Orchids
(Orchidaceae family) are the largest and most diverse of the flowering
plant (Angiospermae) families, with over 800 described genera and
25,000 species. Some sources give 30,000 species, but the exact number
is unknown since classification differs greatly in the academic world.
There are also more than 100,000 hybrids and cultivars produced by
horticulturists, created since the introduction of tropical species in
the 19th century.
All orchid species are protected for the purposes of international
commerce under CITES as potentially threatened or endangered in their
natural habitat. Admire them, take some pictures but never pick them up!
Ophrys sulcata
Cypripedium calceolus Ophrys sphegodes
