Large-scale commercial trade of wild orchids is a pressing, but little-recognised conservation problem, according to researchers. Orchids are one of the largest families of flower plants in the world, and – on paper – they are among the most well protected. From edible orchid cake in Tanzania and ornamental orchids in Thailand and Brazil, to medicinal orchids in Nepal, these plants are highly sought after commodities. The majority of the global orchid trade consists of legal, greenhouse-grown flowers and plants. However, many orchid species are also harvested from the wild for local, regional and international trade, without the necessary harvest or trade permits, driving new concern for or