Orchidaceae (orchid family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales

There are about 800 genera and 20 000 (cosmopolitan, but mainly in moist regions), of which 52 genera and about 466 species are indigenous to southern Africa An additional 102 genera and 413 species are cultivated in the region.

Genera indigenous to southern Africa

List from Kurzweil (2000).

Acampe Ten species (Old World tropics, mainly Asia) of which one, Acampe pachyglossa, is indigenous to southern Africa (Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Swaziland). An additional species from India and Sri Lanka, Acampe praemorsa, is cultivated in the region.
Acrolophia Seven species, endemic to southern Africa.
Aerangis About 50 species (Africa and Mascarene Islands), of which five are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional six species are cultivated in the region.
Angraecum About 200 species (Africa, Madagascar and Mascarene Islands, Sri Lanka), of which six are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional seven species are cultivated in the region.
Ansellia One species: Ansellia africana (tropical Africa through to southern Africa).
Bartholina Two species, endemic to southern Africa (S Namibia, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape).
Bolusiella Five species (tropical and southern Africa), of which one, Bolusiella maudiae, is indigenous to southern Africa.
Bonatea Twenty species (Arabian Peninsula to E Africa to southern Africa), of which 10 are indigenous to southern Africa.
Brachycorythis Thirty-three species (Africa and tropical Asia) of which seven are indigenous to southern Africa (summer rainfall regions).
Brownleea Seven species (Africa and Madagascar), of which five are indigenous to southern Africa.
Bulbophyllum About 1000 species (world tropics and subtropics), of which four are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional seven species are cultivated in the region.
Calanthe About 200 species (Asia, Australasia and Madagascar), of which one, Calanthe sylvatica, is indigenous to southern Africa.
Centrostigma Three species (south tropical Africa), of which one, Centrostigma occultans, is indigenous to southern Africa (Northern Province and Mpumalanga).
Ceratandra Six species, endemic to Western Cape and Eastern Cape.
Cheirostylis About 22 species (Old World tropics and subtropics) of which one, Cheirostylis gymnochiloides, is indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).
Corycium The fourteen species are all indigenous to southern Africa but the genus is distributed as far north as Malawi and Tanzania.
Corymborkis Five species (Old and New World tropics), with one species, Corymborkis corymbis, indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) and Eastern Cape.
Cynorkis About 125 species (Madagascar, Mascarene Islands, Africa), with two species indigenous to southern Africa.
Cyrtorchis About 16 species (Africa), with two species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional two species are cultivated in the region.
Diaphananthe About 50 species (tropical and subtropical Africa), with four species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional four species are cultivated in the region.
Didymoplexis About 20 species (mainly Asian tropics, also Africa), with one species, Didymoplexis verrucosa, indigenous to southern Africa.
Disa About 162 species (Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar and Mascarene Islands), with 131 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Disperis About 84 species (Africa, Madagascar, East Asia), with 26 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Dracomonticola One species, Dracomonticola virginea, found in rock crevices and grassy ledges in the Drakensberg (KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho).
Eulophia About 250 species (pantropical), with 42 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Evotella One species, Evotella rubiginosa, endemic to the Western Cape and regarded as rare.
Gastrodia About 17 species (Old World tropics and subtropics), with one species, Gastrodia sesamoides, occurring in the Western Cape and suspected of being accidentally introduced (from where?).
Habenaria About 800 species (tropics and subtropics), with 35 species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional species is cultivated in the region.
Holothrix About 55 species (Africa and Arabian Peninsula), with 23 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Huttonaea Five species, endemic to southern Africa.
Jumellea About 45 species (mainly Madagascar and Mascarene Islands, also Africa), with one species, Jumellea filicornoides, indigenous to southern Africa. An additional two species cultivated in the region.
Liparis About 250 species (cosmopolitan), with four species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional three species are cultivated in the region.
Microcoelia About 27 species (Africa and Madagascar), with two species indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal). An additional species is cultivated in the region.
Mystacidium About nine species (southern and south-central Africa), with seven species indigenous to southern Africa.
Neobolusia Three species (eastern, central and southern Africa), with one species, Neobolusia tysonii, indigenous to southern Africa.
Nervilia About 60 species (Africa, Asia and Australia), with five species indigenous to southern Africa.
Oberonia About 100 species (mainly Asian tropics, also Australasia and Africa), with one species, Oberonia disticha, indigenous to southern Africa.
Oeceoclades Thirty-one species (pantropical), with three species indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).
Pachites Two rare species, endemic to the Western Cape.
Platylepis About 10 species (African and Mascarene Islands), with one species, Platylepis glandulosa, indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).
Polystachya About 200 species (mainly Africa, also Asian, Australasian and American tropics), with 11 species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional six species are cultivated in the region.
Pterygodium Eighteen species (southern Africa plus one species from East Africa), with 17 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Rangaeris Six species (tropical and subtropical Africa, with one species, Rangaeris muscicola, indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape). An additional species, Rangaeris amaniensis, is cultivated in the region.
Satyrium About 88 species (Africa, to East Asia), with 37 species indigenous to southern Africa.
Schizochilus Eleven species (eastern and southern Africa), with eight species indigenous to southern Africa.
Schizodium Six species, endemic to South Africa (Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape).
Solenangis Five species (tropical Africa, Madagascar, Mascarene Islands), with one species, Solenangis aphylla, indigenous to southern Africa.
Stenoglottis Four species all of which are indigenous to southern Africa, with one of them extending northwards to Tanzania.
Tridactyle About 42 species (sub-Saharan Africa), with four species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional four species are cultivated in the region.
Vanilla About 100 species (tropics), with one species, Vanilla roscheri, indigenous to southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal). In addition, the plant used as the natural source of vanilla, Vanilla planifolia (which originates from Central and South America), is cultivated in the region.
Ypsilopus Four species (East Africa through to southern Africa), with one species, Ypsilopus erectus, indigenous to southern Africa
Zeuxine About 76 species (Old World tropics and subtropics), with one species, Zeuxine africana, indigenous to southern Africa.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided for genera where only one species has been recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa.

Acriopsis javanica (Ruhini, Angrek darat) Indigenous from Thailand to Australia.
Aeranthes Three species cultivated.
Aerides Six species cultivated.
Angraecopsis amaniensis Indigenous to tropical Africa.
Angraecum Eight species cultivated.
Anguloa ruckerii Indigenous to Colombia.
Ania penangiana Indigenous from northeast India to Malaysia.
Anoectochilus formosanus Indigenous to Taiwan and Japan.
Ascocentrum Four species cultivated.
Ascoglossum calopterum Indigenous to New Guinea.
Bifrenaria inodora Indigenous to Brazil.
Bletia catenulata Indigenous from Colombia to Bolivia.
Bletilla Three species cultivated.
Bothriochilus Two species cultivated.
Brassavola Four species cultivated.
Brassia Four species cultivated.
Cadetia taylorii Indigenous to Australia.
Calyptrochilum christyanum Indigenous to tropical Africa.
Catasetum Two species cultivated.
Cattleya Eight species cultivated.
Chondrorhyncha amazonica Indigenous to tropical South America.
Cirrhopetalum sikkimense Indigenous to the eastern Himalayas.
Cochlioda noezliana Indigenous to Peru and Bolivia.
Coelogyne Five species cultivated.
Cribbia brachyceras Indigenous to tropical Africa.
Cryptophoranthus Two species cultivated.
Cryptopus elatus Indigenous to the Mascarene Islands.
Cymbidium Six species cultivated.
Cyperorchis Two species cultivated.
Cypripedium Three species cultivated
Cyrtopodium punctatum Indigenous from Costa Rica to Brazil.
Dendrobium Fifty-eight specis cultivated.
Dendrochilum glumaceum Indigenous to the Phillipines.
Dimerandra stenopetala
Diplocaulobium chrysotropis Indigenous to New Guinea.
Dracula Ten species cultivated.
Elleanthus wagenerii Indigenous to Venezuela.
Embreea rodigasiana Indigenous to Colombia and Ecuador.
Encyclia Two species cultivated.
Epidendrum Nine species and one hybrid cultivated.
Eria inornata Indigenous to Australia.
Eriopsis biloba Indigenous from Costa Rica to Bolivia.
Gastrochilus Five species cultivated.
Graphorkis scripta Indigenous to Madagascar and Mascarene Islands.
Grobya amherstiae Indigenous to Brazil.
Haemaria discolor Indigenous to China.
Helcia sanguinolenta Indigenous to Ecuador.
Hexisea bidentata Indigenous from Central America to Peru.
Holcoglossum quasipinifolium Indigenous to Taiwan.
Huntleya fasciata Indigenous to Panama.
Isochilus linearis Indigenous from Mexico to Brazil.
Kefersteinia Two species cultivated.
Laelia Seven species cultivated.
Lanium avicula Indigenous to Peru and Brazil.
Leptotes bicolor Indigenous to Brazil and Paraguay.
Luisia teretifolia Indigenous from Indonesia to Guam.
Lycaste Five species cultivated.
Masdevallia Thirty-eight species cultivated.
Maxillaria Thirteen species cultivated.
Miltonia Three species cultivated.
Mormodes convoluta Indigenous to Brazil.
Neogardneria murrayana Indigenous to Brazil.
Odontoglossum Ten species cultivated.
Oeoniella polystachys Indigenous from Madagascar to the Seychelles.
Oncidium Twenty-one species cultivated.
Orchis graminifolia (Ucho-ran) Indigenous to Japan.
Ornithophora radicans Indigenous to Brazil.
Palumbina candida Indigenous to Guatamala.
Paphiopedilum Thirteen species cultivated.
Pescatorea Two species cultivated.
Phaius Two species cultivated.
Phalaenopsis Five species cultivated.
Pholidota pallida Indigenous from Burma to Australia.
Phragmipedium Three species cultivated.
Physosiphon tubatus Indigenous to Mexico and Guatamala.
Plectrophora cultrifolia Indigenous to Brazil.
Pleione Two species cultivated.
Pleurothallis Five species cultivated.
Pogonia japonica Indigenous to Japan, Korea and China.
Porroglossum echidna Indigenous to Colombia and Ecuador.
Promenaea xanthina Indigenous to Brazil.
Renanthera Four species cultivated.
Restrepia antennifera Indigenous from Venezuella to Ecuador.
Rhynchostylis Two species cultivated.
Rodriguezia Two spcies cultivated.
Sarcochilus japonicus Indigenous to Japan.
Scaphosepalum gibberosum Indigenous to Colombia.
Schlimmia trifida Indigenous to Colombia.
Schomburgkia Two species cultivated.
Scuticaria kautzkyi Indigenous to Brazil.
Sobralia Three species cultivated.
Sophronitella violacea Indigenous to Brazil.
Stanhopea Four species cultivated.
Stelis Two species cultivated.
Thunia Two species cultivated.
Trichoceros parviflorus Indigenous from Colombia to Bolivia.
Trichoglottis Two species cultivated.
Trichoplia Three species cultivated.
Trizeuxis falcata Indigenous from Costa Rica to Bolivia.
Vanda Seven species cultivated.
Xylobium Two species cultivated.
Zygopetalum Two species cultivated.

Publications

Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
Kurzweil, H. 2000. Orchidaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 644-659. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Genera indigenous to southern Africa

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

Links

Publications