Reference

Glossary

The words of orchid growing and botany. A term without a definition yet still earns its row — the word, its letter, and how to say it are worth having while the rest is written.

2162 terms

A

abaxialab-AXE-ee-al: The surface or side of an organ that faces away from the axis it is attached to, such as the lower surface of a leaf. The opposite surface, facing the axis, is adaxial.
abbreviatus: Latin: shortened, abbreviated. Used in descriptions for a structure that is noticeably shorter than the corresponding part in related or similar plants.
aberrantab-AIR-ant: Deviating markedly from the normal or typical form for a species, such as an unusual flower color, shape, or count of parts.
abortiona-BORE-shun: The arrested or incomplete development of an organ, leaving it reduced or non-functional. In most orchids all the ancestral stamens but one are aborted or reduced to sterile staminodes, so a single fertile anther remains.
abortivus: Latin: aborted, imperfectly formed. Describes a rudimentary, non-functional structure, such as an abortive anther that never matures.
abruptus: Latin: abrupt, cut off suddenly. Describes a structure, such as a leaf tip, that ends sharply rather than tapering gradually.
Acampea-KAM-pee: A genus of tough, monopodial epiphytic orchids from tropical Asia and Africa, with thick leathery leaves and fleshy, waxy flowers, usually yellow-green marked with brown or purple.
Acanthophippiuma-canth-oh-FIP-ee-um: A genus of terrestrial orchids from tropical Asia with stout fleshy pseudobulbs and thick, urn- or helmet-shaped flowers that open only narrowly at the mouth. The name refers to the saddle-shaped lip.
acaulescenta-kawl-ESS-ent: Lacking an obvious stem, or having one so short that the leaves appear to arise directly from ground level.
accessory budsAK-cess-ORE-ee buds: Extra dormant buds that form near a node in addition to the primary growth bud; in sympodial orchids these can be induced to grow into new shoots, useful for propagation when the main bud is lost or removed.
accrescenta-KREE-shent: Continuing to enlarge after flowering or pollination, said of a floral part such as a bract, ovary, or calyx that keeps growing as the fruit develops.
aceriformuh-SEER-uh-form: Shaped like a maple leaf, from the Latin “acer” for maple; describes a broad leaf with several pointed lobes.
acerose: Needle-shaped: slender, stiff, and sharply pointed, like a pine needle.
achlamydeousak-luh-MID-ee-uhs: Lacking a perianth entirely, that is, having no sepals or petals of any kind.
acicularis: Latin: needle-shaped. Describes very slender, sharply pointed leaves or leaf-like parts.
acinaciformis: Latin: scimitar-shaped. Describes a flattened organ curved along one edge like a saber blade.
aclandiaeak-KLAN-dee-eye: Latin genitive: “of Acland.” Best known from Cattleya aclandiae, a Brazilian species Lindley named for Lady Acland, in whose English collection it was grown.
AcoridiumA-KOR-id-ee-um: A genus name published by Nees and Meyen in 1843 for Philippine epiphytes and no longer recognised: it is treated as a synonym of Coelogyne. Older literature routes it instead to Dendrochilum, which has itself since been folded into Coelogyne.
acotyledonousA-kot-el-EED-un-us: Without a cotyledon (seed leaf). Orchid seeds are acotyledonous and lack the stored food reserves typical of most flowering-plant seeds, which is why they depend on a fungal partner or sterile flask culture to germinate.
AcriopsisAK-ree-op-sis: A genus of small epiphytic orchids native from tropical Asia to the Pacific, with clustered pseudobulbs, narrow grass-like leaves, and small flowers.
acrotonicah-KROW-tawn-ik: A branching or growth pattern in which the strongest new growth develops at or near the tip of a rhizome or stem, rather than toward its base (basitonic) or middle.
actinomorphicAK-tin-O-more-fik: Radially symmetric: a flower that can be divided into two mirror-image halves along more than one plane through its center. Most orchid flowers are not actinomorphic but zygomorphic, symmetric along only one plane.
aculeatus: Latin: prickly, armed with prickles or small spines.
acuminatus: Latin: tapering gradually to a slender point, as in a long-drawn-out leaf or sepal tip.
acutus: Latin: sharp-pointed, ending in a distinct point but less drawn-out than acuminate.
AD/AOS: Award of Distinction, an American Orchid Society award given once to a cross that represents a worthy new direction in breeding. It recognises the cross rather than a single flower, is granted unanimously without scoring, and goes to the hybridizer as well as the exhibitor.
AdaAY-da: A small genus of Andean epiphytic orchids closely allied to Brassia and Oncidium, grown mainly for the orange-red, tubular flowers of species such as Ada aurantiaca.
adaxialadd-AXE-ee-al: The surface or side of an organ that faces toward the axis it is attached to, such as the upper surface of a leaf. The opposite surface, facing away, is abaxial.
adherentad-HEER-ent: Touching or attached to another, dissimilar organ without being organically fused to it, as distinct from “adnate,” where the parts are truly grown together.
adnatus: Latin: adnate, fused along its length to another, dissimilar organ.
aduncus: Latin: hooked, bent like a hook.
adventitiousad-ven-TISH-us: Arising from an unusual or unexpected location, such as roots produced from a stem node rather than from the normal root system, as seen in the aerial roots of epiphytic orchids.
adventivead-VEN-tive: A plant growing outside its native range, having arrived by introduction rather than natural means, but not yet fully established or naturalized there.
aemulus: Latin: rivaling, closely resembling. Used in a name to signal similarity to another named species.
Aerangisay-er-RANG-giss: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Africa and Madagascar, known for white or pale, star-shaped, often night-fragrant flowers with a slender nectar spur.
Aeranthesay-er-AN-theez: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Madagascar and nearby islands, known for wiry, pendent inflorescences bearing translucent, long-lasting, often greenish flowers.
aerial rootsAIR-ee-al: Roots produced above the growing medium and exposed to open air, characteristic of epiphytic orchids; covered in a spongy tissue called velamen that absorbs moisture and nutrients, and often green with chlorophyll.
Aeridesay-air-EE-dees: A genus of monopodial epiphytic orchids from Asia, commonly called “fox tail orchids” for their dense, pendant racemes of fragrant flowers.
aestivaleh-STEE-vuhl: Relating to summer, or occurring in summer, such as a plant that blooms in the summer months.
aestivationes-ti-VAY-shun: The arrangement of sepals and petals within a flower bud before it opens, including how their margins overlap one another.
affinis: Latin: allied to, closely related. Used in a provisional name (e.g. “Genus affinis species”) to flag close resemblance to a named species without asserting full identity.
affinitya-FINN-i-tee: A relationship of close resemblance or shared ancestry between plants, used to describe taxonomic or evolutionary closeness.
africanus: Latin: of or from Africa.
agarAH-ger: A gelatinous substance extracted from seaweed, used as a solid growth medium for germinating orchid seed and for tissue culture in sterile flasks.
agglomeratea-GLOM-er-ayt: Clustered tightly together into a dense mass, such as flowers or growths bunched closely at one point.
agglutinatea-GLOO-tin-ayt: Stuck or fused together into a mass, as when pollen grains are united into the solid pollinia characteristic of most orchid flowers.
aggregatus: Latin: clustered or crowded together in a group.
alatus: Latin: winged, having a flattened, wing-like flange or margin.
albidofulvus: Latin: whitish tawny-brown, combining “albidus” (whitish) and “fulvus” (tawny, reddish yellow-brown).
albidus: Latin: whitish, somewhat white.
albinoal-BYE-no: Lacking normal pigmentation, resulting in white or pale flowers or plant parts because pigments such as anthocyanins are absent.
albostriatus: Latin: white-striped, combining “albus” (white) and “striatus” (striped).
albus: Latin: white.
Alexander, H.G.: Herbert George Alexander was an English orchid grower of the early-to-mid 20th century, in charge of Sir George Holford’s collection at Westonbirt and later of his own nursery. His Cymbidium breeding, above all Cymbidium Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’, stands behind most modern cymbidium hybrids.
alifolius: Latin: wing-leaved, having leaves shaped like a wing.
alleleah-LEEL: One of two or more alternative forms of a gene at a given position on a chromosome, responsible for inherited variation such as differences in flower color.
alliaceousal-ee-AY-shus: Having a smell like onion or garlic.
allopatrical-O-PAT-rick: Describes populations or species that occupy separate, non-overlapping geographic areas.
alloploidAL-loh-ployd: A polyploid organism whose chromosome sets came from hybridization between two different species, combining a full chromosome set from each parent; common in orchid breeding across genera.
aloifolius: Latin: aloe-leaved, having thick, fleshy leaves resembling those of an Aloe.
alpestris: Latin: of mountainous or subalpine regions.
alpinus: Latin: of high mountains, alpine.
alternateawl-ter-NATE: A leaf or organ arrangement in which parts are borne singly at each node, alternating from side to side along the stem, as opposed to being paired opposite one another.
altissimus: Latin: tallest, very tall (the superlative of altus).
altus: Latin: tall, high.
alveolatus: Latin: pitted, honeycombed, marked with small cavities like a honeycomb.
AM/AOS: Award of Merit, an American Orchid Society flower-quality award for a bloom scoring 80 to 89.9 points on the AOS 100-point scale. It ranks above the Highly Commended Certificate and below the First Class Certificate.
amabilis: Latin: lovely, pleasing.
ambiguus: Latin: uncertain, doubtful, of ambiguous character or identity.
Amblostomaam-BLOW-stow-ma: A genus described by Scheidweiler in 1838 for a small group of tropical American epiphytes, now treated as a synonym of Epidendrum; its species carry Epidendrum names.
amboinensis: Latin: of Ambon (Amboina), an island in the Moluccas of Indonesia; a locality-based epithet.
Ames, Blanche: Blanche Ames Ames (1878–1969) was an American artist and botanical illustrator who produced the detailed plant illustrations for the orchid taxonomic works of her husband, botanist Oakes Ames, in the early-to-mid 20th century.
amesianus: Latin: of Ames, an epithet honoring a person of that name. In orchid names it commemorates members of the American Ames family prominent in orchid growing and botany.
AmesiellaAmes-EE-el-ah: A genus of a few small epiphytic orchids endemic to the Philippines, bearing white, fragrant, long-spurred flowers that are large for the size of the plant; named for the American orchid botanist Oakes Ames.
amethystinus: Latin: amethyst-colored, violet-purple.
amethystoglossus: Latin: with an amethyst-colored lip, combining “amethystinus” (violet-purple) and “glossa” (tongue, i.e. the orchid lip).
amoenus: Latin: pleasant, charming, delightful.
amorphousa-MORE-fuss: Lacking a definite or regular shape or structure.
amphigeanam-fi-JEE-an: Native to both the Old World and the New; said of a plant whose natural range spans both hemispheres.
amplexicaulis: Latin: clasping the stem, describing a leaf base that wraps partway or fully around the stem it is attached to.
ampliatus: Latin: enlarged, expanded, dilated.
amplus: Latin: large, ample.
ampullaceus: Latin: flask-shaped, like a bottle or flask.
an: A negative prefix from Greek meaning “without” or “not,” used before a vowel sound (the form “a-” is used before a consonant); seen in terms such as anosmus, meaning without scent.
AnacamptisAN-ah-CAMP-tis: A genus of terrestrial orchids native mainly to Europe and the Mediterranean region, closely related to Orchis, and including the pyramidal orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis.
analogousan-AL-o-gus: Similar in function to another structure but not derived from a shared evolutionary origin, as distinct from “homologous,” which implies common ancestry.
anastomosinga-NASS-toh-moh-zing: Describes veins or other linear structures that join and cross-connect to form a network, as seen in some leaf venation patterns.
ancepsAN-seps: Latin: two-edged, flattened with two sharp edges; also used to mean ambiguous or two-sided in character.
ancipitalan-SIP-i-tahl: Flattened and two-edged, like a blade; equivalent in meaning to ancipitous.
ancipitousan-SIP-i-tus: Flattened and two-edged, like a blade, describing a stem or pseudobulb compressed with two sharp edges.
Ancistrochilusan-siss-troe-KYE-luss: A small genus of African epiphytic orchids with flattened, conical pseudobulbs and showy pink to purple flowers. The name means “hooked lip,” for the narrow, hook-like midlobe.
androeciuman-DREE-see-um: The collective term for the male reproductive organs of a flower, i.e. its stamens; in an orchid this is represented by the anther, typically fused with the female parts into the column.
androgynousan-DROJ-in-us: Bearing both male and female reproductive structures together in the same flower or structure; bisexual.
aneuploidan-EWE-ployd: Having a chromosome number that is not an exact multiple of the normal haploid set, with one or more chromosomes added or missing, as distinct from a balanced (euploid) chromosome count.
angiospermAN-jee-oh-spurm: A flowering plant, one whose seeds develop enclosed within an ovary that matures into a fruit. Orchids are angiosperms.
angraecoidan-GREE-koyd or an-GRYE-koyd: Resembling or belonging to the Angraecum alliance: mostly African and Madagascan epiphytic orchids with white, star-shaped, often night-fragrant flowers bearing a nectar spur.
annual: A plant that completes its whole life cycle — germination, flowering, seed set, death — within a single growing season. Orchids are essentially all perennials; a true annual habit is exceptional in the family.
anomalus: Latin: unusual, irregular, deviating from the normal type.
anosmus: Latin: without scent, odorless.
antenniferus: Latin: bearing antenna-like appendages.
anterioran-TEER-ee-or: Situated at the front of a flower, on the side away from the axis of the inflorescence. In an orchid the lip occupies the anterior position, opposite the posterior dorsal sepal.
anthelate: Having the form of an anthela: a loose, branched inflorescence whose lower lateral branches grow longer than the central axis, so the cluster spreads outward rather than tapering to a point.
antherAN-ther: The pollen-bearing part of a stamen. In an orchid it sits at the tip of the column and typically contains the pollen bound into pollinia rather than loose grains.
anther capAN-ther kap: The small cap-like covering over the anther and its pollinia at the tip of an orchid column, dislodged by a pollinator (or grower) during pollination.
anthesisan-THEE-siss: The period during which a flower is fully open and functional; the time of flowering.
anthocyaninan-THO-sigh-a-nin: A class of water-soluble plant pigments responsible for red, purple, and blue coloration in flowers and other tissues.
antipodalan-TIP-oh-dal: Relating to the antipodal cells, a small group of cells at the end of the embryo sac opposite the micropyle; they typically play no direct part in fertilization and often degenerate.
antrorsean-TRORSS: Directed or pointing forward, toward the tip or apex of a structure; the opposite of retrorse, which points backward.
apertus: Latin: open.
apetalousa-PET-a-lus: Without petals; said of a flower that bears none.
apexAY-pex: The tip or growing point of a stem, leaf, root, or other plant organ, often the site of active cell division and growth.
aphidAY-fid: A small, soft-bodied, sap-sucking insect that clusters on new growths, buds, and flower spikes, weakening the plant and sometimes spreading viral disease.
aphyllus: Latin: leafless. Used in species epithets for orchids that lack leaves or shed them early, relying on green stems or roots for photosynthesis.
apiatus: A specific epithet whose reading is contested. Lists of botanical epithets gloss it as bee-like, from the Latin apis, a bee; classical Latin apiatus instead means 'of parsley', from apium, and is used of a parsley-like crisped grain or pattern.
apicalAY-pik-al: Located at or relating to the apex, the growing tip of a stem, root, or other structure, as in apical meristem or apical dominance.
apiculatus: Latin: apiculate, ending abruptly in a small, short point. Describes a leaf, sepal, or petal tip that narrows suddenly to a tiny projection rather than tapering gradually.
apiculeAY-pik-yewl: A short, abrupt, needle-like point at the tip of a leaf, petal, or other organ.
apiferus: Latin: bee-bearing. Used for flowers whose form or markings suggest a bee resting on them.
apocarpousap-uh-KAR-puhs: Describes a flower whose carpels remain separate from one another rather than fusing into a single compound ovary.
apogamousap-oh-GAM-us: Producing an embryo without fertilization, so seed forms asexually. The embryo develops from gametophyte or surrounding maternal tissue rather than from the fusion of egg and sperm.
apomixisap-oh-MIX-us: Asexual reproduction that produces seed without fertilization of an egg cell, so the resulting offspring are genetic clones of the parent.
apomorphyAP-oh-morf-ee: In taxonomy, a derived trait that differs from the ancestral condition; shared derived traits are used to work out evolutionary relationships among related plants.
appendageuh-PEN-didge: A secondary part attached to a larger structure, such as a flap, spur, tooth, or projection on a petal, lip, or column.
appendiculatus: Latin: appendiculate, bearing small appendages. Describes a structure, often a lip or column, that carries small attached outgrowths.
appressus: Latin: appressed, pressed flat against another surface. Describes hairs, bracts, or leaves lying close and flat against the stem rather than spreading away from it.
approximateuh-prox-eh-MATE: Describes plant parts, such as leaves or floral segments, that lie close together without actually touching or fusing.
apterus: Latin: wingless. Used for seeds, stems, or fruit that lack wing-like flanges or extensions.
AQ: Award of Quality, an American Orchid Society award given once to a cross shown by one exhibitor as a group of at least twelve plants or inflorescences of different clones. At least one inflorescence in the group must earn a flower-quality award, and the group as a whole must be an improvement on the previous type.
aquatic: Growing in or adapted to water. No orchid is a fully submerged aquatic, but some species grow in permanently saturated ground or at the margins of shallow, slow-moving water.
arachnoida-RACK-noyd: Covered with fine, tangled, cobweb-like hairs, giving the surface a thin, webbed appearance.
arboreousahr-BORE-ee-us: Tree-like in size, form, or habit; also used loosely for plants that grow on or among trees.
arcuateAR-kyew-ayt: Curved like a bow or arc, describing the shape of a column, inflorescence, or leaf that bends smoothly along its length.
aremiacus
areoleAIR-ee-ole: A small, distinctly outlined spot or patch on a surface, such as a contrasting blotch of color on a petal or leaf.
argenteus: Latin: silvery. Used in species epithets for leaves or flowers with a silvery sheen or coloration.
arietinus: Latin: ram-like, resembling a ram's head or horns. Used in epithets for flowers or floral parts with a curved, horn-like shape.
aristatus: Latin: bearing a bristle or awn, ending in a stiff hair-like point.
armed: Bearing spines, prickles, thorns, or other stiff, sharp defensive structures.
armeniacus: Latin: apricot-colored. Used in epithets for flowers with a warm orange-yellow hue like ripe apricot flesh.
aromaticus: Latin: aromatic, fragrant. Used in epithets for species notable for their scent.
articulatus: Latin: jointed. Describes a stem or organ with a distinct node or joint, often a natural point where the part can separate cleanly.
artificial hybridar-ti-FISH-ul HYE-brid: A hybrid produced through deliberate, human-controlled pollination between chosen parents, as distinct from a natural hybrid arising unaided in the wild.
ascendensa-SEN-denz: Latin: ascending. Describes a stem or organ that starts spreading or horizontal at the base and then curves upward.
asexualay-SEK-shu-al: Reproduction that does not involve the fusion of gametes, such as by division, offshoots (keikis), or tissue culture, producing offspring genetically identical to the parent.
asper: Latin: rough. Used for surfaces with a coarse or gritty texture.
asperatus: Latin: roughened, made rough. Describes a surface textured with small raised points or roughness.
assurgentass-UR-gent: Rising or curving upward from a spreading or nearly horizontal base.
asymbioticay-sim-bi-AH-tik: Occurring without a symbiotic partner. In orchid propagation, asymbiotic germination raises seed on sterile nutrient media in vitro rather than relying on a mycorrhizal fungus.
asymmetricalay-sim-MET-ri-kal: Lacking symmetry; unable to be divided into two mirror-image halves along any plane.
atratus: Latin: blackened, darkened. Used for parts with a dark, near-black coloration.
atropurpureus: Latin: dark purple, purple so deep it approaches black.
atrorubensat-roh-REW-benz: Latin: dark red, blood-red. Used in epithets for flowers or parts with a deep, dark red coloration.
attenuatus: Latin: attenuate, gradually tapering to a slender point.
augustifolius: Not a standard botanical spelling, and the sense usually attached to it is inverted. The epithet intended is angustifolius, from angustus, narrow, and folium, a leaf: narrow-leaved, not broad-leaved.
augustus: Latin: majestic, grand, venerable.
aurantiacus: Latin: orange-colored, like the color of an orange.
aureoflavus: Latin: golden-yellow, combining aureus (golden) and flavus (yellow).
aureus: Latin: golden, golden-yellow.
auricleAW-rik-ul: A small, ear-shaped lobe or projection on a leaf, petal, or other plant structure.
auriculatus: Latin: auriculate, bearing small ear-like lobes, typically at the base of a leaf or other organ.
australasiaaw-struh-LAY-shuh: A biogeographic region comprising Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and neighboring Pacific islands, often cited when describing an orchid species' native range.
australis: Latin: southern. Used in epithets for species native to southern regions or the Southern Hemisphere.
autophyteAW-toh-fite: A self-nourishing plant that produces its own food by photosynthesis, as opposed to a parasitic or saprophytic plant that draws nutrition from another organism.
autoploidAW-toh-ployd: Short for autopolyploid: an organism carrying extra chromosome sets derived from its own species, rather than from hybridization between different species.
autotrophicaw-TROW-fick: Able to manufacture its own food, typically through photosynthesis, without relying on an external organic carbon source; most mature orchids are autotrophic.
autumnalis: Latin: autumnal. Used in epithets for species that flower in autumn.
auxinAWK-zin: A class of plant hormone that governs growth processes such as cell elongation, root initiation, and bending toward light or gravity; synthetic auxins are used to promote rooting in orchid propagation.
auxotrophAWKS-oh-trohf: An organism that cannot synthesize a nutrient it requires and must take that compound ready-made from its food or growing medium.
awl-shaped: Narrow and stiff, tapering evenly to a sharp point, like a leatherworking awl; used to describe some leaf or bract shapes.
awn: A slender, stiff, bristle-like appendage, typically projecting from the tip of a bract or floral segment.
axilAK-sil: The upper angle formed where a leaf, branch, or other lateral organ meets the stem or axis it grows from.
axillaris: Latin: axillary. Used for structures, such as flowers or roots, that arise from an axil.
axisAK-is: The main central stem or line along which other structures, such as leaves, branches, or flowers, are arranged.
azalea potuh-ZAYL-yuh pot: A squat pot, shallower relative to its diameter than a standard pot, used for orchids and other plants with shallow root systems.

B

bacillaris: Latin: rod-shaped, shaped like a small staff or rod.
back crossbak-KROSS: A cross between a hybrid and one of its original parent species, or a plant closely resembling that parent, used to reinforce or recover specific traits.
backbulb: An older pseudobulb behind a sympodial orchid's active growths, usually leafless but still capable of producing a new shoot if separated and potted, making it useful for propagation.
bactericidebak-TEER-i-side: A substance that kills bacteria, sometimes applied to treat bacterial soft rot or other bacterial infections in orchids.
bambusifolius: Latin: bamboo-leaved, having narrow leaves resembling those of bamboo.
bandedBAN-did: Marked with a stripe or band of contrasting color, typically running crosswise on a petal, sepal, or leaf.
barb: A short, sharp, backward-pointing projection on a stem, spine, or other plant structure.
barbatulus: Latin: somewhat bearded, bearing a few small hairs or bristles.
barbatus: Latin: bearded, bearing tufts of hair.
barbigerus: Latin: bearing a beard, carrying hair-like tufts.
Barbosellabar-bow-SELL-ah: A genus of miniature epiphytic orchids in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae, native to Central and South America, typically with small, single-flowered inflorescences arising from short, leafy stems.
barbulatus: Latin: minutely bearded, bearing a small tuft of fine hairs.
bare-root: Describes a plant grown or sold without potting medium surrounding its roots, common for orchids shipped for repotting, mounting, or bare-root culture.
Barkeriabar-CARE-ee-ah: A genus of epiphytic and lithophytic orchids native to Mexico and Central America, closely related to Epidendrum, valued for showy flowers and a deciduous, drought-adapted growth habit.
Bartholinabarth-oh-LEE-nah: A small genus of terrestrial orchids endemic to South Africa, known for finely fringed, spider-like lips.
basalBAY-suhl: Located at, or arising from, the base of a structure, such as leaves clustered at the base of a stem.
basilaris: Latin: basal, situated at the base.
basitonicBASE-eh-tawn-ick: Describes branching or growth concentrated toward the base of a stem or inflorescence, as opposed to toward its tip.
basketBASS-kit: An open, slatted container, typically wood or wire, used to grow orchids that need maximum air movement around the roots or that carry pendant flower spikes best displayed hanging.
Bateman, James: English orchid grower, collector, and author active in the 19th century, best known for the lavishly illustrated The Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala.
Bauer, Franz Andreas: Austrian-born botanical illustrator (1758-1840) who worked for decades at Kew Gardens in England, celebrated for his scientifically precise, detailed paintings of orchids and other plants.
beak: A narrow, pointed projection or extension on a structure such as a seed capsule or column.
Beallarabee-ul-AH-rah: A nothogenus (hybrid genus) name for orchids carrying Brassia, Cochlioda, Miltonia, and Odontoglossum in their parentage. Later transfer of Cochlioda and Odontoglossum into Oncidium moved such hybrids under other nothogeneric names.
beard: A tuft or fringe of hair-like growth, often found on the lip of a flower.
bellus: Latin: beautiful, pretty.
Bentham, George: English botanist (1800-1884) and president of the Linnean Society, best known for co-authoring Genera Plantarum with Joseph Dalton Hooker, a foundational work in plant classification.
bi- or bis: Latin prefix meaning two or twice, used to build compound epithets such as bicolor (two-colored) or bifoliate (two-leaved).
bialatus: Latin: two-winged, bearing two wing-like extensions.
bicalcaratus: Latin: two-spurred, bearing two spur-like projections.
bicallosus: Latin: two-callused, bearing two callus-like thickenings, such as on an orchid lip.
bicolorBYE-koll-or: Latin: two-colored. Used in epithets for flowers or leaves marked with two distinct colors.
bicornis: Latin: two-horned, bearing two horn-like projections.
bictoniensis: Latin form meaning of or from Bicton, referring to Bicton Park in Devon, England, an early center of orchid cultivation; used in species epithets for plants first flowered or associated there.
bidensBYE-denz: Latin: two-toothed, having two tooth-like points.
bidentatus: Latin: two-toothed, bearing two small tooth-like projections.
biennialBYE-en-ee-uhl: Having a life cycle spanning two years, typically with vegetative growth in the first year and flowering, seeding, and death in the second.
bifidus: Latin: bifid, split into two parts partway along its length, as in a tip divided into two lobes.
Bifoliate: Having two leaves, typically describing a pseudobulb that bears exactly two leaves at its top.
biforateBYE-for-ayt: Pierced by two openings; from the Latin biforis, having two doors. Used of an anther or a cell that opens at two points.
Bifrenariabye-fren-AIR-ee-a: A genus of epiphytic orchids native to Brazil and neighboring South America, known for fleshy, waxy, fragrant flowers borne singly or a few together on short spikes from the base of the pseudobulb.
bifurcatus: Latin: bifurcate, forked or split into two branches.
bigenericbye-jen-AIR-ik: Involving or derived from two different genera, as in a bigeneric hybrid such as a cross between Cattleya and Laelia.
bigibbus: Latin: two-humped, having two gibbous swellings. Used for a lip, spur, or callus bearing a pair of pouch-like protrusions.
bilabiateBYE-lay-bee-it: Having two lips: divided into an upper and lower lip, as in certain two-part floral structures.
bilamellatus: Latin: two-plated, bearing a pair of thin raised ridges (lamellae). Used for a callus or lip marked by two parallel plate-like ridges.
bilateralbye-LATT-er-al: Having two sides that mirror each other across a single plane. Most orchid flowers are bilaterally symmetric (zygomorphic), dividable into matching halves along only one axis, unlike the radial symmetry of a daisy.
bilobatebye-LOH-bayt: Divided into two lobes, as in a lip or leaf tip split into two rounded segments.
bilocularbye-LOCK-yew-lar: Having two locules, or internal chambers, as in an ovary or anther divided into two compartments.
bipartitebye-PAR-tite: Divided into two parts nearly to the base, as in a deeply cleft lip or leaf.
bipinnatus: Latin: twice-pinnate. Describes a structure, typically a leaf, divided into leaflets that are themselves further divided in a feather-like pattern.
bipunctatus: Latin: two-spotted, marked with a pair of dots. Used for a lip or petal bearing two distinct spots.
bisexualbye-SEKS-yew-al: Having both male and female reproductive structures in one flower. Nearly all orchid flowers are bisexual, with stamen and stigma fused into a single column.
Bl: Former registration abbreviation for Brassolaelia, hybrids between Brassavola and Laelia. Largely historical, since most Laelia species used in such crosses have since been moved to Cattleya.
blade: The flat, expanded part of a leaf, distinct from its base or sheath.
blandus: Latin: mild, pleasant, charming. Used as a species epithet for a plant of gentle rather than striking appearance.
Blc: Retired registration abbreviation for Brassolaeliocattleya, the trigeneric hybrid of Brassavola, Laelia and Cattleya. Most such hybrids were re-registered as Rhyncholaeliocattleya (Rlc) once their Brassavola parent was reclassified as Rhyncholaelia and their Laelia parent as Cattleya.
BletiaBLEE-tee-a or BLAY-tee-ah: Latin: genus named for Luis Blet, an 18th-century Spanish apothecary. A genus of mostly terrestrial orchids native to the Americas, several long grown as garden plants.
Bletillablee-TILL-a or blay-till-ah: Latin: "little Bletia," a diminutive of the genus Bletia, which it resembles. A small genus of terrestrial, mostly cold-hardy orchids from East Asia, widely grown outdoors in temperate gardens.
bloom: A flower, or the act of flowering. Also used for the waxy, powdery coating sometimes found on leaves or pseudobulbs.
Blume, Karl Ludwig: German-born botanist (1796-1862) who worked in the Dutch East Indies and later directed the herbarium at Leiden; his "Flora Javae" described many orchid genera and species from Java and the wider Malay Archipelago.
boisduval scaleBWAS-doo-vahl skayl: A common orchid pest, the armored scale Diaspis boisduvalii, named for French entomologist Jean-Baptiste Boisduval. Females form flat tan scales and males white cottony patches, usually hidden under leaf sheaths and pseudobulb coverings; heavy infestations weaken the plant.
boliviensis: Latin: of Bolivia. A geographic epithet marking a plant's native country or the place it was first collected.
BolleaBOH-lee-a: Latin: genus named for Carl Bolle, a 19th-century German botanist and collector. A genus of large-flowered epiphytic orchids from northwestern South America, closely related to Pescatorea and often included in it.
Bolus, Henry: English-born South African botanist and businessman (1834-1911), a leading student of southern African flora with a particular interest in its orchids; he founded the Bolus Herbarium, now at the University of Cape Town.
Bolusiellabowl-us-EE-ell-ah: Latin: named for Harry Bolus, with the diminutive suffix "-iella." A genus of small epiphytic orchids from tropical and southern Africa.
borealis: Latin: of the north; northern. Marks a plant's range or origin in northern latitudes.
boss: A rounded, knob-like swelling on a plant part, such as a raised bump on a lip or callus.
botanicalbo-TAN-i-kul: In orchid growing, an informal label for a species grown for botanical interest rather than showiness, typically the small-flowered or curious species outside the large florist genera. In general use, simply relating to plants or their scientific study.
Bothriochilusboth-ree-oh-KYE-liss: Latin: "pitted lip," from Greek roots for pit and lip, describing the depressed surface of the flower's lip. A small genus now often merged into Coelia.
Boxall, William: English orchid collector of the 19th century who gathered new species in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Burma, for British nurseries.
brachiatus: Latin: branched like an arm, with branches spreading widely at right angles to the main stem.
Brachtiabrackt-EE-ah: A genus described by H.G. Reichenbach in 1850 for a few small Andean epiphytes, now treated as a synonym of Brassia.
Brachycorythisbrack-ee-ko-RYE-thiss: Latin: "short helmet," from Greek roots for short and helmet, describing the short, hood-like dorsal sepal or spur. A genus of terrestrial orchids from Africa and Asia.
brachypetalus: Latin: short-petaled, describing a flower with unusually short petals.
bract: A modified, often reduced leaf found at the base of a flower or inflorescence, sometimes small and scale-like, sometimes large and showy.
bracteatus: Latin: furnished with bracts, describing a stem or inflorescence that bears bracts along its length.
bracteiformBRACK-tee-form: Shaped like a bract: flattened, reduced, and leaf-like rather than fully developed.
bracteoleBRACK-tee-ohl: A small secondary bract, borne on a flower stalk below the calyx, smaller than the main bract.
bracteosus: Latin: bract-laden, bearing an unusually large or dense number of bracts.
bractescensbrak-TESS-enz: Becoming bract-like: describes structures, often upper leaves, that increasingly resemble bracts toward the top of the plant.
brasiliensis: Latin: of Brazil. A geographic epithet marking a plant's native country.
Brassoepidendrumbrass-oh-ep-i-DEN-drum: Hybrid genus name combining Brassavola and Epidendrum, denoting artificial crosses between the two genera.
Brassolaelia: Hybrid genus name combining Brassavola and Laelia, denoting artificial crosses between the two genera.
Brassolaeliocattleya: Hybrid genus name for crosses combining Brassavola, Laelia and Cattleya, abbreviated Blc. The name is now largely historical: most of these hybrids were re-registered as Rhyncholaeliocattleya after the usual Brassavola parent was reclassified as Rhyncholaelia.
breakingBRAY-king: The emergence of a new growth from a dormant eye at the base of a pseudobulb or rhizome; a leafless back bulb is said to "break" when it sprouts a new lead.
brevifolius: Latin: short-leaved.
brevis: Latin: short.
breviscapus: Latin: short-scaped, having an unusually short flower stalk.
bristlyBRISS-lee: Covered with stiff hairs or bristles, giving a rough texture to a stem, leaf, or other surface.
BromheadiaBROM-HEAD-ee-ah: Latin: genus named for Sir Edward ffrench Bromhead, a 19th-century English mathematician and patron of science. A genus of Southeast Asian and Australasian orchids whose flowers commonly open for only a single day.
Broughtoniabrow-TOH-nee-ah: Latin: genus named for Arthur Broughton, an English botanist and physician who worked in Jamaica in the late 18th century. A genus of showy epiphytic orchids native to the Caribbean.
Brown, Robert: Scottish botanist (1773-1858) whose work laid foundations for plant taxonomy and morphology; he described numerous orchid genera and species, many from his botanizing in Australia.
brumalis: Latin: of winter, wintry. Used for a species that flowers in the winter months.
brunneus: Latin: brown.
bucephalusbyew-SEFF-a-lus: Latin: ox-headed, from Greek roots for ox and head, describing a flower part shaped like an ox's or bull's head.
bud: An undeveloped, unopened shoot, leaf, or flower.
bud initiationbuhd ih-nish-ee-AY-shun: The developmental stage at which a plant begins forming a flower bud, typically triggered by an environmental cue such as a drop in temperature or a change in day length.
bufoBoo-foh: Latin: toad. Used as an epithet for a flower part with a warty texture or toad-like shape or coloring.
bulb: Loosely used in orchid growing for a pseudobulb, the thickened, water-storing stem found in many orchids; not a true bulb in the botanical sense.
bulb pan: A shallow, wide pot used for growing orchids, giving good drainage and room for a shallow root spread.
bulbiferus: Latin: bulb-bearing, producing pseudobulbs or bulb-like growths, including small offset plantlets.
bulbiformis: Latin: bulb-shaped.
Bulbophyllumbulb-oh-FILL-um: Latin: "bulb-leaved," from Greek roots for bulb and leaf, describing the one or two leaves borne atop each pseudobulb. The largest genus in the orchid family, with roughly two thousand species.
bulbosus: Latin: bulbous, having swollen, bulb-like growths.
bullatus: Latin: blistered, puckered. Describes a leaf surface raised into blister-like bumps between the veins.
Burgeff, Hans: German botanist (1883-1976) known for pioneering research on orchid seed germination and its dependence on symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi.
bursicleBER-sick-ul: A small pouch formed from the rostellum that covers the sticky viscidium and keeps it moist; it opens as a pollinator brushes past, so the pollinia can be cemented to the visitor.
bush house: A lath or shade house, typically open-sided with a slatted or shade-cloth roof, used to grow orchids outdoors under filtered light.

C

caducouskuh-DOO-cuss: Falling off early. Describes a plant part, such as a sepal, bract, or the anther cap, that drops soon after it forms or once its function is done.
caeruleus: Latin: "blue" or "sky-blue" in color.
caesius: Latin: bluish-grey.
caespitoseSESS-pih-tohs: Growing in dense, low, tufted clumps.
caespitosus: Latin: tufted, growing in clumps.
calathiformKAL-ih-thuh-form: Basket-shaped or cup-shaped.
calcaratus: Latin: spurred, bearing a spur.
calcareus: Latin: chalky. Describes a plant that grows on or is associated with limestone or chalk soils.
calcariformis: Latin: spur-shaped.
calceolatus: Latin: slipper-shaped, resembling a small shoe, as in the pouch of a slipper orchid.
Caleanakal-ee-AN-ah: Latin: genus named for George Caley, an English botanist and explorer who collected in Australia in the early 19th century. A genus of Australian terrestrial orchids known as duck orchids, for flowers shaped like a duck in flight.
californicus: Latin: of California.
callistus: Latin: most beautiful, from a Greek superlative of "beautiful."
callosus: Latin: callused, having a thickened, hardened, callus-like structure.
callusKALL-us: A thickened, hardened ridge or outgrowth, especially the raised structure on an orchid's lip that often guides a pollinator to the flower's reproductive parts.
calochilus: Latin: beautiful-lipped, from Greek roots for beautiful and lip.
Calyculatekuh-LICK-yuh-late: Having a calyculus: a whorl of small bracts positioned just below the true calyx, resembling an extra outer layer of sepals.
Calypsoka-LIP-so: From Greek mythology, the nymph Calypso, whose name means "concealment." A genus containing a single species, Calypso bulbosa, the fairy slipper orchid, a small, easily overlooked plant of cool, often shaded northern forests.
calyptratus: Latin: hooded, having a cap-like covering (a calyptra) over a structure such as the column or anther.
calyptriformis: Latin: hood-shaped, shaped like a calyptra or cap.
calyxKAY-liks: The outer whorl of a flower, made up of the sepals, that encloses the bud before it opens.
CamarotisKAM-ah-ROE-tis: A genus published by Lindley in 1833 for monopodial epiphytes ranging from tropical Asia into the western Pacific, now treated as a synonym of Micropera.
campanulatus: Latin: bell-shaped.
campestris: Latin: of the fields or open plains.
canaliculatus: Latin: channeled, having a lengthwise groove, as in a leaf with a concave upper surface.
candidus: Latin: pure white, shining white.
canus: Latin: hoary grey; ash-grey in color.
cap: The anther cap: the small lid at the tip of the column that covers the pollinia. A visiting pollinator dislodges it as the pollen masses are pulled away.
capensis: Latin: of the Cape, referring to the Cape region of South Africa.
capillaris: Latin: hair-like, as slender as a hair.
capillatus: Latin: hairy, covered in fine hairs.
capsule: The dry seed pod formed from a fertilized orchid ovary; it splits open at maturity to release thousands of dust-like seeds.
CaptanKAP-tan: A synthetic fungicide widely used in horticulture, including on orchids, to prevent fungal rot on cut surfaces and seedlings.
cardinalis: Latin: cardinal red, a deep scarlet.
caricinus: Latin: resembling Carex, or sedge; narrow and grass-like.
carinatus: Latin: keeled, having a ridge like the keel of a boat, often along the underside of a sepal or leaf.
cariniferus: Latin: keel-bearing, bearing a keeled ridge.
carneus: Latin: flesh-colored, a pale pinkish tone.
carnosus: Latin: fleshy, having thick, succulent tissue.
caroteneKAIR-oh-teen: An orange-red hydrocarbon pigment of the carotenoid group, present in plant tissue alongside chlorophyll and contributing, with related compounds, to many yellow and orange flower colours.
carotenoid: A class of yellow, orange, or red pigments made by plastids in flowers, fruits, and leaves; besides coloring plant parts, some carotenoids also assist chlorophyll in capturing light for photosynthesis.
carpelKAR-pel: The female reproductive unit of a flower — ovary, style, and stigma. An orchid ovary is built from three fused carpels and sits below the flower (inferior), usually forming a single chamber with the ovules borne on its walls.
Carr, Cedric Erroll: Orchid collector and taxonomist of the early 20th century whose fieldwork in the Malay Peninsula and New Guinea yielded descriptions of many species; his name is abbreviated Carr in botanical citations.
carthagenensis: Latin: "of Cartagena," a geographic epithet (the -ensis ending denotes place of origin) marking a species as first collected or named from the Cartagena region.
cartilaginouskar-ti-LAJ-in-us: Firm, tough, and somewhat flexible in texture, like cartilage; used to describe leaves or other plant parts that are stiffer than fleshy but not brittle.
CastaneousKass-tane-ee-us: Chestnut-brown in color, used to describe the coloring of flowers, sheaths, or other plant parts.
cataphyllKAT-a-fill: A reduced, papery or scale-like leaf, lacking a normal blade, typically found sheathing the base of a new growth, rhizome, or pseudobulb; it protects the developing shoot rather than photosynthesizing.
CattleyaKAT-lee-ah: Latin: genus name honoring William Cattley, an early 19th-century British horticulturist who first flowered the plant in cultivation; the genus is a cornerstone of orchid hybridizing, prized for large, often fragrant flowers.
Cattleyopsiskat-lee-OP-siss: Latin: "resembling Cattleya" (-opsis meaning resembling or having the appearance of), the name given to a small Caribbean genus related to Cattleya's alliance.
Cattleytoniakat-lee-TOH-nee-ah: A hybrid genus name (nothogenus) combining Cattleya and Broughtonia, applied to intergeneric hybrids between those two genera.
Caucaea: Latin: genus name referring to the Cauca region of Colombia, home to many species in this small Oncidiinae genus.
caudaKAW-da: A tail-like appendage; in orchid descriptions it usually means a slender, drawn-out extension of a sepal, petal, or lip.
caudatus: Latin: "tailed," describing a species with a slender, tail-like extension on a sepal, petal, or lip.
caudicleKAW-dik-ul: The slender stalk joining a pollinium to the viscidium or stipe. In many orchids it dries and bends after the pollinarium is removed, swinging the pollen mass forward so it meets the stigma of the next flower visited.
Caularthronkawl-AR-thron: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "jointed stem," referring to the segmented, hollow pseudobulbs characteristic of this genus.
caulescenskaw-LESS-enz: Latin: "developing a stem," an epithet for a species that produces an evident above-ground stem, as opposed to one that appears stemless.
caulineKAW-line: Belonging to, or borne on, a stem, as opposed to arising from the base of the plant; cauline leaves or bracts are attached along the stem itself.
cavus: Latin: "hollow," used as an epithet element for a species with a hollow or cavity-bearing structure.
CBR/AOS: Certificate of Botanical Recognition, an American Orchid Society award given to a species plant of exceptional rarity or scientific interest, judged on botanical significance rather than floral quality.
CCE/AOS: Certificate of Cultural Excellence, an American Orchid Society award for an exceptionally well-grown specimen plant, the highest tier of the society's cultural awards.
CCM/AOS: Certificate of Cultural Merit, an American Orchid Society award for a well-grown, floriferous specimen plant, scored on a points system for culture and floral display.
cebolletaseh-boh-LEE-tah: Latin (from Spanish cebolleta, "young onion"): an epithet for a plant with slender, cylindrical, onion-like leaves, as in the terete-leaved Trichocentrum cebolleta, long known as Oncidium cebolleta.
cell: The basic structural and functional unit of a living organism, bounded by a membrane and, in plants, a cell wall.
cellularsell-EWE-lar: Relating to, or composed of, cells; also used to describe a surface texture that appears pitted or honeycombed, echoing the pattern of cell walls.
centimeterSEN-ti-mee-ter: A metric unit of length equal to one-hundredth of a meter (about 0.4 inch), commonly used to give the dimensions of orchid flowers and plants.
Central Americasen-truhl uh-MER-ih-kuh: The narrow region of the Americas between Mexico and South America, biogeographically important for its high diversity of orchid species and genera.
centrifugalsen-TRIFF-uh-gul: Maturing in sequence outward from the center of a structure, as in a cymose inflorescence where the oldest flower sits at the center and progressively younger flowers open toward the margin.
centripetalsen-TRIP-uh-tul: Maturing in sequence from the outside toward the center of a structure, as in a racemose inflorescence where the oldest flowers are at the base or margin and progressively younger flowers open toward the tip.
centrumSEN-trum: The centre of a solid body; the central part of a structure. In descriptions of stems the word is also used for the hollow core running down the middle of an internode.
CephalantheropsisSef-ah-lan-ther-OP-sis: Latin: "resembling Cephalanthera" (-opsis meaning resembling), the name given to a genus of terrestrial orchids related to that European and Asian genus.
cepifolius: Latin: "onion-leaved," describing a species with cylindrical, onion-like leaves.
cepiformis: Latin: "onion-shaped," describing a structure, such as a pseudobulb, shaped like an onion bulb.
ceraceus: Latin: "waxy," describing a smooth, wax-like texture or sheen on a flower or leaf surface.
cereolus: Latin: diminutive of cereus ("waxy" or "candle-like"), meaning somewhat waxy in texture or slender and candle-like in form.
cerinus: Latin: "wax-colored," a pale yellow shade like beeswax.
cernuus: Latin: "nodding" or "drooping," describing a flower or flower stalk that bends downward at the tip.
chaff: Thin, dry, membranous scales or bracts, often found along a rhizome or at the base of leaves and flowers.
channeledCHAN-uld: Having a lengthwise groove or channel, as when a leaf's upper surface is folded or concave along its length.
chartaceouskar-TAY-shus: Having a papery texture: thin, dry, and somewhat stiff, yet still flexible.
Chaubardiashaw-BARD-ee-a: Latin: genus name honoring the French botanist Chaubard, given to a small group of showy Andean orchids in the Zygopetalum alliance.
Chaubardiellashaw-BARD-ee-ell-a: Latin: diminutive of Chaubardia, given to a related but generally smaller-flowered genus in the same alliance.
Chelonistelekel-on-ih-STEE-lee: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "tortoise column," referring to the shape of the flower's column in this genus related to Coelogyne.
chemotaxonomykee-mo-tax-ON-oh-mee: The classification of organisms by comparing their biochemical makeup, such as pigments or other compounds, alongside or instead of physical form.
Chiloglottiskye-lo-GLOTT-is: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "lip tongue," referring to the prominent, tongue-like labellum of this Australian terrestrial orchid genus, several of which use sexual deception to attract pollinating wasps.
Chiloschistakyle-oh-SHISS-tah: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "split lip," referring to the divided labellum of this leafless, epiphytic orchid genus.
chimaerakime-AIR-a: An individual plant made up of two or more genetically distinct tissues growing together, arising from a mutation, graft, or fusion, and named for the mythological hybrid creature; it can produce sectors of differently colored or patterned growth on the same plant.
chinensis: Latin: "of China," a geographic epithet marking a species as originating from, or first described from, China.
Chloraeaklor-A-a: Latin: from Greek "chloros" (green), referring to the greenish flower color common in this South American terrestrial orchid genus.
chloranthus: Latin: "green-flowered."
chlorophyllKLOR-oh-fill: The green pigment held in plant plastids that absorbs light energy to drive photosynthesis.
chloroplastKLOR-oh-plast: The plastid (cell organelle) in plant tissue that contains chlorophyll and is the site of photosynthesis.
chloropsKLOR-ops: Latin: "green-eyed" or "green-faced," an epithet describing a green center or eye-like marking on a flower.
chloroticklor-OT-ik: Describing plant tissue that has turned pale yellow or yellow-green from a lack of chlorophyll, commonly caused by nutrient deficiency, poor light, root problems, or disease.
CHM/AOS: Certificate of Horticultural Merit, an American Orchid Society award to a well-grown, well-flowered species or natural hybrid judged to have qualities that add value to horticulture.
chocoensischo-ko-EN-siss: Latin: "of the Chocó," a geographic epithet referring to the Chocó region of Colombia and Panama, a rainforest area rich in orchid species.
Chondrorhynchakon-droh-RINK-ah: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "cartilage beak," referring to the firm, cartilage-like rostellum on the column of this genus.
chromogenKRO-mo-jen: A substance that gives rise to, or is a precursor of, a pigment; used generally in describing how plant coloration compounds form.
chromoplastKROH-mo-plast: A plastid that produces and stores non-green pigments, chiefly carotenoids, responsible for the yellow, orange, and red coloring of many flowers and fruits.
chromosomeKROH-muh-sohm: A thread-like structure of DNA and protein in a cell's nucleus that carries an organism's genes; an orchid's chromosome number and ploidy affect which crosses are fertile.
chrysanthus: Latin: "golden-flowered."
chrysocrepis: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "golden sandal," an epithet describing a golden, slipper- or boot-shaped lip.
chrysothyrsus: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "golden thyrse," an epithet describing a dense, golden-yellow, pyramidal flower cluster.
chrysotis: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "golden-eared," an epithet describing gold-colored, ear-like appendages on a flower.
chrysotoxus: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "golden bow," an epithet describing an arching, golden-yellow flower spike, as in Dendrobium chrysotoxum.
ChysisKYE-siss: Latin: from Greek "chysis" (a pouring or melting), referring to this genus's pollinia, which are fused into a coherent waxy mass.
ciliaris: Latin: "fringed with hairs," like eyelashes.
ciliatus: Latin: "fringed with hairs," the adjectival form of ciliaris.
cinereus: Latin: "ash-gray" in color.
cinnabarinus: Latin: "cinnabar-red," a vivid orange-red like the mineral cinnabar.
cinnamomeus: Latin: "cinnamon-colored," a reddish-brown shade.
circinatus: Latin: "coiled like a scroll," describing a structure that is rolled inward from the tip, as young fern fronds do.
circumborealsir-kum-BOHR-e-al: Describing a plant distribution that spans the cold, northern (boreal) regions of North America, Europe, and Asia in a ring around the Northern Hemisphere.
circumscissilesir-kum-SISS-ul: Describing a seed capsule that opens by splitting all the way around its circumference, with the top coming off like a lid, rather than splitting lengthwise.
cirratus: Latin: "having tendrils" or "curled."
Cirrhaeaser-A-a: Latin: from cirrus ("tendril"), the name of a small genus of Brazilian epiphytes in the Stanhopea alliance that carry many small flowers on pendent inflorescences.
cirrhiferoussi-RIFF-e-rus: Latin: "bearing tendrils," describing a structure with curling, thread-like appendages.
Cirrhopetalumseer-oh-PET-al-um: Latin: from Greek/Latin roots meaning "tendril petal," a name once used for a group of Bulbophyllum species whose lateral sepals are drawn out into long, often twisted, tail-like tips.
cirrhusSEER-rus: Latin: "tendril," a slender, curling, thread-like appendage.
citrinus: Latin: "lemon-yellow" in color.
citrosmus: Latin: "lemon-scented."
clade: A group of organisms consisting of a common ancestor and all of its descendants, as established by phylogenetic (evolutionary relationship) analysis.
cladogramKLAY-doh-gram: A branching diagram showing the hypothesized evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms, based on shared derived traits.
clasping: Describing a leaf base that wraps partly or fully around the stem, without a stalk (petiole) in between.
clavatus: Latin: "club-shaped," thicker at the tip than at the base.
clavellatus: Latin: "somewhat club-shaped," a diminutive of clavatus.
claw: The narrow, stalk-like base of a petal, sepal, or lip that attaches it to the rest of the flower.
clawed: Having a claw: a narrow, stalk-like base, as seen in the lip or petals of some orchid flowers.
cleft: Split partway, but not all the way, into lobes, as in a cleft lip or a leaf margin divided part of the way to its midrib.
Cleisostomakly-soh-STOH-mah: Latin: from Greek roots meaning "closed mouth," referring to the nearly closed opening of the spur or mentum in this genus.
CleistesKLY-steez: Latin: from Greek "kleistos" (closed), referring to the flower's partly closed form, with petals converging over the lip.
cleistogamousklise-TOG-a-mus: Describing a flower that self-pollinates and sets seed without ever opening.
clinandriumkli-NAN-dree-um: In an orchid flower, the shallow cavity or shelf at the top of the column where the anther cap and pollinia sit before pollination.
cloneKLOHN: A group of genetically identical plants propagated vegetatively (by division, cutting, or tissue culture) from a single parent, or loosely, one individual plant of that shared genotype; distinct from a seedling, which has its own unique genetic makeup.
clypeatus: Latin: "shield-shaped," from clypeus (shield).
cm: Abbreviation for centimeter, a metric unit of length equal to one-hundredth of a meter.
co-evolutionko-ev-uh-LOO-shun: The reciprocal evolution of two organisms that each exert selective pressure on the other. Orchids supply the classic examples: the shape, scent and timing of a flower and the habits of the one insect that pollinates it have shaped each other over long stretches of time.
co-pigments: Compounds that occur alongside anthocyanins in plant tissue and interact with them to intensify, stabilize, or shift flower color, contributing to the range of hues seen in orchid flowers.
Coaetaneousko-eh-TANE-ee-us: Describing leaves and flowers that appear or develop at the same time, rather than one before the other.
coalesce: To grow together or fuse, as when separate floral parts, such as petals or sepals, join into a single structure during development.
coalescence: The fusion or growing-together of originally separate plant parts, such as sepals or petals, into one unified structure.
coarctatus: Latin: "contracted" or "pressed together," describing a structure that is narrowed or compressed.
coccineus: Latin: "scarlet" or "bright red" in color.
cochlearis: Latin: "spoon-shaped," from cochlear (spoon).
cochleate: Shaped like a snail shell or spoon: spirally coiled or concave.
cochleatus: Latin: "shell-shaped," from cochlea (snail shell); used of a concave, shell-like part such as the hooded lip of Encyclia cochleata, the cockleshell orchid.
Cochliodakok-lee-OH-dah: Latin: from Greek "kochlias" (spiral shell), a genus name referring to the coiled callus on the lip, closely related to Odontoglossum.
coelestis: Latin: "sky-blue" or "celestial" in color.
CoeliaSEE-lee-ah: Latin: from Greek koilos ("hollow"), the name of a small genus of Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean orchids with clustered pseudobulbs and short, dense spikes of small, often fragrant flowers.
coeruleus: Latin: "blue" in color, an alternate spelling of caeruleus.
Cogniaux, Celestin Alfred: Belgian botanist (1841-1916) and one of the most prolific orchid taxonomists of his era, who described a vast number of orchid species and genera, including major contributions to Flora Brasiliensis.
coherentkoh-HEER-uhnt: Joined or sticking together. In botanical description it refers to like parts united — pollen grains bound into a pollinium, or petals touching along their edges — as opposed to adherent, used of unlike parts.
cohesionko-HEE-zhon: The fusion of like floral parts to one another, such as petals joined to other petals, as distinct from adnation (fusion of unlike parts). A basic term in describing floral structure.
ColaxKOH-laks: Latin (from Greek kolax, "flatterer"). A genus name for a small group of Brazilian orchids in the Zygopetalum alliance, now generally treated as a synonym of Pabstia.
colchicinekohl-chi-SEEN: An alkaloid extracted from Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus). Orchid breeders apply it to seedlings or growing points to induce polyploidy by blocking mitotic spindle formation, producing tetraploid plants with larger flowers and thicker substance.
collateralkuh-LAT-er-uhl: Side by side: describes parts placed next to one another at the same level, such as two buds standing beside each other at a node rather than one above or behind the other.
collinus: Latin: of hills, hill-dwelling. Used in species epithets for plants native to hilly terrain.
Colman, Sir Jeremiah: British businessman (of the Colman's Mustard family) and orchid grower, active late 19th to early 20th century; his collection at Gatton Park, England was one of the most celebrated of its time, and the hybrid genus Colmanara is named for him.
Colmanarakohl-man-AH-rah: Latin: a nothogenus (hybrid genus) name honoring Sir Jeremiah Colman, covering hybrids of Miltonia, Odontoglossum, and Oncidium. Now that Odontoglossum has been merged into Oncidium, older Colmanara grexes are usually relabelled.
coloratus: Latin: colored. Used in species epithets to mark a form with distinct, often unusually strong, pigmentation.
colossusko-LAHS-sus: Latin: a colossus, a giant statue (from Greek kolossos). Used in epithets and cultivar names, as a noun in apposition, for exceptionally large plants or flowers.
columnKOL-uhm-n: The central structure of an orchid flower, formed by the fusion of the male organs (stamen and pollen-bearing anther) with the female organs (style and stigma) into one organ; the single feature that most reliably identifies a flower as an orchid.
column footKOL-uhm-n foot: A basal, often forward-projecting extension of the column, frequently forming part of a spur or mentum and providing the attachment point for the lip and lateral sepals.
column wingsKOL-uhm-n wingz: Lateral flanges or extensions projecting from the sides of the column in some orchid flowers, sometimes enlarged or petal-like.
columnarkuh-LUHM-ner: Shaped like a column: elongated, cylindrical, and upright.
comatus: Latin: hairy, tufted, bearing a tuft (from coma, hair). Used in epithets for a hairy or tufted appearance.
communis: Latin: common, ordinary, widespread. Used in epithets to denote the typical or common form of a species.
community potkuh-MYOO-ni-tee pot: A single pot or tray in which multiple orchid seedlings from the same deflasked batch are grown on together, before they are large enough to be separated into individual pots. Commonly abbreviated "compot."
commutatus: Latin: changed, altered (past participle of commutare). Used in epithets for a form once confused with, or later separated from, a related species.
compactus: Latin: compact, dense, closely packed. Used in epithets and cultivar names for tight, condensed growth habit.
complanatus: Latin: flattened, made flat. Used in epithets for stems or organs flattened in cross-section.
complexus: Latin: encircled, entwined, embraced (past participle of complecti). Used in epithets for parts that wrap or clasp around another structure.
complicateKOM-pli-kate: Folded together lengthwise, as a leaf or petal folded along its midrib so one half lies against the other.
compotKOM-pot: Short for community pot: a shared container in which orchid seedlings from one flask are grown on together before individual potting.
compoundKOM-pound: Made up of multiple similar parts, as a compound leaf composed of several leaflets, in contrast to a simple, single-bladed leaf.
compressus: Latin: compressed, flattened, typically from side to side (laterally), as opposed to flattened top-to-bottom.
concavus: Latin: concave, hollowed, curved inward.
conchiformis: Latin: shell-shaped (from concha, shell, and forma, shape). Used in epithets for structures resembling a scallop or clam shell.
concinnus: Latin: neat, elegant, well-proportioned, pleasing in form.
conduplicatekon-DOO-pli-kayt: Folded lengthwise along the midrib so the two halves face each other, like a folded sheet of paper; a common leaf-folding pattern in many orchids.
confluentkon-FLEW-ent: Merging or running together into one, as when adjacent markings, spots, or structures blend at their edges rather than staying distinct.
conformis: Latin: similar in shape, uniform in form, conforming (from con-, together, and forma, shape).
congenerickon-jen-AIR-ik: Belonging to the same genus; describes two or more species classified together in one genus.
congestus: Latin: crowded, clustered closely together.
conglomeratus: Latin: clustered together, heaped into a mass.
conical: Cone-shaped, tapering from a broad base to a point.
conjugatus: Latin: joined together, paired, yoked (from conjugare, to join).
conjunctus: Latin: joined, connected, united.
connate: Fused together from the start of development, describing two or more like parts (for example, two sepals) that are joined along their margins into a single structure, rather than being separate.
connatus: Latin: born together, fused, united. The Latin root behind the English term "connate."
connectivekon-NEK-tiv: The tissue that joins the two lobes (thecae) of an anther, connecting the pollen-bearing sacs into a single structure.
conniventkon-NYE-vent: Converging or coming together at the tips while remaining separate at the base, as with petals or sepals that arch toward one another without actually fusing.
conopseus: Latin: gnat-like (from Greek konops, gnat). Used in epithets such as Gymnadenia conopsea for a flower fancied to resemble a small insect.
conspersus: Latin: sprinkled, speckled, spotted (past participle of conspergere, to sprinkle).
constrictus: Latin: constricted, narrowed, pinched together.
convex: Curved or rounded outward, like the outside of a sphere; the opposite of concave.
convoluteKON-vo-loot: Rolled together lengthwise: describes a leaf or floral part in bud with one margin rolled inside the other, so successive parts overlap in the same direction.
cool-house: A greenhouse or growing area kept at cooler temperatures, roughly 50-60°F (10-15°C) at night, suited to orchids from high elevations or temperate climates such as many Odontoglossum and Masdevallia species.
coralloid: Coral-like: repeatedly branched into short, thick, knobbly segments. It describes the underground parts of leafless, fungus-dependent orchids such as Corallorhiza, whose "coral root" is a mass of branched rhizome rather than true roots.
cordatus: Latin: heart-shaped (from cor, cordis, heart). Used in epithets for heart-shaped leaves or other organs.
coriaceus: Latin: leathery (from corium, leather). Used in epithets for tough, leathery leaf texture.
cork: The corky outer bark of certain trees; cork bark or cork slabs are used in orchid culture as a mounting medium for epiphytic species.
corm: A swollen, solid, underground stem base that stores food reserves, found in some terrestrial orchid genera; distinguished from a bulb, which is made of layered fleshy leaf scales rather than solid stem tissue.
cormatose: Not a standard botanical spelling. The word intended is cormose, or cormous: growing from a corm, the solid bulb-like stem base of plants such as crocus and gladiolus.
corneus: Latin: horny, of a horn-like texture (from cornu, horn).
corniculatus: Latin: bearing a small horn (diminutive of cornu, horn). Used in epithets for small, horn-like projections.
cornigerus: Latin: horn-bearing (from cornu, horn, and gerere, to carry).
cornucopiatekor-nu-KOH-pee-ayt: Shaped like a cornucopia, or horn of plenty: tapering, curved, and hollow, like a curled horn-shaped funnel.
cornutus: Latin: horned, bearing horns (from cornu, horn).
corollako-ROL-la: The petals of a flower considered together as a unit; in an orchid, the corolla is made up of the two lateral petals and the modified third petal, the lip.
coronarius: Latin: of a crown or garland (from corona, crown). Used historically for plants associated with wreaths, or for structures forming a crown-like shape.
correct name: In botanical nomenclature, the name that must be applied to a taxon under the rules of the governing code, based on priority of valid publication, as distinct from a later synonym.
corrugatus: Latin: wrinkled, corrugated, furrowed (past participle of corrugare).
corymbKOR-imb: A flat-topped or slightly convex flower cluster in which the individual flower stalks arise from different points along the main axis but reach roughly the same height, with the outer flowers opening first.
costatus: Latin: ribbed (from costa, rib). Used in epithets for leaves or other organs with prominent longitudinal ribs.
cotyledonkot-i-LEE-don: The seed leaf formed by a plant embryo. Orchid seeds are unusual in lacking cotyledons and stored food (endosperm) entirely, which is why germination in nature depends on a symbiotic fungus to supply nutrients.
crassifolius: Latin: thick-leaved (from crassus, thick, and folium, leaf).
crassinodis: Latin: thick-noded, with swollen nodes (from crassus, thick, and nodus, node). Used in epithets, notably within Dendrobium, for thickened stem joints.
crenatus: Latin: scalloped, with a margin of rounded teeth.
crenulatus: Latin: finely scalloped, with small rounded teeth along a margin (diminutive of crenatus).
crepidatus: Latin: slipper- or sandal-shaped (from crepida, a sandal). Used in epithets, as in Dendrobium crepidatum, for a lip shaped like a small shoe.
crest: A raised ridge or ornamental outgrowth, often found on the lip of an orchid flower, sometimes toothed, fringed, or elaborately sculpted.
crested: Bearing a crest: having a raised, ridge-like ornamentation, typically on the lip callus of a flower.
cretaceus: Latin: chalky, chalk-white (from creta, chalk).
criniferus: Latin: bearing hair (from crinis, hair, and ferre, to bear).
crinitus: Latin: hairy, bearing long hair or tresses (from crinis, hair).
crispus: Latin: curled, crisped, with a wavy or ruffled margin.
cristatus: Latin: crested, tufted (from crista, crest). Used in epithets for structures bearing a crest.
crock, crocks: Broken pieces of clay pot, or similar coarse material, placed in the bottom of a pot to aid drainage; a traditional practice in orchid culture, largely superseded by modern open, well-drained potting media.
cross: The offspring produced by hybridizing two orchid parents; also used as a verb for the act of pollinating one plant with pollen from a different plant to produce a hybrid.
cross-pollinate: To transfer pollen from the flower of one plant to the stigma of a flower on a genetically different plant, as opposed to self-pollination, typically to produce hybrid or outcrossed seed.
cruciatus: Latin: cross-shaped, arranged like a cross (from crux, cross).
cruentus: Latin: bloody, blood-red (from cruor, blood). Used in epithets for deep red coloring.
crumenatus: Latin: pouch- or purse-shaped (from crumena, purse). Used in epithets for a pouch-like lip or spur.
CryptochilusKRIP-toh-KYE-luss: Latin (from Greek kryptos, hidden, and cheilos, lip): "hidden lip." A small genus of the Eria alliance from the Himalaya and Southeast Asia, with tubular red or yellow flowers whose lip is hidden inside the sepal tube.
cryptogamKRIP-toh-gam: A plant or plant-like organism that reproduces by spores rather than seeds, such as ferns, mosses, algae, and fungi; a historical classification term used by contrast with seed plants like orchids.
CryptopusKRIP-toh-pus: Latin (from Greek kryptos, hidden, and pous, foot): "hidden foot." A small genus of orchids native to Madagascar and nearby islands.
CryptostylisKRIP-toh-STYE-liss: Latin (from Greek kryptos, hidden, and stylos, style): "hidden style." A genus of terrestrial orchids from Australia and Asia, notable for pollination by pseudocopulation with male wasps.
crystallinus: Latin: crystalline, glistening like crystal. Used in epithets for a sparkling or glistening surface texture.
cucullatus: Latin: hooded, hood-shaped (from cucullus, hood). Used in epithets for a hood-shaped organ, such as an arched dorsal sepal.
cucumerinus: Latin: cucumber-like (from cucumis, cucumber), used for a shape or scent recalling a cucumber.
CuitlauzinaKWEET-law-zee-na: Latin (from Nahuatl), honoring Cuitlahuac, an Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan. A genus of Mexican and Central American orchids, formerly included in Odontoglossum, that includes the fragrant species Cuitlauzina pendula.
cultivarKUHL-tih-vahr: A plant variety produced and maintained in cultivation, selected for particular traits and given a fancy name in single quotes, as distinct from a naturally occurring botanical variety.
cultivationKUHL-tih-VAY-shun: The practice of growing plants under intentional human care, including the choice of media, light, water, and nutrients needed to support healthy growth.
cultratus: Latin: knife-shaped (from culter, knife). Used in epithets for a sharply flattened, blade-like organ.
Cuming, Hugh: British naturalist and plant collector (1791-1865) who traveled extensively in South America and the Philippines; many orchid species collected on his expeditions carry the epithet "cumingii" in his honor.
cuneatus: Latin: wedge-shaped (from cuneus, wedge). Used in epithets for an organ, often a leaf base, that tapers to a narrow point like a wedge.
cupreus: Latin: coppery, copper-colored (from cuprum, copper).
cupuliformKUP-ewe-lih-form: Cup-shaped; shaped like a small cup.
curtus: Latin: short, shortened, cut short.
curvatus: Latin: curved, bent.
curvifolius: Latin: curved-leaved (from curvus, curved, and folium, leaf).
cuspidatus: Latin: tipped with a sharp point, cuspidate (from cuspis, point). Used for a leaf or sepal tip that narrows abruptly to a fine point.
cuticleKEW-ti-kul: The waxy, waterproof layer covering the outer surface of leaves and stems that reduces water loss; epiphytic orchids often have a notably thick cuticle as an adaptation to intermittent water supply.
cutting: A severed piece of a plant, such as a stem or cane, used for vegetative propagation by keeping it in conditions that encourage it to root and grow into a new, independent plant.
CycnochesSIK-no-keez: Latin (from Greek kyknos, swan, and auchen, neck): "swan neck," referring to the curved column. A genus known as swan orchids, notable for producing separate male and female flowers on the same or different growths.
cylindricus: Latin: cylindrical, shaped like a cylinder.
Cymbidiumsim-BID-ee-um: Latin (from Greek kymbe, boat, and eidos, form): "boat-shaped," referring to the hollow of the lip. A major orchid genus widely grown and hybridized for cut flowers and pot culture.
cymbiformis: Latin: boat-shaped (from Greek kymbe, boat, and Latin forma, shape), the same sense reflected in the genus name Cymbidium.
cymeSIME: A flower cluster (inflorescence) in which the growing tip ends in a flower, so that further growth continues from lateral branches that likewise end in flowers; a determinate cluster, as opposed to the indeterminate raceme.
cymoseSYE-mohz: Arranged in, or resembling, a cyme - an inflorescence whose main axis ends in a flower, so that any further flowers are carried on side branches that do the same. The contrasting habit is racemose, where the axis goes on growing and flowers open from the base upward.
Cynorkissin-ORE-kiss: Latin (from Greek kyon, dog + orchis, orchid): 'dog orchid.' A genus of mostly terrestrial orchids native to Africa and Madagascar.
Cypripediumsip-ree-PEE-dee-um: Latin (from Greek Kypris, Venus + pedilon, slipper): 'Venus's slipper.' The genus of hardy, terrestrial lady's-slipper orchids native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Cyrtochilumsir-toh-KY-lum: Latin (from Greek kyrtos, curved + cheilos, lip): 'curved lip.' A genus of Andean orchids closely related to Oncidium.
cytogeneticssye-toh-je-NET-iks: The branch of genetics concerned with chromosome structure, number, and behavior, relevant to understanding orchid hybrid fertility and polyploidy.
cytokininsy-toh-KYN-in: A class of plant hormone that promotes cell division and shoot formation; used in orchid tissue culture media to stimulate meristem propagation and multiplication.
cytologysye-TOL-oh-jee: The branch of biology dealing with the structure and function of cells.

D

damp: Moist but not saturated; describes a potting medium or growing environment holding some moisture without being wet.
damp down: The practice of wetting greenhouse floors, benches, and walkways rather than the plants themselves, to raise humidity and cool the air through evaporation.
damping off: A seedling disease caused by soil-borne fungi or water molds (such as Pythium or Rhizoctonia) that rots the stem at soil level and collapses the seedling; a risk in overly wet orchid seed flasks and community pots.
Darwin, Charles: English naturalist (1809-1882) whose 1862 book on the fertilisation of orchids by insects was foundational to understanding orchid pollination biology.
Day, John: English orchid grower and illustrator (1824-1888) who compiled decades of watercolor paintings documenting orchids in cultivation, now held as 'Day's Scrapbooks.'
debilis: Latin: weak, feeble. Used in species epithets for a plant with a slender or frail-looking habit.
deciduousdi-SIJ-oo-uhs: Losing all leaves during a dormant or dry period, as some Dendrobium, Catasetum, and Lycaste species do, rather than remaining evergreen.
declinateDEK-luh-neyt: Bent or curving downward from the point of attachment, as in a declinate style or set of stamens.
decorus: Latin: handsome, becoming, decorative.
decurveddee-KURVD: Curved downward, as sepals or petals that arch toward the ground.
decussatedee-KUSS-ayt: Arranged in opposite pairs along a stem, with each successive pair set at a right angle to the pair below it.
deflexus: Latin: deflexed, bent sharply downward.
defoliationdee-FOL-ee-ay-shun: The loss or shedding of leaves, whether from natural dormancy, stress, disease, or pest damage.
dehiscensdee-HISS-enz: Latin: dehiscent, splitting open at maturity. Describes a seed capsule that opens along defined lines to release its contents.
delicatus: Latin: delicate.
deltoideus: Latin: deltoid, triangular in outline like the Greek letter delta.
dendricolus: Latin: tree-dwelling. Describes a plant, typically an epiphyte, that grows on trees.
Dendrochilumden-droh-KYE-lum: Latin (from Greek dendron, tree + cheilos, lip): 'tree lip.' A genus of Southeast Asian epiphytic orchids, commonly called chain orchids for their slender, pendent flower spikes.
dendrogramDEN-droh-gram: A branching tree diagram used to display hierarchical relationships, such as in phylogenetic classifications of orchid species.
dendroideus: Latin: tree-like in form or habit.
densiflorus: Latin: densely flowered, bearing flowers crowded closely together.
densifolius: Latin: densely leaved.
densus: Latin: dense, thickly crowded.
dentatus: Latin: toothed, bearing tooth-like projections along the margin.
denticulatus: Latin: finely toothed, bearing small teeth along the margin.
Deoxyribonucleic AcidDNA: DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information; DNA sequencing is used in orchid taxonomy and to verify hybrid parentage.
depauperatus: Latin: depauperate, stunted or reduced in growth compared to the typical form.
depressus: Latin: depressed, flattened or pressed downward.
descendingdee-SEND-ing: Sloping or hanging downward, as an inflorescence that droops rather than standing erect.
desert coolerDEZ-ert kool-er: An evaporative cooling unit that lowers air temperature by drawing it across water-saturated pads, sometimes used to manage heat in a growing area.
determinatedee-TUR-muh-neyt: A growth habit in which the main growing point ends in a flower or inflorescence, stopping further vegetative extension, as opposed to indeterminate growth.
DextrorseDEK-strohs: Twisted or twining toward the right, as a spiralling stem or a twisted ovary. Authors have long differed over which viewpoint defines 'right', so the term is applied inconsistently and the direction meant is best stated outright.
Di or DisDYE or Dihs: A prefix meaning 'two' or 'apart, asunder' in botanical compound terms, as in diploid or dichotomous.
Diacriumsee Caularthron: An older genus name now merged into Caularthron; plants formerly listed under Diacrium are found there instead.
diagnosisdahy-uhg-NO-sis: Latin: a distinguishing description. The formal technical account of the characters that separate a newly described taxon from its relatives, historically required to be written in Latin for valid publication of a plant name.
Dialaelia: A hybrid genus name (nothogenus) coined for crosses between Diacrium and Laelia, following the convention of combining syllables from the parent genera.
diandrous: Having two fertile stamens. Most orchids carry a single fertile anther, but the lady's-slippers (subfamily Cypripedioideae) are diandrous, with two functional anthers flanking a shield-like staminode.
diaphanus: Latin: transparent, translucent.
dicarpellousdye-KAR-pel-lus: Having two carpels, the female reproductive structures of a flower.
Dichaeadye-KEE-a: Latin (from Greek dicha, in two): a reference to the two-ranked leaf arrangement typical of this genus of small epiphytic orchids from tropical America.
dichogamydye-KOG-ah-me: A mechanism that reduces self-pollination by having a flower's male (pollen-releasing) and female (stigma-receptive) stages mature at different times.
dichotomus: Latin: dichotomous, forking repeatedly into two roughly equal branches.
dichromus: Latin: two-colored, bicolored.
diclinousdi-KLYN-us: Having male and female reproductive parts in separate, unisexual flowers rather than combined in one flower.
dicotyledonousdye-kot-i-LEE-don-us: Having two seed leaves (cotyledons) at germination. Orchids are monocots with a single cotyledon, so this term describes other flowering plant groups, not orchids themselves.
didymus: Latin: twin, occurring in pairs.
differentiation: The process by which unspecialized cells develop into cells with distinct structure and function during growth.
difformis: Latin: irregularly or unusually shaped, deviating from the typical form.
diffusus: Latin: diffuse, loosely spreading.
digitatus: Latin: finger-like, divided into finger-like segments radiating from a common point.
dilatatus: Latin: dilated, widened or expanded.
Dillon, Gordon: American orchid administrator who served for decades in the mid-20th century as editor of the American Orchid Society Bulletin, shaping its awards coverage and publications.
Dilochiadye-LOH-kee-ah: Latin (from Greek di-, two + lochos, row): a reference to the two-ranked leaf arrangement in this genus of Southeast Asian terrestrial and epiphytic orchids.
dimidiatedye-MEE-dee-ayt: Halved in form, as if one side had been removed, giving an asymmetric appearance.
Dimorphorchisdye-MORF-ore-kiss: Latin (from Greek di-, two + morphe, form + orchis, orchid): 'two-form orchid.' A genus of Bornean orchids notable for producing two differently colored flowers on the same inflorescence.
dimorphus: Latin: dimorphic, occurring in two distinct forms.
dioeciousdye-EE-shus: Having male and female flowers borne on separate individual plants, rather than on the same plant.
diphyllus: Latin: two-leaved.
Diplocaulobiumdih-plo-caw-LOBE-ee-um: Latin (from Greek diplous, double + kaulos, stem): a genus of small epiphytic orchids from New Guinea and the tropical Pacific, segregated from Dendrobium; each slender pseudobulb carries a single leaf and short-lived flowers.
diploidDIP-loyd: Having two complete sets of chromosomes, the normal chromosome complement of most plants and animals.
Diploproradih-plo-PROR-a: Latin (from Greek diplous, double + prora, prow): a genus of small epiphytic orchids from tropical Asia in the Vanda alliance.
Dipodiumdye-POH-dee-um: Latin (from Greek di-, two + podion, little foot): a genus of terrestrial orchids from Australia and Asia, several species of which are leafless and derive nutrition from fungal partners rather than photosynthesis.
dipterus: Latin: two-winged.
DisaDYE-sa or DEE-sa: A genus of terrestrial orchids native chiefly to Africa, including South Africa's showy Disa uniflora; the etymology of the name is uncertain.
disc: The central, often thickened or ridged portion of an orchid's lip surface, frequently bearing calli, keels, or ridges that guide pollinators.
discolorDIS-kol-or: Latin: differently colored, especially having contrasting colors on two surfaces, such as the upper and lower sides of a leaf.
discretedis-KREET: Separate and distinct, not fused or joined to an adjacent part.
dissectus: Latin: dissected, cut deeply into narrow segments.
distalDIS-tul: Positioned away from the point of attachment or origin; farthest from the base.
distichus: Latin: distichous, arranged in two opposite rows along an axis.
Diurisdye-YEWR-is: Latin (from Greek di-, two + oura, tail): 'two-tailed.' A genus of Australian terrestrial orchids commonly known as donkey orchids.
diurnus: Latin: of the daytime. Used for flowers that open by day and close or fade at night.
divaricatus: Latin: widely spreading, diverging at a broad angle.
divergensdy-VERJ-enz: Latin: diverging, spreading apart from a common point.
division: A method of vegetative propagation in which a plant clump is cut into smaller sections, each retaining roots and growth points, to produce new independent plants; a standard way to propagate sympodial orchids.
divisus: Latin: divided.
dixanthus: Latin (from Greek di-, two + xanthos, yellow): twice yellow. Used in epithets for flowers marked with two shades or zones of yellow.
dm: Abbreviation for decimeter, a unit of length equal to one-tenth of a meter, used in plant measurement descriptions.
dolabriformis: Latin: hatchet-shaped.
dolosus: Latin: deceptive, deceitful. Used for a plant that closely resembles, and so can be confused with, another species.
dominantDOM-uh-nuhnt: In genetics, an allele or trait that is expressed in the offspring's appearance whenever present, masking a recessive allele; relevant to predicting outcomes in orchid breeding.
domingensis: Latin: from Santo Domingo (Hispaniola). A geographic epithet marking a species' place of origin or original description.
Dominy, John: English gardener at the Veitch nursery (1816-1891) who produced the first artificial orchid hybrid, Calanthe Dominyi, in 1856, launching orchid hybridization.
dorsalDAWR-suhl: Relating to the back or upper side of a structure; the dorsal sepal is the uppermost sepal of an orchid flower.
doubleDUHB-uhl: Describes a flower bearing more than the typical number of petals or tepals, usually because reproductive parts have developed as extra petal-like segments.
downyDOW-nee: Covered with fine, soft hairs.
dracoDRAY-ko: Latin: dragon. Used in species epithets, often as 'draconis,' for plants with markings or forms suggestive of a dragon.
DrakaeaDRAYK-ee-a: A genus of Australian terrestrial orchids, the hammer orchids, named for botanical illustrator Sarah Drake. A hinged, insect-like lip swings a sexually deceived male thynnid wasp against the column, where the pollinia are attached.
dubiosus: Latin: doubtful, uncertain. Used when a plant's identity or classification is unresolved.
dulcis: Latin: sweet. Used in epithets for a sweetly scented or sweet-tasting plant.
dumosus: Latin: bushy, shrubby, describing a densely branched growth habit.
Dungs, F.: Fritz Dungs, orchid researcher and co-author with Guido Pabst of Orchidaceae Brasilienses (1975-1977), a two-volume account of the Brazilian orchid flora.
duplicateDOO-pli-kit: An additional specimen genetically identical to another, such as a duplicate division or mericlone of a named orchid.

E

ebracteatus: Latin: without bracts, lacking the small leaf-like structures at the base of a flower or flower stalk.
eburneus: Latin: ivory-colored, ivory-white.
ecalcarateee-KAL-kar-ayt: Lacking a spur (calcar); describes a flower without the backward-projecting, often nectar-bearing pouch some orchids have.
ecalloseee-KAL-lohz: Lacking a callus, the thickened raised structure sometimes found on an orchid's lip.
echinatus: Latin: spiny, covered with prickles, as on a hedgehog or sea urchin.
echinocarpus: Latin: spiny-fruited, having a fruit covered in spines.
ecologyih-KOL-uh-jee: The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.
ecornutus: Latin: without horns, lacking horn-like projections.
ecostateee-KOS-tayt: Lacking ribs or a costa (a midrib or raised ridge).
ecotypeEE-ko-type: A population of a species that has developed distinct genetic and physical traits in response to its local habitat, while still able to interbreed with other populations of the same species.
edaphicee-DAFF-ik: Relating to soil conditions—texture, drainage, pH, and nutrient content—as factors shaping where and how a plant grows.
edentateee-DEN-tayt: Lacking teeth; describes a leaf, bract, or other margin that is smooth rather than toothed.
effusus: Latin: "spreading" or "loosely diffuse." Used in epithets for species with an open, sprawling growth habit.
eglanduloseee-GLAND-yew-lohz: Lacking glands; describes a leaf, stem, or other surface without glandular hairs or secretory structures.
elatiorel-AY-tee-or: Latin: "taller," the comparative of elatus. Used in epithets to mark a species as taller than a closely related one.
elatus: Latin: "tall" or "lofty." Used in epithets for species notable for unusual height.
elegansEL-e-ganz: Latin: "elegant" or "graceful." A common species epithet for plants noted for refined form or coloring.
Elleanthusel-lee-AN-thus: A genus of roughly 100 Neotropical orchid species with slender, reed-like stems and small flowers clustered near the stem tips; most grow as epiphytes or terrestrials in montane forest.
ellipsoidih-LIP-soyd: A solid, three-dimensional shape resembling an elongated sphere, oval in outline; often used to describe pseudobulb or fruit shape.
ellipticih-LIP-tick: Describes a leaf or petal that is oval in outline, widest at the middle and tapering evenly toward both ends.
elongateee-LONG-ayt: Stretched out lengthwise; describes a structure, such as a pseudobulb or inflorescence, that is notably longer than it is wide.
emarginatus: Latin: "notched." Describes a shallow notch at the tip of a leaf or petal.
embryoem-BREE-oh: The earliest stage of a developing plant, formed after fertilization. Orchid seed embryos are undifferentiated and lack the stored food reserves of most other seeds, which is why germination depends on a fungal partner.
Encycliaen-SIK-lee-ah: From Greek for "to encircle," referring to the lip wrapping around the base of the column. A genus of mostly Neotropical epiphytic orchids in the Laeliinae, many species formerly placed in Epidendrum.
endemicen-DEM-ik: Native to, and found only within, a specific and often limited geographic area, occurring nowhere else in the wild.
endocarpEN-doh-carp: The innermost layer of a fruit wall, often hardened, that immediately surrounds the seed.
endogenousen-DOJ-uh-nuhs: Arising or developing from within a plant's internal tissue, rather than from its surface.
endospermEN-do-spurm: Nutritive tissue that surrounds and feeds a developing embryo inside a seed. Orchid seeds have little to no endosperm, which is why they rely on symbiotic fungi for nutrition during germination.
ensatus: Latin: "sword-shaped." Describes narrow, flat leaves that taper to a point like a blade.
ensifolius: Latin: "sword-leaved," from ensis (sword) and folium (leaf). Used for species with narrow, blade-like leaves.
ensiformis: Latin: "sword-shaped," from ensis (sword) and forma (shape). Describes narrow, flat, tapering leaves.
entireen-TYE-er: Describes a leaf or petal margin that is smooth and continuous, without teeth, lobes, or notches.
entomophilus: Latin/Greek: "insect-loving." Used for species pollinated by insects.
entomophilyen-toh-MOFF-ill-ee: Pollination carried out by insects, as opposed to wind, water, or other animals.
environment: The combination of external conditions—light, temperature, humidity, airflow, and growing medium—that surround a plant and shape its growth.
ephemerale-FEM-er-al: Short-lived; describes a flower or plant part that lasts only briefly, sometimes just hours or a single day, before wilting or dropping.
epi: Greek prefix meaning “upon” or “above,” carried over into botanical Latin. It forms compound terms such as epiphyte (a plant growing upon another) and epidermis (the outer layer of cells).
epicalyxep-ee-KAY-licks: A ring of bract-like structures positioned just below the true sepals, resembling an extra calyx.
epicarpEP-i-karp: The outermost layer, or skin, of a fruit wall.
epichileEP-i-kyle: The outer or terminal section of a lip that is divided crosswise into distinct parts, as in Stanhopea, Coryanthes, and Epipactis. The basal section is the hypochile; a middle section, where present, is the mesochile.
epidermisep-ee-DER-miss: The outermost single layer of cells covering a plant's leaves, stems, and roots, forming its primary protective surface.
epigaeus: Latin: "growing at or near ground level," from Greek epi (upon) and gaia (earth). Used for low-growing or terrestrial forms.
Epigeneiumeh-pi-JEE-nee-um: A genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical Asia, with a creeping rhizome bearing widely spaced pseudobulbs of one or two leathery leaves. Long treated as a segregate of Dendrobium, and folded back into it in recent classifications.
epigynousih-PIJ-uh-nuhs: Describes a flower whose sepals, petals, and stamens appear to arise above the ovary because the ovary is embedded in the receptacle below them. Orchid flowers are epigynous, with an inferior ovary positioned beneath the other floral parts.
epiparasiticep-i-pair-ah-SIT-ick: Describes a plant that draws nutrition indirectly from another green plant through a shared mycorrhizal fungus, rather than by direct attachment; some non-photosynthetic orchids feed this way.
epiphyteEP-i-fite: A plant that grows attached to another plant, typically a tree, for physical support only, taking its moisture and nutrients from air, rain, and debris rather than from its host.
epiphyticep-i-FIT-ik: Describes the growth habit of a plant that lives attached to another plant, usually a tree, without parasitizing it.
Epistephiumeh-pi-STEEF-ee-um: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to tropical South America, in the subfamily Vanilloideae, with large showy flowers and a preference for open, savanna-like habitats.
epseudobulbousee-soo-doh-BUL-bus: Lacking a pseudobulb; describes an orchid growth habit without the thickened, water-storing stem segment typical of many epiphytic species.
equalis: Latin: "equal." Describes floral or vegetative parts of matching size or length.
equestris: Latin: "of a horse" or "equestrian." Used as a species epithet, as in Phalaenopsis equestris.
equitantEK-kwi-tant: Describes leaves that are folded lengthwise and arranged in overlapping, straddling ranks along a fan, as in equitant-leaved Oncidium relatives and Iris; from Latin equitare, "to ride."
erectus: Latin: "upright" or "erect." Describes a stem or growth habit that stands vertically rather than trailing or arching.
Eric Young: British businessman and orchid grower of the mid-20th century whose collection and endowment established the Eric Young Orchid Foundation in Jersey, known for Phragmipedium and Odontoglossum-alliance breeding.
erinaceus: Latin: "hedgehog-like," from erinaceus (hedgehog). Describes a bristly or spiny surface texture.
erostratee-ROSS-trayt: Without a beak; describes a structure lacking the narrow, pointed extension (rostrum) found in related forms.
erosus: Latin: "eroded." Describes a margin that looks irregularly gnawed or unevenly notched, as if worn away.
erythrocarpus: Latin/Greek: "red-fruited," from erythros (red) and karpos (fruit).
esculentus: Latin: "edible." Used for species with parts fit for eating.
estriatus: Latin: "without stripes," from the negating prefix e- and striatus (striped). Describes a surface lacking linear markings.
ethyleneETH-ill-een: A naturally occurring plant hormone, active as a gas, that triggers fruit ripening, flower senescence, and bud drop; a source of damage to orchid flowers if it accumulates from nearby ripening fruit or combustion fumes.
etiolationee-ti-o-LAY-shun: Pale, weak, elongated growth produced when a plant is deprived of adequate light, as stems stretch toward whatever light is available.
Eulophiellayew-loh-fee-EL-lah: A genus of a few large epiphytic and lithophytic orchids endemic to Madagascar, several of them growing on screw pines (Pandanus). Tall inflorescences carry showy white to rose-pink flowers.
europaeus: Latin: "European." Indicates a species' geographic origin in Europe.
evanescentev-a-NESS-sent: Fading or dropping away quickly; describes a flower part or structure, such as a bract, that withers or disappears soon after it forms.
evaporative cooler: A greenhouse cooling device that lowers air temperature by drawing warm air through water-saturated pads, using evaporation to remove heat; commonly used to manage summer temperatures in orchid growing areas.
evectus: Latin: “carried up” or “borne aloft,” the past participle of evehere. Applied to a part that is raised or projects above the rest.
evergreen: Describes a plant that keeps its leaves year-round, rather than losing them all at once during a dormant season.
evertus: Latin: "turned outward" or "overturned," from evertere. Used for a part that is reflexed or folded back on itself.
evolutionko-ev-uh-LOO-shun: The change in the heritable characteristics of a population across successive generations, driven by mechanisms such as natural selection; in orchids it explains both the diversity of species and the tight matches often seen between flower form and pollinator.
exaltatus: Latin: "exalted" or "raised high," from exaltare. Used for species notable for tall growth.
exasperatus: Latin: "roughened." Describes a surface with a harsh, rough texture.
excavatus: Latin: "hollowed out." Describes a concave or dug-out surface.
excelsiorex-SELL-see-or: A fine, curled wood-shaving material, also called wood wool, historically used as packing and cushioning material when shipping plants.
excelsus: Latin: "lofty" or "very tall," close in meaning to elatus and exaltatus.
excentricik-SEN-trik: Off-center; describes a structure, such as a stem or midrib, positioned away from the central axis rather than centered.
excisus: Latin: "cut away." Describes a margin with a distinct notch or excised section.
excurrentik-SKUR-uhnt: Describes a midrib or vein that runs out beyond the leaf apex as a short point or bristle, rather than ending within the blade. Also used of a tree form with one continuous main trunk.
exfoliatingex-FOL-ee-ayt-ing: Peeling away in thin layers or sheets, as bark or another outer covering does.
exiguus: Latin: "small" or "scanty." Used for species or parts of diminutive size.
eximius: Latin: "exceptional" or "distinguished." Used for a species considered especially fine.
exineEKS-ine: The tough outer wall layer of a pollen grain, often patterned or sculptured, made of durable sporopollenin.
exocaryEKS-oh-kary: Not a standard botanical spelling. The word intended is exocarp: the outermost layer of the pericarp, the skin of a fruit, also called the epicarp.
exoticek-ZOTT-ik: Originating from a foreign or non-native region; in cultivation, a plant grown outside its natural geographic range.
expansus: Latin: "spread out" or "expanded." Describes a structure, such as a widely opened flower, that spreads broadly.
explantEKS-plant: A piece of living plant tissue removed from a parent plant and placed into sterile culture medium to begin propagation, as in orchid meristem or tissue culture.
explanteEKS-plant-ay: Not a standard botanical spelling. The word intended is explanate, from the Latin explanatus, flattened: spread out flat, as opposed to inflated or rolled.
exsertedek-SER-ted: Describes a structure, such as a column part or anther, that projects beyond the surrounding floral parts rather than staying enclosed within them.
exsiccatedEK-sik-kay-ted: Dried out; describes plant material, such as a pressed herbarium specimen, that has been dried and preserved.
extrorseeks-TRORS: Describes an anther that faces outward, away from the flower's center, releasing its pollen toward the outside.
exudansEKS-yew-danz: Latin: "exuding" or "oozing," the present participle of exudare. Describes a plant part that secretes fluid or resin.
eye: A dormant growth bud on a pseudobulb, rhizome, or cane that is capable of developing into a new shoot or plantlet.

F

-foliate: A suffix meaning "leaved," combined with a number or descriptor to indicate leaf count or type, as in "trifoliate" for three-leaved.
-foliolateFOH-lee-o-layt: A suffix meaning "having leaflets," combined with a number to describe how many leaflets a compound leaf bears, as in "trifoliolate."
falcateFAL-kayt: Curved and tapering to a point, like a sickle blade; describes the shape of a leaf, petal, or similar narrow structure.
familyFAM-uh-lee: A taxonomic rank grouping related genera that share defining characteristics. Orchids make up the family Orchidaceae.
fan and pad: A greenhouse cooling and ventilation system in which exhaust fans on one wall pull outside air through water-saturated pads on the opposite wall, cooling the interior by evaporation.
farinaceus: Latin: "mealy," resembling flour in texture.
farinosus: Latin: "covered with a mealy powder," from farina (flour, meal). Describes a fine, dusty white coating on a surface.
fasciationfa-see-AY-shun: An abnormal flattening and fusion of stem or floral tissue that would normally be cylindrical, producing a ribbon-like or crested growth.
fasciatus: Latin: "banded," from fascia (a band). Describes markings arranged in distinct bands or stripes.
fascicleFAS-i-kul: A tight cluster or bundle, such as a group of leaves, flowers, or roots arising closely together from one point.
fascicularis: Latin: "arranged in bundles." Describes parts, such as roots or leaves, that arise in tight clusters.
fastigiatus: Latin: "upright and clustered," describing branches held close together and pointing sharply upward, giving a narrow, columnar habit.
faveolatefah-VEE-oh-layt: Marked with a honeycomb-like pattern of small pits or depressions.
FCC/AOS: First Class Certificate: the highest flower-quality award given through the American Orchid Society's judging system, granted to an exceptional clone scoring 90 points or above.
fecundationfee-kun-DAY-shun: An older term for fertilization: the union of male and female gametes to produce a viable seed.
fenestralis: Latin: "having windows," from fenestra (window). Describes translucent, window-like markings or openings in a leaf or other structure.
fermateFER-mayt: Fermate was Du Pont's trade name for the fungicide ferbam, an iron dimethyldithiocarbamate registered in 1944 and applied as a spray or dust against leaf spots and other fungal diseases. Glossaries that call it a dithiocarbonate have the chemistry a letter wrong.
ferrugineus: Latin: "rust-colored," from ferrugo (rust). Describes a reddish-brown coloring.
fertilis: Latin: "fertile." Describes a structure capable of producing viable seed or spores, as opposed to a sterile one.
fertilizationfer-till-eye-ZAY-shun: The fusion of a male gamete, delivered through the pollen tube, with the egg cell inside an ovule, producing the embryo of a seed. In many orchids this follows pollination by weeks or months, while the ovules finish developing.
fertilizerfer-till-EYE-zer: A natural or synthetic substance applied to supply nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, that a plant needs for growth.
ferus: Latin: "wild" or "untamed." Used for naturally occurring, non-cultivated forms.
festivus: Latin: "festive" or "showy." Used for species notable for especially colorful or attractive flowers.
fetidus: Latin: "foul-smelling." Describes an unpleasant odor.
fibrillosus: Latin: "covered with fine fibers," from fibrilla (small fiber). Describes a surface with a fine, hair-like fibrous texture.
fibrosus: Latin: "fibrous." Describes a structure made up of tough, thread-like fibers, such as a fibrous root system.
filament: The stalk of a stamen that supports the anther. In orchids, the stamen is fused into the column, so a free filament as seen in most other flowers is generally absent.
filiformis: Latin: "thread-shaped," from filum (thread) and forma (shape). Describes a very slender, thread-like structure.
fimbriatus: Latin: "fringed." Describes a margin cut into fine, hair-like or finger-like segments.
fimbrillateFIM-bril-layt: Finely fringed; describes a margin with small, delicate fringe-like projections, a diminutive form of fimbriate.
fir bark: A common orchid potting medium made from shredded or chunked conifer bark, chosen for the drainage and airflow it gives orchid roots compared with soil.
fissile: Splitting easily along a natural line or plane, as a seed capsule that cleaves along definite valves when mature.
fistularis: Latin: tube-shaped, hollow like a pipe. Used in species epithets for structures such as leaves or pseudobulbs that are hollow and cylindrical.
Fitch, John Nugent: English botanical illustrator and lithographer (1840-1927), nephew of Walter Hood Fitch, known for lithographic plates in Victorian-era orchid publications.
Fitch, Walter Hood: Scottish botanical illustrator (1817-1892), renowned for the plates he produced for Curtis's Botanical Magazine and other Kew and RHS publications, including many orchid subjects, during the Victorian era.
flabellatus: Latin: fan-shaped. Used in epithets to describe leaves or growth fans spread out like a fan.
flaccidus: Latin: flaccid, limp. Describes plant parts that are soft, weak, and drooping rather than firm.
flagelliformis: Latin: whip-shaped. Describes a long, slender, flexible structure such as a stem or inflorescence resembling a whip.
flask: A sterile glass or plastic vessel used to grow orchid seedlings from seed, or plantlets from tissue culture, on a nutrient agar medium.
flasking: The process of sowing orchid seed, or placing tissue-cultured plantlets, under sterile conditions into a flask of nutrient agar to grow on.
flat: A shallow, wide nursery tray used to hold and grow on a group of small pots or unpotted seedlings together.
flavescensfla-VEH-senz: Latin: turning yellow, yellowish. Used in epithets for flowers or parts that are pale or fading yellow.
flavidus: Latin: yellowish, pale yellow.
flavus: Latin: yellow, a clear pure yellow.
flexuosus: Latin: bent alternately in opposite directions, zigzagging. Used in epithets for a stem or inflorescence axis that zigzags rather than growing straight.
Flickingeriaflik-in-GEER-ee-ah: A genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical Asia and the Pacific, allied to Dendrobium and now generally treated within it; the flowers usually open for less than a day.
floccoseFLOK-ohs: Covered with loose tufts of soft, woolly hair, so the surface bears small cottony clumps that often rub away.
flora: The plant life of a particular region, habitat, or time period, or a book that systematically catalogs and describes those plants.
floralis: Latin: of or belonging to flowers.
floriculture: The branch of horticulture concerned with growing and cultivating flowering plants, especially for ornamental purposes.
floridus: Latin: flowering, full of flowers.
floriferous: Bearing many flowers; free-flowering.
florulafloor-UHL-ah: A small or local flora; a list or description of the plants found in a limited area.
foetidFEE-tid: Having a strong, unpleasant smell; foul-smelling, as in some orchid flowers whose odor attracts carrion- or dung-feeding insect pollinators.
foliaceous bractfoh-lee-AYE-shuss brackt: A bract that is leaf-like in size, texture, and color, rather than reduced, scale-like, or papery as bracts often are.
foliaceus: Latin: leaf-like, resembling a leaf in texture, shape, or color.
foliage: The leaves of a plant considered collectively; used to describe a plant's leaf growth and appearance apart from its flowers.
foliosus: Latin: leafy, bearing many leaves.
foot: In orchid flower structure, a basal projection of the column to which the bases of the lateral sepals may attach, together forming a chin-like pouch called the mentum.
foot-candle: A unit of illuminance equal to one lumen per square foot, roughly 10.8 lux. Orchid culture guides commonly state light requirements in foot-candles.
foramenfoh-RAY-men: A small natural opening or pore in a plant structure; in an ovule, the gap through the integuments by which the pollen tube reaches the embryo sac, also called the micropyle.
forcing: A horticultural technique of manipulating temperature, light, or other conditions to induce a plant to flower or grow ahead of its natural season.
forked: Divided into two or more branches or points, as in a forked root, hair, or stigma.
form: A formal taxonomic rank below variety (abbreviated "f."), used to designate a minor variation, such as a distinct flower color, that does not merit varietal status.
formosanus: Latin: from Formosa (Taiwan). Used in epithets to indicate a plant's origin from Taiwan.
formosus: Latin: beautiful, handsome.
formulafore-MEW-luh: In hybridizing, a cross written out as its two parents rather than by grex name, as in Cattleya labiata × C. mossiae. Also used for the N-P-K numbers stating a fertilizer's nutrient ratio.
fornicatus: Latin: arched, vaulted. Describes a structure curved into an arch or hood shape.
Fowlie, Jack: American orchidologist (1929-1993) and long-time editor of the Orchid Digest, known for field studies and taxonomic monographs of tropical American orchids.
fractiflexFRAK-ti-fleks: Bent abruptly at intervals in a zigzag pattern, as in a stem or floral rachis that appears repeatedly broken and re-angled.
free: In floral structure, describes a part such as a sepal or petal that is separate rather than fused to the adjacent parts.
fringedFRINJD: Bordered along the margin with fine hair-like or comb-like projections, as in a fringed lip.
frondFRAHND: A leaf of a fern; properly a fern or palm term, occasionally applied loosely to a divided, feathery orchid leaf.
fructificationfruk-ti-fi-KAY-shun: The process of forming fruit, or the fruiting structure that results from it.
fruit: The mature ovary of a flower, containing the seeds; in orchids this is typically a dry capsule that splits open to release seed.
fruticosus: Latin: shrubby, shrub-like in habit.
fugaciousfew-GAY-shus: Lasting only a very short time; falling, wilting, or withering quickly, as some flowers or floral parts that persist less than a day.
fulvus: Latin: tawny, a dull yellowish-brown.
fungicideFUN-gi-syde: A chemical agent used to kill or inhibit fungi, commonly applied to prevent or control fungal disease on orchids.
furcatus: Latin: forked, divided into two branches.
furfuraceus: Latin: scurfy, covered with small bran-like scales.
furrowedfur-ROW-d: Marked with parallel grooves or channels, as in a furrowed pseudobulb or leaf surface.
fuscatus: Latin: darkened, brownish.
fusiformis: Latin: spindle-shaped, thickest near the middle and tapering toward both ends. Used in epithets for pseudobulbs, roots, or tubers of that shape.

G

galeatus: Latin: helmet-shaped, hooded.
gameteGAM-eet: A reproductive cell, such as an egg cell or a pollen nucleus, that fuses with another gamete during fertilization to form a new organism.
gamopetalusgam-oh-PET-a-lus: Having petals that are fused together, at least at their base, into a single unit rather than remaining separate.
gamophyllousgam-oh-FILL-us: Having leaves or leaf-like parts, such as tepals, that are fused together rather than separate.
gamosepalousgam-oh-SEP-a-lus: Having sepals that are fused together, at least in part, into a single unit rather than remaining separate.
gelidus: Latin: cold, icy, frosty. Used in epithets for plants associated with cold habitats.
GelriteJELL-ryte: A trade name for a gellan-gum product used as a gelling agent, sometimes in place of agar, in the sterile media used for sowing orchid seed and tissue culture.
geminatus: Latin: paired, twin, occurring in pairs.
gemmaJEM-a: A small vegetative bud or offshoot that can detach from the parent plant and develop into a new, independent plant.
gemmuleJEM-yewl: A small gemma; a tiny bud-like vegetative propagule.
gene: A unit of heredity: a segment of DNA that codes for a particular inherited trait.
generaJEN-e-ra: The plural of genus, the taxonomic rank grouped above species and below family.
generationjen-e-RAY-shun: One cycle of reproduction; in breeding, used to denote successive hybrid crosses, such as an F1 or F2 generation.
genericje-NER-ik: Pertaining to a genus; in orchid hybrid names, a name that applies to an entire genus, or, for intergeneric hybrids, the combined name representing several genera.
geneticsje-NET-iks: The branch of biology concerned with heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.
geniculatus: Latin: bent abruptly like a bent knee, jointed.
genomeJEE-nohm: The complete set of genetic material, or DNA, carried by an organism.
genotypeJEE-noh-type: The genetic makeup of an organism, as distinct from its observable physical characteristics, or phenotype.
genusJEE-nus: A taxonomic rank grouping one or more closely related species, ranked above species and below family; the first word of a scientific binomial name, such as Cattleya.
Genyorchisjen-EE-ore-kiss: A small genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical Africa, allied to Bulbophyllum, with pseudobulbs bearing one or two leaves and slender racemes of small flowers.
germ cells: Reproductive cells, or the cells that give rise to them, involved in sexual reproduction.
German peat moss
germination: The process by which a seed begins to grow into a seedling; in orchids this normally requires a symbiotic mycorrhizal fungus or sterile flask culture on nutrient medium, since orchid seed lacks a food reserve.
gibbosus: Latin: gibbous, swollen on one side into a pouch-like protuberance.
giganteus: Latin: gigantic, very large.
glabratus: Latin: becoming smooth, nearly hairless.
glabrousGLAY-brus: Smooth, without hairs.
gladiatus: Latin: sword-shaped.
gland: A secretory structure, often producing a sticky or aromatic substance; the sticky viscidium of an orchid pollinarium is sometimes loosely called a gland.
glandulargland-U-lahr: Bearing glands, or having the character of a gland, as in a hair tipped with a small secretory gland.
glanduliferousgland-U-lih-FUR-us: Bearing glands.
glaucescent: Somewhat glaucous; becoming, or only slightly covered with, a whitish or bluish-grey waxy bloom.
glaucophyllus: Latin: having glaucous, waxy blue-grey leaves.
glaucus: Latin: covered with a whitish or bluish-grey waxy bloom, as seen on some leaves and stems.
globosus: Latin: globe-shaped, spherical.
glochid: A small barbed hair or bristle, most familiar on cactus areoles; occurs in general botanical glossaries though not typical of orchids.
glomeratus: Latin: clustered together into a compact head or ball.
glomeruleGLOM-e-rule: A dense, compact cluster of flowers or other small structures.
gloriosus: Latin: glorious, superb.
glumaceus: Latin: chaffy, resembling a glume, the small dry bract typical of grass flowers.
glume: A small, dry, membranous bract, characteristic of grasses and sedges, occasionally used loosely for a similar bract in other plants.
glutinosus: Latin: sticky, gluey; covered with a viscous, adhesive exudate.
gracilis: Latin: slender, graceful.
graminifolius: Latin: grass-leaved, having leaves like grass.
grandiflorus: Latin: large-flowered.
grandifolius: Latin: large-leaved.
grandis: Latin: large, grand.
granulosus: Latin: granular, covered with small grain-like particles.
gratissimus: Latin: most pleasing, most agreeable; often used for a plant valued for its strong or attractive fragrance.
graveolensgrav-ee-OH-lenz: Latin: strong-smelling, heavily and often unpleasantly scented.
green pod: An immature seed capsule harvested before it splits open. In green-pod culture the intact pod is surface-sterilized and cut open so the seed inside, still sterile, can be sown on nutrient medium without being disinfected itself.
gregarious: Growing in colonies or dense groups rather than as scattered individuals; also used of species whose plants all come into flower at the same time.
grex: A group of orchid seedlings from one specific parental cross, all given a single hybrid name regardless of variation among the individual plants.
Grisebach, August Heinrich Rudolf: German botanist (1814-1879), professor at Göttingen, known for taxonomic work on Caribbean and South American flora.
grossus: Latin: thick, coarse. Used in epithets for a stout or thickened part.
Guarianthegwar-ee-AN-thee: Genus of epiphytic orchids split from Cattleya in 2003, native to Central America; Guarianthe skinneri is Costa Rica's national flower.
guatemalensis: Latin: of or from Guatemala. Used to mark a species' place of origin.
Guillaumin, André: French botanist (1885-1974) at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, a leading authority on the flora of New Caledonia, including its orchids.
guttatus: Latin: spotted, speckled, as if marked with droplets.
gynandrousjye-NAN-drus: Having male and female reproductive structures fused into a single organ, as orchids do in their column.
gynoeciumjye-NEE-see-um: The female reproductive parts of a flower (the pistil, made up of one or more carpels); in orchids it is fused with the stamen into the column.
gynostemiumjye-noh-STEM-ee-um: The column: the fused structure in an orchid flower combining the anther (male) and stigma (female) into one organ.

H

Habenariahab-ee-NARE-ee-a: Large genus of mostly terrestrial orchids, widespread in tropical and warm-temperate regions, with green or white flowers whose petals and lip are often deeply divided into narrow, fringed lobes.
habit: The characteristic growth form of a plant, such as upright, pendulous, creeping, or clumping.
habitat: The natural environment in which a plant grows in the wild.
Haemariahee-MAY-ree-ah: A genus best known for Haemaria discolor (now usually called Ludisia discolor), a terrestrial jewel orchid grown for its velvety, dark foliage rather than its flowers.
Hagsaterahag-sa-TER-a: Small genus of Mexican and Central American orchids in the Laeliinae, named for the Mexican orchidologist Eric Hágsater.
hairs: The small, slender outgrowths borne on the surface of a plant, known technically as trichomes. Their form gives rise to a family of descriptive terms - setose, villous, pubescent, hirsute and the rest - each naming a different kind of hairiness.
halophyteHAL-uh-fayt: A plant adapted to grow in salty soil or other saline conditions.
hamateHAY-mayt: Hooked or bent sharply at the tip, like a fishhook.
haploidHAP-loyd: Having a single set of chromosomes, as in a gamete (egg or pollen grain), as opposed to the doubled set found in most body cells.
hapuuhah-POO-oo: Fibrous trunk material of Hawaiian tree ferns (Cibotium species), cut into slabs or chunks and used as a slow-decaying, open mount or potting medium for epiphytic orchids.
Haraellaha-ra-EL-a: Genus of small epiphytic orchids native to Taiwan, best known for Haraella retrocalla.
harpophyllus: Latin: sickle-leaved, having narrow curved leaves shaped like a sickle.
Hartweg, Karl Theodore: German-born plant collector (1812-1871) who gathered orchids and other plants in Mexico, Central and South America, and California for the Horticultural Society of London (later the RHS) in the 1830s and 1840s.
Hartwegiahart-WEGG-ee-a: Orchid genus described by Lindley for Mexican and Central American plants and named for the collector Karl Theodor Hartweg; its species are now usually placed in Nageliella.
hastatus: Latin: spear-shaped. Describes a leaf or lip with two basal lobes spreading outward at roughly right angles to the midrib.
hastilabius: Latin: having a spear-shaped lip, from hasta (spear) and labium (lip).
Hawkes, A.D.: Alex D. Hawkes, American orchid botanist and author (1927-1977), wrote several major reference works on orchid classification and cultivation.
HCC/AOS: American Orchid Society judging award, Highly Commended Certificate, given to a flowering plant whose quality is notable but falls just below the Award of Merit tier.
head: A dense, rounded cluster of flowers borne without individual stalks at the end of a stem.
helicoidHEL-i-koyd: Latin: coiled or spiraled, like the shell of a snail. Used for structures such as a helicoid inflorescence that curls as it develops.
heliotropismhee-lee-o-TROPE-ism: Movement of a plant part that follows the sun's position through the day, as distinct from phototropism, which is growth toward a light source.
hemi: Prefix meaning "half," used in compound botanical terms such as hemiepiphyte.
hemiepiphytehem-ee-EPP-i-fyte: A plant that spends part of its life cycle rooted in the ground and part growing as an epiphyte (or the reverse), rather than staying strictly one or the other.
hepta: Prefix meaning "seven," used in compound botanical terms.
herb: A non-woody plant, one that lacks a persistent above-ground woody stem; most orchids are technically herbs in this sense despite their tough leaves or pseudobulbs.
herbaceus: Latin: herb-like, non-woody, having the soft green texture of an herbaceous plant.
herbariumher-BAIR-ee-um: A collection of preserved, dried plant specimens, mounted and stored for scientific reference.
herbarium specimenher-BAIR-ee-um speh-SIH-men: An individual dried, pressed plant sample mounted on a sheet with its collection data, kept in a herbarium for taxonomic reference.
herbicideher-bih-SIDE: A chemical used to kill or control unwanted plants.
hermaphroditeher-MAF-roh-dyte: Having both male and female reproductive organs in one flower.
hermaphroditicher-maf-roh-DIT-ik: Bearing both male and female reproductive structures within the same flower.
heterocarpus: Latin: bearing unlike fruits, from hetero- (different) and carpus (fruit).
heterogamoushet-er-OG-a-muss: Bearing flowers of more than one sexual type on the same plant or in the same inflorescence.
heterozygoushet-er-oh-ZY-guss: Having two different alleles for a given gene at the corresponding position on a pair of chromosomes.
hexaploidHEKS-ah-ployd: Having six complete sets of chromosomes.
Himantoglossumhi-man-toe-GLOSS-um: Genus of terrestrial orchids native to Europe and the Mediterranean, including the lizard orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum), named for its long, twisted, strap-like lip.
hippocrepiformhip-oh-KREP-ih-form: Horseshoe-shaped.
hirsuteHIR-soot: Covered with coarse, shaggy hairs.
hirsutissimus: Latin: very hairy, the superlative of hirsute.
hispidulus: Latin: somewhat bristly, a diminutive of hispidus.
hispidus: Latin: bristly, covered with stiff hairs.
hoaryHOHR-ee: Covered with short, dense whitish-gray hairs, giving a frosted or grayish appearance.
Holford, Lt. Col. Sir George L.: British Army officer and orchid grower (1860-1926) whose Westonbirt estate housed one of England's most celebrated private orchid collections in the early 20th century.
holophyleticHOHL-oh-fy-let-ick: Describing a taxonomic group that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants and no others; synonymous with monophyletic.
holotypehole-oh-TYPE: The single physical specimen designated as the definitive name-bearing reference for a species when it was first formally described.
homo: Prefix meaning "same," used in compound botanical terms.
homocarpousho-moh-KAR-pus: Producing only one type of fruit or seed.
homogamousho-MOG-ah-mus: Bearing flowers of only one sexual type, or having male and female parts that mature at the same time.
homologousho-MAHL-oh-gus: Corresponding in structure and origin, such as chromosomes that pair during meiosis or plant parts derived from the same ancestral structure.
homomorphoushoh-moh-MOR-fus: Having the same form or shape throughout.
homonymHOM-oh-nim: A scientific name identical in spelling to one already published for a different taxon; under the rules of nomenclature only the earliest published use is valid.
homozygoushoh-moh-ZYE-gus: Having two identical alleles for a given gene at the corresponding position on a pair of chromosomes.
Hooker, Joseph Dalton: British botanist and explorer (1817-1911), director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and a major 19th-century plant taxonomist and close associate of Charles Darwin.
Hooker, William Jackson (: British botanist (1785-1865), the first official director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and founder of several long-running botanical publications.
hormoneHOR-mone: A naturally produced chemical that regulates plant growth and development, active even in tiny amounts.
horny: Hard and callused in texture, resembling horn.
host: An organism, typically a tree, that an epiphyte grows on for physical support without drawing nutrients from it.
humidity: The amount of water vapor present in the air, an important cultural factor in orchid growing.
humifuse: Spreading flat along the ground.
humilis: Latin: low-growing, dwarf.
humus: Dark organic matter in soil formed from decomposed plant and animal material.
hyacinthinus: Latin: hyacinth-blue, having the violet-blue color of a hyacinth flower.
hyalineHYE-a-leen: Translucent and thin, almost glassy in appearance.
hybrid: The offspring produced by crossing two different species, varieties, or genera.
hybridizationhye-brid-I-ZAY-shun: The process of crossbreeding two different species, varieties, or genera to produce a hybrid.
hydrophyte: A plant adapted to grow in water or very wet conditions.
hydroponicshye-dro-PON-iks: A method of growing plants in a nutrient solution, or in an inert medium irrigated with one, without soil.
hyemalis: Latin: of winter, winter-flowering.
hygroscopichye-groh-SKOP-ik: Readily absorbing or releasing moisture in response to changes in humidity.
hyperboreus: Latin: of the far north, from northern regions.
hyphaeHYE-fee: The fine, thread-like filaments that make up the body of a fungus, including the mycorrhizal fungi that associate with orchid roots.
hyphaematicus: Latin: somewhat blood-red, from hypo- (slightly, beneath) and Greek haima (blood).
hypochileHYE-poh-kyle: The basal section of a three-part lip, as distinguished from the mesochile and epichile in certain orchid flowers such as Stanhopea.
hypogaeoushye-puh-JEE-uhs: Occurring or growing below ground.

I

igneus: Latin: fiery, flame-colored (red or orange).
illustris: Latin: bright, brilliant, showy.
imbricatus: Latin: overlapping, like roof tiles or shingles.
immaculatus: Latin: unspotted, without blemish.
immarginateim-MAR-ji-nayt: Lacking a distinct margin or border.
immersus: Latin: submerged, sunken beneath the surface.
imperfect: Of a flower, having only male or only female reproductive organs rather than both.
implexus: Latin: interwoven, entangled.
impregnationim-preg-NAY-shun: Fertilization; the union of male and female reproductive cells.
impressus: Latin: impressed, marked with a shallow sunken pattern or line.
in vitroin-VEE-tro: Latin: in glass. Refers to work done in a sterile flask or culture vessel rather than in a whole living plant, as in the laboratory propagation of orchid seedlings from flasked seed or meristem tissue.
in vivoin-VEE-vo: Latin: in the living [organism]. Refers to a process occurring within a living plant, as opposed to in vitro laboratory culture.
inaequalis: Latin: unequal.
incanus: Latin: hoary, covered with fine whitish-gray hairs.
incarnatus: Latin: flesh-colored, pale pink.
incertus: Latin: uncertain, of doubtful identity or placement.
incisus: Latin: cut, sharply and deeply notched along the margin.
includedin-KLEW-ded: Enclosed within a surrounding structure rather than protruding beyond it, such as an anther that does not extend past the flower.
incomputus: Not a standard botanical spelling. The epithet intended is incomptus, from Latin: unadorned, unkempt, without ornament.
incorrect namesin-KOR-rekt nayms: Names that are not the accepted ones for a plant under the rules of botanical nomenclature - later synonyms, misapplied names, or names published illegitimately - though many stay in common horticultural use.
incrassatein-KRASS-ayt: Thickened, becoming progressively thicker toward one end.
incrassatus: Latin: thickened.
incumbentin-KUHM-bent: Lying against or leaning over another structure rather than standing upright, such as an anther bent forward over the stigma.
incurvus: Latin: curved inward.
indefinite: Present in a variable or unspecified large number rather than a fixed count, as with a flower's stamens.
indehiscentin-dee-HISS-ent: Of a fruit or anther, not splitting open at maturity to release its contents.
indeterminate: Describes an inflorescence or growth axis whose growing tip does not end in a flower, so it keeps producing new flowers or growth rather than stopping at a fixed point, unlike determinate growth.
indigenIN-di-jen: A plant that is native to a particular region or country, as opposed to one introduced there from elsewhere.
indigenousin-DIJ-en-us: Native to a particular area; occurring there naturally rather than having been introduced by human activity.
indivisus: Latin: undivided. Used in epithets for a part, such as a lip or leaf, that is entire, without lobes or splits.
indumentin-DEW-ment: The hairy, woolly, or scaly covering on a plant's surface, such as fine hairs on a leaf, stem, or pseudobulb.
induplicatein-DEW-pli-kayt: Describes leaves or floral parts in bud whose margins are turned inward toward the upper surface, the edges meeting without overlapping; in a leaf it gives a V-shaped cross-section.
induratus: Latin: hardened. Used in epithets for a plant part that is firm, tough, or woody in texture.
inferiorin-feer-EE-or: Describes an ovary positioned below the point where the sepals, petals, and column attach, as in orchid flowers; contrasts with a superior ovary sitting above these parts.
inflatus: Latin: inflated, swollen. Used in epithets for a part, such as a pouch or spur, that is puffed out or bladder-like.
inflexedin-FLEXD: Bent or curved sharply inward toward the axis or center of a structure.
inflorescencein-floor-ESS-ents: The flowering portion of a plant: the stalk, bracts, and buds or flowers considered together as a unit, whatever its arrangement.
infra: A prefix meaning below or beneath, used in taxonomic terms such as infraspecific, denoting a rank below species (for example, subspecies or variety).
infundibuliformis: Latin: funnel-shaped. Used in epithets for a part, such as a lip or spur, shaped like a funnel.
infundibulumin-fun-DIB-yew-lum: A funnel- or trumpet-shaped structure, such as the flared lip found in certain orchid genera.
innate: Describes an anther fixed directly at its base to the tip of the filament or column, without a movable joint, so it does not pivot; contrasts with a versatile anther.
inodorus: Latin: without fragrance, scentless.
inscriptus: Latin: inscribed, marked as if written on. Used in epithets for a part bearing fine line-like markings.
insecticidein-sekt-ih-SIDE: A substance used to kill insects; used by orchid growers to control pests such as scale, mealybug, thrips, and aphids.
inserted: Attached to or arising from another part; the term describes where and how one structure is joined to another, as an anther inserted at the apex of the column.
insignis: Latin: remarkable, distinguished, notable. Used in epithets for a plant considered outstanding among its relatives.
integer: Latin: whole, entire. Used in epithets for a margin or part that is smooth-edged, without teeth, lobes, or divisions.
inter: A prefix meaning between or among, used in compound botanical terms such as intergeneric (between genera) or internode (between nodes).
interfoliaceousin-ter-foll-EE-AY-shuss: Positioned or arising between two leaves, such as an inflorescence emerging between a pair of opposite leaves.
intergenericin-ter-jen-NAIR-ik: Describes a hybrid between plants of two or more different genera, the basis of the many multigeneric hybrids in the Cattleya and Oncidium alliances.
intermedius: Latin: intermediate, in-between. Used in epithets for a plant whose characters fall midway between two related species or forms.
internodeIN-ter-nohd: The section of stem between two nodes, the points where leaves or branches attach.
interruptus: Latin: interrupted. Used in epithets for a structure, such as an inflorescence, whose otherwise regular arrangement is broken by gaps.
interspecificin-ter-speh-SIFF-ik: Describes a hybrid or cross between two different species within the same genus.
intortus: Latin: twisted. Used in epithets for a part, such as a petal or column, that is twisted or coiled.
intra: A prefix meaning within or inside, used in compound botanical terms such as intramarginal (within the margin).
intramarginalin-tra-mar-GIN-ahl: Located just inside the margin of a leaf or other flat structure, rather than at the edge itself.
introduced: Describes a plant brought into cultivation, or into a region, from elsewhere, as opposed to one occurring there naturally.
introductionin-tro-DUK-shun: The act of bringing a new species, hybrid, or cultivar into cultivation for the first time, or the plant itself as first offered.
introrsus: Latin: turned inward. Used in epithets for an anther or other part that faces toward the axis of the flower rather than outward.
inverted: Turned upside down relative to its normal orientation.
involuteIN-vo-loot: Describes a leaf or petal whose margins are rolled inward toward the upper surface while still in bud.
Ionopsiseye-oh-NOP-siss: Latin, from Greek ion (violet) and opsis (appearance): violet-like in appearance. The genus name for a group of small epiphytic orchids from tropical America, bearing airy sprays of small, often pale-violet flowers.
IpseaIP-see-ah: A small accepted genus of terrestrial orchids described by Lindley in 1831, with three species in southern India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The best known is Ipsea speciosa, whose yellow flowers earn it the name daffodil orchid.
iridifolius: Latin: iris-leaved. Used in epithets for plants with flat, sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan, resembling those of Iris.
irregularih-REG-yuh-lar: Describes a flower whose parts are not all alike in size and shape (zygomorphic), as opposed to a regular, radially symmetric flower; orchid flowers are classically irregular because of the distinct lip.
irroratus: Latin: dewy, sprinkled. Used in epithets for a surface that appears finely speckled or dotted, as if sprinkled with dew.
Isabeliaiz-a-BELL-ee-ah: Latin, honoring Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil: a genus of miniature epiphytic orchids native to Brazil, grown for their small flowers on compact plants.
Isotriaeye-SOH-tree-ah: Latin, from Greek isos (equal) and treis (three): referring to the three nearly equal, spreading sepals. A small genus of terrestrial orchids of eastern North America, the whorled pogonias, with a whorl of leaves below the flower.
isozyme: One of two or more forms of an enzyme that catalyze the same reaction but differ slightly in structure; isozyme patterns have been used to study genetic relationships among orchid species and hybrids.
isthmusIS-muhs: A narrow neck joining two broader parts of a structure, such as the constriction between the basal and apical portions of an orchid lip.

J

japonicus: Latin: of Japan. Used in epithets for species native to, or first described from, Japan.
javanicus: Latin: of Java. Used in epithets for species native to, or first described from, the island of Java, Indonesia.
JC/AOS: Judges' Commendation, an American Orchid Society judging award given to a plant for a specific noteworthy feature that does not otherwise qualify it for a quality or cultural award.
jointedJOYN-ted: Having a node or point of articulation where two parts meet and can separate, such as a pedicel that detaches cleanly at a joint after the flower fades.
jugosus: Latin: yoked, paired. Used in epithets for parts arranged in connected pairs.
Jumelleajoo-MELL-ah: Latin, honoring Henri Jumelle, a French botanist noted for his work on the flora of Madagascar: a genus of epiphytic orchids from Madagascar and nearby islands, related to Angraecum, with white, often night-fragrant flowers.
juncifolius: Latin: rush-leaved. Used in epithets for plants with narrow, cylindrical leaves resembling those of Juncus (rush).

K

karyotypeCAIR-ee-oh-type: The characteristic number, size, and shape of an organism's chromosomes. In orchids, chromosome counts and karyotypes help explain ploidy and why a given hybrid is fertile or sterile.
keel: A central ridge running along a plant part, such as a raised rib on the back of a sepal or lip, resembling the keel of a boat.
keeled: Having a central ridge or rib, like the keel of a boat; describes a folded or ridged plant part such as a sepal.
Kefersteiniakef-er-STINE-ee-a: An accepted genus of roughly 65 epiphytic species described by H.G. Reichenbach in 1852, ranging from southern Mexico through northern and western South America.
keikiKAY-kee: Hawaiian for "baby" or "child." In orchid growing, a small plantlet that develops on a flower spike, cane, or pseudobulb, which can be removed and grown on as a new plant once it has its own roots.
Kingidiumking-ID-ee-um: A genus published by P.F. Hunt in 1970 for a handful of small Asian epiphytes and named for Sir George King, now treated as a synonym of Phalaenopsis.
Knudson, Lewis: American plant physiologist (1884-1958) at Cornell University who, in the 1920s, developed the first reliable method of germinating orchid seed asymbiotically on nutrient agar, transforming orchid propagation.
Kraenzlin, Fritz: German botanist (1847-1934) who described and classified a large number of orchid species, publishing extensively on the family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

L

labellumlah-BEL-lum: The lip of an orchid flower: the modified third petal, usually larger and more elaborately shaped or colored than the other two petals, which serves to attract and guide pollinators.
labiatus: Latin: lipped. Used in epithets for a flower part, especially the lip, that is prominently developed.
labyrinthiformis: Latin: maze-shaped. Used in epithets for a surface bearing winding, maze-like markings or ridges, as sometimes seen on a lip.
laceratus: Latin: torn. Used in epithets for a margin that appears irregularly torn or jaggedly cut.
laciniatus: Latin: fringed, cut into narrow irregular segments. Used in epithets for a margin divided into narrow, pointed lobes.
lacunosus: Latin: pitted, full of hollows. Used in epithets for a surface marked with depressions or cavities.
laevigatus: Latin: smooth, polished. Used in epithets for a surface that is smooth and glossy.
lamellala-MEL-la: A thin, plate-like ridge or flap on a plant surface, such as a raised blade on an orchid's lip.
lamellateLAM-el-layt: Bearing thin, plate-like ridges (lamellae), as on a lip surface marked with raised parallel blades.
laminaLAM-in-ah: The flat, expanded blade of a leaf or petal, as distinct from its stalk.
laminatus: Latin: layered, plated. Used in epithets for a part composed of thin, flattened layers.
lanceolatus: Latin: lance-shaped. Used in epithets for a part several times longer than wide, broadest below the middle and tapering to a point; a common shape for orchid leaves and sepals.
lanuginosus: Latin: woolly, covered in soft down. Used in epithets for a surface covered in fine, soft hairs.
lasioglossus: Latin, from Greek lasios (woolly) and glossa (tongue): woolly-tongued. Used in epithets for a lip covered in fine hairs.
laterialis: Not a standard botanical spelling. The epithet intended is lateralis, from latus, a side: borne on or belonging to the side, as an inflorescence that emerges from the side of a stem rather than its tip.
latexLAY-teks: The milky, often sticky sap exuded by some plants when cut or damaged; a general botanical term rather than a feature typical of most orchids.
lath house: A shade structure built from evenly spaced wooden or plastic slats that filters sunlight and improves air circulation for orchids grown outdoors.
latifolius: Latin: broad-leaved. Used in epithets for plants with wide leaves relative to their length.
latilabrus: Latin: broad-lipped. Used in epithets for a flower with a wide lip.
lax: Loosely arranged; describes flowers spaced well apart along an inflorescence rather than crowded together.
laxus: Latin: loose. Used in epithets for a loosely arranged structure, such as a spread-out inflorescence.
lead: The newest growth on a sympodial orchid, arising from the rhizome, which will mature into a new pseudobulb; growers watch a plant's leads to gauge vigor and likely bloom.
leaf-stalkLEEF-stawk: The stalk, or petiole, connecting a leaf blade to the stem.
leafletLEEF-let: One of the separate blade-like divisions of a compound leaf. Orchid leaves are simple and undivided, so true leaflets do not occur in the family.
lectotypelek-TOE-type: A single specimen later selected from an original set of syntypes to serve as the definitive reference specimen for a species name, when the original description designated no single holotype.
legitimate nameLEK-toe-type: A validly published name that also complies with the rules of botanical nomenclature - not a later homonym, and not superfluous when published - and so is available for use.
Lehmann, F.C.: Friedrich Carl Lehmann (1850-1903), German-born botanist and diplomat who, as a consular official in Colombia, collected and described a large number of Colombian and Ecuadorian orchid species in the late 19th century.
lenticularis: Latin: lens-shaped. Used in epithets for a part that is flattened and rounded like a lentil or a double-convex lens.
lentiginosus: Latin: freckled. Used in epithets for a surface marked with small spots resembling freckles.
leopardinus: Latin: leopard-spotted. Used in epithets for a flower or leaf marked with bold spots resembling a leopard's coat.
lepidotus: Latin: scaly. Used in epithets for a surface covered in small scale-like structures.
lepidus: Latin: elegant, charming. Used in epithets for a plant considered graceful or attractive.
leptosepalus: Latin, from Greek leptos (thin): thin- or narrow-sepaled. Used in epithets for a flower with slender sepals.
leucochilus: Latin, from Greek leukos (white) and cheilos (lip): white-lipped. Used in epithets for a flower with a white lip contrasting the other segments.
leucorrhodus: Latin, from Greek leukos (white) and rhodon (rose): white and rose-colored. Used in epithets for a flower combining white with rose or pink coloring.
ligneousLIG-nee-us: Woody in texture, as opposed to soft or herbaceous.
ligulatus: Latin: strap-shaped, tongue-shaped. Used in epithets for a part that is long, flat, and narrow like a strap.
liguliformlig-yu-LIH-form: Strap-shaped or tongue-shaped: describes a flat, narrow, elongated part such as a lip or petal.
lilacinus: Latin: lilac-colored. Used in epithets for flowers in shades of pale purple resembling lilac.
limb: The expanded, often flattened portion of a petal, sepal, or lip beyond its narrower base or claw.
limbatus: Latin: bordered, edged. Used in epithets for a part with a margin of contrasting color.
Linden, Jean Jules: Belgian botanist, explorer, and orchid nurseryman (1817-1898) who led major plant-collecting expeditions in Latin America and built one of 19th-century Europe's leading horticultural firms.
Lindley, John: English botanist (1799-1865), often called the father of orchidology, who authored the foundational Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants and described a vast number of orchid genera and species.
linearis: Latin: linear, narrow with parallel sides. Used in epithets for a long, narrow part of uniform width, such as a leaf or sepal.
lineatus: Latin: lined, striped. Used in epithets for a part marked with fine parallel lines.
linguiformis: Latin: tongue-shaped. Used in epithets for a lip or other part shaped like a tongue.
lingulatus: Latin: tongue-shaped. Used as a species epithet for a strap- or tongue-shaped organ, most often a leaf or lip.
linkage mapLINK-ij map: A genetic map showing the relative order and spacing of genes on a chromosome, inferred from how often they are inherited together; used in orchid breeding research to track traits.
lip: The labellum: the modified third petal of an orchid flower, usually distinct in shape, color, and texture from the other petals, serving as a landing platform and signal for pollinators.
ListeraLISS-ter-a: A genus of small terrestrial orchids known as twayblades, native to temperate regions and named for English naturalist Martin Lister; many species are now placed in Neottia.
lithophyteLITH-oh-fyte: A plant that grows on the surface of rock, anchoring its roots in crevices or thin accumulated debris rather than soil.
lithophyticlith-oh-FIT-ik: Growing on rock rather than in soil or on another plant; describes the habit of a lithophyte.
lividus: Latin: bluish, leaden-gray. Used as a species epithet for flowers or parts with a dull bluish-gray coloring.
lobatus: Latin: lobed. Used as a species epithet for a leaf, lip, or petal divided into rounded segments.
Lobb, Thomas: English plant collector for the Veitch nursery in the 19th century, who gathered orchids across South and Southeast Asia, including Borneo, Java, and the Philippines.
Lobb, William: English plant collector for the Veitch nursery in the 19th century and older brother of Thomas Lobb; worked mainly in South America and California, introducing orchids and conifers alike.
lobe: A rounded or projecting division of a leaf, petal, or lip, separated from adjacent divisions by a notch or sinus.
lobed: Divided into rounded projecting segments (lobes) without being cut all the way to the base or midrib.
lobulateLOB-yew-layt: Divided into small lobes, or lobules; finely lobed.
lobuleLOB-yewl: A small lobe.
Lockhart, David: British gardener and plant collector who survived the 1816 Tuckey expedition to the Congo and afterwards ran Trinidad's botanic garden; the orchid genus Lockhartia commemorates him.
loculeLOK-yewl: A chamber or compartment within an ovary or anther that contains ovules or pollen.
locus: Latin: place. In genetics, the fixed physical position of a gene on a chromosome.
longicollis: Latin: long-necked. Used as a species epithet for a flower with an elongated neck-like structure, such as a column or spur.
longifolius: Latin: long-leaved. Used as a species epithet for a plant with elongated leaves.
longiscapus: Latin: long-scaped. Used as a species epithet for a plant whose flower stalk (scape) is notably long.
loratus: Latin: strap-shaped. Used as a species epithet for a narrow, flat, thong-like leaf or segment.
Low, Hugh: British colonial administrator and naturalist in 19th-century Borneo and Malaya, credited as the first European to explore the summit region of Mount Kinabalu; several orchids, including Paphiopedilum lowii, are named for him.
lucidLEW-sid: Clear and glossy in appearance, as of a shining leaf or floral surface.
lunatus: Latin: crescent-shaped, moon-shaped. Used as a species epithet for a curved, half-moon outline.
luridus: Latin: pale yellowish-brown, sallow. Used as a species epithet for a dull, wan, sickly coloring.
luteo-purpureus: Latin: yellow and purple. A compound species epithet describing a flower marked or shaded in both colors.
luteolus: Latin: somewhat yellow, yellowish. Used as a species epithet for a pale or muted yellow coloring, a diminutive of luteus.
luteus: Latin: yellow, golden-yellow. Used as a species epithet for that color.
Lycastelye-KASS-tee: A genus of showy, often fragrant orchids from Central and South America, typically with broad triangular flowers arising from the base of the pseudobulb; the name comes from a woman in Greek mythology.
lyrateLYE-rayt: Lyre-shaped; describes a leaf with a large rounded terminal lobe and smaller lateral lobes below it.

M

-merous: A suffix denoting the number of parts in a floral whorl, as in '3-merous' for parts arranged in threes, the typical orchid pattern.
Maclellanaramac-LELL-an-AR-ah: A man-made intergeneric hybrid genus in the Oncidiinae combining Brassia, Odontoglossum, and Oncidium.
Macodesma-KOH-deez: A genus of terrestrial 'jewel orchids' from Southeast Asia and the Pacific, grown chiefly for their velvety leaves patterned with iridescent veining rather than for their small flowers.
Macradeniamak-ra-DEN-ee-ah: A genus of small epiphytic orchids from the tropical Americas, bearing pendent racemes of small flowers with narrow sepals and petals. The name refers to the large gland of the pollinarium.
macranthus: Latin/Greek: large-flowered. Used as a species epithet for a plant with unusually large blooms.
macrocerasmak-ro-SER-as: Greek: large-horned. Used as a species epithet for a flower with a long spur or horn-like projection.
macrochilus: Greek: large-lipped. Used as a species epithet for a flower with an enlarged labellum.
macrophyllus: Greek: large-leaved. Used as a species epithet for a plant with unusually large leaves.
macrostachyus: Greek: large-spiked. Used as a species epithet for a plant with a large flower spike.
maculatus: Latin: spotted, blotched. Used as a species epithet for a flower or leaf marked with spots.
maculeMAK-yewl: A spot or blotch of color, especially on a flower or leaf.
maculosus: Latin: full of spots, heavily spotted. Used as a species epithet for a more densely spotted pattern than maculatus.
magnificus: Latin: magnificent, splendid. Used as a species epithet for an especially showy plant or flower.
magnus: Latin: large, great. Used as a species epithet or in compound forms to denote size.
majalis: Latin: of May. Used as a species epithet for a plant that flowers in that month.
majus: Latin: greater, larger; the comparative of magnus. Used as a species epithet or varietal qualifier.
Makino, Tomitaro: Japanese botanist (1862-1957) known as the father of modern Japanese botany, who described and illustrated a vast number of the country's plant species, orchids included.
malathionmal-ah-THYE-on: An organophosphate insecticide long used in orchid growing against sap-sucking pests such as scale, mealybugs and aphids. It does little against spider mites, which need a miticide instead.
Malaxismal-AKS-iss: A genus of small, often inconspicuous terrestrial orchids known as adder's-mouth orchids, widespread across temperate and tropical regions; the name derives from a Greek word for softness, referring to the soft foliage.
malquiquemal-KEE-ke: Not the usual spelling. The word is maquique, the Mexican name for the tree fern Alsophila firma and for the fibrous trunk material taken from it, long sold in Mexico as a mount and potting substrate for orchids. The species is now legally protected there and its collection restricted.
mammiformMAM-mih-form: Breast-shaped; describes a rounded, nipple-like protrusion.
mammillatus: Latin: bearing small nipple-like projections.
manicatus: Latin: sleeved. In botanical description it refers to a surface covered in densely interwoven hairs that form a mat which can be peeled away.
marbled: Marked with an irregular, streaked or mottled pattern of color, resembling the veining of marble.
marcescentmar-SESS-ent: Withering without falling off; describes a leaf or floral part that dries out but stays attached to the plant.
marginalis: Latin: of the margin, bordering. Used as a species epithet for a structure marked or defined along its edge.
marginatus: Latin: margined, bordered. Used as a species epithet for a part with a distinctly colored or textured edge.
marmoratus: Latin: marbled, mottled. Used as a species epithet for a surface patterned like marble.
matutinus: Latin: of the morning. Used as a species epithet for a flower that opens early in the day.
Maxillariamak-sil-AIR-ee-ah: A large genus of mostly epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America; the name comes from the Latin for jawbone, referring to the resemblance of the column and lip to an insect's jaw.
maxillaris: Latin: relating to the jaw, jaw-like. Used as a species epithet for a structure resembling a jaw.
maximus: Latin: largest, greatest; the superlative of magnus. Used as a species epithet for an unusually large plant or flower.
mealybugMEE-lee-bug: A small, soft-bodied insect pest covered in a white waxy secretion that sucks sap from orchids, often hiding in leaf axils and among roots.
Mediocalcarmee-dee-oh-CAL-car: A genus of small creeping epiphytic orchids from New Guinea and neighboring islands, with waxy, brightly colored urn-shaped flowers that open only at the tip.
medium, media: The material an orchid is potted in - bark, sphagnum moss, coconut husk, perlite, rock and the like - chosen mainly for drainage and air at the roots rather than for nutrients. 'Media' is the plural.
medius: Latin: middle, intermediate. Used as a species epithet or qualifier for a form between two extremes.
meiosismy-OH-sis: The cell division process that halves the chromosome number to produce reproductive cells (pollen and egg cells); the basis of sexual reproduction and hybridization in orchids.
meleagris: Latin: of a guinea fowl. Used as a species epithet for a checkered or mottled pattern resembling guinea-fowl plumage.
membranaceus: Latin: membranous. Used as a species epithet for a part that is thin and somewhat translucent, like a membrane.
meniscoidalmen-iss-KOY-dal: Shaped like a meniscus: crescent-shaped or lens-shaped in cross-section.
mentumMEN-tum: The chin-like projection at the base of an orchid flower, formed by the fused bases of the lateral sepals and the column foot, sometimes housing nectar.
mericloneMAIR-i-klohn: A plant propagated from meristem tissue culture that is genetically identical to its parent; the standard method for mass-producing named orchid cultivars.
meristemMAIR-i-stem: A region of actively dividing, undifferentiated plant cells, typically at a shoot or root tip, from which new growth arises; the source tissue used in orchid micropropagation.
mesocarpMES-oh-karp: The fleshy middle layer of a fruit wall, lying between the outer skin and the inner layer that surrounds the seed.
mesochileMES-oh-kyle: The middle section of a three-part orchid lip, lying between the basal hypochile and the terminal epichile; well developed in genera such as Stanhopea, Gongora and Coryanthes.
Mesoglossummee-so-GLOSS-um: A small orchid genus in the Oncidiinae, closely allied to Odontoglossum, native to Mexico and Central America.
mesophyteMES-oh-fyte: A plant adapted to moderate water availability, neither notably drought-tolerant nor adapted to wet conditions.
meterMEE-ter: The base unit of length in the metric system, equal to 100 centimeters, used in describing plant and flower dimensions.
Micholitz, Wilhelm: German plant collector for the Sander nursery in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who gathered orchids extensively in Southeast Asia and New Guinea, including several notable Paphiopedilum and Dendrobium finds.
microchilus: Greek: small-lipped. Used as a species epithet for a flower with a reduced labellum.
micropropagationmye-crow-prop-a-GAY-shun: The technique of producing many genetically identical plants from small pieces of tissue grown in sterile culture; the standard commercial method for cloning orchids.
micropyleMYE-kroh-pyle: The small opening in the outer coverings of an ovule through which the pollen tube enters to fertilize the egg cell.
midrib: The central, usually most prominent vein running the length of a leaf.
millimetermill-ih-MEE-ter: A unit of length equal to one-thousandth of a meter, commonly used to measure small floral structures.
minimus: Latin: smallest. Used as a species epithet for an unusually small plant or flower.
minus: Latin: smaller, lesser. Used as a species epithet or qualifier denoting reduced size.
minutissimus: Latin: smallest possible; the superlative of minutus.
minutus: Latin: very small, minute. Used as a species epithet for a diminutive plant or part.
mirabilis: Latin: wonderful, remarkable. Used as a species epithet for an especially striking plant.
Mischobulbonmih-shoh-BUHL-on: Not a published genus name. The name intended is Mischobulbum Schlechter (1911), described for terrestrial orchids of Southeast Asia and New Guinea and now treated as a synonym of Tainia.
miticidemye-TIH-side: A pesticide formulated specifically to kill mites, used against pests such as spider mites on orchids.
mitosismy-TOH-sis: The process of cell division in which a cell's nucleus divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells; the basis of ordinary plant growth.
mitratus: Latin: mitre-shaped, capped. Used as a species epithet for a structure resembling a bishop's mitre.
mitriformis: Latin: mitre-shaped, formed like a bishop's mitre. Equivalent in meaning to mitratus.
modestus: Latin: modest, unassuming. Used as a species epithet for a plant or flower with plain or restrained coloring.
Mokaramoh-KAR-ah: A man-made intergeneric hybrid genus combining Arachnis, Ascocentrum, and Vanda, widely grown commercially in Southeast Asia for cut flowers.
monandrousmoh-NAN-drus: Having a single stamen, or in orchids, a single functional anther, as in the great majority of orchid flowers.
moniliformis: Latin: shaped like a string of beads, from the alternating swellings and constrictions along a structure such as a root or chain of pseudobulbs.
mono-: A prefix meaning 'one' or 'single,' as in monopodial, describing a single continuous growing point.
monoclinousmon-oh-KLYE-nus: Having both male and female reproductive organs in the same flower; bisexual, as orchid flowers typically are.
monodelphousmon-oh-DEL-fus: Having stamens, or their equivalent floral parts, fused together into a single group or column.
monoeciousmon-EE-shus: Having separate male and female flowers borne on the same individual plant.
monogynousmon-NOJ-i-nus: Having a single pistil, or style, in a flower.
monopetalousmon-oh-PET-a-lus: Having the petals fused into a single unit rather than remaining separate.
monophyleticmon-oh-fye-LET-ick: Describing a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants, reflecting a single evolutionary origin.
monophyllousmon-oh-FIL-us: Having a single leaf.
monopodialmon-oh-POH-dee-al: A growth habit in which a single stem elongates continuously from its apex, producing leaves and inflorescences along the way, as in Vanda and Phalaenopsis, rather than making a new growth each season.
monostichousmoh-NOSS-ti-kus: Arranged in a single row or rank along an axis, as leaves on some orchid stems.
monotypicmon-oh-TIP-ik: Describes a genus, or other taxonomic rank, that contains only a single species (a monotypic family, likewise, contains only a single genus).
monstrositymon-STROSS-i-tee: An abnormal or malformed growth form or flower structure, occasionally prized as a novelty in cultivation.
montanus: Latin: of the mountains. Used as a species epithet for plants native to montane or highland habitats.
Moon, Henry George: Henry George Moon (1857-1905) was an English botanical illustrator, best known for painting the plates in Frederick Sander's four-volume orchid album Reichenbachia.
morphogenesismor-foh-JEN-eh-sis: The developmental process by which an organism's form and structure arise, through cell division, growth, and differentiation.
morphologymor-FOLL-oh-jee: The study of the form and structure of an organism, such as the shape of leaves, pseudobulbs, and flowers used to describe and identify orchids.
moschatus: Latin: musky, musk-scented. Used for species whose flowers have a musky fragrance.
mucilaginousmew-suh-LAJ-uh-nuhs: Having a slimy, gluey, or gelatinous texture, as in some orchid sap or seed coatings.
mucosus: Latin: slimy, mucous. Describes a surface with a slimy or gelatinous secretion.
mucroMEW-kro: A short, abrupt, sharp point at the tip of a leaf or other organ, formed by an extension of the midrib.
mucronatus: Latin: mucronate, tipped with a short abrupt point. Describes an organ ending suddenly in a small hard point.
mucronulatus: Latin: minutely mucronate, tipped with a very small sharp point; a diminutive of mucronatus.
mule: A sterile hybrid, a term borrowed from animal breeding (horse x donkey) and applied to plant crosses, including some orchid hybrids, that fail to set viable seed.
multiflorus: Latin: many-flowered. Used for species or forms that bear an unusually large number of flowers.
multigenericmul-tee-jen-AIR-ik: Combining three or more genera, as in an intergeneric orchid hybrid whose parentage draws on three or more different genera.
muralis: Latin: of walls. Used for species found growing on walls or rock faces.
muricatus: Latin: rough with short hard points. Describes a surface studded with small firm projections.
muscariformis: Latin: brush-shaped, like a fly-whisk. Describes a dense, bottlebrush-like arrangement of flowers or hairs.
muscosus: Latin: mossy. Used for species with a moss-like texture or that grow among moss.
mutabilis: Latin: changeable. Used for species or forms whose flower color or shape varies, often changing as the flower ages.
mutantmew-TANT: An individual carrying a genetic change that produces a heritable difference from its parent, such as a novel flower color, which can then be selected and propagated.
mutationmew-TAY-shun: A heritable change in an organism's DNA that can alter its traits; occasionally the source of a novel flower color or form that a grower selects for propagation.
muticousmew-TEE-kos: Blunt or pointless; lacking a mucro, awn, or other sharp terminal point.
muticus: Latin: blunt, pointless, awnless. Describes an organ that lacks a sharp terminal point.
myceliummye-SEE-lee-um: The network of thread-like filaments (hyphae) that forms the vegetative body of a fungus, including the mycorrhizal fungi orchids depend on.
mycorrhizamy-koh-RHYZ-ah: A symbiotic association between a fungus and plant roots; orchids rely on mycorrhizal fungi to germinate, and many species continue to depend on them for water and nutrients as adults.
myrianthus: Latin: with countless flowers. Used for species that bear an especially large number of blooms.
myrmecophilousmer-me-KOFF-ill-us: Ant-loving; describes plants or structures, such as certain nectaries, that form associations with ants.

N

naevius: Latin: spotted, blotched, marked as if with a birthmark. Used for species with mottled markings.
NageliellaNAY-gel-ee-ELL-ah: A small genus of epiphytic orchids in the Laeliinae, native to Mexico and Central America.
nakedNAY-ked: Lacking the hairs, scales, bracts, or other coverings normally present on a plant part, such as a flower stalk without bracts.
nanellus: Latin: very dwarf. A diminutive of nanus, used for exceptionally small species or forms.
nanus: Latin: dwarf, small. Used as a species epithet for unusually small-growing plants.
napiformis: Latin: shaped like a turnip. Describes a root, tuber, or pseudobulb that is swollen and turnip-shaped.
nascentNAY-scent: Just beginning to develop or emerge, as in a newly forming growth, root, or flower spike.
nasutus: Latin: large-nosed. Used for structures with a prominent, beak-like projection.
natansNAY-tanz: Latin: floating, swimming. Used for aquatic or floating plant parts.
natural hybridNACH-er-uhl HYE-brid: A hybrid that arises in the wild between two species growing together, without human intervention.
natural selectionNACH-er-uhl SEE-lek-shun: The evolutionary process by which individuals whose traits suit them better to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully, gradually shaping a population's characteristics over generations.
naturalizedNACH-er-uhl-eyzd: Describes a non-native plant that has established self-sustaining, reproducing populations in the wild outside its original range.
navicularis: Latin: boat-shaped. Describes a leaf, bract, or other organ shaped like the hull of a small boat.
nebulosus: Latin: cloudy, clouded. Used for flowers or markings with a hazy, diffuse pattern.
necroticne-KROT-ik: Describes plant tissue that has died, typically appearing as brown, black, or dry patches, often from disease, injury, or stress.
nectarNEK-ter: The sugary liquid many flowers secrete to reward pollinators, in orchids usually held in a spur or at the base of the lip. Roughly a third of orchid species offer no reward and draw pollinators by deception instead.
nectariferousnek-tar-IF-fer-us: Producing or bearing nectar.
nectaryNEK-tar-ee: The gland or tissue on a flower that secretes nectar; in orchids often located in a spur, at the base of the lip, or within the column.
neglectus: Latin: overlooked, neglected. Used for species that went unrecognized or undescribed for a long time.
nemoralis: Latin: of groves or woodlands. Used for species native to woodland habitats.
neo-NEE-oh: A prefix meaning 'new,' used in taxonomic names to mark a genus split off from, or related to, an earlier-named genus.
Neofinetianee-oh-fin-EH-tee-ah: A genus of small epiphytic orchids native to East Asia, most notably Neofinetia falcata, long prized in Japanese horticulture; named for the French orchid botanist Achille Finet.
Neolaucheanee-oh-LOWK-ee-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids native to Brazil, comprising a single diminutive species, Neolauchea pulchella.
Neostylisnee-oh-STY-liss: An intergeneric hybrid genus name for crosses between Neofinetia and Rhynchostylis.
Neotropical: The biogeographic region covering the tropical Americas: Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It holds the greatest diversity of epiphytic orchid genera, among them the Pleurothallidinae, Oncidiinae, and Laeliinae.
Neottianee-OTT-ee-ah: A genus of terrestrial orchids in temperate Eurasia and North America, including the bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), named for its tangled, nest-like mass of roots.
Nephelaphyllumneff-el-a-FIL-um: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to Southeast Asia, named from Greek for 'cloud-leaf,' referring to the mottled, cloud-like pattern on the foliage of some species.
nephroidNEFF-royd: Kidney-shaped.
nervationner-VAY-shun: The arrangement or pattern of veins in a leaf or other flat organ.
nerve: A prominent vein or rib running through a leaf, bract, or other flat organ.
nervosus: Latin: veiny, prominently veined. Describes an organ with conspicuous nerves.
netted: Marked with a network of veins, i.e., a reticulate venation pattern.
neuter: Sterile, lacking functional reproductive organs; describes a flower or floret without a working pistil or stamens.
neutral: Neither acidic nor alkaline; in a growing medium, a pH near 7, though most orchids are grown in a slightly acidic mix.
Nidemanye-DEE-ma: A small genus of epiphytic orchids in the Laeliinae, native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, closely related to Epidendrum.
nidulatus: Latin: nest-like. Used for a structure, such as a cluster of roots, that resembles a small bird's nest.
niger: Latin: black. Used as a species epithet for very dark, near-black coloring.
nigrescensnye-GRESS-enz: Latin: becoming black, blackish. Used for flowers or parts that darken toward black, especially with age.
nitidus: Latin: shining, glossy. Used for species with a lustrous surface.
nivalis: Latin: of the snow, snowy. Used for species growing near the snow line, and sometimes for flowers of a pure snow-white.
niveus: Latin: snow-white. Used for species with pure white flowers.
nobilis: Latin: noble, notable. Used as a species epithet for a particularly showy or outstanding species.
nocturnalnok-TER-nuhl: Active, opening, or releasing fragrance at night rather than by day, as in flowers pollinated by moths or bats.
nocturnus: Latin: of the night, nocturnal. Used for species that flower or release fragrance at night.
node: The point on a stem or rhizome where a leaf, bud, or root arises.
nodosus: Latin: knotty, having many joints. Describes a stem with pronounced swellings at the nodes.
nodule: A small, rounded swelling or knob, such as a small growth on a root or rhizome.
nomenclatureNOH-men-klay-cher: The formal system of scientific naming for plants, which follows codified rules governing how species and cultivated-hybrid names are formed and published.
notatus: Latin: marked, noted. Used for species with distinct spots, lines, or other markings.
Notylianoh-TILL-ee-ah: A genus of epiphytic orchids in the Oncidiinae, native to Central and South America, bearing pendent racemes of small, often fragrant flowers.
nubigenus: Latin: born of the clouds. Used for species native to cloud-forest habitats.
nucleolusnew-klee-OH-lus: A dense structure within a cell nucleus, involved in producing ribosomes.
nucleusNEW-klee-us: The membrane-bound organelle within a cell that holds the genetic material and directs cell activity.
nudus: Latin: naked, bare. Used for organs lacking a normal covering, such as a leafless stem or a hairless flower.
nutansNEW-tanz: Latin: nodding. Used for flowers or inflorescences that droop or nod downward.
nutrientnew-TREE-ent: A chemical element or compound, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, that a plant needs for growth and typically obtains from fertilizer.
nutrient solutionnew-TREE-ent suh-LEW-shun: A liquid fertilizer mix diluted in water and applied to the roots or foliage to supply the nutrients a plant needs for growth.
nutritionnew-TRIH-shun: The process by which a plant takes up and uses the water and mineral nutrients it needs for growth and development.

O

ob-: A Latin prefix meaning 'inversely' or 'oppositely,' used in botanical terms to indicate a shape reversed from the usual orientation, as in obovate, an inverted egg shape broadest above the middle.
obcompressedob-kuhm-PREST: Flattened in the direction opposite the usual orientation for the organ described, e.g. front-to-back rather than side-to-side.
obconicalob-KON-i-kuhl: Cone-shaped but attached at the narrow end — an inverted cone, the reverse of a typical cone shape.
obcordatus: Latin: inversely heart-shaped, notched at the tip rather than the base. Describes a leaf or petal shaped like an upside-down heart.
Oberoniaoh-ber-OH-nee-ah: A large genus of small epiphytic orchids native across tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, bearing dense spikes of tiny flowers; named for Oberon, the fairy king of folklore, for its diminutive blooms.
oblanceolateob-LAN-see-oh-layt: Shaped like a lance head but broadest above the middle and tapering toward the base — the reverse of lanceolate.
oblique: Having unequal or slanted sides, as in a leaf base where the two halves are unequal.
oblong: Longer than wide, with roughly parallel sides and rounded ends.
oblongifolius: Latin: with oblong leaves. Used for species whose leaves are longer than wide with roughly parallel sides.
obovateob-OH-vayt: Egg-shaped in outline but broadest above the middle, with the narrow end at the base — the reverse of ovate.
obovoidob-OH-voyd: Egg-shaped in three dimensions but broadest above the middle — the solid counterpart of obovate.
obryzatus: A specific epithet meaning of the colour of refined gold, from the Latin obryzum, pure gold, itself from the Greek obryzon. Oncidium obryzatum carries it.
obsolescentob-suh-LES-uhnt: Gradually disappearing or vestigial; describes a structure, such as a spur or tooth, that is only weakly developed or fading out.
obsolete: Absent or so reduced as to be barely detectable; describes a structure that is vestigial or apparently missing.
obtusifolius: Latin: with blunt-tipped leaves. Used for species whose leaves have a rounded, not pointed, apex.
obtusus: Latin: blunt, rounded at the tip. Used for leaves or other organs with a rounded rather than pointed apex.
ocellatus: Latin: eye-spotted. Used for flowers marked with small round spots resembling eyes.
ochraceus: Latin: ochre-colored, pale brownish-yellow. Used for species with a dull yellowish-brown coloring.
ochroleucousoh-kro-LEW-kus: Pale yellowish-white or buff colored.
ocreateoh-KREE-ayt: Having an ocrea: a tubular sheath formed from fused stipules that encircles the stem above a node. It is characteristic of the knotweed family rather than orchids, and the term is applied loosely to similar tubular sheaths.
oculatus: Latin: eyed, having an eye. Used for flowers bearing a rounded eye-like spot, often ringed in a contrasting color.
odontochilus: Latin: tooth-lipped, from Greek roots for 'tooth' and 'lip.' Used for species whose lip margin is toothed or fringed.
odoratissimus: A specific epithet meaning most fragrant, the superlative of odoratus, scented.
odoratus: Latin: fragrant, scented. Used as a species epithet for plants with a notable floral fragrance.
Oeoniaoh-ee-oh-NEE-a: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Madagascar and neighboring Indian Ocean islands, in the angraecoid subtribe Angraecinae, with slender scrambling stems and white flowers whose broad, lobed lip dominates the bloom.
Oersted, Anders S.: Danish botanist and naturalist (1816-1872) who explored Central America and described numerous plant species, including orchids, collected there.
officinalis: Latin: of the apothecary shop. Historically applied as a species epithet to plants sold and used medicinally.
offset: A young plantlet produced vegetatively at the base of a mature plant, which can be separated and grown on as a new, genetically identical individual.
oleaginousoh-lee-AJ-in-us: Having an oily texture or appearance, as seen in some leaf or floral surfaces.
oliganthis: Latin (from Greek): few-flowered. Used for species whose inflorescence carries only a small number of blooms.
olivaceus: Latin: olive-colored. Used for species or plant parts with a dull yellowish-green hue.
ontogeny: The developmental history of an individual organism from its earliest stage, such as a seed or embryo, through maturity.
opaque: Not allowing light to pass through; used to describe leaf or floral tissue that is not translucent.
operculateoh-PERK-yew-layt: Possessing an operculum, a lid-like cap or covering; in orchids this is usually the anther cap that covers the pollinia.
operculumoh-PERK-yew-lum: A lid-like cap that covers an opening; in orchids, usually the anther cap covering the pollinia until it is removed by a pollinator.
oppositeOP-uh-zit: Describes leaves or other parts arranged in pairs directly across from each other at a node, rather than alternating.
orbicularis: Latin: circular or disc-shaped. Used for rounded leaves or floral parts.
orbiculatus: Latin: rounded or orbicular in outline.
orchidistore-KID-ist: A person who grows or cultivates orchids, as distinct from one who studies them scientifically.
orchidologistore-KID-oll-uh-jist: A scientist who studies orchids professionally, including their taxonomy, evolution, and biology.
orchidologyore-KID-oll-uh-gee: The scientific study of orchids, covering their taxonomy, evolution, physiology, and ecology.
organelleore-GAN-ell: A specialized structure within a living cell that carries out a specific function, such as a chloroplast or mitochondrion.
orificeore-uh-FISS: An opening or aperture, such as the mouth of a nectary spur or floral tube.
originatoruh-RIJ-uh-NAY-ter: The person or nursery that made a particular hybrid cross. It is recorded separately from the registrant, who is often but not always the same party.
ornithorhynchus: Latin (from Greek): bird-beaked. Used as an epithet for a floral structure shaped like a bird's beak.
ortho-: A prefix meaning straight or upright, used in compound botanical terms such as orthotropic.
osmosisoz-MOH-sis: The passive movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to one of higher concentration, driving water uptake in plant cells.
osmundineoz-MUN-deen: Fibrous root material from osmunda ferns, once widely used as a potting medium for epiphytic orchids before the adoption of bark and other modern mixes.
ovalis: Latin: oval in shape.
ovaryOH-vah-ree: The part of a flower containing the ovules; in orchids it sits below the other floral parts (inferior) and develops into the seed capsule after pollination.
ovatus: Latin: egg-shaped, broader toward the base. Describes ovate leaves or floral parts.
overpotOH-ver-pot: To plant in a container larger than the root system needs, which for orchids often leaves the medium wet too long and encourages root rot.
overwaterOH-ver-wah-ter: To supply more water than a plant needs or its medium can drain, a leading cause of root rot in orchid culture.
ovoidOH-voyd: Egg-shaped in three dimensions, as in some seed capsules or pseudobulbs.
ovulateOV-yuh-layt: Bearing ovules; describes a structure, such as the ovary, that contains the immature seeds prior to fertilization.
ovuleOV-yewl: The structure within the ovary that contains the female gametophyte and develops into a seed after fertilization.
ovuliferus: Latin: ovule-bearing.

P

panduratus: Latin: fiddle-shaped, with a narrowed waist like a violin body. Describes leaves with this outline.
panduriformis: Latin: fiddle-shaped, a variant form of panduratus describing violin-outlined leaves.
paniclePAN-i-kul: A branched inflorescence in which flowers are borne on secondary stalks off a central axis, rather than directly on it.
paniculatepan-IK-yew-layt: Arranged in a panicle, i.e., a branched flower spike.
paniculatus: Latin: arranged in a panicle, a branched inflorescence.
pannose: Having a felted, cloth-like texture, as in some hairy leaf surfaces.
Pantling, Robert: British forester and botanical artist in India (1856-1910) who, with George King, produced The Orchids of the Sikkim-Himalaya, a landmark regional flora illustrated from his own drawings.
Paphiopedilumpaff-ee-oh-PED-i-lum: A genus of Asian slipper orchids with a pouched lip, two fertile anthers, and a shield-like staminode. Widely grown for long-lasting flowers; many species also have mottled leaves.
Papilionanthepap-ill-ee-oh-NAN-thee: A genus of Asian orchids with slender climbing stems and pencil-like terete leaves, segregated from Vanda. Papilionanthe teres and the hybrid Miss Joaquim are the best-known members.
papillaepa-PILL-ee: Small, nipple-like protuberances on a surface, such as the stigma or lip of some orchid flowers.
papillosus: Latin: covered with small nipple-like protuberances (papillae).
Paraphalaenopsispair-ah-fayl-e-NOP-sis: A genus of orchids native to Borneo, closely related to Phalaenopsis but distinguished by long, pendent, cylindrical leaves.
paraphyleticpair-ah-fy-LET-ick: In taxonomy, describes a group that includes a common ancestor but excludes some of its descendants, as opposed to a monophyletic group.
parasite: An organism that lives on or in another organism, its host, and derives nutrients at the host's expense; most epiphytic orchids are not parasites and merely use their host for physical support.
pardinus: Latin: leopard-spotted, describing markings resembling a leopard's coat.
parenchymapuh-RENG-kuh-muh: A plant tissue composed of thin-walled, relatively unspecialized cells that make up the bulk of leaves, storage organs such as pseudobulbs, and other soft plant parts.
parent: One of the two plants used in a cross to produce a hybrid or seedling.
parietalpa-RYE-e-tal: Attached to or along the wall of a structure, as in parietal placentation, where ovules are borne on the inner wall of the ovary, typical of orchids.
Parish, Charles Samuel Pollock: British Anglican chaplain (1822-1897) stationed in Burma and an avid orchid collector; numerous species, including Paphiopedilum parishii, are named in his honor.
parted: Divided nearly, but not completely, to the base, as in a deeply lobed leaf or lip.
parthenogenesispar-thin-oh-JEN-e-siss: The development of an embryo or seed without fertilization by pollen, a form of asexual reproduction seen occasionally in plants.
partitionedpar-TISH-und: Divided into internal sections by partition walls, as in a compound ovary or capsule.
partitus: Latin: divided or parted, typically nearly to the base.
parviflorus: Latin: small-flowered.
parvus: Latin: small.
passerinus: Latin: sparrow-like, from passer, a sparrow.
patelliformpah-TELL-ih-form: Shaped like a small dish or kneecap (patella): a shallow, rounded, cup-like form.
patentPA-tent: Spreading outward at a wide angle from the axis, rather than upright or reflexed, describing the position of a floral segment or leaf.
pathogenPATH-oh-jen: An organism, such as a fungus, bacterium, or virus, that causes disease.
pathologicalpath-oh-LOJ-i-kul: Relating to disease or the study of disease.
pathologypath-OLL-oh-jee: The study of disease, its causes, and its effects on an organism.
patulus: Latin: spreading or opening widely.
paucus: Latin: few, as in few-flowered or few-parted.
Paxton, Sir Joseph: English gardener and architect (1803-1865), head gardener at Chatsworth House and designer of the Crystal Palace, who cultivated one of the era's notable orchid collections.
peat: Partially decomposed organic matter harvested from bogs, historically used as a component of potting media, including for some terrestrial orchids.
peat moss: A soil amendment made from partially decomposed sphagnum or other moss, valued for water retention; used as a component of some orchid potting mixes, though less common than bark-based media for many genera.
Pecteilispeck-TILE-iss: A genus of terrestrial orchids from Asia, related to Habenaria, that includes Pecteilis susannae, grown for its large white fringed flowers.
pectinatus: Latin: comb-like, describing a structure with narrow, regular divisions resembling the teeth of a comb.
pedalis: Latin: a foot in length, used as a size descriptor in species descriptions (compare sesquipedalis, a foot and a half long).
pedatus: Latin: pedate, divided like a bird's foot, with the lateral segments themselves further divided; a distinct leaf or lip shape.
pedicelPED-i-sel: The stalk supporting a single flower within an inflorescence.
pedicellate ovaryPED-i-sel-layt OH-va-ree: In orchids, the combined stalk-and-ovary structure beneath the flower, since the pedicel and the inferior ovary are fused and often treated as a single unit.
pedunclepe-DUNK-ul: The main stalk of an inflorescence, bearing one or more flowers, as distinguished from the pedicel of an individual flower.
peduncularis: Latin: relating to or borne on the peduncle, the main flower stalk.
pedunculatus: Latin: having a peduncle; stalked.
pelliclePELL-i-kuhl: A thin, skin-like membrane covering a surface.
pellucidpel-LOO-sid: Translucent, allowing light to pass through so the surface appears clear or glassy.
peloriape-LOR-ee-a: A floral abnormality in which normally dissimilar segments become alike; in orchids most often the two lateral petals take on the shape and color of the lip, giving a flower with three lip-like segments. Seen in some Phalaenopsis and Cattleya lines.
peltatus: Latin: peltate. Describes a flat structure, often a leaf, attached to its stalk at a central point on the underside rather than at the edge, like a shield.
pendulus: Latin: hanging or drooping.
pennatus: Latin: feathered or pinnate; divided in a feather-like pattern along a central axis.
pentadactylus: Latin (from Greek): five-fingered. Describes a structure divided into five finger-like lobes.
pentamerouspen-TAM-er-us: Having floral parts arranged in fives, or multiples of five.
pentaploidPEN-ta-ployd: Having five complete sets of chromosomes, an unusual and often sterile ploidy level occasionally seen in orchid hybrids.
pentas: The Greek word for a group of five. It supplies the combining form penta- used throughout botanical description, as in pentamerous, with floral parts arranged in fives.
perbellus: Latin: very beautiful, from the intensifying prefix per- and bellus, beautiful.
percussus: Latin: struck or pierced through, from percutere, to strike.
perennialper-ENN-ee-al: A plant that lives for more than two growing seasons, typically flowering repeatedly year after year, as opposed to an annual or biennial.
perfectPER-fekt: Describes a flower containing both functional male (stamen) and female (pistil) reproductive structures, as orchid flowers typically do.
perfoliateper-FOLL-ee-ayt: Describes a leaf whose base entirely surrounds the stem, so the stem appears to pass through the leaf blade.
pergameneousper-gah-MEN-ee-us: Having a texture like parchment: thin, tough, and somewhat stiff, often used to describe leaf or bract texture.
peri: A prefix meaning around or surrounding, used in compound botanical terms such as perianth.
perianthPARE-ee-anth: The collective term for a flower's outer, non-reproductive parts, the sepals and petals together; in orchids this comprises three sepals and three petals, one of the latter modified into the lip.
pericarpPARE-ee-karp: The wall of a fruit or seed capsule, developed from the mature ovary wall.
peripheralpuh-RIF-er-uhl: Located at or near the outer edge or margin of a structure.
perlitepurr-LITE: A lightweight, sterile mineral, expanded volcanic glass, used as a component of potting mixes to improve drainage and aeration.
persistent: Remaining attached to the plant rather than falling off, as in bracts or floral parts that persist after flowering.
pertusus: Latin: pierced through or perforated.
peruvianus: Latin: of or from Peru, indicating a species' origin or type locality.
pesticidePESS-ti-cyde: A chemical substance used to kill or control insects, mites, or other pests.
petalPET-al: One of the inner floral segments, typically the most colorful; orchids have three petals, one of which is modified into the distinctive lip.
petaloidPET-a-loyd: Resembling a petal in color and texture; used for another floral part, such as a sepal or staminode, that takes on a petal-like appearance.
petiolatus: Latin: having a petiole; stalked, describing a leaf attached to the stem by a distinct stalk.
petiolePET-ee-ohl: The stalk that attaches a leaf blade to the stem.
Pfitzer, Ernst Hugo Heinrich: German botanist (1846-1906) who published an influential system of orchid classification in the late nineteenth century.
pHPEE-ACHE: A scale from 0 to 14 measuring acidity or alkalinity. Growers monitor the pH of water and potting media because it strongly affects how readily roots can take up nutrients.
PhaiusFAY-us: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to tropical Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, known for tall pleated leaves and showy flower spikes; Phaius tankervilleae is the species most commonly grown.
phenogam, phenerogamFEE-noh-gam: A seed-bearing plant, one whose reproductive structures are visible, as opposed to a cryptogam such as a fern or moss. The term is archaic and more usually spelled phanerogam.
phenotypeFEE-noh-type: The observable physical traits of a plant, such as flower color, size, and growth habit, produced by the interaction of its genes with its growing environment.
phloemFLOH-em: The vascular tissue that transports sugars and other products of photosynthesis from the leaves to the rest of the plant.
phoenicius: Latin: purple-red or crimson. Used in species epithets to describe deep red-purple coloration, echoing the color of Phoenician dye.
photoperiodismfoh-toh-PEER-ee-oh-dizm: A plant's physiological response to the relative length of day and night, which in many orchids times or triggers the initiation of a flower spike.
photosynthesisfoh-toh-SIN-the-siss: The process by which a plant's chlorophyll-containing tissue converts light energy, water, and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen.
phyllodium: A flattened, leaf-like petiole that takes over the photosynthetic function normally performed by a leaf blade.
phyllotaxyFILL-oh-tak-see: The arrangement of leaves around a stem, following patterns such as spiral, opposite, or two-ranked (distichous), which can be a useful trait for identifying a plant.
phyllumFILL-um: A combining form, from the Greek phyllon, a leaf, used at the end of botanical names and descriptive words to say something about foliage - as in aphyllum, leafless, or macrophyllum, large-leaved.
phylogeneticfye-loh-je-NET-ik: Relating to the evolutionary relationships among organisms, typically depicted as a branching family tree.
phylogenyfye-LOJ-en-ee: The evolutionary history and lines of descent of a species or group of organisms, often represented as a branching diagram.
phymatochilus: Latin, from Greek phyma ('swelling, wart') and cheilos ('lip'): warty-lipped. Used in orchid names for a lip bearing raised, wart-like tissue.
phytologyfye-TOL-oh-jee: An older term for the scientific study of plants, synonymous with botany.
phytotoxicityfye-toh-tok-SISS-i-tee: The capacity of a substance, such as a pesticide or fertilizer applied at excess strength, to injure or kill plant tissue.
picturatus: Latin: painted, or marked as if painted. Used in species epithets for flowers with strikingly patterned or blotched coloration.
pictus: Latin: painted. Used in species epithets for plants with markings or coloration that resemble brushstrokes.
pileatus: Latin: capped, or wearing a cap. Used in species epithets to describe a structure with a cap-like covering.
pilosus: Latin: hairy, covered with soft, distinct hairs. Used in species epithets for plant parts with a downy surface.
pinnatus: Latin: feather-like, or pinnate. Used in species epithets to describe leaves or other parts divided into leaflets arranged along both sides of a central axis.
pisiformPYE-sih-form: Pea-shaped; describes a small, rounded structure resembling a pea in size and form.
pistilPISS-til: The female reproductive structure of a flower, made up of the ovary, style, and stigma; in orchids it is fused with the stamen into the column.
pistillatePISS-til-layt: Describes a flower that bears only female reproductive parts, a pistil, and lacks functional stamens.
pittedpih-TED: Marked with small pits or depressions on a surface, such as a leaf, seed coat, or pseudobulb.
placatus: Latin: calmed, soothed, gentle, from placare ('to calm'). Used in species epithets in that general sense.
placentapla-SEN-ta: The tissue within the ovary wall to which ovules are attached; in an orchid seed capsule it runs the length of the pod, giving rise to vast numbers of dust-like seeds.
plaitedPLA-ted: Folded into regular pleats, like a fan; describes the pleated leaf blades seen in genera such as Phaius and Calanthe.
planus: Latin: flat, level. Used in species epithets to describe a flattened structure or surface.
plaque: A flat slab, typically of cork, tree fern, or wood, onto which an orchid is mounted rather than grown in a pot, exposing the roots fully to air.
plastidPLAS-tid: An organelle found in plant cells that carries out functions such as photosynthesis, as a chloroplast, or pigment and starch storage.
platy: A prefix meaning flat or broad, used at the start of botanical and genus names, as in Platystele.
Platysteleplat-ee-STEE-lee: A genus of miniature epiphytic orchids in the Pleurothallidinae, native to Central and South America. Their flowers are among the smallest of any orchid, often translucent, and open in succession on thread-like inflorescences.
Pleioneplye-OH-nee: A genus of small, cold-tolerant deciduous orchids from the Himalayas and East Asia, often called Indian crocus, popular for their large flowers borne on leafless pseudobulbs in spring.
plenus: Latin: full. Used in species and cultivar epithets, often within the phrase flore pleno, to indicate a double flower with extra petals.
plesiomorphyPLEE-zee-oh-more-fee: In cladistic classification, an ancestral character state shared by a group of taxa, as distinguished from a derived trait unique to a subgroup.
Pleurothallisplur-oh-THAL-liss: A large genus of epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America, part of the Pleurothallidinae, typically bearing a single leaf atop a slender stem and small, intricate flowers.
plicatilis: Latin: folding, or able to be folded like a fan. Used in species epithets for parts, often leaves, with a pleated or fan-like structure.
plicatus: Latin: folded or pleated. Used in species epithets to describe leaves or other structures with regular folds.
Plocoglottisplo-ko-GLOTT-iss: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific, growing from short rhizomes with pleated leaves and slender spikes of small flowers.
ploidy: The number of complete sets of chromosomes present in a plant's cells, a factor breeders manipulate to influence vigor, flower size, and fertility.
plumosus: Latin: feathery, or plumed. Used in species epithets for structures, such as hairs or floral parts, with a soft, feather-like appearance.
pod: The seed capsule that develops after successful pollination of an orchid flower, typically containing many thousands of dust-like seeds.
Pogoniapoh-GOH-nee-ah: A small genus of terrestrial orchids found in North America and East Asia, named for the bearded, fringed lip (Greek pogon, 'beard') on their pink or white flowers.
pollenPOL-len: The grains containing a plant's male genetic material; in most orchids the grains are bound together into waxy masses called pollinia rather than shed as loose powder.
pollinariumpol-li-NAIR-ee-um: The complete pollen-dispersal unit of an orchid flower: one or more pollinia joined by a stalk to a sticky attachment disc that adheres to a pollinator for transport.
pollinationpol-li-NAY-shun: The transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to a receptive stigma, the first step toward fertilization and seed production.
pollination biologypol-li-NAY-shun bye-ol-OH-gee: The study of how flowers achieve pollination, including the mechanisms plants use to attract pollinators and the interactions between the two.
pollinia: The waxy, coherent masses of pollen grains characteristic of orchid flowers, transferred as a single unit rather than as loose powder.
polliniferouspol-li-ni-FER-us: Bearing or producing pollen, or in orchids specifically, bearing pollinia.
pollinium: A single waxy mass of coherent pollen grains, the basic unit by which most orchids transfer their pollen.
poly-POL-ee: A prefix from Greek meaning 'many,' used at the start of botanical terms such as polyploid or polymorphic.
polyanthus: Latin/Greek: many-flowered. Used in species epithets for plants that produce numerous flowers per inflorescence.
polyembryonypol-ee-em-BREE-on-nee: The development of more than one embryo within a single seed. In orchids the additional embryos often arise without fertilization, so the seedlings they produce are genetically identical to the seed parent.
polyethylenepol-ee-ETH-i-leen: A plastic polymer widely used in horticulture for pots, growing bags, mulch film, and greenhouse glazing.
polygamouspol-IG-ah-mus: Describes a plant species that bears a mixture of unisexual, male- or female-only, and bisexual flowers, on the same or different individuals.
polyminPOL-e-min: A coined term from Cymbidium breeding for the offspring of a cross between a miniature and a tetraploid, as against a standard diploid. It belongs to horticultural literature rather than to botany.
polymorphicpol-ee-MOR-fik: Occurring in several distinct forms; used of a species whose individuals differ markedly in flower or plant form. From Greek poly- ('many') and morphe ('form').
polyphyleticpol-ee-FIH-let-ik: Describes a group of organisms classified together despite having descended from more than one separate ancestral lineage, making it an unnatural grouping in modern taxonomy.
polyploidPOL-ee-ployd: A plant with more than two complete sets of chromosomes, a condition breeders use deliberately, since polyploid orchids often have larger flowers, thicker substance, and greater vigor.
Ponerorchispoe-ner-OR-kiss: A genus of small, terrestrial, tuberous-rooted orchids from East Asia, grown by specialists for their compact size and delicate flowers.
Ponthievapon-THEE-vah: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to the Americas, commonly called shadow witch orchids, bearing small greenish or brownish flowers arranged along a spike.
populationpop-yu-LAY-shun: A group of individuals of the same species occupying a given area and capable of interbreeding with one another.
porosus: Latin: porous, full of small openings. Used in species epithets for surfaces marked with pore-like perforations or pits.
porrectpor-REKT: Extending straight forward or outward from its point of attachment, rather than curving or drooping.
posteriorposs-TEER-ee-or: Situated at the back of a structure, on the side facing the axis that bears it; the opposite of anterior. In an orchid bud the lip is posterior, and resupination twists the flower so that the lip ends up at the front.
postular: Not a standard botanical spelling. The word intended is pustular: bearing or covered in pustules, small blister-like swellings.
pot: A container, of various materials and shapes, used to grow a plant's roots in a defined volume of potting medium.
potshardPOT-shard: A fragment of broken clay pot, traditionally placed in the bottom of a container to improve drainage before adding potting medium.
potting: The act of placing a plant's roots into a container with an appropriate growing medium, or securing it to a mount.
praemorsus: Latin: bitten off. Used in species epithets to describe a leaf tip or margin that appears abruptly truncated, as though bitten away.
prasinus: Latin: leek-green, a light grass-green color. Used in species epithets to describe this shade of green in flowers or foliage.
precociouspre-KOE-shus: Developing or flowering earlier than usual, such as a bloom appearing before the leaves have fully expanded.
pricklePRIH-kl: A sharp, pointed outgrowth of a plant's epidermis or bark, not derived from a stem or leaf as a true thorn or spine is.
primarypri-MER-ee: First in order, rank, or development; a primary hybrid, for instance, is the direct cross of two orchid species rather than of two hybrids.
primordiumpri-MOR-dee-um: The earliest, undifferentiated stage in the development of an organ such as a leaf, root, or flower bud.
primulinus: Latin: primrose-colored, or resembling a primrose. Used in species epithets for a pale yellow flower color.
prismatocarpus: Latin/Greek: prism-fruited, from prisma ('prism') and karpos ('fruit'). Used in species epithets to describe a seed capsule with angular, prism-like facets.
proboscideus: Latin: trunk-like, resembling a proboscis. Used in species epithets for an elongated, curved structure, such as a spur or lip extension.
proboscisproh-BAW-siss: An elongated, tubular feeding structure found in some insects, such as moths and butterflies, whose length must match a flower's nectar spur for successful pollination.
processPRO-sess: A general botanical term for any outgrowth or projection extending from a plant organ, such as a spur, tooth, or appendage.
productus: Latin: extended or drawn out. Used in species epithets to describe a structure, such as a lip or spur, that is unusually elongated.
profusus: Latin: abundant, or profuse. Used in species epithets to describe a plant that flowers or grows lavishly.
proliferationpro-lih-fer-AY-shun: The production of new growths, such as plantlets or additional shoots, from an existing stem, inflorescence, or pseudobulb.
prophyllumpro-FILL-um: A small, bract-like leaf found at the base of a flower stalk or lateral branch, positioned before the first true foliage leaf.
prostratePROS-trayt: Describes a growth habit in which stems lie flat along the ground rather than growing upright.
protocormPROH-toh-korm: The small, tuber-like structure formed when an orchid seed germinates, before roots or leaves differentiate; orchid seeds cannot develop past this stage without a compatible fungus or laboratory nutrients, since they lack the food reserves other seeds carry.
protologuePRO-toh-log: The original published description of a newly named species, including its diagnosis, illustrations, and designated type specimen.
proximalPROK-sim-al: Positioned nearer to the point of attachment or the base of a structure, the opposite of distal.
pruinosus: Latin: frosted, covered with a powdery, whitish bloom. Used in species epithets to describe a surface with this waxy coating.
pseudo-SOO-doh: A prefix from Greek meaning 'false,' as in pseudobulb, a stem that resembles but is not a true bulb.
pseudobulbSOO-doh-bulb: The thickened, storage stem segment found in many sympodial orchids; despite the name it is not a true bulb but a modified stem that stores water and nutrients.
pseudobulblessSOO-doh-BULB-less: Lacking pseudobulbs; describes orchids, typically monopodial genera such as Phalaenopsis and Vanda, that store water in their leaves and roots instead.
pseudobulbousSOO-doh-BUL-bus: Possessing pseudobulbs, the thickened storage stems characteristic of many sympodial orchid genera.
pseudocopulationSOO-doh-kop-yu-LAY-shun: A pollination strategy, notably in genera such as Ophrys, in which a flower mimics the look, scent, or texture of a female insect closely enough that a male attempts to mate with it, picking up and depositing pollinia in the process.
Psychopsiellasye-kop-SEE-ell-a: A monotypic genus of dwarf epiphytic orchids from northern South America, containing only Psychopsiella limminghei, a creeping plant with mottled leaves once placed in Oncidium and allied to the butterfly orchids of Psychopsis.
pterocarpus: Latin/Greek: winged-fruited, from pteron ('wing') and karpos ('fruit'). Used in species epithets for a seed capsule bearing wing-like extensions.
puberulentpew-BEH-ru-lent: Covered with very fine, minute, soft hairs, a lighter degree of pubescence than 'pubescent.'
pubescenspew-BESS-enz: Latin: becoming downy or hairy. Used in species epithets for plant parts covered in short, soft hairs.
pudicus: Latin: modest, bashful. Used in species epithets in that general sense.
pugioniformis: Latin: dagger-shaped, from pugio ('dagger'). Used in species epithets to describe a narrow, pointed structure such as a leaf or lip.
pulchellus: Latin: pretty, or rather beautiful, a diminutive form of pulcher. Used as a species epithet for an attractive, often small-flowered plant.
pulcher: Latin: beautiful. Used as a species epithet to signal an especially attractive flower or plant.
pullus: Latin: dark, sombre, or blackish. Used in species epithets to describe deeply dark coloration in a flower or plant part.
pulvinatus: Latin: cushioned, or pillow-shaped. Used in species epithets to describe a swollen, pad-like structure, such as a pulvinus at a leaf base.
pumilus: Latin: dwarf, or very small. Used in species epithets for miniature or diminutive plants.
punctatus: Latin: spotted, or dotted. Used in species epithets for flowers or leaves marked with small spots or points.
pungent: Ending in a sharp, stiff point; can also describe a sharp or acrid odor.
purpuratus: Latin: purpled, clothed in purple. Used in epithets for flowers or parts marked or suffused with purple.
purpureus: Latin: purple.
purus: Latin: pure, unmixed. Often describes a clear, unblemished color with no other markings.
pusillus: Latin: very small, tiny, insignificant in size.
pygmaeus: Latin: dwarf, pygmy-sized. Used for unusually small species or forms.
pyramidalis: Latin: pyramid-shaped, broader at the base and tapering toward the top.
pyriformis: Latin: pear-shaped.
pyxidatepiks-UH-dayt: Opening by a lid that detaches as a single circular cap, a mode of dehiscence called circumscissile, named for its resemblance to the lid of a pyxis (small box).

Q

quadratus: Latin: squared; four-sided with roughly right-angled corners.
quadricornis: Latin: four-horned; bearing four horn-like projections.
quadrigenerickwad-ri-jen-AIR-ik: Describing an intergeneric hybrid whose ancestry combines four different genera.
quaquaversalkwa-kwa-VER-sal: Pointing or sloping outward in every direction from a common center, as growths that radiate from a single point of origin.
quaternatus: Latin: arranged in fours, as leaflets or parts borne in groups of four.
quinatus: Latin: arranged in fives, as leaflets or parts borne in groups of five.
quinquenervis: Latin: five-nerved; having five main veins running the length of a leaf or bract.
quinquepartitus: Latin: divided into five parts, nearly to the base.
quinquevulnerus: Latin: five-wounded, from quinque (five) and vulnus (wound). Used for flowers marked with five spots resembling wounds or blood-drops.
Quisumbing, Eduardo: Filipino botanist and taxonomist active in the 20th century, known for his work on Philippine flora, including native orchids, and for long service at the National Museum of the Philippines.

R

race: An informal term for a population within a species that is geographically or genetically distinct but not formally ranked as a subspecies or variety.
racemeray-SEEM: An unbranched inflorescence in which stalked flowers are borne along a central axis, typically opening in sequence from the bottom upward.
racemosus: Latin: borne in racemes; raceme-like.
rachisRAY-kiss: The main axis of a compound structure, such as an inflorescence or a pinnate leaf, from which flowers, pedicels, or leaflets arise in sequence.
radiansRAY-di-anz: Latin: radiating, sending out rays or branches from a central point.
radiantRay-dee-nt: Radiating outward from a central point, as petals or rays spreading from the center of a flower.
radiatus: Latin: radiating; arranged like spokes or rays from a common center.
radicalRAD-i-kul: Arising directly from the root or the very base of a stem, as leaves clustered at ground level rather than along an upright stem.
radicansRAD-ik-anz: Latin: rooting; producing roots along the stem, as a plant that roots wherever it touches a growing surface.
radicleRAD-i-kul: The embryonic root of a germinating seed. Orchid seeds lack a differentiated embryo and do not form a true radicle; instead they swell into a protocorm from which roots and a shoot later emerge.
radixRAY-diks: The botanical term for a root; the underground or basal organ that anchors a plant and absorbs water and nutrients.
raft: A mount, typically a slab of cork, tree fern fiber, or wood, to which an epiphytic orchid is attached so its roots can grow exposed to air, mimicking growth on a tree in the wild.
ramealRAY-mee-al: Relating to a branch; belonging to or borne on a branch rather than the main stem.
ramicaulRAM-i-kall: In Pleurothallis and allied genera, the secondary stem that rises from the rhizome and bears a single leaf at its tip. It stands in place of a pseudobulb and ranges from very short to long and wiry.
ramifactionrahm-ih-FIH-kay-shun: The manner in which a stem, root, or inflorescence divides into branches; a variant spelling of ramification.
ramosus: Latin: branched.
ramuloseRAM-yuh-lohs: Having many small branches or branchlets.
Rangaerisran-gah-ER-is: A genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical Africa, closely allied to Aerangis, bearing white or greenish long-spurred flowers that are often fragrant at night.
raniferus: Latin: frog-bearing, from rana (frog). Used in epithets for flowers whose shape or markings suggest a frog.
ranks: Vertical rows in which leaves or other lateral structures are arranged along a stem, as in two-ranked (distichous) foliage growing in a single flat plane.
rapheRAYF-a: A raised seam or ridge on the surface of a seed or fruit, marking the line where it was fused to its stalk during development.
raphidesRAYF-ids: Needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate found within plant cells, thought to deter herbivores and, in some plants, capable of causing skin or mouth irritation on contact.
rarus: Latin: rare, uncommon.
raucus: Latin: hoarse, harsh-sounding.
receptaclere-SEP-ta-kul: The often enlarged tip of a flower stalk to which the floral parts (sepals, petals, reproductive organs) are attached.
recessiveree-SESS-iv: Describing an allele whose effect on an organism's traits is masked whenever a dominant allele for the same gene is also present.
reciprocal crossree-SIP-ro-cul kraws: A pair of crosses made between the same two parents in which the parental roles are swapped, so each parent serves as the seed (pod) parent in one cross and the pollen parent in the other.
reclinatus: Latin: reclining; bent or leaning backward from an upright position.
reconditeREK-on-dyet: Hidden or hard to detect without close examination, as a small or inconspicuous plant structure.
rectus: Latin: straight, upright.
recurvus: Latin: curved backward or downward, typically less sharply than reflexus.
reflasking: The practice of transferring seedlings grown from flasked seed into a fresh flask of sterile nutrient medium once the original medium is depleted, contaminated, or overcrowded.
reflexus: Latin: bent sharply backward, as petals or sepals curved back toward the stem.
refulgensree-FUL-jenz: Latin: shining brightly, radiant.
regalis: Latin: royal, regal, magnificent.
reginaere-JYE-nee: Latin: of the queen, the genitive of regina. In species epithets it commemorates a queen.
registrantrej-ih-STRANT: The person or organization in whose name a new orchid hybrid grex name is formally submitted for registration.
registrarrej-ih-STRAR: The organization responsible for maintaining the official register of orchid hybrid names and validating new registrations; for orchids this role is held by the Royal Horticultural Society.
registrationrej-is-STRAY-shun: The formal process of recording a newly made orchid hybrid's parentage and name with the International Orchid Register, so the name becomes the recognized one for that cross.
regius: Latin: royal, kingly.
regularREG-yuh-ler: Describing a flower with radial symmetry, in which similarly shaped parts are arranged evenly around a central axis; most orchid flowers are irregular (bilaterally symmetric) rather than regular.
regulator genereg-yuh-LAY-tore jeen: A gene whose product controls the expression of one or more other genes, rather than coding for a structural or enzymatic product itself.
Reichenbach, Heinrich Gustav: German botanist of the 19th century, the leading authority on orchid taxonomy of his era, who described thousands of orchid species and succeeded John Lindley as the field's foremost classifier.
remotus: Latin: remote, distant; describing parts, such as leaves or nodes, that are widely spaced along a stem.
Renantheraren-ANN-ther-ah: A genus of tropical Asian orchids, many scandent (climbing) with sprays of showy red or orange flowers; the name combines Latin ren (kidney) and anther, referring to the shape of the pollen-bearing anther.
reniform: Kidney-shaped, describing a leaf, seed, or other organ that is rounded with a notch on one side.
replicatus: Latin: folded back on itself.
resiniferous: Producing or containing resin.
respirationres-per-AY-shun: The metabolic process by which living cells break down sugars using oxygen to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.
Restrepiellare-STREP-ee-ell-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids in the Pleurothallidinae, native to Mexico and Central America; the name records a resemblance to Restrepia, though its species were first described in Pleurothallis.
resupinatere-SOO-pin-ayt: Describing a flower turned upside down relative to its position in bud, usually by a roughly 180-degree twist of the ovary or pedicel, so the lip comes to lie lowermost. Most orchid flowers are resupinate.
reticulatus: Latin: net-veined; marked with a network of fine interconnecting lines, as in netted leaf venation.
reticulumre-TIK-yuh-lum: A net-like pattern, such as the network formed by fine veins in a leaf or by fibers around a bulb.
retinaculumret-in-AK-yuh-lum: A holdfast structure; in orchid pollination, a term for the sticky gland (viscidium) at the base of the pollinium stalk that anchors the pollen mass to a visiting pollinator.
retrorsere-TRORSS: Directed backward or downward, as hairs or teeth that point toward the base of a structure rather than its tip.
retusus: Latin: having a shallow notch at an otherwise blunt or rounded tip.
reversionree-VER-zhuhn: The reappearance of an ancestral or suppressed trait, such as an all-green shoot arising on an otherwise variegated plant.
reversus: Latin: reversed, turned about. Used for a part oriented opposite to its usual position.
revolutus: Latin: rolled backward or downward, as leaf margins curled under toward the lower surface.
rhachisRAY-kiss: Variant spelling of rachis: the main axis of a compound structure, such as an inflorescence or pinnate leaf, from which flowers or leaflets arise.
rhizomatoseRYE-zoh-mah-tose: Possessing a rhizome, or resembling one; a variant of rhizomatous.
rhizomeRYE-zohm: A stem that grows horizontally along or beneath the surface, producing roots and upright shoots at intervals along its length; many sympodial orchids grow from a creeping rhizome.
rhizome clipRYE-zohm klip: A small clip used to fasten an orchid's rhizome or base to a mount, basket, or pot so the plant stays in place while new roots establish.
rhombicROM-bik: Diamond-shaped, like a rhombus, with two pairs of equal sides meeting at unequal angles.
rhomboidROM-boyd: Resembling a rhombus but with somewhat unequal sides; loosely diamond-shaped.
RHSRoyal Horticultural Society: The Royal Horticultural Society, the UK-based organization that serves as the International Cultivar Registration Authority for orchid hybrids and maintains the official register of orchid hybrid names.
rib: A raised, elongated ridge on a leaf, pseudobulb, or fruit, typically corresponding to underlying vascular tissue.
ribonucleic acidRNA: RNA, the nucleic acid that copies genetic instructions from DNA and carries them to the cell's protein-making machinery.
Richard, Louis Claude Marie: French botanist active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries whose detailed study of orchid flower structure helped establish much of the technical vocabulary still used to describe the orchid column.
rigidus: Latin: rigid, stiff.
rimosus: Latin: full of cracks or fissures.
ringensRIN-jenz: Latin: gaping, like an open mouth; describing a strongly two-lipped flower with a wide-open throat.
riparianRYE-pare-ee-en: Growing or living along the banks of a river or stream.
rivalis: Latin: of or belonging to a stream, from rivus (brook). Used for species that characteristically grow along streambanks.
Rodricidiumrahd-ri-SID-ee-um: A nothogenus (hybrid genus) covering crosses between Rodriguezia and Oncidium; the name blends the two parent genus names.
Rodrigueziarahd-ri-GUESS-ee-ah: A genus of small epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America, with sympodial growth and typically arching, often fragrant sprays of flowers; named to honor a Spanish botanist.
Rodrigueziellarahd-ri-GUESS-ee-ell-a: A genus of small epiphytic orchids from Brazil in the Oncidiinae; the name records a resemblance to Rodriguezia.
Roezl, Benedict: Bohemian (Czech) plant collector of the 19th century, one of the most prolific orchid hunters of the Victorian era, who collected extensively across Mexico and Central and South America for European nurseries.
Rogers, Richard Sanders: Australian physician and botanist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for describing numerous native Australian terrestrial orchid species.
roller shadesROH-ler sheyds: A shading system, typically rolled fabric screens mounted overhead, used in a greenhouse or shade house to control the amount of light reaching orchids.
root: The plant organ, usually not bearing leaves, that anchors a plant and absorbs water and nutrients; in many epiphytic orchids, aerial roots are also exposed to air and coated in a spongy velamen layer.
rootstock: The root system and lower stem of a plant considered as a unit, from which new growths or shoots may arise.
rosetteroh-ZET: A circular, radiating cluster of leaves arising from a central point, typically at or near the base of a plant.
roseus: Latin: rose-colored, pink.
Rossioglossumross-ee-oh-GLOSS-um: A genus of large-flowered epiphytic orchids from Mexico and Central America, segregated from Odontoglossum. The name honors John Ross, a 19th-century collector in Mexico, joined to Greek glossa (tongue) for the lip.
rostellumros-TELL-um: In an orchid flower, a small beak-like extension of the stigma that separates the anther from the receptive stigma surface and, in many groups, helps attach the pollinia to a visiting pollinator.
rostratus: Latin: beaked; bearing a slender, beak-like projection.
rosulaross-YUH-la: Latin: a little rose; a small rosette.
rosulateross-YUH-layt: Arranged in a rosette, as leaves radiating from a central point.
rotatus: Latin: wheel-shaped; describing a flower with a very short tube and flat, spreading lobes like the spokes of a wheel.
rotundatus: Latin: rounded.
rotundifolius: Latin: round-leaved. Used as a species epithet for orchids with rounded or nearly circular leaves.
Roxburgh, William: William Roxburgh (1751-1815), Scottish physician and botanist who directed the Calcutta Botanic Garden and is regarded as a founder of Indian botany; he described numerous Indian orchid species.
rubellus: Latin: reddish, somewhat red. Used as a species epithet for plants with a light red or pinkish cast to flowers or foliage.
ruber: Latin: red. A common species epithet for red-flowered or red-marked orchids.
rubescensroo-BESS-enz: Latin: becoming red, turning reddish. Used as a species epithet for flowers or parts that flush or deepen to red, especially with age or sun exposure.
rubiginosus: Latin: rusty, rust-brown. Used as a species epithet for parts with a rust-brown cast, often from a covering of short brownish hairs.
rubro-oculatus: Latin: red-eyed. Used as a species epithet for flowers with a red central spot or eye, typically at the base of the lip.
rubro-purpureus: Latin: red-purple. Used as a species epithet for flowers with a reddish-purple coloration.
ruderalROO-der-uhl: Describes a plant that colonizes disturbed, waste, or roadside ground rather than natural undisturbed habitat.
rudimentaryroo-dih-MEN-tah-ree: Reduced to a minimal, non-functional, or incompletely developed form, such as a vestigial floral part that no longer serves its ancestral function.
Rudolfiellaroo-DOLF-ee-ell-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical South America and Trinidad, allied to Bifrenaria and Maxillaria; each pseudobulb carries a single broad leaf, and the flowers are borne on an arching spray from its base.
rufescensroo-FESS-enz: Latin: turning reddish-brown, rufous. Used as a species epithet for parts that develop a rust-red or tawny coloring.
rugosus: Latin: wrinkled. Used as a species epithet for surfaces with a network of raised wrinkles or furrows, as on a corrugated leaf or lip.
rugulosus: Latin: finely or slightly wrinkled. Used as a species epithet for surfaces with fine wrinkling, a lesser degree than rugosus.
ruminateROO-muh-neyt: Appearing mottled or irregularly wrinkled, as if chewed, from internal folding of tissue; a texture term sometimes applied to seed coats or irregular surfaces.
runcinateRUN-suh-neyt: Describes a leaf margin cut into sharp, backward-pointing lobes or teeth, as in a dandelion leaf.
runnerRUH-ner: A stolon: a trailing stem that creeps along or just under the surface and roots at intervals to form new plants. Uncommon in orchids, which usually spread vegetatively along a creeping rhizome instead.
rupestris: Latin: growing on or among rocks. Used as a species epithet for lithophytic orchids found on rock faces or outcrops.
rupicolus: Latin: rock-dwelling, inhabiting rocks. Used as a species epithet, essentially synonymous with rupestris, for lithophytic species.
rust: A fungal disease that produces rust-colored, powdery pustules on leaves or stems; uncommon on orchids compared to many other ornamentals, but can occur under humid, poorly ventilated conditions.

S

sabuloseSAB-yew-lohz: Growing in or characteristic of sandy soil.
saccatus: Latin: pouch-shaped, saccate. Used as a species epithet for a lip or other part drawn out into a pouch or sac.
saccharinus: Latin: sugary, sweet. Used as a species epithet for plants with a sweet taste or a sugary, glistening appearance.
sagittatus: Latin: arrow-shaped. Used as a species epithet for leaves or floral parts shaped like an arrowhead, with backward-pointing basal lobes.
salinus: Latin: of salty or saline habitats. Used as a species epithet for plants found in salt marshes or other saline ground.
sanctus: Latin: sacred, holy. Used as a species epithet, sometimes referencing a place of religious significance where the plant was collected.
Sander, H.F.C.: Henry Frederick Conrad Sander (1847-1920), German-born British orchid nurseryman known as ‘the Orchid King,’ founder of Sander & Sons and publisher of Sander's List of Orchid Hybrids.
sanguineus: Latin: blood-red. Used as a species epithet for flowers or markings of a deep red color.
sanguinolenssang-gwin-OH-lenz: Latin: blood-tinged, stained with red. Used as a species epithet for parts streaked or blotched with dark red.
sanguinolentus: Latin: blood-stained, tinged with red. Used as a species epithet for flowers or leaves marked with dark red as though bloodied.
sapidus: Latin: savory, well-flavored, tasty. Used as a descriptive epithet, though uncommon in orchid nomenclature.
saprophyteSAP-roh-fite: A plant lacking chlorophyll that obtains its nutrition indirectly from decaying organic matter, typically through a fungal partner rather than by photosynthesis; some leafless terrestrial orchids such as Corallorhiza were traditionally described this way.
saprophyticsap-roh-FIT-ik: Describes a plant that lacks chlorophyll and obtains nutrition indirectly from decaying organic matter through a fungal partner, rather than by photosynthesis.
sarcanthinesar-KAN-theen: Pertaining to the Sarcanthinae, an older subtribal name for the monopodial epiphytes of tropical Asia and the Pacific — Vanda, Aerides, Cleisostoma and their relatives — now generally treated as the subtribe Aeridinae.
Sarcochilussar-coh-KYL-us: From Greek, meaning ‘fleshy lip.’ A genus of small epiphytic and lithophytic orchids native mainly to Australia, popular in cultivation for compact growth and showy flowers.
sarcodessar-KOH-deez: From Greek, meaning flesh-colored or flesh-like; used descriptively for parts with a pinkish, fleshy hue or texture.
Sarcoglottissar-ko-GLOTT-is: From Greek, meaning ‘fleshy tongue,’ referring to the lip. A genus of terrestrial orchids in the subtribe Spiranthinae, ranging from Mexico and the West Indies through Central America to tropical South America.
sativus: Latin: cultivated, sown by hand. Used as a species epithet for plants long grown in cultivation rather than known only from the wild.
Satyriumsa-TEER-ee-um: From Greek, referencing the mythological satyr, likely alluding to the flower's twin spurs resembling horns. A genus of terrestrial orchids native mainly to Africa, with some species in Asia.
saxicolus: Latin: growing on rocks. Used as a species epithet, synonymous with rupicolus, for lithophytic species.
scaber: Latin: rough to the touch. Used as a species epithet for surfaces covered in small, stiff projections that feel rough or gritty.
scabrousSKAY-brus: Rough to the touch, due to a surface covered in tiny raised points or short stiff hairs.
scalariformsklare-IH-form: Ladder-shaped; describes a structure or pattern of parallel cross-bars resembling the rungs of a ladder, as in some vascular tissue thickenings or surface markings.
scale: A small, thin, often dry and membranous leaf-like or bract-like structure, such as those covering a rhizome, the base of a pseudobulb, or a developing bud.
scallopedSKAL-lopd: Describes a margin cut into a series of rounded, wave-like projections, as sometimes seen on the edge of a lip or petal.
scandensSKAN-denz: Latin: climbing. Used as a species epithet for orchids with a climbing or scrambling habit, as in the vining stems of Vanilla.
scapeSKAYP: A leafless flowering stem that arises directly from the base of the plant (from a rhizome, pseudobulb, or corm) rather than from a leafy stem.
Scaphyglottisskaf-ee-GLOTT-is: From Greek, meaning ‘boat tongue,’ referring to the shape of the lip. A genus of small epiphytic orchids of tropical America, from Mexico to Brazil and the West Indies; many species stack each new pseudobulb on top of the last.
scapiformSKAY-pih-form: Resembling or having the form of a scape; describes a flowering stem that is leafless like a true scape.
scaposus: Latin: bearing a scape. Used as a species epithet for plants with a prominent leafless flowering stem.
scariosus: Latin: thin, dry, and papery in texture, often with a translucent quality. Used as a species epithet for parts such as bracts that are dry and membranous rather than fleshy or green.
Scelochilusskell-oh-KYE-luss: From Greek, meaning ‘leg lip,’ describing the shape of the lip. A genus of small epiphytic orchids in the subtribe Oncidiinae, native to Central America and the northern Andes.
Schlechter: Rudolf Schlechter (1872-1925), German botanist and one of the most prolific orchid taxonomists in history, who described thousands of new orchid species, especially from New Guinea and Africa.
SchlimmiaSHLIM-ee-a: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Panama and the northern Andes, allied to Stanhopea and Gongora, named for Louis Schlim, the 19th-century collector who gathered plants in Colombia and Venezuela with Jean Linden.
Schoenorchisschoen-ORE-kiss: From Greek, meaning ‘rush orchid,’ likely referring to the narrow, rush-like leaves of some species. A genus of small epiphytic, vandaceous orchids native to tropical Asia and the Pacific.
Schweinfurth: Charles Schweinfurth (1890-1970), American botanist at Harvard University's Oakes Ames Orchid Herbarium, who described many orchid species from Peru and Central America.
scionSYE-on: A cutting or shoot taken from one plant to be grafted onto another (the rootstock); orchids are not typically propagated by grafting, but the term belongs to general horticultural vocabulary.
sclerenchymatousskleer-eng-KIM-uh-tuhs: Made up of sclerenchyma, plant tissue with thick, often lignified cell walls that provide structural rigidity, found for example in the fibrous strands of some pseudobulbs and leaves.
scobicularsco-BIK-yew-lar: Having a rough, granular texture resembling sawdust or fine wood filings.
scorpioidSKORE-pee-oyd: Describes an inflorescence that coils like a scorpion's tail, with flowers arranged along one side of a curling axis that uncoils as it develops.
scrobiculateskrow-BIK-yuh-lit: Marked with small pits or depressions across the surface.
scrotiformis: Latin: pouch-shaped, literally ‘scrotum-shaped.’ Used as a species epithet for a lip or other structure with a baggy, pouch-like swelling.
sculptus: Latin: carved, sculpted. Used as a species epithet for a surface bearing a raised, sculpted pattern of ridges or bosses.
scurfySKER-fee: Covered in small, loosely attached scale-like flakes, giving a rough, dandruff-like surface texture.
scutellaris: Latin: shield-shaped or saucer-shaped. Used as a species epithet for a flat, disc-like structure such as a callus or shield-shaped part.
sebosus: Latin: greasy, tallow-like. Used as a species epithet for a surface with a waxy or greasy sheen or texture.
sectileSEK-til: Divided into small, loosely coherent packets. Used of pollinia built from many soft massulae rather than a single hard mass, as in Orchis, Habenaria and their relatives.
sectionSEK-shun: A taxonomic rank between genus and species, used to group closely related species that share particular characteristics within a larger genus.
secundus: Latin: one-sided, secund. Used as a species epithet for flowers or leaves arranged along one side of an axis rather than spirally or in a circle.
Seden: John Seden (1840-1921), English orchid hybridizer employed at the Veitch nursery, credited with producing many of the earliest man-made orchid hybrids.
Sedirease-DEER-ee-a: An anagram of the related genus Aerides. A small genus of monopodial epiphytic orchids native to East Asia, closely allied to Phalaenopsis.
seed: The dust-like reproductive unit produced by an orchid capsule: a minimal seed coat around an undifferentiated embryo lacking stored food reserves, which is why orchid seed depends on a compatible fungus, or artificial nutrient media, to germinate.
seed pod: The mature ovary of an orchid flower after pollination: a dry capsule that splits open to release large numbers of dust-like seeds.
seedling: A young orchid grown from seed, from germination through its first years of vegetative growth before reaching flowering size.
segment: Any one of the individual parts making up a flower's perianth, the sepals and petals considered collectively as separate divisions.
selectionsee-LEK-shun: An individual plant chosen from a batch of seedlings or a population for a superior trait, such as flower form, color, or vigor; often used as breeding stock or given a cultivar name.
Selenipediumse-lee-ni-PEE-dee-um: From Greek, meaning ‘moon slipper,’ referencing the pouched lip. A genus of tall, reed-stemmed terrestrial slipper orchids from Central and tropical South America, and the earliest-diverging lineage of the slipper orchid subfamily.
self-fertilizationself-fer-tih-LYE-zay-shun: The process by which a flower is fertilized using its own pollen, from the same flower or a genetically identical clone, rather than pollen from a genetically distinct plant.
self-pollinationself-pol-in-AY-shun: The transfer of pollen from a flower's own anther to its own stigma, or to another flower on a genetically identical plant, rather than receiving pollen from a genetically distinct individual.
selfing: Informal term for self-pollination followed by self-fertilization: using a flower's own pollen to produce seed, often done deliberately in breeding to fix or concentrate a trait.
selligerus: Latin: saddle-bearing. Used as a species epithet for a structure shaped like or bearing a saddle-like form.
semi-: A prefix meaning ‘half’ or ‘partly,’ used in compound botanical terms (such as semi-alba or semiterete) to indicate a partial or intermediate condition.
semi-alba: Describes a flower color pattern in which the sepals and petals are white, or very pale, while the lip retains strong pigment, most familiar in Cattleya and Phalaenopsis breeding lines.
semi-apertus: Latin: half-open. Used as a species epithet for a flower that does not fully open, remaining partly closed even at maturity.
semiteretesem-ee-ter-EET: Describes a leaf or stem that is round in cross-section on one side and flattened or grooved on the other, intermediate between fully terete and flat, as seen in some Vanda-alliance leaves.
senilis: Latin: aged, old-looking. Used as a species epithet for a plant part with a grizzled, whitish, or worn appearance suggestive of old age, such as gray hairs.
sepalSEP-ul or SEE-pul: One of the outer whorl of floral segments in an orchid flower, typically three in number; usually green in plants generally, but often colored and petal-like in orchids.
sepalineSEEP-a-leen: Relating to or resembling a sepal.
sepaloidSEEP-ah-loyd: Resembling a sepal in shape, texture, or color; used especially when a petal or other part has taken on a sepal-like appearance.
septateSEP-tayt: Divided internally by one or more partitions (septa), as in a seed capsule with walls dividing it into chambers.
septicidalSEP-tih-SYE-dahl: Describes a capsule that splits along the septa, the internal partitions between its chambers, rather than through the back of each chamber as a loculicidal capsule does.
septumSEP-tum: A dividing wall or partition inside a plant structure, such as one of the internal partitions inside a seed capsule.
seratinousser-at-IH-nuss: Flowering or developing late in the season, after the main flush of related species.
sericeus: Latin: silky. Used as a species epithet for a surface covered in fine, silky, appressed hairs that give a soft sheen.
serpensSER-penz: Latin: creeping, snake-like. Used as a species epithet for a plant with a creeping, snaking growth habit or rhizome.
serrulatus: Latin: finely saw-toothed. Used as a species epithet for a margin with small, fine serrations, a lesser degree than serratus.
sesquipedalis: Latin: a foot and a half long. Used as a species epithet for an unusually long part, best known in Angraecum sesquipedale, whose nectar spur reaches roughly that length.
sessilis: Latin: stalkless, sessile. Used as a species epithet for a part, such as a leaf or flower, attached directly at its base without an intervening stalk.
setaSEE-tah: Latin: a bristle. Used as a species epithet, or as a general term, for a stiff, hair-like outgrowth.
setaceus: Latin: bristle-like, resembling a seta. Used as a species epithet for a part that is fine and stiff like a bristle.
setiformis: Latin: bristle-shaped. Used as a species epithet, effectively synonymous with setaceus, for slender, stiff, bristle-like parts.
setigerus: Latin: bearing bristles. Used as a species epithet for a plant or part covered with stiff, hair-like bristles.
setoseSEE-tohs: Covered with bristles or stiff hairs (setae).
setuloseset-YUH-lohs: Covered with minute bristles or setulae (tiny setae); a finer, smaller-scale version of setose, describing a surface finely and softly bristly, such as an ovary or leaf margin.
sexual propagationseks-yu-hl pra-pa-GAY-shun: Reproducing a plant from seed produced by pollination, combining genetic material from two parents, as opposed to vegetative (asexual) propagation such as division or cloning.
shadingSHAY-ding: Reducing the light intensity reaching plants, using shade cloth, screens, or greenhouse whitewash, to prevent leaf burn and match a species' natural light requirements.
shakerSHAY-ker: A motor-driven platform or wheel used in laboratory propagation to keep culture vessels in constant motion, breaking up callus and keeping suspended tissue in contact with the medium.
sheath: A tubular, sleeve-like structure that encloses and protects a developing part, such as the papery sheath enclosing an emerging flower spike in Cattleya and its relatives, or a leaf base wrapping around a stem.
shoot: A new growth arising from a plant's base or rhizome, made up of stem and developing leaves, that will mature into a new pseudobulb, cane, or fan.
shrub: A woody perennial plant, smaller than a tree and typically branching from near the base; used loosely in horticulture for a bushy growth habit.
siculiformsik-YUH-ih-form: Dagger-shaped: narrow, rigid and tapering to a sharp point, from the Latin sicula, a little dagger. The same sense as the epithet siculiformis.
siculiformis: A specific epithet meaning dagger-shaped, from the Latin sica, a dagger. Acacia siculiformis, the dagger wattle, is named for the shape of its phyllodes.
Sievekingiasiv-KING-ee-a: A genus of epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America, in the Stanhopeinae alliance close to Stanhopea and Coryanthes, bearing short-lived, waxy, often fragrant flowers on pendent spikes.
Sigmatostalixsig-mat-oh-STAY-liks: A genus of small-flowered epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America, in the Oncidiinae, named from the Greek for the S-shaped (sigmoid) curve of its column.
sigmoid; sigmoidal: Shaped like the letter S; describes a structure, such as a column or lip, with two opposite curves forming a double bend.
signatus: Latin: marked or signed. Used as a specific epithet for a plant bearing distinctive markings, such as spots or blotches, on its flowers.
siliceus: Latin: sandy, or of a flinty, gritty texture. Used as a specific epithet for a plant that grows in sandy soil or has a gritty surface.
silvestris: Latin: of the woods or forest. Used as a specific epithet for a plant native to woodland habitats.
similis: Latin: similar, resembling. Used as a specific epithet indicating close resemblance to another named species.
simpleSIM-puhl: Undivided; describes a leaf, stem, or other structure that is not branched or compound, in contrast to one made of multiple parts.
simulansSIM-yew-lanz: Latin: imitating, resembling. Used as a specific epithet for a plant that closely resembles another species in appearance.
sinensis: Latin: of China. Used as a specific epithet for a plant native to, or first described from, China.
sinistroseSIN-is-trohs: Twisted or coiled to the left; describes a spiral structure whose turns run leftward, the opposite of dextrorse. Because authors differ on the viewpoint used to judge the direction, careful descriptions state how the twist was measured.
sinuatus: Latin: wavy-margined. Used as a specific epithet describing a leaf or other organ with a strongly wavy edge.
sinusSYE-nuss: The notch or recess between two lobes of a leaf, petal, or other structure, where the edge curves inward between two points.
Skinner, George Ure: British merchant and orchid collector (1804-1867) who spent decades traveling in Guatemala, shipping large numbers of newly discovered orchids, including Lycaste skinneri, back to collectors in England.
slab: A flat piece of cork, tree fern fiber, or wood used as a mounting surface for epiphytic orchids, letting roots attach and grow as they would on a tree in nature.
Smith, Johann Jacob: Dutch botanist (1867-1947) who worked extensively on the orchid flora of the Malay Archipelago and Java from the Buitenzorg herbarium, describing large numbers of new species.
Smitinandiasmi-tin-AND-ee-a: A genus of monopodial epiphytic orchids native to Southeast Asia, in the Aeridinae, named in honor of the Thai botanist Tem Smitinand.
smooth: Having a surface free of hairs, bumps, ridges, or other texture; glabrous.
Sobennikoffiaso-ben-ee-KOF-ee-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids endemic to Madagascar, in the Angraecinae alliance related to Angraecum, bearing white to greenish, star-shaped flowers.
soboleSO-bowl: A shoot or sucker arising from the base of a plant, often below ground, that can develop into an independent new plant.
soboliferousso-buhl-IF-er-us: Producing soboles, that is, basal shoots or suckers, as a means of vegetative spread.
socialis: Latin: growing in company or colonies. Used as a specific epithet for a plant typically found growing gregariously in groups.
solaris: Latin: of the sun. Used as a specific epithet for a plant associated with sun exposure, or with sun-like coloring such as yellow or radiating markings.
Solenidiumsol-en-EED-ee-um: A small genus of epiphytic orchids from northern South America, in the Oncidiinae and allied to Oncidium; the name comes from the Greek for a small tube or channel.
solitarySOL-i-ter-ee: Borne singly rather than in clusters or groups, as a flower produced one at a time on a stem rather than in a many-flowered inflorescence.
somaclonal variantsom-a-KLONE-uhl VAHR-ee-ent: A plant that differs genetically from its parent despite arising from vegetative tissue culture (mericloning), caused by mutation during the cloning process rather than by sexual reproduction.
somatic cellsso-MAT-ik: The ordinary body cells of a plant, as opposed to reproductive (germline) cells; somatic cells are the ones used in tissue culture propagation to produce genetically identical clones.
sordidus: Latin: dirty, dingy. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with dull, muddy, or drab coloring.
sparsus: Latin: scattered, sparse. Used as a specific epithet describing structures, such as flowers or hairs, that are thinly and irregularly distributed.
spathaceousspa-THAY-shus: Resembling or bearing a spathe; describes a bract that is large and sheathing, enclosing a flower or inflorescence.
spatheSPAYTH: A large bract, often papery or leaf-like, that encloses or subtends a flower or inflorescence before it opens.
spathulatus: Latin: spoon-shaped (spatulate). Used as a specific epithet for a leaf or petal that is narrow at the base and broadens toward a rounded tip.
specieSPEE-see: A mistaken singular of species; species is both the singular and plural form of the word, so 'one specie' is incorrect. 'Specie' properly refers to coined money and has no botanical meaning.
speciesSPEE-sheez: The basic unit of biological classification below genus, comprising organisms that share consistent, distinguishing characteristics and typically can interbreed; the word is both singular and plural.
specificspeh-SIF-ik: Relating to a species; most often encountered in 'specific epithet,' the second word of a two-part scientific name that, together with the genus name, identifies a species.
specimenspeh-SIH-men: A mature orchid grown into a large clump with multiple growths and many blooms, especially one exhibited to showcase overall growth and floriferousness; more generally, any individual plant used for study or identification.
speciosissimus: Latin: most showy, the superlative of speciosus. Used as a specific epithet for an especially showy-flowered plant.
speciosus: Latin: showy, handsome. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with notably attractive or striking flowers.
spectabilis: Latin: spectacular, worth seeing. Used as a specific epithet for a plant considered especially notable in appearance.
speculumSPEK-yew-lum: A shiny, mirror-like patch of color or texture on a flower, typically on the lip, that helps attract and guide pollinators.
spermatophytespur-MAT-oh-fite: A seed-producing plant; the broad group of plants, including orchids, that reproduce by seeds rather than spores.
sphacelatus: Latin: withered, blackened. Used as a specific epithet for a plant part that looks scorched or dead, as if diseased.
sphagnumSFAG-num: A genus of moisture-retentive moss widely used, live or dried, as a growing or packing medium for orchids because of its high water-holding capacity and slow decomposition.
spheroidalsfeer-OY-dul: Rounded and roughly spherical in shape, though not a perfect sphere.
spicatus: Latin: spiked. Used as a specific epithet for a plant whose flowers are arranged in a spike, an unbranched cluster of stalkless or short-stalked flowers.
spiciformis: Latin: spike-shaped. Used as a specific epithet describing an inflorescence or structure resembling a spike.
spiculatus: Latin: bearing small points or spicules. Used as a specific epithet for a plant part covered with tiny, sharp projections.
spiculoseSPIK-yuh-lohs: Covered with small, fine points or spicules; a finely spiny surface texture.
spike: An unbranched inflorescence bearing flowers directly on the main stalk, without individual flower stems. In orchid growing the word is used loosely for any flower stem, including true racemes such as a Phalaenopsis spike.
spiklet: A small spike; in grasses, the basic flower-bearing unit of the inflorescence, made up of one or more florets enclosed by small bracts.
spilopterus: Latin: spotted-winged. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with spotted, wing-like petals or floral segments.
spine: A stiff, sharp, pointed woody structure on a plant, typically a modified leaf, stipule, or stem, serving as a defense against herbivores.
spinescentSPY-ness-ent: Becoming spiny, or tapering to a firm, spine-like point; describes a structure that is not a true spine but ends sharply like one.
spinosus: Latin: spiny. Used as a specific epithet for a plant bearing spines.
spinulosus: Latin: bearing small spines. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with fine, minute spiny projections.
spiralis: Latin: spiral, coiled. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with a twisted or coiling structure, such as flowers arranged in a spiral up the spike.
Spiranthesspy-RAN-theez: A genus of terrestrial orchids, commonly called ladies' tresses, native across temperate and subtropical regions of the Americas, Europe, and Asia, named for the spirally arranged flowers on its spike.
splendidus: Latin: splendid, brilliant. Used as a specific epithet for a plant of outstanding or brilliant appearance.
sporadicSPORE-ad-ik: Occurring occasionally or irregularly, rather than consistently or in a predictable pattern, as in sporadic flowering.
spore: A microscopic, usually single-celled reproductive unit produced without fertilization, by which fungi, mosses, and ferns reproduce and disperse. Unlike a seed it contains no embryo, so it is not the equivalent of an orchid's dust-fine seed.
sport: A plant, or part of a plant, showing a heritable variation, such as a different flower color or growth pattern, arising from a spontaneous mutation rather than from breeding.
spray: A single flowering stem bearing multiple blooms, especially one cut or displayed as a unit, as opposed to a single flower borne alone.
spreadingSPREH-ding: Growing outward and more or less horizontally rather than upright, describing the orientation of leaves, petals, or overall growth habit.
spur: A hollow, tubular or pouch-like projection from a flower, often extending backward from the lip, that may hold nectar to attract pollinators.
squalidus: Latin: dirty, squalid. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with dull, muddy, or unattractive coloring.
squamellateSKWAM-ell-eyt: Bearing small scales (squamellae); describes a surface covered with minute, flattened, scale-like structures.
squamosus: Latin: scaly. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with a surface covered in scale-like structures.
squarroseSKWAR-rohs: Rough or shaggy from parts that spread stiffly outward, often at nearly right angles; describes leaves, bracts, or scales that curve away from the axis they arise from.
stalk: A slender, supporting stem-like structure that bears a leaf, flower, or other organ.
stamenSTAY-men: The male, pollen-producing organ of a flower; in orchids, the stamen is fused with the female style into a single structure called the column.
staminateSTAM-in-ayt: Bearing stamens; describes a flower that is functionally male, producing pollen but lacking a functional female organ.
staminodeSTAM-in-ohd: A sterile, non-pollen-producing stamen, or a structure derived from one, that no longer functions in reproduction.
standardSTAN-dard: Describes a plant or flower of typical full size for its type, as opposed to a miniature or compact form — a standard Cattleya or Cymbidium rather than a miniature one.
stapeliaeflorus: Latin: flowered like Stapelia. Used as a specific epithet for a plant whose flowers resemble those of Stapelia, a genus of star-shaped, often mottled succulent milkweed relatives.
stapelioidessta-pee-lee-OY-deez: Latin: resembling Stapelia. Used as a specific epithet for a plant resembling Stapelia, a genus of succulent milkweed relatives with star-shaped, often mottled flowers.
Staurochilusstar-oh-KYE-luss: A genus of climbing, monopodial orchids from Southeast Asia, in the Vandeae alliance, named from the Greek for 'cross' and 'lip,' referring to the cross-like shape of the flower's lip.
steleSTEE-lahy: The central cylinder of vascular tissue — xylem and phloem — running through a stem or root, surrounded by the cortex. The name comes from the Greek for "pillar."
StelisSTEE-lis: A large genus of small-flowered epiphytic orchids in the Pleurothallidinae, native to Central and South America, typically bearing many tiny, triangular flowers on slender spikes.
stellatus: Latin: starry, star-shaped. Used as a specific epithet for a flower or structure with parts radiating outward like a star.
stem: The main structural axis of a plant, bearing leaves, buds, and flowers, and conducting water and nutrients between the roots and the foliage.
SteniaSTEEN-ee-a: A genus of orchids from tropical South America, in the Zygopetalinae, named from the Greek for "narrow." Short inflorescences arise near the base of the plant, each usually carrying a single waxy, often fragrant flower.
Stenoglottissten-oh-GLOT-tiss: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to southern and eastern Africa, popular in cultivation for spikes of small pink to purple, spotted flowers; the name means 'narrow tongue,' referring to the slender lip.
stenophyllus: Latin: narrow-leaved. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with narrow leaves.
Stenorrhynchussten-or-RING-kuss: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to the Americas, closely related to Spiranthes, known for spikes of tubular, often bright red or orange flowers; the name means 'narrow beak.'
sterileSTER-ill: Incapable of producing viable seed or pollen; also used to describe a growing medium or culture kept free of contaminating microorganisms.
sterile cultureSTER-ill kuhl-chure: Aseptic technique used in seed germination and tissue propagation, such as flasking, in which all materials and media are kept free of contaminating bacteria and fungi that would otherwise outcompete the developing plant tissue.
stigmaSTIG-ma: The receptive surface of the female part of a flower where pollen is deposited to begin fertilization; in orchids, a sticky depression on the column, below the anther.
stigmaticstig-MAT-ik: Relating to the stigma, the pollen-receptive surface of a flower.
stipe: A stalk-like supporting structure; in orchid pollination, the strap- or thread-like stalk connecting a pollinium to the sticky viscidium, letting the pollinarium be carried off by a pollinator.
stipelSTAHY-puhl: A small, secondary stipule found at the base of an individual leaflet in a compound leaf.
stipitatus: Latin: stalked. Used as a specific epithet for a structure, such as an ovary or gland, borne on a distinct stalk (stipe).
stipuleSIP-yuhl: A small, often leaf-like or scale-like appendage found in pairs at the base of a leaf stalk in many flowering plants.
stolonSTOH-lon: A horizontal stem, growing along or below the ground surface, that produces roots and new shoots at its nodes, letting the plant spread vegetatively.
stoloniferoussto-lon-IFF-er-us: Producing stolons; describes a plant that spreads vegetatively by means of horizontal runners.
stomaSTOH-mah: A microscopic pore in the epidermis of a leaf or stem, flanked by guard cells, that opens and closes to regulate gas exchange and water loss.
stramineus: Latin: straw-colored. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with pale yellowish, straw-like coloring.
streptopetalus: Latin: twisted-petaled. Used as a specific epithet for a flower with petals that are twisted or spirally contorted.
striatus: Latin: striped, striated. Used as a specific epithet for a plant marked with fine parallel lines or grooves.
strictus: Latin: upright, strict. Used as a specific epithet for a plant with a stiffly erect growth habit.
strigosus: Latin: bristly. Used as a specific epithet for a plant covered with short, stiff, sharp hairs (strigae) that typically lie flat against the surface.
striolatus: Latin: finely striped or streaked, describing an organ marked with slender parallel lines, a diminutive of striatus.
strobilusSTROH-bil-us: Latin: a cone, describing a compact cluster of overlapping scales or bracts around an axis, as in conifer cones; the term is also applied to some cone-like inflorescences.
structural geneSTUK-chure-uhl jeen: A gene whose DNA sequence codes for a protein or functional RNA product, as distinct from a regulatory gene that controls when and how much another gene is expressed.
stylar canalSTY-lahr KAN-al: The narrow channel running through the style through which pollen tubes grow from the stigma down to the ovary to fertilize the ovules.
styleSTY-uhl: The stalk-like part of a flower's pistil that connects the stigma to the ovary; in orchids the style is fused with the stamens into the single structure called the column, so a free style is not present.
stylidia: Plural of stylidium (more often written stelidia): the small tooth- or horn-like appendages projecting from the column of an orchid flower.
stylidium: In orchid flowers, a small tooth- or horn-like appendage projecting from the side or apex of the column, conspicuous in genera such as Bulbophyllum and Dendrochilum; more often spelled stelidium.
suaveolensswahv-ee-OH-lenz: Latin: sweet-scented, fragrant. Used in species epithets for plants noted for their pleasant fragrance.
suavis: Latin: sweet, pleasant, agreeable, most often used in epithets to describe a fragrant flower.
suavissimus: Latin: most sweet or most pleasant, the superlative of suavis, used for species considered exceptionally fragrant.
sub: A Latin-derived prefix meaning somewhat, partly, nearly, or beneath, attached to descriptive terms to soften or qualify them, as in subacute (somewhat pointed) or suberect (nearly upright).
subacutesub-a-KEWT: Coming to a point, but less sharply than acute; somewhat pointed.
subcordatus: Latin: somewhat heart-shaped, describing a leaf or other organ base that is only slightly notched, less deeply so than a fully cordate one.
subcoriaceoussub-kor-ee-AY-shus: Somewhat leathery in texture; firm to the touch but not as thick or tough as a fully coriaceous organ.
subequalsub-ee-KWAL: Nearly, but not exactly, equal in size or shape, as when a flower's floral segments are almost but not perfectly the same length.
suberectsub-ee-REKT: Growing at a slight angle rather than fully upright; nearly erect.
suberosus: Latin: corky, having the texture or appearance of cork.
subfalcatus: Latin: somewhat sickle-shaped, describing an organ that curves slightly like a scythe blade, less strongly than one described as falcate.
subgenussub-JEE-nus: A taxonomic rank below genus and above section, used to group closely related species within a larger genus.
submersus: Latin: submerged, growing underwater.
suborbicularsub-or-BIK-yew-lar: Nearly circular in outline, describing a leaf, lip, or other organ that is almost but not perfectly round.
subsessilesub-SESS-ill: Having a very short stalk or pedicel that is barely noticeable; nearly stalkless.
subspeciessub-SPEE-sheez: A taxonomic rank below species, applied to a population that is geographically or morphologically distinct but still able to interbreed with the rest of the species.
substance: In orchid judging and horticulture, the thickness and firmness of a flower's petals and sepals, which affects how well the bloom holds its shape and how long it lasts; heavier substance is generally prized.
substratumSUB-strat-um: The material or medium in which a plant's roots grow, such as bark, moss, or soil, which provides physical support and, in some cases, nutrients and moisture retention.
subtendedsub-TEN-ded: Positioned directly below and supporting another structure, as when a bract subtends a flower.
subteretesub-ter-REET: Nearly cylindrical in cross-section; almost round but somewhat flattened.
subterraneus: Latin: underground, growing or occurring beneath the soil surface.
subtribesub-TRY-b: A taxonomic rank between tribe and genus, grouping closely related genera; orchid classification relies heavily on subtribes such as Laeliinae and Oncidiinae.
subulatus: Latin: awl-shaped, narrow and tapering to a fine stiff point, describing a leaf or other organ.
subulifolius: Latin: having awl-shaped leaves, from subula (awl) and folium (leaf).
succulentsuk-YUH-lent: Having thick, fleshy tissue adapted to store water, as seen in the leaves, stems, or pseudobulbs of many orchids adapted to drier conditions.
sucker: A shoot arising from the base of a plant, or from a root or rhizome, that can often be separated to form a new plant.
suecicus: Latin: Swedish, of Sweden; used in species epithets for plants first found there or named in honor of Swedish botanists.
suffrutescentsuf-FREW-tess-sent: Somewhat shrubby or woody at the base while the upper growth remains soft and herbaceous.
sulcatus: Latin: grooved or furrowed, describing a surface marked with longitudinal channels.
sulphureus: Latin: sulfur-yellow, describing a pale, somewhat greenish-yellow color.
sumatranus: Latin: from Sumatra, used in species epithets for plants native to or first collected on that Indonesian island.
SunipiaSU-nip-ee-a: A genus of small epiphytic orchids ranging from the Himalayas to continental Southeast Asia, closely allied to Bulbophyllum, bearing short clusters of small flowers on slender stalks.
super: A Latin-derived prefix meaning above, over, or exceeding, used in compound botanical terms such as superposed or superior (ovary).
superbienssoo-PER-bee-enz: Latin: becoming superb or proud, used in species epithets for plants considered especially showy or magnificent.
superbus: Latin: superb, splendid, magnificent, used in species epithets for especially showy plants.
Superior ovarySOO-peer-ee-or OH-vah-ree: An ovary positioned above the point where the other floral parts (sepals, petals, and stamens) attach. Orchids instead have an inferior ovary, situated below these parts.
superposedsoo-per-POHZD: Positioned one above another, as when pollinia or other floral parts are stacked vertically rather than arranged side by side.
supinus: Latin: lying on its back, face-up; describing an organ oriented upward or reversed from its typical position.
surculoseSUR-kyuh-lohs: Producing suckers, or sucker-like shoots, from the base or roots.
sutureSOO-cher: A line or seam along which a fruit, anther, or other structure splits open at maturity.
Swamy, B.G.L: Indian botanist (20th century) known for detailed studies of orchid floral, seed, and embryological morphology.
Swartz, Olof: Swedish botanist (1760-1818), a founding figure of scientific orchid taxonomy who described and classified large numbers of orchid genera and species in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Sweet, Herman R.: American orchid taxonomist of the 20th century, associated with the Ames Orchid Herbarium at Harvard, best known for his monograph of the genus Phalaenopsis.
sylhetensis: Latin: from Sylhet, a region in present-day northeastern Bangladesh, used in species epithets for plants first collected there.
sylvaticus: Latin: of the woods, forest-dwelling.
sylvestris: Latin: of the forest, wild, growing in woodland.
symbiosissim-bi-OH-siss: A close, prolonged biological relationship between two different species, such as the mutualistic association between orchid roots and mycorrhizal fungi.
symbioticsim-bi-OT-ik: Describing an organism or relationship involved in symbiosis, such as the fungi that live in close association with orchid roots and aid nutrient and water uptake.
symmetricalsim-MET-rih-cuhl: Having matching proportions on either side of a dividing line or around a central axis, as in the arrangement of floral segments.
sympetaloussim-PET-ah-luss: Having petals fused together, at least at their base, forming a united corolla rather than separate segments.
symphysisSIM-fiss-iss: A fusion or growing-together of parts that are normally separate, such as floral organs joined along their margins.
symplesiomorphysim-PLEEZ-ee-oh-more-fee: In cladistics, a trait shared by two or more taxa that was inherited from a common ancestor but, because it predates their divergence, does not by itself indicate that those taxa are more closely related to each other than to others.
sympodialsim-PO-dee-al: A growth pattern in which each new shoot arises from the base of the previous one rather than extending it, so the plant grows as a series of adjoining segments rather than from one continuous stem; typical of orchids such as Cattleya and Dendrobium.
synapomorphysyn-APP-oh-more-fee: In cladistics, a derived trait shared by two or more taxa because it arose in their common ancestor, used as evidence of a close evolutionary relationship among them.
synonymSIN-uh-nim: In taxonomy, a scientific name that has been superseded by another name now considered the correct one for the same taxon.
synsepalumsin-SEP-a-lum: A single structure formed by the fusion of the two lateral sepals, most familiar in the slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium), where it sits behind and below the lip.
syringesih-RINJ: A hand-held device used to apply a fine mist or jet of water to plants, often used to raise humidity around orchids or rinse dust from foliage.
syringothyrsus: A specific epithet compounded from Syringa, the lilac, and thyrsus, a dense conical panicle of the kind a lilac bears - so, carrying flower trusses like a lilac's. It appears in Epidendrum syringothyrsus.
systematicssis-tuh-MAT-iks: The scientific study of the diversity, classification, and evolutionary relationships of organisms.

T

tabeculatetab-ih-KUY-layt: Not a standard botanical spelling. The word intended is trabeculate, from trabecula, a little beam: cross-barred, marked or divided by transverse bars.
tabularis: Latin: flat and plate-like, tabular in form, from tabula (table or board).
taedigerus: Latin: torch-bearing, from taeda (a resinous pine torch) and -ger (bearing).
taenialis: Latin: ribbon-like, from taenia (ribbon or band), describing a narrow, flat, ribbon-shaped organ such as a leaf.
Tang, T.: Chinese botanist (20th century) who, often together with F.T. Wang, described numerous species and genera of Chinese orchids; the genus Tangtsinia was named in his honor.
tardus: Latin: slow, late, describing something that develops or blooms later than usual.
taurinus: Latin: bull-like, of a bull, from taurus (bull), sometimes describing horn-like projections.
taxon: A named group of organisms at any taxonomic rank, such as a species, genus, or family.
taxonomytak-SON-oh-mee: The science of classifying and naming organisms according to their relationships and shared characteristics.
Telipogontel-i-POH-gon: A genus of small epiphytic and terrestrial orchids native to the Andes, notable for flowers that mimic flies to attract pollinators through pseudocopulation.
tendrilTEN-drill: A slender, often coiling structure with which some plants grip a support and climb. Orchids do not produce true tendrils; climbing orchids such as Vanilla ascend by their stems and adventitious roots.
tenebrosus: Latin: dark, shadowy, gloomy, used in species epithets for plants with dark-colored flowers.
tenuifolius: Latin: thin- or slender-leaved, from tenuis (thin) and folium (leaf).
tenuis: Latin: thin, slender, fine.
teratologicalter-a-toh-LOJ-ik-ul: Relating to teratology, the study of abnormal growths or malformations in plants, such as unusual flower or leaf mutations.
teresTEH-reez: Latin: rounded, smoothly cylindrical in cross-section. Used as an epithet for species with such leaves, as in Papilionanthe teres, long known as Vanda teres.
tereteteh-REET: Circular in cross-section and smoothly cylindrical, without ridges or angles, as in the pencil-like leaves of Papilionanthe teres (formerly Vanda teres) and many Brassavola species.
teretifolius: Latin: having terete, cylindrical leaves.
terminalter-MIN-uhl: Located at the tip or end of a stem, shoot, or inflorescence, rather than arising from the side.
terminologyter-min-OL-a-gee: The specialized set of terms used within a particular field, such as the vocabulary botanists and orchid growers use to describe plant structures.
ternatus: Latin: in threes, arranged in groups of three, as in leaves divided into three leaflets.
terrestrialter-RESS-tree-uhl: Growing in the ground, rooted in soil or leaf litter, as opposed to epiphytic (growing on trees) or lithophytic (growing on rocks); many temperate and some tropical orchids are terrestrial.
terrestris: Latin: of the earth or ground, terrestrial, used in species epithets for ground-dwelling plants.
tessellatus: Latin: checkered, marked with a grid- or mosaic-like pattern of small blocks, as in the mottled leaves of many Paphiopedilum species.
testa: The outer protective coat of a seed.
testaceus: Latin: brick-colored, a brownish-red like the color of terracotta or brick.
testae: Plural of testa: the outer protective coats of seeds.
tetradTET-rad: A group of four, especially four pollen grains that remain joined together after formation, as occurs in the pollen of orchids and some other plant families.
tetragonus: Latin: four-angled, having four sides or corners in cross-section.
tetramerous: Having floral parts arranged in sets of four, rather than the sets of three typical of most orchids.
Tetramicrate-tra-MYE-kra: A genus of small orchids in the Cattleya alliance (Laeliinae), native to the West Indies, with stiff fleshy leaves and slender wiry inflorescences of small flowers with a comparatively large lip.
tetraploidTET-tra-ployd: Having four complete sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two; tetraploid orchids often have thicker substance and larger flowers than diploid ones and are commonly used in breeding.
TeuscheriaTOY-shur-ee-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids from tropical Central and South America, named for horticulturist Henry Teuscher, with a handful of species bearing small, inconspicuous flowers.
thalloidTHAL-loyd: Resembling a thallus, a simple plant or algal body without differentiation into leaves, stems, or roots.
thallusTHAL-uhs: A simple plant, algal, or fungal body that lacks true stems, leaves, or roots, with the whole structure serving in photosynthesis or absorption.
ThecopusTHEE-ko-puss: A small genus of epiphytic orchids from Southeast Asia, segregated from Thecostele, bearing many small flowers on slender pendulous racemes.
ThecosteleTHEE-ko-stee-lee: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Southeast Asia comprising very few species, bearing sprays of small yellowish-brown flowers.
Thelymitrathel-lee-MYE-tra: A genus of terrestrial orchids native to Australia and New Zealand, commonly called sun orchids because their flowers open fully only in warm, sunny conditions.
thorn: A sharp, rigid, modified stem or branch that projects from a plant, distinct from a prickle (arising from the epidermis) or a spine (a modified leaf); uncommon in orchids.
ThrixspermumTHRIKS-sper-mum: A genus of epiphytic orchids native from tropical Asia to the Pacific Islands, related to the vandaceous orchids, with often short-lived, sequentially opening flowers.
throat: The opening at the base of a tubular or funnel-shaped flower, such as the entrance to an orchid's lip, where the floral tube narrows.
ThuniaTHOO-nee-ah: A genus of deciduous, cane-stemmed orchids from the Himalayas and Southeast Asia, grown for large white to purple trumpet-shaped flowers that open in a nodding cluster at the tip of the leafy new growth; the canes shed their leaves and rest dry over winter.
thyrse: A dense, often pyramid-shaped flower cluster in which an indeterminate main axis carries branched, cyme-like side clusters; in effect a compact panicle.
thyrsiflorus: Latin: thyrse-flowered, i.e. bearing flowers in a thyrse (a dense, panicle-like cluster with cymose branching). Used as a species epithet for plants with this inflorescence form.
tibicinis: Latin: of the flute-player or trumpeter (genitive of tibicen). In Myrmecophila tibicinis the epithet refers to the large hollow pseudobulbs, which can be blown like a horn.
Ticoglossumtee-ko-GLOSS-um: From 'Tico' (a colloquial term for a Costa Rican) plus Greek glossa (tongue), for the lip. A small genus of orchids in the Oncidiinae from Costa Rica and western Panama, segregated from Odontoglossum.
tigrinus: Latin: tiger-striped or tiger-spotted. Used as a species epithet for flowers marked with dark stripes or blotches resembling a tiger's coat.
tissue cultureTISH-yu KULL-chure: The laboratory technique of growing plant cells or meristem tissue on a sterile nutrient medium to produce large numbers of genetically identical plants. It is the standard method of mass-producing orchids, and the resulting clones are called mericlones.
titanus: Latin: gigantic, titan-sized, from the Titans of Greek mythology. Used as a species epithet for an unusually large plant or flower.
Tolumnia: A genus of small, fan-leaved equitant orchids from the Caribbean, segregated from Oncidium; the name comes from Tolumnius, a figure in Virgil's Aeneid.
tomentosus: Latin: densely covered with short, matted hairs (tomentose). Used as a species epithet for a woolly-textured leaf, stem, or other surface.
tomentumtoh-MEN-tum: A dense covering of short, matted hairs on a leaf, stem, or other plant surface, giving it a felted or woolly texture.
tonsus: Latin: shorn or shaved, i.e. smooth as if clipped. Used as a species epithet for a surface that is notably hairless or smooth.
toroseTAWR-ohs: Cylindrical but swollen at intervals, like a string of beads. Describes stems, roots, or pseudobulbs that alternate between thicker and narrower sections.
torridus: Latin: scorched, parched, torrid. Used as a species epithet, often referencing a hot, sun-baked habitat.
tortilis: Latin: twisted or coiled. Used as a species epithet for a twisted petal, lip, or spur.
torusTORE-uhs: The receptacle: the part of the flower stalk to which the floral organs (sepals, petals, and reproductive structures) are attached.
totipotencytoh-TIP-oh-ten-see: The capacity of a single plant cell to give rise to a complete new plant. It is the biological principle that makes tissue-culture propagation possible.
toxicarius: Latin: poisonous. Used as a species epithet for a plant reputed or known to contain toxic compounds.
trailingTRAY-ling: A growth habit in which stems hang or sprawl loosely rather than growing upright, often seen in orchids grown in hanging baskets or mounted.
transcriptiontranz-CRIP-shun: The process by which the genetic information in a gene's DNA is copied into messenger RNA, the first step of gene expression.
translationtranz-LAY-shun: The process by which a ribosome reads messenger RNA to assemble a protein, the step of gene expression that follows transcription.
translucenttranz-LOO-sent: Allowing light to pass through while scattering it, so that objects behind it are not clearly seen; neither opaque nor fully transparent. Often used to describe thin-textured petals or sepals.
transpirationtran-spir-AY-shun: The loss of water vapor from a plant's leaves and stems, chiefly through the stomata. It drives the upward pull of water and nutrients from the roots.
transplantingtranz-PLAN-ting: Moving a plant from one pot or growing medium into another; in orchid culture this is generally called repotting.
transverselytranz-VERS-lee: Oriented crosswise, running at right angles to the long axis of the structure being described.
trapeziformis: Latin: trapezium-shaped, four-sided with unequal sides. Used as a species epithet describing the outline of a leaf, lip, or other flat part.
tree fern: A fern that grows an upright, trunk-like stem sheathed in a dense mass of fibrous roots. That fibrous material, cut into slabs or chunks, makes a long-lasting, free-draining orchid medium, though several source species are now protected and the material is scarce.
tremulus: Latin: trembling or quivering. Used as a species epithet for flower parts or foliage that flutter readily in a breeze.
tri: A prefix meaning three, as in trilobate (three-lobed) or triandrous (three-stamened).
triadTRI-ad: A group or set of three; used in descriptions for parts that occur in threes.
triandrus: Latin: three-stamened, having three fertile anthers. Notable as a species epithet because the great majority of orchids have only a single functional stamen.
tribe: A taxonomic rank between subfamily and genus that groups closely related genera, such as tribe Cymbidieae within the orchid family.
tricarpus: Latin from Greek: three-fruited, or having three carpels. Used as a species epithet.
Trichocentrum: Latin from Greek: thrix/trichos (hair) plus kentron (spur), for the slender, hair-like spur at the base of the lip. A genus of orchids in the Oncidiinae, native to the American tropics.
Trichocerostrik-oh-SER-os: Latin from Greek: thrix (hair) plus keras (horn), referring to the hairy, horn-like appendages on the column that mimic insect antennae. A genus of South American orchids pollinated by pseudocopulation with male flies.
Trichoglottistrik-oh-GLOT-tiss: Latin from Greek: thrix (hair) plus glossa (tongue), referring to the hairy lip. A genus of monopodial orchids from tropical Asia.
trichomeTRYE-kohm: A hair-like outgrowth from a plant's epidermis (outer surface layer). Trichomes may be protective, glandular, or absorptive, and appear on the leaves, roots, or flowers of many orchids.
Trichopiliatrik-oh-PILL-ee-ah: Latin from Greek: thrix (hair) plus pilion (cap), referring to the hairy cap covering the anther. A genus of Central and South American orchids known for large, often fragrant flowers.
Trichosalpinxtrik-oh-SALL-pinks: Latin from Greek: thrix (hair) plus salpinx (trumpet), referring to the hairy, trumpet-shaped sheaths on the stems. A genus of small epiphytic orchids in the Pleurothallidinae.
Trichotosiatrik-oh-TOH-see-ah: Latin from Greek: trichotos (hairy). A genus of tropical Asian orchids in subtribe Eriinae, allied to Eria, notable for densely hairy leaves, stems, and flowers.
tricolorTRI-kuhl-er: Marked with three distinct colors.
tricostatetrye-KOSS-tayt: Having three ribs, or three prominent longitudinal veins, as on a leaf or sepal.
Tridactyletri-DAKT-ee-lee: Latin from Greek: tri (three) plus daktylos (finger), referring to the three finger-like lobes of the lip. A genus of African angraecoid orchids.
tridentatus: Latin: three-toothed, bearing three tooth-like projections. Used as a species epithet, often for the margin of a lip.
trifidus: Latin: three-cleft, divided into three lobes by clefts reaching roughly to the middle. Used as a species epithet.
trifoliatus: Latin: three-leaved, bearing three leaves. Used as a species epithet.
trigenerictrye-jen-ER-ik: Involving three different genera. A trigeneric hybrid combines parents from three distinct orchid genera and is given a combined hybrid-genus name.
Trigonidium: Latin from Greek: trigonon (triangle) with a diminutive ending, referring to the triangular outline formed by the sepals, which stay held together over the smaller petals and lip. A genus of orchids in the Maxillariinae.
trigonousTRI-go-nus: Latin: trigonus, three-angled (from Greek treis, three, plus gonia, angle). Used as a species epithet for a pseudobulb, stem, or capsule that is triangular in cross-section.
trilinguis: Latin: three-tongued, having three tongue-like parts. Used as a species epithet, often describing a three-part lip.
trilobatetrye-LOH-bayt: Divided into three lobes, as a lip with a central lobe flanked by two side lobes.
trimeroustri-MER-us: Having floral parts arranged in sets of three, the basic floral plan of most monocots, orchids included.
trimorphoustri-MOR-fuss: Occurring in three distinct forms, as a species whose flowers or growths take three different shapes.
triploidTRIP-loyd: Having three complete sets of chromosomes rather than the usual two. Triploid orchids are often vigorous, with heavy-substance flowers, but are effectively sterile and make poor breeding parents.
tripudianstrye-PEW-dee-anz: Latin: dancing (present participle of tripudiare, to dance). Used as a species epithet for flowers with a lively, dancing appearance, as in the orchid long known as Oncidium tripudians.
tripunctatus: Latin: three-spotted, marked with three dots or spots. Used as a species epithet.
triquetrus: Latin: three-cornered or three-edged, triangular in cross-section with sharp angles. Used as a species epithet, often for a stem or leaf.
trisectedtri-SEK-ted: Divided into three segments that extend nearly to the base of the structure.
Trisetellatry-se-TELL-ah: Latin: tri (three) plus seta (bristle) with a diminutive ending, referring to the three slender, bristle-like tails on the sepals. A genus of small epiphytic orchids in the Pleurothallidinae, segregated from Masdevallia.
tristis: Latin: sad or dull. Used as a species epithet for flowers of somber, drab, or dark coloring.
triumphanstrye-UM-fanz: Latin: triumphant, exulting (present participle of triumphare). Used as a species epithet for a plant considered especially fine or outstanding.
Trizeuxistrye-ZEWK-siss: Latin from Greek: treis (three) plus zeuxis (a joining, a yoking together). A small, monotypic genus of epiphytic orchids in the Oncidiinae, native to tropical America.
tropicus: Latin: tropical, of the tropics. Used as a species epithet indicating tropical origin or habitat.
TrudeliaTRUE-dell-ee-a: A small genus of fleshy-leaved, monopodial orchids from the Himalayas and mainland Southeast Asia, segregated from Vanda by Garay; most current treatments fold it back into Vanda.
trullaTRULL-ah: Latin: a trowel. In botanical description a trullate outline is trowel-shaped: four-sided, broadest below the middle, with more or less straight sides.
trulliferus: Latin: bearing a trowel-shaped part (trulla, trowel, plus -ferus, bearing).
trulliformis: Latin: trowel-shaped (trulla, trowel, plus -formis, shaped). Used as a species epithet for a lip or leaf whose outline is broadest below the middle with nearly straight sides.
truncatus: Latin: truncate, appearing cut off abruptly at the tip rather than tapering to a point. Used as a species epithet for a leaf or other part with a blunt, squared-off end.
tubatus: Latin: trumpet-shaped (from tuba, trumpet). Used as a species epithet for a flared, trumpet-like lip or flower.
tuberTEW-ber: A swollen underground stem or root that stores food reserves and from which a new plant can grow.
tubercleTEW-ber-kul: A small, wart-like knob or protuberance on a plant surface.
tuberculatus: Latin: covered with small, wart-like bumps (tubercles). Used as a species epithet for a rough, knobby surface.
tuberiferous: Bearing or producing tubers.
tuberoidTEW-ber-oyd: A small, tuber-like underground storage organ found in many terrestrial orchids. Though it resembles a true tuber, it is botanically distinct, and 'tuberoid' is the standard term for it in orchid literature.
tuberosus: Latin: tuberous, bearing tubers or other swollen underground storage parts. Used as a species epithet.
tumidus: Latin: swollen, tumid. Used as a species epithet for a part that is puffed out or inflated.
tunicatus: Latin: sheathed, covered with a tunic-like wrapping. Used as a species epithet for a part enclosed in papery sheaths.
turbinatus: Latin: top-shaped, or turbinate, tapering toward the base like a spinning top. Used as a species epithet describing the shape of a pseudobulb or other part.
turfaceTER-face: A trade name for a calcined (kiln-fired) clay granule product, sometimes used as a component of orchid potting mixes for its porous structure and moisture-holding capacity.
turgidus: Latin: swollen or turgid, distended with fluid. Used as a species epithet.
type: In taxonomy, the specimen, illustration, or other element permanently attached to a scientific name, fixing what that name applies to.
type specimentipe SPEH-sih-men: The specific preserved specimen designated as the permanent reference point for a species' scientific name.
typicus: Latin: typical, of the type. Formerly used in names such as 'var. typica' for the variety containing the species type; the botanical code now requires an autonym repeating the species epithet instead.

U

ubiquitousyoo-BIK-wi-tuhs: Found everywhere; widespread across many habitats or regions.
uliginosus: Latin: growing in marshy or swampy ground. Used as a species epithet indicating a wetland habitat.
umbelUM-bell: An inflorescence in which the flower stalks all radiate from a single point at the top of the main stem, like the ribs of an umbrella.
umbellateUM-bell-ayt: Arranged in an umbel, with flower stalks radiating from a common point.
umbelletUM-bell-et: A small, secondary umbel that forms one branch of a larger compound umbel.
umbrosus: Latin: shady, growing in shaded habitats. Used as a species epithet.
uncinatus: Latin: hooked, bearing a hook-shaped tip. Used as a species epithet.
undulatus: Latin: wavy-margined, undulating. Used as a species epithet for petals, leaves, or margins that ripple like waves.
unguiculatus: Latin: clawed, narrowed at the base into a small, claw-like stalk. Used as a species epithet, often for a petal with a narrowed base.
uni: A prefix meaning one, as in uniflorus (one-flowered) or unifoliate (one-leaved).
unicornis: Latin: one-horned (uni-, one, plus cornu, horn). Used as a species epithet for a part bearing a single horn-like projection.
uniflorus: Latin: single-flowered, bearing only one flower per stem or inflorescence. Used as a species epithet.
unifoliateyew-ni-FOH-lee-ayt: Bearing a single leaf, as a pseudobulb topped by just one leaf.
unilateralyew-ni-LAT-er-ul: On one side only, as flowers arranged along just one side of an inflorescence.
unisexualyew-ni-SEK-shu-al: Having flowers that are either male or female, but not both, unlike the bisexual flowers typical of most orchids.
urceolatus: Latin: urn-shaped (from urceus, pitcher or urn). Used as a species epithet for a flower or part with a constricted, urn-like form.
urensYEW-renz: Latin: burning or stinging (present participle of urere, to burn). Used as a species epithet, often for an irritant sap or a fiery coloration.
urophyllus: Latin from Greek: oura (tail) plus phyllon (leaf), i.e. tail-leaved. Used as a species epithet for a leaf drawn out into a slender, tail-like tip.
ursinus: Latin: bear-like, pertaining to a bear. Used as a species epithet, often for a shaggy texture or brownish coloring.
utilis: Latin: useful. Used as a species epithet for a plant with a known practical use.
utricleYEW-trih-kuhl: A small, thin-walled, bladder-like sac.
utricularioidesyew-trik-yew-layr-ee-OY-deez: Latin: resembling the genus Utricularia (bladderwort), itself from utriculus, a small bladder. Best known in Ionopsis utricularioides, whose airy sprays of small flowers were thought to recall that genus.
utriculatus: Latin: bearing small bladder-like sacs (utricles). Used as a species epithet.

V

vagansVAY-ganz: Latin: wandering or straggling (present participle of vagari, to wander). Used as a species epithet for a loosely spreading or rambling growth habit.
vaginatus: Latin: sheathed, enclosed in a sheath (vagina). Used as a species epithet for a stem clasped by leaf sheaths.
valid publicationVAL-id: In botanical nomenclature, publication of a name that meets the code's requirements: effective publication, an acceptable form, a description or diagnosis, and a type where required. It fixes the name's date of priority but does not by itself make the name legitimate or correct.
validus: Latin: strong, robust, vigorous. Used as a species epithet for a particularly sturdy or vigorous plant.
valleculavuh-LEK-yuh-luh: A groove or furrow running between ridges on a plant surface, such as a ribbed stem, pseudobulb, or seed capsule.
valvateVAL-vayt: Describing plant parts, such as sepals or petals in bud, that meet edge-to-edge without overlapping; also describes a capsule that splits open into distinct valves at maturity.
valve: One of the segments into which a dehiscent fruit, such as an orchid seed capsule, splits open at maturity to release its contents.
VandaVAN-da: A genus of epiphytic orchids native to South and Southeast Asia, prized for large, flat, brightly patterned flowers; most species need warm temperatures, high light, and free-draining or basket culture. The name comes from a Sanskrit vernacular name for these plants.
vandaceousvan-DAY-shuss: Describing orchids in the Vanda alliance (Vanda, Ascocentrum, Rhynchostylis, and relatives), which share a monopodial growth habit and similar cultural needs.
Vandopsisvan-DOP-siss: A genus of large, monopodial epiphytic orchids from Southeast Asia; the name combines Vanda with the Greek suffix '-opsis' (resembling), reflecting its similarity to that genus.
Vanillava-NIL-la: A genus of climbing, vining orchids that root along a long stem, including Vanilla planifolia, the source of vanilla flavoring extracted from its cured seed pods. The name comes from Spanish 'vainilla,' meaning 'little pod.'
variabilis: Latin: variable. Used as a species epithet for taxa that show notable variation in color, size, or form.
variegatus: Latin: variegated. Used as a species epithet for plants with patterned, multicolored, or blotched leaves or flowers.
varietalvuh-RYE-eh-tuhl: Relating to a botanical variety; used to describe a trait that distinguishes one variety of a species from its typical form.
varietyvuh-RYE-eh-tee: A taxonomic rank below subspecies, denoting a naturally occurring population that differs consistently from the typical form of a species in some minor trait; abbreviated 'var.'
vascularVAS-kewl-er: Relating to the internal conducting tissues, xylem and phloem, that move water, minerals, and sugars through a plant.
vegetativeVEJ-i-tay-tiv: Relating to a plant's non-flowering growth and structures, or to asexual reproduction from plant parts rather than seed.
vegetative propagationVEJ-i-tay-tiv prah-pah-GAY-shun: Producing new plants asexually from vegetative parts, such as divisions, keikis, or back bulbs, rather than from seed; the resulting offspring are genetically identical to the parent.
vegetus: Latin: vigorous, lively. Used as a species epithet for a robust, strong-growing plant.
vein: A vascular strand visible in a leaf or other flat organ, conducting water and nutrients while also providing structural support.
velamenVEL-lah-min: The spongy, often silvery-white layer of dead epidermal cells covering the aerial roots of many epiphytic orchids; it absorbs water and dissolved nutrients rapidly and cushions the living root core.
velamentousvel-ah-MEN-tus: Having, or characteristic of, velamen; describes roots covered by that spongy, absorptive outer layer.
velaris: Latin: of a veil or curtain, from velum. Used in epithets for a veil-like or membranous covering on a plant part.
velatus: Latin: veiled, covered. Used as a species epithet describing a part of the flower that appears draped or covered.
veloxVEE-loks: Latin: swift, fast. Used as a species epithet, generally suggesting rapid growth or early flowering.
velutinus: Latin: velvety. Describes a surface, such as a lip or leaf, covered with fine, soft hairs giving a velvet-like texture.
venosus: Latin: veiny. Describes conspicuous or prominent venation on a leaf or floral segment.
ventralVEN-trahl: The inner or adaxial surface of an organ, the side facing the axis, as opposed to the dorsal or abaxial surface. On an orchid lip, the ventral face is the one turned toward the column.
ventricosus: Latin: swollen or bellied on one side. Describes a pouch-like or inflated swelling, as in a lip, spur, or sepal.
venustus: Latin: beautiful, charming. Used as a species epithet praising an attractive appearance.
veratrifolius: Latin: with leaves like Veratrum. Describes pleated, lance-shaped foliage resembling that genus of false hellebores.
verecundus: Latin: modest, bashful. Used as a species epithet, usually for a plant or flower of unassuming size or coloring.
vermiculitever-MIH-cuhl-ite: A lightweight mineral that expands when heated, used in potting mixes to hold moisture and improve aeration; common as a component in seedling and terrestrial orchid media.
vernalVER-nuhl: Relating to spring; describes a plant that characteristically flowers or grows in springtime.
vernalis: Latin: of spring. Used as a species epithet for plants that typically flower in spring.
vernationver-NAY-shun: The way young leaves are arranged and folded within a bud before they unfurl, such as rolled, pleated, or folded.
vernicosus: Latin: varnished, glossy. Describes a shiny, lacquered-looking surface on a leaf or floral part.
verrucosus: Latin: warty. Describes a surface covered with small, wart-like protrusions, such as on a lip callus or capsule.
versicolorVER-si-kul-er: Latin: variously colored, of changing color. Used as a species epithet for flowers that carry several colors at once, or that shift hue as they age.
verticilVER-ti-sill: A whorl: a ring of similar structures, such as leaves or flowers, arising from a single point around a stem.
verticillastrateVER-ti-sill-a-strayt: Arranged in a false whorl: structures that appear to radiate from one point on the stem but actually arise from closely clustered opposite pairs.
verticillatus: Latin: whorled. Used as a species epithet for plants whose leaves or flowers are arranged in whorls around the stem.
verus: Latin: true, genuine. Used in some epithets to denote the typical or original form of a species, as distinguished from similar or related plants.
vescus: Latin: thin, feeble, frail. Used as a species epithet for a slender or diminutive plant.
vesicleVESS-i-kul: A small bladder- or blister-like sac or cavity, usually filled with fluid or air.
vespertinus: Latin: of the evening. Used as a species epithet for flowers that open, or are most fragrant, in the evening.
vestalis: Latin: virginal, pure white (from the Vestal virgins). Used as a species epithet for pure white-flowered forms.
vestigialves-TIJ-ee-al: Describes a structure that is reduced, non-functional, or greatly diminished compared with the fuller form it had in an ancestor.
vestitus: Latin: clothed, covered. Used as a species epithet for a plant covered with hairs, scales, or another coating.
vexillaris: Latin: of a banner or standard. Used as a species epithet for a flag-like or banner-shaped floral part, often an enlarged petal or sepal.
vexillarius: Latin: bearing a banner or standard. Used as a species epithet with the same sense as vexillaris, describing a banner-like floral segment.
viabilityvye-a-BILL-ih-tee: The capacity of a seed, pollen grain, or seedling to germinate, grow, or develop successfully.
viableVYE-a-buhl: Capable of living, germinating, or developing normally, as in a viable seed or a viable pollinium.
viaticalVYE-at-ih-kuhl: Growing by the roadside; said of plants that establish themselves along roads and paths.
villosus: Latin: shaggy-haired, covered with soft long hairs. Describes a densely and softly hairy surface.
vinosus: Latin: wine-colored. Describes a wine-red or purplish-red coloration.
violaceus: Latin: violet-colored. Describes a violet or purple hue.
violescensvye-oh-LESS-enz: Latin: becoming violet. Describes a color that shades or shifts toward violet or purple.
virensVYE-renz: Latin: green, greening. Describes a fresh or vivid green coloration.
virescensvih-REH-senz: Latin: turning green. Describes a greenish tint appearing in a flower or part that is normally another color.
virgatus: Latin: twiggy, wand-like. Describes slender, straight, upright growth resembling a rod or wand.
virginalis: Latin: virginal, pure white. Used as a species epithet, often for a pure white-flowered form.
viridescensveer-i-DESS-enz: Latin: becoming green. Describes green coloration developing in a part of the plant, similar in sense to virescens.
viridiflorus: Latin: green-flowered. Used as a species epithet for a plant with green flowers.
viridipurpureus: Latin: green and purple. Describes a bicolor combination of green and purple markings.
viridis: Latin: green. A basic color descriptor used in species epithets for green-colored plant parts.
virusVYE-russ: A submicroscopic infectious agent that can infect orchids, producing symptoms such as mottling, streaking, or necrotic spotting; it spreads mechanically through sap, tools, or contact, has no cure, and infected plants should be isolated or discarded.
viscidVISS-id: Sticky or gluey; describes an adhesive surface, such as the sticky pad that attaches an orchid's pollinia to a pollinator.
viscidiumvi-SID-ee-um: The sticky pad at the base of an orchid's pollinarium that adheres to a visiting pollinator so the pollinia are carried away intact to another flower.
vitellinus: Latin: egg-yolk yellow. Describes a rich, deep yellow-orange coloration.
vittatus: Latin: striped, banded. Describes longitudinal stripes or bands of color on a flower or leaf.
volubilis: Latin: twining, winding. Used as a species epithet for stems that climb by winding themselves around a support.
voluteVOH-lewt: Rolled or coiled into a spiral shape, as in a rolled leaf margin or curled floral segment.
volutus: Latin: rolled, coiled. Used as a species epithet describing a rolled-up form, such as of a leaf or petal.
vulcanicus: Latin: of volcanoes. Used as a species epithet for plants found growing on or near volcanic terrain.
vulgaris: Latin: common, ordinary. Used as a species epithet for a widespread or frequently encountered species.
Vuylstekearavowl-schtayk-ee-AH-rah: A nothogenus name for hybrids combining Cochlioda, Miltonia, and Odontoglossum, named after the Belgian orchid breeder Charles Vuylsteke.

W

Warczewiczellavar-shuh-vi-CHEL-lah: A genus of epiphytic orchids from Central and South America, named after the Polish plant collector Jozef Warszewicz.
warm house: A greenhouse or growing area kept at higher temperatures, typically with winter nights no cooler than about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, suited to tropical, lowland-origin orchids such as Phalaenopsis and Vanda.
Warmingiawar-MING-ee-a: A small genus of epiphytic orchids native to South America, named after the Danish botanist Eugenius Warming.
WarreaWARR-ee-ah: A genus of terrestrial orchids from Central and South America with pleated leaves and cup-shaped flowers, named after Frederick Warre, a 19th-century English plant collector.
WarrellaWAR-ee-a: Not a published genus name. The name intended is Warreella Schlechter (1914), an accepted genus of two terrestrial species from the mountains of Colombia and Venezuela, named as a segregate of Warrea.
weed: A plant growing vigorously where it is not wanted, competing with cultivated plants for light, water, and nutrients; in a pot, weedy growth such as moss or liverwort should be removed.
wetting agentWET-ing AY-gent: A surfactant added to water or spray solutions to reduce surface tension, so the liquid spreads evenly and penetrates waxy surfaces such as orchid leaves and potting media.
whorl: A ring of three or more similar structures, such as leaves, bracts, or floral parts, arising from a single point on a stem.
Williams, Louis O.: 20th-century American botanist known for his taxonomic work on the flora and orchids of Central America, long associated with Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.
wing: A flattened, membranous extension or flange along the margin of a plant part, such as a winged column, stem, or seed capsule seen in many orchids.
WOC: Abbreviation for World Orchid Conference, the periodic international gathering of orchid societies, growers, and breeders.
woollyWUL-lee: Describing a surface covered with long, soft, tangled hairs resembling wool.
World Orchid Conference: An international conference held roughly every three years, bringing together orchid societies, growers, and breeders for exhibits, judging, lectures, and scientific programs; commonly abbreviated WOC.
wort: An old English word (from Old English 'wyrt,' meaning plant or root) used as a suffix in the common names of various plants, such as liverwort; not specific to orchids.

X

xanthinus: Latin, from Greek xanthos: yellow. Used as a species epithet for a yellow-colored flower or part.
xantholeucus: Latin/Greek: yellow and white. Used as a species epithet for a bicolor combination of yellow and white.
xanthophlebius: Latin/Greek: with yellow veins. Describes yellow venation on a leaf or floral segment.
xanthophyllus: Latin/Greek: yellow-leaved. Used as a species epithet for a plant with yellow-colored foliage.
xanthous: Describes a yellow or yellowish coloration, from the Greek 'xanthos.'
xaximSHAH-sheem: A fibrous material derived from the trunks of tropical tree ferns, traditionally used as a potting or mounting medium for epiphytic orchids; harvest is now restricted in many places due to conservation concerns over tree fern populations.
xerophyteZEER-oh-fite: A plant adapted to survive with limited water availability, through features such as thick cuticles, water-storing tissue, or reduced leaf surface; many orchids show xerophytic adaptations like pseudobulbs and thick leaves.
xiphifolius: Latin: with sword-shaped leaves. Used as a species epithet for narrow, blade-like foliage.
xylemZYE-lem: The vascular tissue that conducts water and dissolved minerals from the roots upward through a plant.
Xylobiumzye-LOH-bee-um: A genus of mostly epiphytic orchids from Central and South America with clustered pseudobulbs and pleated leaves; the name, from Greek 'xylon' (wood) and 'bios' (life), refers to the habit of growing on tree trunks.

Y

Young, Eric: British businessman and orchid grower of the mid-20th century whose collection and endowment established the Eric Young Orchid Foundation in Jersey, known for Phragmipedium and Odontoglossum-alliance breeding.

Z

zebrinus: Latin: striped like a zebra. Used as a species epithet for a zebra-like striping pattern.
zeylanicus: Latin: of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Used as a species epithet indicating origin from Sri Lanka.
zonatus: Latin: zoned, banded. Describes a pattern of concentric color zones or bands, as in a zoned lip or leaf.
Zootrophion: A genus of small epiphytic orchids in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae, native to Central and South America and segregated from Pleurothallis; the fleshy sepals fuse into a closed, cage-like flower with a small opening on each side.
zygomorphiczye-go-MOR-fik: Describes a flower with only one plane of symmetry, dividing it into mirror-image halves along a single axis, as in nearly all orchid flowers.
Zygosepalum: A genus of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids native to South America, in the Zygopetalum alliance; the name, from Greek 'zygon' (yoke), refers to the lateral sepals appearing joined at the base.
zygoteZYE-goht: The diploid cell formed by the fusion of male and female gametes at fertilization, which develops into the embryo.