ghost orchid
Leafless white epiphyte
A ghost orchid is a rare, striking orchid native to Florida and Cuba, named for its white flowers that seem to float in midair—the plant lacks visible leaves, and its roots blend into tree bark.
The flowers appear ghostly, hovering in swamp darkness.
Ghost orchids are endangered and notoriously difficult to cultivate, making them prized by collectors and poachers alike.
Non-parasitic botanical hitchhiker
- leaflessHaving no foliage
- photosyntheticProducing energy from light
- pollinationFlower reproductive transfer
- perennialRecurring each year
aerial · rootbound · chlorophyll · stamen · pistil · sepals · Florida · Cuba
Plant's reproductive organ
- petalBloom's colorful segment
- whiteAbsence of pigment
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- pristinePure and untouched
ivory · sculptural · nocturnal · fragrant · sphinx · dangling · suspended · floating
Hard to find
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- rareSeldom found or seen
- hiddenKept out of sight
secretive · cryptic · undiscovered · sought-after · legendary · mysterious · fabled · coveted
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- wraithlikeResembling a ghost
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- translucentPermitting diffused light passage
otherworldly · phantasmal · gossamer · vaporous · luminous · pale · supernatural · incorporeal
At risk of extinction
- protectedKept from harm
- poachedIllegally hunted or taken
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
biodiversity · CITES · Everglades · wetland · preserve · fragile · vulnerable · extinction
epiphyte
Non-parasitic botanical hitchhiker
- leaflessHaving no foliage
- photosyntheticProducing energy from light
- pollinationFlower reproductive transfer
perennial · aerial · rootbound · chlorophyll · stamen · pistil · sepals · Florida · Cuba · Caribbean
flower
Plant's reproductive organ
pristine · ivory · sculptural · nocturnal · fragrant · sphinx · dangling · suspended · floating · wispy
elusive
Hard to find
hidden · secretive · cryptic · undiscovered · sought-after · legendary · mysterious · fabled · coveted · reclusive
ethereal
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- wraithlikeResembling a ghost
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
translucent · otherworldly · phantasmal · gossamer · vaporous · luminous · pale · supernatural · incorporeal · spectral
endangered
At risk of extinction
- protectedKept from harm
- poachedIllegally hunted or taken
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
habitat · biodiversity · CITES · Everglades · wetland · preserve · fragile · vulnerable · extinction · sanctuary
ghost orchiddandelion
Yellow flower, white puffball
clover · plantain · moth orchid · chickweed · crabgrass
ghost orchidmoth orchid
Winged-petal houseplant bloom
pothos · spider plant · dandelion · marigold · zinnia
ghost, ghostly, ghosting, orchid, ghosted, orchids, ghostliness