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Article: Orchids trickster flowers.
- Article from:
- The Evening Standard (London, England)
- Article date:
- March 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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If you thought orchids were just pretty flowers, think again. With about 35,000 wild species, orchids may be Earth's biggest family of green plants. Most species live in tropical rain forests, but orchids thrive on every continent except Antarctica. And orchids have evolved some amazing survival tricks.
Pollination Ploys
Orchids produce flowers for one purpose: to reproduce. Most species must combine DNA (the genetic blueprint) from two parent plants. But, like most plants, orchids are rooted in one place. Plus, there often isn't another orchid close by for cross-pollination. To spread their pollen, many orchids rely on specific pollinator insects. ...