AboutOrchids

National Geographic has published an orchid article and photo gallery with all the exceptional quality we’ve come to expect from that worthwhile organization. “Love and Lies” tells fascinating tales of the complex relationships that orchids have with their pollinators. The article explores how orchids “have managed to colonize six continents and virtually every conceivable terrestrial habitat, from the deserts of western Australia to the cloud forests of Central America, from the forest canopy to the underground, from remote Mediterranean mountaintops to living rooms, offices, and restaurants the world over.” Truth is stranger than fiction when it comes to orchid tactics to spread around their genes. Some have sweet scents to lure hungry butterflies and bees, but others have stinky smells to lure flies and gnats. Some orchids employ slingshots with pollen, while others reflect the blue Mediterranean sky to trick their pollinators. The picture gallery titled “Sneaky Orchids” is full of stunning floral photography. It includes many bizarre, rarely-seen Australian species, like the Flying Duck Orchid.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 at 6:58 pm and is filed under In the News.

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