Orchids Distribution

Orchids are a cosmopolitan family, which is distributed from within the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego and the islands south of Australia. They are absent only in the deserts. However, most species are found in the tropics and subtropics, from sea level to 5,000 meters, in almost all environments. In some ecosystems orchids are the dominant element, particularly in habitats with poor nutrients.

Most species are found in tropical regions, particularly in mountainous areas, which represent natural barriers to isolate the different plant populations, resulting in the formation of a high number of endemics. Areas with a marked predominance of orchids include the islands and the mainland of Southeast Asia, and the mountainous regions of Colombia and Ecuador.

The third site with a great number of species is the Brazilian Atlantic mass with approximately 1,500 described species. Other important areas are the southern mountains of the Himalayas in India and China, the mountains of Central America and South Africa, and, notably, the island of Madagascar.

Ecuador is the country that has the highest richness of species, reaching a peak of 3,549 registered orchid taxa; followed by Colombia with 2,723; New Guinea with 2,717; and Brazil with 2,590. Borneo, Sumatra, Madagascar, Venezuela and Costa Rica are also countries with a large number of species.