Which habitats support the greatest diversity of orchid species?

The greatest diversity of orchid species is found in cloud-forest associations within tropical regions. These habitats, typically located on mountainsides where clouds provide constant moisture, offer ideal conditions for epiphytic orchids to thrive. The specific environmental structure of these forests—characterized by the presence of mosses and lichens and the ability of sunlight to penetrate the vegetation—creates a perfect niche for a high concentration of species.12

In contrast, flat rain forests are generally poor localities for orchids, as they support significantly fewer species. While orchids exhibit a wide ecological tolerance—ranging from desert environments to bogs and grasslands in temperate zones—the tropical cloud forest remains the primary center for their greatest species richness.12