Editing Epidendroideae (section)

{{Short description|Subfamily of orchids}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Epidendrum schomburgkii - 1.jpg
|image_caption = ''[[Epidendrum schomburgkii]]''
|taxon = Epidendroideae
|authority = [[Vincenz Franz Kosteletzky|Kostel.]]
|range_map = Epidendroideae.png
|subdivision_ranks = Tribes
|subdivision = [[Epidendroideae#Taxonomy|See text]]
|synonyms = Vandoideae
|type_genus = ''[[Epidendrum]]'' L.<ref name = "IPNI">subfam. Epidendroideae Kostel. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/330966-2</ref>
}}

'''Epidendroideae''' is a [[subfamily]] of plants in the orchid family, [[Orchidaceae]]. Epidendroideae is larger than all the other orchid subfamilies together, comprising more than 15,000 [[species]] in 576 [[genera]]. Most epidendroid orchids are tropical [[epiphyte]]s, typically with [[pseudobulb]]s. There are, however, some [[terrestrial plant|terrestrials]] such as ''[[Epipactis]]'' and even a few [[myco-heterotrophs]], which are [[parasitic]] upon [[mycorrhizal]] [[fungi]].

They typically contain the remaining orchids with a single, fertile [[anther]] ( = monandrous), which is also fully incumbent ( = strongly convex) to suberect (= ascending towards the edges). The anther form arises from [[column (botany)|column]] elongation or, as in the vandoids, from early anther bending. The incumbent anther forms a right angle with the column axis or is pointed backward in many genera. Most have hard [[pollinium|pollinia]], i.e. a mass of waxy [[pollen]] or of coherent pollen grains. The pollinia are with [[caudicle]] and [[viscidium]] or without. The [[carpel|stigma]] are entire or three-lobed; a [[rostellum|beak]] is present. The apical part of the middle stigma lobe forms a [[stipe (botany)|stipe]] ( = pollinium stalk). The [[ovary (plants)|ovary]] is [[Locule|unilocular]]. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are distichous or spiraling, growing on thickened [[Plant stem|stems]].

The Epidendroideae are difficult to classify. They have been divided in “lower epidendroids” and “higher epidendroids”.