orchideous, a.
(ɔːˈkɪdiːəs)
[f. mod. Bot.L. Orchide-æ (Linnæus, 1751) an improperly-formed deriv. of Gr. ὄρχις, L. orchis (the stem of which, orchi-, was erroneously taken by early botanists as orchid-): cf. orchidis, orchides, in Bauhin Hist. Plant. (1650) II. 772).]
Belonging to the Orchideæ or family of plants akin to the genus Orchis; orchidaceous: see orchid. (In quot. 1851, erron., for the cultivation of orchids.)
| 1818 Colebrooke Import Colonial Corn 130 Coagulated mucilage..from..arrow-roots, cassada, smilax, orchideous roots and scitamineous. 1830 Lindley Nat. Syst. Bot. 263 The singularities of Orchideous plants. 1833 Penny Cycl. I. 242/2 Orchideous air-plants have become comparatively common in the hot-houses of the lovers of beautiful flowers. 1851 Glenny Handbk. Fl. Gard. 38 The moist atmosphere of an orchideous house. |