Labellum micromorphology of some orchid genera (Orchidaceae) distributed in the Black Sea region in Turkey

Abstract

IntroductionThe family Orchidaceae includes a high variety of epiphytes or parasites that have adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions all over the world (Leake, 2005). It contains many types of species in a wide geographic area from the tropical regions to the temperate zone. The wild orchids show rich biodiversity in Turkey. The family is represented by 24 genera. Together with hybrids, the number of taxa in Turkey is recorded as 229 (Güler and Deniz, 2012). Furthermore, some of the species selected for the present study are important in terms of salep production.The pollination strategy is one factor giving rise to orchid biodiversity (Rudall and Bateman, 2002;Box et al., 2008). These unique plants are noteworthy for their flower variations and pollination methods (Cozzolino and Widmer, 2005). Due to traits such as energy-rich food rewards or deceptive strategies, orchid flowers attract pollinators and increase pollination efficiency (