Summer Greetings from NAOCC!

News and updates in a new season of native orchid conservation
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are a little later than we had hoped in sending our Spring / Summer newsletter, since, like most of you, we have been isolating at home and experimenting with alternative ways to keep our research and conservation efforts moving forward. We are still trying to ascertain the precise impact the pandemic restrictions will have on NAOCC’s projects and programs for the rest of this season. We are not sure yet whether we will be able to have a summer intern at SERC. Travel to many of our field sites is constrained, including those of the rare and imperiled Isotria medeoloides. It’s too soon to tell how the popular Orchids in the Classroom program will adapt with restrictions on schools. Some of our lab activities also remain limited (e.g., Melissa cannot be in the lab regularly to work on molecular analyses of samples).

Despite the tumult in nearly every sector of society, NAOCC and our collaborators remain solidly committed to the important work of ensuring the survival of all native orchids in the U.S. and Canada. We continue to make progress on exciting new projects, such as creation of a new print field guide to complement Go Orchids (see article, below). We are working on development of a new and improved collections management system with the help of the technological experts at Jazkarta, to improve our ability to track and steward root, seed, and fungal specimens for a broad range of research and conservation activities. We continue to establish new partnerships, and have resumed progress on orchid specimen collections throughout the U.S.

During these difficult times, your support for NAOCC and our collaborators in orchid conservation is greatly appreciated. Details about how you can help are provided below.

We hope that you are all able to stay safe and well, and we thank you for your continued interest in NAOCC and native orchid conservation!
Aerial view of Palau
The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon UNESCO site in Palau
Palau & Beyond

In our Autumn 2019 newsletter, we reported on NAOCC’s first project outside of the U.S. and Canada, The Palau Orchid Conservation Initiative (initially funded by the U.S Forest Service’s Institute of Pacific Island Forestry and the Smithsonian’s Scholarly Studies program). This project aims to build upon NAOCC’s orchid conservation efforts to further our understanding of orchid ecology.
Availability of a study plot at the Ngardok Nature Reserve (part of the ForestGeo program initiated by the Smithsonian ) has provided an opportunity to examine the spatial relationships between orchids, trees, and orchid mycorrhizal fungi. According to Benjamin Crain ( NAOCC , and now also The USBG ), for the biogeographic component of the project, over 1000 data points were collected from across the islands- not including the data from Ngardok. From these data, we now have the most robust orchid distribution map ever produced for Palau, which will be used for at least 2 biogeographical analyses.
Since first reporting on this project, we continue to process the collected samples, with exciting results from seeds and fungi returned to Larry Zettler’s lab at Illinois College and Melissa McCormick’s molecular lab at SERC . The fungal isolates have been deposited with  The UAMH Centre for Global Microfungal Biodiversity in Canada as well. Seeds of 14 Palauan orchid species have been germinated in Larry’s lab on asymbiotic media; symbiotic trials will begin soon with the fungi acquired from specimen roots. Analysis in Melissa’s lab of fungal samples collected from orchid roots and substrates (e.g., soil and bark) are indicating differences between the fungal associates of common orchid species, as compared to those that are endemic or have restricted distributions in Asia.
The Palau project has also resulted in more than 80 orchid specimens deposited in the The United States National Herbarium (others are deposited at The Belau National Herbarium, BNM), representing a large proportion of the total Orchid flora there. These specimens include a new Oberonia neotype specimen- as well as the first specimens of a few species never formally recorded in Palau. Many of the species had not been collected for the US herbarium in decades, and others had no specimens from Palau at all. Some may even turn out to be new species, but we don't have data on that yet.
Benjamin Crain identifying orchids with staff at the Ngardok Nature Reserve. The Reserve surrounds Lake Ngardok, the largest natural freshwater lake in Palau and the other islands of Micronesia.
The Palau research also provided the impetus for an international group of investigators to submit a proposal to the Czech government for a 5-year project to test hypotheses about orchid interactions with mycorrhizal fungi on a global scale, by comparing oceanic islands located at different distances from mainland habitats. The proposed effort includes NAOCC -related scientists - Dennis, Melissa, Benjamin, and Larry - along with scientists from Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.    The project would enable NAOCC to expand research to other Pacific Islands and Alaska.
Oberonia palawensis
Oberonia equitans
Photos courtesy of Benjamin Crain
A new publication from the Palau project , which will appear in the August, 2020 issue of the AOS’ Orchids magazine, “Lindleyana” section, has prompted a revision of the nomenclature for a species in the genus Oberonia. The manuscript, “ Studies on Oberonia 7: Ten new synonyms of Oberonia equitans (G.Forst.) Mutel indicated by morphology and molecular phylogeny” , is authored by Dan Geiger ( Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History ), Benjamin Crain, Melissa McCormick, and Dennis Whigham. This publication demonstrates the importance of linking systematics with ecology when conducting research related to individual species.
A Forthcoming New Field Guide!
Native Orchids of the U.S. and Canada: A Companion to Go Orchids
Several years ago, Hal Horwitz suggested that NAOCC publish a companion to Go Orchids. In addition to being a way to show many of his fantastic orchid photographs, Hal also saw a need for an up-to-date field guide for the U.S. and Canada. Go Orchids requires internet access; thus, the idea of publishing a companion printed field guide to Go Orchids was born.

Dennis and Hal worked on the intent and design of the field guide, developing an outline and starting to draft materials. Dennis approached the Smithsonian Press about publishing the guide, with proceeds to support NAOCC. The SI Press response was positive, with the caveat that it would have to pass review. With that hope dangling, Dennis and Hal continued their discussions, Jay O’Neill began to compile photographs, and Mary Ann Christenson – a Smithsonian volunteer – started to work on distribution maps. Sadly, Hal was not able to see the finished product prior to his passing. Progress slowed for a time, because Dennis has a day job.
Field_Guide_example_species_page
An example of a field guide species page.
Image ©Dennis Whigham
Nevertheless, since the pandemic home confinement started, Dennis has been working regularly on the field guide. The first draft is over 95 percent complete, and we have started to get initial editorial input from a few of Hal’s colleagues in the Native Orchid Conference. With luck, the goal is to provide the finished draft to SI Press by the end of the summer. Upon successfully passing the peer review, the guide will then be “in press”. The final formatting and appearance will be determined once it is in production, but the image above is a sample of a species page. We will keep you informed about progress!
NAOCC Collections Project: Progress Report

With more than half of North America’s 200+ native orchid species threatened, endangered, or vulnerable in much of their native range, we at NAOCC have had a sense of urgency to make significant progress to collect specimens of orchid leaves, roots, and seed capsules from as many ecoregions and habitats as possible in recent years.

Now NAOCC’s collections project has begun to show some visible progress, which we hope to continue to build upon in the coming field seasons. Collections from 2017 – 2019 include 1018 specimens from 78 species (392 leaves, 305 roots, 308 seed capsules, 8 voucher specimens, and 5 whole plants), which were collected in 30 US states .

Many of these collections have resulted in successful isolations of orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF), which are preserved and maintained in cultures in the lab at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) , which now has one of the world’s largest collections of OMF. Many NAOCC OMF cultures are also maintained at Illinois College and the UAMH Centre for Global Microfungal Biodiversity in Toronto. The seed capsules are stored (or will be stored in the future) at SERC and NAOCC -collaborating regional Seed Banks ( MARSB , The Native Plant Trust’s Nasami Farm , Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden , Desert Botanic Garden , the Chicago Botanic Garden , and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum ). The leaf samples are stored at SERC for future analysis when sufficient data is aggregated to run the (costly!) molecular tests which will illuminate trends and patterns relating to DNA and population comparisons.

The success of NAOCC’s collections project to date is a poignant reminder about the power of collaboration. We would not be making such strides in orchid conservation research without the tremendous dedication and assistance of many colleagues and volunteers, including, but not limited to: Adrienne Bozic, Doug Allen, Gary Van Velsir, Wayne Longbottom, Dwayne Erdmann, Kathy Gregg, Loree Speedy, Gemma Milly, Pat Smith, Melissa Curran, Jane Whitney, Julie Knox, Liana May, Angie Lucas, Emily Douglas, Sequoia Perpetua Lowry, Jennifer Tibbets, Susan Shea, Alexis Doshas, Aaron Marcus, Julie Dewdney, Molly Hale, Tara Littlefield, Chelsea Kieffer, Emily Magleby, Nick Ewy, Tierney Rosenstock, Andrew Salywon, Gordon & Mary Burton, Martin Bowles, Lucy Ferneyhough, Denise Wilson, Laney Widener, Courtney Dodge, Willow Abshire-Sims, and many others. 

We extend our deepest appreciation to all of NAOCC’s collectors, and hope to bring you more progress updates soon – especially once we are able to fully deploy NAOCC’s new collections management system with reporting capability - which is currently under development by the tech wizards at Jazkarta !
Updates from Around the NAOCC Regions
We extend a warm welcome to our newest NAOCC collaborators: The Polly Hill Arboretum on Martha's Vineyard, MA, The Little Traverse Conservancy in northern Michigan, and Ansel Fiddaman, a student at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. We look forward to working with you all on native orchid conservation!

Thanks to David Remucal and colleagues at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for signing on to be a NAOCC regional seed bank for orchid seed collections from the Midwest region. The Arb's Native Orchid Conservation Program (NOCP) is going strong, and we are excited to build upon this fruitful collaboration.
North America Map (Adobe Stock)
A huge thanks to NAOCC collaborators at The Ridges Sanctuary in Door County, WI, and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and Leelanau Conservancy in northern Michigan for kicking off another productive 2020 season for NAOCC's specimen collections project despite the challenges of pandemic restrictions. (See above for a progress report on the collections project.)

Congratulations to Dr. Larry Zettler and the students of Illinois College's Orchid Recovery Program for a recent grant award by the American Orchid Society's Conservation Committee from AOS' Dorothy Nieter Trust for their research to conserve native orchid in Illinois! In recent years, the team has worked in conjunction with Dr. Elizabeth Esselman's lab at Southern Illinois University to successfully isolate and preserve over 100 mycorrhizal fungal strains from the endangered Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea).
In other news from Illinois College's Orchid Recovery Program , student Fegor Imieye, originally from Nigeria, successfully germinated seeds of Cigar Orchid (Cyrtopodium punctatum) from Naples, Florida last fall, with and without fungi. Due to Covid-19 restrictions on travel, Fegor has remained on campus working in the lab. This summer, she will continue to subculture fungal isolates from NAOCC's 2018 and 2019 collections seasons for preservation and research.

Photo of Fegor Imieye by Larry Zettler
Congratulations to NAOCC Collaborator Jim Fowler on the February 2020 release of the new Wild Orchids stamps which feature 10 of his beautiful photographs of 9 native orchids ( Cypripedium californicum,  Hexalectris spicata,  Cypripedium reginae,  Spiranthes odorata,  Triphora trianthophoros,  Platanthera grandiflora,  Cyrtopodium polyphyllum,  Calopogon tuberosus and  Platanthera leucophaea)!

The Wild Orchids stamps are the “Forever” type - always equal to the price of one-ounce First Class Mail. They are available at local US post offices and online.
NAOCC Collaborator Hong Liu, of Florida International University and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and colleagues recently published a comprehensive review of conservation measures for Chinese native orchids (Liu, et al. 2020).

Notable points from the review include:
  • Almost half of Chinese orchids are categorized as threatened;
  • Over half are protected (proportionally more threatened species), in situ and ex situ
  • China's current Redlist underestimates the threat from trade-related over-harvest;
  • Greater participation and networking is needed to strengthen conservation capacity
  • There is an urgent need to establish a dynamic national list of China's native orchids in trade, with information about trade volumes.

See: Liu, H., Liu, Z., Jin, X., Gao, J., Chen, Y., Liu, Q., & Zhang, D. Y. (2020). Assessing conservation efforts against threats to wild orchids in China. Biological Conservation, 243, 108484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108484
Ida Hartvig conducting cross pollination on Platanthera blephariglottis .

Congratulations to SERC Postdoctoral Fellow Ida Hartivig on receiving a grant from the AOS Research Committee to support and extend the Platanthera project in collaboration with NAOCC partners at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

We described this project in the NAOCC 2019 Autumn newsletter - the goal is to investigate how preferences for specific fungal partners are inherited, via the study of Platanthera hybrid complexes as model systems to explore the role of fungal use in speciation and divergence among closely related orchid taxa. This work will improve understanding of orchid biology and the importance of fungal partners for plant evolution and ecology.

The specific knowledge on fungal preferences of Platanthera species and hybrids will also inform about the habitat conditions needed for conservation and restoration.
Monica Marcelli in the SERC molecular lab
Monica Marcelli in the SERC lab

Congratulations are also in order for Monica Marcelli, PhD student and GMU Environmental Science & Policy lab specialist, who received a Fred Case grant from the Native Orchid Conference to support molecular work on Cypripedium specimens, including some in the NAOCC collection. Monica has been working with her advisor, Dr. Haw Chuan Lim of GMU Department of Biology and co-advisor Dr. Melissa McCormick of SERC / NAOCC.

Photo, below: Cypripedium fasciculatum ©Ron Hanko
Cypripedium fasciculatum. Photo by Ron Hanko
Cypripedium candidum , near Stonewall, Manitoba
Photo by Julianne McGuinness
Orchids & Development Clash in Manitoba

The Small White Lady's-slipper, Cypripedium candidum , is considered rare in throughout most of its range in North America. Now this delicate orchid is making headlines in Manitoba, where the third largest population of the species in the province happens to be on property slated for a housing development near the city of Brandon. The site, which represents one of the few isolation populations of C. candidum , is considered special due to the natural prairie habitat, the unique hydrologic conditions, and the size of the population (over 100). Most other populations have a few scattered plants, and some are in ditches where they hybridize with nearby Yellow Lady’s Slippers (C. parviflorum ) .
C. candidum is a “species at risk”, and is protected under the Manitoba Endangered Species Act and the Canada Species at Risk Act (SARA) . Under both sets of guidelines, it is illegal to transplant the orchids, or to destroy the orchids or their habitat. However, this March, the Government of Manitoba granted an exemption from the Endangered Species Act for this development, stipulating a 25 m buffer around the plants and creation of a conservation plan. Nevertheless, drainage of the surrounding site would still result in significant impacts to the hydrology of the site, ultimately altering the fragile habitat of the orchids.

So far, nearly 4000 people have signed a petition begun by Brandon resident Megan Hamill, to request that the City of Brandon and Province of Manitoba ensure protection of the C. candidum population.

For more information, you may check out the Native Orchid Conservation Inc. (NOCI)’s Facebook page for maps and updates on the story.
New Photo Galleries on the NAOCC Website
Western Fairy Slipper Calypso bulbosa var occidentalis
Photo: Western Fairy Slipper, Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis, ©Ron Hanko

The Covid-19 crisis has impacted all of us - separating families and friends and cancelling many events we had eagerly anticipated - including the 2020 Native Orchid Conference, on the spectacular Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

While we won't be hiking the peninsula in search of orchids, Ron Hanko has put together a virtual field trip, highlighting the many native orchids found there - including about twenty of Washington’s thirty-two orchid species, with several notable rarities.

Exploring for orchids on the Olympic Peninsula is a delight - with many different habitats and beautiful scenery. From soaring peaks to ocean beaches, from coastal rain forests to beautiful lakes and rivers, the Olympic Peninsula is one of the most beautiful areas in North America. See Ron's full gallery here.

New England is home to a myriad of wild orchids which remain mostly unknown to its inhabitants. Ranging from the ostentatiously showy and beguiling lady’s slippers ( Cypripedium) to the diminutive adder’s mouths ( Malaxis), John Gange's photos illustrate that even in northern climates, there are plenty of species to keep the most dedicated orchid hunter on their toes. New England’s wild orchids continue to be a source of intrigue for enthusiasts and experts alike. See John's full gallery here!
Shriver’s Frilly Orchid Platanthera shriveri
Photo: Shriver’s Frilly Orchid, Platanthera shriveri, ©John Gange


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!
Coming soon – Another orchid-gami Model!

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. Thanks to a generous donation from Sam Saulys, the Three Birds Orchid ( Triphora trianthophoros) model will soon head to the printer.

One of our most interesting native orchids, the Three Birds is widely distributed in the Eastern US and Midwest. Flowers usually last only a day or two, and mass flowering events are rare, often triggered by a sudden drop in nighttime temperatures in the late summer or fall. This orchid is considered vulnerable and rare in most places, and can survive below ground for years by depending on its fungal partner to obtain carbon and other essential resources.
Three Birds Orchid - photo by Gary Van Velsir
Three Birds Orchid
( Triphora trianthophoros )
Photo © Gary Van Velsir
Three Birds orchid-gami model sponsor
Through the generosity of organizations and individuals like Sam, NAOCC has been able to produce punch-outs of 18 of the 25 original models. Three additional models were recently created, including the Palau Hyacinth Orchid, sponsored by Charles and Trudy Hess to recognize NAOCC's conservation efforts on this Pacific island. The punch-outs have been a fantastic outreach tool for NAOCC. The Toronto Zoo is using many orchid-gami models in their children’s educational programs. Over 40,000 printed sheets of the models have been distributed for a wide variety of purposes.

We only have 7 remaining models in need of sponsorship. Envision your name, or the name of your organization, as a proud sponsor on one of these lovely orchid-gami models, knowing that you are supporting the conservation of our native orchids. See images of the models on the NAOCC web site.
Orchid-related Events
While the Native Orchid Conference Annual Symposium for 2020 is cancelled due to COVID-19 - now is a good time to join the NOC as a member, so that you can stay informed about future symposium plans: https://www.nativeorchidconference.info

With on-going pandemic restrictions, many orchid-related events and shows have been postponed, cancelled, or re-configured as virtual events - including postponement of the 23rd World Orchid Conference and Show which had been scheduled to take place in Taiwan in March.

 The American Orchid Society (AOS) has a comprehensive list with status updates as they become known: http://www.aos.org/news-events.aspx
Support for Orchid Conservation Needed More than Ever

These are certainly tough times for people of all walks of life, businesses across most economic sectors, and a challenging time for non-profits throughout the world.

According to a report from the Charities Aid Foundation of America reports that roughly 95% of nonprofits worldwide have been negatively affected by COVID-19. A Gallup survey result shows that the percentage of Americans donating to charity has significantly ebbed. Grant opportunities are currently few and far between, and the focus has obviously shifted away from ecological and conservation-related causes.

Suffice to say, in this tumultuous time, NAOCC and many of our non-profit native orchid partners could use your assistance. Here are four ways you can help:

  • Share: Tell family and friends about NAOCC’s, and our collaborators’ orchid conservation work, and share our newsletters and website information.



  • Inspire: By offering to match the donations of others, you can magnify the impact and encourage others to give!

To continue and expand our vital native orchid conservation work, NAOCC has an urgent need to raise $125,000 over the next few months. We could reach this goal if 1250 orchid enthusiasts each contribute $100. We truly appreciate any and all gifts, and wish you all the best!
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 . (Submissions for our Autumn Newsletter may be sent by 9/15/2020).
NAOCC is a coalition of organizations dedicated to conserving the diverse orchid heritage of the U.S. and Canada. Based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, NAOCC was established by the Smithsonian and the U.S. Botanic Garden.
Copyright © 2020 NAOCC / Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, All rights reserved.
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