Orchid Family contains the aristocrats of the plant world, with
beautiful and gorgeous flowers whose wealth of colouring and
perfume is unsurpassed. wonderful family contains some of the
most marvelous devices to secure cross-fertilization by the aid
of insect visitors, and many orchids are absolutely dependent on
insects for the propagation of the species. British orchids are
naturally much less spectacular and conspicuous than the great
orchids of the tropics, growing under conditions of great heat
and humidity and amid abundant insect life which encourages a
much greater executive ability than our colder, less congenial
climate. British orchids are geophytes, i.e. plants which root
in the ground and include two saprophytic types which, however,
are plants of the woodlands. Highlands, we have eleven orchids,
many of which are of common occurrence, especially in the
meadows of the valleys and lower hillsides. include the Early
Purple Orchis (Orchis mascula), very common in damp meadows in
early May and June;