ORCHIDACEOUS

Etymology

Adjective

orchidaceous (comparative more orchidaceous, superlative most orchidaceous)

(botany) Of or pertaining to orchids.

Characterized by ostentatiousness; showy.

Source: Wiktionary


Or`chi*da"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Definition: Pertaining to, or resembling, a natural order (Orchidaceæ) of endogenous plants of which the genus Orchis is the type. They are mostly perennial herbs having the stamens and pistils united in a single column, and normally three petals and three sepals, all adherent to the ovary. The flowers are curiously shaped, often resembling insects, the odd or lower petal (called the lip) being unlike the others, and sometimes of a strange and unexpected appearance. About one hundred species occur in the United States, but several thousand in the tropics.

Note: Over three hundred genera are recognized.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

21 December 2024

COYOTE

(noun) a forest fire fighter who is sent to battle remote and severe forest fires (often for days at a time)


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

coffee icon