Monopodial Orchids
Monopodial orchids are orchids in which the stem (or stems) grows upright from a single point. New leaves always grow from the apex and the stem grows indefinitely. The plants are always climbers if they have long stems and aerial roots. Other momopodial orchids have very short stems, and may lack aerial roots. These are not climbers.  Vanda caerulea - a type of Monopodial orchid Author: Hans B. (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic) The word Monopodial is derived from Greek 'mono' meaning one, and 'podial' which means foot, in reference to the monopodial plant having a single stem. Monopodial orchids often produce copious aerial roots along their stems. The aerial roots have green chlorophyll underneath the grey root coverings, which act as additional photosynthetic organs. These aerial roots attach themselves to any surface they meet, thus providing support to the plant.  Aerial roots Author: Hobbykafe (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0-unported) Monopodial orchids do not have a rhizome or pseudobulbs, so species accustomed to dry periods have fleshy succulent leaves instead. The single stem with indefinite growth is the main characteristic of the monopodial group. The stem tends to be the same thickness throughout, once the plant is established. The flower spike (or inflorescence) generally grows from the stem between the leaves, and not from the end or apex of the plant. Monopodial OrchidsHere's a list of monopodial orchids we have described in our website:
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