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|image_caption=Color plate from [[Ernst Haeckel]]'s ''[[Kunstformen der Natur]]''

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Orchids. A vast assemblage of herbaceous plants, mostly with unusual and interesting flowers, of which about 15,000 species are at present known. This number is being augmented yearly as the regions which they inhabit become more accessible to collectors. A single collection in New Guinea in 1907 to 1909 brought to light 1,102 new species,—an indication of the number of new forms still to be expected from little-explored regions. Since the first edition of the "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture" was published, the number of known species has been increased by about 5,000. Probably the species now outnumber those of the great, family Compositae.

Orchids. A vast assemblage of herbaceous plants, mostly with unusual and interesting flowers, of which about 15,000 species are at present known. This number is being augmented yearly as the regions which they inhabit become more accessible to collectors. A single collection in New Guinea in 1907 to 1909 brought to light 1,102 new species,—an indication of the number of new forms still to be expected from little-explored regions. Since the first edition of the "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture" was published, the number of known species has been increased by about 5,000. Probably the species now outnumber those of the great, family Compositae.

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Orchidaceae (from the genus Orchis, an ancient name of these plants). Orchid Family. Fig. 13. Herbaceous plants of very diverse habit and structure; terrestrial, epiphytic or saprophytic, sometimes climbing; the terrestrial with fibrous roots or with thickened tuber-like roots, the epiphytic often with the base of the leaf and adjoining stem swollen, forming a pseudobulb; the saprophytic without chlorophyll; the epiphytic often with aerial hanging roots are provided with a water-absorbing layer (velamen): leaves alternate, succulent, coriaceous or membranous, linear to oval: flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, irregular, epigynous; perianth of 6 parts, in 2 series, usually all petaloid; one petal larger, forming the lip (labellum); stamens originally 6, but all except 1 or 2 wanting, or reduced to staminodia, united with the pistil; pollen-grains compound, granular, or aggregated into masses (pollinia) which are either free in the anther or attached by a stalk to a viscid apical or stigmatic gland; carpels 3; ovary inferior, 1- or 3-celled; ovules very numerous; style united with the stamens to form the column; stigma in the front of the column, or on a projecting lobe: fruit a capsule; seeds very minute.

Orchidaceae (from the genus Orchis, an ancient name of these plants). Orchid Family. Fig. 13. Herbaceous plants of very diverse habit and structure; terrestrial, epiphytic or saprophytic, sometimes climbing; the terrestrial with fibrous roots or with thickened tuber-like roots, the epiphytic often with the base of the leaf and adjoining stem swollen, forming a pseudobulb; the saprophytic without chlorophyll; the epiphytic often with aerial hanging roots are provided with a water-absorbing layer (velamen): leaves alternate, succulent, coriaceous or membranous, linear to oval: flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, irregular, epigynous; perianth of 6 parts, in 2 series, usually all petaloid; one petal larger, forming the lip (labellum); stamens originally 6, but all except 1 or 2 wanting, or reduced to staminodia, united with the pistil; pollen-grains compound, granular, or aggregated into masses (pollinia) which are either free in the anther or attached by a stalk to a viscid apical or stigmatic gland; carpels 3; ovary inferior, 1- or 3-celled; ovules very numerous; style united with the stamens to form the column; stigma in the front of the column, or on a projecting lobe: fruit a capsule; seeds very minute.

The Orchidaceae is perhaps the most important family from the standpoint of ornamental gardening. To grow these singular, fantastic, showy, and often sweet-scented flowers has in recent years become almost a craze. It is estimated that, whereas Linnaeus knew but a dozen exotic orchids, at the present day more than 2,500 are known to English horticulturists. Plants in the family useful for other purposes are few. The most important is vanilla, derived from the capsule of Vanilla planifolia of Mexico, and now widely cultivated in the tropics. Faham (Angraecum fragrans of Bourbon) has a fragrant, bitter-almond-like taste: the leaves are used for indigestion and tuberculosis, and are known as Bourbon tea. Salep is derived from the roots of various terrestrial orchids of the Mediterranean region. The roots of helleborine (Epipactis latifolia) are used for rheumatism. The root of Spiranthes diuretica of Chile is renowned as a diuretic. The flowers of Habenaria conopsea are used for dysentery. Spiranthes autumnalis and Habenaria bifolia are said to be aphrodisiac. The roots of Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens are frequently used in America as a substitute for valerian.{{SCH}}

The Orchidaceae is perhaps the most important family from the standpoint of ornamental gardening. To grow these singular, fantastic, showy, and often sweet-scented flowers has in recent years become almost a craze. It is estimated that, whereas Linnaeus knew but a dozen exotic orchids, at the present day more than 2,500 are known to English horticulturists. Plants in the family useful for other purposes are few. The most important is vanilla, derived from the capsule of Vanilla planifolia of Mexico, and now widely cultivated in the tropics. Faham (Angraecum fragrans of Bourbon) has a fragrant, bitter-almond-like taste: the leaves are used for indigestion and tuberculosis, and are known as Bourbon tea. Salep is derived from the roots of various terrestrial orchids of the Mediterranean region. The roots of helleborine (Epipactis latifolia) are used for rheumatism. The root of Spiranthes diuretica of Chile is renowned as a diuretic. The flowers of Habenaria conopsea are used for dysentery. Spiranthes autumnalis and Habenaria bifolia are said to be aphrodisiac. The roots of Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens are frequently used in America as a substitute for valerian.{{SCH}}

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==References==

==References==

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