Lawrence Quinn, age 12, of Missoula, Mont., for his question:
HOW MANY RINDS OF ORCHIDS ARE THERE?
Orchids are regarded as one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. There are more than 6,000 different kinds of orchids growing in many parts of the world.
Most of the world's orchids are found in the tropical and subtropical areas. There are some, however, that do very well in cool, damp woods and in swamps.
An orchid blossom has three sepals and three petals. The petals may range in color from pure white to deep violet. Many are speckled or streaked with color.
One petal, called the lip, always has a special shape. It may be long and narrow, wide with a fringe or shaped like a pouch.
The lip of a lady's slipper orchid is shaped like a pouch or slipper. This flower is found in United States forests and swamps.
Blossoms of the butterfly orchid, which can be found in Great Britain, look very much like white butterflies with red spots.
Each kind of orchid is fertilized by pollen carried by a particular kind of insect. The size and shape of the orchid's blossoms are suited to that certain kind of insect. Also, special markings on the lip of an orchid guide the insect toward the nectar inside the blossom.
As an insect approaches the nectar in an orchid's flower, it brushes against pollen sacs in the blossom. Some of the pollen, and even the sacs themselves, may stick to the insect and be carried to another orchid of the same species. This process assures cross fertilization within each kind of orchid.
In cool areas, orchids usually grow in the ground. On tropical islands, however, many kinds of orchids grow high on branches of trees. Their tiny seeds are carried there by the wind. When a seed sprouts, the young plant sends its roots out along the tree's branch. These roots gather in a loose mass and some of them dangle in the air.
Some of the orchids that grow in trees have special corklike coverings on their roots that enable the roots to gather moisture directly from the air.
Many people raise orchids as a hobby. Often they build greenhouses and then collect orchids from many different lands.
Some orchids require six or seven years from the planting of the seed until they are able to produce blossoms.
Some orchids produce useful items. The climbing orchid called the vanilla vine, as an example, has pods known as vanilla beans that produce the vanilla flavoring used in foods and beverages.
Other orchids have potato like swellings on their roots. These swellings are dried to make salep, a material that is sometimes used in making medicines.