General Information

All over the equatorial regions of the planet where rainforest occurs, the forest tends to have a similar physical structure and appearance. Of course, on closer inspection, numerous differences exist among rainforests both within and among various geographical areas.

Peru is located in the central western region of South America, with a territory of 1.285 million km2. Peru has three distinct geographic regions: coast, mountains, and jungle.

Peru is home of 3000 orchid species. The greatest diversity of species is found in the High Amazon Jungle located between 500 and 3,600 m.a.s.l.

Orchid flowers are among the most beautiful in the plant world. Orchids are a global family (Orchidaceaé) abundantly represented among Neotropical epiphytes. In Peru, approximately 90% of the orchid species are epiphytes, while the rest are terrestrial. The prefix epi implies, epiphytes (air plants) live on other plants. They are not internally parasitic, but they do claim space on a branch where they set out roots, trap soil and dust particles, and photosynthesize as canopy residents.

Cross-pollination is accomplished by insects, some quite specific for certain orchid species. Bees are primary pollinators of Neotropical orchids. These include long-distance fliers. Some orchid blossoms apparently mimic insects, facilitating visitation by insects intending (mistakenly) to copulate with the blossom

Orchid flowers are among the most beautiful in the plant world. Some, like the familiar Cattleya, are large, while others are delicate and tiny.