Conservation of orchids

It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction that orchids have enjoyed immense popularity among people in all walks of life and continue to do so as years go by. But unfortunately there is also another aspect which deserves our attention . The increasing demands for orchids, both old and new species , eventhough it acts as a boost to the various breeding programmes undertaken in various parts of the world , nevertheless does infinited harm to the existence of the pure species in the wild . It is becoming increasingly evident that the wild species- particularly those which have the misfortune to possess showy or unusual flowers are experiencing a steady dimunition in number with the passage of time . Hunt (1970) reports that such species as Orchid morio, O. militaris , Anacamtis pyramidalis etc. , were once a common feature of the British landscape are now fast disappearing . Cypripedium calceolare which was at one time abundant in the northern temperate regions, is now rarely seen . Situation in India is in no way different . In 1847 ,when Hooker visited Khasia hills , he is reported to have remarked upon the abundance of Vanda coerulea plants which filled the forests with their azure blooms . But today , this plant has become rare in the whole of Eastern Himalayas .

Such instances are not isolated but of quite common occurrence in any part of the world where orchids are found. Two reasons are generally attributed to the incidence of this sad state of affairs :

1. Large scale collection of wild species by enthusiastic amateurs as well as professional business people. This is the main cause of disappearances of species which have attractive flowers and are rated high for their value in breeding of new varieties .

2. Indiscriminate clearing of forests for agricultural and other purposes.

During the early years of the orchid craze the scene of havoc was the tropics of the Old World . Where the Western countries eastablished their colonies . Due to lack of facilities for quick transport , several hundred specimens had to be exported in order that a few may survive . Ignorance in the proper cultural requirements of these tropical species in the temperate climates of Europe are successful tackled , the extreme quarantine measures to which orchids are subjected , accounts for a considerable degree of mortality -sometimes upto95 % . When the wealth of orchids in the Old World tropics was almost exhausted , the scene of havoc shifted to tropics of the New World . But fortunately , many of the American countries were quick in realizing the danger that was threatening the very survival of orchids and introduced preventive measures .

Dealing in orchids has always been a lucrative business- particularly for those who dealt with wild species. With the least amount of effort , the dealer could easily bag a fortune . Hooker has recorded (1847) that in those early days, an active collector could make from pound 2000-3000 per season from the sale of Khasia orchids alone (Melville, 1971).

Various countries where such destruction has been rampant have taken steps to put an end to this wantonness. In Thailand various species of orchids are protected by Royal decree. In Venezuela collection of wild orchids was banned in 1947, except in privately owned lands. Minnesota which was the first state to choose an orchid, Cypripedium reginae , as its national flower in 1925 , placed a strict ban on the destruction of this plant. Following Minnesota , other countries also chose orchids for their national flower –Lycaste virginalis by Guatemala , Cattleya skinneri by Costa Rica , and Dendrobium bigibbum by Queensland .

Hunt (1970) suggest that the most effective method for the conservation of orchids , is to ban all sorts of international commerce in orchid species , except those which are grown from seeds or through vegetative propagation . This would involve the following procedures:

1. Banning of import by importing countries

2. Banning of export by exporting countries

3. Banning of all such orchids being sold

3. Banning of all advertising of such orchids for sale.

Hunt points out that in the case of certain birds , which were similarly threatened by extinction , banning of selling and advertising was far more effective than restriction on their killing and collecting .

Such extreme measures would ofcourse save several orchids from eventual extinction ; but there are other sources of threat. There is still a large percentage of illiterate population who believe that orchid bulbs have aphrodisiac properties , particularly in the Orient ,where there are several people who make a livelihood out of collecting the orchid bulbs from the wild and selling it on the street . U San Hla (1964) has reported that bulbs of the Burmese national flower ,Bulbophyllum auricomum , are being collected at the rate of half a million per year , and sold at 50 U.S. Cents per lb.(about 300 bulbs ).