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 antenne 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 
