TIL that the name of the orchid comes from the Greek word for testicle, “ὄρχις”, because of the shape of the twin tubers in some plants of the genus Orchis. This resemblance is also why the Middle English word for certain orchids was “bollockwort”, from “bollock” (testicle) and “wort” (plant).

by whatilearned January 29, 2023, 4:59 am