Part of this room is made up of orchids, one of the most important families in the tropics, where there are an incredible number of both epiphytes and terrestrial species (in Wisconsin there are over 50 species of orchids, all terrestrial). These plants exhibit remarkable adaptations, often with convergent characteristics. Note the thick xeromorphic leaves of some of the orchids. The thin leaves of terrestrial, deciduous forest orchids such as Cypripedium (Lady-Slipper) can just as well be said to be convergent to the dominant leaf type of the deciduous forest plants. Orchids are usually very specific as to pollinators and not all are showy and colorful. The seeds are very tiny and are provided with little tails of air-filled, blister-like cells to aid in wind dispersal. They often have swollen pseudobuls for water storage.

Oncidium orchids are characteristicly epiphytic in the Neotropical wet and cloud forests. They possess special cells on roots and stems for water uptake and retention. Like all orchids, the flowers are intricately arranged and have specialized forms of insect (often bee) pollination. The seeds are numerous and light, ideal for dispersal to branches and stems of host trees.