The Look Of The Orchids

            There is the great variation in the physical structure of the orchids,including the various habits of growing in the nature. Although, we need to pay attention to the following characteristics in order to identify the orchid family in our future classifications.

            Similar to grasses gingers and bananas,orchids are monocotyledons with succulent stems and leaves and significant nodes and intrenodes. Comparing with other family of plants, orchids are very small in size Owing to their habits and without cambium, orchids are unable to form the wooden trunk like the most of other dicotyledon trees. Some orchids are annuals while the others have stems as tubes and produce leaves or flowers at the appropriate seasons. In some cases, orchids would be in the dormant condition during the dry season and some would gradually grow from the tip or even shoot new plants out from the lateral buds which are regarded as perennial herbs.

            Orchids can be divided into two main categories depending on their growing patterns. The terrestrial orchids are those that grow with their roots buried in the forests floor. The epiphytic orchids are those that climb and attach themselves to tree branches or rocky reefs. Unlike parasitic plants which disturb the host plants,thy would even develop their root  system that can be  attached to barks and would only take some nourishments which are dissolved from dews and rains. Besides, the roots of some leafless epiphytic orchids would do the function as photosynthesis similar to that of the leaves.

The flower structure of the orchid family has a distinctive characteristic differing from other types of family plants. Normally all orchids contain three sepals which in some species, these sepals would be connected or decreased in numbers. There are three petals in an orchid flower. One of the petals is modified in of the lip or labellum. The column is in the center of the flower carrying the anther and stigma.

[ Back ]