| abstract | - Horticulture was the science or practice of plant cultivation, and included elements of both botany and agriculture. The area of horticulture that focused on flower breeding and cultivation was known as floriculture. Tuvok developed expertise in horticulture, prior to becoming stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and was previously a breeder of prize Vulcan orchids. It was because of this background that he was able to correctly identify a rare variety of Earth Cypripedium, of the Asiatic genus Paphiopedilum, found on the Sky Spirit's homeworld in the Delta Quadrant. Upon learning of Tuvok's interest in orchid breeding, Neelix described his own interest in breeding orchids: for use in salads. Because of their combined "interests" in horticulture, Chakotay assigned them to be the away team's botanical surveyors, during their away mission on the Sky Spirit's homeworld. (VOY: "Tattoo") Tuvok shared his floricultural interests with Lon Suder during a mind meld. As a result, Suder took his newfound interest in the science and made it his own by developing what he named the "Tuvok orchid". (VOY: "Meld", "Basics, Part I")
|
