We wouldn’t be “Homo sapiens” without Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who developed scientific binomial nomenclature, the genus and species naming style we use today. The earthly catalog of flora and fauna has expanded enormously since his day. In 1753, he’d classified 69 species of orchids. Today, we know of more than 26,000. Among the more picturesque is Dracula vampira, a rare purple-black orchid from Ecuador that has a distinctively batlike appearance.
Which flavoring comes from the seedpods of orchids?
A) Anise
B) Cinnamon
C) Saffron
D) Vanilla
Previous answer: Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the U.S. National Park Service.
TRIVIA FANS: Leslie Elman is the author of “Weird But True: 200 Astounding, Outrageous and Totally Off the Wall Facts.” Contact her at [email protected]
