There are several hundred species of orchid within the Tapichalaca reserve, about 60 of these are listed in the Ecuador Plant Red Data Book (2000), and about half of these are endemic to the reserve. Several new species have been found during studies there, and will soon be described. For more information see also www.loujost.com There are about 4000 species of orchid currently known in Ecuador - about 25% of the world total.

The local form of Maxillaria striata.	Masdevallia deformis, growing with a Bromeliad.
Telepogon dodsonii , found at about 2900m in the reserve.	Draconanthes sp , found in shrub on the edge of the paramo lake at 3450m, probably the highest orchid growing in the reserve.
Lepanthes nivia , one of the largest of this genus of tiny flowered orchids, with over 250 species endemic to Ecuador	A Fernandezia sp.
There are seven species of Sobralia orchids growing on roadside banks at the southern edge of the reserve at 1800-1600m altitude. The yellow one is a new species which will be described soon.