Types of Orchids in the Rain Forest

Rafflesia

• The rafflesia, found in Southeast Asia, is the biggest flower in the world. The rafflesia has a huge, fleshy orb that looks and smells like rotting meat. The stench attracts insects, which help pollinate the plants. The rafflesia is threatened by deforestation.

Cattleya

• The cattleya is found in Central American rain forests. Also called the chocolate box orchid, its graceful image is often used to decorate boxes of chocolate. Most cattleya are epiphytes, which grow on trees, or lithophtyes, which grow on rocks.

Miltonia Spectabilis

• Miltonia spectabilis is found in the Brazilian Atlantic rain forest. This highly-endangered rain forest is north of Rio de Janeiro. Miltonia spectabilis is deep purple and lilac. It has a sweet smell that is noticeable when it is watered.

Bucket Orchid

• The bucket orchid, of the genus Coryanthus, includes about 42 species found in the American tropics. Bucket orchids get their name from a spoutlike opening shaped like a bucket. Insects are attracted by the orchid's strong odor and slip into the bucket. When the insects leave through the spout, they bump into hanging pollen packets, and the pollen sticks to them. The insects pollinate the orchids when carry the pollen to the stigma of other bucket orchids.

Brassia Rex

• Brassia rex is one type of the spider orchid species. They are found in tropical America. The Brassia rex is epiphytic, which means it grows on trees.