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Glite Dictionary
Orchis spectabilis

Orchis spectabilis

9.9
A North American orchid with spikes of purple and white flowers whose petals and sepals form a hood
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Orquídea espectacular
  • The Orchis spectabilis blooms in early spring in shaded woodlands across eastern North America.

Examples

  • The hood formed by the sepals and petals is a distinguishing feature of the Orchis spectabilis.

  • Botanists admire the vibrant colors of Orchis spectabilis during their field studies.

  • The Orchis spectabilis blooms in late spring.

  • I saw an Orchis spectabilis at the botanical garden.

  • Botanists admire the vibrant colors of Orchis spectabilis during their field studies.

  • The Orchis spectabilis blooms in early spring in shaded woodlands across eastern North America.

  • The hood formed by the sepals and petals is a distinguishing feature of the Orchis spectabilis.

Synonyms

showy orchis
vsOrchis spectabilis
  • US
9.9

An orchid from North America with a tall spike of purple and white flowers whose petals form a hood

is the formal scientific name rather than the common name
purple orchis
vsOrchis spectabilis
  • US
9.9

A North American orchid with a long stem of purple and white flowers that form a hood

is the formal scientific name rather than this color-based common name
purple-hooded orchis
vsOrchis spectabilis
  • US
9.9

A North American wildflower with a tall spike of purple and white flowers whose parts form a hood

is the formal scientific name rather than a descriptive common name

Surface Forms

Orchis spectabilis singular
Orchis spectabilises plural

Morphology

Orchis + spectabilis

This is a Latin binomial (a species name) and functions as a proper noun rather than a compositional English phrase. The second element 'spectabilis' is not an English word a B1 learner would reliably know, and deriving 'showy orchid' requires knowledge of Latin botanical naming or root knowledge beyond B1, so the meaning is not predictably recoverable from the parts.

Etymology

Orchis spectabilis comes from an old Greek word and a Latin word: Orchis (Greek for 'testicle') because the plant's two round root bulbs look like that, and spectabilis (Latin for 'showy') because of its bright, hooded flowers. So the name tells you about both the bulb shape and the plant's showy flowers.