9 
Notes on the Naming of Orchids and Glossary 
Compiled by NORRIS AND BETTY POWELL 
of 
THE ORCHID HOUSE 
9433 EAST BROADWAY — TEMPLE CITY, CALIFORNIA 
As a rule botanical names have been given for some good reason, usually to 
point out some characteristic or outstanding feature of the plant and are simply a 
classical way of saying “moth-like,”’” “spider orchid’’ or “butterfly orchid.” These 
names are sometimes used colloquially and are often misleading because one 
person’s idea of a butterfly may be akin to another person’s idea of a spider. To 
persons with some acquaintance with Latin or Greek, the meaning is obvious, but 
‘since many lovers of orchids are not familiar with these languages the following 
interpretations are offered in the hope that the names will be more clearly under- 
stood and more easily used. 
Quite often orchids are given commemorative or complimentary names, that is, 
names of persons who deserve our respect or admiration, the name is then con- 
verted to the classical by the addition of a latin ending, “ae,” “‘ia,’’ “‘a’’ or simply 
“i,” When the specific name is derived from the discoverer or introducer, the ending 
is “ae” or “i.” As in Cymbidium Sanderi and Cattleya Skinneri. The word Cymbid- 
ium is from the Greek meaning “’boat-shaped” from the shape of the column and 
Sanderi is in honor of Mr. Sander, who introduced the plant. The Genera Cattleya 
is named in honor of William Cattley, Esq. of England, one of the earliest orchid 
amateur growers, with whom Cattleya Labiata produced its first English flowers, 
and Skinneri commemorates the untiring and excellent effort of Mr. George Ure 
Skinner of Guatemala, who sent many of the first orchids to England more than 
100 years ago. 
When a name is used or bestowed in compliment, the ending “us,” “iana’’ and 
“ieanum” is used as in Hortus, Sanderiana and Dalhousieanum. Whether the name 
shall end in “i” or “ii” is optional. The termination usually agrees with the gender 
of the generic name. This, however, is sometimes disregarded as some would prefer 
to say Humboltius and others Humboltus, either being correct. The same freedom 
pertains to the accentuation of the names ending in a single ‘i.’ That is to say, 
they may be pronounced either Hook’eri or Hooke’ri, since the ancients who used 
the classical had no such names there would be no classical rule. 
Some orchids receive their names from the vernacular of their native land, 
Vanda, for example, but some have had Latin endings added as in the case of 
Angraecum. 
To go back to our earlier reference about colloquial names for orchids, the 
objection is often raised, why cannot these plants and glorious flowers have “Eng- 
lish or American names?” One view is that English names would be impractical, 
another is that they already have English names! Names akin to buttercup and 
snapdragon would be difficult. To attempt to apply or bestow such names would 
be a thankless task, very few would be willing to accept them, and in the presence 
of fuchsia, begonia and rhododendron, iris and chrysanthemum, crocus and nar- 
cissus, and a thousand others which are definitely as un-English as Calanthe and 
Epidendrum, it would be absurd, for it would be an attempt to supply a want that 
no one really feels. After all, the lily, rose and violet are not English names, but 
are Latin words with the ending altered. Quite often we find the orchid names 
being shortened in a like manner, and we say Cymbids, Oncids, and Dendrobes 
for Cymbidiums, Oncidiums and Dendrobiums. 
lt would seem an impossible task to use other than Latin for understanding be- 
tween different countries. The vernacular of the exotic plants, if adopted as a 
whole, would be scarcely an improvement on the Latin, for instead of Stanhopea, 
we would use Coatzonte Coxochitl and instead of Laelia Grandiflora we would say 
Chichilitic Tepetlavhxochitll These are two orchids described by Hernandez and are 
the first of the Mexican species to be figured. 
