Dear Orchid Friends:

This month's article features important definitions related to orchid culture. There are many scientific terms used in the orchid world, so I hope these definitions give you a better understanding of the orchid lingo!

• aerial: root type, grows away from the growing medium (Ex: roots on vandas)
• albino: plant with deficiency in pigmentation, a white flower from species usually with color
• AM: Award of Merit. Designation awarded to plants receiving 80 - 89 points in formal judging
• anther: part of stamen bearing the pollen
• AOS: American Orchid Society
• backbulb: an old psuedobulb behind the actively growing part of sympodial plant
• bicolor: two-colored
• bifoliate: having two leaves
• bigeneric: having two distinct genera in parentage of plant
• blight: rapid decline and death of plant parts
• cane: dendrobium psuedobulbs
• capsule: seed pod
• chlorosis: yellowing of green parts of plant due to chlorophyll breakdown., caused by pests or problems with soil, moisture
• clone: individual plants raised from a single seed pod
• column: the central organ of orchid flower which contains male and female parts
• community pots (compots): a pot containing many seedlings or clones from a flask
• crest: fringed or hairy adornment on lip of flower
• deciduous: a plant that drops its leaves (Ex: some dendrobiums-- leaves bare cane)
• dorsal: back part of plant or uppermost part of sepal
• epiphyte: air plant, grows on another plant but is not a parasite
• FCC: First Class Certificate. Designation awarded to plants receiving 90 points or more in formal judging
• genus: a grouping of plants that have similar characteristics
• habitat: the location a plant lives or grows
• HCC: Highly Commended Certificate. Designation given to plants receiving 75-79 points in formal judging
• host: a plant that gives nutrients to another plant
• hybrid: cross between species or hybrids
• inflorescence: flowering part of plants, spike of flowers
• keiki: offshoot of a plant. Hawaiian word for baby plants formed from mother plant
• labellum: also called lip of flower
• lip: modified petal on flower, also labellum
• lithophyte: plants growing on rocks
• mericlone: a plant propagtes by using tissue culture from parent plant, is identical to parent
• monopodial: plant which grows from a single stem (Ex: vandas)
• nocturnal: refers to flowers that open after dark
• node: area/joint on stem that will bear leaf, leaves
• Orchidaceae: Latin name for the orchid family
• parasite: organism living on another plant and gets its nutrients from the host plant
• petal: inner segments/parts of the flower
• pistil: female reproductive part of flower, bears seed
• psuedobulb: bulb-like portion of plant
• rhizome: portion of plant that sends up new shoots, root bearing part
• semi-alba: white flower with colored lip
• sepal: outer segments of flower
• sheath: a covering that encloses a developing leaf or flower
• species: a subdivision of a genus
• spike: an unopened emerging flower stalk
• stamen: male reproductive part of flower, bears pollen
• substance: firmness of flower
• sympodial: Latin for many footed, new growths spread in and over medium (Ex: cattleyas)
• terete: cylindrical, finger-like
• tribe: a group of related species
• unifoliate: having one leaf
• virus: microscopic organisms, an infectious agent

Hopefully, this listing will help you to become more familiar with some of the more commonly used words. The orchid season is beginning and the fall and winter months are filled with great orchid shows. For a sensory and visual delight, get out and visit some of the shows.

Vivi's Orchids will soon embark on a buying trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and to attend the
15th World Orchid Conference. We are excited about this incredible opportunity to
acquire interesting Brazilian orchids. I look forward to sharing my travels with you in future articles. So stay tuned and keep growing.

Until next time-

Vivi

I'd like to welcome the American Orchid Society to the Web.

Review my August 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Growing Vandaceous Orchids.
Review my July 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Summer Survival.
Review my June 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Orchid Habitats.
Review my May 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Growing Cattleyas.
Review my April 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Orchids Galore!.
Review my March 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Cultivating Vanilla.
Review my February 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article Cultivating an Interest in Orchids.
Review my January 1996 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article on Phaelonopsis Culture.
Review my December 1995 "Vivi's Orchid Corner" article on Dendrobium Culture.

Vivi's Orchids World Orchid Conference Site Live from Rio de Janeiro

Vivi's Orchid Page

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See my Orchid Menu page for tantalizing orchid gift baskets and orchid treats.

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Bemvindo Brasileiros!

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Last updated September 8, 1996

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