Curio

State Library of New South Wales
‘A Species of Orchis’ or Purple donkey orchid (Diursus punctata) and Golden donkey orchid (Diursis aurea), 1790

‘A Species of Orchis’ or Purple donkey orchid (Diursus punctata) and Golden donkey orchid (Diursis aurea), 1790

Dixson Library, State Library of NSW; Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952; DL PXX 1, Series 02, f. 2

Watercolour

There are more than 25,000 known species of orchids in the world with new species still being discovered.
Orchids display symmetry similar to human faces. It is thought that when you look at an orchid, it looks back at you.
Some of the rarest orchids in the world include the spider orchid, ghost orchid, lady slippers and chocolate orchids.
Orchids deceive insects into pollinating them by displaying parts of themselves to look like the kind of insect they hope to attract.
Vanilla is a species of orchid.