Oncidiinae

Oncidiinae
Odontoglossum Big Mac × Brassia longissima
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Cymbidieae
Subtribe: Oncidiinae
Benth.
Genera

See text

The Oncidiinae is a subtribe within the Orchidaceae that consists of a number of genera that are closely related.

This subtribe consists of about 70 genera with over 1000 species, with Oncidium as its largest genus. These genera consist of a single floral type based on the angle of the attachment of the lip to the column, reflecting pollinator preferences. This has however led to several unreliable results and polyphyletic taxa within Oncidium. These were transferred to Gomesa and a new genus Nohawilliamsia, has been described for Oncidium orthostates[1]

Most species have well-developed pseudobulbs and conduplicate leaves.

It is possible to form hybrids in some instances between multiple genera within the Oncidiinae. These hybrids are often colloquially referred to as "intergenerics."

  1. ^ Chase, Mark W.; Norris H.Williams; Aparacida Donisete de Faria; Kurt M. Neubig; Maria do Carmo E. Amaral; W. Mark Whitten (2009). "Floral convergence in Oncidiinae (Cymbidieae; Orchidaceae): an expanded concept of Gomesa and a new genus Nohawilliamsia". Annals of Botany. 104 (3): 387–402. doi:10.1093/aob/mcp067. PMC 2720657. PMID 19346522.