Useful terms
Anther
The part of the stamen containing pollen. The anther cap covers the pollen masses.
Bifoliate
Having two leaves
Bigeneric
Having two genera in the parentage of a plant
Bulbous
Having the character of a bulb
Column
The central body of the orchid flower formed by the union of the stamens and pistil
Chlorophyll
The green pigment in plants, essential for the manufacture of orchids.
Genus
A sub-division of a family , consisting of one or more species which show similar characteristics and appear to have a common ancestry.
Inflorescence
The flowering part. Flowers are borne on the inflorescence. Each inflorescence can carry just a single flower or it can be much branched and carry hundreds of flowers. Inflorescences arises from the base, side or at the tip of the stem, depending on the species.
Intergeneric
Between or among two or more genera
Internode
The part of a stem between two nodes
Keiki
A plantlet produced as an offset or offshoot from another plant ( A Hawaiian term used by orhidists)
Labellum
The lip or modified petal of an orchid flower.
Leaf
Orchid leaves can be rounded, stem-like, flat or folded or thin and large with numerous pleats. Some species do not possess leaves at all. Like other plants leaves of an orchid have stomata i.e. pores for the free exchange of carbon dioxide between the air and the interior of the plant.
Meristem
Vegetative propagation of orchids or other plants by cultivation new shoot tissue under special laboratory conditions. A plant produced by meristem is called a mericlone.
Monopodial
Growing only from the apex of the plant. Monposial orchids produce flowers at the axil ( i.e. between the stem and the leaf) .In monopdials, roots are produced at the nodes along the stem. Monopodial orchids are non-deciduous i.e. they do not generally shed their leaves naturally.
Natural hybrid
A hybrid produced by chance in the wild
Nectary
A gland or secreting organ that produce nectar.
Node
A joint on the stem
Ovary
The central female part of a flower.
Petal
One of the three inner segments of an orchid flower, which is not modified to form the lip
Pistill
The seed-bearing organ of a flower consisting of the ovary, stigma and style.
Plicate
Pleated or folded like a fan
Pollen
The fertilising grains borne by the anther
Pollination
The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma
Pollina
The masses of pollen grains found in the anther
Psedobulb
The thickened portion of a stem , but not a true bulb.
Raceme
A simple inflorescence of stalked flowers
Roots
Based on the root system, orchids are generally divided into two: terrestrial ( ground) and epiphytic (growing on other plants) but are not parasitic because the host plant only provide support. In orchids, basal roots are produced from the lower part of the stem as in the epiphytic orchids. Orchids have basal or aerial roots.
Quadrigeneric
Pertaining to four genera
Rhizome
A root-bearing horizontal stem, which in orchids usually lies on or just beneath the ground surface.
Saccate
Pouched or bag-like
Seed
Orchids produce seeds as a result of a pollinated and fertilised flower. A seed pod can contain thousands of tiny, dust-like seeds.
Self-pollination
The pollination of a flower by its own pollen. While in cross-pollination the pollination is from the pollen of another flower transported by various agents e.g. bees,
Scape
A flower stalk without leaves, arising directly from the ground
Sepal
One of the three outer segments of an orchid flower. The sepals are the parts that cover the flower at bud stage.
Sheath
A tubular envelope protecting the developing inflorescence
Species
A group of plants sharing one or more common characteristics which make it distinct from any other group
Spike
A flower stem
Stem
In some plants, the stem is modified to grow horizontally and is called the rhizome. From the rhizome arise swollen structures called psedobulbs.
Spur
A hollow tubular extension of the lip
Stamen
The male organ of a flower, bearing the pollen
Style
The part of of the pistil bearing the stigma
Sympodial
A form of growth in which each new shoot, arising from the rhizome of the previous growth, is a complete plant
Synonym
A surplus name, arising when a species has been given two or more names.
Terete
Circular in cross-section, cylindrical
Terminal
At the end of the axis
Trigeneric
Pertaining to three genera
Tuber
A thickened, normally underground stem.
Unifoliate
With one leaf
Unisexual
Having flowers of one sex only. Compared with bisexual orchids which have both sexes i.e. having the stamens and the pistils
Variety
A subdivision of a species; a group of plants that differ slightly from the main species type.
Vegetative propagation
The increasing of a particular orchid or other plants by division, or by meristem culture.
Velamen
The thick layer of cells covering the roots of epiphytic orchids. It act as a protective layer to the underlying living tissues.
Reference:
Dr. Chris K.H. Teo (1979) Orchids for tropical gardens. Lim Mik Hai, KualaLumpur.
Wilma Rittershausen ( 1982) Growing your own orchids. Salamander Books Ltd., London.