Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Larry Richardson
The Orchid Recovery Program
At Illinois College:
Who We Are and
What We Do
Lawrence W. Zettler
Laura Corey
Department of Biology
Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL
lwzettle@mail.ic.edu
JJ Sadler
ILLINOIS COLLEGE
Jacksonville
(pop. 20,000)
Chicago
ILLINOIS
St. Louis
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Founded in 1829 (oldest college in Illinois)
Site of first medical school in Illinois
ILLINOIS COLLEGE TODAY
Private, 4-year, co-educational, liberal arts institution
1,000 Undergraduate students (70% live on campus)
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Illinois College’s Statement of
Community Responsibility
Emphasizes that…
“…we are all caretakers of our community
and recognize that our individual
responsibilities are essential for nurturing
collaborative relationships, critical
exploration, and global awareness”
The ORCHID RECOVERY PROGRAM at
ILLINOIS COLLEGE
OUR MISSION
Integrate undergraduate student learning with the
conservation of North America’s rarest native orchids.
Instill in our students an appreciation for the planet’s
natural resources, and provide the basic tools for
lifelong learning, stewardship, and service.
Photos: Larry Richardson
Logo Design: JJ Sadler
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Incentives for Students to
Carry Out Orchid Research
• Do something meaningful
(personal achievement)
• Earn college credit hours
• Earn a side income
• Learn science by doing
science
• Improve curriculum vita
• Publish/present papers
• Travel/work with experts
Chichinautzin region, Mexico (2006)
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Chichinautzin region, Mexico (2006)
If all else fails….
CAPTURE
THEM!
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Since 1996, the Orchid Recovery Program has focused
mostly on growing endangered species from seed, but
other aspects of conservation are also studied.
Photo: Andrew Stice
ORCHID SEEDS
Dust-like
Lack sufficient
food for embryo
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
embryo
(enlarged)
embryo
seed coat (testa)
mass of hyphae
(= peloton)
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
PELOTON
MYCOTROPHY
= “FUNGUS FEEDING”
Digested Peloton
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
ORCHID SEEDLING STAGES
0
3
1
2
PROTOCORM
ORCHID SEEDLING
Epidendrum magnoliae
AUTOTROPHIC REGION (LEAVES)
MYCOTROPHIC REGION (ROOTS)
MIXOTROPHY
= orchids “feed” via
sunlight + fungi
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
WHEN LOOKING AT AN ORCHID,
REMEMBER THAT IT IS ACTUALLY
MIXOTROPHIC!
ORCHID CONSERVATION in perspective…
Each natural habitat should be viewed as a refuge for
orchid prey (= fungi) and managed accordingly.
--Dr. Scott L. Stewart
IOCC3, Costa Rica
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Terrestrial orchids harbor “captive”
fungi in lateral (branch) roots and
consume them as needed
Terrestrial orchids harbor “captive”
fungi in lateral (branch) roots and
consume them as needed
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
PROTOCORM RECOVERY TECHNIQUE
Seed Baits
35 mm slide mounts
Packets are buried adjacent to existing
plants that presumably harbor fungi
existing orchid seedling
seeds within nylon plankton mesh
wire connecting slide mounts
Photo: D. Maurer
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
For terrestrial orchids, seed packets are buried
Photo: D. Maurer
For epiphytic orchids, seed packets are affixed
to tree trunks using staple gun and gutter mesh
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
ORCHID MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI
Example: Epulorhiza
Terrestrial and epiphytic orchids alike appear to utilize
members of this anamorphic genus throughout North America
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Case in point - Spiranthes brevilabris from Florida
filter paper
inoculum
oat-based medium
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
4th Intl. Orchid Conservation Congress, Czech Republic, 2011
Photo: T. Wing Yam
North American Orchidaceae
Platanthera leucophaea
• Approximately 205-223
spp. N of Mexico, >60
exclusive to S Florida
• Excluding Florida, ca. 145
spp. in 35 genera. All
except one are terrestrial
Photo: Marlin Bowles
• Few have been cultivated
from seed, raising
conservation concerns
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
SEED PROPAGATION AND REINTRODUCTION OF THE
U.S. FEDERALLY ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN ENDEMIC,
Platanthera holochila (Orchidaceae)
European Journal Environmental Science (in press)
Lawrence W. Zettler1, Erin M. Wood1,3,
Lynnaun J.A.N. Johnson1,4, Anna K. Kirk1,5,
Steve Perlman2
1
Orchid Recovery Program, Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL 62650 USA
National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, HI 96741 USA
3 Currently: Dept. Plant Pathology, University of Florida
4 Currently: Dept. Biology, Western Illinois University
5 Currently: Dept. Entomology, Michigan State University
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Platanthera holochila (Hbd.) Krzl.
US Federal Endangered
Global Rank G1
Terrestrial, with small
greenish flowers - probably
not a good candidate for
the horticulture trade.
Once found on 4 islands,
primarily in cloud forests.
Today (2011), 33 known
plants remain.
“Puahala a kane”
Existing plants threatened
by wild pigs and exotic
species encroachment.
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO
Kauai (1)
Maui (7)
Oahu (extinct)
Molokai (25)
Hawaii
In 2002, a collaborative effort between the National Tropical
Botanical Garden (NTBG) and Illinois College on the
mainland was initiated to propagate P. holochila from seed
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
ASYMBIOTIC GERMINATION ON P723 - 351 days after sowing.
Seed
Source
Island/
Date
n
# Stage
1
# Stage
2
# Stage
3
# Stage
4
# Stage
5
Mean %
Stage 5
S120
M 2002
6
122
104 (85.2)
S125
M 2002
17
1,075
1,016 (94.5)
101
0
0
3
-
-
0.0
1,016
-
-
-
-
-
S130
M 2003
9
382
378 (98.9)
0.0
378
-
-
-
-
-
S153
M 2006
22
5,627
0.0
5,052 (89.8)
5,021
1
18
0
0
12
S154
M 2006
35
0.2
8,180
7,804 (95.4)
7,387
7
71
21
66
252
S155
M 2006
3.2
16
1,551
1,514 (97.6)
1,514
-
-
-
-
-
S156
0.0
M 2006
7
157
151 (96.2)
151
-
-
-
-
-
0.0
S157
M 2006
17
2,508
2,466 (98.3)
2,456
0
0
6
2
2
0.1
S158
M 2006
15
1,811
1,743 (96.2)
1,732
0
0
7
4
-
0.0
20,228 (94.5) 19,756
8
89
37
72
266
1.3
M Totals
# Seeds
21,413
# Viable (%)
# Stage
0
S129
K 2003
11
442
406
(91.9)
380
3
4
4
8
7
1.7
S134
K 2004
3
92
85
(92.4)
85
-
-
-
-
-
0.0
S140
K 2005
18
2,208
2,135
(96.7) 2,083
11
19
9
12
1
0.6
S141
K 2005
11
767
727
(94.8)
663
2
9
11
16
26
3.6
S142
K 2005
5
649
621
(95.7)
579
8
22
0
0
12
1.9
S143
K 2005
10
977
936
(95.1)
923
3
6
1
2
1
0.1
S146
K 2006
2
119
111
(93.3)
111
-
-
-
-
-
0.0
5,254
5,021
27
60
25
38
47
0.9
26,667
25,249 (94.7) 24,580
35
149
62
110 313
K Totals
TOTALS
(95.6) 4,824
1.2
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Arrived on Kauai, 6 March 2011
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Platanthera holochila
Hawaii’s rarest native orchid
and the battle to save it
Lawrence W. Zettler
Steven P. Perlman
Orchids (anticipated February 2012
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Florida Orchidaceae
Nearly half of species in USA
and Canada reside in Florida.
More than half of these 106
species are confined to four
counties in S Florida, many as
epiphytes
Few have received scientific study
(pollination biology, propagation)
Photo: Andy Stice
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
CASE STUDY #1
Seed propagation and reintroduction of
Epidendrum nocturnum
Florida Panther NWR
Zettler, Poulter, McDonald, Stewart. 2007. Conservation-driven
propagation of an epiphytic orchid (Epidendrum nocturnum)
with a mycorrhizal fungus. HortScience 42: 135-139.
In 2005, Illinois College students cultivated
Epidendrum nocturnum from seed in lab using fungi
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
SEEDLINGS AFFIXED TO TREES WITH GUTTER MESH
Photo: Larry Richardson
Photo: Will Kutosky
Will Kutosky
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
CASE STUDY #2
Ghost Orchid Floral Fragrance Analysis (2009)
Sadler, JJ, JM Smith, LW Zettler, HT Alborn, LW Richardson. Floral fragrance
composition of Dendrophylax lindenii (Orchidaceae), using a novel collection
technique applied in situ. European Journal Environmental Science (in press).
Photo: JJ Sadler
EXTRACTION OF GHOST ORCHID
FLORAL FRAGRANCE IN SITU: SET-UP
Jaclyn Smith
James “JJ” Sadler
Site located in Collier Co., FL
13 Ghost Orchids in flower at time
Population size = ca. 50 individuals
Sampling carried out over 2 nights
(22-23 June 2009)
Flowers sampled on 3 plants
Photo: Larry Richardson
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Figure 2 - Composition as a percentage for the 8 volitale compounds
comprising the floral scent of the Ghost Orchid. Error bars = +SD.
WHY (E,E)-α-FARNESCENE?
CLUES:
Odorless to humans.
Oddly, it is often associated with insects and/or
insect-damaged plants.
Aphids (Hemiptera: Apidae) known to release
trans-β-farnescene as an alarm pheromone when
disturbed.
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Why Farnesene?
In July 2009, insects were
observed affixed to flowers of
a Ghost Orchid specimen in
urban Naples, Florida.
Upon closer inspection, ants
were tending soft scales
(Pulvinaria sp.), and a second
plant was infested with
mealybugs (Ferrisia sp.)
Are scales more widespread in
South Florida?
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Are scales more widespread in
South Florida?
Are scales now in natural areas?
YES, apparently so…
Of 49 orchids sampled in 2010 in FPNWR
26 were infested with three scale types
Boisduval Scale was found on four orchid
taxa:
Epidendrum amphistomum
Epidendrum nocturnum
Epidendrum rigidum
Prosthechea cochleata*
(* heaviest infestations)
Zettler, JA, LW Zettler, and LW Richardson. Pestiferous scale
insects on native epiphytic orchids in S Florida: a new threat imposed
by exotic species. Southeastern Naturalist (in press).
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
South Florida Research, 2011
Goal #1: Survey more orchids for scales
Goal #2: Capture Ghost Orchid pollinator
Students: Haleigh Ray, John McCormick
Capture Ghost Orchid Pollinator(s)
Outcome:
No Pollinators Collected
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Scale Survey, Fakahatchee Strand
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Orchid Scale Data, 2011 – Collier Co., Florida
Site
Sample1
E.
nocturnum
33
1
2
78
0
1
50
1
1
105
0
5
E.
rigidum
6
0
0
23
0
0
4
0
0
44
2
0
E. tampensis
D.
lindenii
---------4
0
0
Yellow Helmet
Cigar
Ionopsis
Ribbon
2
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
4
0
0
E.
amphistomum
9
1
2
119
3
4
95
7
0
214
1
2
Clamshell
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
10
2
2
4
0
0
134
11
0
97
4
1
80
0
1
19
1
0
71
1
1
128
0
0
------1
0
0
----
---------1
0
0
---1
0
0
---2
0
0
140
4(2.9)
7(5.0)
245
4(1.6)
5(2.0)
358
20 (5.6)
2 (0.56)
599
7 (1.2)
8 (1.3)
Fritz’s Blvd
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
7
0
0
43
0
0
1
0
0
166
0
0
----
46
0
0
30
0
0
----
----
----
293
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
Haleigh’s Pond
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
----
----
24
3
0
4
0
0
----
----
----
----
----
----
28
3 (10.7)
0 (0.0)
Naples
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
8
0
0
19
0
0
----
22
1
1
14
0
0
----
----
----
----
----
63
1 (1.6)
1 (1.6)
Total
Orchids
Scale
Hopper
281
2 (0.72)
9 (3.2)
139
2 (1.4)
0 (0.0)
Fakahatchee
Strand Site 1
Fakahatchee
Strand Site 2
McBride’s Pond
Cochran Lake
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3 (8.6)
0 (0.0)
629
13 (2.1)
9 (1.4)
18
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
291
17 (5.8)
3 (1.0)
328
2 (0.61)
2 (0.61)
1
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
1
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
3
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
Total
1726
39 (2.3)
23 (1.3)
Ray HA, JP McCormick, AL Stice, I Stocks, LW Zettler. Occurrence of Boisduval Scale, Diapsis boisduvali,
(Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on native epiphytic orchids in Collier Co., FL, including Fakahatchee Strand
State Preserve. Florida Entomologist (in preparation).
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Florida Orchid Conservation Conference 2011
Protocorms of an epiphytic orchid (Epidendrum
amphistomum A. Richard) recovered in situ, and
subsequent identification of associated mycorrhizal
fungi using molecular markers.
April Ross1 , Lillian Moller-Jacobs1,
Lawrence W. Zettler1, Laura L. Corey1
Larry Richardson2
1
Orchid Recovery Program, Illinois College
Jacksonville, IL 62650 USA
2
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Naples, FL 34114 USA
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