Spermatophyta: Monocotyledonae: Asparagales

Orchidaceae - Orchid family

Ball, J.S. (1978) Southern African Epiphytic Orchids. Conservation Press, Johannesburg.

Ball, J.S. (2009) Terrestrial African Orchids, A Selected Review.

Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993) Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 47-71

La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995) Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1)

La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998) Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2)

La Croix, I. et al. (1991) Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam

McMurtry, D., Grobler, L., Grobler, J. & Burns, S. (2008) Field Guide to the ORCHIDS of Northern South Africa and Swaziland Umdaus Press, PO Box 11059 Hatfield 0028 South Africa

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1976) A Provisional Checklist of the Orchidaceae of Mozambique South African Journal of Botany 42(4)

Description of the family

Perennial, terrestrial or epiphytic herbs with rhizomes, tubers or corms. Stems sometimes swollen at the base (pseudobulbs). Leaves alternate or rarely opposite (e.g. some spp. of Disperis), entire. Inflorescence a spike, raceme or panicle. Flowers bracteate, bisexual, zygomorphic, usually twisted through 180° (resupinate), occasionally not twisted or twisted through 360°. Perianth epigynous; perianth segments 6, usually free, arranged in 2 whorls; both whorls similar or outer whorl (sepals) calyx-like and inner whorl (petals) corolla-like or very reduced. Central segment of outer whorl (dorsal sepal) often different in shape and size to the lateral; central segment of inner whorl (lip or labellum) often lobed or spurred. Stamen 1, united with the style to form the column. Pollen aggregated into masses (pollinia). Ovary inferior, 1-locular. Stigmas 3, fertile or more usually 2 lateral fertile, the other an outgrowth (rostellum), lying between the anthers and the lateral stigmas. Part of the rostellum is often modified into sticky discs (viscidia) to which the pollinia are attached by 1-2 stalks (stipes). Whole structure of pollinia, stipes and viscidia form the pollinarium. Fruit a capsule, often longitudinally ribbed. Seeds minute, very numerous, without endosperm.

Worldwide: 788 genera and 18,500 species, cosmopolitan.

Zimbabwe: 2 cultivated genera and 2 cultivated taxa.

Ansellia africana

Links to cultivated genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Ansellia Lindl.Description, Image
Dendrobium Sw.Image

Other sources of information about Orchidaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Orchidaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Orchidaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Orchidaceae
Flora of Malawi: Orchidaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Orchidaceae
Flora of Zambia: Orchidaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Orchidaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Orchidaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Orchidaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Orchidaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Orchidaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Orchidaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Orchidaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Orchidaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Orchidaceae
Wikipedia: Orchidaceae
Plants of the World Online: Orchidaceae
Tropicos: Orchidaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Family page: Orchidaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/family.php?family_id=161, retrieved 19 March 2024

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