Indonesia has more than 4,000 species of orchid, these are native to almost every part of the archipelago, growing at elevations from sea level (
Dendrobium striaenopsis) up to 3,000 meters (
Dendrobium cuthbertsonii) and temperatures between 8.7ºC and 32ºC. They are found on branches of Tamarindus trees at roadside in big cities like Jakarta, Bandung or Bogor (
Aerides odorata and
Rhynchostylis retusa) to the canopy in our tropical rain forests. Today, many new species are still being found, but occasionally even a new genus is discovered.
Kalimantan (Borneo) is the richest island in numbers of species of orchids in the world, Sumatra has 986 species, Java more than 971, Sulawesi (Celebes) unrecorded, 123 found in Maluku (Moluccas) at the eastern part of Indonesia and the Province of Papua (West New Guinea) has more than 1000, mainly Dendrobium and Bulbophyllum. Most of these orchids can be seen at Cibodas and Bogor Botanical Gardens in West Java. Bogor Botanical Garden (s’Lands Plantentuin te Buitenzorg) is one of the oldest and most celebrated of Asia’s botanical gardens.
Aerides Monopodial epiphytes with fairly long stems and strap-shaped leaves places into two rows. Inflorescens are many flowered. Flowers are medium sized, opening widely and scented, lip not movable and always trilobed and spurred. Column foot absent, pollinia two.
Dendrobium
Sympodial plants, more often epiphytic than terrestrial, with or without pseudobulbs which when present are often in the form of fleshy stems. Derivation of name from the Greek dendros (tree) and bios (life), an illusion to the aerial epiphytic existences of most species. Dendrobium with about 1000 species, is one of the largest of the genera in orchidaceae. Indonesia is the center distribution of this genera, from Sumatra, java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Molucca and Papua (West New Guinea).
Appendicula
Sympodial plants without pseudobulbs, usually epiphytic but rarely terrestrial, with leaves all along the stems placed in two rows. Most species grow at lower to middle altitudes in the mountains, more than 60 species of Appendicula have so far been named, Sumatra has to be the center of development of the genus with 33 species.
| Appendicula reflexa |
| Distribution : Widely distributed in Indonesia |
- Appendicula Reflexa
Bulbophyllum
Derivation of name from the Greek bulbos (bulb) and phyllon (leaf), referring to the prominent leafy pseudobulbs of most species. Bulbophyllum is one of the larges genera, with possibly as many as 1000 species, mostly come from South East Asia and adjacent islands. Indonesia has the largest species, Papua and Borneo contribute more than 500 hundred species.
| Bulbophyllum macranthum |
| Distribution : Sumatra, Borneo and Java, from sea level – 1400m, photo above is plant from West Java |
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| Bulbophyllum cornutum |
| Distribution : Java and Borneo |
Bulbophyllum Macranthum
Cleisostoma
Monopodial epiphytes with short or rather long stems bearing in two rows. Derivation of name from the Greek kleistos (close) and stoma (mouth), in illusion to the calli which almost block the mouth of the spurs
| Cleisostoma javanicum |
| Distribution : Sumatra and Java |
Cleisostoma javanicum
Coelogyne
Derivation of name from the Greek koilos (hollow) and gyne (female), probably referring to the deeply set stigmatic cavity found in the genus, between 120 and 150 species are reported, mainly from Indonesia and widely distributed from Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Celebes and Papua.
| Coelogyne speciosa |
| Distribution : Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. This species have many variations in the coloring of the lip. |
Coelogyne speciosa
Cymbidium
The name cymbidium is derived from the greek kymbes, a boat-shaped cup, in illusion to the lip shape in some species, In Indonesia they can be found in Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Papua.
| Cymbidium lancifolium |
| Distribution : Sumatra, Java and Borneo |
Cymbidium lancifoliumpo
Eria
Derivation of name from the Greek erion (wool), which refers to the wooly indumentum of the perianth. A large genus but not many people in Indonesia want to cultivate them, maybe not showy and mainly cool growing orchids.
| Eria lamonganensis |
| Distribution : Java and possibly Bali, at from 400 – 1500m |
Eria lamonganensis
Flickingeria
Epiphytic or lithophytic plants with creeping rooting rizhome producing erect branching stems. A genus of some 60 species in S.E. Asia, The centre of diversity lies in the large islands of Indonesia.
| Flickingeria fimbriata |
| Distribution : Sulawesi selatan (Toraja), epiphyte in the lower foothills. |
Flickingeria fimbriata
Grammatophyllum Blume
Derivation of name from the Greek gramma (letter) and phyllon (leaf), in reference to the dark and conspicuous marking of the sepals and petals, Indonesia has four species, distributed from Sumatra trough Papua (West New Guinea).
| Grammatophyllum scriptum |
| Distribution : Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua |
Grammathophylum scriptum
Liparis
Small terrestrial, lithophytic or less commonly epiphytic herbs arising from pseudobulbs or corms. Derivation of name form the Greek liparos (shiny or greasy) , referring to to the smooth glossy sheen of the leaves of many species. Many Liparis species from Indonesia usually a mountain plant, so they need cool temperature to grow well.
Liparis rheedii
Distribution : Sumatra, Java, Sumbawa, Sulawesi and New Guinea. In Java at 600 – 1500m, often in disturbed forest.
Liparis rheedii
Luisia
Erect or climbing monopodial epyphytes with fairly long stems and terete leave, consist of 40 species, Luisia distributed in tropical Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.
| Luisia javanica |
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| Distribution : Java and possibly Sulawesi |
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Luisia javanica
Paphiopedilum
The name Paphiopedilum is derived from Greek words paphius and pedilon, which mean shoes. The popular name for Paphiopedilum is Lady’s Slipper, Indonesians called them incorrectly “anggrek kantung semar”. Paphiopedilum are mostly terrestrial and only sometimes growing as epiphytic plants. In Indonesia they are found in Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes through Papua (West New Guinea). Paphiopedilum are low light orchids, their natural habitat is the jungle floor. Some species like Paphiopedilum javanicum have a unique symbiosis with some ferns, because they are always found on grounds that smell like amonia below certain species of fern.
| Paphiopedilum tonsum |
| Distribution : North and West Sumatra |
Paphiopedilum tonsum
Phalaenopsis
The name Phalaenopsis is derived from phalaenos, a moth, and opsis, the appearance, and was suggested by Dutch botanist C.L. Blume, who, when the first specimen was found in 1852 in the eastern part of Java and named Phalaenopsis amabilis, likened them to tropical moths in flight. Most of these species are native to South East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines).
Phalaenopsis are epiphytic or lithophytic plants, that grow attached to the branches and trunks of trees, rocks and mossy banks overhanging waters, and are almost always found in deep shade. The majority of species flourish in the wild where the temperature is naturally uniform, ranging from 24ºC at night to 35ºC during the day.
| Phalaenopsis amboinensis |
| Distribution : Maluku Archipelago and Sulawesi |
Phalaenopsis amboinensis
Pomatocalpa
Terrestrial or epiphytic monopodials with long or short stem and flat leaves. Sumatra have 4 and Java 4 species, this genus is allied to Acampe, Trichoglottis and Gastrochilus.
| Pomatocalpa kunstleri |
| Distribution : Java and Borneo |
| Pomatocalpa latifolia |
| Distribution : Sumatra, Java and Borneo |
Pomatocalpa
Taeniophyllum
Small, almost stem-less monopodial epiphytes without any leaves but green roots, flower are borne on short unbranched racemes, So far 160 species have been named which are found from India throughout South East Asia and some Pacific islands. Comber in his book “Orchids Of Java” recorded: Sumatra have 10 species, Java 20 species, Borneo 6 species, New Guinea 84 species. So Indonesia can claim to be the centre of distribution of this genus.
| Taeniophyllum biocellatum |
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| Distribution : Java, Endemic plant, may be found all over Java at 300 – 1000m, in forest, planted trees, coffe bushes and roadside trees. |
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Taeniophyllum biocellatum
Vanda
The name Vanda came from the Indian language. It means that people like these plants by their fragrance, color and the shape of flower. There are about 80 species of Vanda, native to The Himalayas, Indo-China, Indonesia and nothern Australia. Vanda are monopodial orchids and mostly epiphytic. In Java they can be found on trunks and branches of trees (especially Arenga sp. and Tamarindus indica) in the jungle. Sometimes they grow as lithophytes on rocks. All Vanda enjoy the bright light, and if given sufficiently they may bloom two or three times a year.
| Vanda limbata |
| Distribution : Java, Madura, Lombok and Flores, Photo above is a Dark form, plant in natural habitat at sea level in East Java. |
Vanda limbata
source : www.google.com
Indonesia's Creatures 
