What are orchids?

Discover why they’re unlike other flowers

With 25,000 species, the orchid is the largest of the planet’s plant families with the most diverse species growing in the tropics and subtropics. Orchids are found on all continents but Antarctica and can survive pretty much anywhere except true deserts and open water. Orchids grow on the ground using subterranean roots, though some have also developed the ability to grow up trees and other structures using aerial roots. What sets an orchid apart from most flowering plants, however, is its reproductive anatomy. Orchids have three petals (including one colourful lower petal called the labellum) and three sepals. While on other plants male and female reproductive organs remain separate, on an orchid these parts are fused in a central column.…

You're reading a preview of

How It Works Book of Incredible Earth (Digital) - 1 Issue, How It Works Book Of Incredible Earth 6th Edition

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.