What Is so Special About Orchids?

What is so special about the Orchidaceae? According to Greek mythology, there once was a satyr named Orchis who was celebrating in the festival of the god of wine. Having had too much to drink, he attempted to rape a priestess and as a result was killed by angry villagers. Orchis’ father prayed to the gods to bring his son back but the gods, being not especially fond of rapists, only returned Orchis as flowers. Thus, according to the Ancient Greeks, was the origin of orchids. However, with modern genetics and the theory of evolution, we know that it is unlikely that members of the Orchidaceae family are the restoration of a satyr. However, this does not dampen the mystical fascination of humans with this family of flowering plants. Undeniably, the beauty of many members of Orchidaceae has mesmerized many and led to a huge floricultural industry in the trade of orchids and its hybrids. Vanilla, one of the most used flavourings, is derived from the seed capsules of orchids. Orchidaceae is a special family not only because of its cultural and commercial importance, but also due to its unique structure and diversity. Members of this family have also formed special relationships with other species of organisms that are non-human. Orchidaceae is a large and diverse family, making it perhaps one of the most special. It is estimated that members of the Orchidaceae family make up one tenth to one sixteenth of all species of flowering plants (Dressler). In 1973 it was predicted that 17,000 species existed (Willis) but that number has increased and it could now easily be between 20,000 and 25,000. This makes the Orchidaceae the largest family of flowering plants. However, this is not the only reason why they’re special. Orchids produce many small and light seeds that are easily dispersed by wind. While most seeds only travel meters away from its parent plant, some seeds can travel vast distances (e.g. cross the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to South America). It is perhaps