Orchids are one of the largest groups of flowering plants has nearly 17000 species in 750 genera. Unique floral beauty of this group grabs the attention of lots of nature enthusiasts including the great Charles Darwin. They are widely explored in the commercial horticulture and floriculture industries. It has become a unique area of interest for many sects of people including researchers, plant lovers, gardeners and orchid collectors. Thousands of hybrid orchid varieties are available and newly released in the market by different breeders and industries.
India has blessed with many orchid genera and species. The North Western Himalayas and North Eastern India are home for various species of orchids. Western Ghats has also embodied with the richness of orchid species. It has estimated that about 300 species of orchids were distributed in different biotypes of Western Ghats. Many groups like Dendrobium, Vanda, and Paphiopedilum were significant in terms of ornamental value. Unfortunately, there is no serious effort observed for the popularization of wild ornamental orchids in the region. Wayanad, a floristically rich region of Western Ghats harbors more than 176 species of orchids in 66 genera including 76 endemics. Most of the species have collected and maintained at orchid the conservatory of MSSBG and carrying out research work for the identification, conservation and popularization of wild ornamental orchids.