This is a list of genera in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), originally according to The Families of Flowering Plants - L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz. This list is adapted regularly with the changes published in the Orchid Research Newsletter which is published twice a year by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The most up to date list of accepted genera, natural nothogenera, species and natural nothospecies with their synonyms can be found on the World Checklist of Selected Plants Families Search Page and Plants of the World Online published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This list is reflected on Wikispecies Orchidaceae and the new eMonocot website Orchidaceae Juss.
This taxonomy undergoes constant change, mainly through evidence from DNA study. Orchids were traditionally defined by morphological similarity (structure of their flowers and other parts). However, recent changes to nomenclature have been driven primarily by DNA studies and also by re-examination of herbarium specimens. This has led to a reduction of genera and species as well as re-circumscription of subfamilies, tribes and subtribes. Orchid taxonomy is still being revised and each year about another 150 new species are being discovered. The list of genera alone currently stands just short of 1000 entries.
From a cladistic point of view, the orchid family is considered to be monophyletic, i.e. the group incorporates all the taxa derived from an ancestral group.
The taxonomy of the orchids is explained on the page Taxonomy of the orchid family.
Subfamilies There are five recognized subfamilies: Apostasioideae (two genera, Neuwiedia and Apostasia) Cypripedioideae (five genera: Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium and Selenipedium Epidendroideae (has 15,000 species in 576 genera) Orchidoideae (7 tribes and 3,630 species; has 2 subclades with tribes Orchideae and Diseae then the other has tribes Cranichideae, Chloraeeae and Diurideae) Vanilloideae (15 genera and about 180 species: Tribe Pogonieae (77 species; Cleistes, Cleistesiopsis, Duckeella, Isotria, and Pogonia) also Tribe Vanilleae (with 172 species; Clematepistephium, Cyrtosia, Epistephium, Eriaxis, Erythrorchis, Galeola, Lecanorchis, Pseudovanilla and Vanilla)
Genera As of July 2025, Plants of the World Online accepts 693 genera and several inter-generic hybrids.Orchidaceae Juss. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
A
Aa Acampe Acanthophippium Achlydosa Acianthera Acianthus Acineta Acriopsis Acrorchis Adamantinia Adenochilus Adenoncos Adrorhizon Aenhenrya Aerangis Aeranthes Aerides – fox brush orchid Aeridostachya Aetheorhyncha Afropectinariella Aganisia Aglossorrhyncha Agrostophyllum Alamania Alatiliparis Altensteinia Ambrella Amesiella Amoana × Anacamptiplatanthera (Anacamptis × Platanthera) Anacamptis × Anacamptorchis (Anacamptis × Orchis) Anathallis Ancistrochilus Ancistrorhynchus Andinia Andreettaea Angraecopsis Angraecum Anguloa Ania Anoectochilus – jeweled orchid Ansellia Anthogonium Aphyllorchis Aplectrum – Adam and Eve Aporostylis Apostasia Appendicula Aracamunia Arachnis Archivea Arethusa – dragon's mouth Arpophyllum Arthrochilus Artorima Arundina – bamboo orchid Aspasia Aulosepalum Auxopus
B
Bambuseria Barbosella Barkeria Bartholina – synonym of Holothrix Basiphyllaea – synonym of Bletia – crab orchid Baskervilla Batemannia Beclardia Beloglottis × Bensteinia (Benzingia × Kefersteinia) Benthamia Benzingia Bhutanthera – synonym of Herminium Bidoupia Biermannia Bifrenaria Bipinnula Bletia – pine-pink Bletilla – urn orchid Bogoria Bolusiella Bonatea Brachionidium – cup orchid Brachycorythis Brachypeza Brachystele Braemia Brassavola – daddy-long-legs Brassia – cricket orchid × Brassocattleya (Brassavola × Cattleya) Bromheadia Broughtonia Brownleea Bryobium Buchtienia Bulbophyllum – rat-tail orchid Burnettia
C
Caladenia Calanthe Caleana Callostylis Calochilus – bearded orchids Calopogon – grasspink Caluera Calymmanthera Calypso – fairy-slipper orchid Calyptrochilum Campanulorchis Campylocentrum – bent-spur orchid Capanemia Cardiochilos Catasetum Cattleya × Cattlianthe (Cattleya × Guarianthe) × Catyclia (Cattleya × Encyclia) Caucaea Caularthron Centrostigma Cephalanthera – some helleborines, phantom orchid × Cephalopactis (Cephalanthera × Epipactis) × Cephalorchis (Cephalanthera × Orchis) Ceratandra Ceratocentron Ceratostylis Chamaeanthus Chamaegastrodia Chamelophyton × Chamodenia (Chamorchis × Gymnadenia) Chamorchis Changnienia Chaubardia Chaubardiella Cheiradenia Cheirostylis Chelonistele – synonym of Coelogyne Chiloglottis Chiloschista Chloraea Chondrorhyncha Chondroscaphe Chroniochilus Chrysoglossum Chysis Chytroglossa Cirrhaea Cischweinfia Claderia Cleisocentron Cleisomeria Cleisostoma Cleisostomopsis Cleistes Cleistesiopsis – rosebud orchid Clematepistephium Clowesia Coccineorchis Cochleanthes – fan-shape orchid × Cochlezella (Cochleanthes × Warczewiczella) Codonorchis Coelia Coeliopsis Coelogyne Coenoemersa Coilochilus Collabium Comparettia – snail orchid Constantia Cooktownia Corallorhiza – coral root Coryanthes – bucket orchids Corybas Corycium Corymborkis – crow orchid Cottonia Cotylolabium Cranichis – helmet orchid Cremastra Crepidium Crossoglossa Crossoliparis Cryptarrhena Cryptochilus Cryptopus Cryptopylos – synonym of Macropodanthus Cryptostylis Cuitlauzina Cyanaeorchis Cyanicula – synonym of Caladenia × Cyanthera (Cyanicula × Elythranthera) Cybebus Cyclopogon ladies'-tresses Cycnoches – swan orchids Cylindrolobus Cymbidium Cymbilabia Cymboglossum Cynorkis Cypholoron Cypripedium – lady's slipper Cyrtochiloides Cyrtochilum Cyrtopodium – cow-horn orchid Cyrtorchis Cyrtosia Cyrtostylis Cystorchis
D
× Dactylanthera (Dactylorhiza × Platanthera) × Dactylocamptis (Anacamptis × Dactylorhiza) × Dactylodenia (Dactylorhiza × Gymnadenia) Dactylorhiza – key flower Dactylostalix Daiotyla Danhatchia Danxiaorchis Deceptor Degranvillea Deiregyne Dendrobium Dendrochilum – synonym of Coelogyne Dendrolirium Dendrophylax Devogelia Diaphananthe Diceratostele Dichaea – leafy-stem orchid, leaf-stem orchid Dichromanthus Dickasonia – synonym of Coelogyne Didymoplexiella Didymoplexiopsis Didymoplexis Dienia Diglyphosa Dilochia Dilochiopsis Dilomilis – parrot-beak orchid Dimerandra Dimorphorchis Dinema Dinklageella Diodonopsis Diplocentrum Diplomeris Diploprora Dipodium Disa Discyphus Disperis Diuris Domingoa – Mona Dossinia Dracomonticola Draconanthes Dracula Drakaea Dresslerella Dressleria Dryadella Dryadorchis Drymoanthus Duckeella Dunstervillea Dyakia
E
Earina Echinorhyncha Echinosepala Eclecticus Eggelingia Eleorchis Elleanthus – tiger orchid, praying-virgin Eloyella – synonym of Dunstervillea Eltroplectris – long-claw orchid Elythranthera – synonym of Caladenia Embreea Encyclia – butterfly orchid Entomophobia – synonym of Coelogyne Ephippianthus Epiblastus Epiblema Epidendrum – star orchid Epipactis – helleborine Epipogium Epistephium Erasanthe Eria Eriaxis Eriochilus Eriodes Eriopsis Erycina Erythrodes – false helmet orchids Erythrorchis Espinhassoa Eulophia – Wildcoco Euryblema Eurycentrum Eurychone Eurystyles – custard orchid Evotella
F
Fernandezia Frondaria Fuertesiella Funkiella
G
Galeandra – hooded orchid Galearis – showy orchid Galeoglossum Galeola Galeottia Galeottiella Gastrochilus Gastrodia Gavilea Gennaria Genoplesium Geodorum – synonym of Eulophia Glomera Glossodia – synonym of Caladenia Gomesa Gomphichis Gonatostylis Gongora Goodyera – rattlesnake plantain Govenia – govenia Grammangis Grammatophyllum Grandiphyllum – synonym of Trichocentrum Graphorkis Gravendeelia Greenwoodiella Grobya Grosourdya Guanchezia – synonym of Bifrenaria Guarianthe Gunnarella – synonym of Bogoria Gymnadenia – fragrant orchid × Gymnanacamptis (Anacamptis × Gymnadenia) × Gymnotraunsteinera (Gymnadenia × Traunsteinera) × Gymplatanthera (Gymnadenia × Platanthera) Gynoglottis – synonym of Coelogyne
H
Habenaria – bog orchid, false rein orchid Hagsatera Halleorchis Hammarbya Hancockia Hapalorchis Hederorkis Helleriella – dotted orchid Helonoma Hemipilia Herminium Herpysma Hetaeria Hexalectris – crested coralroot – synonym of Bletia Himantoglossum Hintonella Hippeophyllum – synonym of Oberonia Hoehneella Hofmeisterella Holcoglossum × Holcosia (Holcoglossum × Luisia) Holothrix Homalopetalum Horichia Horvatia – synonym of Bifrenaria Houlletia Hsenhsua Huntleya Huttonaea Hylophila Hymenorchis
I
Ida Imerinaea Ionopsis – violet orchid Ipsea Isabelia Ischnogyne – synonym Coelogyne Isochilus – equal-lip orchid Isotria – fiveleaf orchid Ixyophora
J
Jacquiniella – tufted orchid Jejewoodia Jumellea
K
Karma Kefersteinia Kegeliella Kionophyton Kipandiorchis Koellensteinia – grass-leaf orchid Kraenzlinella – synonym of Acianthera Kuhlhasseltia – synonym of Odontochilus Kylicanthe
L
Lacaena Laelia × Laeliocattleya (Cattleya × Laelia) Lankesterella Lankesteriana Lecanorchis Lemurella Lemurorchis Leochilus – smooth-lip orchid Lepanthes – babyboot orchid Lepanthopsis – tiny orchid Lepidogyne Leporella Leptoceras Leptotes Limodorum Liparis – wide-lip orchid Listrostachys Lockhartia Loefgrenianthus Ludisia – jewel orchid Lueckelia Lueddemannia Luisia × Lycamerlycaste (Lycaste × Sudamerlycaste) Lycaste – bee orchid × Lycida (Ida × Lycaste) Lycomormium Lyperanthus Lyroglossa
M
Macodes Macradenia – long-gland orchid Macroclinium Macropodanthus Madisonia Malaxis – adder's mouth orchid Manniella Masdevallia Maxillaria – tiger orchid, flame orchid Mediocalcar Megalorchis Megastylis Meiracyllium †Meliorchis extinct, 80-million-year-old orchid Mengzia Mesadenella Mesadenus – ladies'-tresses Mexipedium Microchilus Microcoelia Microepidendrum Micropera Microsaccus Microthelys Microtis Miltonia × Miltonidium (Miltonia × Oncidium) Miltoniopsis -pansy orchid Mobilabium Monophyllorchis Mormodes Mycaranthes Myoxanthus Myrmechis – synonym of Odontochilus × Myrmecolaelia (Laelia × Myrmecophila) Myrmecophila Myrosmodes Mystacidium
N
Nabaluia – synonym of Coelogyne Nemaconia Neobathiea Neobolusia Neocogniauxia Neogardneria Neogyna – synonym of Coelogyne Neomoorea × Neotinacamptis (Anacamptis × Neotinea) × Neotinarhiza (Dactylorhiza × Neotinea) Neotinea Neottia Nephelaphyllum Nephrangis Nervilia Neuwiedia Nidema – fairy orchid Nohawilliamsia Nothostele Notylia Notyliopsis
O
Oberonia Oberonioides Octarrhena Octomeria Odontochilus Odontorrhynchus Oeceoclades – synonym of Eulophia – monk orchid Oeonia Oeoniella Oestlundia Oligophyton Oliveriana Omoea Oncidium – dancing-lady orchid Ophidion Ophioglossella Ophrys – ophrys Opilionanthe × Orchidactylorhiza (Dactylorhiza × Orchis) × Orchigymnadenia (Gymnadenia × Orchis) × Orchimantoglossum (Himantoglossum × Orchis) × Orchinea (Neotinea × Orchis) Orchipedum × Orchiplatanthera (Orchis × Platanthera) Orchis – orchis Oreorchis Orestias Orleanesia Ornithocephalus Orthoceras Otochilus – synonym of Coelogyne Otoglossum Otostylis Oxystophyllum
P
Pabstia Pabstiella Pachites Pachyplectron Pachystoma Palmorchis Panisea – synonym of Coelogyne Paphinia Paphiopedilum – Venus' slipper Papilionanthe Papillilabium – synonym of Plectorrhiza Papuaea Paradisanthus Paraphalaenopsis Pecteilis Pelatantheria Pelexia – hachuela Pendusalpinx Pennilabium Peristeranthus Peristeria Peristylus Pescatoria Phaius – nun's-hood orchid – synonym of Calanthe Phalaenopsis – moth orchid Pheladenia Phloeophila Pholidota – synonym of Coelogyne Phragmipedium Phragmorchis Phreatia Phymatidium Physogyne Pilophyllum Pinalia Piperia – rein orchid – synonym of Platanthera