Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids

Be Enthralled. Be Astonished. Be Amazed. Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids takes you on a five-continent trek, with ground-breaking images of orchids in their natural habitat accompanied by a riveting tale of orchid survival and conquest by Smithsonian's own biologist-turned-photographer Christian Ziegler, a frequent contributor to National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazines.  Hardcover; 184 pages; 168 full color images. 11" x 11".

Museum Provenance

Did you know there are twice as many species of orchids as birds? Or that the 8,000 specimens in our Smithsonian Orchid Collection include species from Africa, Asia, and Australia as well as from the Americas? Whether or not you can attend our 18th Annual Orchid Exhibition (this year showcasing Orchids of Latin America, through April 21, 2013), the décor, jewelry and gifts offered let you enjoy these exotic beauties and their fragrance in your home.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or inspired by an object or objects in our collection.