orchid family

American  

noun

1. the plant family Orchidaceae, characterized by terrestrial or epiphytic herbaceous plants having simple, parallel-veined, usually alternate leaves, complex and often large and showy flowers pollinated primarily by insects, and fruit in the form of a capsule containing numerous minute seeds, and including calypso, fringed orchis, lady's-slipper, pogonia, rattlesnake plantain, vanilla, as well as numerous tropical orchids such as those of the genera Cattleya, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, and Vanda.

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Example Sentences

The pleasant and sweet smell of this classic flavor is imparted by the chemical compound 'vanillin' found in the seed pods of vanilla plants belonging to the orchid family.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2024

The orchid family is particularly fantastic in this regard.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2013

Since they were not in flower, there was no way of telling more than that they were Cattleya Gigas, a fairly common orchid family.

From Time Magazine Archive

Vanilla planifolia.—The vanilla plant, which belongs to the orchid family.

From Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture by Saunders, William

It is a graceful climber, belonging to the orchid family.

From On the Banks of the Amazon by Groome, William H. C.