The main reserve substance in Orchidaceae embryos appears to vary according to the species and the stage of development. In O.flexuosum, the reserve substance is composed of protein throughout
embryonic development, and the accumulation of starch grains was not observed at any stage. Protein bodies and starch grains were deposited in the embryo of Phalaenopsis amabilis (L.) Blume
early in development. As it approaches maturity, the starch grains disappear and lipids accumulate in the cytoplasm