What is a species plant??

[Skwishee]

I went to an orchid show today, and bought some new orchids. One is a Phal. Equestris. The vendor told me it's a species -- I have no idea what that means

Can someone please tell me what a species is??

Edited to add.... I just realized that the word "species" in my post has a definition associated with it. Which helps a bit, but I could still use more info!!

[Frdemetr]

Phal. equestris (the species name begins with small letter) is a Phalaenopsis species because it is founded in nature; if this species was improved in culture, it can receives a cultivar or clonal name added: Phal. equestris 'Riverbend'; if this clone was awarded, the award comes after the clonal name: Phal. equestris 'Riverbend' AM/AOS. I think the seller said 'species' in opposit to 'hybrid', a man creation crossing two plants: Phal. Mambotris (the hybrid grex name in capital first letter), that results from crossing Phal. Mambo x Phal. equestris v. ilocos (a varietal name can come after the species name to)

[Helen]

Is there a way of knowing whether or not someone didn't correctly use the 'capital' first letter when they were supposed to? Or, is there a list of species somewhere?

[Frdemetr]

Wow, a complete list of all species is almost impossible to find, because its a daily changing field; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England is the major authority (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Home Page. Royal Horticultural Society, England, is the hybrid authority (Royal Horticultural Society: Gardening Online - Home Page. In RHS you can search for a hybrid if you know both parents (correctly spelled) or for parents if you have de 'grex' name (Royal Horticultural Society - Plants: Orchids. Good search!

[Helen]

Thank you. I guess the bottom line is you have to trust that the vendor has the correct description of the plant? Otherwise it would probably be almost impossible to figure it out without tons of searching. Unless you are lucky to find the exact name and verify it that way.
Am I thinking about this correctly?

[Frdemetr]

Helen, you are right; sometimes a single mis-spelled letter causes a enormous problem! Double-letters are terrible (ie, Masdevalia instead of correct Masdevallia, or Stan. occulata instead of correct Stan. oculata). With experience you perceive certain common errors and intuition puts you the right way to search. Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia is a valuable source

[Tindomul]

What is a species? Thats a harder question than it seems. A species is a naturally occuring group of organisms that are isolated so that they cannot interbreed with other types of organisms. They could be isolated because they are found in different parts of the world and would never get the chance to interbreed, or they set flower at different times of the year(in the case of plants), or they simply can't produce offspring, or can't produce offspring that can produce offspring themselves. Hope this helps. In cultivation many species however, can interbreed and have offspring that can have offspring themselves. There is a lot of debate about how to deal with this problem.
Here is a website with orchid species. Thousands of them:
Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia

[Helen]

Great, thanks Frederico..you always have good info for us
A big help...

[Helen]

Tindo, excellent. Thanks for the link...I'll be referring to it a lot!

[smartie2000]

Phal. equestris is one that can be found and nature and has not been hybridized artificially by humans. A species consists of individual organisms which are very similar in appearance, anatomy, physiology and genetics due to having relatively recent common ancestors