Myrmecophila orchids

Myrmecophila species are pseudobulbous epiphytes or lithophytes from wet tropical and seasonally dry tropical climates. They occur from south-east Mexico to Belize, south-east Mexico to Central America and south-west Caribbean, Mexico, south Caribbean to Venezuela and north-east Colombia, Mexico to north Venezuela, and the Cayman Islands. Plants reach elevations from 300 to 4000 metres. They are large or medium in size and prefer hot to intermediate temperatures. Most species are fragrant and bloom mainly in spring and winter.

Example species include Myrmecophila tibicinis, Myrmecophila thomsoniana, Myrmecophila brysiana and Myrmecophila humboldtii. Twenty species and eleven hybrids are catalogued.