Archive for the ‘orchid’ Category:
New bloom boosts orchid hopes
A rare orchid discovered in Kewdale has raised hopes WA’s delicate native flora can be saved from extinction.
The brown and yellow flower, which is so new that it has not been named, is one of the star attractions in a Kings Park and Botanic Gardens initiative to preserve and collect the seeds of almost 1000 native plant species by 2010.
Kings Park science director Kingsley Dixon said the orchid was believed to be closely related to the popular donkey orchid,but its different colouration, size and leaves distinguished it as a new species.
But while new orchids continued to be discovered almost annually in WA, other orchids such as the colourful Queen of Sheba orchid were approaching extinction.
“Orchids are the barometer of how well the ecology is travelling, because when orchids vanish from bushland areas, then you know the area is starting to show signs of stress,” Dr Dixon said.
“They are a great living laboratory.”
He hoped to be able to harvest enough seeds from the new orchid to aid its conservation, with enough seeds left over to sell to visitors at next year’s Kings Park Festival.
The festival’s seed kits, which this year contained seeds for the green spider orchid,raised awareness about orchids’ plight while raising money for conservation.
“Salinity, clearing weeds and disease have resulted in loss of habitat and species to a degree that is a national crisis,” Dr Dixon said.
“The Queen of Sheba was once common and widespread, but in the past 15 years numbers have declined and we suspect that climate change may be adversely affecting the orchid more than any other plant.”
He added that scientists had already discovered at least 400 different orchid species in the South-West.
This year’s Kings Park Festival runs until September 30.
TIFFANY LAURIE
Source: http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=77&ContentID=98917