid is great for cutting; the flowers last up to three weeks.

Types of flowers

Orchids also differ in the types of root systems. After all, these are plants that grow in special conditions, significantly different from those created for ordinary indoor or garden flowers.

Epiphytic

This type of orchid in nature grows high above the ground, using trees and shrubs as supports and bases. They receive food from the air, a small amount of soil that accumulates in tree hollows, folds of bark, and on branches.

ON A NOTE!

The roots of epiphytic plants are strong, elastic, and have a greenish or silvery tint. These species of the orchid family are successfully grown at home.

Lithophytic

The growing conditions are somewhat different for lithophytic species, which are forced to adapt to life among limestones, hard rocks, rocks, and stones.

In general, their root system differs little from epiphytic representatives of orchids, but most often this species prefers humid conditions. Such orchids bloom well if there is a sharp change in daily temperatures and high air humidity.

In order to achieve flowering, they are often cultivated in special display cases. Some orchid genera include both lithophytic and epiphytic species, as well as terrestrial ones. For example, cymbidiums are lithophytic and terrestrial.

Ground

These types of orchids have similar growing conditions to other traditional flowers. They grow in the ground, the root system is represented by bulbs, cones or roots. In nature, such plants are common in the USA, European countries, and Russia; the height usually does not exceed 40-50 cm. Terrestrial orchids growing in the tropics are distinguished by larger sizes of both bushes and flowers.

Phalaenopsis

This genus of orchids is currently considered one of the most widespread. This is due to the fact that these are the orchids that can most often be seen in specialized stores, as well as the ease of care and unpretentiousness of the plants.

It is a representative of the epiphytic group, has shortened stems and a rosette of leathery leaves. Flowering can last up to 4-5 months. Due to the original shape of the flowers, phalaenopsis is often called a “butterfly” or a “moth” orchid.

All phalaenopsis are demanding on lighting. If there is not enough light, the orchid will not bloom.

The plant requires a special regime of watering (only after the substrate has dried), fertilizing, and an obligatory sample after flowering.

Today, many different types of phalaenopsis have been bred (about 40), differing in flower size, color, and shape.

Phalaenopsis Schiller

An epiphytic plant that grows naturally in the Philippines. It is distinguished not only by the presence of beautiful flowers, but also by equally luxurious leaves. The peduncles are hanging, long (up to 80-100 cm), a large number of flowers are formed on them. They open almost simultaneously, diameter is from 6 to 9 cm. Shades of the upper petals: light or dark pink; lip shades: violet, red, white-green, purple.

Phalaenopsis Amabilis

This variety of phalaenopsis is characterized by the presence of thick leaves (length up to 50 cm), large flowers (each can reach a diameter of 9-10 cm). When the right conditions are created, the plant can bloom all year, usually peaking in May. Generally unpretentious, but requires high humidity (60-70%).

On average, up to 15-20 flowers are formed on peduncles. They last up to six months and have a very pleasant strong aroma. The color of the petals and sepals is milky white, with a pink outer side. There are yellow or purple dots on the lip of the flower.

Phalaenopsis Stewart

An orchid from the Philippines, it blooms profusely and is easy to care for. It produces long (up to 80-90 cm) branched peduncles, on which a large number of flowers are formed. The aroma is not sharp, weak, pleasant.

The lateral petals and upper sepals are white, the lateral sepals are also white with yellow spots and purple dots. The lip also has a beautiful golden color with numerous purple dots.

This type of orchid can bloom all year round.

Phalaenopsis Luddeman

This type of phalaenopsis requires warmth (up to +34ºC during the daytime) and high humidity. The peduncles are of medium length, the flowers are variegated in color (pink, purple, lilac).

The peculiarity of the species is that the flowers bloom alternately, the diameter of each is up to 5 cm. Moreover, the petals are smaller in size than the sepals, which is not typical for phalaenopsis.

Orchid has a pleasant aroma. Each peduncle usually produces up to 6-7 flowers.

Phalaenopsis pink

This type of phalaenopsis is miniature, but is also distinguished by lush flowering. Up to 15 flowers bloom on peduncles - pink or white, reaching a diameter of 2-3 cm.

The color of the leaves of this species is original: their underside is reddish-green. Flowers bloom alternately.

Phalaenopsis Sandera

Belongs to a monopoidal species and is a very rare flower. The name was given in honor of the famous botanist and orchid lover Henry Sander. This type of phalaenopsis is distinguished by its exquisite beauty: up to 40-50 flowers bloom on long drooping peduncles. The diameter of the flowers is up to 8 cm. Shades: from milky white to soft pink. The leaves of the plant are also beautiful, having variegated colors.

Phalaenopsis Sander is considered not only rare, but also one of the most expensive among orchids.

Phalaenopsis equina

Beautiful Phalaenopsis equina with purple flowers can bloom all year long if good conditions are created. Peak flowering occurs in spring and autumn, when the largest number of magnificent flowers appear on the peduncles of this miniature orchid. Their diameter is up to 3 cm. Petals and sepals are pink, purple, lilac.

Phalaenopsis giant

When this orchid blooms, a sweetish citrus aroma is felt. Phalaenopsis giant got its name because of its large leaves, the length of which in adult plants can reach one meter. This is the largest species of phalaenopsis.

Up to 30 flowers are formed on long peduncles, the diameter varies from 3 to 7 cm. Colors: cream, yellow, yellow-green with purple and red spots.

It is considered one of the most spectacular species. Valued by breeders as a basis for crossing with hybrids and other species. It is difficult to grow at home; special conditions are needed, otherwise you will have to wait up to 8-12 years for flowering.

Indoor

With all the variety of species of these wonderful plants, not all of them can be grown indoors. Therefore, if you are excited about the idea of ​​​​breeding orchids, you need to know about the most suitable species for your home.

Brassia

Orchid “Spider” - this is how people affectionately call that flower. And all because its graceful flowers are very reminiscent of spiders.

This genus includes more than 50 different species.

Brassia flowers have thin narrowed sepals and shortened petals. Colors: brown, lemon, white, lilac. Almost all species of Brassia have speckles scattered on their flowers. Flowering is long lasting and is accompanied by a very bright and strong aroma (the smell is similar to the aroma of daffodils).

Cumbria

Three species of orchids (Miltonia, Brassia and Oncidium) “participated” in the creation of this magnificent hybrid. Cambria is often called "star" because its flowers look like miniature purple stars.

The color of the petals and sepals varies: from pink to crimson and purple. The size of the flowers is from 1 to 10 cm. The plant is characterized by narrow leaves, the presence of a large number of pseudobulbs, and long peduncles. Among gardeners it is considered the most unpretentious type of orchid. The hybrid was developed specifically for those who would like to grow an orchid at home.

Cattleya

This type of orchid is distinguished by its exquisite flowering and delicate aroma. The group includes more than thirty varieties, and a large number of hybrids have also been bred. The plant has long leathery leaves (up to 30 cm), original flowers of various shades: white, greenish, purple, crimson, lilac with various contrasting inclusions.

Flowering is long-lasting (up to 9 months). The flowers have a very delicate aroma, similar to lily of the valley.

Dendrobium

An orchid from the epiphytic group, the genus includes a huge number of species. Moreover, they all differ in size, shape and color of the petals, as well as growing conditions.

In nature, dendrobium grows on trees, hidden in their dense crown.

The leaves are oval, the shoots are medium sized, and have the appearance of a cylinder. During the flowering period, this entire cylinder is covered with flowers. Shades: white, dark purple, pink, orange, purple, with spots and dots. The number of flowers depends on the variety, ranging from 30 to 100 pieces on one peduncle. Almost all varieties of dendrobiums have a pleasant fragrant aroma.

Lycasta

This genus of orchids is the symbol of the state of Guatemala (Lycastus skinner's orchid). The genus includes more than four dozen orchid species, all of which have a pleasant, subtle, enchanting aroma.

Lycasta is an orchid that is suitable for growing indoors. Peduncles are formed in bulbs, each with one or two large flowers. Petals and sepals can have different colors: yellow (primary color), orange, white, pink, greenish-yellow, pink. The main color scheme contains contrasting spots, dots, and inclusions.

Lycaste orchid is an excellent cut flower.

Miltonia

The orchid is an epiphyte, which is often called “pansy”. The genus Miltonia includes about twenty different species of orchids. Valued for its unpretentiousness and beautiful flowers.

It has large leaves and large flowers. Shades depend on the type, among the predominant ones: white-yellow, purple, pink, milky white, lilac. Many varieties of miltonia have petals with spots, stripes, dots, and a border (pink on a white background, brown on a yellow background).

The aroma is pleasant. Miltonia has a long flowering period.

Odontoglossum

This genus of orchids is distinguished by very abundant flowering. Odontoglossum is a rare indoor plant; breeders have developed numerous hybrids based on it.

It has flat flattened bulbs, thin leathery leaves of a linear shape. Paniculate inflorescences are formed on long drooping peduncles; each can contain up to 15 flowers. The diameter of the flowers is up to 5-7 cm. The petals and sepals are narrow, have shades: burgundy, pink, yellow, brown, greenish. There are always spots and stripes (burgundy, brown). Orchid has a pleasant aroma.

Oncidium

One of the most common genera of indoor orchids. Unpretentious, with regular flowering (if appropriate conditions are created).

The flowers are mostly yellow in color, although there are varieties with brown-red, pink and white petals (twinkle, tiger oncidium). The complex name translated from Greek means “tongue” and “tooth,” which indicates the presence of special processes in this type of flower.

Cymbidium

One of the most beautiful orchids that are grown in apartments and also in greenhouses. The flowering plant has a very pleasant, delicate scent; it is not for nothing that the Chinese call cymbidium the “queen of aromas.”

It has long leaves, drooping peduncles, and luxurious large flowers. The color palette is very diverse: yellow, pink, white, purple, brown, green shades.

The largest types of cymbidium are grown in greenhouses for cutting. It is quite fastidious in care and requires the creation of certain conditions (temperature, watering, lighting).

One of the most luxurious and colorful is the black cymbidium - an orchid with dark purple, almost black flowers.

Orchid blue

One of the rare hybrids obtained as a result of breeding work by scientists in Japan. Not available for free sale.

The plant is characterized by small leaves, long peduncles, on which up to 25-30 buds of soft blue color can bloom.

ON A NOTE!

This hybrid should not be confused with orchids tinted blue and which are essentially fakes (for example, blue phalaenopsis). Such plants do not exist in nature.

An exclusive orchid that can only be in some collections of true orchid lovers.

Wanda

A genus of orchids often found among flower growers, which is valued for its easy care and beautiful flowering. It is believed that the American Indians gave this name to the flower.

The plant can reach one meter in height, forms a peduncle with a varying number of flowers (from 3 to 15). At the same time, plants can produce up to 3-4 flower stalks. Belongs to monopodial orchids; it does not form bulbs. Color range: lilac, blue, purple, pink white.

With proper care, flowering lasts up to 2-3 months; the plant blooms several times a year. The genus Vanda includes up to 50 species (combed, great, Suarez and others).

Yellow orchid

It is a hybrid species that was bred by breeders specifically for growing indoors.

The orchid is compact and has dark green leaves. About 10-50 medium-sized flowers are formed on one stem up to 50 cm long. Their color is mainly yellow, although there may be splashes of pink (in the core or on the lip).

The flowers have a pleasant honey aroma. With good and proper care, the orchid blooms for up to six months.

Phalaenopsis mini

One of the types of phalaenopsis, which is grown by many gardeners. Valued for its compactness, unpretentiousness, and high decorative properties.

This species grows well in apartments and private houses, blooming from spring until December. Usually forms one or two small strong peduncles with a large number of flowers. Shades: white, lilac, lilac, violet.

Often this miniature flower is used as a gift (phalaenopsis in a pot).

Dracula

A beautiful and unusual orchid with the exotic name Dracula leaves no one indifferent. The flower got its name for its resemblance to the mouth of a dragon, and it also looks like the funny face of a monkey. It grows naturally in Ecuador and Peru. The genus includes a large number of different species, many of them not even described by botanists.

Petal color: yellow-white, purple, crimson, violet, purple.

The orchid has a special colorful appearance, eccentricity and is a real decoration for any collection of home flowers.

Bulbophyllum

A bright and beautiful orchid is one of the favorites of flower growers in many countries. The genus includes a huge number of species; only a small part is grown at home and in greenhouses.

Depending on the variety, one or many flowers may form on the peduncles. In general, species of the genus Bulbophyllum

very different, differing in conditions of detention, shape and size, shades of colors, aroma. Color range: purple, orange, violet, brown. Aromas: coffee, bitter almonds, melon, honey, fresh cucumber. There are also types of bulbophyllums that have very unpleasant aromas (boiled cabbage, bleach, rotten meat).

Bulbophyllum is an unpretentious orchid that easily adapts to indoor conditions.

Caring for a home orchid during flowering

The agricultural technology of these wonderful plants has its own characteristics, which is why many people believe that orchids are difficult flowers to grow. In fact, this is not entirely true, the main thing is to know the basics, and also strictly adhere to the recommendations that are given for a specific type and variety of plants. Moreover, today there are many orchid hybrids that are created specifically for growing indoors.

Lighting

Not every type of orchid requires any special lighting regime; usually the amount of light that passes through the windows of city apartments is enough.

Lighting may be required in the dark season (especially for the regions of the North-West), as well as for plants that grow on the northern windowsills of the apartment.

ON A NOTE!

It is convenient to use fluorescent lamps.

Gemaria and phalaenopsis require the least amount of light, but for growing some types of dendrobiums and vandas, which grow in light seasonal forests and on the tops of tropical trees, good lighting is needed.

Temperature

An important condition for successful flowering of all types of orchids is the creation of the correct temperature regime.

There are three main groups of orchids:

1. Plants that need to create lower temperatures in winter, as well as in summer (at night). So, in the winter season, these orchids require a temperature no higher than +4... +7ºC, while the summer night temperature should not be higher than +12 ºC. If such conditions are not created, you will not be able to wait for the flowering of such types of orchids as lalias, cymbidiums, and lycastes.
2. Orchids that can be successfully grown under normal indoor conditions and for which +15 ºC (maybe a little higher) is enough. Cattleyas, oncidiums - these are the species that are the most undemanding in terms of temperature.
3. Maxillaria, phalaenopsis, and some types of oncidium need the most heat. The temperature should not be lower than +16…+17 ºC, with each type requiring certain values. In order for plants to bloom, you need to carefully study the temperature requirements of each species.

Watering

An interesting paradox: orchids are plants that generally consume small amounts of moisture, but at the same time, in order to bloom, it is necessary to strictly observe the flower irrigation regime.

When determining the watering regime for orchids, it is necessary to take into account the type and level of humidity of the substrate in which the flowers grow and the level of air humidity.

When the plant is at rest, watering is practically stopped; during periods of intensive growth, it is increased. At the same time, the condition of the substrate is monitored so as not to get an excess of moisture in it, stagnation of water and, as a result, rotting of the flowers.

In terms of air humidity: most orchid species require humidity in the range of 60-80%. It is difficult to create such conditions in apartments, but it is possible. To do this, they usually spray the aerial roots of plants, as well as the foliage with a spray bottle.

ON A NOTE!

The time for spraying is chosen so that the moisture has time to dry before evening and night. Also, do not spray plants that are in direct sunlight.

Transfer rules

In general, orchids do not need frequent replanting. A signal that it’s time to “move” to a new pot - the roots become crowded, the soil has become less porous, and a white coating is observed.

Orchids do not like to be disturbed, so you should always calculate the volume of the container and the quality of the substrate when planting.

Before replanting the plant, water it carefully (about a day in advance) so that the roots are more flexible. Old and dead roots are removed, and the cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

If the plant has grown too much, you can divide it, and a separate container with substrate should be prepared in advance for each part. It is mandatory to have drainage, as well as a special wire support for the orchid. The roots should be positioned freely, after which they are carefully sprinkled with substrate. The orchid must be tightly secured.

After replanting, the plant is provided with gentle conditions:

• remove from bright rays;
• provide coolness and the desired level of humidity.

It is not necessary to water in the first days; it is better to spray.

The watering regime must fully comply with the requirements of a particular type of orchid.

It is advisable to carry out all work with gloves, while replanting different types of orchids should be done with different gloves (so as not to spread possible diseases).

Reproduction

The most common method used for propagating orchids indoors is vegetative propagation. This can be done either by dividing the bush, cuttings, or using stem shoots (for a plant with pseudobulbs).

1. Reproduction by children. Such babies are formed on adventitious buds, as well as on peduncles. They are separated as soon as the children begin to form their own roots. This is how phalaenopsis is most often propagated.
2. Dividing the rhizomes of a bush. This option is usually used when transplanting plants. The root is cut into pieces with pruning shears, leaving several pseudobulbs on each section.
3. Division of a plant stem. Used in monopodial orchid species that do not form bulbs. In this case, carefully divide part of the plant stem so that aerial roots are present on each part. Place the divisions in the substrate.

ON A NOTE!

Such divisions take root best in sphagnum moss or wet sand in a special miniature greenhouse.

Bloom

Orchids usually bloom when they reach the age of 2 years, but only if they are provided with the right growing conditions.

When purchasing a plant in a specialized store, be sure to check the age of the flower.

In order to make an orchid bloom, it is often necessary to create a special temperature regime. Its peculiarity is the temperature difference between day and night. Usually the difference is up to 8 degrees.

Another trick: reducing watering for two weeks.

As soon as the orchid begins to form buds, watering is increased; many species also require a higher, stable temperature during this period. For flowering orchids, it is necessary to make supports so that the flower stalks do not break.

Typically, most orchids bloom for several months. Flowering can be either continuous or in stages. Everything is conditioned and depends on the plant variety, species, age.

During the flowering period, rearranging orchids is not allowed, as this may lead to the dropping of buds. It is recommended to maintain a stable watering regime, provide optimal lighting and temperature. If everything is done correctly, the orchid will bloom for a long time.

It is also recommended that during long-term flowering, fertilize the plant approximately once every 7-10 days. For this purpose, special means are used, in which potassium and phosphorus should predominate. All faded flowers are removed.

After the orchid has bloomed, the bare peduncle is carefully removed.

ON A NOTE!

After removing the peduncle, a small hole may remain. It is better to cover it with beeswax so that when watering, moisture does not get inside the orchid.

Only the dried peduncle is removed, but if it has a green end and has not withered, it is not touched. There is a chance that in the very near future it will begin to form buds again.

After flowering ends, the orchid goes into a dormant period. At this time, the plant can be replanted; it is also necessary to create special conditions for watering, lighting, and temperature. The dormant period lasts differently for all types of orchids, so it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each variety.

: 2 genera and 16 species, Southwest Asia

In the temperate zone, the orchid flora is much poorer than in tropical latitudes. The temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere account for only 75 genera (10% of the total) and 900 species (4.5%). Even fewer - 40 genera and 500 species - are found in the southern temperate zone. For the territory of Russia, together with the republics of the former Soviet Union, 419 species belonging to 49 genera are listed. Morphology Representatives of the family differ from almost all known flowering plants by the fusion of filaments of stamens, which can be one, two or very rarely three, with a column of gynoecium in the so-called column, or gynostemium - such a specific formation is found, in addition to orchids, only in representatives of the Rafflesiaceae family ( Rafflesiaceae). Flower formula: C a 3 C o 3 A 3 − 1 G (3) ¯ (\displaystyle \uparrow Ca_(3)\;Co_(3)\;A_(3-1)\;G_(\overline ((3))) ) androecium; fusion of pollen grains in anther nests into pollinia, which achieve a very complex structure; sharp zygomorphy of the flower, usually with the preservation of three tepals of the outer and three tepals of the inner circles of the perianth or with their partial or complete fusion; single-locular or very rarely three-locular ovary, consisting of three carpels. The ovary is inferior and contains a very large number of small ovules. Pollination mechanisms in orchids are very diverse and original. Typically, the purpose of pollination is the attachment of pollinia to the pollinating insect, which are then transferred to other flowers. In slippers, the lip is designed like a trap, once caught in which the insect involuntarily produces pollination. In orchis and lovebirds, an insect in search of nectar stumbles upon the sticky legs of pollinia, which are attached to its head in the form of horns. These horns bend in a few minutes so that the next time you visit the flower they land exactly on the stigma of the pistil. Ofris flowers imitate the appearance and smell of female solitary bees, attracting males of these insects as pollinators. In tropical catasetums, pollinia are shot towards the pollinating insect as soon as it touches the outgrowths of the column. The flowers of some orchids tremble when there is a gust of wind, imitating insect prey for the predator insects that pollinate their flowers; in others, the lip is movable, tipping the pollinator onto the anther; still others intoxicate insects with a specific smell, etc. Flowering of orchids lasts, as a rule, for several months. The formation of succulent, more or less shortened stems - the so-called pseudobulbs or tuberidia - is very characteristic. Features of the organization of the gynoecium Features of the organization of the androecium Among tropical species in greenhouse growing conditions, “long-livers” of 70 years or more are often observed. The sizes of orchids range from a few millimeters to 35 meters ( Vanilla planifolia). Based on the nature of the growth substrate, epiphytes, lithophytes and terrestrial orchids are distinguished. Most orchids are epiphytes. Lithophytes and terrestrial life forms form a much smaller group. They are distributed mainly in temperate latitudes. The nature of the relationship with mushrooms The embryo in mature orchid seeds is completely devoid of endosperm. The cells of a mature embryo contain only proteins and fat-like substances. Starch grains completely disappear from the cells of the embryo by the time it matures (Andronova, 1988). Thus, mature orchid seeds lack reserves of carbohydrates that provide energy for dividing cells. This determines the inability of seeds in the vast majority of orchid species to germinate independently without an influx of organic substances from the outside. Its germination and further post-seed development are entirely ensured by certain mycorrhizal fungi that penetrate the seeds. Sometimes, if the fungus turns out to be “stronger” than the orchid seed, it kills it, but more often the orchid and the fungus live in symbiosis. Some orchids have adapted to fungi so well that they can live underground without light, for example, a nest. Pollination system The pollination system of orchids is highly diverse both in pollination agents (pollinators) and in the methods of attracting the latter to flowers. Insects play the main role in the pollination of orchids. The main distinguishing feature of the orchid pollination system is the aggregation of all the pollen of the anther into compact masses of pollinia. For reliable attachment of pollinia to the body of pollinators and their successful transfer on the stigma, orchids have developed various mechanisms. Their main types were studied in detail and described by Charles Darwin (1884) in his remarkable work “Various Devices By Which Orchids Are Pollinated by Insects.” Of particular interest to researchers of the pollination system in orchids are methods of attracting (attracting) pollinators to flowers. Pollen collected in pollinia cannot be used by insects to feed their offspring. In addition, the vast majority of orchid species do not have nectar in their nectar-collecting structures (spurs). Therefore, pollinating insects are attracted to nectarless orchid flowers by various methods of deceptive attraction. In orchids, it is customary to distinguish the following main syndromes of deceptive attraction: sexual attraction(pseudocopulation), flower mimicry(flower mimicry), deception of inexperienced pollinators. This division is very arbitrary, since many orchid species often use several methods of deception at once. Sexual attraction Sexual pollinator attraction syndrome is currently known in a number of orchid genera of Euro-Asia ( Ophrys), Australia ( Caladenia , Chiloglottis, Cryptostylis, Drakaea etc.) and Central America. It has been studied in most detail in species of the genus Ophrys. Flower mimicry Floral mimicry is more widespread among nectarless orchids. In orchids with this pollinator attraction syndrome, flowers or their individual parts imitate in color/shape/surface texture the nectar-bearing flowers of other plants or other food substrates used by potential pollinators. Deception of inexperienced pollinators This syndrome was first described in explicit form by L. A. Nilsson (1980) in Dactylorhiza sambucina. Its characteristic features are: the bright searching appearance of flowers/inflorescences, the presence of bright false nectar indicators on the lip (in the form of a contrasting pattern and/or colored papillary outgrowths), a deep, well-developed spur. Features of fertilization After the first embryological studies of orchids, a hypothesis was put forward that they do not have double fertilization. The spread of this hypothesis was facilitated by the fact that endosperm is completely absent in mature orchid seeds. In orchids, cases of non-entry of the second sperm into the central cell of the embryo sac have been repeatedly noted. Often the second sperm comes into contact with the polar nuclei and forms, together with them, a nuclear complex in the central or basal part of the embryo sac (Navashin, 1951; Savina, 1972). However, in approximately one third of orchid species, the second sperm fusion with the central cell of the embryo sac and the formation of the primary endosperm cell is observed. Lifespan Hybridization The first artificial interspecific pollination was carried out by John Dominy. The first hybrid orchid was created in 1856 Calanthe dominii (Calanthe masuca × Calanthe furcata). John Dominy worked for twenty years and produced about 25 hybrids, including, in 1863, the first intergeneric hybrid Laeliocattleya exoniensis (Cattleya mossiae × Laelia crispa) . As of 2000, there were approximately 250,000 artificial orchid hybrids. Rules and recommendations for the nomenclature and registration of hybrids and varieties of orchids are based on the provisions of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and published in the reference book Nomenclature and Registration of Orchids. The name of a hybrid consists of three parts - the generic name (genus or hybrid genus), the name of the grex (English grex) and the name of the cultivar (clone) (written in quotation marks). For example: Paphiopedilum maudiae "Queen" ( Paphiopedilum lawrenceanum var. hyeanum × Paphiopedilum callosum var. sanderae). The names of intergeneric hybrids are created from the names of genera - crossing partners: Odontonia = Odontoglossum × Miltonia. Hybrids created using a large number of genera are sometimes named after the breeder: Vuylstekeara = Cochlioda × Miltonia × Odontoglossum(a hybrid registered in 1911, named after the Belgian horticulturist breeder C. Vuylsteke). One of the areas of breeding work is the production of polyploid hybrids, which are characterized by a relatively large flower size. The largest number of polyploid hybrids has been recorded among cattleyas, vandas, phalaenopsis, cymbidiums and Dendrobium bigibbum. Economic importance and application Orchids are known primarily as beautifully flowering ornamental plants and are favorite greenhouse plants. The species of the genera Cattleya, Dendrobium, and Phalaenopsis have gained particular popularity. see also American Orchid Society - American Society of Orchid Lovers. Notes For the conventionality of indicating the class of monocots as a superior taxon for the group of plants described in this article, see

This is the largest family among monocots, numbering about 750 genera and from 20,000 to 25,000 species (R.L. Dressler, 1981), and according to some data, much more - up to 800 genera and 35,000 species. Nature has generously endowed this family with extraordinary beauty and variety of flowers (see Tables 28 - 41), amazing people from ancient times to the present day. Poets dedicated poems to orchids, artists depicted them on their canvases, botanists gave them the names of goddesses and beauties.

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Orchids are cosmopolitan. They are found in almost every plant-inhabitable region of the earth, from Sweden and Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego and sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island in the south. But most of them are concentrated in tropical latitudes, especially in tropical America and Southeast Asia. Here, in areas with a short dry season and high rainfall, they find the most favorable conditions for their growth. According to R.L. Dressler (1981), 306 genera and 8266 species of orchids are found in tropical America, and 250 genera and 6800 species in tropical Asia. The uniqueness of the orchid flora on different continents is a characteristic feature of their distribution. Most species of such large genus as Dendrobium (1400 species), genera Coelogyne (200 species), Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis, 35 species), Vanda (60 species), etc. are confined to Asia. Tropical America is the homeland of such widely known in orchid culture, such as Cattleya (60 species), Epidendrum (Epidendrum., 500 species), Odontoglossum (200 species), etc. A large number of endemic genera and species are found in Africa, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. And only relatively few genera, like Bulbophyllum (over 1000 species), have a very wide distribution on different continents. In the temperate zone, the orchid flora is much poorer than in tropical latitudes. According to F. G. Briger (1971), the temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere account for only 75 genera (10% of the total) and 900 species (4.5%). Even fewer - 40 genera and 500 species - are found in the southern temperate zone. In all of Europe there are 120 species of orchids, in North America north of Mexico there are 170 species, while in eastern New Guinea alone there are over 1,450 species of orchids, in the small territory of Malaya there are 800 species, and in Colombia there are 1,300.

Orchids grow everywhere: from the slopes of the highest mountains to the forest expanses of the plains, from swamps and ponds to dry steppes and desert oases. In Colombia, some orchids live in the non-melting snow of the mountains; in Australia they grow underground. A wide variety of their species is observed in humid mountain forests, especially in the forests of the cloud and fog belt. Most orchids do not rise above 2000 m above sea level, but some are found at the top of the forest and even reach an altitude of 5000 m above sea level.

In temperate regions, orchids are perennial terrestrial herbs with underground rhizomes or tubers, usually modest and inconspicuous flowers. Sometimes they are not immediately noticeable on forest edges and clearings, in thickets of bushes, deciduous and coniferous forests, and sometimes they stand out sharply with bright candles of inflorescences among the greenery of flat and mountain meadows and swamps. Some of the orchid species of the temperate and tropical zones belong to common genera and are similar in appearance. These are Germinium, Liparis, Malaxis, etc. etc. But most tropical species bear little resemblance to their modest counterparts from the temperate zone, primarily because a significant part of them are epiphytes.

The stems of terrestrial and especially epiphytic orchids are most often characterized by sympodial growth. The plant is a system of perennial shoots, the plagiotropic (horizontal) parts of which form a rhizome, usually covered with scale-like leaves, and the orthotropic (vertical) parts with normal and scale-like leaves rise above the substrate. The upper scale-like leaves of the rhizomes bear renewal buds that grow into a new shoot when the growth of the main shoot stops as a result of the formation of the apical inflorescence or the death of the apical bud.

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Monopodial growth is much less common in orchids (a simplified diagram of both types of growth is shown in Figure 135). Some species with slow monopodial growth, for example from the genus Phalaenopsis (Table 35, 2), have a short stem with leaves close together. In others, with unlimited growth of the main axis, characteristic of a monopodium, the stem can grow very long. Such plants are unable to maintain a vertical position and switch to a climbing lifestyle. True climbing orchids are characteristic of the tropical genera Vanda (Vanda, table 38, 3), apaxнuc (Arachnis), oncidium (Oncidium, table 37, 5; 41, 1), etc. The stems of these plants grow upward to a considerable height, developing a large number of aerial roots that strengthen plants on a support with the help of root hairs, which they form in contact with the substrate. In this way, epiphytic plants reach the tops of trees and bring their flowers into the light. Root-climbing orchids also include representatives of the genus Vanilla, including the well-known vine, V. planifolia, grown in cultivation (Fig. 154). Vanilla internodes elongate greatly before the leaves develop. The developed leaves are spaced obliquely from the stem and, like hooks, secure the shoot to the tree. Then, from the side opposite to the leaf: the node develops towards the substrate along one fast-growing aerial root, which all together, tightly clinging to the support, advance the vine in the crown of the tree.

The appearance of epiphytic orchids, to which a significant part of tropical species belong, is very diverse: from tiny plants with inconspicuous flowers, barely visible on the branches of trees, such as, for example, species of the Asian-Australian genus Taeniophyllum or the Central American Platystele jungermannioides. , to lush large-leaved and crush-flowered representatives of the American genus Oncidium with hanging inflorescences several meters long. The traveler passes by some of them indifferently or without noticing, while others make him stop in amazement. “It is hardly possible to imagine anything more beautiful,” wrote the German botanist W. Rauch (1902) about the Madagascar epiphyte Angraecum sesquipedale (Angraecum sesquipedale) (1902), “than a tree in a virgin forest, covered with a multitude of these majestic white long-spurred flowers, from which in the evening there is a strong aroma of vanilla.”

Epiphytic orchids can be found in areas with a smooth tropical climate without sharp seasonal changes, and in monsoon climates with a pronounced dry season. They settle in the trees of the rain forest and savannah, in mountain bushes and in cold forests of the cloud and fog belt, in bright sunlight and in deep shade, singly and in large colonies, hanging on tree branches above flowing water. Some of them enter into an alliance with tree ants and grow on their nests at the tops of trees in “ant gardens,” protected from all attacks (including botanists) by their warlike friends.

The seeds of these plants contain drops of oil, and the thickened stems are sometimes hollow with holes at the base through which ants crawl.

Most epiphytic orchids can grow on different trees, and also on rocks, but some have a strict adherence to one species. Thus, of the 3,000 tree species in the Philippines, Schiller's phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis schillerana, table 35, 2) most often chooses a tree from the linden family - diplodiscus paniculala, and Cymbidiella humblotii in Madagascar always grows in humus-filled crevices at the base of the leaves of the palm tree, raffia farinifera. But no matter how large the range of habitat conditions of epiphytic orchids is, they almost never go beyond the tropics. The northernmost epiphytic orchid of the Western Hemisphere is considered to be Epidendrum conopseum, found in beech and magnolia forests in the southeast of North America, and in the eastern hemisphere, in Japan (Honshu Island), dendrobium species are found at the same latitudes. Even further north, at 39° N. sh., in the same place, in Japan, Saccolabium matsuran grows.

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All epiphytes develop aerial roots (Fig. 136), covered with a thick layer of hygroscopic tissue from dead cells filled with air and capable of absorbing not only rainwater, but also morning dew and simply moisture from the atmosphere, like blotting paper. Sometimes part of the aerial roots (in oncidiums, for example) forms a kind of beard hanging from trees, or dense plexuses, similar to nests in which humus collects. The more powerful and thicker ones in climbing orchids - vanda or angrekum - can reach the ground and function as normal roots. To survive unfavorable periods, epiphytes shed their leaves partially or completely and, in addition, store water in succulent leaves and stems. But their main water-storing organs are the thickened apical parts of the stem segments, which often have the shape of bulbs and are called pseudobulbs (less commonly above-ground or aerial tubers, tuberidia, etc.). One or more internodes turn into a pseudobulb, and sometimes the entire orthotropic part of the shoot becomes thickened (single-membered and multi-membered pseudobulbs are shown in Figure 135). Pseudobulbs vary in size from small, about the size of a pinhead (bulbophyllum species), to spherical, about the size of a child’s head (in Peristeria elata). In shape they can be spindle-shaped, round, elongated, flat like cakes, or cylindrical. They consist of soft mucus-containing tissues, and are covered on the outside with thick-walled epidermis, which reduces evaporation. Some bulbophyllums have a cavity at the top of the pseudobulb with a lateral opening closed by a scaly leaf. The cavity contains stomata, through which gas exchange with the atmosphere occurs, and the pseudobulb can function as a photosynthetic organ. Pseudobulbs and tuberous thickenings of stems hidden in the substrate are also developed by many terrestrial orchids growing in monsoon climates with dry periods, and even by some orchids of the temperate zone, such as Calypso (Calypso, Fig. 137). In a number of other species of the temperate zone and subtropics (Orchis - Orchis, Ophrys, Lyubka - Platanthera, Diuris - Diuris, etc.), the storage function is performed by similar formations of root nature - underground root tubers. In the Australian diuris and Corysanthes, these tubers are formed on stolons extending from a vertical shoot and growing first horizontally underground, and then bending to the surface. In places of bending, the growth point of the root is differentiated, which is then transformed into a tuber. Orchis, Lyubka, and Ophrys have 2 tubers underground (Fig. 138). One wilting, soft, whose nutrients are used by this year's above-ground shoots and which darkens and dies by the end of the season. The second is young and hard, with parenchyma filled with carbohydrates. It sinks into the soil with the help of a stolon and a shoot grows from it next year. According to A. Kerner von Marilaup (1891), the location of orchid tubers underground characterizes the level of soil freezing in Central Europe. In many other orchids, rhizomes, leaves, and roots thickened in various ways can also serve as storage organs.

Most terrestrial and epiphytic orchids are autotrophic plants with green leaves that undergo photosynthesis. In some epiphytic orchids, green stems, flowers, and often aerial roots also photosynthesize. In species of phalaenopsis, leafless tenaiophyllum and many others, the roots are the main photosynthetic organs. They are flat, green and, creeping along the substrate, reach a considerable length. In many orchids with succulent leaves, the stomata are open only at night, when air humidity is higher and large amounts of water are not lost through the open stomata. Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere saturated with it enters the plant tissue and is stored there in the form of lactic acid. During the day, it is released and used in photosynthesis, which occurs when the stomata are closed. But among epiphytic and terrestrial orchids, there are a considerable number of species that have completely lost the ability to photosynthesize and become mycotrophic. Symbiosis with endophytic fungi is characteristic of all orchids at an early stage of development (this will be discussed below), but only some of them are completely dependent on fungi throughout their entire lives. Such orchids that have lost their green leaves settle on rotting organic residues, which they, however, are not able to assimilate themselves and from which they extract the compounds they need with the help of fungi. Fungal hyphae penetrate the living cells of roots and rhizomes and are partially digested by the plant, which assimilates the carbohydrates they contain.

Most saprophytic (or, more accurately, mycotrophic) orchids are not very large plants, such as Lecanorchis species, a common saprophyte in Southeast Asia, with thin and rather fragile stems. But some are 1 m or more long, and species of Galeola, a climbing saprophytic orchid common from the Eastern Himalayas to Australia, reach a length of 40 m and, like vanilla, raise their brown stems with reddish scales high on trees and rooftops. leaves.

Mycotrophic orchids include two remarkable Australian species: Rhizanthella gardneri and Cryptanthemis slateri. Both of these orchids are leafless and rootless and live underground. They were discovered by accident (while farmers were clearing and plowing areas of their land) - Rizantella in 1928, and Cryptantemis three years later. Cryptantemis, a small orchid with white flowers located underground at a depth of 2 cm, has not been discovered by anyone else since then and may have already disappeared, and a colony of Risantella, after a long break, was found again in 1979, 30 miles from Perth and taken into custody. This colony consists of very small plants bearing heads of tiny succulent red flowers enclosed in a wrapper of creamy bracts at the top of fragile and succulent underground stems. Externally, the inflorescences resemble those of a daisy or other asteraceae. Side branches with underdeveloped flowers extend underground from the rhizomes. Risantella blooms underground, but close to the soil surface. As the bracts elongate, they push up a thin layer of fallen leaves and soil, forming a noticeable mound on the surface of the soil, and eventually the flower and fruit set are carried into the air, where the capsules ripen and disperse the seeds. Risantella flowers emit a sweetish smell that attracts some kind of pollinators living in the soil, according to the assumption of P. Bernhard (1980), beetles. The beetles apparently crawl through the holes between the bracts into the inflorescence, and, trying to find a way out, attach and carry away the pollinni.

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Mycotrophic orchids are also not uncommon in our latitudes. In the shady coniferous and deciduous forests of temperate Eurasia, you can often find flower shoots of yellowish-brown flowers with a honey smell (Neottia nidusavis, Fig. 139, Table 30, 1). Its underground part consists of a rhizome, overgrown with many intertwined thick roots, forming something like a bird's nest. The rhizome serves as a storage organ and, like the roots, is partly infected with a fungus that supplies the plant with carbohydrates and nitrogen from humus. It takes about 10 years for the rhizome to form, only after that it throws out a short-lived flower arrow. The inflorescence does not always manage to break through the soil and litter, and flowers on such a curved arrow wrapped around itself sometimes develop directly in the humus layer. And seeds sometimes germinate directly in a capsule that does not come to the surface. In the three-notch frogwort (Corallorhiza trifida, table 30, 2) and the fragile yellow-stemmed leafless beetroot (Epipogium aphyllum), rare forest and marsh mycotrophic orchids of the northern temperate zone, the underground part is a branched rhizome, in the frogwort it is coral-shaped, and in the bellweed it also has branching rhizomes. from it by stolons, from the terminal buds of which new plants develop (Fig. 139).

Plants with green leaves are often infected with fungi. In Goodyera repens, for example, the entire underground system is often entwined with fungus. What the role of the fungus is in this case remains unclear. According to the assumption of E. Holtum (1953), the fungus, possibly decomposing humus, supplies the plant with mineral salts, from the lack of which epiphytes especially suffer and without which they cannot build complex organic compounds. And, perhaps, “in exchange” the plant shares with the fungi some of the carbohydrates it synthesizes.

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The fungus invades the peripheral zone of the embryo or roots and rhizomes (in adult orchids), but does not penetrate beyond this zone. It is assumed that the fungus-free growth zones of the embryo and the cells of the root tubers secrete some substances with a selective fungicidal effect that do not allow the fungal threads to penetrate inside. They do not penetrate into the inner parts of the rhizome and root bark due to the presence of layers of large, large-nucleated, phagocyte-like cells that digest fungal threads. As a result of digestion, the mushroom loses its structure, only a shapeless mushroom mass remains in the cells, and the released organic substances are used by the plant: The possibility of direct exchange of substances between two symbionts through undisturbed fungal membranes cannot be ruled out.

According to J. Magru (1949), it is infection with the fungus that causes that special growth method characteristic of orchid roots and embryos, leading to the formation of tubers, and this phenomenon is nothing more than a latent fungal disease that has become necessary for their development. According to W. Stern (1900), an orchid consists of two plants and “wears beautiful” clothes above, but depends on an invisible servant below.”

The orchid family has many unique features that distinguish it from other families of flowering plants, both in the structure of reproductive and vegetative organs. As already mentioned, the roots of orchid adventitious plants are covered with spongy tissue, which is formed as a result of repeated cell divisions of the epidermis parallel to the surface. Due to the presence of air in the cells, this protective cover (velamen) is white or gray. Blue-green algae sometimes settle in velamena, probably fixing nitrogen. The roots have developed mechanical tissue; they are difficult to rupture and remain supported even if the velamen is destroyed. The roots of both terrestrial and epiphytic orchids sometimes thicken and change due to the development of water-storing tissue in them or become flattened due to the assumption of the function of photosynthesis.

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Orchid leaves are simple, thin or fleshy, vaginal or stem-encompassing, alternate, two-rowed, and sometimes opposite, often with a pronounced articulation of the leaf blade and leaf sheath. They are very different in shape and size: from the rather rare large rounded (in the Australian nervilia - Nervilia), deep-lobed (acianthe - Acianthe) or long strap-shaped (in many terrestrial orchids with monopodial growth) and even cylindrical (in the brassavola - Brassavola) to very small scale-like, barely visible through a magnifying glass (in some species of bulbophyllum, teniyophyllum). The Australian spiral thelymitra (Thelymitra spiralis) has curly leaves. Most of the leaves are green, but there are also variegated Anectochilus orchids - Anoectochilus, table. 39, 2, phalaenopsis species, etc.). The leaves are located either at the top of the pseudobulb, one at a time (in bulbophyllum) or several, or extend from the lateral nodes of the stem. There are usually two types of leaves on the shoot: scale-like and normal. Sometimes the leaves are close together on a short stem or even form a rosette. The plant usually sheds its thin leaves during the dry season, thick and leathery ones last for several years, in some species of the genus Vanda (Table 38, 3) - up to 15. As an echo of the tropical nature of orchids, one can consider the fact that in the temperate zone the leaves of some orchids disappear under the snow, green (for example, the leaves of goodyera repens or the single leaf of calypso and rosettes of leaves of orchis and ophrys species that form in autumn).

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Orchid inflorescences develop either after the formation of leaves and pseudobulbs, or precede them, or appear simultaneously with them. They are located apically on the shoot or formed in the axils of the leaves of the main shoot, and most higher orchids have lateral inflorescences. Monopodial orchids always have lateral inflorescences. The main type of inflorescence, characteristic of orchids, is a raceme, with flowers in the axils of the bracts, with pedicels, often imperceptibly passing into the ovary. The brush undergoes various changes. As a result of a strong shortening of its axis, a false umbrella appears (in the decorated cirrhopetalum - Cirrhopetalum ornatissimum, table 37, 2, 41, 5). When the peduncles are shortened without shortening the axis, spike-shaped inflorescences of orchis, nests, etc. appear. When the axis is flattened and thickened, the capitate inflorescences of some tropical species of Malaxis or other types of cirropetalum develop. When the axis twists in a helical manner, spiral-shaped inflorescences of Spiranthes appear. Often the inflorescence branches paniculately and reaches large sizes. The American volvox oncidium (Oncidium volvox) has a record size of inflorescence - up to 5 m. Sometimes, as a result of reduction, only one side branch with a single flower or only one flower in a raceme develops in the inflorescence - then they speak of “single” orchid flowers.

The structure of the orchid flower is based on the three-membered lily type, which has undergone a reduction in the number of parts and significant changes in their structure. The basic plan of the structure of flowers of different groups of orchids, demonstrating gradual changes from the lily type to a single-stamen flower, is presented in Figure 141. The flowers have 3 sepals, often petal-shaped, usually similar to each other, but sometimes 2 lateral or 1 dorsal differ from the others in shape; occasionally 2 or all 3 sepals grow together. Of the 3 petals in the vast majority of orchids, the middle one is very different from the rest, has a specific function in pollination and is called the lip (labellum). The lip, which is usually larger than other members of the perianth, can be entire, lobed, fringed, dissected into many thin filaments, divided into 3 parts of different shapes (epichily, mesochylium, hypochily). Its surface can be smooth or with various outgrowths, papillae, warts, and ridges. In addition, the lip often bears a nectary in the form of a spur or longitudinal groove or pit. The structure of the lip is so unique that some scientists attribute to it a complex origin as a result of the fusion of different elements of the flower. Ch. Darwin (1862) considered it to have arisen by the growth of one petal and two petal-shaped stamens of the outer circle, and some modern authors, like E. Nelson (1967), believe that the median petal fell out, and the lip is the result of the fusion of three members of the androecium belonging to different circles.

Of the 6 two-circular stamens characteristic of liliaceae, a few primitive orchids still retain 3, of which 1 stamen of the outer circle and 2 stamens of the inner circle (neuwiedia), or only 2 fertile stamens of the inner circle (Paphiopedilum), in all In other orchids, only one stamen of the outer circle functions. In single-stamen orchids, a single stamen is combined with a style and stigma into a single structure called a column or gynostemium. In more primitive orchids, such as nevidia, apostasia, the stamens and styles are not yet completely fused and have clearly defined free areas at the top. Cypripedium and related genera also have free areas, but they are shorter, and a highly developed staminode hangs over the stigma, arising from that stamen of the outer circle that is fertile in single-stamen orchids.

The column is the most characteristic diagnostic feature of orchids. Another important feature is the structure of their pollen. In the vast majority of single-stamen orchids, tetrads of pollen grains are combined into more or less dense masses - pollinia, which can be mealy, waxy or completely hard horny consistency. The number of pollinia varies from 2 to 4, 6 and 8 and is a systematic feature. Each pollinium contains hundreds of thousands of pollen grains.

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The ovary of orchids is inferior and in single-stamens it is 1-locular with parietal placentation, in most others it is 3-locular with angular placentation. A feature of the orchid ovary is its twisting (resupination) during development. As a result, by the end of budding, the flower turns 180° so that the lip, in the bud facing the axis of the inflorescence, is located below and outside in a position convenient for insects (Fig. 142). Turning a flower with its lip down can also be done as a result of twisting the peduncle or drooping it. Not all orchids need resupination: in those that have long peduncles hanging down, like stangopea species (Stanhopea, table 38, 1, 2), or inflorescences hanging down, the lip is initially in the desired position. But if you tie the inflorescence with the axis up, the flowers turn downwards with their lips within 24 hours. However, in a considerable number of species the lip is turned upward during the entire flowering period, resupination does not occur, and this is due to the peculiar methods of their pollination. It also happens that the lip occupies the upper position as a result of twisting the ovary by 360°. In some orchids, the twisting process also involves the column. As the fruit ripens, the ovary gradually unwinds in the opposite direction.

Orchid fruits are capsules that vary in size: from long, fleshy pod-like ones in vanilla to small, dry ones in most other genera. In most cases, the boxes open with three or six longitudinal slits, while the flaps remain connected at the top or diverge. In some species, the capsules open with only two or even one slot, and sometimes the seeds are released when the capsule rots.

It takes from 2 to 18 months for seeds to ripen. Unusually small and numerous seeds with an undifferentiated embryo are another characteristic feature of orchids. In most genera they are equipped with a reticulate, loose air-filled shell (Fig. 143), but in representatives of the genus Vanilla and related genera the shell is dense, hard, adjacent to the embryo. Like the finest dust, orchid seeds are carried by the wind over long distances. Most of them die, since the meeting with the symbiont fungus necessary for germination does not occur very often. Only in some species (Bletilla hyacintha, Sobralia macrantha), which have a differentiated embryo, germination can occur without the participation of the fungus.

The classification of orchids is based mainly on the structure of their column. The newest system of orchids was recently developed by the American scientist R. L. Dressler (1981) in his book “Orchids. Natural history and classification". He divides the orchid family into 6 subfamilies: Apostasioideae, Cypripedioideae, Orchidoideae, Spiranthoideae, Epidendroideae and Vandoideae. Most modern authors prefer the division of orchids into 3 more clearly defined subfamilies - Apostasiaceae, Cypripediaceae (two-stamens) and orchids proper (single-stamens), with the division of the last subfamily into smaller units.

Life of plants: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by A. L. Takhtadzhyan, editor-in-chief, corresponding member. USSR Academy of Sciences, prof. A.A. Fedorov. 1974. Biological encyclopedic dictionary

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