orchis

orchis
/awr"kis/, n.
1. any orchid.
2. any of various terrestrial orchids, esp. of the genus Orchis, of temperate regions, having spikelike flowers.
[1555-65; < L < Gk órchis testicle, plant with roots like testicles]

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▪ plant genus
      genus of orchids, family Orchidaceae, containing as many as 125 species native to Eurasia and North America. Each plant bears a single flower spike with many flowers and has egg-shaped, lobed, or forked tuberous roots. Most species have several leaves at the base. The petals and sepals often form a helmetlike structure, and the flower lip usually is several lobed. The monkey orchid (O. simia) and the soldier, or military, orchid (O. militaris) are two European species the flowers of which resemble helmeted human figures.

      The root of the early purple orchid (O. mascula) and several other species contain a nutritive starch. In southern Europe they are collected and dried to produce a flour that is mixed with sugar, flavourings, and liquid (such as water or milk) to produce a drink called salep. The green-winged orchid (O. morio) is widely distributed throughout Eurasia. Other Eurasian species of Orchis include some known as marsh orchids and others as spotted orchids. The showy orchis (O. spectabilis) is the most well known of the three North American species of Orchis. It has pink or purple flowers and ranges in height from 6 to 20 centimetres (2 to 8 inches).

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orchis — italica Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • Orchis — Orchis …   Wikipédia en Français

  • orchis — [ ɔrkis ] n. m. • 1546; gr. orkhis « testicule » ♦ Bot. Plante d Europe et d Asie Mineure (orchidacées), communément appelée orchidée. Orchis tacheté, brûlé. ● orchis nom masculin (latin orchis) Orchidée d Europe et d Asie tempérée, aux fleurs en …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Orchis — Or chis, prop. n.; pl. {Orchises}. [L., fr. Gr. ? a testicle, the orchis; so called from its tubers.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) A genus of endogenous plants growing in the North Temperate zone, and consisting of about eighty species. They are… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Orchis — ist der Fachbegriff für eine Orchideengattung, siehe Knabenkräuter (Orchis) ist ein Asteroid, siehe (1080) Orchis ist der griechische Begriff für Hoden Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur U …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • orchis — m. anat. Testículo. Medical Dictionary. 2011 …   Diccionario médico

  • orchis — [ôr′kis] n. [ModL < L, orchid < Gr, orchid, lit., testicle (< IE base * orĝhi > Lith aržùs, lustful): from the shape of the roots] an orchid; specif., any of a genus (Orchis) with small purplish or white flowers growing in spikes …   English World dictionary

  • Orchis [1] — Orchis (gr.), Hode …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Orchis [2] — Orchis (O. L., Knabenkraut, Ragwurz), Pflanzengattung aus der Familie der Orchideae Ophrydeae, 20. Kl. 1. Ordn. L., Blüthenhülle mit zwei od. fünf in einen Halm zusammenschließenden Zipfeln, Honiglippe abstehend, unten nach hinten gesperrt, an… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Orchis [1] — Orchis L. (Knabenkraut, Ragwurz, Kuckucksblume), Gattung der Orchidazeen, ausdauernde Kräuter mit zwei ungeteilten oder handförmigen Knollen, beblättertem Stengel, scheidenartigen Blättern, wenig oder reichblütiger Traube, dreilappiger,… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Orchis [2] — Orchis (griech.), der Hoden …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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