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Orchids are the biggest family of plants. There are about 30 000 wild growing species. And about double that number of hybrids, that mean cross-breeding. It is believed, that orchids are the youngest family of plants.

Orchid flowers have got 6 petals, 3 outer and 3 inner. These can be partly embittered, or missing at all. One of the inner petals is very different to the others and formed to a lip.

In the middle of the flower there is standing a club-shaped pillar, the grown together male and female sexual organs. This pillar is unique to orchids.

Ripe seed capsules of orchids mostly contain to a million of smallest grains of seed. For germing of the seed it is necessary that very special fungus are Comic Sans MS . Therefore, and other reasons, it is very very hard to groom orchids from seed.

To orchids belong plants, which are very tiny, just some centimeters, with flowers like pin heads, but also plants of a height of several meters with very large flowers.

Orchids are growing nearly everywhere in the world, from arctic regions to tropic regions; in tropic regions we find most of the species because of the good growing conditions. Orchids are growing from sea level up to 4800 meters.

Orchids in general are growing in two different forms: a sneaking shaped root-stock, with standing bulbous sprouts, having just some leaves on the top. Flowers are also coming from the top.

The second growing form is without a root-stock, just an upstanding sprout with a lot of leaves. The flowers are coming out between the leaves.

Orchids up to now could not be sorted into a natural system, showing their relationship to other plants.

There are about 750 - 1000 orchid families. For about 650 families I found information's in my books.

A lot of orchids have got wonderful flowers; but there are also orchids growing below the surface, without chlorophyll, also just flowering below the surface. It was found out, that these are pollinated by tiny flies finding their way to the flowers through tiny cracks in the surface.

It is very difficult to classify orchids. Even in the same family they are often looking so different, that it is hard or impossible to classify them. Therefore it is not possible to post a picture showing how a family looks like.

This orchid-site is very large, so it always is possible that I have to change, add, remove something. You should have a new look on the site from time to time.

If you are interested in orchids, you should visit an orchid grower in your area. You will find a lot of different orchids there, as well as help when you have got problems.

And .....please buy a good book about orchids; with tips how to grow your plants.

Orchids are to pretty to die!

If you have got a picture helping me to complete the Orchid-Site, I would be happy if you would e-mail me a copy of it.

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last modified: 2008-01-01