Plants in the Orchid family are identified on the basis of their unique flower structure. They all have three sepals and three petals, one of which is modified into a lip or labellum. In addition, instead of having a pistil and stamens, they have a column that carries the male and female parts of the flower. Orchids can be broadly divided into three habits of growth . It is important to know to which group a plant belongs, because they each have different requirements.
Terrestrial orchids grow on the ground, with their roots in the topmost layer of humus.
Most orchids in this category are from temperate regions. Although it grows in the tropics, the Paphiopedilum genus belongs in this group. Epiphytic orchids grow on other plants, although they are not parasitic. They are mostly native to the tropics. The Phalaenopsis and Cattleya genera belong to this group.