Orchid Dictionary
Orchid Dictionary
Orchid Dictionary
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A<br />
Abaxial: a surface that is turned to face the base instead<br />
of towards the apex<br />
Aberrant: differing from the normal form or atypical<br />
Abortive: [in reproductive organs] not completely formed<br />
and therefore barren or sterile [in seeds] failed to develop<br />
normally<br />
Abscission layer: the juncture between the leaf and stem<br />
where there is a weak spot from which the leaf will fall.<br />
Acaulescent: refers to the absence or seeming absence<br />
of a stem by being very short or underground<br />
Acicular: Needle-shaped - usually round in crossection<br />
Acinaciform: scimitar shaped<br />
Acinose: resembling a bunch of grapes<br />
Aculeiform: resembling a pickle<br />
Acuminate: with leaves and bracts with the tip, or occasionally<br />
the base tapering gradually to a point, usually<br />
with somewhat concave sides<br />
Acute: apical angle that is greater than 45' and less than<br />
90'<br />
Adherent: different parts touching but not joined<br />
Adnate: attached along the entire length of two different<br />
flower parts i.e. the petal to a column.<br />
Afoliate: leafless<br />
Ageotropic: growing up against gravity, i.e. roots of Catasetum,<br />
Ansella and Grammatophylum<br />
Aggregate: clustered together, close set<br />
Agglomerate: crowded together in a head<br />
Agglutinate: glued together -such as pollen masses in<br />
orchids<br />
Aerial: free hanging and exposed to the air.<br />
Alate: having a wing<br />
Alliance: a group of related genera - the Pleurothallis alliance<br />
- refers to those in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae -<br />
The Cattleya alliance - refers to those that can breed with<br />
it but are in the subtribe Laeliinae<br />
Alternate: arranged in 2 ranks not parallel but alternating<br />
Amplexicaul: enlarged and embracing or clasping the<br />
stem<br />
Ampulla: a bladder shaped organ<br />
Ampullaceous: bladder-shaped<br />
Ancipitous: with 2 sharp edges<br />
Andean: from the Andes mountains of western South<br />
America<br />
Angraecoid: an orchid related to Angraecum by being in<br />
the genus or a similar one<br />
Annular: ring forming or in rings<br />
Annulate: ring shaped<br />
Annulus: a node near the apex of the ramicaul and is the<br />
origination of the spathe or sheath that gives rise to the<br />
inflorescence<br />
Anterior: the front side<br />
Anther: the part of the stamen that holds the pollina.<br />
Anther cap: the cover of the pollina on the exterior of the<br />
anther that detaches with the pollina when a pollinator<br />
comes by.<br />
Apetalous: without petals<br />
Apex: the tip: plural: Apices<br />
Aphyllous: lacking leaves<br />
Apical: at or pertaining to the tip of any part of a plant -<br />
see photo link<br />
Apiculate: having an acute tip<br />
Apicule: short, sharp point or acute tip<br />
Applanate: flattened<br />
Apressed: set closely against<br />
Approximate: very closely set, but not co-joined<br />
Arcuate: arched
Aristate: having a long, narrow projection with bristles<br />
Aromatic: scented or fragrant<br />
Articulate: jointed<br />
Ascending: growing upward<br />
Asexual: without sex characteristics, sexless<br />
Asperous: rough<br />
Asperulous: very rough surface - having short hard projections<br />
or points<br />
Asymmetrical: irregular in outline or shape, in a flower<br />
that is incapable of being bisected into two equal halves<br />
in any direction<br />
Attenuate: tapering finely and concavely to a long drawn<br />
out point<br />
Auricle: a lobe shaped like an ear at the base of a lamina<br />
Autogamous: self-fertilizing<br />
Awn: a group of bristle-like appendages<br />
Axil: the angle formed by the stem and a leaf or bract<br />
Axillary: arising from the axil of a leaf, or bract - see<br />
photo link<br />
Axis: The central stem or column from which the organs<br />
originate<br />
B<br />
Bacciform: berry-shaped<br />
Bacilliform: rod or club-shaped<br />
Back bulb: an old pseudobulbs sometimes leafless<br />
Backcross: a cross between a hybrid and one of it's parent<br />
plants<br />
Baculiform: rod-like<br />
Barb: a hooked semi-rigid hair<br />
Barbate: bearded<br />
Barbed: bristles and hairs that are hooked backwards or<br />
downwards<br />
Barbellae: short, stiff hairs found on the lip<br />
Basal from the base of an organ - see photo link<br />
Beak: a, long pointed, horn like projection, often hollow<br />
beneath<br />
Biauriculate: furnished with two auricles or ears<br />
Bibracteolate: furnished with two bracteoles or minor<br />
bract<br />
Bicalcarate: two-spurred<br />
Bicallose: with two callosities or 2 hard or leathery thickenings<br />
on an organ<br />
Bicarinate: two keeled<br />
Bicornute: two horned<br />
Bicrenate: scalloped with rounded teeth that have<br />
rounded teeth themselves<br />
Bicuspidate: Having two prongs<br />
Bidentate: Having two teeth<br />
Bifid: Being divided into two distinct parts with a deep<br />
cleft<br />
Bifoliate: having two leaves<br />
Bifurcate: branching into, or twice forked<br />
Bilateral: having two vertical planes<br />
Bilobate: having two earlike structures or lobes<br />
Bilobed: having two lobes or earlike projections<br />
Bipartite: divided into two parts<br />
Biserial: arranged in two rows<br />
Biserratew: with a row of double saw teeth<br />
Bisexual: a flower that has both a stamen and a pistil<br />
Bivalvate: having two valves<br />
Blade: the expanded part of a leaf excluding the petiole,<br />
leaf sheath and the claw of the perianth segment
Blunt: rounded, as in a leaf or bud tip<br />
Botuliform: sausage-shaped<br />
Bract: a modfied leaf on a flowering stem usually just below<br />
the flower or along the inflorescence<br />
Bracteate: having bracts<br />
Bracteole: a small bract below a flower<br />
Bulbous: a stem swollen at the base<br />
Bullate: having a raised surface between veins<br />
C<br />
Cactiform: succulent stems resembling cacti<br />
Caducous: soon falling, as in leaves<br />
Caespitose: tufted, occurring in tiny thick clumps, matted;<br />
used as a growth habit description<br />
Calcarate: Having a spur<br />
Calceiform: shoe shaped or shoe like<br />
Calceolate: in the shape of a slipper<br />
Calcicole: plant that favors calcareous soils<br />
Calciform: shaped like a shoe or slipper<br />
Callose: bearing callosities or having a hard thickened<br />
surface<br />
Callosity: a hard bump<br />
Callus, plural Callis: a swelled area especially of the labellum<br />
Calyx: all the sepals combined [separate or united] forming<br />
the outer covering of the floral envelope<br />
Campanulate: bell shaped<br />
Canaliculate: with a longitudinal groove<br />
Canescent: densely covered by short gray-white hairs<br />
Capillary: hair like<br />
Capitate Arranged in heads or; ending in a knob or or-<br />
bicular tip<br />
Capitulum: a dense cluster of flowers at the head of an<br />
inflorescence as in reed stem Epidendrums<br />
Capsule: a seed pod which formed from a flower that was<br />
fertilized on an inflorescence of most orchids<br />
Carina: a keel, midvein of a leaf, petal or sepal<br />
Carinate: having a keel<br />
Carnose: fleshy<br />
Cartilaginous: hard and tough in texture yet pliable<br />
Caruncle: a small lumpy outgrowth<br />
Cassideous: helmet-shaped<br />
Castaneous: chestnut or deep reddish brown colored<br />
Cauda: a tail like growth<br />
Caudate: adjective of Cauda as in a caudate pseudobulbs<br />
or sepal<br />
Caudicle: a star like object that is attached to the pollina<br />
of orchids<br />
Caulescent: having a leafy stem<br />
Cauline: attached to or arising from the stem<br />
Cavate: hollowed out<br />
Cernuous: nodding or nutant flowers<br />
Channeled: grooved longitudinally<br />
Chartaceous: thin and papery as in a bract or sheath<br />
Chelate: lobster claw like<br />
Cilia: fine hairs<br />
Ciliate: fine hairs around the edges of organs<br />
Ciliolate: having a marginal fringe of fine hairs<br />
Cinereous: ashy gray<br />
Circinate: coiled into a spiral<br />
Cirrhous: an apex that terminates in a coiled or spiraling
continuation of the midrib<br />
Cirrus: Latin for fringe or tendril<br />
Clambering: vine climbing without support of tendrils or<br />
twining stems i.e. Vanilla<br />
Clasping: partially or entirely enveloping the base of an<br />
organ; such as a leaf clasping the stem<br />
Clavate: club-shaped<br />
Clavellate: a diminutive club shape<br />
Claviform: club-shaped<br />
Claw: the stalk like base of the petal, sepal or labellum<br />
Cliestogamous: self-fertilizing<br />
Clinandrium: the depression where the pollina sets at the<br />
head of the column<br />
Clone: exact genetic duplicate created from an original<br />
donor through a process known as meristeming where a<br />
piece of the meristematic growth eye of a new pseudobulbs<br />
is taken and through a process, a group of<br />
clones is created.<br />
Clypeate: sheild-shaped<br />
Coarctate: crowded together<br />
Cochlear, Cochleariform: spoon-shaped<br />
Cochleate: coiled like a snail's shell<br />
Coherent: similar parts that are somewhat joined but not<br />
fused<br />
Column: the hub of an orchid that holds the flowers sexual<br />
organs, the stamen and the pistil<br />
Column Foot: a basal platform between the column and<br />
the lip<br />
Compicate: folded over onto itself<br />
Complanate: flattened or compressed<br />
Compressed: flattened laterally<br />
Concatenate: linked in a chain<br />
Concolor: all one color<br />
Conduplicate: folded face to face<br />
Conferted: crowded<br />
Confluent: merging together<br />
Congested: crowded<br />
Conglomerate: tightly congested - often ball-like<br />
Congregate: gathered into close proximity<br />
Conical: cone shaped<br />
Connate: groups of similar parts united at their bases<br />
Connivent: merging but not fused<br />
Conspecific: of the same species<br />
Conspicuous: easily visible - enlarged or showy, prominent<br />
Constipate: crowded or massed together<br />
Constricted: abruptly narrowed or contracted<br />
Contiguous: touching parts that are not fused<br />
Contorted: twisted or bent<br />
Contracted: narrowed or shortened<br />
Convergent: coming into contact yet not fused<br />
Convolute: pleated or rolled like an umbrella<br />
Corraloid: resembling coral in structure<br />
Cordate: heart shaped<br />
Cordiform: heart shaped<br />
Coriaceous: leathery texture<br />
Corm: the swollen, solid, subterranean, bulb-like stem or<br />
stem base<br />
Corniculate: having small horn-like protruberance<br />
Cornute: horn-shaped<br />
Corolla: The second lower most whorl of sterile parts of a<br />
flower, and each member is termed a petal
Corrugate: loosely wrinkled or crumpled<br />
Corymb: a racemose inflorescence that has the lower<br />
flowers at the same height as the upper, the outermost<br />
flowers open first<br />
Corymbose: having a corymb shape<br />
Corymbiform: having a corymb shape<br />
Costa: a single pronounced midvein or midrib<br />
Costate: having a single pronounced midrib or midvein<br />
Crassinode: nodes that are swollen<br />
Crenate: scalloped or toothed<br />
Crenulate: toothed margins<br />
Crest: a dentate elevation or ridge<br />
Crispate: curled<br />
Cristate: crested<br />
Cruciate: cross-shaped<br />
Cruciform: cross-shaped<br />
Ctenoid: comb-like<br />
Cubiform: dice-shaped<br />
Cucullate: arched into a hood<br />
Cucumiform: cucumber-like<br />
Cultrate: Knife-shaped<br />
Cultriform: resembling a knife blade<br />
Cuneate: wedge shaped<br />
Cuneiform: wedge shaped<br />
Cupreous: color or luster of copper<br />
Cusp: a short, stiff, abrupt point<br />
Cuspidate: ending in a sharp hard point<br />
Cuspidulate: minutely ending in a sharp point<br />
Cyclic: having whorls or circles<br />
Cymbiform: boat shaped<br />
Cymose: an inflorescence that is divaricately broad, of<br />
determinate or centrifugal type - see photo link<br />
D<br />
Dactyloid, Dactylose: finger-like<br />
Deciduous: sheds leaves in a certain season<br />
Declinate: bent down or forward<br />
Declined: bent down or forward<br />
Decrescent: gradually reducing in size<br />
Decumbent: when the stem lays close to the ground<br />
Decurrent: extending outwards<br />
Decurved: curved downward<br />
Deflexed: bent outwards<br />
Deltoid: triangular with rounded corners<br />
Dentate: toothed<br />
Denticulate: fine toothed<br />
Dentiform: tooth-shaped<br />
Denudate: Stripped or made bar<br />
Depauperate: organs that through selection can dessicate<br />
or be ill-formed as if starved, yet are perfectly<br />
healthy and are adapted to deal with environmental<br />
stress<br />
Dependant: hanging down from the weight of flowers or<br />
fruit<br />
Deplanate: flattened or expanded<br />
Depressed: flattened down as if pressed from above<br />
Descending: tending to go gradually downwards<br />
Diaphanous: transparent<br />
Dichotomous: forked in pairs, or repeatedly divided into<br />
branches
Difform: dissimilar<br />
Diffuse: spreading out widely<br />
Digitate: fingered<br />
Digonous: two-angled<br />
Dilated /Dilating: broadened, expanding<br />
Dilation: widens into a blade<br />
Dimorphic / Dimorhpous: occurring in two different<br />
shapes or forms<br />
Disc: the upper surface or face of the central labellum<br />
Disciform: circular and flattened<br />
Discoid: disc-shaped<br />
Dissected: leaves or flattened organs that are cut in any<br />
way [lacinate, lacerate, incised, palmatisect, or pinnatisect<br />
Distal: towards the free end of an organ<br />
Distant: opposite of proximate - widely spaced flowers,<br />
pseudobulbs or leaves<br />
Distichous: leaves or flowers borne in to opposite ranks<br />
Distinct: Separate - not connate or otherwise united or<br />
fused - easily distinguishable, evident or obvious<br />
Divaricate: widely diverging<br />
Divergent: broadly spreading from the center<br />
Dolabriform: hatchet-shaped<br />
Doleiform: barrel-shaped<br />
Dorsal: relating to the side facing farthest away from the<br />
axis of a flower<br />
Dorsal sepal: the upper-most sepal in nonresupinate orchid<br />
flowers<br />
Dorsifixed: any organ that is attached with the dorsal surface<br />
to another<br />
Dorsiventral: flattened with a separate dorsal and ventral<br />
side i.e. most leaves and leaf blades<br />
Downy: finely haired or pubescent<br />
E<br />
Ebracteate: bractless<br />
Ecallose: without calli<br />
Eccentric: off center or one sided<br />
Echinate: prickly<br />
Echinulate: Covered with spiney points<br />
Eciliate: without cilia<br />
Eglandular: without glands<br />
Eligulate: without ligules or not ligulate<br />
Ellipsoid: a compressed sphere<br />
Elliptic: oblong with regular rounded ends<br />
Elongate: stretched or extended<br />
Emarginate: notched usually at the apex<br />
Embracing: clasping at the base<br />
Endemic: confined to a particular area<br />
Ensiform: sword shaped<br />
Entire: divisionless or without irregularity<br />
Ephemeral: very short-lived, fleeting<br />
Epichile: The end part of a jointed labellum of some orchids<br />
Epidermis: the outer layer of the periderm<br />
Epigeal: on or above the soil<br />
Epilithic: occurring on rocks<br />
Epiphyllic/ Epiphyllous; growing from or positioned on a<br />
leaf -flowers and inflorescence<br />
Epiphyte: orchids occurring on trees but not parasitic<br />
Equitant: each leaf is folded along it's length and encloses<br />
the leaf that is younger
Erianthous: wooly flowered<br />
Erinose: covered with sharp points or hairs - prickly<br />
Erose: jagged, bitten or gnawed<br />
Evanescent: Soon vanishing<br />
Evolute: unfolded<br />
Exarate: grooved<br />
Eccentric: off center or one sided<br />
Explanate: flat or spread out<br />
Exsert: extend beyond<br />
Extrorse: turned or facing out - abaxial<br />
Eye: the incipent bud of a growth<br />
F<br />
Falcate: sickle shaped<br />
Farinaceous: resembling flour<br />
Farinose: a texture - see photo link<br />
Fascile:a cluster or head of flowers, stems, leaves, stems<br />
or roots that are most always independent by seem to<br />
arise from a single point<br />
Fasciculate: an inflorescence that has all the flowers radiating<br />
from a base point - see photo link<br />
Faucet gland: A tap like gland on coryanthes that secretes<br />
smelly liquid<br />
Fenestrate: with window-like areas<br />
Ferruginous: brown red, rust colored<br />
Fibrillose: having thread-like fibers or scales<br />
Fibrose: woody and stringy texture<br />
Filament: a thread-like hair, organ or appendage<br />
Filliform: thread like<br />
Fimbria: fringe<br />
Fimbriate: fringed with hair or thread like growths<br />
Fissile: easily split<br />
Fistulose / Fistular: pipe-like, hollow and cylindrical<br />
Flabellate: fan-shaped often pleated and nerved<br />
Flabelliform: fan shaped<br />
Flaccid: flabby<br />
Flagellate: having whip-like growths<br />
Flagelliform: whip like<br />
Flavescent: Yellowish<br />
Flexuose: zigzag<br />
Floccose: having woolly hairs that fall away easily<br />
Flocculent/flocculose: woolly<br />
Floriferous: having many flowers and or often<br />
Foliaceous: leaf like<br />
Foliate: having leaves<br />
Foveolar: pitted or with small depressions<br />
Fractiflex zigzag<br />
Free: separate, not fused, distinct<br />
Fringed: having hairs or outgrowths around the margin<br />
Fugacious: soon withering<br />
Funneleiform: funnel-like<br />
Furcate: forked into two<br />
Furfuraceous: scruffy, scaly or flaky<br />
Furrowed: channeled or grooved lengthwise<br />
Fuscous: blackish-gray<br />
Fused: fully amalgamated to make a whole<br />
Fusiform: spindle shaped<br />
Fusoid: slightly fusiform
G<br />
Galea: helmet shaped structure such as in the flowers of<br />
pterostylis<br />
Galeate: helmet-shaped<br />
Gammate: shaped like a greek letter, 'Gamma'<br />
Geminate: paired<br />
Geniculate: bent as a knee<br />
Geniculum: a joint or node that is bent sharply like a knee<br />
Genus: the smallest group of species that have certain<br />
essential characteristics in common, the first word in any<br />
scientific biological name is the genus and the second is<br />
the species, i.e., Cattleya skinnerii.<br />
Geophyte: terrestrials that have a large water storage capability<br />
to survive arid conditions<br />
Gibbous: with a swollen spur<br />
Glabrous: hairless or having a smooth surface<br />
Gladiate: sword-like<br />
Gland: any organ or cells that secrete a fluid<br />
Glandular: gland bearing<br />
Glaucescent: somewhat glaucose<br />
Glaucose: pale blue green or grayish green furze that<br />
easily wipes off<br />
Globose: almost round<br />
Glomerate amassed in one or more dense or compact<br />
clusters<br />
Glumaceous scaly in the sense of bracts<br />
Glutinose: covered with a sticky or wet substance<br />
Graminaceous: grassy or grass-like<br />
Gynostemium: An alternate name for the column.<br />
H<br />
Hamate: hooked apically<br />
Hastate: spear-shaped or arrow-shaped<br />
Helicoid: spirally clustered, snail or spring-shaped<br />
Herbaceous: without woody tissue<br />
Hermaphroditic: having both male and female sexual organs<br />
in the same flower<br />
Heteranthous: a growth that produces neither pseudobulbs<br />
or leaf yet from which a new inflorescence arises<br />
Heterophyllous: having two or more leaf forms on the<br />
same plant either at once or at different times<br />
Hippocrepiform: horseshoe-shaped<br />
Hirsute: covered with long hairs- see photo link<br />
Hirsutullous: somewhat hirsute<br />
Hirtellous: minutely hirsute<br />
Hirtuse: same as hirsute<br />
Hispid: with bristles or strong hairs<br />
Hispidulous: minutely hispid<br />
Hoary: covered with white or gray hairs<br />
Homogamous: having hermaphrodite flowers<br />
Hooded: cucullate<br />
Horn: an outgrowth that is shaped like an animal's horn<br />
Hyaline: transparent or translucent<br />
Hydroponic: a method of growing with nutrient solutions<br />
only<br />
Hypochile: lower or basal part of a jointed labellum of<br />
some orchids<br />
IJK<br />
Imbricate: overlapping<br />
Immersed: embedded below the surface<br />
Imperfect: parts that normally are present but do not develop<br />
- or flowers that are unisexual
Impressed: sunken into the surface of<br />
Incised: dissected but cut deeply and irregularly with the<br />
parts joined by a broad lamina<br />
Included: enclosed within<br />
Incrassate: thickened most often of skin<br />
Incumbent: lying upon a surface,<br />
Incurved: curved inwards<br />
Indent: notched<br />
Indigenous: native<br />
Indumentum: covering of hair or scales<br />
Induplicate: folded inwards<br />
Indurate: hardened and tough<br />
Inferior: the description of an ovary that is below the perianthe,<br />
the norm for all orchids<br />
Inflated: blown up or swollen, bladder-like<br />
Inflected: bent or flexed<br />
Inflexed: turned or bent inwards<br />
Inflorescence: the shoot or stick that the flowers are arranged<br />
on that arises from a plant<br />
Infundibular/ infundibuliform: funnel-shaped<br />
Inrolled: rolled inwards on the upper side<br />
Insectiform: has the appearance of an insect<br />
Inserted: attached to or placed upon<br />
Internode: the space on a stem between nodes<br />
Inverted: turned upside down<br />
Involute: rolled inwards on the upper side<br />
Irritable: sensitive to the touch<br />
K<br />
Keel: an obvious ridge that runs longitudinally down the<br />
center of a leaf, petiole, bract, petal, sepal or lip<br />
Keeled: having a ridelike structure<br />
Keiki: a plantlet that develops on an inflorescence from a<br />
floral bract.<br />
Kliniandrum: the place where the pollina are attached to<br />
the column<br />
L<br />
Labellum: a very distinct lip like petal on orchids<br />
Lacerate: cut as if torn<br />
Lacinate: finely and irregularly cut as if slashed<br />
Lacrimiform, lachrymaeform: tear-shaped<br />
Lacunose: pitted with depressions or holes<br />
Laevigate: smoothly polished<br />
Lageniform: flask-shaped<br />
Lamella: raised ridges on the lip as in coelogyne<br />
Lamellate: composed of thin plates<br />
Lamina: a flattened expansion of an organ, i.e. the broad<br />
middle part of the labellum<br />
Laminate: blade like<br />
Lanate: woolly<br />
Lanceolate: lance or spear shaped<br />
Lanose: woolly<br />
Lanuginose: finer than lanate - cottony<br />
Lanulose: finer than lanulose - extremely fine hair<br />
Lateral: at the side<br />
Lax: loose - as in flower placement on an inflorescence<br />
Laxpendant: loosely hanging<br />
Leathery: coriaceous<br />
Lead: the emergence of a new pseudobulbs usually at<br />
the base of a developed psuedobulb
Leaf-fistula: the opening of a hollow leaf that has the<br />
stem emerging<br />
Lectotype: a species that serves as a type species when<br />
original author does not designate one<br />
Lenticular / lenticulate: lens-shaped - both sides convex<br />
Lentiginous: covered with tiny dots - dusty<br />
Lepidote: covered with tiny scurfy scales - as in butterfly<br />
scales<br />
Ligneous / lignose: woody<br />
Ligulate: strap or tongue-shaped<br />
Ligule: a thin membranous appendage at the apex of a<br />
leaf sheath<br />
Linear: long and narrow<br />
Lineate: striated<br />
Lined: striated<br />
Lingulate: tongue or strap-shaped<br />
Linguiform: tongue-shaped<br />
Lip: the unpaired petal of an orchid<br />
Lithophyte: a rock growing plant<br />
Lithophytic: found growing on rocks<br />
Lobe: a division in a organ, leaf or petal<br />
Lobulate: having lobes<br />
Lobule: a small lobe<br />
Lorate: strap-like<br />
Lunate: crescent or moon-shaped<br />
Lyrate: harp-shaped<br />
M<br />
Maculate: spotted<br />
Mammillate: having nipple like projections<br />
Marcescent: withering yet persistent<br />
Marginal: at the edge of an organ<br />
Marginate: having an obvious border<br />
Mealy: farinose<br />
Median: the radius of a leaf<br />
Membranaceous: thin and semi-translucent<br />
Mentum: a chin or pouch like extension formed by the<br />
column foot and the bases of the lateral sepals being<br />
united<br />
Mericlone: a plant created by meristematic propagation<br />
Meristem: The growing tissue that is constantly dividing<br />
at the tips of the roots and the growth eyes on a pseudobulbs<br />
Mesial: towards or on the middle of a part<br />
Mesochile: the middle section of the jointed labellum of<br />
some orchids, i.e. the Gongoreae<br />
Midrib: the central or primary vein of a leaf, most often in<br />
the center as a continuation of the petiole<br />
Moniliform: like a string of pearls<br />
Monocot: a monocotyledonous plant. differs from dicots<br />
by having a single, not double, cotyledon in the seed.<br />
The <strong>Orchid</strong>aceae is a member of this group called Angiosperms<br />
which include Palmae and Amaryllidaceae.<br />
Monopodial: growing year after year from a single basal<br />
point i.e. , Vanda - see photo link<br />
Monotypic: a genus with a single species<br />
Motile: capable of moving; i.e. the lip of many Bulbophyllum<br />
Mucilage: gluey or viscous fluid<br />
Mucilaginous: slimy<br />
Mucro: a sharp, abrupt terminal point<br />
Mucronate: having a mucro or sharp point<br />
Multifid: cleft more than once giving rise to 3 or more<br />
lobes
Multigeneric: A cross made out of more than 3 genera<br />
Muricate: having many sharp points<br />
Muriculate: slightly muricate<br />
Muscariform: brush or broom-shaped<br />
Mutation: a sudden change from the parent type due to<br />
changes in the genes or chromosomes<br />
Mycorrhizza: a fungi that lives symbiotically with a plant<br />
mostly in the roots<br />
Myrmecophilia: ant bearing<br />
Mymecophyte: a plant in symbiosis with ants<br />
N<br />
Navicular: Boat-shaped<br />
Nectary: a tiny to large tubular spur or gland capable of<br />
secreting and or holding nectar<br />
Nervation: refers to the pattern of veins or nerves on an<br />
organ<br />
Nerved: furnished with ribs or veins<br />
Nervose: furnished with ribs or veins<br />
Netted: reticulated or net-veined<br />
B< Nigrescent: turning black<br />
Nocturnal: night active - as having night scent or flowers<br />
opening or closing at night<br />
Node: the area on a stem where on or more leaves,<br />
shoots, flowers, branches or whorls are connected<br />
Nodose: having many nodes packed close together<br />
Nodule: a small rather globose projection<br />
Nomenclature: a system of names and naming<br />
Non-resupinate: holding the lip of the flower at the top<br />
and the median sepal is held below [most orchid flowers<br />
are resupinate with the lip of the flower held below and a<br />
dorsal sepal above]<br />
Nutant: nodding as in inflorescence or stems<br />
O<br />
Obconic: conic upside-down<br />
Obclavate: club shaped, widest at the base<br />
Obcordate: cordate upside down, with the nose towards<br />
the apex and the two lobed towards the base<br />
Obcuneate: cuneate upside down<br />
Obfalcate: inversly sickle shaped, broadest above the<br />
middle<br />
Oblanceolate: lance shaped in reverse, widest at the<br />
apex<br />
Oblate: a sphere that is compressed dorsally and ventrally<br />
Oblong: elongate but blunt at each end<br />
Obovate: tapering to both ends<br />
Obovoid: like obovate but widest below the middle -<br />
obovate in crossection<br />
Obpyramidal: a pyramid tapering from the apex<br />
Obpyriform: pear-shape upside down - wide apically and<br />
narrowing towards the base<br />
Obsolescent: reduced to the point of being vestigal<br />
Obsolete: extinct or not evident<br />
Obtuse: bluntly pointed or rounded at the apex<br />
Obverse: the front side<br />
Operculate: having a cap or lid<br />
Operculum: Anther Cap<br />
Orbicular: circular<br />
Orifice: the mouth of a cavity<br />
Osmophore: a gland in the flower that produces scent to<br />
attract pollinators<br />
Ovary: the lower part of the pistil that has the ovules, and<br />
when fertilized holds the fruit or seed<br />
Ovate: egg-shaped
Ovoid: egg shaped<br />
Ovule: an unfertilized seed in the ovary<br />
P<br />
Palae: roundish, flat, movable projections connected by a<br />
thin thread<br />
Paleaceous: chaffy in texture<br />
Pandurate: fiddle-shaped as in the lip of Coelogyne pandurata<br />
Panicle: an inflorescence that has the axis divided into<br />
branches both bearing a group of flowers<br />
Paniculate: an adjective for an inflorescence type - see<br />
photo link<br />
Pannose: felt-like<br />
Papilla: small wart like glands or nodes<br />
Papillose: a texture with small round ended hairs - see<br />
photo link<br />
Papyraceous: papery<br />
Parallel: veins running along longitudinally even with the<br />
margin<br />
Patellate: saucer-shaped<br />
Patelliform: saucer shaped<br />
Patent: spreading<br />
Pectinate: like the teeth of a comb<br />
Pedicel: the stalk of an individual flower on an inflorescence<br />
Peduncle: stalk of a flower cluster<br />
Pedunculate: possessing a peduncle or stalk<br />
Peltate: the stalk is attached at the back and center of the<br />
leaf<br />
Pendulous: hanging<br />
Penicillate: ending in a tuft of hair<br />
Perianthe: siongle term for the calyx and corolla<br />
Persistant: does not wither or fall off<br />
Petals: an individual member of the corolla, orchids have<br />
3<br />
Petaloid: resembles a petal<br />
Petiole: the leaf stalk<br />
Pilose: a texture - see photo link<br />
Pistil: the female sexual organs of an orchid consisting of<br />
the stigma, ovary and styles<br />
Pitcher: a cup like or tubular organ<br />
Pitcher-shaped, cup-like yet narrows towards the opening<br />
Placenta: parts of the ovary that the ovules are attached<br />
Plane: a flat surface<br />
Plantlet: a smaller or secondary plant that develops upon<br />
another<br />
Pleated: folded like a fan<br />
Plicate: folded like a fan<br />
Plumed: having a feather-like appearance<br />
Plumose: feather like<br />
Pollina: generally more than one mass formed by the<br />
grouping of pollen grains and housed in the stamen<br />
Pollinarium: the male reproductive system in entirety -<br />
Pollina, anther, viscidium and stipe<br />
Pollinium: The plural of pollina<br />
Polygamous: having both unisex and bisexual flowers on<br />
the same inflorescence or different plants within the<br />
same species<br />
Polymorphic: having more than one distinct form<br />
Polystichous: arranged in several rows<br />
Polytrichous: many haired<br />
Porrect: directed forwards and downwards
Posterior: the parts of an organ closest to the axis or<br />
stem on which it grows<br />
Praemorse: bitten off at the apex<br />
Primordium: a organ or tissue in it's earliest state of development<br />
Proboscis: nose<br />
Process: a projecting appendage<br />
Procumbent: trailing over the ground without rooting<br />
Projecting: extended outwards past the apical margins<br />
Proliferation: producing ample offshoots<br />
Prominent: standing out from the surface<br />
Prostate: lying on or trailing over the ground<br />
Proteranthous: the inflorescence arises from the base of<br />
the leaves before the development of the pseudobulbs<br />
Protocrom: a tuber like shape that is formed in the early<br />
stage of a plant's development before roots and leaves<br />
are produced<br />
Protruding: extending beyond the edge<br />
Proximal: part nearest to the axis<br />
Proximate: close together<br />
Pruinose: a surface frosted with white<br />
Pseudobulbs: a swollen bulb like part of most orchids that<br />
holds the leaves and is attached to the rhizome<br />
Pseudocopulation: orchid flowers through evolution that<br />
develop a similarity to a female of a pollinator whereby<br />
causing a male of that species to attempt to copulate and<br />
in turn affecting pollination of the flower<br />
Pseudoterminal: seeemingly terminal yet under close inspection<br />
is axillary<br />
Puberlent: minutely pubescent or covered with very soft,<br />
fine hairs<br />
Puberlose / Puberlous: minutely pubescent or covered<br />
with very soft, fine hairs<br />
Pubescent: having soft, downy hairs<br />
Pulverulent: powdery, or covered in a fine bloom<br />
Pulvinate: cushion or pad shaped<br />
Pulvinus a cushion or pad at the insertion of a stalk on a<br />
stem<br />
Punctate: speckled with spots, dents or pits<br />
Puncticulate: minutely punctate<br />
Pungent: ending in a rigid and sharp long point<br />
Pustular/ Pustulate: refers to a surface that is covered<br />
with pustules<br />
Pustule: a blister or pimple-like eruption<br />
Pustuliform: blister-like<br />
Pyramidal: conical yet with more angular sides<br />
Pyriform: pear shaped<br />
QR<br />
Quadrangular: four-angled<br />
Quadrate: rectangular or square<br />
Quadrilateral: four-sided<br />
Raceme: a single , elongate, indeterminate inflorescence<br />
with pedicellate flowers<br />
Racemiform: an inflorescence that appears to be a raceme<br />
Racemose: an inflorescence that has flowers that are set<br />
in a zig zag from side to side - see photo link<br />
Rachis: The axis of a compound inflorescence, as an extension<br />
of the peduncle<br />
Radiate: spreading outward from a common center<br />
Radical: arising from the root or near the nexus of the<br />
stem and root<br />
Raft: a wood or tree fern plaque that is used to attach an<br />
orchid for it to root to<br />
Ramet: an individual of a clonal line
Ramicaul: well developed erect one leafed stems i.e. Zootrophion,<br />
Pleurothallis<br />
Reclinate: turned or bent down from the apex<br />
Reclining: leaning backward from the vertical<br />
Recomplicate: folded back on itself and then folded again<br />
Recurved: curved backwards or downwards<br />
Reflexed: suddenly bent backwards<br />
Remomtant: blooming more than once in a season<br />
Remote: distant<br />
Reniform: kidney shaped<br />
Repent: ground creeping and rooting at the joints<br />
Resupinate: the flower is reversed by a 180' twist of the<br />
pedicel during development and holds the lip at the bottom<br />
and the dorsal sepal above<br />
Reticuate: net like<br />
Retinaculum: the attachment of stipitate pollina to the<br />
rostellum<br />
Retracted: drawn back<br />
Retroflex: bent or turned backwards<br />
Retrorse: turned, bent or curved away from the apex<br />
Retuse: a shallow dent in a rounded apex<br />
Reversed: in a flower, not having a twisted pedicel, non<br />
resupinate<br />
Revolute: The edges of the leaves rolled back towards<br />
the mid-rib<br />
Rhizome: a prostate or underground stem, that which the<br />
pseudobulbs arise from<br />
Rhombic: of the lamina, nearly square with petiole at one<br />
of the acute angles<br />
Ribbed: possessing raised veins or nerves<br />
Ringent: wide open and gaping<br />
Roridulous: covered with small translucent projections<br />
giving the appearance of being dew covered<br />
Rosette: a cluster of radiating leaves<br />
Rostellum: a structure on the column<br />
Rostrate: beaked<br />
Rostrum: a beak like extension<br />
Rotund: rounded or curved as in an arc<br />
Rudimentary: imperfectly developed<br />
Rufescent/ Rufous: reddish brown<br />
Rugose: Uneven texture - see photo link<br />
Rugulose: finely wrinkled<br />
Ruminate: seemingly chewed on<br />
Runcinate: having sharp teeth facing backwards<br />
S<br />
Saccate: short and rounded like a small bag<br />
Sagittate: arrow head shaped<br />
Saprophyte: a plant that lives in dead organic matter<br />
Saprophytic: a plant that derives its food from decaying<br />
organic matter<br />
Saxicolous: growing in around or on rocks<br />
Scaberlous: minutely rough<br />
Scabrous: having short, wiry hairs making a rough surface<br />
Scandent: climbing<br />
Scape: a stalk from the base of the plant that has flowers<br />
and not leaves<br />
Scapose: having inflorescence or carried on an inflorescence<br />
Scarabaeiform: beetle-shaped<br />
Scarious: dry, transparent, thin, brown as if charred<br />
Scarred: having leftover marks from where organs have
een attached - i.e. where leaves fall off stems<br />
Scurfy: covered with tiny scale-like particles<br />
Scutate: shaped like a shield<br />
Scutelliform: small shield-shaped<br />
Scutiform: shield shaped<br />
Sectile: loosely amassed in packets such as some pollina<br />
Secund: all organs or flowers are positioned to one side<br />
Semilunar: half moon shaped<br />
Semiterete: semi-cylindrical with a very narrow v-shape<br />
to one side<br />
Sepal: a calyx segment of which orchid flowers have<br />
three<br />
Sepaline: pertaining to the sepals<br />
Sepaloid: sepal-like<br />
Septate: partitioned<br />
Sequentially: occurring in a sequence, one at a time<br />
Sericeous: silky<br />
Serrate: saw-like<br />
Serrulate: tiny saw teeth<br />
Sessile: stalkless<br />
Seta: stiff hair or bristle<br />
Setae: plural of seta<br />
Setaceous: bristly<br />
Setiform: bristle-shaped<br />
Setose: covered with sharp, pointed bristles<br />
Setulose: finely or minutely setose<br />
Sheath: a conduplicate, tubular to bract-like structure that<br />
is at the base of a leaf and has the inflorescence arise<br />
from it<br />
Sigmoid: s-shaped<br />
Simple: and unbranched inflorescence<br />
Sinuate: having wavy margins<br />
Sinus: a pocket or cavity<br />
Solitary: occurring singly<br />
Spathaceous: Occurring with a spathe<br />
Spathe: A conspicuous leaf or bract subtending the inflorescence<br />
Spathulate: spoon-shaped<br />
Speculum: a mirror like surface on an organ i.e. the iridescent<br />
blue patch occurring on some Ophyrs<br />
Spicate: resembling a spike<br />
Spiciform: spike-shaped<br />
spiculate: having fine, fleshy points<br />
Spike: an unbranched inflorescence that has the youngest<br />
flowers at the end<br />
Spinescent: having or capable of having spines; ending<br />
in a spine-like tip<br />
Spinous: having spines<br />
Spinule: a small spine<br />
Spinulous: having small or sparsely spread spines<br />
Spreading: opening outwards<br />
Spur: a horn-like extension of the petals<br />
Squamose: covered in scales<br />
Squamulous: having small scales<br />
Stalk: a stem like support of any organ<br />
Stamen: the male organ of a flower made up of the pollen<br />
bearing anther and a sterile filament<br />
Staminal; attached to or related to a stamen<br />
Staminate: a male or unisexual flower that has no functioning<br />
pistil or female part
Staminodal: relating to a staminode<br />
Staminode: a sterile stamen or stamen-like structure, in<br />
orchids used only for the slipper orchids, Paphiopedilum<br />
and Cypripedium<br />
Stellate: star-like<br />
Stelidia: A star-like projection at either side of the column<br />
Stem-clasping: the leaf is wrapped around the stem at<br />
the base<br />
Stigma: at the top of the pistil which is the receiving end<br />
for the pollen or female part<br />
Stigmatic: attached or related to the stigma<br />
Stipe: stalked part of the pollina<br />
Stiptate: plural of stipe<br />
Stolon; a running stem that forms roots<br />
Stoma: a pore where gases are exchanged, a mouth<br />
Stramineous: straw colored<br />
Striate: having parallel lines<br />
Strict: straight and erect<br />
Strigose: covered with sharp, adpessed, stiff hairs<br />
Strigulose: minutely or finely strigose<br />
Striolated: obscurely striated<br />
Subacuminate: almost acuminate<br />
Subimbricate: slightly overlapping<br />
Subopposite: opposite yet slightly alternate<br />
Subquadrate: almost square<br />
Subsessile: with a partial or very short stalk<br />
Subtend: being immediately below something<br />
Subterranean: below ground<br />
Subulate: shaped like an awl, thin and tapering to a small<br />
point<br />
Subumbellate: a partial or seeming to be an umbel but<br />
not quite<br />
Succulent: Cactus like, thick and fleshy, i.e. leaves, roots<br />
or stems<br />
Suffusion: overspreading of a color<br />
Sulcate: grooved or furrowed<br />
Sympodial: Growing from a new lead forming a new<br />
pseudobulbs with each spurt of growth - see photo link<br />
Synflorescence: a terminal inflorescence that has a lateral<br />
extension as well i.e. Epidendrum porphyreum<br />
Synsepal: formed by the fusion of more than one sepal<br />
T<br />
Taxonomy: the science of classification<br />
Teeth: marginal sharp projections in a row<br />
Tentacle: a sensitive, glandular hair<br />
Tepal: sepals and petals together excluding the lip<br />
Terete: cylindrical or tubelike<br />
Terminal: at the end<br />
Terrestrial: grows in the ground<br />
Tessellate: crisscross pattern, like a mosaic<br />
Tetragonal: four-sided<br />
Throat: the opening in a tubular lip<br />
Tomentose: having matted hairs<br />
Tortuous: turned every which way<br />
Torulose: an elongated cylindrical, terete or ellipsoid<br />
shape that is pinched and then slightly swollen at intervals<br />
and less so than moniliform<br />
Trapezoid: four sided figure with two sides parallel<br />
Trapeziform: shaped like a four sided object with two parallel<br />
sides<br />
Trichome: glandular hair
Tridactyl or tridactylate: three fingered<br />
Tridentate: three toothed<br />
Tridenticulate: finely three toothed<br />
Trifid: having three sections divided by clefts or notches<br />
Trifoliate: having three leaves<br />
Trifurcate: three branched or forked into three limbs<br />
Trigonus: three-angled<br />
Trilobate: three lobed<br />
Trullate: shaped like a trowel<br />
Trimerous: having three each of the sepals and petals<br />
Trimorphic: having three distinct forms<br />
Trinervate: three-nerved<br />
Tripartite: split almost to the base in 3 segments<br />
Tripterous: three-winged<br />
Triquetrous: triangular in cross-section<br />
Trisulcate: three grooved or furrowed longitudinally<br />
Trullate / Truliform: trowel-shaped<br />
Truncate: blunt ended<br />
Tuber: swollen underground stem that stores food for the<br />
plant<br />
Tuberculate: having knobby projections<br />
Tuberiferous: having tubers<br />
Tuberoid: having a tuber like look<br />
Tuberous: shaped like a tuber<br />
Tumid: swollen<br />
Turbinate: shaped like an inverted cone at the apex<br />
Turgid: swollen of inflated, sometimes with fluid<br />
Type: mostly the specimen upon which the genus is originally<br />
described<br />
U<br />
Umbel: - see photo link<br />
Umbellate: a type of inflorescence - see photo link<br />
Umbelliform: resembling or in the form of an umbel<br />
Umbelicate: having a central depression, like a navel<br />
Umbonate: orbicular with a point sticking out from the<br />
center<br />
Unarmed: devpiod of pointy sharp objects, i.e. spine etc<br />
Unicinate: barbed or hooked at the apex<br />
Undulate: having wavy sides<br />
Unguiculate: clawed or having talon like extensions<br />
Unifoliate: Having a single leaf<br />
Unilocular: single cavity or chamber<br />
Urceolate: pitcher like<br />
V<br />
Vaginate: having or enclosed by a sheath<br />
Valvate: having valves, or the petals and sepals being<br />
arranged so that they are up against the next without<br />
overlapping<br />
Variegated: having various colors or color forms<br />
Vein: an externally visible strand of vascular tissues<br />
Velamen: protective coating or sheath on the roots<br />
Velutinous: velvety<br />
Venation: the pattern of vein arrangement<br />
Venose: having veins<br />
Ventral: relating or attached to the inner side of an organ<br />
Ventricose: unequally swollen<br />
Verniculate: worm-shaped<br />
Verrucose: having a warty appearance
Verruculose: finely verrucose<br />
Vesicle: a small bladder-like sac or cavity filled with fluid<br />
or air<br />
Vesicular: having or made up of vesicles<br />
Vestigal: an organ that at one time in history served a<br />
purpose but as of now it is reduced and obsolete<br />
Villous: having long soft hairs<br />
Virgate: long, slim and rod-like<br />
Viscid: sticky<br />
Viscidium: the sticky part of the male pollina so that it can<br />
adhere to an insects back for transport to a female flower<br />
part<br />
Viviperous: buds that become plantlets while still attached<br />
to the parent plant i.e. Epidendrum purpurescens<br />
WXYZ<br />
Whorl: arranged in a circular pattern<br />
Wings: extensions of the lip that are winglike<br />
Wooly: fine hair texture - see photo link<br />
Xerophyte: A plant that is adapted to a very dry arid climate<br />
Xerophytic: drought resistant through adaptation<br />
Zygomorphic: bilaterally symmetrical with only a single<br />
plant that can be divided into two equal halves
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