Apostasioideae
Apostasioideae is one of the five subfamilies recognised within the orchid family, Orchidaceae.[1] Only two genera, Neuwiedia and Apostasia, and 15 species, are recognised within the Apostasioideae in contrast to the other orchid subfamilies which are highly species rich.
| Apostasioid orchids | |
|---|---|
|  | |
| Apostasia wallichii | |
| Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae | 
| Clade: | Tracheophytes | 
| Clade: | Angiosperms | 
| Clade: | Monocots | 
| Order: | Asparagales | 
| Family: | Orchidaceae | 
| Subfamily: | Apostasioideae Horan. (1847) | 
| Genera | |
|  | |
| Distribution of Apostasioideae | |
The Apostasioideae are generally considered a basal lineage within the orchids[2] based on molecular data and flower structure. All other orchid subfamilies with the exception of the Cypripedioideae are monandrous (possessing a single stamen), however Apostasioid orchids have 3 stamens.
As with all basal or 'primitive' groups, extant species within Apostasioideae do not represent direct ancestors of the other subfamilies, they simply share the same common ancestor. However, by having followed a separate evolutionary pathway from the other orchids extant Apostasioid orchids may allow biologists to make inferences about features present in that common ancestor.[3]
References
    
- Chase, Mark W.; Cameron, Kenneth M.; Freudenstein, John V.; Pridgeon, Alec M.; Salazar, Gerardo; van den Berg, Cássio; Schuiteman, André (2015). "An updated classification of Orchidaceae". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 177 (2): 151–174. doi:10.1111/boj.12234. ISSN 0024-4074.
- Kocyan, A.; Qiu, Y.-L.; Endress, P.K. & Conti, E. (August 2004). "A phylogenetic analysis of Apostasioideae (Orchidaceae) based on ITS, trnL-F and matK sequences" (PDF). Plant Syst. Evol. 247 (3/4): 203–213. doi:10.1007/s00606-004-0133-3.
- Stern, W. L.; V. Cheadle; J. Thorsch (1993). "Apostasiads, systematic anatomy, and the origins of Orchidaceae". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 111 (4): 411–445. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1993.tb01913.x.
Bibliography
    
- Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol.1, Oxford U. Press. ISBN 0-19-850513-2
