Polystachyinae is a subtribe within the tribe

Tribe (biology)

In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...

 Vandeae

Vandeae

The Vandeae is a large monophyletic tribe within the family of orchids.This tribe contains 1,700 - 2,000 species in more than 150 genera. The classification of taxa within this tribe is still largely based on floral morphology...

 in family Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae

The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...

. It consists of 4 genera and about 228 known species. The type genus

Type genus

In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...

 of this subtribe is Polystachya

Polystachya

Polystachya, abbreviated Pol in horticultural trade, is a flowering plant genus in the orchid family . This rather distinctive genus was described by William Jackson Hooker in 1824 and is the type genus of the subtribe Polystachyinae...

. The group is pantropical, being native to tropical Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 primarily, but also to tropical America.. Members of this group are epiphytic

Epiphyte

An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...

 and They are distinguished from the other subtribes in the tribe Vandeae

Vandeae

The Vandeae is a large monophyletic tribe within the family of orchids.This tribe contains 1,700 - 2,000 species in more than 150 genera. The classification of taxa within this tribe is still largely based on floral morphology...

 by their sympodial

Sympodial

Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and in biology is often used to refer to the outward morphology or mode of growth of organisms.-In botany:...

 growth habit and the presence of four pollinia

Pollinium

Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant.They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds .Most orchids have waxy pollinia...

. Pollination is mostly by small species of bees, however some species (e.g. Polystachya concrete) exhibit auto-pollination.

Genera

Genera in this subtribe are listed below:

• Hederorkis
  Hederorkis
  Hederorkis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.-Species:* Hederorkis scandens Thouars * Hederorkis seychellensis Bosser - References :...
  
  Thouars, 1809 (2 sp.)
• Imerinaea
  Imerinaea
  Imerinaea is a monotypic genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. The single species is Imerinaea madagascarica and is endemic to northern Madagascar. It is lithophilic and grows in shady areas under trees among mosses and lichens.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J.,...
  
  Schltr., 1924 (1 sp.)
• Neobenthamia
  Neobenthamia
  Neobenthamia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. The single species is Neobenthamia gracilis. It is lithophilic and grows among leaf litter and other detritus on rock faces. It is endemic to Tanzania....
  
  Rolfe, 1891 (1 sp.)
• Polystachya
  Polystachya
  Polystachya, abbreviated Pol in horticultural trade, is a flowering plant genus in the orchid family . This rather distinctive genus was described by William Jackson Hooker in 1824 and is the type genus of the subtribe Polystachyinae...
  
  Hook., 1824 (224 spp.)