Amphigean (am-fi-JEE-an ) -- Pertains to the distribution of plants, i.e., plants that are found in both hemispheres of the Old and New world.

Angiosperm (AN-jee-o-sperm) -- All plants where the seed is enclosed in a seed case or fruit.

Annual (AN-yew-al) -- A plant with a life cycle of one growing season.

Antipodal (an-TIP-o-dal) -- Refers to plants that grow on opposite sides of the world.

Asexual (ay-SEK-shu-al) -- A form of propagation using vegetative segments of the plant rather than seed to increase the population.

Biennial (bye-EN-nee-al) -- A plant with a life cycle spanning two growing seasons, usually growing vegetatively the first season and flowering in the second.

Bigeneric (bye-jen-EHR-ik) -- Refers to hybrids made between genera, e.g., Laeliocattleya(Laeia x Cattleya).

Bisexual (bye-SEK-shu-al) -- Having both sexes; flowers having both male and female parts, i.e. stamen and pistil.

Botanical (bo-TAN-ih-kul) -- Affectionate term used by orchidologists to denote species with small flowers or species not commonly cultivated.

Circumboreal (sir-kum-BOHR-ee-al) -- Northern regions around the world. Said of plants found all around the world in the northern hemisphere.

Clone (KLOHN) -- A group of plants asexually propagated from one plant.

Endemic (en-DEM-ik) -- Refers to a plant from a given area and found nowhere else, e.g., endimic to Florida, found only in Florida.

Family (FAM-il-ee) -- A natural unit in taxonomy wherein one or more genera are combined because of a number of similar characteristics, e.g., Orchidacae.

Flora (FLOOR-uh) -- All the plants native to a given area or country. Books containing descriptions of plants from a given area are called "floras".

Genera (JEN-eh-ruh) -- The plural of genus.

Genus (JEE-nus) -- A taxonomic subdivision of a family. Each genus is composed of one or more species with similar characteristics.

Habit (HAB-it) -- The form or shape of a plant.

Habitat (HAB-ih-tat) -- The area where a plant grows in its native land.

Hybrid (HYE-brid) -- A plant that results from the crossing of two distinct species. In orchid growing many hybrids result from crosses between genera.

Hrybridization (hye-brid-eye-ZAY-shun) -- The act of producing hybrids.

Indigenous (in-DIJ-en-us) -- A plant native to a specific area or country.

Medium (MEE-dee-um) -- The material in which an orchid is grown. Also the nutrient agar on which seed is sown.

Orchidaceae (or-kid-DAY-see-ee) -- The Latin name for the orchid family.

Orchidist (OR-kid-ist) -- A person who is very interested in orchids and their culture.

Orchidology (or-kih-DOL-oh-jee) -- The study of orchids.

Perennial (per-ENN-ee-al) -- A plant with a life cycle that continues for years. Actually any plant that lives more than two years.

Seedling (SEED-ling) -- Any plant formed from a seed which has not yet attained flowering size. An orchid seedling may be five to seven years old before it flowers.

Species (SPEE-sheez) -- A number of plants seperated from all others by one or more distinct characteristics.

Sub-genus (sub-JEE-nus) -- Some large genera such as Dendrobium contain so many species that they are sub-divided into groups within the genus.

Substance (SUB-stans) -- Refers to the thickness of the floral segments.

Succulent (SUK-yew-lent) -- Leaves, stems, or other plant organs that are very soft, fleshy, and moist.

Taxon (TAK-son) -- A taxonomic term applying to a related group of plants such as a genus or species.

Taxonomy (tak-SOHN-oh-mee) -- The science of plant classification.

Tribe (TRYBE) -- A group of closely related genera, as Cattleya tribe.

Variety (va-RYE-eh-tee) -- A plant within a species that has a minor, distinct characteristic, e.g., Cattleya dowiana aurea.