Orchidaceae is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants whose members, orchids, produce blooms that are often colorful and fragrant. One of the two largest families of flowering plants, it contains about 28,000 currently accepted species in around 700 genera, representing roughly 6 to 11 percent of all seed plant species, distributed across all continents except Antarctica with the greatest diversity in the tropics; many species are epiphytes living on trees, and most depend on specialized pollination mechanisms and fungal partners for seed germination.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific Name Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionCosmopolitan, on every continent except Antarctica 1 Defining CharacteristicsBilateral symmetry of the flower (zygomorphism) and many resupinate flowers 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceFlowers very varied in form, with three sepals and three petals 1 Sources
1. Wikipedia: Orchid
Lead, first sentence, family clause
belong to the family Orchidaceae
Lead, first sentence, subject
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae
Lead, sentence on species and genera
about 28,000 currently accepted species in around 700 genera
Lead, second sentence
Orchids are cosmopolitan plants, living in diverse habitats on every continent except Antarctica
Description
Among these are: bilateral symmetry of the flower (zygomorphism), many resupinate flowers
Flowers
Orchid flowers are very varied in form. They have three sepals, three petals
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