Dichaea is a genus of orchids (family Orchidaceae, order Asparagales) described by the English botanist John Lindley in 1833, in his Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants (Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 208). Wikipedia describes the genus as containing about 100 species; GBIF's backbone taxonomy currently carries 163 descendant names under the genus, a larger figure that reflects the inclusion of synonyms alongside accepted species rather than a higher species count.
The genus is native to tropical America, spanning the Neotropics from Central America and the Caribbean through to South America. Occurrence and checklist data compiled by the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (via GBIF) place Dichaea in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica in Central America; Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti in the Caribbean; and Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana, and multiple regions of Brazil in South America — indicating a broad distribution across the humid tropical lowlands and montane forests of the Americas.
As members of Orchidaceae, one of the largest plant families, Dichaea species share the family's specialized floral architecture, including a modified labellum and a fused reproductive column.
Distribution
Dichaea is native to tropical America, ranging from Central America and the Caribbean through to South America. GBIF distribution records (sourced from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants) list the genus in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana, and several regions of Brazil.
Taxonomy Notes
Dichaea was described by John Lindley in 1833 (published in Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants, p. 208) and is placed in family Orchidaceae, order Asparagales. Wikipedia states the genus contains about 100 species, while GBIF's backbone taxonomy lists 163 names (accepted species plus synonyms) under the genus — the difference reflects synonymy rather than a discrepancy in accepted species count.
