28 THE HUMAN SIDE OF PLANTS 



satiny brown marked with a deep yellow, and its 

 two side petals curiously like wings, the entire 

 flower so simulating the form and colour of a 

 bee that at a casual glance even a skilled botanist 

 might mistake a cluster of its flowers for a number 

 of bees on a twig! 



Another near relative of the bee orchid, and 

 equally imitative, is the fly orchid, whose peculiarly 

 formed flowers have a tiny blue spot in the centre 

 of each, exactly like that of certain flies. Its long 

 and delicate side petals are like the antennae of a 

 moth. 



Then there is the spider orchid, with huge trail- 

 ing petals resembling a spider's legs when ready 

 to jump; in its dark centre is a blackish-red spot, 

 characteristic of a very poisonous and much feared 

 tarantula. 



Other orchids assume the shape of frogs, of 

 lizards, snakes, birds, moths, or butterflies ; and the 

 green-man orchid is thought to represent the figure 

 of a man. 



These plants no doubt derive a protection by 

 this form of mimicry that could hardly be im- 

 proved upon. It is occasionally so marvellous and 

 is carried out with such minute details of structure, 

 that even a skilled botanist is often deceived. As 

 a result, the plant flourishes unmolested because 



