Maxillarieae is a large and complex tribe of orchids native to South and Central America. Within the tribe there are eight subtribes one of which is that of the genus Maxillaria.
Tribe Maxillarieae contains 70 to 80 genera with about 1,000 species; most grow in tropical America as terrestrials or epiphytes, a few are myco-heterotrophs (formerly called saprophytes). Most show pseudobulbs, but a few have reedlike stems or thick underground stems. Blooms have four pollinia.
Subtribe Corallorhizinae: all epiparasites.
Genera: Aplectrum, Corallorrhiza
Subtribe Zygopetalinae: about 150 species. Most exhibited hybrids are to be found in this subtribe.
Alliance Warrea
Genera: Otostylis, Warrea
Alliance Zygopetalum
Genera: Acacallis, Aganisia, Batemannia, Bollea, Cheiradenia, Chondrorhyncha, Cochleanthes, Colax, Pabstia, Promenaea, Zygopetalum
Alliance Bollea
Genera: Bollea, Chondrorhyncha, Cochleanthes, Huntleya, Kefersteinia, Pescatoria, Stenia
Alliance Vargasiella
Genera: Vargasiella
Unallied Genera within Zygopetalinae
Genera: Benzingia, Chaubardia, Chaubardiella, Dodsonia, Galeottia, Hoehneella, Koellensteinia, Neogardneria, Paradisanthus, Scuticaria, Warreella, Warreopsis, Zygosepalum
Alliance Hybrids (Nothogenerics)
Genera: Aitkenara, Bateostylis, Bollopetalum, Chondrobollea, Cochella, Cochlecaste, Cochlenia, Downsara, Durutyara, Hamelwellsara, Huntleanthes, Kanzerara, Keferanthes, Lancebirkara, Otocolax, Otonisia, Palmerara, Rotorara, Zygocaste, Zygolum, Zygonisia, Zygostylis
Subtribe Bifrenariinae: thin and pleated leaves.
Genera: Bifrenaria, Xylobium
Subtribe Lycastinae: thin and pleated leaves.
Genera: Anguloa, Bifrenaria, Lycaste, Neomoorea, Rudolfiella, Sudamerlycaste Teuscheria, Xylobium
Subtribe Stanhopeinae:
Genera: Acineta, Archivea, Braemia, Cirrhaea, Coryanthes, Embreea, Gongora, Horichia, Houlletia, Jennyella, Kegeliella, Lacaena, Lueddemannia, Paphinia, Polycycnis, Schlimmia, Sievekingia, Soterosanthus, Stanhopea, Trevoria, Vasqueziella
Subtribe Coeliopsidinae:
Genera: Coeliopsis, Lycomormium, Peristeria
Subtribe Maxillariinae: largest subtribe with nearly half of the tribe species. The leathery leaves are conduplicate, i.e. folded together lengthwise.
Genera: Chrysocycnis, Cyrtidium, Maxillaria, Mormolyca, Pityphyllum, Scuticaria (plant), Sepalosaccus, Trigonidium
Subtribe Dichaeinae
Genera: Dichaea
Subtribe Telipogoninae
Genera: Telipogon, Trichoceros
Subtribe Ornithocephalinae
Genera: Ornithocephalus, Zygostates
