ghost orchid
ghost orchid Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A rare, leafless epiphytic orchid native to the swamp ecosystems of Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas, characterized by striking, fragrant white flowers that appear to float in mid-air.
"Deep in the Fakahatchee Strand, the biologist finally spotted the elusive bloom of a ghost orchid clinging to the bark of an old cypress tree."
British A rare, parasitic, leafless orchid native to Eurasian forests that lacks chlorophyll and spends the vast majority of its life cycle entirely underground.
"The European ghost orchid was thought to be entirely extinct in the United Kingdom until a solitary specimen was miraculously discovered in 2009."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term most famously refers to the rare American epiphytic orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) known for its aerial roots, but it is also used for a distinct, fully parasitic species in Europe (Epipogium aphyllum).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
So named because its leafless, pale white blossoms appear to float like ghostly apparitions against the dark tree trunks and shadowy forest canopies of its habitat.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.