Orchids Are Named for the Shape of Their Tubers
An orchid is a flowering plant of an enormous family. The Greek name refers to a distinctly unbotanical resemblance.
An orchid is a plant of the family Orchidaceae, one of the largest plant families with around thirty thousand species. The name is anatomical: Greek *orkhis* means testicle, and European orchids have paired rounded tubers that suggested the comparison. Vanilla comes from an orchid, making it the only orchid widely used as food.
- A flowering plant. *A rare orchid.*
- Orchidaceae — the family. *In the Orchidaceae.*
- Vanilla — an orchid product. *Vanilla pods.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | orchid | A wild orchid. |
| Plural | orchids | Tropical orchids. |
| Family | Orchidaceae | The family Orchidaceae. |
| Related | vanilla | Vanilla extract. |
| Related | epiphyte | An epiphytic orchid. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Vanilla comes from an orchid.The only one widely eaten.
- Many orchids are epiphytes.Growing on trees, not in soil.
- The seeds are dust-fine.And need fungi to germinate.
Orchid facts
- Around 30,000 species — one of the largest plant families
- Epiphytes — many grow on trees rather than in soil
- Dust seeds — among the smallest of any plant
- Fungal partners — most seeds cannot germinate without a fungus
- Deception — some species mimic female insects to attract male pollinators
From Latin *orchis*, from Greek *orkhis*, a testicle, describing the paired tubers of European species.
Why do orchid seeds need fungi?
Because the seeds contain almost no food reserve. A fungal partner supplies nutrients until the seedling can photosynthesise.
Is vanilla really an orchid?
Yes. Vanilla pods are the cured seed pods of a climbing orchid, and it is the only orchid grown widely as a food crop.