Orchids, known for their flamboyant petals, deceptive mimicry and fascinating lifestyles, have captivated biologists and horticulturists for centuries. With nearly 30,000 described species, they form one of the plant kingdom’s most diverse families. However, habitat loss and unsustainable harvesting for private collections have driven many species to the brink of extinction. Nowhere is this more acute than in Southeast Asia, a renowned epicenter of orchid diversity. When a new species of slipper orchid, Paphiopedilum canhii, was described in 2010 in Vietnam, for instance, it was collected to near extinction within six months. Moreover, a 2015 study found 347 species of orchid native to the region, many of them rare and threatened, are harvested from the wild to supply the ornamental plant trade. Conservationists in Southeast Asia are now working urgently to stem further losses by collaborating with an unlikely ally: the collectors themselves. “Orchid collectors and plant collectors, who in some respects are maybe the drivers of loss, hold lots of expertise and they know a lot about these plants. So engaging with them is probably a productive thing to do,” Jacob Phelps, from the Orchid Specialist Group at the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, told Mongabay. Several recent studies in orchid-harvesting hotspots like Vietnam and Indonesia have identified receptive communities eager to share their knowledge and showcase their collections to conservation organizations. However, many enthusiasts lack key knowledge about sustainable horticultural practices to ensure their passion for orchids doesn’t unintentionally impact the long-term survival of species in the…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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