''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of eight climbing

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with colourful, spreading

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s and

petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

s. Species in the genus are native to

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

, Australia, Solomons,

Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...

and Fiji.Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.C. & Rasmussen, F.N. (2003). Genera Orchidacearum 3: 319. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

List of species

The following is a list of species of ''Pseudovanilla'' recognised by the

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (usually abbreviated to WCSP) is an "international collaborative programme that provides the latest peer reviewed and published opinions on the accepted scientific names and synonyms of selected pl ...

as at November 2020: * ''

Pseudovanilla affinis ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' (

J.J.Sm. Johannes Jacobus Smith (Antwerp 29 June 1867 – Oegstgeest 14 January 1947) (sometimes written as Joannes Jacobus Smith) was a Dutch Botany, botanist who, between years 1905 to 1924, crossed the islands of the Dutch East Indies (mainly Java (isl ...

) Garay (1986) - Java * ''

Pseudovanilla anomala ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the Family (biology), family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flo ...

'' ( Ames &

L.O.Williams Louis Otho (Otto) Williams (1908-1991) was a botanist from Wyoming. He received his BA and MA from the University of Wyoming then a PhD from Washington University in St. Louis. He went on to be editor of the '' American Orchid Society Bulletin''. Wh ...

) Garay (1986) - Fiji * ''

Pseudovanilla foliata ''Pseudovanilla foliata'', commonly known as the great climbing orchid, is a plant in the Orchidaceae, orchid family native to Queensland, New South Wales, and New Guinea. It is a terrestrial orchid with a vine, vining vegetative habit, climbing ...

'' ( F.Muell.) Garay (1986) - Queensland, New South Wales, New Guinea * ''

Pseudovanilla gracilis ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' ( Schltr.) Garay (1986) - New Guinea, Solomon Islands * ''

Pseudovanilla montigena ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' (Schltr.) Ormerod (2001) - New Guinea * ''

Pseudovanilla philippinensis ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' ( Ames) Garay (1986) - Luzon * ''

Pseudovanilla ponapensis ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' ( Kaneh. & Yamam.) Garay (1986) - Pohnpei * ''

Pseudovanilla ternatensis ''Pseudovanilla'', commonly known as giant climbing orchids, is a genus of eight climbing orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have tall climbing stems with clinging roots, leaf-like bracts and branching flowering stems with ...

'' (

) Garay (1986) - Ternate Island

References

* (1986) Botanical Museum Leaflets 30: 234.

External links

Vanilloideae genera Orchids of Oceania Orchids of Australia Orchids of Indonesia Orchids of New Guinea Orchids of the Philippines Flora of the Solomon Islands (archipelago) Flora of Micronesia Flora of Fiji {{Vanilloideae-stub