The Orchid, the Lily, and the Iris
Quick! What is this flower? An orchid, a lily, or an iris?
You may have been able to answer immediately because you are very familiar with all three kinds of flowers, but what was it about this one that told you what it is? If you didn’t know what it was, don’t worry, the answer will be given later.
Orchids, lilies, and irises each belong to a different family: Orchidaceae (22,000 species), Liliaceae (1600 species), and Iridaceae (1500 species), respectively. Each family is widely distributed throughout the world. (Click on any image to enlarge.)
The flowers are so showy and beautiful that they’ve been thoroughly cultivated, and if you’re at all familiar with flowers, you can probably easily distinguish any of the three cultivated flowers. But what if you happen upon one in the wild?
