Wild Orchids Essay

Orchids (Orchidaceae family) are the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant families, with over eight hundred described genera and 25,000+ species.

There are also over 100,000 hybrids and cultivars produced by horticulturalists, created since the introduction of tropical species to Europe.

Orchids are found on all continents except Antarctica.

The great majority are to be found in the tropics, mostly Asia, South America, and Central America. Some are found above the Arctic Circle, in southern Patagonia, and even on Macquarie Island, close to Antarctica.

Orchids can live on the ground (terrestrial forms), attached to woody plants (epiphytic types) or even thrive under the ground.

A majority of species are epiphytic types.

Some wild orchids have been known thrive for as long as 200 years.

Orchids have a reputation for beauty and mystery and have long been cultivated.

Orchids have been cultivated for over three thousand years, starting in China.

Vanilla is one of the best known and widely used flavors. It is extracted from the pod of Vanilla planifolia, which is a species of orchid.

The scent of orchids is frequently analysed by perfumers to identify potential fragrance chemicals.

Orchids have been used in traditional medicine in an effort to treat many diseases and ailments. They have been used as a source of herbal remedies in China.

Biologists at Harvard University have identified the ancient fossilized remains of a pollen-bearing bee as the first hint of orchids in the fossil record, a find they say suggests orchids are old enough to have coexisted with dinosaurs. Their analysis in the journal Nature, indicates orchids arose some 76 to 84 million years ago, much longer ago than many scientists had estimated.

Many wild orchid species are threatened by people collecting them for sale to orchid fanciers and nurseries.
Many are also threatened by the destruction of their habitat by logging and forest