Her first topic was how the orchid got its name. Before we explain that, let's examine the Greek myth that explains the presence of orchids. The Greek myth tells the story of a young man, Orchis, the son of a nymph and a satyr who came upon a festival of Dionysus (Bacchus) in the forest. He drank too much, and attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysus. For his insult, he was torn apart by the Bacchanalians. His father prayed for him to be restored, but the gods instead changed him into a flower. Mary Ann did not share this story, but she did cite the word's etymology, coming from the Greek name for an organ of male anatomy that motivated Orchis' rash actions. The bulbous roots of the orchid bear resemblance to this organ, hence the word was used to indicate the class of plants whose flowers seem irresistibly seductive.
Before you get lost in the flower show, don't forget to check out the Recent and Upcoming Events paragraph at the bottom of this posting. We made an exploration into the natural world of birds and bones (making fossils at JCE). And we learned about the environment and ways to protect it in the District IV's first ESS Course, The Living Earth. On March 7th Master Gardeners Dianne Battle (GCoS member) and Mary Ann Bell (shown above) will be presenting a day of horticultural topics at the IFAS Spring Blitz. And come on down for our March 12th meeting featuring a presentation on succulents, and an evening presentation from our sister organization, the Bartram Scenic & Historic Highway, on Archeology Along the St. Johns River.
