Darwin’s life as a scientist did not end in 1859 with the publication of On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection. Three years later he published the results of observations and experiments he had made on orchids, entitled, On the Various Contrivances by Which British and Foreign Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects.
In this book Darwin explained the intimate relationship between orchids and the insects that pollinate them. Darwin described examples of the unique structures that some orchids have that perfectly fit unique structures of the specific insect pollinator for that flower, and he suggested that these complimentary structures existed through a process of co-evolution between the flower and the pollinator as a result of natural selection. Darwin wrote,
“I think this little volume will do good to the "Origin", as it will show that I have worked hard at details'.
Photo: Darwin star orchid. Its existence was predicted by Darwin, 40 years before it was discovered.
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