The Oklahoma Orchid Society is supporting its own conservation effort. See the “OOS Conservation Program” by Dr. Michael A. Friday and “Native Orchids of Oklahoma“.
Read about Australian scientists’ efforts to save a rare Caladenia spider orchid of which there are only two known plants in the ABC news article, “Melbourne scientists battle to save rare Caladenia spider orchid from extinction.”
A researcher at Kyoto Graduate School in Japan found Gastrodia takeshimensis, an orchid that not only doesn’t photosynthesize (like native coral roots, Corallorhiza) but, also, always self-pollinates because the flowers never open. Read SoraNews24 article, “New species of orchid discovered in Japan, exhibits anti-social behavior.”
Volunteers surveying for marsh fritillary butterflies on the island of Oronsay, off the west coast of Scotland, discovered a group of the rare Irish lady’s tress, Spiranthes romanzoffiana. Oklahoma has several species of Spiranthes, too, which are very similar in appearance to Spir. romanzoffiana. The genus is found widely around the world. Read the article, “Rare orchid discovered off Scotland’s west coast” in The Scotsman and read the article, “Uncommon orchid” in the Times of Malta.
For information on ongoing conservation efforts of Platanthera integrilabia, the white fringeless orchid, read the article, “White Fringeless Orchid Gains Endangered Species Act Protection in Six Southeastern States” at the Center for Biological Diversity.
For information about the study of Cypripedium kentuckiense, conducted by the USDA and supported by the Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Association (SWROGA), see the Central Louisiana Orchid Society’s “Cypripedium Study” webpage.
Banner Image Fun Fact
Calopogon oklahomensis by sonnia hill is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Image cropped for use in banner.
Calopogon oklahomensis (kal-oh-POH-gon oh-kla-HO-men-sis), commonly known as the Oklahoma grass-pink, is a terrestrial species of orchid native to the United States and restricted to the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. It is frequently found in acidic, sandy to loamy prairies, pine savannas, oak woodlands, edges of bogs, and mowed meadows.
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