There were a lot of amused comments from readers on my blog post 10 Unfortunate Orchid Names, so I decided that a second edition was in order. Orchids have all sorts of crazy names and so many of them take my mind straight back to the gutter…I just can’t help it! For your perverse pleasure, here is a list of 20 more unfortunate orchid names…
1. The word ‘orchid‘ itself comes from the Greek word ‘orchis’, which means testicle. If you take a look at the roots on the genus Orchis, it’s crystal clear where the name came from:
![Orchis](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Orchis_mascula_Nordens_Flora_401.jpg)
2. Bulbophyllum vaginatum
![Bulbophyllum vaginatum](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Bulbophyllum_vaginatum_5.jpg)
3. Paphiopedilum supersuk
![Paphiopedilum supersuk](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3216/3081585778_32f8610f7d.jpg?resize=211%2C315)
5. Phalaenopsis Super Stupid — clearly, someone was having a bad day when they named this one.
![Phalaenopsis Super stupid](https://i0.wp.com/a4.pbase.com/o6/63/723463/1/76778204.eIZpg9d1.Phalaenopsishybrid5s.jpg?resize=650%2C435)
6. Cymbidium Nip – the photo below is a hybrid called Strathdon ‘Cooksbridge Fantasy’, a cross of Cymbidium Nip x Cymbidium Kurun.
![Cymbidium Nip x Cymbidium Kurun](https://i0.wp.com/farm3.static.flickr.com/2244/2318967464_19a72a84e2.jpg?resize=240%2C360)
7. Masdevallia hymenantha
![Masdevallia hymenantha](https://i0.wp.com/farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4590898580_1e657053ed.jpg?resize=237%2C315)
8. Masdevallia coccinea
![Masdevallia coccinea](https://i0.wp.com/www.ecuagenera.com/WebRoot/Store/Shops/ecuagenera/5555/590E/7BD6/FAF4/D141/C0A8/DA44/D993/Masdevallia-coccinea.png?resize=665%2C446)
9. Paraphalaenopsis laycockii
![Paraphalaenopsis laycockii](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/orchids/images/7/78/Paraphalaenopsis_laycockii.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081026185916&path-prefix=en)
And a few unfortunate orchid names brought to my attention from commenter Bill of Species Specific:
10. Acianthus fornicatus
![Acianthus fornicatus](https://i0.wp.com/1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWqs26yOuh8/Tdpo-se1VfI/AAAAAAAAQF0/YuG7dylLIZk/s1600/Acianthus+fornicatus+alba+form+-+portrait+-+web.jpg?resize=665%2C887)
11. Anacamptis × lesbiensis
![Anacamptis x lesbiensis](https://i0.wp.com/www.orchidspecies.com/orphotdir/anaxlesbiensis.jpg?resize=260%2C315)
12. Angraecum erectum
![Angraecum erectum](https://i0.wp.com/bilder.orchideen-bilder.de/bilder/Gast/Angraecum_erectum2.jpg?resize=288%2C216)
13. Angraecum superbum
![Angraecum superbum](https://i0.wp.com/www.orchidphotos.org/images/orchids/AtlantaBotGdn/images/image002.jpg?resize=302%2C227)
14. Coelogyne cumingii
I couldn’t find images for a few unfortunate orchid hybrid names that I saw in back issues of Orchids Magazine, but I just have to share them anyway:
15. Doritaenopsis Bavarian Surprise (sounds like something you’d see at a German sex show)
16. Doritaenopsis Struber Herz Ass (um…what?)
17. Phalaenopsis petit bois (“petis bois” means “little wood” in French)
18. Cymbidium putana (“putana” means “prostitute” in Italian)
19. Miltonidium cojones (“cojones” means “balls” in Spanish)
20. Paphiopedilum flasher (do I even need to explain this one?)
Do you know of any more unfortunate orchid names? If so, let me know in the comments and I’ll credit you in the inevitable next edition!
2 comments
Who gets to name the orchid anyway? Maybe they should be checked out.