Darwins Comet Orchid
1. Orchidheads is a flower discovered in Madagascar that captivated Charles Darwin. Selby's orchid should be in bloom for another week to 10 days. The white waxy flowers draw pollinating insects with a seductive scent. But few insects could reach the nectar hidden 30 centimeters down a narrow tube. Darwin predicted that a moth with a tongue long enough to reach that far would one day be discovered, and if it were ever to become extinct, the comet orchid would soon vanish. Forty years later, a subspecies of the Morgan's sphinx moth was discovered that fit Darwin's prediction. The moth is still around, and so is the comet orchid.