VOCABULARY

community - a group of different species that live and interact together in the same area.

ecosystem - a community of animals and plants interacting with each other and with their environment.

habitat - the space where an animal or plant lives that provides its food, water and shelter.

hypothesis - a scientific guess or possible explanation of a condition that can be tested by a carefully designed investigation.

Orchidaceae (orchids) - one of the three largest families of flowering plants.

terrestrials - plants found on the ground.

lithophytes -  plants found on rocks.

epiphytes - plants found on trees.

sympodial - orchids characterized by individual shoots with limited growth.

monopodial - orchids characterized by shoots with unlimited growth.

sepal- leaflike structures that cover and protect an immature flower.

petal - the often colorful structures on a flower that are usually involved in attracting pollinators.

stamen - the male reproductive structure in the flower that consists of a filament topped by a pollen-producing anther.

pistil - the female reproductive structure in a flower that consists of a stigma, a style and an ovary

column - the center of the flower containing a fusion of the stamens and pistil.