twayblade (redirected from Twayblades)

tway·blade  (twbld)

n.

Any of numerous small terrestrial orchids of the genera Liparis and Listera, having usually two basal leaves and a terminal cluster of greenish or purplish flowers.

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[Obsolete tway, two (short for Middle English twaine; see twain) + blade (translation of Medieval Latin bifolium, two-leaf).]

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twayblade [ˈtweɪˌbleɪd]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any terrestrial orchid of the genus Listera, having a basal pair of oval unstalked leaves arranged opposite each other

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of various other orchids with paired basal leaves

[translation of Medieval Latin bifolium having two leaves, from obsolete tway two + blade]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	twayblade - orchid having a pair of ovate leaves and a long slender raceme of green flowers sometimes tinged red-brown; Europe to central Asia Listera ovata orchid, orchidaceous plant - any of numerous plants of the orchid family usually having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colors genus Listera, Listera - genus of terrestrial orchids having usually a single pair of broad shining leaves near the middle of the stem; found in temperate Asia and North America and Europe
	2.	twayblade - an orchid of the genus Liparis having a pair of leaves orchid, orchidaceous plant - any of numerous plants of the orchid family usually having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colors genus Liparis - genus of terrestrial and epiphytic orchids; pantropical to temperate