[syn: butterfly orchid, butterfly orchis, Orchis papilionaceae]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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 perennial herbs growing from a tuber (beside
which is usually found the last year's tuber also), and
are valued for their showy flowers. See Orchidaceous.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) Any plant of the same family with the orchis; an
orchid.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The common names, such as bee orchis, fly orchis,
butterfly orchis, etc., allude to the peculiar form
of the flower.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
butterfly orchis
n 1: Mexican epiphytic orchid having pale green or yellow-green
flowers with white purple-veined lip [syn: butterfly
orchid, butterfly orchis, Epidendrum venosum,
Encyclia venosa]
2: Mediterranean orchid having usually purple flowers with a
fan-shaped spotted or striped rose-red lip [syn: butterfly
orchid, butterfly orchis, Orchis papilionaceae]