Orchids and Their Conservation

If an orchid has desirable characteristics, such as large and showy flowers, or belongs to a genus where there is intense horticultural interest, the species may be fortunate to persist in cultivation even after the wild populations have disappeared. There are several species that fit this category.In 1888, H.G. Reichenbach described a species of Laelia that bore large flowers of spectacular deep purple coloration. The specimen bore no locality information and Reichenbach speculated that it might be of hybrid origin, possibly between the two well-known species L. autumnalis and L. anceps. Some forms of the former species approach the depth of color found in the new plant. Nevertheless, the plant was described as L. gouldiana and is still often considered to be a natural hybrid. One problem with the assertion of hybrid status is that the plant has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs with stiff erect leaves, unlike either parent and it is hard to imagine what the other parent that mated with L. autumnalis might have been. In fact, Laelia Autoceps, the man-made hybrid between L. autumnalis and L. anceps, does not resemble L. gouldiana and this also lends skepticism to the hybrid claim.Despite searches, no known wild specimens of L. gouldiana have been found and the species is considered "probably extinct in nature" (Halbinger and Soto, 1997). The species is thought to have been endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental and the oldest specimen was recorded from El Chico, a mining town in the State of Hidalgo. Searches in the vicinity of El Chico came up empty handed. But the species still exists. These days L. gouldiana can be found in a semi-feral state near several towns in Hidalgo. The plants have obviously been placed on stone fences and mesquite trees, where they form very large clumps and are said to be quite magnificient when in bloom. But the flowers on all the plants resemble each other fairly closely and people suggest that all are divisions of one single surviving clone. The semi-feral plants bear no seed pods.While L. gouldiana has been used to make a few hybrids with other members of the cattleya alliance the plants are themselves self-sterile and attempts to breed additional individuals of pure L. gouldiana have been unsuccessful. It appears that the clone must be the last survivor in its species. Nevertheless, the plants are also widespread in cultivation and around the world. The species will linger on provided that it is artificially reproduced.What had happened to the other plants of this species? Perhaps the population had dwindled down to one surviving plant, which was rescued because it bore attractive flowers. But the vigor and robustness of this last surviving clone suggests that the species had not gone extinct because it was unable to adapt to changing conditions. Was its habitat destroyed? At this point we may never know the real reasons for its disappearance. We will have to be satisfied that at least one clone still exists.Photo above:Laelia gouldiana 'Purple Majesty' is widespread in cultivation, although it appears to be exinct in the wild.Koopowitz, Harold is the author of 'Orchids and Their Conservation' with ISBN 9780881925234 and ISBN 0881925233.