The beauty and diversity of orchids have fascinated people for ages. As long as 5 centuries before Christ, Confucius compared the pleasure of seeing good friends to entering a room full of "lan" or fragrant orchids.
兰花的美丽以及种类的多样化使得许多年龄段的人都为它着迷.早在公元前五世纪,孔子就用兰花来比喻看到好朋友的喜悦之情，因此有请"兰"入室或满室兰香一说.

This name was applied not only to one genus, Orchis, but also to the entire family (even though the majority of orchids do not have this kind of root). Commonly this family is called the orchid family: scientifically, the family is called Orchidaceae.

兰花的名字不仅属名为一种兰花,而且代表了整个兰花种类(即使大多数的兰花是没有根）. 一般称为兰花花系，科学上称为兰花科.
With so many people interested in orchids, one may well ask what is so special about these plants. One thing is the incredible diversity. There is simply no such thing as a typical orchid.The Orchidacae is probably the largest flowering plant family. So far, approximately 30000 wild species have been described. Also many, many man-made hybrids have been created.
很多人对兰花都很有兴趣,我们有足够的理由问自己为什么这些植物这么的特别呢。其中最让人不可思议就是兰花的多样性. 根本没有一般的花能像兰花这么典型. 兰花科可能是花科植物中最大的科系了. 目前发现的就大约有3万种野生兰花.同时还有很多人工新培育的混合种类.

Orchids are herbaceous (non-woody) perennials that occur as vines, shrubs, and grass-like plants. Some bear a single flower; others have many flowers. They grow in habitats from tropical rain forests to alpine meadows, from bogs to semi-desert areas and from sea level to 14,000 feet in elevation. At least one orchid is semi-aquatic, holding only its blossoms above the water surface. Another species grows and blooms entirely below the ground.
兰花是草本植物常年生长在藤、灌木、草类植物中.有些兰花只开一朵花还有一些其他的可以开许多花.它们的栖息地从热带雨林到高原，从沼泽到半沙漠地区,以及海平面14000英尺高度.兰花是一种半水生植物植物,只在水上开花.还有一些品种完全是在地下生长开花.
The largest, showiest, and most bizarre orchids occur in the tropics. Flower colors range from pure white to vivid pinks, lavenders, reds, golden-yellows, oranges, browns, and even blackish-purple. They vary from soft-muted tones to pure brilliant colors, and from solid shades to bizarre multicolored patterns.
最大最耀眼最奇异的兰花生长在热带. 兰花的颜色从白色到粉红色、淡紫色、红色、金黄是、橙色、褐色甚至于黑紫色. 这些不同声色的色彩,以及在各种固态茵影下组成了奇异多彩的图案.


1981年，新加坡选定卓锦•万代兰为国花。卓锦•万代兰亦称胡姬花，由福建闽南话音译Orchid(兰花)一词而来。卓锦•万代兰是兰花的一种。 它具有下列优美的特征。

　　容貌清丽而端庄、超群，又流露出谦和，象征着新加坡人民的气质，它有一个姣美的唇片和五个尊片，唇片四绽，象征新加坡四大民族和马来语、英语、华语和泰米尔语四种语言的平等。

　　花朵中间的恶柱，雌雄合体，象征幸福的根源。

　　花由下面相对的裂片拱扶着，象征着和谐，同甘苦、共荣辱。

　　花的唇片后方有一个袋形角，内有甜蜜汁，象征财富汇流聚集的处所。

　　把恋柱上的花粉盖揭开，里面有两个花块，像两只“金眼”，象征着高瞻远瞩。

　　它的茎向上攀援，象征向上发达、兴旺。它的花一朵谢落，一朵又开，象征新加坡国家民族的命脉，源远流长，具有无穷的信心和希塑。

　　新加坡人喜爱兰花，更偏爱卓锦•万代兰，还因为在最恶劣的条件下，也能争芳吐艳。象征着民族的刻苦耐劳，勇敢奋斗精神。