Stylet: Any sharp, piercing, needle-like organ such as those that form the mouth parts of bugs, fleas, and mosquitoes.*
Mealy bugs, scale insects, and aphids are examples of pests which use their stylets to suck juices out of plants. In the picture above, a mealy bug is starting in on an orchid leaf.
*O’Toole, C. (ed.). (2002). Firefly encyclopedia of insects and spiders. Toronto: Firefly Books.
Gall: An abnormal growth or swelling in a plant. The formation of a gall may be induced by infection of the plant with bacteria or…
Monopodial: Having a single axis of growth with lateral branching occurring on either side of the main axis, most commonly used to describe the growth of…
It was a photo in the National Geographic that caught John Vermeer’s eye and started him on a lifelong passion for orchids. That was 46…
Keiki: A Hawaiian word referring to a baby plant produced asexually by an orchid plant.* Keikis sometimes form at the nodes on the flowering stems of…