Christmas orchids | |
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Calanthe sylvatica in the Botanical Gardens Berlin - Orchid Exhibition | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
Tribe: | Collabieae |
Genus: | Calanthe R.Br.[1] |
Diversity | |
About 300 species | |
Synonyms[1] | |
List
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Calanthe, commonly known as Christmas orchids,[2] is a genus of about 220 species of orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They are evergreen or deciduous terrestrial plants with thick roots, small oval pseudobulbs, large corrugated leaves and upright, sometimes arching flowering stems. The sepals and petals are narrow and a similar size to each other and the labellum usually has spreading lobes.