- aerial root
- Any root produced above the growing medium.
- anther
- The part of the stamen containing the pollen; the end of the column.
- backbulb
- An old pseudobulb behind the part of a sympodial orchid that is actively growing. Although there may be no leaves, the presence of undamaged "eyes" is a sign that growth is possible.
- bifoliate
- Having two leaves on the same bulb.
- cane
- An elongated psuedobulb, usually used when describing Dendrobiums.
- crock
- Small pieces of broken earthenware or flower pots placed in the bottom of a pot when repotting to aid in drainage.
- cultivar
- An individual plant or its vegetative propagations, a horticultural variety.
- epiphyte, epiphytic
- A plant which naturally grows upon another plant but does not derive any nourishment from it. Many of the orchids in cultivation are epiphytic.
- eye
- The bud of a sympodial orchid that will eventually develop into a new lead.
- foliar spray
- Many minor nutrients and trace elements beneficial to growth are best absorbed through the stomata of an orchids leaves when mixed with water and sprayed on the plant.
- genus
- (pl. genera) A natural grouping of closely related species.
- habitat
- The type of geographic location where a plant normally grows.
- hybrid
- The offspring of a cross between either species or hybrids.
- inflorescence
- The flowering portion of a plant.
- intergeneric hybrid
- A hybrid between members of two or more genera.
- keiki
- A Hawaiian word referring to a baby plant produced asexually by an orchid plant, usually used when referring to Dendrobiums or Vandaceous orchids.
- lead
- An immature vegetative growth on a sympodial orchid that will develop into a flower-producing structure.
- lip
- A modified petal of the orchid flower specialized to aid in pollination and different from the other petals.
- lithophyte
- An orchid that grows on rocks.
- mature size (M.S.)
- Plants reach maturity and capable to flower within a year.
- medium
- The material in which an orchid is container-grown; it may be organic, such as fir bark, or inorganic, such as lava rock.
- mericlone
- A plant derived from tissue culture and that is identical to its parent.
- monopodial
- Orchids that grow upward from a single stem, producing both leaves and flowers along that stem.
- near mature size (N.M.S.)
- Plants almost reach maturity, but require 12-18 months to flower.
- node
- A joint on a stem or pseudobulb from which a leaf or growth originates.
- panicle
- An inflorescence with a main stem and branches, the flowers on the lower branches open earlier than the upper ones.
- photosynthesis
- The process a plant uses to produce carbohydrates and sugar from water and carbon dioxide in the air using chlorophyl-containing cells exposed to light.
- pseudobulb
- A thickened portion of the stem of many orchids functioning as a water and food storage device.
- raceme
- An unbranched inflorescence of stalked flowers.
- rhizome
- A root-bearing stem of sympodial orchids that progressively sends up leafy shoots.
- scape
- An unbranched inflorescence with one flower.
- seedling size (S.S.)
- Young plants, need at least 24 months or more to reach maturity.
- sheath
- A modified leaf that encloses an emerging inflorescence or leaf.
- species
- A kind of plant that is distinct from other plants.
- spike
- An unbranched inflorescence of unstalked flowers.
- stolon
- A branch that grows horizontally above the medium and produces roots and shoots at the nodes.
- stomata
- The breathing pores on the surface of a plant's leaves.
- sympodial
- Orchids which grow laterally and produce leafy growths along a rhizome.
- terrestrial
- Growing on the ground and supported by soil.
- unifoliate
- Having one leaf.
- velamen
- The thick sponge-like covering of the roots of epiphytic orchids that helps prevent water loss and aids in absorption.
- virus
- A type of infectious agent, much smaller than common microorganisms, several forms of which affect certain kinds of orchids.
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