Subfamily Higher EPIDENDROIDEAE

Subfamily Higher Epidendroideae Formerly called Vandoideae, this is the second largest subfamily with over 300 genera in more than 5,000 species (one quarter of the known orchid species). They are mostly epiphytes, but include some terrestrials and myco-heterotrophs, all occurring in most tropical areas. The main stem grows in a single direction. Many of the species develop pseudobulbs (i.e. a bulge at the base of a stem), that are normally shorter and sturdier than those in the epidendroids. The striking characteristics of the vandoids are a cellular pollinium stalk (= stipe), superposed pollinia and the unique development of the incumbent anther, that bends early in development.

Tribe: Cymbidieae About 1,800 species in 100 to 130 genera. Species are either terrestrial or epiphytic, and range throughout global tropical regions. All species have, as a unique feature, a sympodial growth habit and two pollinia.

• Subtribe: Acripsidinae: less than 50 species.

  Genus: Acriopsis

• Subtribe: Catasetinae: about 150 species; epiphytes occurring in the Western Hemisphere.

  Genera: Catasetum, Cycnoches, Mormodes

• Subtribe: Cyrtopodiinae: over 400 species, usually terrestrial; Asia, Africa, and tropical America.

  Alliance: Bromheadia

  Genus: Bromheadia

  Alliance: Eulophia

  Genus: Eulophia

  Alliance: Cyrtopodium

  Genera: Cymbidiella, Cyrtopodium, Galeandra

  Alliance: Cymbidium

  Genera: Ansellia, Cymbidium, Grammatophyllum, Eriopsis

  Alliance: Dipodium

  Genus: Dipodium

  Alliance: hybrids

  Genera: Bifrenidium, Cymphiella, Cyrtellia, Eulocymbidiella, Galeansellia, Graphiella

• Subtribe: Oncidiinae: Largest subtribe with nearly 1,000 species within about 56 to 78 genera, found in tropical America, the Caribbean and Florida. Most are epiphytes, but a few are terrestrials. .They usually have short and stout pseudobulbs.

  Alliance: Oncidium: largest alliance; includes the majority of genera in cultivation.

  Genera: Ada, Aspasia, Brassia, Cochlioda, Miltonia, Miltoniopsis, Odontoglossum, Oncidium (most)

  Alliance: Trichocentrum

  Genus: Trichocentrum

  Alliance: Comparettia

  Genera: Oncidium (equitants only), Comparettia, Rodriguezia

  Alliance: Trichophilia

  Genera: Notylia, Psychopsis, Trichopilia

  Alliance: Lockhartia

  Genus: Lockhartia

  Alliance: hybrids: over 107 hybrid genera.

  Genera: Aliceara, Bakerara, Beallara, Brassidium, Burrageara, Colmanara, Degarmoara, Howeara, Maclellanara, Miltassia, Miltonidium, Odontobrassia, Odontocidium, Odontonia, Rodricidium, Trichocidium, Vuylstekeara, Wilsonara

• Subtribe: Pachyphyllinae: less than 50 species.

  Genus: Pachyphyllum

• Subtribe: Thecostelinae: less than 50 species.

  Genus: Thecostele

Tribe: Polystachyeae About 200 species which all show four pollinia. The lip often has mealy hairs called pseudopollen on the upper surface.

Genus: Polystachya

Tribe: Vandeae Over 1,700 species in more than 130 genera; occurs in tropical Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, and Africa.

• Subtribe: Aerangidinae: about 300 to 400 species; tropical Africa and Madagascar.

  Genera: Aerangis, Mystacidium

• Subtribe: Angraecinae: about 300 to 400 species, tropical Africa and Madagascar.

  Alliance: Angraecum

  Genera: Aeranthes, Angraecum, Cryptopus, Jumellea, Neobathiea, Oeonia, Oeoniella

  Alliance: Campylocentrum

  Genera: Campylocentrum, Dendrophylax

• Subtribe: Sarcanthinae: more than 1,000 species in over 100 genera, including about 208 (38%) hybrid genera; occurs mostly in Asia with a few in Africa.

  Alliance: Phalaenopsis

  Genera: Aerides, Chiloschista, Doritis, Phalaenopsis, Paraphalaenopsis, Rhynchostylis, Sarcochilus

  Alliance: Vanda

  Genera: Adenoncos, Arachnis, Ascocentrum, Ascoglossum, Euanthe, Luisia, Renanthera, Vanda, Vandopsis

  Alliance: Trichoglottis

  Genera: Abdominea, Acampe, Amesiella, Cleisostoma, Gastrochilus, Neofinetia, Robiquetia, Trichoglottis

  Alliance hybrids:

  Genera: Aeridovanda, Aranda, Ascocenda, Ascofinetia, Asconopsis, Christieara, Doritaenopsis, Opsistylis, Perreiraara, Renanstylis, Renantanda, Renanthopsis, Rhynchovanda, Vandaenopsis, Vascostylis

Tribe: Maxillarieae 70 to 80 genera with about 1,000 species; most grow in tropical America as terrestrials or epiphytes, a few are myco-heterotrophs. Most show pseudobulbs, but a few have reedlike stems or thick underground stems. Blooms have four pollinia.

• Subtribe: Bifrenariinae: thin and pleated leaves.

  Genera: Bifrenaria, Xylobium

• Subtribe: Corallorhizinae: all myco-heterotrophs

  Genera: Aplectrum, Corallorrhiza

• Subtribe: Dichaeinae

  Genus: Dichaea

• Subtribe: Lycastinae: thin and pleated leaves.

  Genera: Anguloa, Bifrenaria, Lycaste, Neomoorea, Rudolfiella, Teuscheria, Xylobium

• Subtribe: Maxillariinae: largest subtribe with nearly half of the tribe species. The leathery leaves are conduplicate, i.e. folded together lengthwise.

  Genera: Chrysocycnis, Cyrtidium, Maxillaria, Mormolyca, Pityphyllum, Scuticaria, Sepalosaccus, Trigonidium

• Subtribe: Ornithocephalinae

  Genera: Ornithocephalus, Zygostates

• Subtribe: Stanhopeinae: about 200 species; epiphytes found in the Western Hemisphere.

  Genera: Acineta, Braemia, Cirrhaea, Coryanthes, Embreea, Gongora, Horichia, Houlletia, Jennyella, Kegeliella, Lacaena, Lueddemannia, Paphinia, Polycycnis, Schlimia, Sievekingia, Soterosanthus, Stanhopea, Trevoria, Vasqueziella

• Subtribe: Coeliopsidinae

  Genera: Coeliopsis, Lycomormium, Peristeria

• Subtribe: Telipogoninae

  Genera: Darwiniella, Dipterostele, Hofmeisterella, Stellilabium, Telipogon, Trichoceros

• Subtribe: Zygopetilinae: about 150 species. Most exhibited hybrids are to be found in this subtribe.

  Alliance: Warrea

  Genera: Otostylis, Warrea

  Alliance: Zygopetalum

  Genera: Aganisia, Batemannia, Bollea, Cheiradenia, Chondrorhyncha, Cochleanthes, Colax, Pabstia, Promenaea, Zygopetalum

  Alliance: Bollea

  Genera: Bollea, Chondrorhyncha, Cochleanthes, Huntleya, Kefersteinia, Pescatoria, Stenia

  Alliance: Vargasiella

  Genus: Vargasiella

  Alliance hybrids: of the 43 hybrids in this tribe, only Angulocaste is displayed frequently.

  Genera: Aitkenara, Bateostylis, Bollopetalum, Chondrobollea, Cochella, Cochlecaste, Cochlenia, Cochlepetalum, Downsara, Durutyara, Hamelwellsara, Huntleanthes, Kanzerara, Keferanthes, Lancebirkara, Otocolax, Otonisia, Palmerara, Rotorara, Zygocaste, Zygolum, Zygonisia, Zygostylis

adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomy_of_the_Orchidaceae#Subfamily_Higher_Epidendroideae