What's This Part of an Orchid Called?

[Mountaineer370]

Simple question, really, but I'm unable to find an answer by searching online. I'm wondering if there is a specific term for the "flower stem." In other words, there is the inflorescence or spike, and each flower (in my case, Phals) is attached to the inflorescence by a short stem. Does that part have a name?

[Dimples]

I think the term you're looking for is pedicles.

Check out this page.

[Mountaineer370]

Thanks, Dimples, but I think maybe you made a typo? You said above "pedicles," but the link you provided says "pedicel." In looking both of these words up in the dictionary, it seems "pedicel" is the botanical term, and "pedicle" is an anatomical term? It's confusing because the spellings are identical except for the order of the last two letters.

[Dimples]

You’re quite right. Those pesky el/le endings strike again. It seems both spellings are used in reference to various anatomical structures of non-plant organism but only the ‘pedicel’ spelling is used in botany, with the common theme being all uses of either spelling seem to describe connective structures or attachment points.

The -le form is also used in geography in a similar descriptive manner. Neat stuff.

[Mountaineer370]

Thanks for your reply! I had the word "petiole" stuck in my mind, but looking that word up, I knew that wasn't it. There are too many "P" words in botanical terminology.