Simplex-Complex Rule
Female Orchid Classification System
Next Level of Classification
At long last, having learned the foundational terminology and new morphological structures, the designation of orchids as simplex or complex can be made:
In its purest form, an orchid is designated as simplex if it does not have ridgeforms. By the definition of bifurcated (having types of ridgeforms), simplex orchids cannot be bifurcated.
Conversely, an orchid is designated as complex if it has one or more ridgeforms or is bifurcated.
As with any rule, there are exceptions that are demonstrated later, but for now, it’s important to understand how to designate orchids as either simplex or complex without this further complication.
More on Simplex
An orchid is defined as simplex if it is single stream with no ridgeforms, ridgeform fusions or bifurcation. Typically, the sheath seamlessly transitions into the buccal of the labia without ridgeforms:
Hood Distinction
Common traits of simplex orchids (but not exclusively) are hood crease and hood cleft (assuming the orchid does not have further complexity by means of ridgeforms, fusions or bifurcations). These features punctuate the smooth transition from the sheath and hood to labia buccal as shown below.
More on Complex
An orchid is defined as complex if it has one or more ridgeforms that fuse or do not fuse (but are structurally significant) with the sheath or labia. It is also a complex orchid by the presence of bifurcation (2 streams) trifurcation (3 streams) or blended where the sheath has a stream that is distinctively sheath-like and a single tributary or stream. Conversely, if the orchid is not simplex, it must be complex.
The examples below show complex orchids illustrating what makes them complex i.e. bifurcation, ridgeforms and ridgeform fusions. In the examples, “B” denotes bifurcation, ”F” is fusion and “R” is ridgeform.
The astute reader will notice that the first 6 pictures in this group are examples of the smaller princess class orchids whereas the last 6 pictures are examples of the larger duchess class orchids. This leads us to the conclusion that size is independent of simplicity or complexity and vice versa. More on combining how princess – duchess and simplex-complex designations fit together in the next section.