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Glite Dictionary
Brassavola

Brassavola

1 9.9
An orchid from tropical America that grows on trees or rocks and has showy, often fragrant flowers
  • noun
  • /bræsəˈvoʊlə/
  • Specialized
: Brassavola
  • Gardeners often choose the Brassavola for its beautiful flowers and ability to grow without soil.

Examples

  • In the rainforest, the Brassavola species can be seen growing on tree branches, thriving in the humid environment.

  • I reflected upon all this beneath a canopy of blossoming cattleyas; clusters of Brassavola fragrans, not visible to the eye, filled the air with savage sweetness.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The Brassavola orchid produces stunning blooms that often attract hummingbirds.

Surface Forms

Brassavola singular
Brassavolas plural

Etymology

Brassavola is the name of a group of orchids taken from the last name of an Italian doctor who loved plants, Brassavola. Because his work with plants was well known, his name became the scientific name for these showy, often fragrant tropical orchids, so today Brassavola means this particular genus of orchids.