This will be an on-going thread that lists some abbreviations for many of the orchids that are grown in the hobby. Some are very common. Some are pretty obscure. It will not be a perfect list as taxonomy constantly changes, but it will be fairly reliable in determining what the abbreviations for each orchid genera are. Be aware that some of the genera listed here will be redundant in that the list will represent the many names of a group of plants in which the names have changed repeatedly, (examples would be Acacallis = Aganisia, and Chamaeangis = Microterangis). Since it is difficult to tell which names take precedence over the other, I will let this list be redundant. I will list natural genera. I do know a few intergenerics, but I will not attempt this because I'm not familiar enough with them.
Let's start!
---------- Post added at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:48 PM ----------
Abd = Abdominea
Ac = Acacallis
Acp = Acampe
Aca = Acanthephippium
Acia = Acianthera
Acn = Acineta
Akm = Ackermania
Asa = Acostia
Acr = Acriopsis
Apa = Acrolophia
Aro = Acronia
Acro = Acropera
Ada = Ada
Ade = Adenocos
Aergs = Aerangis
Aerth = Aeranthes
Aer = Aerides
Agn = Aganisia
Agr = Agrostophyllum
Aos = Amerorchis
Ame = Amesiella
Ami = Amitostigma
Ant = Anacamptis
Ahl = Anacheilium
Anat = Anathallis
Acip = Ancipitia
And = Ancistrochilus
Andi = Andinia
Ago = Angraecopsis
Angcm = Angraecum
Ang = Anguloa
Anct = Anoetochilus
Aslla = Ansellia
Agm = Anthogonium
Apl = Aplectrum
App = Appendicula
Arach = Arachnis
Aret = Arethusa
Arpo = Arpophyllum
Ar = Arundina
Asctm = Ascocentrum
Acs = Ascochilopsis
Asp = Aspasia
Bapt = Baptistonia
Bar = Barbosella
Bark = Barkeria
Ba = Barlia
Bart = Bartholina (I included this one because some people will talk about it. It is not known whether anybody still has this genus of orchid growing in their collection.)
Bza = Benzingia
Bif = Bifrenaria
Bip = Bipinnula
Bti = Bletia
Ble = Bletilla
Bol = Bollea
Bnt = Bonatea
Bot = Bothriochilus
Brac = Brachionidium
Bra = Brachtia
Bcs = Brachycorythis
Bpa = Brachypeza
B = Brassavola
Brs = Brassia
Brom = Bromheadia
Bro = Broughtonia
Brl = Brownleea
Byb = Bryobium
Bulb = Bulbophyllum
Cad = Cadetia
Calda = Caladenia
Cal = Calanthe
Cpg = Calopogon
Cpso = Calypso
Cmd = Camaridium
Cctm = Campylocentrum
Cap = Capanemia
Ctsm = Catasetum
C = Cattleya
Ctps = Cattleyopsis
Cauc = Caucaea
Cau = Caularthron
Cen = Centroglossa
Ceph = Cephalanthera
Cera = Ceratandra
Crtn = Ceratocentron
Ctcs = Ceratochilus
Css = Ceratostylis
Cmg = Chamaeangis
Cgna = Changnienia
Chau = Chaubardia
Chbl = Chaubardiella
Cs = Cheirostylis
Cse = Chelonistele
Chil = Chiloglottis
Chsch = Chiloschista
Chl = Chloraea
Chdrch = Chondrorhyncha
Cds = Chondroscaphe
Chr = Chroniochilus
Cgm = Chrysoglossum
Chy = Chysis
Chyt = Chytroglossa
Cra = Cirrhaea
Cirr = Cirrhopetalum
Cisch = Cischwienfia
Clctn = Cleisocentron
Cle = Cleisomeria
Cleis = Cleisostoma
Cl = Clowesia
Cda = Cochlioda
Cnths = Cochleanthes
Coe = Coelia
Clp = Coeliopsis
Co = Coeloglossum
Coel = Coelogyne
Coh = Cohniella
Coil = Coilostylis
Clx = Colax
Comp = Comparettia
Cond = Condylago
Const = Constantia
Crths = Coryanthes
Cbs = Corybas
Cory = Corycium
Crths = Corysanthes
Cran = Cranichis
Cre = Cremastra
Cri = Cribbia
Ctcm = Cryptocentrum
Cryp = Cryptophoranthus
Crypt = Cryptopus
Cuit = Cuitlauzina
Cyc = Cycnoches
Cycl = Cyclopogon
Cymla = Cymbidiella
Cym = Cymbidium
Cyn = Cynorkis
Cyp = Cypripedium
Cyr = Cyrtochilum
Cyrt = Cyrtopodium
Cyrtcs = Cyrtorchis
Cyst = Cyrtostylis
Cyor = Cystorchis
Dact = Dactylorhiza
Den = Dendrobium
Dlax = Dendrophylax
Diacm = Diacrium
Diad = Diadenium
Dpthe = Diaphananthe
Dich = Dichaea
Dmd = Dimeranda
Dimo = Dimorphicis
Din = Dinema
Ddo = Diodonopsis
Dcm = Diplocaulobium
Dpl = Diplodium
Dpra = Diploprora
Disa = Disa
Diuris = Diuris
Doc = Dockrillia
Dga = Domingoa
Dor = Doritis
Doss = Dossinia
Drc = Dracontia
Drac = Dracula
Dre = Dressleria
Dla = Dresslerella
Dda = Dryadella
Dma = Drymoda
Dy = Dyakia
Ell = Elleanthus
Eya = Elloyella
Elg = Elongatia
Elo = Elorchis
Elt = Eltroplectris
Emb = Embreea
Enc = Encyclia
Ebt = Epibator
Epi = Epidendrum
Egm = Epigeneium
Epcts = Epipactis
Er = Eria
Ess = Eriopsis
Ercn = Erycina
Em = Esmeralda
Eua = Euanthe
Ech = Euchile
Euph = Eulophia
Eul = Eulophiella
Echn = Eurychone
F = Fernandezia
Flkga = Flickingeria
G = Goodyera
Gal = Galeandra
Gale = Galearis
Glta = Galeottia
Gchls = Gastrochilus
Gdm = Geodorum
Gloss = Glossodia
Glos = Glossorhyncha
Gom = Gomesa
Gga = Gongora
Gra = Grammangis
Gram = Grammatophyllum
Gro = Grobya
Gsa = Grosourdya
Gu = Guarianthe
Gym = Gymnadenia
Hab = Habenaria
Hal = Haraella
Hlc = Helcia
Hemi = Hemipilia
Hxsa = Hexisia
Him = Himantoglossum
Hip = Hippeophyllum
Hf = Hofmeisterella
Holc = Holcoglossum
Hom = Homalopetalum
Hlt = Houlettia
Hya = Huntleya
Hy = Hygrochilus
Hym = Hymenorchis
Ida = Ida
Io = Ione
Ino = Ionobulbon
Inps = Ionopsis
Ip = Ipsea
Isa = Isabella
Iso = Isochilus
Jum = Jumellea
Kefst = Kefersteinia
Ke = Kegeliella
Ki = Kingidium
Ko = Koellensteinia
Kon = Konantzia
Kz = Kraenzlinella
Ja = Jacquiniella
Jos = Jostia
Lac = Lacaena
L = Laelia
Lps = Laeliopsis
Lan = Lanium
Lak = Lankesterella
Lem = Lemboglossum
Lchs = Leochilus
Lths = Lepanthes
Lthps = Lepanthopsis
Lcs = Leptoceras
Lpt = Leptotes
Lce = Leucohyle
Lip = Liparis
Lis = Listera
Lhta = Lockhartia
Lop = Lophiaris
Lts = Leofgrenianthus
Lus = Ludisia
Lsa = Luisia
Lyc = Lycaste
Lyco = Lycomormium
Mac = Macodes
Mcdm = Macradenia
Mcm = Macroclinium
Mpt = Macropodanthus
Mal = Malaxis
Mll = Malleola
Masd = Masdevallia
Mg = Mastigion
Max = Maxillaria
Mxl = Maxillariella
Med = Mediocalcar
Mrclm = Meiracyllium
Meo = Mesospinidium
Mex = Mexicoa
Mxdm = Mexipedium
Mic = Microcoelia
Micr = Micropera
Mcs = Microsaccus
Mts = Microterangis
Mrs = Microtis
Milt = Miltonia
Mps = Miltoniopsis
Mbm = Mischobulbum
Mpm = Monosepalum
Morm = Mormodes
Mlca = Mormolyca
My = Myoxanthus
Mycp = Myrmecophila
Mycdm = Mystacidium
Ngl = Nagliella
Na = Nanodes
Nbth= Neobathiea
Nba = Neobenthamia
Nga = Neocogniauxia
Nys = Neodryas
Neof = Neofinetia
Nma = Neomoorea
Nep = Nephelaphyllum
Ner = Nervilia
Nid = Nidema
N = Nigritella
No = Nothodoritis
Ntl = Notylia
Ntlps = Notyliopsis
Ob = Oberonia
Oma = Octomeria
Odm = Odontoglossum
Oecl = Oeceoclades
Oenla = Oeoniella
Oe = Oerstedella
Oli = Oliveriana
Om = Omoea
Onc = Oncidium
Odn = Ophidion
Oph = Ophrys
Orchis = Orchis
Ore = Oreorchis
Orcp = Ornithocephalus
Orpha = Ornithophora
Oto = Otoglossum
Pab = Pabstia
Pua = Palumbina
Pan = Panisea
Pna = Paphinia
Paph = Paphiopedilum
Ple = Papilionanthe
Pea = Papperitzia
Pps = Paraphalaenopsis
Pec = Pecteilis
Pthia = Pelatantheria
Pel = Pelexia
Pen = Pennilabium
Pestea = Pescatorea
Per = Peristeria
Peri = Peristylis
Phaius = Phaius
Phal = Phalaenopsis
Pho = Pholidota
Phrag = Phragmipedium
Phr = Phreatia
Phy = Phymatidium
Pmc = Phymatochilum
Psn = Physosiphion
Pys = Physothallis
P = Platanthera
Pls = Platystele
Plmths = Plecthrelminthus
Pha = Plectrophora
Plrhz = Plectorrhiza
Pln = Pleione
Plths = Pleurothallis
Plo = Plocoglottis
Pod = Podangis
Podo = Podochilus
Poll = Pollardia
Pcn = Polycycnis
Pol = Polystachya
Pmcpa = Pomatocalpa
Pon = Ponera
Pnr = Ponerorchis
Ptva = Ponthieva
Px = Porpax
Prgm = Porroglossum
Prom = Promenea
Psh = Prostechea
Pdla = Pseudolaelia
Psy = Psychilis
Psyc = Psychopsiella
Pyp = Psychopsis
Psyg = Psygmorchis
Pos = Pteroceras
Ptst = Pterostylis
Pgdm = Pterygodium
Ren = Renanthera
Rstp = Restrepia
Rstrpp = Restrepiopsis
Rl = Rhyncholaelia
Rhy = Rhynchostylis
Rbq = Robiquetia
Rdza = Rodriguezia
Ros = Rossioglossum
Rud = Rudolfiella
Slm = Saccolabium
Soi = Sacoila
Sal = Salpistele
Sarco = Sarcochilus
Srgt = Sarcoglottis
Satm = Satyrium
Scaph = Scaphosepalum
Scgl = Scaphyglottis
Scel = Scelochilus
Szdm = Schizodium
Schl = Schlimmia
Sns = Schoenorchis
Schom = Schomburgkia
Sed = Sedirea
Sei = Seidenfadenia
Srps = Serapias
Sie = Sievekingia
Sgmx = Sigmatostalix
Stda = Smitinandia
Sbk = Sobennikoffia
Sob = Sobralia
Sole = Solenangis
Sdps = Solenidiopsis
Soph = Sophronitella
S = Sophronitis
Sts = Soterosanthus
Spa = Spathoglottis
Spe = Specklinia
Spilotantha = Spilotantha
Spir = Spiranthes
Stan = Stanhopea
Src = Staurochilus
Ste = Stelis
Sbm = Stellilabium
Sen = Stenia
Scye = Stenocoryne
Sngl = Stenoglottis
Strs = Stenorrhynchos
Ster = Stereochilus
Sud = Sudamerlycaste
Sun = Sunipia
Sgm = Symphyglossum
Sys = Systeloglossum
Tae = Taeniophyllum
Tai = Tainia
Tea = Teagueia
Tp = Telipogon
Ttma = Tetramicra
Teu = Teuscheria
The = Thecopus
Tcs = Thecostele
Tls = Thelasis
Tly = Thelychiton
Thel = Thelymitra
Tx = Thrixspermum
Thu = Thunia
Tic = Ticoglossum
Tip = Tipularia
Tolu = Tolumnia
T = Traunsteinera
Trias = Trias
Trt = Trichocentrum
Tc = Trichoceros
Trgl = Trichoglottis
Trpla = Trichopillia
Tsx = Trichosalpinx
Thta = Trichotosia
Tr = Tridactyle
Trgdm = Trigonidium
Tris = Trisetella
Triz = Trizuexis
Trud = Trudelia
Tblm = Tuberolabium
V = Vanda
Vdps = Vandopsis
Vl = Vanilla
Vas = Vasqueziella
Wrmga = Warmingia
Wra = Warrea
W = Warscewiczella
Xyl = Xylobium
Zel = Zelenkoa
Zeu = Zeuxine
Zo = Zootrophion
Zyg = Zygopetalum
Zspm = Zygosepalum
Zyt = Zygostates
Note: Some genera I have not included in this list because of how unlikely they are to be encountered in the hobby. There are already quite a few obscure ones in this list, but I'm aware that some of these are floating around somewhere in the hobby. There are also a few genera I have not listed because I don't know what the abbreviations are, (example: Effusiella, I can't find the abbreviation for this one, the plants used to be in the super-genus Pleurothallis, but have since been given its own genus name, and is therefore, somewhat new). I'm also aware that this list is not entirely complete, there are a few genera that I don't recall the names to.