So a LOT of plant names are with reference to genitalia, because, biologists, I suppose.
For example, there is a plant known as Asian pigeonwings / Butterfly pea / Darwin pea, which is sometimes brewed into tea because it makes it a bright blue color, and is very striking. I found out about it via trying some of this blue tea & of course decided to look it up. The scientific name is Clitorea ternatea, , and looking at it,
yeah, thats, Clitorea , totally.
then there's the Corpse Flower or Titan Arum, elephant foot yam, and konjac, which are all Amorphophallus , which means what you think it means, named after their long spadix:
beyond plants, there are Phallales mushrooms, which contains the genus Phallus ... the death cap is A. phalloides ... there is a fish genus Xenophallus (alien penis) and Phallichthys (penis fish). There is actually a wikipedia list "Taxa named after human genitals". which does mention the orchid fact above.
however, until seeing this post, I didn't know why orchids were called that. I did know that it was with reference to testicles, but I didn't know why people thought there was something testicular about orchids. Knowing the plants mentioned above, I was looking at the orchid flowers and getting generally confused, since none look particularly ballsy, the nearest match was maybe the Naked Man Orchid but it didn't feel right that that was the orchid for which all orchids are named. especially considering the scientific binomial nomenclature is a European thing, and Europe does have orchids apart from the Naked Man (esp. as the Naked Man is mediterranean, and Linnaeus and other guys who came up with Scientific Names were more northern & would probably name things after their local orchids).
so thanks @bethposting you saved me from the Mystery.
you also led to me finding the "Taxa named after human genitals" page which is, a treasure , for sure.
... this is the image they use for orchids there:
I see it now !
truly brilliant. Thanks biologists for the genital pareidolia , humans throughout history will see shapes and go "...Hey. Hey do you know what that looks like?"
images: Butterfly pea from NCSU North Carolina Plant Toolbox ... Titan arum from Netherlands Museum Pass page on Hortus botanicus Leiden ... Orchis militaris by Carl Axel Magnus Lindman, on wikipedia
