{{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 ''Orchidales'' is an

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

s. In taxonomical systems, this is a relatively recent name as early systems used descriptive botanical names for the order containing the orchids. The Bentham & Hooker and the

Engler system One of the prime systems of plant taxonomy, the Engler system was devised by Adolf Engler (1844–1930), and is featured in two major taxonomic texts he authored or co-authored. His influence is reflected in the use of the terms "Engler School" and ...

s had the orchids in order ''

Microspermae {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 ''Microspermae'' is an order of flowering plants. It is a descriptive botanical name referring to the size of the seed; it was used for the order containing the orchids. In taxonomical systems this name has ...

'' while the

Wettstein system A system of plant taxonomy, the Wettstein system recognised the following main groups, according to Richard Wettstein's ''Handbuch der Systematischen Botanik'' (1901–1924). 3rd edition (1924) Outline Synopsis * Flagellatae p. 65 * ...

treats them as order ''

Gynandrae {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 ''Gynandrae'' is a botanical name of an order of flowering plants. It was used in the Wettstein system for the order containing the orchids and is a descriptive name referring to the stamens. The Bentham & H ...

''.

Circumscription Circumscription may refer to: *Circumscribed circle * Circumscription (logic) *Circumscription (taxonomy) *Circumscription theory, a theory about the origins of the political state in the history of human evolution proposed by the American anthrop ...

of the order will vary with the taxonomic system being used. Although mostly the order will consist of the orchids only (usually in one family only, but sometimes divided into more families, as in the Dahlgren system, see below), sometimes other families are added:

Circumscription in the Takhtajan system

Takhtajan system A system of plant taxonomy, the Takhtajan system of plant classification was published by Armen Takhtajan, in several versions from the 1950s onwards. It is usually compared to the Cronquist system. It admits paraphyletic groups. Systems The f ...

: * order ''Orchidales'' *: family ''

Orchidaceae 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 flowerin ...

Circumscription in the Cronquist system

Cronquist system The Cronquist system is a taxonomic classification system of flowering plants. It was developed by Arthur Cronquist in a series of monographs and texts, including ''The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants'' (1968; 2nd edition, 1988) ...

(1981): * order ''Orchidales'' *: family '' Geosiridaceae'' *: family '' Burmanniaceae'' *: family '' Corsiaceae'' *: family ''

Circumscription in the Dahlgren system

Dahlgren system One of the modern systems of plant taxonomy, the Dahlgren system was published by monocot specialist Rolf Dahlgren in 1975 and revised in 1977, and 1980. However, he is best known for his two treatises on monocotyledons in 1982 and revised in 19 ...

: * order ''Orchidales'' *: family '' Neuwiediaceae'' *: family '' Apostasiaceae'' *: family '' Cypripediaceae'' *: family ''

Circumscription in the Thorne system

Thorne system (1992): * order ''Orchidales'' *: family ''

APG system

The order is not recognized in the

APG II system The APG II system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II system) of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Gr ...

, which assigns the orchids to order ''

Asparagales Asparagales (asparagoid lilies) is an order of plants in modern classification systems such as the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Web. The order takes its name from the type family Asparagaceae and is placed in t ...

''.

Circumscription in the Takhtajan system

Circumscription in the Cronquist system

Circumscription in the Dahlgren system

Circumscription in the Thorne system

APG system

See also