What is "pleione"

Pleione may refer to:

• Pleione (mythology), a figure in Greek mythology
• Pleione (star), a star belonging to the Pleiades star cluster
• Pleione (plant), a genus mainly of ground orchids. Prefer to grow on tree-trunks and in rock crevices

Pleione (peacock orchid) is a small genus of predominantly terrestrial but sometimes epiphytic or lithophytic, miniature orchids. This genus is named after Pleione, mother of the Pleiades (in Greek mythology), and comprises about 20 species. Other common names of this genus include glory of the east, Himalayan crocus, Indian crocus and windowsill orchid. The genus Diploconchium Schauer is generally included here. Pleione is abbreviated to Pln in trade journals.

Pleione, designated 28 Tauri (abbreviated 28 Tau) and BU Tauri, is a binary star and the seventh brightest star in the Pleiades star cluster ( M45) and is located approximately 390 light years from the Sun in the constellation of Taurus. Since the star is located close to Atlas, it's difficult for stargazers to distinguish with the naked eye, even though it's a hot type B star 190 times more luminous than the Sun. Pleione rotates even faster than Achernar on its axis, close to its breakup velocity.

The brighter star of the binary pair, component A, is a classical Be star with certain distinguishing traits: periodic phase changes and a complex circumstellar environment composed of two gaseous disks at different angles to each other. Although some research on the system has been performed, stellar characteristics of the orbiting B component are not well known.

Pleione (; from the Greek Πληιόνη or Πλειόνη) was an Oceanid nymph in Greek mythology.

She lived in a southern region of Greece called Arcadia, on a mountain named Mount Kyllini. She married the Titan Atlas and gave birth to the Hyades, Hyas and the Pleiades. She was also the protectress of sailing.

Her grandson was the god Hermes and the demigod Iasion was her great-grandson.