Orchidaceae tubers after detecting the plants underground by scent. Orchids have been used in traditional medicine in an effort to treat many diseases and ailments. They have been used as a source of herbal remedies in China since 2800 BC. "Gastrodia elata" is one of the three orchids listed in the earliest known Chinese Materia Medica ("Shennon bencaojing") (c. 100 AD). Theophrastus mentions orchids in his "Enquiry into Plants" (372–286 BC). Orchids have many associations with symbolic values. For example, the orchid is the City Flower of Shaoxing, China. "Cattleya mossiae" is the national Venezuelan flower, while "Cattleya trianae" is the
Cattleya rex La Paz in Bolivia. It occurs in montane forests and low montane seasonally dry forests at 800–2500 m, growing on tree branches. In its native habitat, flowering occurs between December and March. "Cattleya rex" has been assigned an endangered conservation status in 1997 by the IUCN. Previously believed to be a Peruvian endemic, in 2013 a new locality was reported in Bolivia, thus increasing the area of extension for the species. "C. rex" requires a temperate climate (in winter, artificial heating set at 16 °C at night and 18 °C during the day is recommended) and good ventilation (a dark