Orchids have proven to be innovators of a high order, applying multiple strategies to achieve singular outcomes; in the form of often spectacular inflorescences, combining colour and form in the flower; Designed to attract attention, from specific insects primarily, for the purposes of pollination. from humans too, attracted by their physical beauty and material usefulness. Both strategies have led to the propagation of this ancient plant in both the natural and human-made worlds. As the author points out, "orchids seem to express an extremely capricious and malleable identity, both within the natural world and within our human imagination." evidenced in the large number of texts in print and on film which extemporise rather than address the orchid's exotic reputation as a sinister inhabitant, of the forest and the greenhouse, a realm of attraction within popular culture, from Pokémon to superheroes, fully explored in this account. The seven chapters in the well-illustrated volume is a succinct and engaging introduction to this fascinating area of botanical research with new species being added each year to roughly 28,000 species, growing in trees, on rocks and in the ground and making up 8% of all flowering species on the globe. Add to this over 100,000 hybrids and the diversity of the family is outlined. Eating orchids is a revelation, even though we have been familiar since infancy with the succulent flavour of vanilla. The beans produced by this species, originating in Mexico are today cultivated on an industrial scale in tropical parts of the world employing labour skilled with their hands to deceive the plant into self-pollinating. The unconventional manner in which orchids sexually reproduce, leads to fascinating research underway into pseudo copulation, whereby the plant shapeshifts to mimic the appearance of a pollinating bee or wasp, or emits a pheromone  specific to the species or gender of an insect; which on being attracted to the plant is positioned accurately enough for pollen, in the form of a sticky package, to be precisely attached to the insect's anatomy to match the column and stigma in the receiving plant of the same species, thus avoiding cross-pollination. Thereafter the mature seeds, considered the smallest of any flowering plant will form and be dispersed by the slightest air currents. The extraordinary saga continues when the seed meets with a specific mycorrhizal fungus which provides the necessary nutrition for germination to occur. Such a chance encounter is encouraged by the vast number of seeds dispersed.

thereby lies the greatest threat to the conservation of the species. The environment is being plundered at an exponential rate and components vital to the orchid lifecycle, including fungi and insects, requiring stable rainfall and humidity, are being displaced or destroyed by the actions of humans. Maintaining biodiversity is key to orchid species survival across the planet. Llikewise, the survival of humans.

Later pages include a timeline, indicating the reach of the orchid into so many of the world's cultures, of image-making-making and publishing. Fully referenced, the volume concludes with further reading and a list of associations and websites, making the book a comprehensive introduction to a topic combining several scientific disciplines, against a backdrop of broader cultural expression diverse in strategy and approach to responding to this ancient phenomena of the natural world.