But because orchids sometimes rely on only one pollinator species, they are also vulnerable.

But because of their dependence on sometimes just one pollinator species, orchids are also vulnerable, and many quickly go extinct. Over time, though, more orchid species have formed than died out, and orchids are some of the most diverse flowering plants. They have such exuberant and otherworldly shapes that they occasionally deceive human senses, too: In their petals we see what appear to be tiny, dancing people, monkey’s faces, spiders, and even birds in flight.