Family · Monocots
Orchidaceae
Orchids (largest plant family)
The largest plant family: orchids, many epiphytic, with intricate pollinator-specific flowers.
- Accepted species
- 31,892accepted names · Kew WCVP
- Genera
- 728accepted genera · Kew WCVP
- Origin
- ≈60 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
- Centre of diversity
- Southern Americamost native species · WGSRPD
Open Orchidaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.›
Plants you might know
- Phalaenopsis
- Cattleya
- Vanilla
- Ophrys
Largest genera
Bulbophyllum2,220 spp.
Epidendrum1,901 spp.
Dendrobium1,622 spp.
Stelis1,342 spp.
Lepanthes1,233 spp.
Habenaria933 spp.
Maxillaria668 spp.
Masdevallia665 spp.
Pleurothallis606 spp.
Coelogyne600 spp.
Liparis447 spp.
Oncidium372 spp.
Caladenia327 spp.
Pterostylis321 spp.
Acianthera305 spp.
Crepidium305 spp.
Calanthe292 spp.
Eulophia288 spp.
Telipogon278 spp.
Oberonia267 spp.
Microchilus263 spp.
Taeniophyllum252 spp.
Polystachya251 spp.
Catasetum244 spp.
Cattleya243 spp.
Angraecum224 spp.
Phreatia221 spp.
Cyrtochilum215 spp.
Thrixspermum204 spp.
Encyclia201 spp.
Sobralia197 spp.
Disa190 spp.
Cynorkis181 spp.
Pinalia176 spp.
Platanthera175 spp.
Malaxis172 spp.
Octomeria171 spp.
Corybas162 spp.
Elleanthus158 spp.
Ophrys156 spp.
Appendicula155 spp.
Glomera155 spp.
Ceratostylis153 spp.
Dracula151 spp.
Prasophyllum150 spp.
Paphiopedilum145 spp.
Gomesa137 spp.
Agrostophyllum135 spp.
Prosthechea135 spp.
Pabstiella132 spp.
Vanilla130 spp.
Dichaea127 spp.
Thelymitra126 spp.
Platystele124 spp.
Anathallis117 spp.
Specklinia117 spp.
Trichocentrum115 spp.
Gastrodia114 spp.
Cymbidium111 spp.
Cleisostoma107 spp.
The 668 smaller genera are in the interactive tree.
Where it grows
- Southern America15,105
- Asia-Tropical9,693
- Africa2,902
- Asia-Temperate2,226
- Australasia1,626
- Northern America1,549
- Europe626
- Pacific566
- Antarctic6
Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.
Related families
Orchidaceae sits in the order Asparagales.
- AsparagaceaeAsparagus, agave, hyacinth, hosta3,628
- IridaceaeIrises, crocus, gladiolus, freesia2,632
- AmaryllidaceaeAmaryllis, daffodil, onion, garlic2,571
- AsphodelaceaeAloe, daylily, red-hot poker1,269
- HypoxidaceaeStar grasses166
- Asteliaceae37
- TecophilaeaceaeChilean blue crocus27
- BoryaceaePincushion lilies13
- IxioliriaceaeSiberian lily5
- BlandfordiaceaeChristmas bells4
- DoryanthaceaeSpear lilies2
- XeronemataceaePoor Knights lily2
- LanariaceaeCape edelweiss1