Late Summer / Early Fall Greetings from NAOCC
We had intended for this update to be a "Spring" newsletter - but in the blink of an eye, its already September! Thanks to everyone who contributed, and apologies for the delay!
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Jim was widely recognized as a highly gifted wildflower photographer, as well as a conservationist, author, lecturer, and citizen scientist. He had two degrees from Clemson, worked as a software engineer, and was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War era. His writing and photography have appeared in the North American Native Orchid Journal, the American Orchid Society's Orchids magazine, the Native Orchid Conference Journal, South Carolina Native Plant Society's monthly newsletter, and numerous magazines, newsletters and websites in North America and overseas. He is the author of Wild Orchids of South Carolina, and Orchids, Carnivorous Plants, and Other Wildflowers of the Green Swamp, North Carolina.
Jim was a charter member and former Director of the Native Orchid Conference and traveled throughout North America photographing orchids in their native habitats. He was always eager to share his discoveries with anyone interested in photography and field work. He was a valued contributor to NAOCC's Go Orchids, providing images of some of North America’s most spectacular orchids. His gallery "Orchids and Insects" demonstrates both his skill as a photographer and his knowledge of the natural history surrounding these treasured plants.
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Our sincere condolences go out to Jim's husband Walter Ezell, family, and his many friends in the Native Orchid Conference and beyond. So many people were touched by Jim’s spirit and generosity - he will be sorely missed. You can read Jim’s complete obituary here.
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NAOCC Updates at a Glance:
It's been a busy season for NAOCC with a variety of "irons in the fire". Following the dramatic curtailment of some of our field-based work when the pandemic began in 2020, we have been slowly but surely returning to near-normal levels of activity with our Collections Project and other fieldwork. Here are a few highlights and updates:
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Brett’s background is in entomology and botany. Before joining SERC, he worked in Taiwan where he gained experience with next-generation sequencing techniques. Brett is also interested in biogeographic questions and has some experience with climate modeling and species distribution modeling.
Brett will be working with Dr. Melissa McCormick to identify orchid mycorrhizal fungi in the NAOCC collection, and will contribute to the biogeographic and pollinator projects.
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New Offerings from NAOCC in Brief |
Field Guide to the Native Orchids of the U.S. and Canada:
As noted in NAOCC's Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 newsletters, Dennis Whigham and Jay O'Neill have been hard at work on this new field guide, which will feature Hal Horwitz' wonderful photographs and be a companion to the Go Orchids website. Cornell University Press, under the Comstock Publishing imprint, has agreed to publish the guide. We are now in the process of polishing the manuscript for 2023 publication.
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Orchid-gami boxed set:
As also mentioned in prior newsletters, we have been working with Tuttle Publishing to produce a box-set of 20 orchid-gami models, accompanied by a 50-page booklet with information about the models and orchid ecology. Publication and debut of this new retail product is now expected in early 2022.
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A New Project to Identify Orchid Pollinators
by Melissa McCormick
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Pollinators are critically important for the diversification of orchid species and maintaining healthy, growing, orchid populations. A single orchid species can be pollinated by different combinations of pollinators across its range. Because pollinators can vary among locations, studies of orchid pollinators are important both for understanding evolutionary processes (speciation, population dynamics, adaptation, and migration) and for predicting how pollinator relationships may influence the long-term survival of our native orchids.
Knowledge of pollinator relationships in North America is surprisingly incomplete, with no documented pollinators for almost half of orchid species, and spatially-limited observations for most of the rest.
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A swallowtail butterfly pollinating a Platanthera blephariglottis. Note the pollinia
on the eyes and proboscis of the butterfly. Photo © Melissa McCormick
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We are starting a long-term program to document orchid-pollinator relationships at many locations across the continent. Ultimately, we plan to incorporate citizen scientists to determine how variability in orchid-pollinator relationships might affect future orchid vulnerability. This is a collaborative project between SERC, Texas A&M University, and George Mason University, with funding from the American Orchid Society and the Maryland Native Plant Society. Initially, we are working to identify pollinators across the ranges of 12 Eastern North American orchids, using motion-triggered video cameras to distinguish pollinators from floral visitors and capture images of pollinators that allow us to identify pollinators. We will compare pollinators among locations of different quality, with different surrounding land use, and among orchid species. This study will build a foundation for our long-term program.
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Our target species for the 2021 - 2022 field seasons are: Tipularia discolor, Galearis spectabilis, Goodyera pubescens, Liparis liliifolia, Spiranthes lacera, Platanthera lacera, Platanthera huronensis, Spiranthes ovalis, Cypripedium acaule, Corallorhiza odontorhiza, Platanthera clavellata, and Spiranthes cernua. We are using modular, customized motion-detecting Raspberry pi video cameras to capture daytime and nighttime pollination visits at each of our field sites. We spent much of this year troubleshooting and getting to the point where we can incorporate citizen scientists into the project. Going forward, citizen scientists will visit, maintain, and place cameras periodically at many of our sites. We will analyze videos to identify pollinators, with the help of a team of experts to check our identifications.
We expect that most species in our study will have some differences in pollinators between sites. We also expect that some orchid species may be specialists, while others may use a lot of different pollinators. We also expect that we will find new pollinator associations for most species on our list, and that habitat quality will impact the diversity and frequency of pollination. In the future, we plan to expand the study to other species and locations, with the help of even more citizen scientists.
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Gabrielle Brewer worked on the pollinator project for her summer internship. Gabrielle is a junior at Bates College, where she is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Ecology and Earth Systems, and a chemistry minor. She helped optimize the pollinator cameras, analyzed the videos from this first summer of data collection, and helped to develop a set of instructions for volunteers as we scale up the project to examine larger areas. For the species she worked with, Gabrielle found evidence that our local orchids were pollinated by the same types of pollinators across all the sites she examined, but the species within those pollinator types varied somewhat among locations.
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Meeting at Night: Discovering Platanthera's Hidden Pollinators
Texas A&M University is one of the collaborators on the Pollinator Project described by Melissa, above. Researchers in Dr Daniel Spalink’s lab have started a website to encourage citizen science contributions to their exploration of the pollinators of the genus Platanthera.
The following information was provided by Lydia Morley, PhD Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Texas A&M University
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Platanthera is a genus of terrestrial orchids that has fascinated biologists since Darwin - who himself was transfixed by the extreme floral variation across the orchid family. Indeed, he took special care to explain that he believed Platanthera had experienced speciation driven by shifts in pollinator relationships. Since then, many biologists have sought to illuminate relationships within the group, aiming to verify this notion. However, it has also become increasingly clear that many Platanthera species share pollinators as well as native ranges, which prompts the idea that pollinator relationships among species with overlapping ranges may actually contribute to hybridization rather than speciation. Many species in this group are nocturnally pollinated, and many of the pollinator relationships are unobserved and completely unknown.
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Platanthera psycodes, Photo © Jim Fowler
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Elucidating the pollination biology of Platanthera on a larger scale will contribute to a better understanding of how pollinators might create or break down species boundaries over space and time. Importantly, since many Platanthera species are rare and endangered, pollinators are key to their long-term survival in a changing climate. Understanding the ecology of this historically valuable group, and the role of future plant/pollinator range shifts, is necessary for the long-term conservation of the genus.
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Our project aims to take a radical research approach through directed public outreach with citizen scientists across the United States using modified interval photography to capture never before seen pollinator interactions across all Platanthera. This project requires help from the dedicated and passionate members of the orchid, pollinator, and naturalist communities to document their observations. You may learn more about this project and participate at: https://platantherapollinators.wordpress.com/
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News from Around the NAOCC Regions |
Highlights from the Midwestern US: |
A Warm Welcome to the New Leadership Staff at the Ridges Sanctuary in Bailey's Harbor, WI |
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Andrew Gill was recently appointed Executive Director of The Ridges Sanctuary and Katie Krouse is now Director of Operations.
Krouse has been with The Ridges for six years, most recently as Program Manager. She develops and leads programs for visitors, coordinates volunteer programs, has marketing and communication responsibilities, and has developed procedures that allowed visitors to safely experience the sanctuary during the pandemic. Krouse is also a board representative for the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, representing the Climate Change Coalition of Door County.
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A Busy Summer for the Native Orchid Preservation and Education Society (Ohio)
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News from the Orchid Recovery Program at Illinois College (Illinois)
from Larry Zettler
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Above: Platanthera ciliaris seeds in a petri dish. Photo © Larry Zettler
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Right: Students Savannah Renken (at left) & Jacquelin Castellon (at right). Photo © Larry Zettler
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Earlier this Spring, the team deflasked their first 6 seedlings of Spathoglottis micronesiaca from Palau. Deflasking Palauan orchids was student Reilly Hancock’s project last semester, working with Savannah Renken; both are Illinois College seniors.
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Left: Savannah Renken at left) and Reilly Hancock (at right); Below: Deflasked Palauan orchid seedlings.
Photos ©Larry Zettler
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Right: (From left to right) Audrey Zettler, Camryn Fryrear, and Hannah Baker.
Photo © Larry Zettler
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Above: American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Below: Chandler & Ruiz extracting nectar from an orchid. Below, right: the team in the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.
Photos © Larry Zettler
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News from the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (Michigan)
from Angie Bouma
GTRLC is in its 15th year of garlic mustard removal on thousands of protected acres of mesic northern forest habitats that are home to many native orchid species; the efforts are beneficial to species like Large-leaved Orchid, Putty root, Coral Roots, and more.
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News from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Plant Conservation Program (Minnesota)
from David Remucal
The team is also in the early stages of a collaboration with colleagues in Wisconsin to reintroduce Calypso bulbosa to Door County.
They have also been busy continuing expansion of their Project Orchid, a research partnership with participating schools, modeled on the Orchids in the Classroom project developed by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), NAOCC, and the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. The program brings authentic, conservation plant-science research into classrooms where students study how orchid seedlings grow and survive under different conditions. The ultimate goal of the project is to improve the understanding of orchid biology in order to conserve Minnesota’s wild orchid populations and to apply this knowledge to active conservation work. They hope to add two northern Minnesota tribal schools soon as the project continues to gain popularity.
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From the US Mid-Atlantic Region:
Observations from Survey of Delaware Orchids
by Adrienne L. Bozic, Orchid Ecologist
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From 2017 – 2020, I had the opportunity to conduct Mt. Cuba Center’s recently completed statewide survey and study of the native orchids of Delaware. The goal of this project was to assess the distribution, demography, population trends, and ecological requirements of this large and complex family of flowering plants throughout the First State.
With a team of 25 well-trained volunteer Citizen Scientists, I canvassed Delaware’s 3 counties to evaluate the status of the known orchid populations, and to survey high-quality habitat for additional populations. Location information was obtained through herbarium records, literature reviews, botanists and other orchid enthusiasts, and most of all, the state database of rare plants—of which orchids comprise a significant part. We revisited previously known sites to see if they still supported orchids and to evaluate environmental variables which might influence their presence or absence. New orchid locations were similarly scrutinized. A smartphone app facilitated data collection and mapping.
At each orchid location, we documented a number of ecological factors including associated plants, habitat type, soil characteristics, light levels, slope/aspect, and landscape position. Plant locations were mapped using GPS and GIS applications. The number and aerial extent of orchids in each population was recorded, along with demographic status (e.g. vegetative, flowering, fruiting) to provide information on population dynamics and colony vigor.
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Once compiled and synthesized, the data revealed some key trends:
- Notably (as expected), the number, quality, and extent of orchid populations is declining drastically throughout Delaware, across all species. Such losses are highly correlated with human disturbance and activities, and mirror trends in orchid abundance throughout the entire Mid-Atlantic region. Of 150 historical sites revisited during the study, orchids were still found at only 57 sites (38%). At 93 sites (62%) we were not able to relocate orchids over one or more visits. Coincidentally, this ratio matches that of the overall decline in number of species extant throughout the state. Up to 15 species are considered to have been extirpated from the state.
- Coastal sites are being lost due to rising sea levels, saltwater incursion, and draining of wetlands for residential or agricultural use.
- Paradoxically, some of the rarest and most threatened species have suffered a relatively lower rate of decline, perhaps since many of these relict populations occur on public land where they have been managed and protected. Current orchid distribution throughout Delaware is disproportionately skewed toward large tracts of relatively undisturbed habitat, and toward public lands – highlighting the importance of land preservation and stewardship in sustaining populations of rare orchids and other plants.
- Terrestrial invasive species are wreaking havoc on orchid populations (including white-tailed deer and non-native earthworms).
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Forest-dwelling species are declining at a faster rate than their wetland cousins - possibly due to protections afforded to wetlands that don’t extend to upland habitats. Orchids in forested habitats often prefer shade or partial shade; activities that remove trees and subject orchids to increased light levels can be highly detrimental. (However, some species, such as Platanthera lacera and Platanthera clavellata, seem to respond positively to such disturbance—reinforcing the concept that management for one species may be very different than for another - there is no “one-size-fits-all” prescription for species management.)
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The most stable species have always been relatively common in Delaware and don’t require statewide conservation measures at this time. Tipularia discolor, Galearis spectabilis, and Neottia bifolia are most common (the latter is found only in Kent and Sussex counties).
- Other rare plant species tend to associate with rare orchids, suggesting that conservation of key habitats, populations, and landscapes may be important to the persistence of a suite of species.
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Left: Tipularia discolor. Photo © SERC
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Overall, habitat loss appears to remain the primary threat to orchid populations statewide and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, followed by competition with, and displacement by non-native invasive species. As these dynamics continue to irreversibly alter the landscape, it is critical to protect and manage the most threatened species and populations.
In spite of downward trends, a reason for optimism is the number of orchids occurring in urbanized areas, suggesting that humans and native orchids may be able to co-exist. The proportion of orchids on public lands is also encouraging, since these areas are often managed for conservation and biodiversity.
Throughout the course of the study, Mt. Cuba Center partnered with NAOCC to collect orchid root, leaf, and seed samples for additional research. We sent seeds to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank for propagation studies and long-term storage. Leaves were sent to SERC to analyze genetic relationships between populations and species. Roots were sent to SERC or Illinois College to isolate and identify mycorrhizal fungi associated with each orchid species. (Interestingly, SERC finds that most of the fungi isolated from orchid root samples appear to be species new to science!) All of these endeavors are critical to orchid conservation; knowledge about the factors that support orchid survival and longevity is crucial to saving species, populations, and habitats.
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It’s important to note that this project highlights the power and value of Citizen Science in the research and conservation of native plants. When amateur volunteers are vetted, well-trained, and supervised, they can contribute much-needed data and monitoring of plant populations threatened by extinction, poaching, or destruction. Chronic staff shortages, budget restrictions, reductions in funding, and shifting priorities all challenge the agencies tasked with natural resource management to complete these tasks without the help of volunteers.
Hopefully, the results from this study will provide a better understanding of the status of orchids in Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic region to inform conservation measures, and provide a template for similar studies in other areas.
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Photo © Julianne McGuinness
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Welcome to NAOCC's Newest Collaborators! |
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The Old Growth Forest Network |
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The Old-Growth Forest Network is the only national network in the U.S. of protected, old-growth, native forests where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature. Their goal is to locate and designate at least one protected forest in every county in the United States that can sustain a native forest. To achieve this aim, they work to identify forests for the Network, ensure their protection, and inform people of the forest locations. They are building not only a network of forests, but also an alliance of people who care about forests.
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Orchid Alliance Project – Bridging Art & Science |
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Throughout her forty-year career, professional artist Patricia Laspino has been inspired by the beauty and diversity of the natural world and its power to influence. Floral motifs, especially orchids, are a primary focus of her artistic expression. Her paintings provide fresh perspectives on the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world. Using orchids as a metaphor, she explores cultural and biological evolution, biodiversity and environmental stewardship.
With her husband Andy, Patricia was inspired to initiate The Orchid Alliance Project-Bridging Art & Science, an ambitious, globally-significant endeavor which weaves together art, scientific inquiry, and the power of collaboration. The watchword of the Orchid Alliance Project is “Awareness.” Awareness and education are threads carefully interwoven throughout the project. Patricia believes exploring ancient attitudes about orchids, through the lens of art and culture, may shed light on the present power orchids have on us - a power to transform our future in terms of global stewardship. Patricia considers orchids to be a flagship plant family that draws the attention and support of the general public - which can benefit the broader ecosystems in which they occur.
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Watershed
Oil on Canvas, 48" x 36", 2018
Image courtesy of, & © Patricia Laspino
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Nature has always inspired Patricia, who considers herself an “artist/scientist”. Her academic studies in Art and Biology broadened her interest in nature’s geometries, patterns and intriguing designs. Following postgraduate work with the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators she went on to develop her own fine art signature style. Her art process is both expressive and detail-oriented. Intense research and collaboration with scientists are integral to Patricia’s studio art practice. Bridging art with science, she thoughtfully studies each orchid species in the context of biology, history and culture and then creates visual narrative stories through her paintings. Her artistic message is as much about layering information as it is about layering paint.
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Butterfly Kiss Oil on Canvas, 60" x 48", 2020; Image courtesy of, & © Patricia Laspino
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Patricia’s painting process involves 60-80 transparent layers of oil color over a sculptured groundwork of fossilized botanical impressions. Her paintings begin as sculptures, where she presses botanical materials into a special medium; some of these imprints are actual orchid flowers. On this foundation, she begins stacking layers of transparent oil paint glaze, creating abstract fields of color. Her painted surfaces capture the intensity of light and are animated from within to achieve vibrancy, luminosity and drama. Upon these botanic tapestries she paints the diverse architecture of the orchid. Patricia’s bold, provocative paintings exhibit a strong fidelity to nature, and her intention is to capture the spirit or essence of the flower, selectively emphasizing the evolutionary marvels of each species. Her large-scale canvases entice the viewer to journey into the orchid’s exotic environment - to experience the world from a bug’s eye view. Patricia believes that “in science there is art and in art, there is science”. Her mission is to create art and events, in which the fusion of art and science reveals previously unnoticed beauty, creates a sense of wonder and instills a purpose of discovery and appreciation - inspiring action to further the long-term stewardship of the natural world.
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The Orchid Alliance Project-Bridging Art & Science is a collaborative effort of synergistic entities who share a common sensibility for global stewardship. Participants have specific goals within their own business domains, but all share the purpose of making a valuable impact on the world. Collaborative members are invited to contribute to the Project based on their visionary expertise in their respected fields, their inspiring business and social objectives, and their excellence in leadership.
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Aerial Ghosts
Oil on Canvas, 60" x 36", 2020
Image courtesy of, & © Patricia Laspino
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New & Recent Photo Galleries on the NAOCC Website |
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Palomino Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium yatabeanum,
Photo © Ben Rostron
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In 2018, Ben, his wife Catherine, and close friends David Fielder and Duane Erdmann traveled to Unalaska in Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands with the goal of seeing one of North America's rarest orchids, Platanthera tipuloides var. behringiana. They saw this species as well as many others, including the enigmatic Cypripedium yatabeanum and its hybrid C. x alaskanum. As Ben notes, "All these orchid species in a town that hosts the billion dollar Bering Sea crab / seafood / fishing industry with added benefits: no bears, no trees, and no mosquitos!"
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As we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Jim Fowler, we remember him through his exquisite orchid photography. In this gallery, Jim explored pollination - the intimate relationship between orchids and insects.
Many orchids offer sweet rewards or elaborate deceptions to attract an insect partner necessary to pollinate their flowers. Jim’s patience and attention to detail offers a glimpse into this fascinating process. See the gallery here.
Special thanks to NAOCC's gallery contributors! If you are an orchid photographer and have an idea for a new gallery, please let us know!
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Triphora trianthophora pollination, Photo © Jim Fowler
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Galearis rotundifolia, commonly called Roundleaf Orchid, Fly Speckled Orchid, or One Leaf Orchid, is found across Canada to Alaska and in northern U.S. states from Maine to Wyoming. The name "rotundifolia" refers to the plant's solitary, rounded basal leaf which is present at the time of flowering in the summer - when up to 17 small, white to pale pink flowers are produced, often with mauve spots on the lobed labellum. It is generally found near northern white cedars and in high-pH swamps and fens.
Although Galearis rotundifolia is considered secure globally and in many Canadian provinces, in the U.S. it is mostly rare, and even historical or extirpated throughout much of its original range.
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Roundleaf Orchid (Galearis rotundifolia)
Photo © David McAdoo
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Orchid-gami was developed as an educational activity to raise awareness about conservation and ecology of our native orchids. These 3D models are a unique way for teachers, parents and children to learn about our native orchids and the challenges they face.
We only have 6 remaining models in need of sponsorship. You or your organization can be a sponsor of a lovely orchid-gami model, proud in knowing that you are supporting the conservation of our native orchids. See images of the models on the NAOCC web site.
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Orchids in Journals, the Media, & More |
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In a new paper in the journal Plants, NAOCC's Melissa McCormick and Dennis Whigham, with Robert Burnett, show that the mycorrhizal fungi associations of individual Tipularia discolor plants change during the life cycle - highlighting the importance of studying the protocorm fungi, in addition to the mycorrhizal fungi associated with adult orchids, to better understand the conditions needed for orchid germination, growth, and reproduction. See:
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The new e-Bulletin will be released at regular intervals, with updates about orchids, events, awards, and other items of interest for all types of orchid enthusiasts. For more information, follow @RHSPlantsPlus and @orchidcommittee on Twitter.
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Registration for the Native Orchid Conference Symposium is now open! The twice-cancelled Olympic Peninsula Symposium is now planned for JUNE 24-27, 2022. Registration and lodging fill up fast, so don't delay if you want to attend this wonderful annual event.
Meanwhile, after a brief Summer hiatus, the NOC's virtual meetings / lectures will resume on September 28, with a virtual tour of Newfoundland and its 3 dozen+ native orchids. Meetings are via Zoom starting at 5:30 PM Pacific time (8:30 PM Eastern time).
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Wingate Hotel, 2007 North Oakes Street, Helena, MT
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Alabama Orchid Society 37th Show and Sale will be held September 17-19, 2021 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL
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The Oregon Ridge Nature Center (in Baltimore Co., MD) will feature a virtual (Zoom) talk at 7:00 pm on September 20, 2021, by Melissa McCormick, SERC / NAOCC Ecologist, on Our Mysterious Orchids: Hidden Connections Below- and Above-Ground.
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Oklahoma Orchid Society's "Bewitched by Orchids" OOS / SWROGA Show & Sale will be held October 2 - 3, 2021, at the Will Rogers Gardens Exhibition Center, 3400 NW 36th Street, Oklahoma City, OK
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October 28 - 31, 2021, at R.F. Orchids, 28100 SW 182 Ave., Homestead, FL
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Do you Want to Support Orchid Conservation?
NAOCC and our non-profit native orchid conservation collaborators appreciate your assistance - together, we can advance native orchid conservation! Here are four ways you can help:
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Share: Tell family and friends about NAOCC’s, and our collaborators’ orchid conservation work, and share our newsletters and website information.
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DIY: Did you know that you can create your own fundraiser for NAOCC on Facebook, or other social media? (If you have questions, let us know.)
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Inspire: By offering to match the donations of others, you can magnify the impact and encourage others to give!
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Do you have native-orchid related events or news items to share with the NAOCC community? For inclusion in future NAOCC newsletters, please send any brief articles, pictures, or event notices to Julianne.
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You are receiving this email because you are a NAOCC Collaborator, Donor, or Friend. Please let us know if you have ideas for future newsletters, or if you prefer to unsubscribe from these emails.
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