pseudobulb
Noun A pseudobulb is a solid, bulblike swelling or enlargement found on the stem of certain orchid species. It functions as a water and nutrient storage organ, helping the plant survive periods of drought. Unlike true bulbs (like those of tulips or onions), a pseudobulb is a modified stem, not a modified leaf structure.
The term "pseudobulb" is used specifically in botany and horticulture to describe a key morphological feature of many epiphytic (tree-dwelling) and some terrestrial orchids.
Examples * The Cattleya orchid has prominent, club-shaped pseudobulbs that store moisture. * A healthy, plump pseudobulb indicates the orchid has stored sufficient resources. * After flowering, new growth emerges from the base of the mature pseudobulb.
- Descriptive Terminology: Pseudobulbs can be further described by their shape, such as (spindle-shaped), , or (club-shaped).
- Growth Habit Reference: Orchids are often categorized by their pseudobulb growth patterns, such as orchids, which grow laterally and produce a series of connected pseudobulbs.
- Bulb (noun): A true bulb, a rounded underground storage organ made of layered leaves (e.g., an onion). This is a distinct structure from a pseudobulb.
- Corm (noun): A short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ (e.g., crocus). Like a pseudobulb, it is a modified stem.
- Tuber (noun): A thickened underground part of a stem or rhizome used for storage (e.g., potato).
- Storage stem
- Aerial tuber (in a specific, descriptive sense)
- Lead (noun): In orchid cultivation, a new growth consisting of leaves and the beginning of a pseudobulb.
- Back bulb (noun): An old, leafless pseudobulb that may still support the plant by storing nutrients and sometimes producing new growth.
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a solid bulblike enlargement of the stem of some orchids
