Lacking lips; in botanical terms, describing a flower corolla that has no distinct lip-like projection.
From Greek a- (without) plus cheilos (lip). The term is primarily used in botany and biology to describe anatomical features lacking a lip structure.
Most orchids are famous for having elaborate 'lips' (called labella), but achilous orchids lack this distinctive feature, which changes how pollinating insects interact with them—nature's way of being selective about who gets to help reproduce.
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