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By
Dotty Woodson, County Extension Agent-Horticulture Native Texas Orchids Looking for wildflowers? Try finding native Texas orchids. Texas has 45 wild orchids. These orchids are very diverse in their shape, color, size and habitat. The small, sometimes incopicuous flowers, transplant and propagation difficulty have kept the native Texas orchids from becoming part of the horticulture industry. Destruction of habitat threaten native orchids as it does many other plant species. If you do find native orchids, collect them by photographing them. Leave them in their natural habitat. If their habitat is threatened, contact a member of an orchid or plant conservation group. Check with a local botanical garden, arborteum or nature center for information on native orchids, their protection and plant conservation. Orchids are herbaceous perennials with 3 petal-like sepels, 3 petals, an inferior ovary and a columun combining both the stamen and pistil. The sepals form a triangle with a dorsal and two lateral colored floral leaves about the same size and shape. Of the three petals, the two lateral petals are mirror images. The three petal forms a lip or labellum. The configuration, scent, color or nector of the lip attracts the pollinator. The pollen or pollenia on all orchids except the lady slippers is on the tip of the column. The stigma is usually on the lower side of the column. The Ladies' tresses orchids flower as early as August and as late as December in North Central Texas. I have actually observed them in flower right before the first freeze of the season. Of the 29 Ladies' tresses orchids, Spiranthes species, in the United States and Canada, 16 have been identified in Texas. These delightful small fragrant orchids are terrestrial with fleshy roots. Look for these exceptional wildflowers in open prairies, wet grasslands, road ditches and open woods. They range through all of east and central Texas and the Big Bend area. The small white to yellowish flowers spiral around a 12 to 18 inch tall flower spike with 20 to 40 flowers. The basal leaves wither at or before flowering. Spiranthes are often found in colonies, groups of 4 or more. They also found singely. Once you find one Spiranthes, look around the area and you will find more. PLEASE BUY ONLY NURSERY PROPAGATED PLANTS. NEVER TAKE PLANTS FROM THEIR NATURAL HABITAT, unless they are in imminent danger of being destroyed. If you want to try propagating this plant from seed yourself. USE ONLY SEED PODS OR POLLEN, never take never take seedlings or established plants from their natural habitat. If you do take seed or pollen -- take only a small amounts. NEVER MORE THAN 10% of the seed or pollen from a particular plant or population. Remember our first goal as lovers of native orchids should be to maintain the plants in their NATURAL HOMES. If you know how to pollinate flowers it may be a good idea to pollinate a few flowers on the plant or in the population to insure seed production. If there is a population, then take pollen from the flower of one plant and use it to pollinate the flower of another plant, thus insuring cross-pollination. Never pollinate more than 10% of the flowers -- remember nature will probably do a much better job of insuring cross-pollination between different plants which will result in populations with a larger degree of genetic difference and hence a better chance of surviving. Our goals as Orchid Conservationists should be to protect the plants, their pollinators and their habitats. If we do those things then these plants will be there for our grandchildren to enjoy. There is an old American Indian proverb "we don't inherit the land from our ancestors, rather we borrow it from our grandchildren/descendants." This would be an excellent approach in thinking for all of us concerned with conservation. For more information: Orchid Conservation Committees American Orchid Society Southwest Regonial Orchid Growers Association Conservation Committee Lawrence Magrath Local Orchid Society each orchid society has a converation representative check with the American Orchid Society for a contact with a local Orchid Society. References Correll, Donavan, Native Orchids of North America. Waltham, Massachusetts: Chronica Botanica, 1950. Luer, Carlyle, The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada. New York: The New York Botanical Gardens, 1975. Petrie, William, Guide to Orchids of North America. Hancock House, North Vancouver, B.C. Canada, 1981. Williams, John and Williams, Andrew, Field Guide to Orchids of North America. Universe Books, New York, New York, 1983. Resources North American Native Orchid Alliance Native North American Orchid Discussion List |
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