On 7 Jul 06, at 14:31, Jacinda and Barry wrote: > Good question re: orchids and what counts as bulbs and what doesn't. > Have always wondered this myself! The terms "bulb", "tuber", "rhizome", and "corm" have rather precise definitions in botanical use, which you can unearth in any suitable reference. Some plants are, as you would expect, problematic: various cyclamen species have roots on different faces of their whatevers so the genus as a whole presents a problem when it comes to classifying their storage organs. And many plants have fleshy roots that are none of these: peonies, for example. The storage organs of some orchids are regularly referred to as "tubers", e.g. /Orchis/, but others are less certain. The "bulbs" of /Pleione/ are commonly referred to as "pseudobulbs". So in spite of nomenclatural precision by the botanists, there are, as usual, gray areas and unclassifiable structures to keep us all amused and alert. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate on beautiful Vancouver Island