4 minute lesson
Orchids: The World’s Most Beautiful Liars?
There’s a lot more going on with the orchids than we may believe…
These beautiful plants may seem harmless enough, but their remarkable diversity may be the result of some rather cunning evolutionary tactics.
“Cunning” was never a word that popped into my head upon seeing an orchid, but since learning a little bit more about orchid evolution and the unique ways they thrive and survive, it’s now the first word that comes to mind.
Why It Matters
There’s just so much going on under those gorgeous petals!
The Orchid family has over 25,000 species living all over the world, finding unique niches in their environments to call home. They come in a vast array of sizes, shapes, and colors and every single one of them is beautiful. Life has found amazing ways to thrive in all corners of the globe!
Let's Talk About It
MinuteEarth
Science and stories about our awesome planet!
Created by Henry Reich, with Emily Elert, Alex Reich, Peter Reich, Ever Salazar, Kate Yoshida, and David Goldenberg. Music by Nathaniel Schroeder. “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” ― John Muir