epidendrum

More than 1000 species are distributed from Carolina to Argentina. Most species grow epiphytic (tree-dwelling), only a few on rocks or terrestrial (on the ground). Their more or less numerous flowers are arranged in a spike. According to the growth form, two groups can be distinguished in this genus: the first has corms with one or more leathery leaves, the other includes reed-shaped plants without corms or with a slightly thickened and leafy lower part of the stem. Some botanists divide this large group of plants into several genera, eg Encyclia, Barkeria, Nanodes. This division is certainly justified, but has so far only been carried out for a small part of the species, so that the delimitation of the individual genera is still very imprecise.