Pollination of orchids

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pollination-of-orchids

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific family name?Orchidaceae
2. What is the geographic distribution?Cosmopolitan, found on every continent except Antarctica
3. What makes orchid pollination different from other plants?Orchids need special insect friends to move their pollen. Unlike many plants that use wind, orchids have flowers shaped to fit particular insects.
4. How do orchids trick insects to help them?Some orchids pretend to be food or a mate. They use smells or shapes that trick insects into visiting, which helps the orchids spread their pollen.

Angiosperms: Flowering plants characterized by seeds enclosed within a fruit.
Pollination Syndrome: A suite of floral traits that attract a specific group of pollinators.
Obligate Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship where one species cannot survive without the other.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Chemicals released into the air that can be detected by smell.