Orchids and Design

by Sarah Oppelt

After completing his monumental Origin of Species, Charles Darwin turned in his next publication to orchids and the "various contrivances" by which they are fertilized by insects. At one level, it was a masterful work in detailed natural history observation. At another level, it was a profound treatise on the notion of design and on the adaptation of pre-existing structures for new functions, as well as on the evolutionary significance of sexual reproduction. This module introduces students to the fundamental concepts in this work, built on an appreciation of flowers and their beauty.

Forthcoming. See the SHiPS Resource Center online.