A family of extraordinary variety - in forms, colors and sizes, distribution and way of life. The exquisite beauty has millions of pilgrims for them to write books, journals, to do exhibitions, auctions expeditions. They befriend people from around the world. Botanists estimated number of orchid species around 25-30 thousand (with a similar number in the plant world are the only composite). Orchid family (Orchidaceae). Order Orchidales there to 750 genera and practically cosmopolitan - from the tundra of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, from coastal area to the snow line, and two Australian species are fully adapted to an underground lifestyle.

A family of extraordinary variety - in forms, colors and sizes, distribution and way of life. The exquisite beauty has millions of pilgrims for them to write books, journals, to do exhibitions, auctions expeditions. They befriend people from around the world.

Botanists estimated number of orchid species around 25-30 thousand (with a similar number in the plant world are the only composite). Orchid family (Orchidaceae). Order Orchidales there to 750 genera and practically cosmopolitan - from the tundra of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, from coastal area to the snow line, and two Australian species are fully adapted to an underground lifestyle.

In temperate latitudes the species of the family are of modest size and tiny, not very noticeable color and only the careful observer can assess the beauty of orchis (Orchis) or Pchelitsa orchid (Ophrys).
Over 90% of species diversity is concentrated in tropical regions. The majority of orchids are here Epiphyte - ie plants that grow attached to the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs. This lifestyle has led to a number of devices: numerous, very small.
light seeds that are spread by wind, fleshy stems or leaves, which helps to overcome periods of drought, roots gabchest coated with a layer of dead cells (velamen) and others.

Typical is the device of colors. Orchid plants and are Monocotyledon okolotsvetni have six pieces of paper in two rounds. The three external (chashelistcheta) are similar in shape, while one of the three inner (petals) strongly differs in form and function than others. It usually takes part in pollination - mostly by landing on oprashitelya and is called the lip (labelum).

Most orchids have one stamen fruit only in five stamens are two genera, and in one - three. Staminal handle connate with stalk of pistil into a single structure called the column. Pollen was separated into compact masses called Polinel. Structure of the column and Polinel underlie the division of the subfamily and genus.