Editing Orchid (section)

== Uses ==
[[File:2007-12-17AdventFlowerShop02.jpg|thumb|upright|As decoration in a flowerpot]]
[[File:Blc. Paradise Jewel 'Flame' Orchid bloom.JPG|thumb|upright|A [[× Brassolaeliocattleya|× ''Brassolaeliocattleya'']] ("BLC") Paradise Jewel 'Flame' hybrid orchid. Blooms of the ''[[Cattleya]]'' alliance are often used in ladies' [[corsage]]s.]]

=== Perfumery ===
The [[scent]] of orchids is frequently analysed by [[perfumer]]s (using [[headspace technology]] and [[gas-liquid chromatography]]/[[mass spectrometry]]) to identify potential fragrance chemicals.<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=26886766|pmc=4757410|year=2016|last1=Gross|first1=K. |title=Why Do Floral Perfumes Become Different? Region-Specific Selection on Floral Scent in a Terrestrial Orchid|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=11 |issue=2|pages=e0147975 |last2=Sun|first2=M |last3=Schiestl |first3=F. P. |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0147975|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1147975G|doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== Horticulture ===
The other important use of orchids is their cultivation for the enjoyment of the flowers. Most cultivated orchids are [[tropics|tropical]] or [[subtropics|subtropical]], but quite a few that grow in colder climates can be found on the market. Temperate species available at nurseries include ''[[Ophrys apifera]]'' (bee orchid), ''[[Gymnadenia conopsea]]'' (fragrant orchid), ''[[Anacamptis pyramidalis]]'' (pyramidal orchid) and ''[[Dactylorhiza fuchsii]]'' (common spotted orchid).

Orchids of all types have also often been sought by collectors of both species and hybrids. Many hundreds of societies and clubs worldwide have been established. These can be small, local clubs, or larger, national organisations such as the [[American Orchid Society]]. Both serve to encourage cultivation and collection of orchids, but some go further by concentrating on conservation or research.

The term "botanical orchid" loosely denotes those small-flowered, tropical orchids belonging to several genera that do not fit into the "florist" orchid category. A few of these genera contain enormous numbers of species. Some, such as ''[[Pleurothallis]]'' and ''[[Bulbophyllum]]'', contain approximately 1700 and 2000 species, respectively, and are often extremely vegetatively diverse. The primary use of the term is among orchid hobbyists wishing to describe unusual species they grow, though it is also used to distinguish naturally occurring orchid species from horticulturally created [[hybrid (biology)|hybrids]].

New orchids are registered with the International Orchid Register, maintained by the [[Royal Horticultural Society]].{{sfn|RHS|2016}} Several thousand new [[Grex (horticulture)|grex]]es are registered each year.<ref name="sanders">{{cite book |title=Sander's List of Orchid Hybrids: 3 Year Addendum 2017-2019 |date=March 2021 |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |isbn=9781911666134}}</ref>

=== Food ===
{{further|Vanilla}}

[[File:Vanilla fragrans 4.jpg|thumb|right|Vanilla fruit drying]]

The dried seed pods of one orchid genus, ''[[Vanilla (genus)|Vanilla]]'' (especially ''[[Vanilla planifolia]]''), are commercially important as a flavouring in [[baking]], for [[perfume]] manufacture and [[aromatherapy]].

The underground tubers of terrestrial orchids [mainly ''[[Orchis mascula]]'' (early purple orchid)] are ground to a powder and used for cooking, such as in the hot beverage ''[[salep]]'' or in the [[Turkish cuisine|Turkish]] mastic ice cream ''[[dondurma]]''. The name ''salep'' has been claimed to come from the [[Arabic]] expression ''{{Transliteration|ar|ḥasyu al-tha‘lab}}'', "fox testicles", but it appears more likely the name comes directly from the Arabic name ''{{Transliteration|ar|saḥlab}}''. The similarity in appearance to testes naturally accounts for ''salep'' being considered an aphrodisiac.

The dried leaves of ''[[Jumellea fragrans]]'' are used to flavour rum on [[Reunion Island]].

Some saprophytic orchid species of the group ''[[Gastrodia]]'' produce potato-like tubers and were consumed as food by native peoples in [[Australia]] and can be successfully cultivated, notably ''[[Gastrodia sesamoides]]''. Wild stands of these plants can still be found in the same areas as early Aboriginal settlements, such as [[Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park]] in [[Australia]]. [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal peoples]] located the plants in habitat by observing where [[bandicoot]]s had scratched in search of the tubers after detecting the plants underground by scent.{{NoteTag|Early western district (Vic.) settler gives account of local Aboriginal people gathering potato orchid tubers, digging where bandicoots had scratched.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Zola |first1 = Nellie |last2 = Gott |first2 = Beth |title = Koorie Plants, Koorie People: Traditional Aboriginal Food, Fibre and Healing Plants of Victoria |year = 1992 |publisher = Koorie Heritage Trust Incorporated |isbn=978-1-875606-10-8 |page=38 }}</ref>}}