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Learn about Structure of orchid plant


Based on the structure, the orchid family is divided into two main groups: the multicamel group (Sympodial) and the monopodial group. There is also an intermediate group between the two groups mentioned above but includes very few varieties.

Single group

Including varieties: Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Aerides, Rhynchostylis ... This is a group of trees that only grow in height, making the tree grow forever. Single groups are divided into two subgroups:

- Group Sarcanthinae: Like varieties Vanda, Aerides, Phalaenopsis, Renanthera, Angraceum, Aerangis, ... In this group is arranged in 2 opposite rows, leaves on 1 row alternating with leaves of the other row. In some varieties like Phalaenopsis the burns are very short and the leaves become dense. In some other varieties; the burns are relatively far apart. The leaves are usually longer, broad and split into several forms or divided into three unbalanced lobes at the apical tip.

- Campylocene trinae group: While the leaves are usually flat or flat, in some orchids such as Papilionanthe teres and all plants of the genus Luisia, the leaves are similar to stems.


Lan vanda belongs to single orchid group

Intermediate group

Including varieties: Centropetatum, Phachypllum, Dichaea ...

Multi-body group

Cattleya orchid belongs to the multifamily group

Including varieties: Cattleya, Oncidium, Dendrobium, Cymbidium, Epidendrum ... This is a group of plants that grow continuously, which have cycles after growth seasons. This group is divided into 2 sub-branches, based on the way of flowering:

- Flowering group above: Significantly includes varieties Dendrobium, Cymbidium. Oncidium, Maxillaria, Lycaste Phaius, Bulbophyllum.

- Flowering group at the top: Laelia, Cattleya (except 2 species), Epidendrum (except 2 species) mostly belonged to Pleurothallidinae and many other varieties.

For this group the practitioner is very volatile, there are many practitioner flowers in the form of stalks. Dendrobium species are usually given to new practitioners on old almond tops called Keiki (off-shoot). A new round of growth begins as eyes develop. Flowering method also changed, some flowers only formed on new practitioners (Cattleya, laelia ...) other flowers were formed on the old ones such as Dendrobium, some Epidendrum, Spathoglottis.


Dendrobium orchid - Dendrobium orchid group multi-stem

Practicing (fake body)

Many types of orchids produce fake bodies, though not all types. The types of orchids that produce false stems develop in the way that new buds develop from the previous shoots or from the baskets, ie every year there is false stems along the rhizomes that continue to increase. In this way, the tree produces a chain of pseudo stems like a chain. This chain can split when 2 or 3 new sprouts sprout from the last prosthetic in 1 year. This is the reason how great revolutions can form over the years.

There is a huge variation in orchid practice from one breed to another and within the same breed. Hypothesis of orchids only appears on orchids belonging to the multicoll group. Practice is a very necessary part for the growth and development of orchids. Unlike other flowering plants, the practitioner is a stem but contains chlorophyll, which is a reserve of many nutrients that seem essential for the development of new practitioners, after the orchid has flowering and resting. . The practitioner is also a water reserve body, so if there is a water shortage event, the multifaceted species maintain life longer than the single group.

Often it is rhombohedral species of the genus Cattleya eg Cattleya labiata and relatives of this species. Other species are cylindrical like Cattleya bicolor, Cattleya guttata. There is a type of yogi like Oncidium goldiana. Other varieties are pyramidal like Cymbidium. Among hundreds of different species of Pleurothallidiae, it has been shown that in many cases it has been reduced to a noticeable extent, in giant breeds such as Dendrobium and Epidendrum both real body and practitioner, Bulbophyllum minutissimum has a clear practice. but they are rarely larger than the pin tip, in contrast, the practitioner of Grammatophyllum speciosum may have length greater than 7.5m.

The most strange ones are the ones with hollow false bodies Schomburgkia tibicinis and Caularthon bicomuỉum, two types with gaps in the base of hollow false bodies. It is difficult to know for sure why these types evolved because they did not function as food storage when they were completely empty. Often invaded by an aggressive ant, these prosthetics can have 2 uses: providing a shelter for insects, which in turn support the Lan and keep them from being infected by parasites. or insect infestation.


Cattleya is a fake orchid

Orchid stem:

The orchid body only has single species and some species of Dendrobium and Epidendrum genus both have plankton and body. Orchids with stems often do not have a compost to store water and nutrients so we have to fertilize them many times and should water regularly.

The stems of orchids usually vary greatly from 10 to 20 cm with species Ascocentrum miniatum, Aecides midtiflora and possibly 3 - 4 m as Papilionanthe teres. Arachnis or giants like Acampe, Vanilla ...

Stems usually carry roots and leaves. In the single group, the rhizomes and leaves usually grow in two perpendicular directions. Inflorescence also occurs on stems from axillary buds.


Lan Hoang Thao is the same that both has practitioner and body

Orchid leaves:

The leaves of the orchid family often have extreme changes, from leafy species such as those of fat stems, for example Cattleya, phalaenopsis ... to very thin leafy species such as Coelogyne, Oncidium goldiana. There are broad leaf species resembling those of the Palmae family such as Phaius, spathoglottis, intact foliage or teeth of Cattleyopsis, Broughtonia, some species of Oncidium. The leaves can grow symmetrically through the main veins or not. The caudal may be rounded, pointed or wavy. However, the most common thing in orchids is that the leaves are usually longer, broadly attached to the stem or mediated by a long or short petiole.

The leaves contain chlorophyll, which makes the plant photosynthesize sunlight into energy. Some Cymbidiums live very long without leaves, producing canopy only for a short time during the growing season. A few orchids, like the type of Rhizanteae that grow below the ground, have no part of the green color, depending entirely on the tiny cradle that they form a symbiotic relationship. The nutrients that Lan needs are provided by mushrooms.

Some orchids have feathers on both sides of the canopy. The purpose is not well understood, but whether they are insect protection or a protective water in the foliage, it can be very detrimental to the Dendrobium senile that has cold nights.


Orchid leaves are both photosynthetic and able to absorb water and nutrients

The base (body - roots):

The base is only found in multicolluscular orchids, except for a few that are greatly reduced in pseudomonopodial orchids. The sense-bases are actually level 1 stems and from there there are level 2 stems, which can either elongate and carry leaves called stems, or are relatively shortened and thickened into practitioners of various shapes and sizes. The radical form varies from breed to genus and species to species. In many varieties, most of Masdevallia, many Dendrobium, Oncidium, Brassia are shortened to a degree of difficulty. Most of the Cattleya, Lealia are more pronounced. And the Bullophyllum, Coelogyne varieties are very long-term.

The base is the place where new nutritional organs are made up, on the base with many rivers, dead or in retirement. It is at the place where the practitioner comes in contact with the base of one to two eyes. The eye where the orchid is formed also carries a lot of roots to feed the orchid. Therefore, the root is the most important part for maintaining and developing the number of orchids according to the conventional branching method.

Orchid roots:

In multifaceted orchids, roots are usually formed from the base. The roots of most orchids are shaped, cylindrical, branched 1, 2, 3 or not, and usually very long. In most members of Cypripedilinae and many other land orchids roots still bear roots. In single-stem species the roots grow straight from the stem and are often interspersed with leaves.

Lan's roots are unique in the world of plants. The roots are thick and mostly white, but do not reproduce as widely as other plants. The roots consist of a small inner nucleus, an outer coating that absorbs water by cells forming a layer called the velamen, whose cells when dry contain only air. This layer, which absorbs water through its surface, is called a white absorbent root sheath, and it develops behind the tip of the young shoot. This macaroni contains these hard, rustic fibers that absorb the air's water vapor, as well as store rainwater and condensation.

Lan's roots are very vulnerable and very fragile when they are out of the pot. Most orchid roots usually have to lie still in the pot, but, according to the nature, direct to the air, they often grow '' over the mouth of the pot and continue to grow, can float or cling to any surface they touch. OK.

The roots are not regularly structured but, each year, emerge from the base some time after new shoots are born. Likewise, the leaves fall off after 1 or several years, so the roots die naturally and are replaced by roots from new shoots.

The roots are extremely important for Lan. If the roots die from watering too much, they need to wait until new buds develop, so that the plant can last for months without roots and cannot absorb moisture. If this happens, the false stems will wilt and the foliage will become paralyzed until the new roots are able to replace the lost water; Spraying water regularly will help reduce dehydration.

Stemming from passion, perseverance and hard work, after 23 years of research and research on orchid growing techniques, I have accumulated a lot of experience in propagating and cultivating forest orchids effectively.
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