兰花竟有这般颜？

From+orchidsplus.com++申申然

Almost everyone has seen a beautiful orchid at some point in their life， but have you seen orchids that look like animals or human beings？

几乎人人都曾在生活中的某个时刻见过美丽的兰花，但你可曾见过形似动物或人类的兰花？

Monkey Face Orchid 猴面小龙兰

Location： Southeast Ecuador 生长地区：厄瓜多尔东南部

One of the most popular of these flowers are the orchids that look like monkeys. Monkey Orchids are native to the mountains of Ecuador. They are accustomed to cooler temperatures and enjoy larger amounts of humidity1）. There are over 120 species of Monkey Orchids， all found in this same mountainous region. They display one flower per stem2） that most people agree look like monkeys. These orchids can flower at any time during the year.

长得像猴脸的这种兰花（猴面小龙兰）是形似动物的兰花中最受欢迎的种类之一。这种花原产于厄瓜多尔的群山之中，喜欢较为寒凉和非常湿润的环境。猴面小龙兰共有120多个品种，全部都生长在同一山区。这种兰花一茎只开一花（大多数人都认为其花酷似猴脸），一年四季常开。

White Egret Orchid 白鹭兰

Location： China， Korea and Russia 分布地区：中国、韩国和俄罗斯

These orchids are one of the most iconic orchids that look like animals， yet one of the most endangered. They grow between 1～8 flowers that can reach a little more than an inch wide. White Egret Orchids are one of the showiest3） flowers on Earth.

White Egret Orchids are extremely easy to grow and are one of the only orchid species that prefer full sun. They need a bog4）-like environment and a dormant5） winter period in order to survive.

这种兰花是最典型的形似动物的兰花之一，也是最濒危的一种。它们每株可开1～8朵花，每朵的直径可达一英寸（译注：约2.54厘米）多一点。白鹭兰是地球上最夺人眼球的花之一。

白鹭兰极易繁殖，还是绝无仅有的偏爱全日照的兰花品种之一。它们的生长离不开类似沼泽的环境，为了存活，它们还需要在冬季休眠。

Bee Orchid 蜂兰

Location： Europe 分布地区：欧洲

This orchid is extremely deceptive in the way it pollinates6） itself. It is designed to look and smell like a female bee， which attracts the male bees to come over and get covered in pollen7）. The bee then moves onto the next fake bee， transferring the pollen. Bee Orchid spikes8） produce 1～12 flowers between April and July. They are plentiful in dry areas of Europe and spread rapidly， but don't always appear every year. In the wild， it has been observed that they tend to bloom one year and then stay dormant for many years before blooming again.

在为自己授粉的方式这方面，这种兰花极具欺骗性。它们生来就长得像雌蜂，闻着也像，这能吸引雄蜂飞过来并让雄峰浑身都沾上它们的花粉。雄蜂接下来又飞到下一只“假蜜蜂”那里，把花粉传了过去。蜂兰花在4～7月开花，它的每个穗状花序能开出1～12朵花。它们遍布欧洲的干燥地区，传播迅速，不过并不是每年都会长出来。据观察，野生的蜂兰花往往会在某一年开花之后休眠多年，直至再次开花。

Ballerina Orchid 芭蕾兰

Location： Western Australia 分布地区：澳大利亚西部

These small plants are terrestrial9） spider orchids that grow singly or in groups in western Australia. The flowers are essentially cream10） in color， with maroon11） markings12）. Together， the flower looks like a maiden in a white tutu13）， holding a graceful ballet pose. The grazing14） of rabbits and kangaroos in the regions where they grow poses great threat to these orchids.

这种陆生蜘蛛兰属的植物体型小巧，分布于澳大利亚西部，或单株生长，或成群生长。它们的花基本上呈奶白色，辅以栗色斑纹。整体来看，这种花宛如一个身穿白色芭蕾舞裙、摆着优美芭蕾舞姿的少女。在这种兰花生长的区域，兔子和袋鼠的啃食对它们构成了极大的威胁。

Dove Orchid 鸽子兰

Location： Central America 分布地区：中美洲

These orchids grow flowers that look like they have a hand-carved dove sitting in the middle. At first glance， most people see these and think that they are carved into the flower and do not believe they are real. The white flower is produced at the base15） of the plant， with each pseudobulb16） producing 4～12 flowers. Dove Orchids are in great danger of becoming extinct due to poachers17） collecting them and selling them for profit. They are protected under the laws that cover endangered species and are currently the national flower of the Republic of Panama.

这种兰花开的花看上去宛若有一个手工雕刻的白鸽坐在花朵的中心。大多数人乍一看这种花会以为它们是被雕刻到花上的，不相信它们是真花。这种白色的花生长在这种植物的基部，每个假鳞茎可开出4～12朵花。由于偷采者为谋利而采摘、贩卖鸽子兰，它们目前处于濒临灭绝的高危境地。如今鸽子兰受到了有关濒危物种法律的保护，并且现在是巴拿马共和国的国花。

Bird Head Orchid 鸟头兰

Location： The Balkans， Greece， and Iran 分布地区：巴尔干半岛、希腊和伊朗

The Moth Orchid18） is one of the most common orchids that look like animals. They look like moths in flight， while also looking like a bird head from up close. Many people believe that the bird head is there to protect the nectar19） from certain insects.

这种蝴蝶兰是最常见的形似动物的兰花之一。它们远看像飞蛾，但近看又像鸟头。许多人认为，鸟头可以起到保护花蜜不被某些昆虫吸食的作用。

Flying Duck Orchid 飞鸭兰

Location： Australia 分布地区：澳大利亚

This is one of the most unique flowers in the world because of the flower it produces. The blossom looks like a duck flying through the air on a green spike. Each spike grows 2～4 flowers and the whole orchid can grow up to 5 inches across. The unique shape attracts insects to pollinate the flower. These flowers are extremely small and not very noticeable when they are growing in the wild.

这种兰花是世界上最独特的花之一，独特之处就在于它们所开的花——其花朵形似一只飞过半空的鸭子，下面衬着绿色的穗状花序。每个穗状花序可开2～4朵花，整朵兰花的直径可达5英寸（译注：约12.7厘米）。这一独特的外形会吸引昆虫前来授粉。野生飞鸭兰的花非常小，不太引人注目。

Swaddled20） Babies 襁褓婴儿兰

Location： Columbia 分布地区：哥伦比亚

The Angloua Uniflora is a beautiful orchid which is commonly known by the name， Swaddled Babies. The plant grows in the Columbian Andes. The most stunning feature of the plant is its flowers which are large， creamy-white and waxy21）. Their structure is quite complex， and at a certain stage of opening， they start to look like a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. Each flower blooms from a single stem from the base of the pseudobulbs.

单花安古兰是一种美丽的兰花，通常被称为“襁褓婴儿兰”。这种植物生长在哥伦比亚境内的安第斯山脉，最令人惊异之处在于其花朵。这些花朵个头不小，呈乳白色，表面光滑如蜡。这种花的构造相当复杂，开到一定阶段时，它们就会形似一个包裹在襁褓中的婴儿。每朵花均由假鳞茎基部的一根单茎长出。