September 1997 North American Native Orchid Journal

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE

ORCHID JOURNAL ______________________________________

Volume 3 September

Number 3 1997

a quarterly devoted to the orchids of North America

published by the

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE ORCHID

ALLIANCE

* * * * * *

* * * * * *

IN THS ISSUE:

The Genus Piperia Illustrated

16 Orchid Species in One day

Mexipedium xerophyticum

Wild Orchids of California

…………………………………………..and more

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL

(ISSN 1084-7332) published quarterly in

March June September December by the

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE ORCHID ALLIANCE, Inc.

a group dedicated to the conservation and promotion of our native orchids

Editor: Paul Martin Brown

Assistant Editor: Nathaniel E. Conard Editorial Consultants:

Philip E. Keenan Stan Folsom

Production Assistant: Nancy A. Webb

The Journal welcomes articles, of any length, of both a scientific and general interest nature relating to the orchids of North America. Scientific articles should conform to guidelines such as those in Lindleyana or Rhodora. General interest articles and notes may be more informal. Authors may include line drawings, and/or black and white photographs. Color inserts may be arranged. Please send all inquiries or material for publication to the Editor at PO Box 772121, Ocala, FL 34477-2121 (mid June - August: PO Box 759, Acton, ME 04001-0759). 1999 Membership in the North American Native Orchid Alliance, which includes a subscription to the Journal, is $26 per year for United States addresses, $29US in Canada and $32US other foreign countries. Payment should be sent to Nancy A. Webb, 84 Etna St. Brighton, MA 02135-2830 USA. Claims for lost issues or cancelled memberships should be made within 30 days.

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE

ORCHID JOURNAL

Volume 3 September

Number 3 1997

CONTENTS

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

251

THE NATIVE ORCHIDS OF CALIFORNIA

R. A. Coleman

253

THE GENUS PIPERIA ILLUSTRATED

S. N. Folsom

265

NEWS FROM THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF

EUROPEAN ORCHIDS (SCEO)

277

LEADERS

The Slow Empiricist

285

APOMIXIS IN ORCHIDS?

M. Ospina H.

293

ADAM & EVE GO WILD or

THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN CRAZY GLUE

B. Glick

299

BOOK REVIEW: THE GENUS CYPRIPEDIUM by Phillip Cribb

P.M. Brown

303

SIXTEEN ORCHID SPECIES IN ONE DAY

in the Fakahatchee Strand

C. Pelchat

306

NOTES ON THE GARDEN CULTIVATION OF CYPRIPEDIUM

ACAULE IN EASTERN LONG ISLAND

E. Muehlbauer

328

NAMING A SOUTHWESTERN MALAXIS (ORCHIDACEAE)

T. Todsen

335

THE PETITE MEXICAN SLIPPER-ORCHID

I. PHRAGMIPEDIUM XEROPHYTICUM

M. A. Soto, G. A. Salazar & E. Hagsater

II. MEXIPEDIUM: A NEW GENUS OF SLIPPER ORCHID

V. A. Albert & M. W. Chase

341

LOST & FOUND

362

LOOKING FORWARD

December 1997

365

All drawings in this issue are by Stan Folsom

Color Plates:

1. p. 326: Vanilla phaeantha; Harrisella porrecta

2. p. 327: Cypripedium acaule

3. p. 339: Malaxis ehrenbergii; M. porphyrea; M. wendtii

4. p. 340: Mexipedium xerophyticum

The opinions expressed in the Journal are those of the authors. Scientific

articles may be subject to peer review and popular articles will be examined

for both accuracy and scientific content.

Volume 3, number 3, pages 251-366; issued September 22, 1997.

Copyright 1997 North American Native Orchid Alliance, Inc.

COVER: Malaxis tenuis by Stan Folsom

251

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

As Autumn comes upon us, for many NANOA members

in North America it becomes the time of all too many confusing

Spiranthes, a few lingering Platantheras and eventually a time

to search for the emerging leaves of Tipularia, Aplectrum and,

in the colder, northern and mountain areas, Calypso. This past

Spring and Summer brought many exciting days in the field

from Newfoundland to Alaska and southward to Florida and, in

mid-August, the 2nd Annual North American Native Orchid

Conference in southeastern Arizona. Those who attended the

meeting had an opportunity to see up to eight species in flower

including all four southwestern species of Malaxis, Platanthera

limosa, a few emerging flowers of Hexalectris warnockii and,

for a few who traveled to New Mexico, Platanthera brevifolia.

It was a very rewarding meeting with a wide variety of speakers

culminating in Chuck Sheviak‘s excellent talk on the yellow-

flowered Cypripedium complex. More about the meeting in the

next issue. Many people deserve special thanks for all of their

help with the conference, but I especially want to thank Mark

Larocque for all of his research and leading for the field trips.

For Stan Folsom and myself this is a time of new

beginnings and great adventures as we have sold our home in

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts and have moved to Ocala,

Florida. Winters will certainly yield more orchids in that area

than Boston did! We will still be in Maine from May - October.

Plans are underway for next years Journal issues and

there is still space for a number of articles. Please continue to

252

send material on to me. I especially would like some more

‗Favorite Place‘ type of articles as well as the prairie and plains

states and western Canada.

Renewal notices are being sent out in September so

please remember that your early and prompt renewal helps us

plan the journals for next year. There was very little interest in

producing a calendar for 1998 so it will depend on how much

time I have to put it together. As of late August only three

members had submitted pictures (which means I have to either

use several of my photos or start asking people). If you are

interested in purchasing calendars pleased drop me a note at the

Florida address or e-mail me and if there is enough demand I

will arrange to produce them.

Please note the full mailing address for the Journal below:

Paul Martin Brown, editor

North American Native Orchid Journal

PO Box 772121

Ocala, Florida 34477-2121 USA

telephone and FAX 352/861-2565

(late September - May)

e-mail: [email protected]

Coleman: Native Orchids of California

253

THE NATIVE ORCHIDS OF

CALIFORNIA

Ronald A. Coleman

Native orchids make up a small, but interesting

and beautiful, segment of the enormously varied flora

of California. Within the Golden State we have 32

species of wild orchids in 11 genera. Several of our

species were only recently described. Our orchids

range in size from only a few centimeters to over a

meter tall. Many are either white or green, but a few

are shades of purple, red, and yellow. They are widely

distributed, occurring in 54 of our 58 counties,

growing in the deserts, in the mountains, and on the

seashore, from sea level to 3350 meters in elevation.

My interest in orchids started with a single moth

orchid, Phalaenopsis, from an orchid show. It

bloomed faithfully at a window sill, and was shortly

joined by dozens of others. The ever expanding

collection was eventually moved to a newly

constructed greenhouse in the back yard. Soon after

starting to raise the horticulturally available orchids, I

learned there were native orchids in the United States,

and a natural interest in wildflowers turned into a


254

special interest in wild orchids. I still find the

greenhouse orchids fascinating, but spend at least as

much time chasing after the wild ones. Over 20 years

of field work is summarized in The Wild Orchids of

California, and this presentation in The North

American Native Orchid Journal is a summary of the

book as presented at the First North American Native

Orchid Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in July

of 1996.

The western fairy slipper, Calypso bulbosa

var. occidentalis, is one of our first orchids to bloom

and one of the most colorful. It occurs in the redwood

belt from Santa Cruz County northward. Calypso

bulbosa var. occidentalis differs from its eastern

cousin the eastern fairy slipper, C. bulbosa var.

americana, primarily by the color of the hairs at the

entrance to the pouch. Ours have white hairs, and the

eastern ones have yellow.

Cephalanthera austiniae, a mycotrophic plant,

is known as the phantom orchid because of its color.

Totally lacking chlorophyll, it is pure white except for

yellow markings on the lip. It blooms from early

March to early August. Though most easily found in

the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the central and

northern coast ranges, it also occurs in San Diego

County. It is known from San Bernardino County, but

has not been seen there in decades.


255

We have four members of the mycotrophic

genus Corallorhiza in California. The most widely

scattered are the spotted coralroot, C. maculata, and

the striped coralroot, C. striata. The western

coralroot, C. mertensiana, grows in the northern

counties, and the early coralroot, C. trifida, is only in

Plumas County. They have a combined blooming

season from late February to early August. Both C.

maculata and C. striata have multiple distinct color

forms, several of which have been given variety or

forma status.

Our most showy orchids are members of the

genus Cypripedium. The California lady’s-slipper,

C. californicum, grows only in northern California and

southern Oregon. It blooms from mid-April through

July. The mountain lady’s-slipper, C. montanum, is

the most widely distributed of the lady's-slippers in

California. It grows as far south as Madera County,

and blooms from April through early July. The

clustered lady’s-slipper, C. fasciculatum, has the

longest blooming season, from early March to late

July. Both C. montanum and C. fasciculatum are

historically known from the Santa Cruz Mountains

south of San Francisco, but I have not been able to

locate them there.

The genus Epipactis is represented by two

species, the native stream orchis, E. gigantea, and the

alien broad-leaved helleborine, E. helleborine.


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Epipactis gigantea is the most widely distributed

orchid in California, and the most adaptable to

growing conditions. It grows at desert springs and on

ocean cliffs, stream-sides in the foothills, and high in

the mountains. It often populates wet road-cuts.

Epipactis helleborine is the only non-native orchid

established in California. It was first reported in 1951,

and now occurs in 10 counties and is still spreading.

The giant rattlesnake orchis (plantain),

Goodyera oblongifolia, is our only orchid with leaves

that persist more than one season. The often

reticulated rosettes are easy to spot in our forests, and

allow identification of G. oblongifolia even out of

bloom. It blooms from May to October.

We have three Listera, all with the common

name of twayblade. The western twayblade, L.

caurina, blooms from late April to early July; the

broad-lipped twayblade, L. convallarioides, blooms

from late May to late August; and the heart-leaved

twayblade, L. cordata, blooms from late March to late

June. Listera convallarioides is widely distributed,

occurring even in Southern California. The other two

are much harder to find, and occur only in the northern

coastal counties. All are difficult to locate because of

their small size.

The white adder’s-mouth, Malaxis

brachypoda (syn.. M. monophyllos var. brachypoda),


257

is one of the rarest orchids in California. It had not

been seen since 1947 and was listed as extirpated from

the state when rediscovered in 1989. About 60 plants

were found in one of its two historical locations. The

entire plant and flower spike are shorter than the

grasses it grows among, which makes it very difficult

to find.

The genus Piperia was created by Rydberg in

1901 to differentiate from Platanthera plants with

rounded tubers, basal leaves that fade at flowering,

and lateral sepals united with the base of the lip.

Rydberg placed nine species in the genus, but his

approach was not immediately accepted by all authors.

Ames, in An Enumeration of the Orchids of the United

States and Canada recognized only the Alaska

orchis, Piperia unalascensis, and the elegant piperia,

P. elegans. Correll, in Native Orchids of North

America, recognized only P. unalascensis. Both

included all of the species within Habenaria. In The

Native Orchids of the United States and Canada, Luer

followed Rydberg and separated Piperia from

Habenaria and recognized four species.

About the time Luer's book was published, James

Ackerman was working on his master's thesis at

Humboldt State in northern California. He studied the

biosystematics of the genus Piperia, and published his

results in 1977. Ackerman recognized four species

and one subspecies. In 1990 Morgan and Ackerman


258

divided P. unalascensis into 4 species, two of which

they described for the first time. In 1993 Morgan and

Glicenstein added a species and a subspecies.

Currently there are 10 species and one named

subspecies in the genus, all of which occur in

California; several are endemic.

The slender white piperia, Piperia candida, was

described in 1990. Morgan and Ackerman

differentiated it from P. unalascensis by its white

color, one-sided inflorescence, shorter, thicker spur,

and more triangular lip. It grows from Santa Cruz

County to Del Norte County, in coniferous and mixed

evergreen forest below 1200 meters elevation, and

blooms from May to September.

Coleman’s piperia, Piperia colemanii, was

described in 1993. Morgan and Glicenstein separated

it from P. unalascensis based on its grass like leaves,

the short stubby spur, and lack of noticeable scent. It

is endemic to California, and relatively rare, but

widely scattered from Kern County to Siskiyou

County, mainly in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Blooming stretches from late June to early August.

Several major colonies are in Yosemite National Park.

The chaparral orchid, P. cooperi, was originally

described by S. Watson in 1877 as Habenaria cooperi.

It grows in Baja California and in Southern California

from San Diego County north to Ventura County. It is


259

the first of the Piperia to open, blooming from March

to early June. The favorite habitat of P. cooperi is the

chaparral covered low mountains and foothills near

the coast. It also grows on coastal bluffs. Typically

colonies consist of only a few scattered plants.

However, one colony on a bluff in San Diego County

has many hundreds of blooming plants. The best time

to look for P. cooperi is in early winter after the on-set

of the rainy season. Its low flat leaves are among the

first things to sprout, and are easy to locate. With the

arrival of spring and the first blooms, its leaves start to

fade, and its green stem and flowers are difficult to

locate in the midst of other growth in the chaparral.

The coast or elegant piperia, Piperia elegans

ssp. elegans, was originally described by Lindley in

1835 as Platanthera elegans. It has gone by several

other names including Habenaria greenii, but is

perhaps best known as Piperia maritima. It grows in

mostly coastal habitats from Santa Barbara to Del

Norte County, and as far north as British Columbia,

blooming from May to September. The densely

packed racemes carry over 100 white flowers, and

stand out above other members of the coastal scrub

plant community. The Point Reyes piperia, P.

elegans ssp. decurtata, was described in 1993 by

Morgan and Glicenstein. This subspecies of P.

elegans is endemic to California, and occurs in just

one county. It grows on ocean sides, hills and at the

tops of cliffs. It is distinguished from P. elegans ssp.


260

elegans by its shorter stature and a spur that is shorter

than the lip.

The long-spurred (chaparral) piperia, P.

elongata, was described by Rydberg in 1901. In

Southern California it shares the common name

chaparral orchid with P. cooperi because they bloom

in the same habitat. However, P. elongata has a much

wider range, growing in much of California,

northward to Canada, and eastward to Montana.

Where their ranges overlap, P. elongata starts to

bloom as P. cooperi finishes. Elsewhere, depending

on elevation, P. elongata may bloom as late as

September. It grows at elevations as high as 2100

meters, and inhabits pine forest in the north and in the

mountains, and grows in chaparral in the south. Plants

reach over one meter tall and often have over 100

green flowers, each with a spur much longer than the

lip.

The lace orchid, Piperia leptopetala, was

described in 1901. The pale green sepals, petals and

lip are all narrower than in the other members of the

genus. Spur length is variable, from about as long as

the lip to about twice as long. Because of this variable

spur length, P. leptopetala is often confused with P.

elongata, but spur length can be used to identify the

two. The spur of P. leptopetala is under 7 mm, and

that of P. elongata is over 7 mm. The aroma of P.

leptopetala is reminiscent of lemon. It is endemic to


261

California and widely distributed in the state, but is

rare is most of the 16 counties is which it occurs.

Blooms lasts from May to July.

Michael’s rein-orchid, Piperia michaelii

Rydberg, was originally described by Greene in 1885

as Habenaria michaelii. It has also been treated as a

variety of P. elongata, but the plants of the two

species are distinctly different, and the structure of the

flowers is sufficiently different to maintain them as

separate species. The stem of P. michaelii is much

thicker than that of P. elongata, and its lip is much

more widely triangular. Piperia michaelii is endemic

to California, and grows primarily in coastal plant

communities between Los Angeles and Humboldt

Counties. It blooms from May to August.

The flat-spurred piperia, Piperia transversa

Suksdorf, was described in 1906 from plants found in

Washington. The flowers are usually white, but

sometimes have a slightly yellowish tint, and usually

have green mid-veins on the sepals and petals.

Piperia transversa is most easily identified by the

long spur that is transverse to the inflorescence axis.

It is widely distributed within California, and also

grows in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

It blooms from May to August in mixed coniferous

forest from sea level to over 2000 meters elevation.


262

The Alaska piperia, Piperia unalascensis, was

originally described by Sprengel as Spiranthes

unalascensis in 1826. Often as many as 100 tiny

green flowers appear on a single stem. The flowers

give off a faint musty aroma. The lip is a long

triangle, and the sepals curve back around the spur.

Spur length varies slightly, but is usually about the

same length as the lip. Piperia unalascensis is the

most widely distributed of the Piperia, growing as far

east as the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region,

and is also the most numerous of the genus in

California. It blooms between May and August in

mixed coniferous forest from near sea level to over

2600 meters elevation.

Yadon’s rein-orchid, Piperia yadonii, was

described in 1990 by Morgan and Ackerman. It is

narrowly endemic, occurring in just one central coastal

county. It can be easily identified by its dense

inflorescence and green and white flowers. The dorsal

sepal is green with white margins, and the petals are

green on their inner half Piperia yadonii blooms from

June to August in coastal forest and shrub

communities. It is very rare and is a candidate for

federal listing as an endangered species.

The genus Platanthera is represented by four

species. The Sierra rein-orchid, Platanthera dilatata

var. leucostachys, is the most widely distributed and

the most common. The green bog orchid,


263

Platanthera hyperborea, grows on the eastern edge of

the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in the White Mountains,

and a few northern counties. The sparse-flowered

bog orchid, Platanthera sparsiflora, is almost as

widespread as P. dilatata, but is more difficult to find

because its green color blends in well with

surrounding vegetation. The slender bog orchid,

Platanthera stricta, is relatively rare, occurring in just

the northern counties. The ranges of the four species

of Platanthera overlap, and they bloom at the same

time. It is therefore not surprising that several natural

Platanthera hybrids are in California. The most

common of the hybrids is the Lassen hybrid rein

orchid, P. xlassenii (P. dilatata x P. sparsiflora).

Platanthera xlassenii should be expected any place

both species grow together, which happens over much

of their range. The Estes hybrid rein orchid,

Platanthera xestesii (P. dilatata x P. stricta) grows in

the Warner Mountains in Modoc County. It is not

common because P. stricta is not common. The third

natural hybrid, between P. dilatata and P. hyperborea,

is known from only one location on the eastern side of

the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Its name is the

intermediate rein orchid, P. xmedia.

Two members of the genus Spiranthes grow in

California: the western ladies’-tresses, S. porrifolia,

and the hooded ladies’-tresses, S. romanzoffiana.

Spiranthes porrifolia is widely scattered in the state,

but rarely seen. It is most easily found in the Sierra


264

Nevada Mountains. It has been documented in

Southern California, but has not been seen there for

many years. Spiranthes romanzoffiana is more

common than S. porrifolia. It grows from sea level to

over 3300 m in the mountains. Its typical habitat is

wet meadows or along streams, but along the coast it

grows on seasonally dry hillsides.

The blooming season for orchids in California

stretches from February to October, but the peak

months are April through July. However, the native

orchid season lasts all year because Calypso leaves

start appearing in October; Piperia leaves start

appearing in Southern California in December; and the

leaves of Goodyera oblongifolia can be searched for

in any month.

Ronald A. Coleman, 11520 E. Calle del Valle, Tucson,

AZ 85749.

Ron is the author of Wild Orchids of California and

writes frequently for Orchids, and this Journal.

Folsom: THE GENUS PIPERIA ILLUSTRATED

265

THE GENUS PIPERIA ILLUSTRATED

Stan Folsom

To complement Ron Coleman's preceding article,

the Journal is pleased to present a complete set of Stan

Folsom's drawings of the genus Pipe ria . Considering

that several of the species have been described in the

past 10 years, this is the first time that such. a complete

set of these illustrations has been available in a single

publication.

In the March 1997 issue we presented a full set of

drawings of the genus Cypripedium; as future articles

deal with all, or nearly all, of the species in a given

genus in North America we will continue to present

such sets of drawings.

These drawings have been prepared for a series

of field guides that will cover all of the native orchids of

North America north of Mexico. Ed.


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SCEO

277

NEWS FROM THE SECRETARIAT FOR

THE CONSERVATION OF EUROPEAN

ORCHIDS (SCEO)

The following notices were received by the

Journal and are reprinted here for the information of

our members. It was the last, and most current notice,

that aroused my interest and, subsequently, the first

two notices were forwarded to me. The information is

both very disturbing - that the thefts are taking place;

and very gratifying - that an organization and its

members, the SCEO, is so involved in trying to track

these thefts. I regret to say that I, too, received a copy

of the ‗Tilburg‘ list. If any NANOA members receive

such lists please forward them to me and I will be sure

that the proper persons in Europe are aware that such

are circulating. Ed.

FROM:

Secretariat for the Conservation of European Orchids (SCEO)

Secretary and treasurer:

Heinrich Blatt, Zur Hainerde 26, D-61169 Friedberg (Germany)

Tel.: +49 6031 14014; Fax: +49 6031 64469;

e-mail: [email protected]

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SCEO

278

NATURE CRIMINAL ARRESTED

by Johan de Vries (Police Department Tilburg)

On May 18th, 1996, a Dutch family traveled to the

south of France by car. They rented a holiday home and for a

week, they enjoyed the French countryside. They spent several

days walking in the area called "Vercors". After this week of

relaxation, they returned home on May 26th. At their return, the

car was checked by the police, much to the passengers' surprise.

A short inspection of the boot of the car revealed all sorts and

kinds of European orchids. The suspect was arrested, - his car

confiscated. After a short press-release the news media appeared

to be most interested. The case even made television and the

national papers. The suspect a very annoying end of a holiday

which, until then, had passed pleasantly.

Now the actual story, for this check and arrest had been

prepared carefully. The story begins in early 1995. The General

Inspection Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and

Fisheries (G.I.S.) informed the police that some inhabitants of

the town of Tilburg were said to trade in protected European

orchids. They requested the police to be attentive and to pass on

possible information. At the same time the Criminal lnquiries

Office received the same sort of information.

After that, nothing was undertaken for some time. In the

Autumn of 1995 the police received an order form from Traffic

Europe, which they had found in a reptile market in Germany.

This simple form stated that one could order winter-hardy and

not-hardy orchids. On the form a telephone number was printed,

which referred to an address in Tilburg. This turned out to be

the suspect's address. An investigative team was brought

together, in which the Tilburg local police, Customs and the

G.I.S. took part. The paper CITES-covenant turned out to lead

to a practical form of co- operation.

Traffic Europe, provided the team, whenever it could,

with inside information. In a next step the investigation

SCEO

279

concentrated on information already gained from several

services. From this information it turned out that the suspect had

been to France in May 1995 to dig out terrestrial orchids. He

was said to have used a folding trailer, the fold-out tent section

of which had been removed. Then the vacant space had been

provided with soil, in which the tuberous orchids were

transported. Possibly, this way had been thought of as it would

not likely arouse suspicion at possible checks. For, who checks

the tent section of a folding trailer? With all preceding

knowledge and information the preliminary investigation was

closed.

The investigative teams decided to keep the deployment

of the various agencies to a minimum; at least, to restrict the

amount of time expended. Mentioned as subjects to investigate

were: to gather proofs that the suspect possessed and traded in

protected European plants; and to gather information that could

lead to possible further investigation.

On May 18, 1996, the investigative team was given

confirmation that the suspect had left by car. According to the

information, he would go to France. During the week the

suspect was away, an examining judge was asked for permission

to conduct a house search. This search was to take place shortly

after the suspect's return to the Netherlands, and was necessary

to provide proof with regard to the trade. To be looked for were

lists of customers, blank order forms, a fax machine, possible

bookkeeping with regard to the trade, etc. On the basis of the

earlier investigation, the Court of Law granted permission for

this search. All that remained was the waiting for the return of

the suspect, which happened on Saturday, May 26, 1996.

Thanks to the observation the suspect could be awaited.

In front of his house, his car was checked by the police. They

requested him to open the boot of the car. The plants in the boot

were immediately visible The G.I.S.-criminal investigator

determined that these plants were orchids, after which the

suspect was arrested and his car confiscated. That very evening,

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280

the car was searched as well as the house. Only two plastic bags

and a cardboard box with plants were found in the car.

Disappointment struck! So much work had been spent during

the past months on the trade, in such a small number of plants!

Some documents were found in the car that seemed interesting

for the further investigation. The house search, however,

provided the desired result. Names of customers, blank order

forms, a fax machine, correspondence about possible trade etc.,

were found and confiscated. Meanwhile, the orchids, found in

the car, were being photographed at the police station. It turned

out that probably about 450 plants had been found. So the work

had not been in vain. The suspect was confined and in the small

hours, the investigation team went home, - feeling good.

On Sunday May 27th an expert – Dr. Ruud VAN DER

MEIJDEN of the State Herbarium – came to Tilburg to

determine the plants. All the plastic bags were emptied, the

orchids counted and roughly determined. To the biologist's great

anger 445 orchid plants were counted, along with 40 bulbs.

What struck the investigators was that the soil had almost

completely been removed from all plants. Only a few wild

plants and grasses, which, nevertheless, proved that these plants

were taken from nature, were found. Several hybrid orchids

were found. It was settled that the definite determination would

take place at the Hortus Botanicus on Tuesday May 29th, after

which the plants were to be potted up there for preservation.

Meanwhile, the interrogation of the suspect had started.

At first he was unaware of any guilt and didn't think of himself a

criminal. His statements made that much clear. About eight

years ago, he started keeping frogs. He ended up in the plant

world as a matter of course and started trading in Bromeliads,

Tillandsias and tropical orchids. This was about 1993. By

chance, he went to someone who had a rock garden with

European orchids. Charmed by them, he put all his time in this

specific area of the plant world. Books were ordered and read,

and knowledge exchanged with other orchid lovers. He started

SCEO

281

selling these plants at reptile exchanges for another illegal

orchid trader. The orchids, collected from nature, were sold

there at 20 German Marks a piece. Probably it occurred to the

suspect then that he could also set up such a business for

himself and he copied the order forms and printed his own

telephone number on them.

According to his statements he does not trade anymore.

The plants he had taken with him were meant to be exchanged

for other plants. Contradictory to this statement, however, the

suspect declared that the ball of earth containing 19

Cypripedium calceolus were meant for a Belgian trader, who

would also buy the rest of the plants. The suspect also declared

that he had been to France in 1995 as well, to dig out orchids. lt.

had struck him that in those areas fewer orchids grew than the

year before – though, to his opinion, there were still enough

orchids to dig some out. He frankly admitted that he had been so

decent as not to dig out the biggest rootball of Cypripediums he

could find. He also found it odd that so much fuss was made

whereas, an area where orchids used to grow in 1995 had now

turned into a camp site. Probably the vigorous approach of the

investigation has brought in enough information for new

investigations of other suspects.

The nature criminal's equipment consisted of a pair of

boots to keep his feet dry in the wet grass, a small trowel to dig

out the plants and a special backpack to transport the plants on

mountain walks. To use these attributes efficiently, it is

convenient to know where orchids still grow in reasonable

numbers. lt. is even more convenient when the results of

inventory research are put into writing. Especially the members

of the Dutch and the European Orchid Associations document

this excellently. As a member of such an organisation one can

obtain this information easily. Next, one numbers the spots

where the orchids can be found and mark them on a map. Thus

it is very easy to determine to which place you have to go to dig

out the wanted species.

SCEO

282

Finally some conclusions and recommendations could

be made with reference to this investigation:

- Invest in or make use of all technical possibilities

available.

Investigation into smuggling and trading shows many

similarities with investigation into dealing in drugs.

- Stimulate police investigation departments to bring in

informants who are in this trade environment.

- Familiarise clubs and associations that make inventories

with the fact that this carefully obtained information may be

terribly misused by others.

- If the trade is international, it is necessary that the

different

investigation departments co-operate.

WHAT DOES THE "TILBURG CASE" MEAN FOR THE

SCEO?

by Dirk Kapteyn den Boumeester

First, it is necessary to consider how exact the

information on find-spots should be and how this information is

spread. The suspect of the Tilburg case possessed very detailed

travel records of other (innocent) people as well as the precise

descriptions of the locations of find-spots from European orchid

journals and other literature. We hope that there will be a

discussion on this item in all member groups.

Secondly, it is one of the first tasks of the SCEO-

members to pay attention to illegal trade and the digging up of

European orchids (SCEO-protocol Friedberg III, page 6, 1

Supplements, 1.4). The Dutch Working Group on European

Orchids (WEO) sent the information on the Tilburg case to the

SCEO. The WEO contacted with the police officer who lead the

investigation team and offered co-operation. For the

Netherlands it is clear, now, how to pass information on to a

police department that is competent on offenses against nature

SCEO

283

and environmental laws. Most local police authorities, however,

are not well informed about such specialized cases. Although

the local police usually cannot hide the identity of informants,

which becomes a problem when large criminal organizations are

involved, the Central Criminal Inquiries Office (CRI) will treat

all information as strictly confidential. The Tilburg police team

gained international recognition with the case.

Because of the international contacts of this team it is

also possible for inhabitants of countries other than the

Netherlands to pass information on; the Tilburg team will send

it to the appropriate police services in the other countries. The

Executive Committee of the SCEO is willing to pass on the

information from a member group to the Tilburg team or to

bring the member group in contact with them.

OBSERVATION ACCORDING COMMERCIAL

DIGGING OUT OF DACTYLORHIZA SPHAGNICOLA

SCEO Notice from AHO Nordrhein-Westfalen

Dortmund, June 10th 1997

Location: Wollerscheider Venn (Natural Reserve)

Region: Eifel in the north of Monschau very close to the

Belgian border

(Eupen).

Species: Dactylorhiza sphagnicola

Number of plants removed: Between 50 and 60

Date of removal: Between 4th and 8th of June

We expect that the plants shall be sold in Germany, Belgium or

the

Netherlands.

SCEO

284

The member of our AHO, who noticed the removal

knows the location very well and visited it each year. Therefore,

he was able to see that it was the work of specialists. In the

reserve, Dactylorhiza sphagnicola was growing only in two

small areas, - one of them together with Dactylorhiza maculata

and hybrids between both. In the second, Dactylorhiza

sphagnicola grew alone. In the second area all 40 plants have

been dug out; in the first area, around 10 plants of Dactylorhiza

sphagnicola remained and it seems that no hybrid and no

Dactylorhiza maculata have been removed. With this

information given by our member it is clear that the persons

were very careful to dig out exclusively Dactylorhiza

sphagnicola and not to take doubtful plants.

We expect that a trader with a very good knowledge of

Dactylorhiza has taken the plants. Because the location is very

near to the Belgian border and not far from the Netherlands he

may try to sell the plants in any of the three countries. The Eifel-

Group of our AHO has informed the responsible local

authorities. We ask all other groups to inform us, if they hear

about trading with Dactylorhiza sphagnicola in the near future.

Empiricist: STANDARDS FOR LEADERS

285

STANDARDS FOR LEADERS

The Slow Empiricist

Since I wrote about what makes a good field

trip participant, I thought that turn about might be fair

play, and so I am aiming this column at the various

styles of leadership that I have found beneficial to me

as I made my way through the ins and outs of orchid

experiences from classroom instruction and slide

lecture presentations to actual field trips. This article,

then, is designed to acquaint existing and potential

leaders with some idea of what their styles of

presentation look like to the novice and newly-

converted wildflower enthusiast. I also hope this

article will help the student to evaluate the experiences

he or she has had, and provide some criteria to enable

them to get more from their learning situations.

If all leaders could view their work as learning

situations then a lot of what they do might become

more meaningful for their struggling students. I have

taught for over forty years, and I learned long ago that

everyone brings a hodgepodge of learning experiences

to any given classroom. What this should indicate to

the gifted educator is that you cannot insert your

pupils into a neat set of round holes that you deem


286

necessary since some of them may have very definite

square shapes of previous experience that will make

your course painfully inappropriate, or just not a good

fit for their level of experience. This goes for slide

presentations and field exercises as well. This does

not mean that you, as an educator, should not have a

framework to base your instruction on, but it does

mean that you should be able to tailor it to each and

every pupil‘s level of understanding. The gifted

instructor has to plot a course that encompasses his

students' range of knowledge so that he does not leave

anyone falling behind the others in understanding,

while at the same time he keeps his more advanced

pupils from becoming bored with the exercises. This

can sometimes be very difficult if there is a great

range of experience within the group. One ploy might

be to pair a gifted or knowledgeable student with a

less experienced pupil to insure that the novices have

some kind of mentoring to help them keep pace with

the more experienced.

There are several bad ways to run a class. One

class I heard of, held by a wildflower society to

acquaint area people with the flora in their vicinity,

was run by an instructor who could not keep to his

course outline. He was always digressing into long

and often poorly thought out examples that he seemed

to come up with on the spur of the moment. His

approach bewildered his students and they became

disgruntled with what they saw as a waste of their


287

valuable classroom time. They rebelled and went to

the society to demand satisfaction. Unfortunately, the

gentleman was so steeped in his traditional way of

teaching that he could not change his teaching style.

The sad thing is that he had a good deal of information

to impart to his students. He just couldn‘t keep all the

asides and short anecdotes from disrupting his

message.

Perhaps the worst-case scenario of a poorly run

class had an instructor who tended to be an elitist. She

felt that only the gifted should have access to her class

and I suspect that she also felt that orchid study should

be limited to those with the highest academic

credentials. Students who were perceived to be

ordinary often were made fun of for their lack of

knowledge or ignored by the more advanced content

of the class presentations. This left many in the class

feeling stupid when they were merely novices or

frustrated because they couldn't get the kind of help

they were entitled to have. If the instructor could have

remembered her initial forays into orchidology she

might have had more sympathy. She also tended to

blame everyone but herself when her classes failed to

fill as word got around about her approach to

education. Needless to say, instructors like this

usually do not last long—but they can damage some

poor initiate‘s self-esteem and possibly turn him or her

away from an enjoyable hobby or career with orchids

or other floral subjects.


288

I found this same situation occurring in slide

lectures which are aimed at a very narrow segment of

people. Slide lectures can be very illuminating (no pun

intended) if the lecturer can reach many viewers in his

audience with his message. Having good slides that

show what he is trying to get across, presented in a

logical order and with time for audience questions is

my idea of a first-rate learning experience. I recently

attended such a show where the gentleman had two

main objectives to his lecture. One was to show the

growth cycle of native orchids, photographed in the

wild at each stage of development. The other was to

introduce the photographers in his group to the effect

of controlled flash techniques on the color and quality

of the slides. He did this very simply by having

comparison slides of the flash technique and natural

lighting occurring sequentially from time to time in

his presentation. The effect was quite convincing. I

also want to add that seeing the various orchids

progress from rosette or initial leaf through fruiting

added immeasurably to my knowledge of these plants.

When one considers the field as the ultimate

learning experience, I would suggest that the leaders

of expeditions attempt to provide some of the

following procedures and items for the field trip.

Before the trip takes place a list of plants that might be

seen, a description of the territory to be explored, and

suggestions for gear would be very helpful. On the


289

actual trip, maps of the area would be handy. I tend to

wander off since I am not a serious photographer and

have had a couple of very long hikes when I became

separated from the group. The trails looked amazingly

alike. I have since learned to turn around from time to

time and check what the trail looks like going back

where I had just come. It has helped me avoid getting

too lost more than once, but a map showing where we

are might be even more helpful. Many parks and

preserves have trail maps available so all the leader

has to do is make sure everyone has one and knows

how to use it. In difficult territory, having someone

tag behind the group will help keep everyone together

and prevent losing members of the expedition.

On some field trips I have been involved with a

caravan of cars has been employed to get all the

students from one site to another. Those that are most

effective have a sweep driver following the caravan to

make sure that all the vehicles reach their destination.

I have been in some caravans where this was not

thought of and with red lights and drivers with

different driving speeds, etc., part of the group has

gotten lost. This delay until the lost group finds the

destination cuts into the field time. Some participants

never found the destination at all and lost a valuable

learning experience altogether.

Another condition that might not get met is

provision for rest room facilities. When a group is out


290

in the field all day, a good leader sees to it that his

pupils have a chance to use bathroom facilities before

and at some point mid-way and at the end of the trip.

It may sound hyper-critical but when you are out in a

mid-western United States prairie which has very little

cover in the way of trees or other obscuring flora and

nature calls, your field trip experience may be less

than wonderful until you have found some way to get

relief. If your instructor had been alert or experienced

such problems he would have seen to it that you were

able to have access to facilities in a timely way. I also

suspect that those of you who have small bladders

have found your own solutions to this problem so I

won't belabor the point further.

Lastly, a good instructor takes into

consideration the physical abilities of his students.

When I was in Canada with a group who hoped to

climb Mount Albert in the Gaspé, the instructor made

provisions for those who felt the climb would be too

strenuous for them to enjoy the day doing other things.

One couple who had heart problems climbed about

half way up and explored the area from that level and

left markers so the descending group could enjoy the

flora that they had discovered. Another, who had a

very severe fear of heights, went as far as she felt

comfortable and spent time with her beloved alpine

grasses and sedges which were abundant in that area.

One other stayed at the base and discovered a large


291

stand of twayblades which the entire group were able

to enjoy the next day.

What this basically means is that a good

instructor in the field knows his territory and his

pupils. By having a flexible approach to his program

he can meet the individual needs of his students and

give them an enjoyable outing that fulfills both the

pupil‘s need and the instructor‘s aims. Probably,

flexibility is the key to presenting a good experience

for students. I always approached my yearly programs

with the attitude that we would cover as much territory

as we could but if we found an interesting area to

explore more fully we would be flexible enough to do

so. If we didn‘t cover the entire curriculum so be it.

There‘s always next year.

To sum up then, good instructors are familiar

with the needs of their students. They make provisions

so that everyone can get the most out of their exposure

to the class. They value everyone in their class or

audience and work hard to ensure that all come away

from the experience enriched. If you are in the student

population you have a responsibility to speak up when

you don't understand, cooperate when the going gets

rough and be considerate of your fellows and as

helpful and mindful of others as you are able. It seems

to me these are the ingredients that make for happy

and memorable orchid experiences. I hope my

message has been helpful and has given you new


292

insights into what makes learning experiences

pleasurable.

The Slow Empiricist

Ospina: APOMIXIS IN ORCHIDS?

293

APOMIXIS IN ORCHIDS?

Mariano Ospina H.

In the September, 1995 issue of the North

American Native Orchid Journal, Paul Martin Brown

reports the rediscovery of Dactylorhiza aristata

(Fisch.) Catling forma perbracteata Lepage, in a brief

passage: "Mariano Ospina spotted the flowerless

individual at the edge of a small bog as we were

leaving an area near the Fossil Cliffs on Kodiak

Island" - of course in Alaska (Brown 1995). This

strange plant had been reported only once, by its

discoverer, Ernest Lepage, in the American Midland

Naturalist 46:757, 1952, and the next thing to do

would be to find the type specimen which had been

deposited in the Langlois Herbarium, Catholic

University of America (LCU). Unfortunately, said

herbarium had been dispersed ca. 1986, as reported by

Arthur 0. Tucker et al. in Taxon, and most of the

collections were "sold by families..." in which the

Orchidaceae appeared as sent to WIS, the herbarium

of University of Wisconsin, at Madison (Tucker

1986).


294

On the basis of said information, the search was

directed to WIS, but the brief reply received from the


295


296

Collections Manager said simply: "Orchis aristata

forma perbracteata Lepage 25014, not in WIS ... try

the National Arboretum (NA) which got the separate

type collections from LCU." After an interesting

exchange of notes with NA, I finally obtained the type

specimen Lepage No. 25,014, June 16, 1949, with the

note: Floribus nullis; bracteis numerosis (40-50)

valde elongates. Kodiak Island, Isthmus Point,

grassland on low sea-cliff."

The next step was to check the map of Kodiak

Island in order to pinpoint the two locations on which

this strange orchid had been found so far. A look at

said map (2) shows that the two locations, Isthmus

Point and Fossil Cliffs (near Pyramid Mt.) are some 50

km apart and, consequently, the next question was,

how can a "Floribus nullis" orchid species or form

survive for nearly 50 years with a range of some 50

km?

The textbook answer to this riddle seems easy.

According to H. Winkler, all plants and animals can

be ranged within three groups so far as their mode of

reproduction is concerned (Richards 1986). These

organisms in which sexual differentiation and

fertilization have not yet arisen are called amictic.

The sexually differentiated organisms are called

mictic, and among these we find some of them can

reproduce without fertilization and are named

apomictic. Thus, apomixis is "a derived stage in


297

which the fertilizing mechanism once acquired has

been lost again. Furthermore, the specialists describe

two forms of apomixis: agamospermy, in which

reproduction takes place by seeds formed "without

fertilization" - or vegetative apogamy in which

reproduction is by cells of the mother plant other than

the egg cells. These phenomena are well known in

certain families such as Amaryllidaceae, Cactaceae,

Poaceae, etc. It has also been reported in some orchid

genera such as Rabenana, Orchis, Malaxis,

Spiranthes, and Zygopetalum, to which I like to add

some scandent species in Oncidium and a unique case

in Laelia urata, in my own collection.

Finally, we may ask, is there any "practical"

implications for this line of research? Probably, yes.

At least if we pay attention to the conclusions

presented by Ellen T. Bauder in a paper entitled

"Genetic Diversity: Esoteric or Essential", where she

says: "Diversity protection on the local or micro scale

may be essential to the longevity of a species, but this

effort could leave some unprotected species. These

unprotected species fall primarily into two groups:

habitat specialists, such as in disturbance regimes,

edaphic conditions, ephemeral wetlands, and plants

with reproductive systems that are asexual ... Plants

that fit into either or both of these categories warrant a

close examination of their genetic diversity." (Bauder

1993). I believe that Dactylorhiza aristata forma

perbracteata deserves such further examination.


298

References:

Bauder, E.T. 1993. "Genetic Diversity- Esoteric or Essential"

Proceedings Symposium on Interface Between Ecology

and Development, Southern California Academy of Sciences,

Los Angeles. p. 39

Brown, P.M.1995. Some interesting nomenclatural and

distribution notes on Alaska. North American Native Orchid

Journal 1(3): 242.

Richards, A. J. 1986. Plant Breeding Systems, Unwin Hyinan,

London. p.7

Tucker, A.0., Poston, M.E., Ilitis, H.R. 1986. History of the

LCU Herbarium, 1895-1986. Taxon, 38(2): 196-203.

Mariano Ospina H., 42 Fernald Dr., #11, Cambridge, MA

02138. Mariano is a Harvard Research Associate with The

Orchid Herbarium of Oakes Ames at the Harvard University

Herbaria. His most current publication is a new book - To The

Rescue of Paradise - Orchids in Columbia.

Some new vocabulary -

agamospermy - The asexual formation of embryos and seeds

without the occurrence of fertilization.

amictic - Organisms in which sexual differentiation and

fertilization

have not yet arisen.

apogamy - The development of an embryo without the

occurrence

of fertilization

apomictic - A plant that reproduces by or is reproduced by

apomixis.

apomixis - Reproduction without meiosis or formation of

gametes. mictic - Sexually differentiated organisms.

Glick: ADAM & EVE GO CRAZY

299


300

ADAM & EVE GO WILD or THE FIRST

NATIVE AMERICAN CRAZY GLUE

Barry Glick

Now that I have your attention, what am I

talking about??? I'm talking about one of the many

species of native orchids that grow wild in these West

Virginia mountains. Adam and Eve and putty root

are two of the common names for Aplectrum hymale.

If you've read any of my previous columns1, you know

how I feel about common names. Not that I'm a snob

trying to impress folks with my pseudo-intellectual

grasp of the "dead" language of Latin, that's beside the

point. It‘s just that the scientific names of plants

usually insure that two people involved in a

conversation about a particular plant can be

reasonably sure (barring any meddling by some

taxonomist who has probably never even seen a live

specimen of that or any other plant, yet decides to

rename it) that they are talking about the same plant.

Anyway... getting back to the plant, which is

really what this story started out to be about, the

scientific name tells you something about it. The

generic name Aplectrum comes from the Latin, A

(without) and plectron (spur), meaning that the

1 see biography on page 301


301

flowers have no spurs. The specific epithet or second

word, hymale, means winter and refers to the fact that

this orchid has a solitary leaf that persists all winter.

This leaf can be up to 10" long and 3" wide with

beautiful parallel silver veining. In the spring, as the

leaf vanishes, a 12–18" pencil-thick stem of greenish-

yellow-purplish orchid flowers appears.

In this instance, the common names are quite

accurate, as they refer to two interesting

characteristics of this unusual plant. First of all, putty

root informs you of the fact that Native Americans

used the glutinous matter derived from crushing the

bulb to mend broken pottery and to fasten objects

together. Adam & Eve is a reference to the growth

habit of the bulbs as the leaf and flower arise from the

current season‘s growth (Eve) while last years bulb

(Adam), from which sprang forth Eve, is still present.

One way of propagating the plant is to cut

Adam away from Eve with a sharp knife and replant

him. Aplectrum hymale usually sets copious amounts

of dust-like seeds in attractive looking, pendulous

pods. This is one of the easier orchids to grow from

seed. Pour boiling water over a pot of soil to sterilize

it, let cool and sprinkle the seeds over the soil, cover

with a dusting of fine granite grit to discourage the

growth of lichens, mosses and algae and to prevent

slugs from eating your seedlings, and set it outside and

let nature take its course. The seeds will usually


302

germinate the following spring and in a few years you

will have flowering size plants.

I can't really recommend companion plants for

Aplectrum hymale because for my tastes, I have found

that it looks best on its own in a natural looking

colony. I'm sure that if space is a problem in your

garden, you can use your imagination and find a

pleasing neighbor for your plantings of it.

Unlike some terrestrial orchids, there seems to

be no apparent mycorrhizal fungus requirement for

these plants to grow happily and healthily in a normal

garden environment. Aplectrum hymale is a woodland

plant that, in the wild, can be found in the shade of

rich moist woods. If these conditions exist in your

garden, they will be very happy there and before long

you will have a nice little colony of these eye-catching

plants that‘s bound to strike up a conversation among

visitors to your garden. You can then impress them

with your command of Latin and some interesting

trivia about the plant. Happy Gardening!

Barry Glick is a regular contributor to several gardening

magazines. When he's not out in the woods exploring native

flora, you can find him out in cyberspace where he edits THE

CYBER-PLANTSMAN, a free Internet on-line magazine for the

serious gardener at http://www.gardenweb.com/sunshine. He

welcomes visitors to his Sunshine Farm & Gardens Nursery

with advance notice. Barry can be reached at 304-497-3163 or

by e-mail at [email protected].


303

NEW SEASONAL ADDRESS October - May

Paul Martin Brown, editor

NORTH AMERICAN

NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL

P.O. Box 772121

Ocala, Florida 34477-2121 USA

telephone & fax

(352) 861-2565

Review: CYPRIPEDIUM

303

BOOK REVIEW

THE GENUS CYPRIPEDIUM

by Phillip Cribb Timber Press, Portland, Oregon

359 pp., 26 full-page color plates, 98 color photos, 51 b/w

illustrations, 22 maps, hardcover 6x9‖ ISBN 0-88192-403-2

$39.95

This long-awaited volume by such a

distinguished orchidist as Phillip Cribb brings together

many years of accumulated information on the entire

genus Cypripedium. The lady-slippers are certainly

one of the most popular orchid genera in the world,

and those species found in North America are among

the showiest to be found on the continent.

Dr. Cribb goes into great detail concerning the

morphology, life history, cytology and relationships of

the various species. The chapter on ecology is

especially interesting as it treats not only the habitats

but individual substrates and pH as well as the effect

of succession. The section on cultivation by Holger

Perner treats each species and/or closely related

species group with information gathered from many

sources and gives formulae for various mixes as well

as innumerable growing tips. Nearly all of the North

American species are treated in detail in this section.

The main body of the work concerns itself with

detailed taxonomic treatments of each species in the

Review: CYPRIPEDIUM

304

genus as well as defining the numerous sections.

Hybrids are also treated. Distribution maps are

included, but unfortunately the ranges are so broad

that they are not as useful as one might have hoped.

They do, however, give an excellent overview of the

distribution of some of the wider-ranging species.

Each species is expertly rendered with a line drawing

that shows not only the whole plant but usually all the

plant parts and several views of the flowers.

The two color sections treat the genus with a

collection of color paintings from a wide variety of

sources from some of the earliest to contemporary

artists. All are exquisitely reproduced! The color

photographs that are included illustrate nearly all of

the species and several very interesting hybrids. They,

too, come from a variety of sources and often include

those of Luer which were originally published in his

earlier works on North America.

From the standpoint of North American species

I can only take issue with Cribb‘s treatment of the

Cypripedium parviflorum complex in that he does not

recognize C. parviflorum var. makasin, the northern

small yellow lady‘s-slipper. For those of us who have

seen both the northern and southern varieties in situ,

they are strikingly different. That aside, his treatment

of the North American material is very complete and

in great detail.

Review: CYPRIPEDIUM

305

This book will certainly be of the greatest use to

all native orchid enthusiasts and, as an added bonus, to

all of those who are growing, or wish to grow, many

of these species as they are increasingly becoming

available through several legitimate propagated

sources. PMB

Pelchat: 16 SPECIES IN ONE DAY

306

SIXTEEN ORCHID SPECIES IN ONE DAY

IN THE FAKAHATCHEE STRAND

Cliff Pelchat

Florida is a truly valuable resource of tropical

species orchids growing within the United States. The

climate in the southern ¼ section of the state is

subtropical and in small micro-habitats the water and

forest combine to create tropical climates where these

orchids flourish. The Fakahatchee Strand Preserve

located along the southwestern edge of the Big

Cypress Swamp is one such place. A micro-habitat

itself of hardwood, tropical trees and palms it is host

to numerous mini-micro-habitats within it‘s

boundaries. It is difficult country to explore, because

most of the exploring must be done on foot through

tangled undergrowth, swampy muck and mud and, at

times, water up to one‘s waist. The following notes

are a chronology of exploration by Mike Owen, (the

park biologist), and myself on a beautiful December

day. They are extracted from Mike‘s notebook, my

notebook and memory.


307

Friday, 12/13/96, 4:00am

The alarm has me up and out of bed preparing for the

264 mile drive to the Fakahatchee Strand from my

home in Melbourne, Florida. The night before was

spent checking and packing my gear to make sure I

could get an early start. Camera, back pack, compass,

walking stick, jungle boots, snake bite kit, long sleeve

shirt and water make up some of the essentials for a

day in the swamp. I make a pot of coffee to take with

me for the drive and hit the road by 4:45am.

8:30am

I pull up to the welcome sign by the Fakahatchee

Strand headquarters just as Mike Owen is arriving -

perfect timing. The drive south is quite familiar;

Sandee , my wife, and I have spent the better part of

all of our free time for the past 2 years exploring the

Fakahatchee Strand and we have the drive down pat.

The only interstate part of the route is I-95 from

Melbourne to Fort Pierce. From that exit on it‘s

county and country roads all the way. At one point I

travel a dirt road paralleling the border between

Collier and Hendry counties. The back roads are

preferred because there is less traffic, the speed limits

are slower and, of course, I can keep an ever watchful

eye out for orchids on the sides of the road.

8:30am - 9:45am

Mike catches up on his day and park business while I

change clothes and shoes. I‘ve brought some slides to


308

donate to the park so we go over them as well as maps

and locations we plan to explore. We plan to visit a

lake located in the slough where Mike has previously

found dwarf epidendrum, Encyclia pygmaea. The

day is sunny and the temperature is in the mid to high

70‘s.

10:00am

Driving down Janes Scenic Memorial Drive, (JSD),

we come upon some road kill - a banded water snake

between gates 1 and 2. Mike records it in his notes as

he does for all of the wildlife he finds - victims of the

small amount of traffic that travels this road. We

discuss the possibility that local people run over the

snakes on purpose thinking that they are all the

dreaded water moccasin. Usually they are banded

water snakes which closely resemble water moccasins

in color, shape and behavior. This is an unfortunate

waste of wildlife. Even the water moccasins don‘t

deserve this fate because though a venomous and

deadly creature they can be avoided and only pose a

threat to people when molested. As if on cue we spot

a live banded water snake crossing the road and get

out to investigate it. The snake resembles a moccasin

in color and shape, the only give- away are rounded

rather then silted pupils in it‘s eyes. Mike holds his

hand in front of the snake and it immediately goes into

its water moccasin act. Repeatedly striking at his

hand and even flattening it‘s head making it seem like

it has poisonous glands. The snake never once


309

connects with Mike‘s hand because it knows that once

it has then the jig will be up and the masquerade

exposed for it has no venom or fangs. By the way,

―don‘t try this at home . . .‖ it‘s best to leave all of the

snakes you encounter alone unless you are absolutely

sure you know what you are doing. I‘ve met people

who have been bitten by water moccasins and almost

invariably they tell me a tale of how they didn‘t know

it was poisonous when they picked it up.

10:15am

We are at our first stop2 which by coincidence is a

spot where I had noted an oblong-leaved vanilla,

Vanilla phaeantha, plant growing on November 28,

1996. The water depth here is recorded as 3 1/4

inches. Mike has discovered leafless harrisella,

Harrisella porrecta (Reich. f.) Fawcett & Rendle,

(Syn: Campylocentrum porrectum Reich. f.) ,

growing on a bald cypress tree, Taxodium distichum

(L.) Rich.. The tree is small and has about 40 plants on

it with many seed pods, most of them dehisced, and

some still ripening. I have been searching for this

orchid in vain and now know that all along I have had

the wrong search pattern in my mind. These plants are

no more then a small mass of very thin roots a few

inches long radiating from a barely discernible central

stem. They seem to prefer small branches of twig-like

dimensions, but we did observe some plants growing

2 Due to the environmentally sensitive nature of this area, I have omitted

exact locations of our explorations and sightings.


310

flat on the trunks of trees. The fruit is no more than a

couple of millimeters long. Mike comments on how

this one small bald cypress is the only tree on which

he has seen them growing, which seems unusual. We

decide to fan out and look for more following a path

dictated by what we guessed the prevailing wind to be

when the capsules would be spreading their seeds.

10:35am

I find several more plants with ripening fruit and Mike

spots a plant with 2 flowers on the same tree on a

branch 5 feet from the ground [water]! It is 25 yards

south-south west of the original find near a cabbage

palm, Sabal palmetto. What a great find, because

normally the blooming season for this species ends in

September. This plant is also growing on a

baldcypress along with more then 40 more plants,

some quite robust. While I begin taking pictures Mike

continues to explore the area.

11:00am

Mike finds a Vanilla phaeantha 30 feet south of JSD

and 30 feet east of our original location growing up

the side of a baldcypress tree. It turns out to be the

same plant I had spotted from JSD with my binoculars

in November. It grows straight up the trunk in a

zigzag pattern to a height of 12 to 14 feet before

circling the tree to the south side and continuing up

for another 2 to 4 feet. The section of plant on the

south side of the tree is brown and has no leaves.


311

Another Vanilla phaeantha is discovered growing on

a cabbage palm 4 feet east of the one on the

Baldcypress. It grows up the tree an estimated 5 feet.

On his way back to the Harrisella porrecta site Mike

discovers 5 more plants of Harrisella growing on a

southern wax myrtle tree, Myrica cerifera L., 9 yards

south of the plant with flowers. We also note that the

cabbage palm tree has 4 Florida butterfly orchids,

Encyclia tampensis, growing on it.

11:27am

Vanilla phaeantha 50 feet east of our original location

and 30 feet south of JSD growing on a red maple tree,

(Acer rubrum L.). Another Vanilla phaeantha 65 feet

east of our original location and 30 feet south of JSD.

Growing on the remnants of a cypress stump slightly

south of the red maple tree is an unidentified Vanilla

sp.. This plant differed from the V. phaeantha in the

size and shape of the leaves as well as the internodal

distance between the leaves. This was a healthy plant

and I will be watching for it to bloom to try and make

a clear identification. The leaves were 3 5/8 inches

long by 1 3/16 inches wide with an internodal distance

of 5 ¼ , 5 ½ and 6 inches. The V. phaeantha had

internodal lengths of 4 ¼, 4 ½ and 4 ½ inches, leaf

lengths of 5 inches and 4 ¾ inches and leaf widths of

1 3/16 inches to 1 1/8 inches. We believed the new

vanilla to be commerical vanilla, V. planifolia.


312

12:00pm

We got back in the truck, headed north on JSD and

parked at the clearing near Gate 12 for a bite of lunch.

12:30pm

On foot, following a tram west to a predetermined

point 1/4 of a mile into the swamp. It‘s like being in

Jurassic Park. All along the tram are royal palm trees,

Roystonea elata, reaching up 50ft to 75ft into the

clear blue sky. Some of the trees are in full bloom and

flower petals drift down through rays of sunlight

having been dislodged by the bees busily gathering

pollen. Royal palm trees number about 5,000 in the

preserve, the same number as recorded at the turn of

the century before the logging took place. The trams

that were created to remove cypress trees have

actually provided artificial hammocks of dry land

where the stately royal palm seems to thrive.

12:47pm

Turned north off of the tram across a ditch into the

swamp with Mike leading the way.

12:52pmI point out 4 water spider ordids, Habenaria

repens growing on a log floating in the ditch about 12

feet from the tram. The plants are in bloom and in

various stages of fruit development.


313

12:59pm

We find a Florida adder’s-mouth, Malaxis spicata,

growing on a log and it still has one bloom on it, but

no fruit. We continue to head north.

1:03pm

Three toothed habenarias, Habenaria odontopetala,

in bloom growing on a stump. This species seems to

be just making it‘s appearance in the Fakahatchee

Strand even though in the central part of Florida it has

been blooming since October. These terrestrial

orchids can be found as much by their scent as by

seeing them, especially in the late afternoon. They

have a sweet smell that is easily recognized, but hard

to describe.

1:04pm

Rigid epidendrum, Epidendrum rigidum, with 4

flowers growing on a pop ash tree, Fraxinus

caroliniana. This is by far the most common

epiphytic orchid we see in the Fakahatchee. No matter

what time of year I have been there it always seems to

be in bloom. Mike pointed out that there seems to be

some variation in the flower color of the plants that we

were seeing today and others he has observed

previously. Some of the plants have distinctly green

flowers and some have distinctly yellow flowers. We

are not sure if the color difference is a result of the

amount of sunlight the plant receives or a true

variation. Sometimes plants located in the shade tend


314

to be more green then plants located in full sun. There

is also a crooked spur orchid, Campylocentrum

pachyrrhizum, on the same tree. It is the first of

several we see this day.

1:06pm

Proceeding north, north-west we spot the first night-

fragrant epidendrum, Epidendrum nocturnum. It has

no blooms and no fruit which is a bit unusual in this

area. At this point the water depth is approximately

8‖.

1:09pm

We come upon a dahoon holly tree, Ilex cassine. It

has 2 orchids growing on it approximately 6 feet from

the ground and they are so entwined we don‘t see one

of them at first. The most obvious orchid is one that

neither Mike nor myself has seen before. It has leaves

that alternate up the stem which is slightly compressed

and grows from a small central rhizome. The leaves

are 42, 55, and 50mm in length alternating in length

up the stem with the longest leaf at the apex. The leaf

width‘s are 20, 16 and 19mm. There is no pseudobulb

present. We later are able to identify this orchid from

Luer‘s pictures and description as Florida umbelled

epidendrum, Epidendrum floridense (Syn.: E.

difforme). I have recorded the plant on film as

pictures #2005 and #2006. The second plant is a

Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum growing under and

around the Epidendrum floridense.


315

1:16pm

We now are just south of the lake that has been our

goal. We begin to see many more orchids and other

epiphytes that are rarely seen elsewhere within the

Fakahatchee Strand:

1:20pm

Another a Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum.

1:25pm

Another Epidendrum nocturnum with one new flower

bud and one old fruit. Nearby are four colonies of

Epidendrum rigidum with flowers.

1:41pm

Epidendrum nocturnum with 10 fruit capsules

ripening, and on the same tree, an Epidendrum anceps.

1:42pm

Seven tall twayblades, Liparis elata amongst ferns on

a log.

1:44pm

Florida peperomia, Peperomia obtusifolia, with 5

flowers.

1:45pm

Four Catopsis berteroniana, the powdery catopsis, a

rare bromelliad. This catopsis is listed as endangered

within the state of Florida.


316

1:46pm

We have reached the south end of the slough and are

moving slowly around the area looking at the diversity

of orchids and other epiphytes.

1:48pm

Six Liparis elata, one plant with 5 ripening capsules

and one with 3.

1:50pm

Eighteen pine-pink orchids, (Bletia purpurea),

growing on a log, (large abandoned baldcypress trunk

left from the logging days). Nearby on the same log 5

Liparis elata one plant with 8 ripening fruits and one

with 7.

1:56pm

Three more pine-pinks and 5 more Liparis elata with

9 fruits between them.

2:00pm

Our first Florida clam-shell orchid, Encyclia

cochleata var. triandra. It has 2 flowers 2 buds and 9

pods. This orchid puts out flowers in succession on

the stem and I have seen some plants with 12 fruits on

one stem.

2:02pm

Mike finds Encyclia pygmaea - a clump about 14

inches long growing on a pop ash tree. This is the


317

species we came looking for and Mike had noted a

very large colony of it growing near the lake on a

previous walk.

2:09pm

At the very south end of the lake Mike shows me the

colony of Encyclia pygmaea he had found previously.

It is 10 to 12 feet long growing up the side of a pond

apple tree, Annona glabra. There are still flowers on

some of the plants and I set about taking pictures

while Mike continues to explore the area. He finds

another clamshell orchid on a pond apple tree with 1

flower 3 pods and 2 buds. It is growing about 9 feet

above the water. The water in this area is knee deep.

2:20pm

Moving closer to the lake the water is at mid-thigh

level and we find more clamshell orchids one with 2

flowers and 3 pods another with 4 pods. These plants

are about 5 feet above the water.

2:29pm

We encounter an exotic brazilian pepper tree, Schinus

terebinthifolius, approximately 12 feet high and about

2 ½ inches in diameter growing on a log. We do our

best to break it up and submerge it knowing that this

will only temporarily halt it‘s growth.

2:35pm

Two colonies of narrow strap fern, Campyloneurum

angustifolium, with spores, growing on the side of a


318

pond apple tree. Here is another rare find because this

plant is also listed as endangered. The leaves are

about 3 feet long and hang about 3 inches above the

knee deep water. It is clear that in the wet season the

tips will touch the water. We are circumnavigating the

lake in a north- westerly direction .

2:52pm

We find another narrow strap fern on the south west

side of the lake. It has 14 leaves and is growing about

3 feet above the water.

2:57pm

We find ourselves 30 yards north, north-west of the

large colony of Encyclia pygmaea . The water around

the lake is on average about knee deep.

2:59pm

We are on the northeast side of the lake and a major

land mark is an old giant cypress stump that is at least

6 or 7 feet in diameter. It‘s hard to imagine what this

tree once looked like because it was cut down more

then fifty years ago. The lower half of the trunk,

about 16 feet long, lays pointing northeast as if it is a

long forgotten signpost, broken and wedged against a

pond apple tree. It was probably hollow at the base

and therefore left to rot after the top portion was

removed. We find another Epidendrum nocturnum

with 1 flower and 3 pods.


319

3:02pm

We find a nodding catopsis, Catopsis nutans, another

endangered Florida bromeliad. These are beautiful

blue- green pineapple shaped plants with racemes that

droop pendulently from the center of the plant with

oval shaped fruits attached.

3:09pm

Ten more nodding catopsis and a colony of Encyclia

pygmaea 12 feet nw of the giant cypress stump.

3:12pm

One Malaxis spicata.

3:16pm

A colony of juvenile narrow strap ferns.

3:18pm

Another colony of 9 narrow strap ferns located on the

northeastern end of the lake 30 feet east of the giant

cypress stump. One large dingy-flowered

epidendrum, Epidendrum anceps pointed at by the

fallen log. Another Epidendrum nocturnum on the

same tree.

3:27pm

Four clumps of narrow strap fern 60 feet east of the

giant cypress stump.


320

3:33pm

One colony of Encyclia pygmaea 60 feet east north

east of giant cypress stump.

3:37pm

We find a Habenaria sp. This plant looks like

Habenaria odontopetala but is a lighter green and the

leaves look narrower then what we normally are

accustomed to seeing. The major difference is the

length of the spur on the flower3. It seems to be much

longer then on others we have seen and warranted

taking some measurements. The plant was 55cm tall

and there were thirteen leaves sheathing the stem and

turning to bracts at the base of the raceme. The leaves

were about 13.5cm long and 25mm wide . The raceme

had a total of 19 flowers with 4 lower ones pollinated.

3:51pm

More Epidendrum nocturnum 1 flower 2 pods.

3:53pm

Two Harrisella porrecta on cypress sapling branches.

3:57pm

Ten clumps of narrow strap fern on a pond apple tree

2 ½ to 6 feet from the water.

3 Later the following week, I had a discussion with John Beckner, at the

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and he mentioned that there could be some

variations in Habenaria odontopetala. Therefore, closer examination of

these plants is warranted.


321

4:00pm

Epidendrum floridense 3 feet from the water with

fruit. The fruit is round like a basketball and about

1.2cm by 1.5 cm and a circumference of 4.5cm.

Nearby another clump of narrow strap fern.

4:15pm

We find a cone-bearing epidendrum, Epidendrum

strobiliferum, in a laurel oak tree, Quercus laurifolia,

6 feet from the water near the south east side of the

lake 10 feet north of a royal palm tree. Mike and

another biologist had located this plant on a previous

swamp walk when it was in bloom.

4:24pm

Four pine-pink orchids on a floating log. The

pseudobulbs are 1 ½ inches in diameter. In amongst

the pine pink is a healthy looking Malaxis spicata in

full bloom. This plant has the largest leaves I have

seen so far - about 2 inches broad.

4:35pm

One Harrisella porrecta on a pop ash tree4 south east

end of lake. It has one fruit not yet ripe.

4 John Beckner pointed out that the Harrisella porrecta gropwing in pop ash

trees may be a different (undescribed) variety. We will need to look cloaser

at these plants.


322

4:43pm

Epidendrum floridense - three plants on a pop ash tree

at 4ft, 10ft and 15ft high. The top plant is large with a

very large fruit that looks to be about 1 inch in

diameter from the ground. The tree is located about

25 yards north east of another giant cypress stump.

4:47pm

3 more clumps of narrow strap fern north east of the

stump on north east side of lake.

5:05pm

The sun is low on the horizon and it‘s time to think

about heading for high and dry ground. We are at the

north end of the lake and over 1,000 feet north of the

tram we had walked in on. We decide that the next

tram north of us is the closest and we begin making

our way to it in a north- northeasterly direction. As

long as the way is easy going we head more east

because that is where JSD is located. Making

headway is slow because as the way gets dryer the

foliage gets thicker. We try to follow a path in the

water, but one must be careful because for the most

part the slough runs north and south and it is easy to

find yourself heading deeper into the swamp instead

of out. At one point I take a compass bearing and

discover we are heading south and a course correction

is in order that brings us back to dryer, but harder to

walk through ground. Trying to stay in the water we

eventually find ourselves at another lake.


323

5:32pm

A lake 50 x 35 yards in size and on the far side we can

see a line of royal palm trees that could be the tram

which is our goal.

5:40pm

We confirm that the trees mark an east west tram just

north of the new lake. Seeing it is much easier then

getting to it. We must first walk around the lake and

when we reach the side of the tram I find that the ditch

which parallels it swallows my walking stick and

almost swallows me when I attempt to cross it. The

water is waist deep and since the sun has set I am not

comfortable with wading through it - thoughts of

awakening a sleeping alligator flash through my mind.

I back out and we head west away from the lake to a

point where trees are growing south of the tram and

provide a firmer footing of roots to walk on. We get

on the tram and it is dry, well almost dry. Heading

east we soon find that parts of the tram are impassable

because of the thick undergrowth. There are large

ferns, fallen royal palm leaves and hog plum trees with

2 inch long thorns forming a tangled mass of

impenetrable vegetation. We detour constantly off of

the tram onto wild hog trails using my compass to

keep a general easterly bearing. Everything has lost

color and there are just shadows, and shades of gray in

the swamp, cats-claw vines pull at my hands and shirt

as I force my way through the thick growth. My

walking stick becomes a make shift scythe with which


324

I beat down a path in front of me. We hold a course

by picking out large trees against the horizon in the

direction my compass points and heading for them.

When I site on the last large tree I mentally note that if

we can‘t see JSD when we reach it I will stop and

break out my flashlight for it is getting difficult to see

the marks on my compass. We reach the tree and

there, about another 20 yards is the hard-packed,

white, limestone, surface of JSD gleaming in the

dusky light.

6:06pm

We reach JSD and it is pitch black out. This was my

first time in the swamp at night and I was relieved to

be on a clear dry dirt road. It took us 26 minutes to

travel what had to be less then ¼ of a mile to get out

of the swamp.

6:23pm

Road kill, banded water snake, it looks like it was just

run over.

6:25pm

Another dead snake between gates 1 and 2. An owl

swoops silently onto the road and snatches something

just within reach of our headlights. It could have been

a crawfish or maybe another snake.

And so ends a day in search of orchids in the

Fakahatchee Strand. The drive home is long, but I


325

have no trouble staying awake as the day‘s adventures

re-run like a movie in my mind.

12:30am

Home to a hot shower and some much needed sleep.

SUMMARY OF ORCHID SPECIES FOUND ON

12/13/96 FAKAHATACHEE STRAND PRSERVE

SPECIES QUANT.

Harissella porrecta 100

Vanilla phaeantha 4

Camp. pachyrrhizum 3

E. nocturnum 6

E. rigidum 5

E. floridense 5

E. strobiliferum 1

E. anceps 2

Enc. cochleata 4

Enc. pygmaea 5

Enc. tampensis 4

Liparis elata 23

Bletia purpurea 29

Habenaria repens 4

Habenaria odontopetala 4

Malaxis spicata 3

Cliff Pelchat, 2077 Lionel Drive, Melbourne, FL 32940-6802

Cliff, with his wife Sandee, last wrote for the Journal

concerning Encyclia tampensis in December of 1996.


326

Muehlbauer: CULTIVATION OF CYPRIPEDIUM IN E. LONG ISLAND

327

Cypripedium acaule


328

NOTES ON THE GARDEN

CULTIVATION OF CYPRIPEDIUM

ACAULE IN EASTERN LONG ISLAND

Eric Muehlbauer

In recent years, improved propagation

techniques have made many species, and even some

hybrids, of Cypripedium available to the home

gardener. Formerly perceived as difficult, many

species, most notably the large yellow lady's-slipper,

C. parviflorum var. pubescens, and the Formosan

lady's-slipper, C. formosanum, are proving to be

relatively easy plants to grow and maintain. The

exception to this new concept of easy cultivation is the

pink lady's-slipper, Cypripedium acaule, whose strict

environmental requirements have long led it to be

considered one of the most challenging, if not

impossible, of all garden plants to grow. It has been

the experience of this author that C. acaule, if given

the proper conditions is in fact, one of the easiest, if

not the easiest, of the Cypripediums to grow and

bloom.


329

The most important sign that Cypripedium

acaule is amenable to garden culture is its presence as

a native plant in the vicinity. If C. acaule has been

sighted in the area, and, most importantly, the

gardening area is typical of the environment and has

not been altered by construction or landscapers, then

cultivation should

not pose any difficulty.

The author's garden is located in Cutchogue, on

the North Fork of Eastern Long Island, in New York

State, where Cypripedium acaule occurs naturally in

the vicinity. Except for a small lawn area and a rock

garden, the property has not been altered by

developers, landscapers, or the author. Most of the

200 x 50 foot property is natural oak-hickory forest, to

which has been added rhododendrons, azaleas, and

other shrubs, as well as assorted wildflowers and

cultivated perennials. The native plants, consisting of

oaks, hickories, mapleleaf viburnum (Vibumum

acerifolium), lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium

angustifolium),Solomon‘s-seal (Polygonatum

biflorum) and others have been left in place. The soil

is almost pure sand, with a top layer of oak leaf

humus. The pH is extremely acidic, 3.9, and very low

in nutrients (Table 1). Rainfall tends to be very scarce

during the summer. While the summer of 1996 was

unusually wet more typical summers bring only a few

centimeters of rain


330

during June, July, and August. The most extreme was

the

summer of 1995, in which no rain fell at all between

late

July and mid-September.

The Cypripedium acaule planted in the garden

were originally purchased as single growths,

propagated by a company called The Wildflower

Source. They were planted m mid-October, about ten

and eleven years ago. One plant was purchased in the

spring and placed in a pot, as it had already started

growing. It remained in the pot for the summer, and

was planted in October. The plants were sited under

oak trees, where they remained in dappled shade for

the entire day. However, the earliest stages of growth,

between mid-April and early May, occured in much

brighter light, before the trees leaf out.

Other than a bloom on the pot-grown plant, the

next season or two involved only vegetative growth.

Since then, the plants have continued to bloom every

season in late May. Each plant put up a minimum of

five growths and four blooms. The flowers were very

fragrant, especially in the afternoon, and large. At

least three flowers in each clump were pollinated

every year, using pollen from the native plants nearby.

Several pods were sent out to Spangle Creek and other

laboratories for propagation, and at least one pod each

year is allowed to ripen and disperse seed naturally.


331

Contrary to other observations, these plants do not

appear to be set back in their blooming by pollination

and pod development. Perhaps this is due to the early

harvest of most pods, usually in late August. However,

several native plants are also pollinated each year, also

without loss of blooms in the following season.

The plants require no special maintenance, They

are not fertilized or treated with any chemicals.

Except for occasional slug damage in early spring,

they are free of any pests or diseases. This is in

marked contrast to Cypripediums grown in New York

City, where fungal diseases usually blast the buds of

Cypripedium acaule and frequently kill both C. acaule

and the showy lady’s-slipper, C. reginae. The lack of

fungal disease may be due to the drier environment in

Cutchogue. Orchids such as several species of

Platanthera and C. reginae grown in artificial bogs

frequently show fungal damage m Cutchogue as well.

Finally, the plants received no supplemental

water, even during dry summers. The plants

themselves showed no stress at propagation, and at

least one pod no viable seed was produced.

Subsequent years with more water produced fertile

pods with good quantities of seed. My well water in

Cutchogue is normally soft and somewhat acidic.

However, prolonged drought coupled with heavy

agricultural water usage may result m a decline m

water quality at the end of the summer. So far, the


332

plants have been unaffected by any changes in the

water. In fact, the plants of C. acaule survived a

period of salt intrusion entirely unscathed, while other

plants such as Rhododendron viscosum and its

hybrids, and Acer palmatum were burnt and

completely defoliated.

The cultivated plants are more robust than the

native plants in the vicinity. Most of the wild plants

consist of only one to two growths, and the leaves are

smaller than on the cultivated plants. The native

plants generally bloom well, although only three

plants flowered in 1996, the year following the severe

drought. Like many wild populations of Cypripedium

acaule, individual plants appear one year and

disappear the next. However, the overall number of

wild plants has remained fairly constant. They are on

private land, and the owners are aware, and

appreciative, of their presence.

Overall, as can be seen, Cypripedium acaule

can be a very easy species to grow when it is provided

with the right conditions. The best indication of the

proper conditions is the presence of native plants in

the vicinity, or at least a history of their having

occurred there. While the first few seasons require a

little extra care, in protection from drought and

rummaging squirrels, once established they are

carefree, low maintenance plants that can be relied on

to give a beautiful display every spring.


333


334

Table 1: Nutrient Analysis of Soil in Cypripedium acaule

Habitat

Soil Test Numerical Amount Relative Level

pH 3.9 very low

Phosphorus 1 very low

Potassium 75 low

Magnesium 60 medium

Calcium 290 very low

Aluminum 104 normal

iron 67 normal

Manganese 7 very low

Zinc 2 high

Organic 4.4% medium

Matter

Nitrate 8 very low

* Numerical amounts are in pounds per acre (#/A). Soil

analysis

performed by Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Eric Muehlbauer, 65-16 Cromwell Crescent, Rego Park, NY

11374 E-mail: [email protected]

Todsen: SOUTHWESTERN MALAXIS

335

NAMING A SOUTHWESTERN

MALAXIS (ORCHIDACEAE)

Thomas K. Todsen

Recently, Coleman (1997) brought to my

attention the fact that Watson (1883) had described a

specimen collected in Arizona by the Lemmons,

naming it Microstylis purpurea. Ridley (1888) revised

Microstylis and Malaxis. Since Lindley (1849) had

used the specific epithet purpurea to describe a

Microstylis from Ceylon and Java, Ridley renamed the

taxon Microstylis porphyrea. In this revision, he

rejected the idea that the taxon was the same as M.

ehrenbergii. Ridley‘s comment was "M. porphyrea

has no distinct fovea; the lip is concave at the base but

not saccate." This latter refers to Reichenbach‘s

(1849) description of the lip of M. ehrenbergii as

"gibbere acuto in medio parte basilari," i.e. acutely

gibbous in the middle basal part. Kuntze (1891)

placed all Microstylis species under Malaxis, so the

taxon became Malaxis porphyrea (Ridl.) Kuntze. In

their consideration of Malaxis nomenclature, Ames &

Schweinfurth (1935) decided that M. porphyrea was

synonymous with M. ehrenbergii, and subsequent


336

authors have followed their lead (e.g., Correll 1950;

Luer 1975 et al).

I have examined the holotype of Malaxis

porphyrea from the Gray Herbarium. It has minutely

papillate floral segments and a narrowly sagittate lip

which easily differentiate it from M. ehrenbergii with

glabrous floral segments and a broadly triangular-

hastate lip. The species should be listed as follows:

Malaxis porphyrea (Ridley) Kuntze., Revis. Gen. Pl. 2:673.

1891. Microstylis porphyrea Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 24:320.

1888. Microstylis purpurea S. Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts

18:195. 1883, non Microstylis purpurea Lindl.

TYPE: U.S.A. ARIZONA. COCHISE CO.: Tanner‘s Canyon,

Huachuca Mts., Jul 1882, J.G. & S.P. Lemmon 2881

(HOLOTYPE: GH).

There is a difference that appears in Ridley‘s

and Reichenbach‘s descriptions that has not been

considered in previous justifications for separation of

the two species. Ridley states the stem to be "superne

laxe racemosus," i.e., loosely racemose above.

Reichenbach, in contrast, says, "racemus

plurimiflorus," i.e., raceme very many flowered. This

difference is readily seen in Figures 1 and 2, where

each dorsal sepal is about 2 mm long.

The ranges of the two do not overlap. The

southernmost sites of Malaxis porphyrea are probably


337

in northern Chihuahua and Sonora. The northernmost

site of M. ehrenbergii is in southern Hidalgo. The gap

between is about 1200 km.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am grateful to the Curator of the Gray Herbarium for

the expeditious loan of a holotype specimen and thank all the

friends and colleagues who have provided comments and

suggestions.

Thomas K. Todsen, Department of Biology, New

Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003,

U.S.A.

REFERENCES

Ames, O. And C. Schweinfurth. 1935. Nomenclatorial Studies

In Malaxis And Spiranthes. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 3:116.

Coleman, R. 1997. Personal Communication.

Correll, D. 1950. Native Orchids Of North America. Chronica

Botanica.

Kuntze, O. 1891. Revis. Gen. Pl. 2:673.

Lindley, J. 1849. Microstylis Purpurea Sp. Nov. Gen. Et Sp.

Orch. 20.

Luer, C. 1975. The Native Orchids Of The United States And

Canada. New York Botanical Garden.

Reichenbach, H. 1849. Microstylis Ehrenbergii Sp. No.

Linnaea 22:835.

Ridley, H. N. 1888. A Revision Of The Genera Microstylis And

Malaxis. J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 24:320.


338

Watson, S. 1883. Description Of Some New Western Species.

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 18:195.

This article originally appeared in Sida 14:636-637, 1997. The

subject was the focus of Tom‘s talk at the 2nd North American

Native Orchid Conference on 15 August 1997 in Tucson. The

Journal is especially grateful to both Tom and Barney L.

Lipscomb, Editor of Sida, Contributions to Botany, Botanical

Research Institute of Texas, for permission to publish this

timely note, as well as E.W. Greenwood for permission to use

his photograph.. Ed.

The plants from western Texas, in the Chisos

Mountains, appear to be Malaxis wendtii. The arrangement of

the flowers within the inflorescence and the shape of the lip are

apparent even in photographs. The Journal is grateful to Bill

Jennings for the loan of his photos taken at the Texas site,

which may represent the only site for this species in the United

States. Additional information on this genus in the southwestern

United States and adjacent Mexico will appear in the December

issue of the Journal Ed.


339

Albert & Chase: Mexipedium: A new genus

340

Mexipedium xerophyticum

E. Hagsater


341

I. PHRAGMIPEDIUM XEROPHYTICUM:

A New Species From Southeastern Mexico5

Miguel Angel Soto, Gerardo A. Salazar, Eric

Hagsater

The staff of the Mexican Association of

Orchidology (AMO) continuously receives herbarium

material to study and make a determination. This

material frequently contains very interesting

specimens and it is very valuable for our work.

Among the material collected by the collaborating

group of Dr. Thomas Wendt from the College of

Postgraduates of Chapingo was a very peculiar plant.

It took us by surprise because at the beginning of our

examination we could not determine what this plant

was due to the lack of flowers. It was a puzzle of

small fan-like growths, united by long rhizomes,

which produced an apical inflorescence, which was

very pubescent. These characters suggested that it

should be treated as a cypripedioid, which increased

our curiosity. Xerox copies of the specimens were

sent to some specialists, among them Dr. Robert

Dressler, with the hope that he would be able to give

some clues to its identity. Shortly thereafter, Rolando

5 extracted from Orquidea (Mex.) 12:1-10. Reprinted by permission. Special

thanks to Eric Hagsater, Mariano Ospina and Margaret Barton for

translations.


342

Jimenez, of AMO, observed a specimen from the same

collection, but with


343


344

a flower, confirming the suspicion that it was a

cypripedioid, probably a Phragmipedium.

With a discovery of this nature, we decided to

organize an excursion to the area at the first possible

opportunity to obtain live material of this interesting

plant. The biologist, Patricia Vera Caletti, indicated

how to get in contact with Sr. Heriberto Hernandez,

collector of the specimen. We were advised about the

difficulties of access to the region during the rainy

season, since there is no passage for vehicles because

of the rising levels of the rivers.

The cypripedioid species, principally of the

genera Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium, have very

attractive flowers and are widely cultivated. The wild

populations of many species have been so decimated

by collectors that some are in imminent danger of

extinction. This is the case with another Mexican

species of this type, Phragmipedium exstaminodium,

of which the few remaining wild individuals are a

concern. To that end, to protect these new plants, we

have not marked the exact locality.

As soon as we located Sr. Hernandez, he

amicably guided us to the site where, several years

before, he had collected the plant that interested us.

The region where it lives possesses a rich and varied

vegetation. In addition to the jungle and tropical

rainforest that borders the hot-humid region at 300 m


345

altitude, there is also an extensive woodland of oaks,

pines and liquidambar; a very impressive mosaic to

attract any botanist. In certain areas close to the rivers

there are very abrupt karst zones, forming an extensive

rocky limestone terrain, with sparse vegetation and a

rather dry landscape. In fissures where humus

accumulates we found small trees of Bursera

simaruba, Plumeria rubra, Pseudobombax ellipticum

and also noted the occasional presence of Beaucarnea,

Yucca, Agave and Acanthocereus which came from

the full humid zone. This environmental niche is the

habitat of the plant that interests us.

The plant is not abundant and it took us some

time to find the first individuals. Fortunately, they

were in flower. Immediately we confirmed that it was

a new species of Phragmipedium, which was very

different from any previously described. They were

very small plants, with sprawling growth patterns.

The flowers are also very small, white to pink. The lip

is the delicate texture of a swollen balloon, with

incurved edges and somewhat curved towards the

center, in that it resembles the lip of some species of

Cypripedium, or of Paphiopedilum micranthum T.

Tang & Wang and its allies. The only species of

Phragmipedium that present a lip of this kind are P.

schlimii (Linden & Rchb.) Rolfe and P. besseae

Dodson & Kuhn; however, in contrast to our present

specimen, these species possess very distinct wide-

spreading petals.


346

The plants grow in rocky areas, are relatively

small, with colonial growth, well branched with

distinct leaves (fans) and lengthened rhizomes, of

some 15–20 cm in height and probably even to 1.0 m2

extension. Roots simple or slightly branched, slender,

clear, brown-colored or whitish, smooth or with hairs

on the contact surface at the substrate, frequently

attached to a naked rock or penetrating the humus.

The roots originate only from the base of the fans and

the rhizome of 0.8 mm thickness and up to 11 cm

long, extends away to the next fan. The rhizome is

very conspicuous, straight, hard, and brittle, forming

5–12 internodes, covered by a similar number of

sheaths 1–2 mm in diameter; 3–8 cm long between

each fan. The rhizome sheaths are numerous, scaly,

with conspicuous nerves, brown/chestnut-colored,

tubular or somewhat funnel-shaped, obtuse or sharp-

pointed, loosely spaced out or imbricate, deciduous,

from 6–9 mm long. Fans formed from 5–8 distinct

leaves, of 3–4 cm, occasionally even 12 cm high and a

span 6.5–13 cm. Leaves hard, conduplicate, the

unequal apex obtuse, mucronate, smooth on the

abaxial surface, leathery and fleshy, very stiff, clear

green. Dead fans of leaves usually persist, turning

brown-colored. The small leaf-bases, located between

rhizome sheaths and the upper leaves become

progressively larger, the upper ones from 3.5–12 cm

long and 1.2–1.8 cm wide; around 1 mm thick.


347

The inflorescence is terminal, formed of a

peduncle for 2 internodes, elliptical in cross section;

the panicle with 2 racemes (rarely one raceme). The

primary raceme unfolds first at the apex and only later

below, probably when the apex is no longer able to

form more flowers. The raceme is hirsute, with

multicellular hairs of variable lengths, reddish-brown

in color, hairs more abundant near the inflorescence

sheath, gradually less abundant toward the apex and

also more appressed, until the surface is practically

smooth or lightly papillose. The total inflorescence is

of length 6.5–13.5 cm, 1–1.3 mm thick; inflorescence

bracts one, approximately in the middle of the

peduncle, with a conduplicate base, amply round to

caudate at the apex, not articulate, yellowish and

densely pubescent or hirsute at the base, gradually

with little appressed hairs, with short and long cilia in

the middle, apically smooth, 8–15 mm long. The

rachis is very abbreviated with 3–7 consecutive

flowers, one flower opening at a time, around 12–15

mm long, floral bracts distinct, imbricate, strongly

conduplicate, keeled, with the apex caudate, recurved

and thickened, dark brown-colored, hirsute and the

cilia with multicellular hairs, reddish, 4–5 nerved;

when extended (it is not possible without some

distortion and breaking) broadly triangular, 4–5 mm

long, 5 mm wide, gradually tapered toward the apex.

Pedicels short, almost completely hidden by the

bracts, very stiff, oblique, hirsute, multicellular hairs,

subtriogonus, 2.5–3 mm long, 0.8 mm thick in the


348

middle, widening toward the abscission zone of the

ovary. Ovary unilocular.

The flowers are small and colorful but without

fragrance, very similar to that of Cypripedium

californicum; 1.3–2.5 cm high, 1.5–2.0 cm in

diameter. Perianth deciduous, falling when the flower

is apparently fresh; white to pale rose. Sepals valvate,

the lateral completely merged into a synsepal;

occasionally the joining is not complete. The abaxial

surface smooth, the adaxial surface is notably

pubescent with multicellular hairs, most dense and

long toward the apex and near the zone of abscission

with the ovary. Dorsal sepal directed forward, elliptic,

with the apex acute to subacute, mucronate and

slightly thickened; 7–8-nerved, the veins branching

off and anastomosing towards the apex, concave, from

9–14 mm long and 5–6.5 mm wide. Synsepal

descending, suborbicular, obtuse (or when the

clasping is not complete with two subacute apexes),

mucronate and thickened at the apex, 12-nerved, the

veins branching off and anastomosing towards the

apex, concave, from 8–9.5 mm long and 8.5–12 mm

wide. Petals linear-ligulate, acute, curved, sometimes

somewhat descending, twisted or only slightly, with a

wavy margin, 5-nerved, smooth or ciliate near the

base, 11–15 mm long 2.5–3 mm at the widest part. Lip

calceolate, inflated, slightly furrowed along the veins

of the orifice. The orifice is very delicately textured;

the surface smooth and the interior conspicuously


349

hirsute, surrounding the base with very attractive,

brilliant purple, multicellular, glandular hairs. Toward

the bottom of the lip the hairs are notably reduced,

continuing to the mid-line and are white and

apparently more scarce and aggregate; the basal edges

(around the orifice) are somewhat reflexed and

thickened; apical margin incurved. Orifice 2 x 3 mm;

the lateral small lobes incurved, broadly triangular,

subacute, without swelling at the margins, nor

projections (horns), nor forming hollow hunchback

regions, adherents to each other around 3 mm, well

delimiting the orifices for entering and leaving the

cavity; the surface of the lip without "windows" or

transparent zones; lip length from 10–14 mm, 6–8 mm

tall, 7–9 mm wide. Column short and androecium

merged only 1–2 mm, almost completely hidden in the

orifice. Stigma curved, pendent, fleshy, consisting of

a body approximately triangular, with a horizontal

surface in front of the staminode, and with a

longitudinal border of a few conspicuous,

multicellular tricomes, longer near middle; the apex of

the body directed downward and longitudinally

curved. Stigma lobes forming an apical structure more

or less laminar, or in a small cushion form that

separates them farther from the staminode, stout,

concave, oval-triangular; densely pubescent at the

abaxial surface, diminishing papillae on the adaxial

surface, the lateral lobes consisting of two

inconspicuous borders on the lower face; 4–5 mm

long, trilobulate, 1.0–1.3 mm at the widest part.


350

Androecium with two fertile stamens and a petaloid

(sterile) staminode. The staminode is notably

pedunculate (around l mm), convex, broadly

triligulate, subacute, rounded, longitudinally furrowed

and smooth on the external surface; violet or purple;

with an axial rib on the internal surface, with two

groups of long, brilliant purple multicellular hairs

along the rib, the remainder of the surface smooth;

lateral lobes extended and directed downward, with

the border lightly wavy; 3 mm long, 4–5 mm wide.

There are two anthers, each placed at the extreme of

an oblong peduncle, widened, short, slightly recurved,

fleshy and smooth (except for sparse papillae at the

apex). The anthers are perpendicular to the column,

united at the peduncle through a very small zone;

oval-triangular, somewhat short, sharp or obtuse,

fleshy, white, the apex directed downward and

outward; with 2 ventral zones, brown-colored, in the

manner of a cup where the pollinia are placed and

separated by a trench that continues to form a

depression at the apical part of the anther; around 1

mm long. Pollinia two at each anther, forming an oval

structure, oblique, granulose, yellowish, 0.5 x 0.4 mm.

Ripe capsules cylindrical, trigonous to about 40 mm x

3 mm, dehiscent along three longitudinal slits, the

valves remaining attached at the apex.

HOLOTYPE: MEXICO: OAXACA: woods on the

slope of the Gulf of Mexico, elevation 320 m. The dry

landscape vegetation of Agave, Beaucarnea, Bursera


351

simaruba, Plumeria and Pseudobombax ellipticum, in

the karst zone surrounded by tropical rain forest and

tropical oak forests, September 6, 1988, G.A. Salazar

3740, M.A. Soto, E. Yanez and H. Hernandez, AMO!

ISOTYPE: K!

OTHER SPECIMENS: MEXICO: OAXACA: Same

locality and date, G.A. Salazar 3742, M.A. Soto, E.

Yanez and H. Hernandez, US! Same locality,

September 24, 1985, Heriberto Hernandez 1602,

AMO! CHAPA!

DISTRIBUTION: Endemic to Mexico. At this time it

is known solely from a district in the warm-humid

region of Oaxaca.

ECOLOGY: This is the most dry-growing of all the

Phragmipediums. The spreading habit is very

conspicuous and often results in independent plants.

This facet is an advantage for the population, as the

propagation of the plants from seed would be a rare

chance event in this habitat. This phenomenon has

been reported for other species of cypripedioids with

conduplicate leaves, as Paphiopedilum druryi Bedd.,

Phragmipedium pearcei (Rchb.) Rauh and P. besseae.

The habitat of Phragmipedium xerophyticum is in

some aspects similar to that of Paphiopedilum druryi.

The plants we saw in the high rocky terrain were

without surrounding tree vegetation. They were never

in the totally exposed sites, but at the vertical fissures


352

with northern and eastern exposures and grew either in

small cracks with accumulations of humus or directly

on the naked rock. None of the plants we saw

received direct sun during the midday. The plants that

were growing in the humus with Selaginellas and

Pitcairnias were very robust.

The region receives approximately 250 cm of

precipitation throughout the year, the annual

temperature is around 25ºC. A season of drought is

well marked during the spring.

FLOWERING: The plant was seen with flowers in

September, and probably commenced flowering

during the rainy season. A couple of small wasps were

seen around a flower during the observed collection;

nevertheless, the wasp was not observed entering the

flower. The flowers are not self-pollinating although

they produce numerous capsules.

The pollinator is believed to be of a small size,

judging by the dimensions of the orifice. It is

suggested that the flowers of cypripedioids with

inflated lips (Cypripedium irapeanum Llave & Lex.,

Phragmipedium schlimii, Paphiopedilum micranthum,

etc.) result from adaptation to similar pollinators,

probably bees (Halictidea in C. irapeanum ) instead of

flies, as in many Paphiopedilums (Cribb, 1987).


353

RECOGNITION: The combination of very small

flowers, from 1.5–2 cm in diameter, white with a rose

suffusion, and plants with lengthened rhizomes are

unmistakable. The other Mexican species of

Phragmipedium, P. exstaminodium is so distinct that

is impossible to confuse, since it is an epiphytic plant

with yellowish flowers marked with white, green and

chestnut and with petals from 25–45 cm long. The

other species of this genus with white flowers is P.

schlimii, from Colombia, but is easily distinguished

because the petals are rounded.

CONSERVATION: This species is in danger of

extinction. If we utilize the rarity criteria proposed by

Rabinowitz et al. (1996) we are able to affirm that this

is a very rare plant: since its geographic distribution

(as far as we know) is not very extensive (one

locality), it is restricted to a very specialized habitat (it

only grows in the exposed karst zones) and the

populations are very small (there are known to be no

more than 7 clones). Phragmipedium xerophyticum is

so scarce in nature that in a couple of hours we would

have been able to collect all the known plants.

Removal of the wild plants would have a very

catastrophic effect. We recommend avoiding the

collection of wild plants, including those for scientific

work. A few plants were given to propagators with

the hope for them to distribute seed to specialized


354

nurseries and botanical gardens, which may put an end

to collection pressures on the natural populations.6

(Original acknowledgments): We want to thank Sr. Heriberto

Hernandez, who guided us to the district and to the authorities

of his town, and for the facilities that they gave us during our

stay in the region; Patricia Vera Caletti and Thomas Wendt,

who presented us with information about the area; Elvira

Yanez, who enthusiastically participated during the excursion;

Rolando Jimenez, who prepared the illustrations. Likewise we

thank Lucile McCook, Ed Greenwood and Fernando Chiang,

who made important suggestions concerning the manuscript.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atwood, J.T. 1984. The relationships of the slipper orchids

(subfamily Cypripedioidea, Orchidaceae). Selbyana 7:

129-247.

Cribb, P.J. 1987. The Genus Paphiopedilum. The Royal

Botanic Gardens, Kew & Colling Ridge 222 pp.

Dodson, C.H. & J. Kuhn. 1981. Phragmipedium besseae - A

new species from Peru. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 50(11):

1308-1310.

Garay, L.A. 1979. The Genus Phragmipedium. Orchid Digest

43(4): 133-148.

6 see list of commercial sources at end of article


355

Hegedus, L.S. & F.R. Stermitz. 1986. Further facts on

Phragmipedium besseae. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull.

55(4): 367-369.

Rabinowitz, D., S. Cairns & T. Dillon. 1986. Seven forms of

rarity and their frequency in the flora of the British Isles.

in: M.E. Soule (ed.). Conservation Biology. pp. 182-

204.


356

II. MEXIPEDIUM: A NEW GENUS OF

SLIPPER ORCHID

(Cypripedioideae: Orchidaceae)7

Victor A. Albert & Mark W. Chase

The recent description of Phragmipedium

xerophyticum Soto, Salazar & Hagsater (Soto, Salazar,

and Hagsater, 1990), a phenotypically and

geographically isolated taxon from Oaxaca, Mexico,

raised new problems in the taxonomic distinction

between New World Phragmipedium Rolfe and Old

World Paphiopedilum Pfitzer (Cypripedioideae:

Orchidaceae). Paphiopedilum was erected to include

all conduplicate-leaved slipper orchids (Pfitzer, 1886),

only to have Phragmipedium segregated from it a

decade later (Rolfe, 1896). Although distinction was

maintained through two nomenclatural conservations

(Paphiopedilum-1959, Taxon 8: 242; Phragmipedium-

1978, Taxon 27: 288) that have received global

acceptance (CITES Plant Committee, 7th Meeting of

the Conference Parties, Lausanne, Switzerland,

October, 1989), the genera are similar anatomically

7 extracted from Lindleyana 7(3): 172-176. 1992. Reprinted by permission of

the American Orchid Society.


357

and morphologically (Rosso, 1966, Atwood, 1984)

and show few consistent differences.

Phragmipedium xerophyticum presents a

combination of Paphiopedilum-specific and

Phragmipedium-specific features. Its inclusion within

Phragmipedium (Soto, Salazar, and Hagsater, 1990)

was based upon the expression of four character

states: (i) valvate vernation (aestivation) of the sepals,

(ii) the absence of sinuous epidermal cells in the

perianth, (iii) fusion of the lateral lobes of the

labellum, and (iv) ventral synsepals larger than dorsal

sepals (Atwood, 1984, p. 190). However,

Phragmipedium xerophyticum and Paphiopedilum

have unilocular ovaries, whereas all other

Phragmipedium species have trilocular ovaries. The

merit of these characters is discussed at length in the

original Lindleyana article.

As a result, the generic assignment of

Phragmipedium xerophyticum makes the taxonomic

distinction between Paphiopedilum and

Phragmipedium problematic. Rather than combining

Phragmipedium with Paphiopedilum (which has

nomenclatural priority), we proposed a new,

monotypic genus for Phragmipedium xerophyticum.

Mexipedium V.A. Albert & M.W. Chase TYPE:

Mexipedium xerophyticum (Soto, Salazar & Hagsater)

V. A. Albert & M. W. Chase.


358

The plants are similar to the genera

Phragmipedium Rolfe and Paphiopedilum Pfitzer.

The inflorescences usually bear two racemes, the

apical one developing first, the basal one developing

secondarily from the single, medial bract of the

flowering scape; raceme internodes abbreviated,

bearing imbricating bracts. The flowers come

successively and the floral buds have valvate sepal

aestivation. The lip (labellum) is calceolate and

inflated. The ovaries are unilocular with parietal

placentation.

Etymology: It was our pleasure to name this genus

after its country of endemicity, Mexico.

Mexipedium xerophyticum (Soto, Salazar, & Hagsater)

V. A. Albert & M. W. Chase Basionym:

Phragmipedium xerophyticum Soto, Salazar, &

Hagsater, Orquidea (Mex.) 12: 2. 1990.

TYPE: MEXICO. Oaxaca: selvas de la vertiente del

Golfo de Mexico, 320 m s.n.m., vegetacion xerofitica

de Agave, Beaucarnea, Bursera simaruba, Plumeria y

Pseudobombax ellipticum, en zona carstica rodeada de

selva alta perennifolia y encinares tropicales; hierba

rupicola, escasa, flores blancas esfumadas de rosa, 6

septiembre 1988, G. A. Salazar 3740, M. A. Soto, E.

Yanez y H. Hernandez (Holotype: AMO #1 1587;

Isotype: K; photocopy of holotype seen).


359

Distribution: Endemic to Oaxaca, Mexico. Only

seven clones are known, all from the type locality

(intentionally unspecified for conservation purposes).

The recognition of Mexipedium stabilizes both

Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium by segregating a

taxon with a problematic combination of character

states (unilocular ovaries, branched racemes, and

valvate sepal aestivation). This decision is supported

by phylogenetic analysis of molecular, anatomical,

and morphological data from representatives of the

five genera of slipper orchids accepted here (V.A.

Albert, unpubl.). Cypripedium, Mexipedium,

Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium, and Selenipedium

are all monophyletic taxa. The branch linking the

conduplicate-leaved genera (Mexipedium,

Paphiopedilum, and Phragmipedium) is well defined

by twelve character-state changes. Similarly, the

branch supporting Old World Paphiopedilum is

marked by eleven changes. In contrast, the New

World clade (Mexipedium plus Phragmipedium) is

supported by only four changes, and Phragmipedium

itself by four. The composite branch length since

common ancestry with Paphiopedilum is thus eight,

which is comparable to the eleven changes supporting

that genus. Additionally, Mexipedium has three

unique changes (autapomorphies) assigned to its

terminal branch, which is comparable to the four

defining the entire Phragmipedium lineage. These

patterns of character support suggest that Mexipedium


360

has undergone substantial morphological and

molecular evolution in isolation from Phragmipedium,

which is in keeping with its biogeographic distinction

as the northernmost representative of the New World

conduplicate-leaved slipper orchids.

LITERATURE CITED

Atwood, J.T. 1984. The relationships of the slipper orchids

(subfamily Cypripedioideae, Orchidaceae). Selbyana 7:

129-247.

Pfitzer, E. 1886. Morphologische Studienuber die

Orchideenblutlhe. Carl Winter's

Universitatsbuchhandlung, Heidelberg.

—. 1903. Orchidaceae - Pleonandrae. Pages 1-132 in A.

Engler [ed.], Das Pflanzenreich, IV, 50. Verlag von

Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig.

Reichenbach, H.G. 1854. Xenia Orchidaceae, Vol. 1, Heft 1.

F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig.

Rolfe, R.A. 1896. The Cypripedium group. Orchid Rev. 4:

327-334, 363-367.

Rosso, S.W. 1966. The vegetative anatomy of the

Cypripedioideae (Orchidaceae). J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 59:

309-341.

Soto, M.A., G.A. Salazar, and E. Hagsater. 1990.

Phragmipedium xerophyticum, una nueva especie del

sureste de Mexico. Orquidea (Mexico City) 12: 1-10.


361

(Original acknowledgments) Our special thanks go to

colleagues at AMO (E. Hagsater, M.A. Soto, and particularly G.

Salazar) for providing information and leaf material of

Mexipedium. L. Hegedus also donated leaf samples for DNA

extraction. We are grateful for information, comments and

advice received from G. Carnevali, E. Christenson, R. Dressler,

K.N. Gandhi, K. Kron, L. McCook, R. McVaugh, and G.

Romero. Support to VAA from the National Science

Foundation (grant BSR-8914635) and the American Orchid

Society, Inc. is gratefully acknowledged.

Definitions

Abaxial = facing away from the axis

Abscission = the zone of separation

Adaxial = facing towards the axis

Anastomosing = netted

Androcenium = the male sexual organs

Anthers = pollen-bearing male organs

Apical inflorescence = flowering at the top

Appressed = lying close to

Axial rib = the midrib on the leaf

Bracts = modified leaf-like structures

Cilia = short, unicellular marginal hairs

Colonial growth = vegetatively reproducing colonies

Column = the joined stamens and pistil

Conduplicate = folded along a central midvein

Cypripedioid = collective term for all the slipper orchids

Epiphytic = growing above the ground, typically on trees; the

opposite of terrestrial


362

Imbricate = overlapping in a shingle-like manner

Internodes = the spaces between growth buds on a stem,

rhizome, etc.

Karst zones = limestone formations typified by dramatic

fissures, cliffs and sinkholes

Keeled = with a longitudinal projection

Labellum calceolate = lip slipper shaped

Laminar = on the surface of the leaf

Linear-ligulate = long and narrow

Mucronate = blunt with a short, sharp tip

Not articulate = not breaking off

Panicle = an elongated alternately branched flower cluster; a

branched raceme

Paphiopedilum = a genus of tropical old world slipper orchids

Papillae = multiple papillose

Papillose = bearing minute, nipple-like projections

Parietal placentation = ?

Pedicels = the individual flower stalks

Peduncle = stalk of the flower

Perianth = collective term for all of the floral parts

Phragmipedium = a genus of tropical new world slipper orchids

Pollinia = pollen-bearing male organs

Pubescent = with fine, downy hairs

Raceme = an elongated flower cluster in which short-stalked

flowers bloom along a common stem

Rachis = the flower stalk below the inflorescence

Rhizomes = surface stems that terminate in new vegetative

growth

Staminode = the male sexual organ

Stigma = the female sexual organ

Subacute = not quite pointed

Suborbicular = not quite round

Synsepal = the two joined ventral sepals

Trilocular ovaries = ovaries with three compartments

Unilocular ovaries = ovaries with one compartment


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Valvate sepal aestivation = with the sepals clasping like praying

hands in bud

Valvate vernation (aestivation) = with the floral bracts clasping

like praying hands

COMMERCIAL SOURCES FOR MEXIPEDIUM

XEROPHYTICUM

Orchids Limited

4630 North Fernbrook Lane

Plymouth, MN 55446

Bloomfield Orchids

251 West Bloomfield Road

Pittsford, NY 14534

LOST AND FOUND

364

LOST AND FOUND a readers‘ bulletin board for sharing discoveries,

information, upcoming events, and posting notices

MEGA PURPLES IN NEWFOUNDLAND

1997

Cory & Shirley Curtis

We had been here two weeks and decided it was time to go home,

but had failed to make reservations on the ferry early enough, so we found

we had six extra days to wander around. We had already seen all we

expected to see, including the new Dactylorhiza site at St. John‘s.

We decided to go out to Blow Me Down point as we‘d been there

on a previous trip and the scenery is so beautiful we wanted to return.

I‘d bought the new Titford‘s ―Wildflowers of Newfoundland‖

book and they mentioned finding fringeless purples, Platanthera peramonea

on a wet hillside near Flat Bay on the West coast8. We were skeptical about

finding this and didn‘t, however, we found acres of other purples.

Sites for Purples:

1. Blow Me Down, July 29th

.

At Bottle Cove there were a few small purples (P. pyscodes)

scattered around the parking lot, then up the hill to the fog horn

heilipad there were several hundred dwarf purples ranging in

size from 3-12‖. The closer to the edge and wind exposure the

smaller they were.

2. Flat Bay. July 30th

1st stop small purple fringed orchid, P. psycodes, This was a

steep bank to the ocean, 1,000‘s here but this also had a fair

amount of trash dumped here at some time.

2nd

stop top of a hill, amongst dwarf white birch (Betula

minor), were 200 large purple fringed orchids, P. grandiflora

early prime with many buds, very sweet!! 3 white ones.

8 More than one person has been mislead by finding a fringeless large purple

fringed, Platanthera grandiflora forma mentotonsa. I had that experience in

northern Michigan many years ago. PMB

LOST AND FOUND

365

3rd

stop old foundation with a fence around it, 500 P. pyscodes

, few whites, ragged fringed orchis, P. lacera.

3. St. George / Barachois brook July 31st

Off Rt. 490, turn left onto 461 go 3/10 mile to a field on both

sides of the road, about 10 acres on both sides. Fantastic field,

everything here! 10,000 + orchids, Platanthera grandiflora, P.

psycodes, P. lacera, P. clavellata, P. x keenanii, P. x

andrewsii. It was predominately pure white orchids, some were

P. psycodes, P. lacera and a few green P. lacera. This field

had the best selection of white orchids, we found anywhere.

Most other P. psycodes fields had 5-10 albinos, and the P.

grandiflora fields had 1-5 albinos.

4. Cordroy Valley, Aug. 1st - 3

rd .

In a 50 acre field 2 miles from Grand Cordroy campground, we

found approximately 10,000 P. psycodes, and at least 10

albinos. Scattered among the purples were 100‘s of hooded

ladies’-tresses, Spiranthes romanzoffiana, little club spur

orchis, P. clavellata and tall white northern bog orchis, P.

dilatata.

8 miles further up the road we found about a 3 acre field with

about 200 P. grandiflora, these were very robust and had

dense heads of very large flowers that were peak. Inflorescence

was 5-7‖ tall, with 50+ flowers, plants 14-24‖ tall, spur 3 cm,

lip 15 mm, flower 3 cm. Very very sweet scent. We found 5

albino plants, few P. lacera (ragged), green and pure white.

In a field beside Grand Cordroy Beach, we found 150 P. lacera

(ragged) mostly green, some white, and P. psycodes. We found

a nice bed of wild strawberries here that were abnormally large,

plentiful and delicious!

Not far from here just across 1 way bridge, in a wet boggy area

there were P. dilatata still in bloom, among Pitcher plants and

Purples.

We camped at Grand Cordroy campground formerly a provencial

park for 3 days and we even found about 50 purples and few ragged fringed

around the edge of the campground. We explored about every road in

Cordroy and in almost every unmowed field there were 1,000‘s of purples,

intermingled with P. lacera, S. romanzoffiana, P. clavellata, P. dilatata, P.

hyperborea, pitcher plants and all the Platanthera hybrids.

Cory & Shirley Curtis, 278 Baer Rd., Rollinsford, NH 03869.

LOST AND FOUND

366

365

LOOKING FORWARD

December 1997

Exhalted Vegetables Wild Orchids in New Jersey

Of Millers and Crippled Crane-flies

Evidence for Two Species of Pseudorchis

The L & M‘s

Sleeping with Dragons

and more!

Documents

September 1997 North American Native Orchid Journal