zoomorphic and anthropomorphic roots

[MarcoP]

I can't remember where I read it.....

The Greek orchis means testicle, as still evidenced from the word polyorchidism (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.).
The Latin term is testes which may have led to the drawing of heads in the roots of orchids.

Thank you, Rene!
Your note seems very helpful to me, since it explains the human head roots in terms of the main principle mentioned by Segre: symbolic illustrations being related with metaphorical names.

Actually, the bulb of garlic is still called “head” (testa) in Italian. The same happened (or maybe still happens) in French (teste d'aulx) and possibly in medieval Latin (“You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.).

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (Italy, 1475 ca) explicitly mentions something similar for an anthropomorphic root:
“Erba luccia terza vel capo duomo i[n] greco”
“The third Luccia herb, or man's head in Greek”
I have no idea of what the Greek name alluded to could be, it could well be some variant of “orchis”.