Glossary

There is something of a specialized "lingo" that comes along with Orchid Culture, especially the more eccentric aspects that I have become interested in.  With that in mind, this page will be an explanation of some terminology I use throughout MadOrchidist.com, which might require clarification.  I will try to link to this page frequently in future posts to increase clarity and understanding.

Please note that the definitions and description I use here are those relevant to this hobby and are my own "working definitions".  Many terms have other uses or meanings in other contexts that I may not address here.  There are also some terms that I use interchangeably (partly, I must admit, to cast a wide net for search traffic), and I will try to cross reference them when possible.

A capitalized word in a explanation appears elsewhere in the glossary.  If further biology jargon is required to fully understand something, I will try to link to outside articles with more background information.

So, here is the start.  I will get to alphabetizing and expanding them later, but I wanted to get the page started so it could grow as I went along:


FLASK (noun) 
a sealable vessel, usually glass but sometimes durable plastic, in which orchids are grown under sterile conditions (in my case flasks are usually glass jars)

FLASK / FLASKING (verb)
the act, under sterile conditions, of putting plant material (seeds, cutting, etc.) into a flask for culture

MEDIA

this is the stuff in the bottom of a flask that the orchids grow on. typically consists of nutrients (sugars), plant hormones/regulators, and a gelling agent (usually AGAR)

AGAR

the gelling agent added to media to make it solid.  it is derived from seaweed and is the plant equivalent of gelatin

GERMINATION
the "awakening" and initial development of a seed's dormant embryo

PROTOCORM
the mass of dividing and undifferentiated cells that results from orchid seed GERMINATION

CLONE
the result, and the process, of multiplying the tissue of one plant into many genetically identical plants.
this is often done with highly awarded orchids and is also where most "mass produced" orchids originate (such as those typically available at 'big-box' and grocery stores).

SIBLINGS
refers to multiple genetically distinct plants that have grown from seeds out of the same POD

SELF / SELFING
pollinating a flower with its own POLLINIA or that of another flower on the same plant (i.e. the POD PARENT and POLLEN PARENT are the same)

POLLINIA
the bundled masses of pollen produced by orchids

CROSS
the process or the result of breeding two different species or hybrids together

IN VITRO  -  Latin - literally "within glass"
this refers to culture taking place in a flask under controlled sterile conditions, as opposed to outside under natural conditions