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Orchid Encyclopedia
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  Acaulous Term meaning without a stem.  
  Aeriel Roots Roots growing freely in the air.  
  Agar A substance made from seaweed which is used to prepare agar jelly. This is used in laboratory culture of orchid seeds on sterile nutrient jelly.  
  Alba White form of a flower. ^^^
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  Albino A plant with a marked deficiency in pigmentation, such as a white -flowered form of a usually colored species.  
  Alliance A tribe or group related genera. Many orchid genera are cross-bred with other orchid genera.  
  AM Award of Merit; the 2nd highest flower-quality awarded by the American Orchid Society (AOS), for a flower earning 79.5-89.4 points. (AM may also be awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society - AM/RHS)  
  Angraecoid Describes monopodial orchids belonging to the African Angracecum orchids and close relatives.  
  AOS American Orchid Society ^^^
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  Apex The growing part of a shoot, in the crown, where the new leaves form.  
  Apical Term meaning at the apex.  
  Apical Bud The growth point in the apex of a shoot.  
  Axil The junction of the leaf and the stem.  
  Axillary Bud A bud on the stem of the axil. ^^^
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  Backbulb An old, sometimes leafless, sympodial pseudobulb that is still alive and may be used to propagate a new plant.  
  Bare-root Refers to an orchid which is unpotted and has no potting medium. (This term is often used to describe how a plant is shipped)  
  Bi-color A two colored flower.  
  Bifoliate An orchid having two leaves on a single pseudobulb  
  Bigeneric An orchid having two genera in its parentage. ^^^
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  Binomial nomenclature A two-word phrase which is the scientific method of naming things (Latin for "two-name name"). The first term refers to the genus and the second refers to the species.  
  Botanical A term designating any species or genus of orchid which is grown commercially for its flowers.  
  Bract A modified leaf enfolding the base of an inflorescence or flower.  
  Bud Refers to a flower before it begins to enlarge, but also may refer to a leaf or tiny new growth.  
  Bud Drop The condition of flower buds in which they wit or die prior to opening. (often caused by quickly varying temperature changes). ^^^
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  Cane A long, narrow pseudobulb, usually having many joints or nodes (ie: Dendrodium)  
  Capsule Term used to refer to the seed-pod of an orchid. A seed-pod or capsule may contain thousands, or even millions of seeds.  
  CBR Certificate of Botanical Recognition. This is an AOS (American Orchid Society) award given only once to an orchid species when it is first displayed in bloom.  
  CCM Certificate of Cultural Merit award. This AOS (American Orchid Society) award is given to a grower of a well-cultivated orchid plant.  
  Central growing point The area where upright vetative growth will begin on a monopodial orchid. ^^^
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  Chlorosis The loss of green color in leaves, due to unsuitable conditions,poor light, shortage of nutritive substances, parasite attacks, etc.  
  Chlorotic Plants showing the lack of chorophyll, and hence a lack of green color on the leaf or stem. Chlorotic tissue is usually white or yellowish.  
  Cleistogamous Rare to orchds, this term is used to describe a flower which self-polinates, often without even opening the flower fully.  
  Clone All the various vegetative manifestations (division, meristem propagations, etc) of a single orchid plant grown originally from a single seed. This is designated by single quotes ("") around the name.  
  Color Break An abnormal, irregular streaked pattern of colors in flowers, often indicating a virus infection or genetic defect. ^^^
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  Column The fused sexual organ of an orchid flower, found atop the lip.  
  Community Pot The term used to describe many tiny seedlings,planted together in a single container, before being potted individually.  
  Compot Common term used to describe a "community pot".  
  Cool Temperature Orchids which tolerate a minimum winter nighttime temperature of 45 degrees F, with daytime temperatures being approximately 15-30 degrees F higher.  
  Cross The act of transferrring the pollon of one plant to the flower of another. ^^^
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  Crown The central part of the rosette of leaves in a momopodial orchid (ie Phalaenopsis) from which the new growth arises upward.  
  Cultivar Term used to describe an orchid plant grown from a single seed. This is designated by single quotes (" ") around its name.  
  Damping Off A rot which affects seedlings.  
  Deciduous The term used to describe the loss of leaves,or other growths, upon maturity, or at the end of the growing season, with regrowth after a dormant rest.  
  Diploid Also known as 2n, this term means having the normal number of two sets of chromosomes. ^^^
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  Division The process of making new plants from old ones by cutting the rhizome of a sympodial orchid into pieces containing pseudobulbs and rhizomes, or by cutting off the top half of the stem of a vinelike orchid.  
  Dormancy A rest period during which no vegative growth occurs, often following a growth period and/or the loss of leaves or other growths. During dormancy, the orchid may require less water and cooler temperatures.  
  Dorsal sepal The upper-most petal of the flower in orchids.  
  Entomophilous Plant pollinated by insects.  
  Epiphytic Term used to describe any plant which grows above the ground, and attaches to something else for support. Nutrients are derived from rain, air and rotting debris, not from the host to which the plant is attached. ^^^
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  Equitant This term specifically refers to a type of Oncidium orchid. In orchids, it means having all the leaves arranged flat in one plane.  
  Evergreen A plant retaining green foliage all year-round (ie: certain species of Dendrobium)  
  Family Wide group of plants which contains a number of genera.  
  FCC This is the highest flower quality award given by the AOS (American Orchid Society), for plants scoring 89.5-100 award points. The Royal Horticultural Society may also give the FCC award, as they originated the award.  
  Flask A clear container used for the laboratory germination of orchid seeds, or for growing other laboratory micropropagated orchid seedlings. ^^^
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  Flask-grown Term used to describe an orchid grown by micropropagation techniques, such as mericloning or stem propagation, and therefore a clone of the orignial specific plant, rather than grown from seed.  
  Floriferous Term used to describe a plant that flowers freely.  
  Flower Spike A common term for the more proper "flower infloresence", whether bearing a single bloom atop a single stalk or in raecemes or panicles of many flowers.  
  Foliar Feeding Feeding a plant by applying fertilization directly to the leaves and stems by means of spraying.  
  Footcandle A measure of light useful in determining intensity of light needed for growing orchids - the illumination produced by a candle at a distance of one foot. ^^^
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  Genera Plural of genus.  
  Genus A group of orchids which are classified together due to similar traits and an assumed common ancestry. There are over 860 naturally occurring orchid genra, with an additional 550+ man-made intergeneric ones.  
  Grex Term which refers to the group of progeny of a specific cross.  
  Growths The term used to describe any new shoots which emerge. These include pseudobulbs, rhizones, leaves, stems, infloresences or roots.  
  habit The characteristic form of a plant. ^^^
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  Habitat Refers to the area or region where a plant lives naturally.  
  Hardening Off The process of making a plant more hardy, usually by increasing its tolerance of sunlight through gradually increased exposure.  
  HCC Highly Commended Certificate. This is the lowest of the 3 flower-quality awards given by the AOS (American Orchid Society), for plants scoring 74.5-79.4 points.  
  High Light The brightest category of light-level for orchids, usually above 3,000 footcandles. This light is most typically found in greenhouses, sunrooms, southern window exposures, out-of-doors, or under high-intensity artificial lights.  
  Hooded The term used to describe a flower part which is arched over or partially enclosed by another flower part. ^^^
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  Hybrid The result of a union of two different species (known as a primary hybrid), or of a species and a hybrid, or of two hybrids (also known as complex hybrid)  
  Hydroponics The technique of growing plants in a steril medium or no medium at all, and flooding the roots periodically with a nutrient solution.  
  Inflorescense The flowering portion of an orchid, also commonly referred to as an "orchid spike". These may be raceme, panicle or solitary scape.  
  Intergeneric The term which usually refers to the hybridization between two or more genra.  
  Intermediate Temperature A minimum nighttime winter temperature for orchids of 55 degrees F, with daytime temperatures 15-25 degrees F higher. ^^^
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  JC (JUdges Commission) An AOS (American Orchid Society) award given for special plant and/or flower characteristics.  
  JOGA Japenese Orchid Growers Association. This term is often found on orchid nametags since the group awards GM, SM and BM (Gold, Silver and Bronze metals)  
  Keiki A plant which develops from an orchid's flower infloresence or cane.  
  Labellum The third petal or an orchid flower,modified by evolution into a lib,often used as an attractive landing platform for pollinators.  
  Lateral Growth habit from side to side rather than from the tip. ^^^
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  Lateral Sepal Terms used to refer to the to lowermost sepals that extend to the sides, versus the topmost dorsal sepal.  
  Liana A climbing or twining tropical plant.  
  Lip The orchid labellum.  
  Lithophytic The term used to describe any plant which grows attached to a rock (a subset of epiphytic life).  
  Low Light The lowerst category of light-level needs for orchids, generally between 1,200 and 2,000 footcandles. Typically any north or east windowsill, and slightly back from southern sills, or 8 inches under 4 fluorescent lights is sufficient. ^^^
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  Mark The colored spot on the base of the lip in Miltonias.  
  Medium The potting material, or mix of materials, either organic or inorganic, used to plant orchids in.  
  Medium Light The middle category of light-level needs for orchids, typically between 2,000 and 3,000 footcandles. Most windowsills (except North), or under high-intensity discharge artificial lights is sufficient.  
  Mericlone A generally exact copy of an original orchid plant,made via the laboratory technique of meristem propagation. Since it is a specific cultivar, it is designated by single quotes (" ") around its name.  
  Microchilum Term meaning small-liped. ^^^
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  Micropropagation Making new orchids by any of the laboratory techniques, including meristem tissue propagations and sterile seed culture.  
  Monopodial One of the two forms of orchid vegetative growth (the other is sympodial) wherein a single vegetative shoot grows continually upward (ie: in the central rosette of a Phalaenopsis, and the more vinelike Vanda).  
  Multifloral Having more than one flower per infloresence, or an orchid which flowers more than once a year.  
  Multigeneric The term which refers to a plant having two or more genera in its ancestory.  
  Mutation A sudden departure from the parent-type, due to a change in the chromosome or gene. ^^^
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  Natural Hybrid A hybrid which occurs in nature, without the help of humans.  
  Night-Fragrant Term used to refer to plants whose flowers are only or most fragrant at night.  
  Nocturnal Used in reference to plants whose flowers open at night.  
  Node A distinct joint or notch on an inflorescence, stem or pseudobulb from which a flower stem, leaves or roots can emerge. (This is often used to refer to the place on a Phalaenopsis inflorescence above which a cut may be made to induce a secondary bloom.)  
  Nomenclature A system of naming (See binomial nomenclature) ^^^
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  Nonresupinate In orchids, those plants whose flower lips are positioned uppermost relative to the inflorescence axis. This term applies to the vast majority of orchid flowers.  
  Overwatering The growing medium is kept too moist, due to watering too freqently. This may destroy the roots and predispose the plant to infection by fungi and bacteria.  
  Panicle A type of flower inflorescence wherein the flowers are loosly arranged on a branching stem and open from the lowest or inner branches to the top.  
  Peloric In orchids, a term used to describe an unusual and often beautiful (sometimes grotesque) condition where three petals (instead of just one)attempt to fashion themselves into lip colors and/or shapes.  
  Petal In orchids, one of the three inner segments of the flower which are positioned between the three sepals -one of the petals is modified into a lip. ^^^
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  Plantlet A baby plant or seedling.  
  Pod Term used to refer to the seed-pod or capsule.  
  Pollen Male reproductive cells (gametes) in higher plants.  
  Pollinia Waxy pollen clumps or grains usually found in the antlers of most orchids, often yellow, distinct and found under the pollen cap of the column.  
  Primary Hybrid A first generation hybrid, one in which both parents are species. ^^^
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  Pseudobulb The thickened stem of a sympodial orchid, arising from a rhizome which has so evolved for water-storage capacity,but is not a true bulb.  
  Pseudobulbless Containing no pseudobulbs.  
  Raceme A single type of flower inflorescence which looks like a long stem with flowers arising along it.  
  Raft A slab or tree fern root or other material suitable for growing epiphytes on.  
  Reed-Stem A type of growth wherein stems and pseudobulbs resemble reeds or canes (particularly in Epidendrum and Dendrobium) ^^^
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  Repeat Cross A hybrid of the same parentage as the one previously made, usually using different individual parent plants.  
  Resupinate In orchids, those plants whose flower lips are positioned lowermost relative to the inflorescence axis. (The vast majority or orchid flowers are resupinate)  
  Rhizome In orchids, a root-bearing stem which usually grows horizontally atop the substrate or potting mix, from which leafy growth (such as pseudobulbs) are sent up. This is sometimes refered to as "rootstock"  
  RHS Royal Horticultural Society  
  Scape A single flower inflorescence that is topped by a solitary flower (ie: Paphiopedilum) ^^^
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  Seed-Grown Term used to describe an orchid grown from seed, usually in sterile laboratory conditions, rather than grown from meristem cloning techniques, and therefore a unique, original plant.  
  Seedling An unbloomed, young orchid.  
  Selfing Method of seed-propagating an orchid by placing it's pollen on its own stigma (also known as self-fertilizing)  
  Semialba A white flower with a colored lip.  
  Semiterresterial Term used to refer to orchids which grow near on on the ground in extremely loose, open substrate. ^^^
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  Sepal One of the three outer parts of an orchid flower, one of which is usually topmost and referred to as the dorsal, the other two lower sepals being known as the laterals.  
  Sheath The base part of the leaf that sheaths the stem or the pseudobulbs, the membranous sheath surrounding the young flower spike in Cattleya alliance plants.  
  Sib-Cross, Sibling Cross The method of seed propagation of an orchid wherein the pollen of one orchid is placed on the stigma of another orchid which was originally grown in the same seedpod as the first orchid, therefore a cross-pollination of siblings.  
  Sibling An orchid which is related to another orchid by viture of having been produced from the same seedpod.  
  Species A group of living things which appear to have common ancestry so closely related that their characteristics definitely separate them from any other groups ( a further division of genus) ^^^
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  Specimen The term generally used to refer to an orchid which has been allowed to grow to great size and floriferousness instead of being divided (the term also refers to the species that typifies a genus)  
  Spike The term used to loosely refer to all flower inflorescences,but typically an unbranched flower stem with short-stalked or stalkless flowers.  
  Splash Petal An orchid flower which modifies its petals by duplicting the coloring found on the lip - a type of peloric condition.  
  Stalk A part of the plant which supports something else.  
  Stamen The male, pollen-bearing organ of the flower. ^^^
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  Stem The leaf and flower- bearing part of the plant.  
  Stem Prop Loose term referring to "meristem propagation" or the plant which results from this technique.  
  Stigma Sticky area of the pistol of a flower which receives the pollen.  
  Sympodial One of the two forms of orchid growth ( the other is monopodial) wherein each new growth arises from the rhizome of a previous growth, and each new growth is capable of bearing an inflorescence.  
  Systemic The term used to describe pesticides or fungicides that are taken up by plant leaves and growth and them work from within the plant. ^^^
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  Terete The type of orchid growth wherein the stem and/or leaves are circular in cross-section.  
  Terrestrial In orchids, those growing in the ground or in the loose substrate atop the ground.  
  Tetraploid Genetic aberration wherein the plant has twice as many chromosome sets as normal, often resulting in very vigorous, large plants and flowers.  
  Throat The inner portion of a tubular orchid lip.  
  Tissue Culture Artificial propagation of plants via laboratory mericloning (also known as meristeming) ^^^
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  Tribe A group of related genera (ie: the Vanda-Arachnis tribe)  
  Unifoliate The term meaning to bear one leaf per growth.  
  Vandaceous The term used to describe any large monopodial orchid, particularly used for Vanda and its closely related orchids.  
  Variety A subdivision of species which groups plants with a dintinct form that is passed along to the progeny.  
  Vegetative Propagation The creation of additional plants through division, encouragement of keiki formation, or any various meristematic techniques, but not via seed. ^^^
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  Velamen The thick layer of cork-like, water-absorbing cells surrounding the roots f epiphytic orchids.  
  Water Stress The physiological effects of lack of water to the plant (usually resulting in shrivelled pseudobulbs and pleated leaves)  
  Water Temperature A minimum winter nighttime temperature, for orchids, of 60 degrees F, with a daytime temperature 15-25 degrees F higher. (Very warm would be a night minimum of 65 degrees F, with daytime maximum highs in the 90's.  
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