Pollenatrix

Never mind orchids... asparagus?

Cool. Now there is evidence that orchids have been in existence since dinosaurs were running around the earth.

A 15-20 million year old bee has been discovered preserved in amber, with orchid pollen on its back. Apparently this helps end a certain amount of debate over how long orchids have been around:

Proponents of an older age for orchids had cited their ubiquity around the world, their close evolutionary kinship with the ancient asparagus family, and their bewildering diversity: Some 20,000 to 30,000 species strong, the showy plants comprise some 8 percent of all flowering species worldwide.

By applying the so-called molecular clock method, the scientists also estimated the age of the major branches of the orchid family. To their surprise, they found that certain groups of modern orchids, including the highly prized genus Vanilla, evolved very early during the rise of the plant family.

The quest for horse manure

Orchids in horse poop... I've read about it, and I've always wondered if it worked. An entire website is devoted to the glories of growing orchids in horse manure, and I'm sure that I'm not the only fool who has read it and actually been inspired to try.

And so yesterday I was invited to go out on a cart ride with my friend Sylvia and her beautiful Halflinger horse, Albert, after work. Sylvia is a tolerant soul, and when I floated the idea by her she gamely brought along two plastic shopping bags with the full knowledge that she'd be transporting fresh horse poo home in the trunk of her car for me. Such a good sport. Her parents are gardeners so I guess that bizarre botanical enthusiasms don't alarm her any more; she's had experience.

The cart ride through through the tranquil Bavarian countryside was unforgettable. We spent over an hour exploring quiet car-free trails through farmer's fields and coniferous forests. We passed cyclists and joggers in our Roman-style chariot, and watched a deep red sunset and a big fat moonrise over the meadows. Wow. So beautiful. Albert is a gorgeous creature, with a ridiculously long and curling flowing mane and tail, and he seemed to enjoy the trip as much as we did. Halflingers are the equine equivalent of Golden Retrievers; loveable and friendly, and extremely intelligent. Not just a horse, but one of three friends out on an adventure.

After the ride, Sylvia led me to an enormous mound of manure and up along a long wooden board leading to the top of it. We balanced precariously on the narrow plank and giggled while we bent over and filled the plastic bag. No accidents, thankfully. Sylvia dropped me off back at the office where my bike was locked, and I rode home with a steaming warm bag of horse poo in the front basket. A memorable evening.

This morning, the experiment began. I repotted a small cymbidium, one from a bulb that I bought three years ago in Madeira. This has to be the slowest growing plant I've ever grown, and I'm so frustrated with its progress I don't mind if it becomes the victim of a bad idea. If this works, bonus.

Orchid found outside the romance department

A nice article on the discovery of a particularly great specimen of "Ghost Orchid" (Polyrrhiza lindenii) growing wild in Florida.  This is a most unique and unusual find: A journalist who can write sensibly about orchids without getting all hot and bothered.

"That any ghost orchid exists at all anywhere on the planet is improbable. It is the compulsive gambler of the plant kingdom, evolutionarily speaking. ''Every one has gone through a gantlet of improbabilities,'' Owen said.

A ghost orchid seed will likely die if it's not infected by a particular strain of beneficial fungus. It will likely die if there's not enough peat to nourish its giant cypress host. It will likely die if there's not enough water in the slough below to saturate the air and mediate temperature swings. It will likely die if the tree canopy isn't dense enough to shelter it from the wind and desiccating sun.

Even if the ghost orchid has covered all these very long bets, it can be pollinated only by a giant moth that flies only at night."

More about Polyrrhiza lindenii

Pictures

Entitled, "Return of the Borchid Ripper"

Orchids are amazing things, and at a certain point you have to wonder if they're evidence of some kind of cosmic sense of humour.

Thanks, National Geographic:

July 17, 2007—It may look enticing, but this "female wasp" (left) is all stalk. That's because this temptress is actually a recently discovered hammer orchid, a flower that has evolved to resemble the body of a female wasp. Hapless male wasps are lured to land on—and thus pollinate—the flower.

"All stalk". Bwaa ha ha ha.

New orchids discoveries

"Scientists from the conservation nonprofit WWF discovered the flower, along with at least seven other new species of orchid, in the tropical rain forests of Papua New Guinea."

National Geographic News

"Now conservationists have made a discovery that would make any orchid hunter weep with joy - up to 28 new species of the flower. Eight of them are already confirmed as brand new plants that have never been seen before."

This is London

That's no fragile hothouse flower

That's one tough orchid.

Two years ago I brought a Lc. Cynthia 'Model' AM-FCC/AOS home from Madeira. This lovely orchid bloomed for me last winter, but we moved and life in our new home was not easy for a sun- and heat-loving plant. The summer was dull and rainy for the most part, and the morning sun through our window was filtered by a heavy cover of trees. In May I hung the obviously struggling plant on a tree outside, in the hope that it would get some more sun. It was definitely on the decline, and to be honest, I had already given up on it. Every once in a while I'd look over at the neglected orchid hanging on the tree and notice with a pang of guilt that it was still green, and still alive. But I'd shake my head and move on, knowing it was just a matter of time before it died.

In late August, I took a closer look, and was surprised to find that not only was the damned thing still alive, it even had some determined new growth. I decided then that this valiant orchid deserved a better home than I could give it. I cut off the new growth, potted it up, and gave it to my friend Christian -- a kindred spirit with a sunny south window. I threw the two remaining shrivelled backbulbs and rubbery leaves onto the compost heap under the bushes.

Fast forward to late October. Chilly nights, and chilly days. Even a smattering of snow. Leaves were falling, and the green of those discarded backbulbs contrasted mightily with the brown leaves all around them. "Geez", I thought. "That thing just won't die. I might as well give it a chance, it can't do any harm." I picked it out of the pile, plopped it into a pot with some medium, stuck it into a plastic bag on the back of my bike, and cycled off to work. I put it on the sunny windowsill beside my desk, in the corner of the office that is starting to resemble a jungle. One plant at a time -- that's the secret I learned back in Toronto to bringing new plants home without arousing the suspicions of the spousal unit. Or in this case, good natured colleagues.

Said colleagues were alarmed by my squeal two mornings ago, when I found a new knob of growth at the base of the bulbs. The damned thing is starting to grow.

Like I said. That's one tough plant.

Borchid Rippers

I've got a lot of boning up to do on happenings in the orchid world, I'm afraid. I let the cantakerous postings of the Orchid Digest pile up unread over the last couple of months, until last week when the news broke that another high profile somebody got busted for orchid smuggling. Scandalicious!! My ears always perk up for a good smuggling story, the media headlines are positively torrid.

Scientist Caged For Smuggling Rare Plants

The illegal trade, dubbed 'orchidelirium', threatens to destroy some species entirely. Thousands of pounds can be exchanged for each of the flowers admired for their sensuous shape and heady scent.

This one's even better:

"You can get off alcohol and drugs, but you never get off orchids. Never!"

... says the Telegraph. It goes on:

On the moist, spicy slopes of Borneo's 13,500ft Mount Kinabalu grows the Rothschild orchid, a plant too sexy for its stalk.

I am sensible to the fact that someone went to jail for that, and I appreciate it, whoever you are.

Cypripedium calceolus

The Human Flower Project happily reports:

One of the largest manufacturers of newsprint in the U.S. has agreed to stop clear-cutting hardwood forest, good news for lady slippers and hundreds more wild species of the Cumberland Plateau

I'm lovin' the photos...

Cypripedium reginae

Pretty.

Thanks, Daniel.

Orchid Conservation Forum

If you're an orchid lover, here's a link that you should should definitely check out: The Phytosophy Forum

It's a new discussion list, with a very worthwhile philosophy:

We, horticulturists, scientists, and lovers of flowering plants, and particularly those of the orchid family, believing that more active measures should be taken by those interested in advancing the conservation and culture of plants, and to secure for them the appreciation to which they are entitled, do hereby associate ourselves together for the purpose of aiding in every possible way the conservation, trade, and improvement by cultivation and breeding; the influence by debate, lobby, lecture, and publications of useful information concerning plants, and the extension of knowledge, production, propagation, and habitat preservation of these plants.

Another reason to visit: The photo gallery contains an amazing collection of photos of different varieties of Thelmytras (an Australian orchid species).