The Orchids are the largest botanical family in the world. "The Manual of The Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" lists 21 different genera of orchids in North Carolina. There are 72 species listed by the Natural Heritage Program.Unfortunately, many of them are very rare and some of the formerly known North Carolina species may now be extinct.
The family consists of some of the showiest flowers in the plant world. In the southern Appalachians, the most commonly seen and recognized orchids are