black orchid
• noun
Any of several species or hybrids of the orchid family (Orchidaceae) that produce exceptionally dark, near-black flowers, such as the Borneo native Coelogyne pandurata, highly prized by cultivators for their rarity.
"The botanical garden unveiled a newly bloomed black orchid, drawing crowds eager to see its deep burgundy, almost pitch-black petals."
A cultural, cinematic, and literary symbol used to represent something exceedingly rare, exotic, mysterious, or darkly beautiful.
"In the detective novel, the elusive spy was known only by her striking codename, the black orchid."
Word Nuance & Usage
In botany, true black pigmentation does not exist in orchids; 'black orchids' are actually intensely dark shades of purple, maroon, or red that appear black to the human eye.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.