Card Set No. 21 – Floral Mimicry

Some orchids deceive their pollinators. Their flowers mimic the appearance, scent, or even the shape of another living creature with astonishing precision.

Species of the genus Ophrys are particularly striking. Their flowers resemble female bees or wasps so closely that male insects attempt to mate with the supposed partner. In the process, pollen packets stick to their bodies and are carried to the next flower. Other orchids imitate nectar-rich flowers without offering any nectar themselves. The deception goes so far that some orchid species are specialized to be pollinated by only a single insect species.

However, orchids do not only use mimicry. With more than 25,000 known species, they are among the most species-rich plant families in the world and have colonized almost every continent except Antarctica. Their extraordinary shapes and markings are therefore more than just pure beauty. They are the result of a long evolutionary development in which color, shape, scent, and timing have become precise tools.

"Floral Mimicry" shows orchids from this particular perspective: as masters of deception. These sophisticated strategies show that survival in nature depends not only on strength or size, but also on adaptability and deception. Orchids are thus an impressive example of the creativity and diversity of evolution.

• A set of cards contains 5 different motifs
• Format: 104 × 140 mm
• Offset printing in Zurich, Switzerland
• Z-Offset natural paper, 400 g/m²
• FSC-certified paper
• Concept & design: Bienvenue Studios