Past, Present, Future

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

Special Report/A Newly Naturalized Orchid Found in Florida

DESPITE their widespread cultivation, was unknown to us, and required orchids, unlike other flowering plants and interactions with orchid taxonomists, as ferns, rarely naturalize. Naturalize, in well as investigating possibilities on the this usage, means the ability of an alien Internet and in the published literature (nonnative) species to successfully to identify it as Eulophia graminea. This establish beyond cultivation, to orchid is native to the warmer parts of reproduce and spread, without direct Asia from Pakistan east through India, human assistance. We suspect the need Nepal, Southeast Asia and southern for specialized pollinators and the China to the Ryuku Islands south of requirement for suitable mycorrhizal Japan. Thus far we have found it in five fungi to promote orchid seed germination residential areas and in a parking lot limits the naturalization of all but a few island at a supermarket. The area where orchid species. We are only beginning to the orchid was detected stretches 22 investigate orchid naturalization, so miles (35 km) from north to south. In 1

ROBERT PEMBERTON orchids that do naturalize are more than five of the six sites, the orchid is growing new additions to our floras, they are in woodchip mulch. In its native range, opportunities to try to understand the plants grow in many kinds of open, orchid naturalization processes. disturbed habitats, including grasslands Some naturalized species become and even beaches. agricultural pests, while others invade The small flowers, which are usually natural areas where they can displace about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, are not native species and disrupt the biotic showy but have charm when viewed communities. Not many naturalized close up; the white lip is marked with orchids behave this badly, but at least rose-pink, contrasting nicely with the one appears to be causing problems. somber green petals and sepals. The lip is Oeceoclades maculata, an African orchid keeled and covered with hairlike papilliae. naturalized in Florida and widely in the The inflorescences arise from spherical to Neotropics, may be displacing native conical pseudobulbs, usually about 2 to 3 terrestrial orchids in tropical forests in inches (5 to 8 cm) in diameter, which Mexico (Orchids of Mexico by Eric typically sit completely or partly above Hágsater, Miguel Soto, Gerardo Salazar, the ground. The slender inflorescences Rolando Jimenez, Marco Lopez and range from 12 to 60 inches (30 cm to Robert Dressler, 2006). So while we are 1.5 m) tall and bear up to 60 flowers. pleased to have the opportunity to study In addition to defining the this newly naturalized orchid in Florida, naturalization, we have been studying the we shouldn’t be too happy about the orchid’s reproduction. Most of the plants naturalization of yet another nonnative are producing fruit but at low levels, and plant in the state, where fully one third the flowers appear to need a pollinator. of the flora is nonnative. Although our The flowers are faintly fragrant and bear cultivated plants (and especially orchids) a small nectar-filled spur, attractants provide enormous benefit to people, the probably for an insect pollinator. No native flora and other biota are what flower visitors have been seen yet and more fundamentally define the determining the identity of the pollin- uniqueness, integrity and health of ator(s) is a focus of our studies. We also environments. wish to understand which mycorrhizal During this past year we discovered a fungi are promoting the germination of its new terrestrial orchid in Miami-Dade seed and seedling establishment. How County in southern Florida. The orchid Eulophia graminea has managed, unlike

GETTING INVOLVED We request your help to detect new populations of Eulophia graminea in Florida and anywhere in the region to document its spread. So, if you go for a walk in your neighborhood, to the beach, golf course, or even the supermarket, please keep your eyes open for our newest orchid immigrant, If you spot it, please send us photographs or specimens and some details of the location and occurrence. To learn more about the newest orchid on the block, see our recently published paper 2

ROBERT PEMBERTO in Lankesteriana (International Journal of Orchidology) 2008. 8:5–14.

412 ORCHIDS JUNE 2008 WWW.AOS.ORG 3 TIMOTHY COLLINS the great majority of exotic orchids, to cooler than Miami’s sea level subtropical [1] Flowers of Eulophia graminea, an overcome the twin barriers of pollination climate, indicating that Eulophia orchid the authors recently found to and mycorrhizal fungal limitations to graminea probably can live well north be naturalized in Miami-Dade County naturalize will be interesting to figure out. of the current naturalization area. The in southern Florida. Individual flowers We don’t know how Eulophia plant’s robust pseudobulbs can help the are usually about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide graminea entered Florida or the United orchid get through Florida’s dry season, and open for 10 to 11 days. States. Searches of the Internet, however, and also probably to survive cold reveal that plants are offered for sale by temperatures if buried in soil or mulch. [2] Inflorescence of Eulophia graminea. nurseries in Thailand, as capsules, flask, Eulophia graminea might reach and The inflorescences vary in size but and pseudobulbs. Amateur growers survive in southern Georgia or beyond. are often 1.3 to 2 feet (.4 to .6 m) tall. outside the United States also offer to The orchid’s airborne seed may spread it [3] Authors Bob Pemberton and Suzanne trade the orchid via the Internet. south into the West Indies, an area with Koptur working with the flowers of Coupling this availability of plants with an even more suitable climate for the naturalized Eulophia graminea plants the considerable enthusiasm for orchid plant. Purposeful movement by people is to determine the breeding system of growing suggests that this orchid was also a possibility. We met an enthusiastic the orchids in Florida. These plants imported to Florida for cultivation and orchid grower in Miami, who, after are growing in mulch in a residential then escaped. discovering this orchid in a vacant lot yard in South Miami. The orchid’s airborne seed and slated for development, moved plants to pseudobulbs, moved in mulch and soil, his yard and gave some away as gifts. will help it spread. In its native region, — Robert Pemberton, PhD, an invasive- in plant–insect interactions, including Eulophia graminea lives in Kashmir, a species biologist who studies orchid pollination. Timothy Collins, PhD, a region of northwestern India that has a pollination, wrote about Florida’s newly molecular systematist interested in southern border at 32 degrees north naturalized orchid bee in the June 2007 evolution and invasive animals, grows latitude, and in Sikkim, a Himalayan issue of Orchids (2007, 76:446–448). species cattleya orchids and is a member state with a southern border of 27 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 2121 of the East Everglades Orchid Society. degrees north latitude, between 900 and Southwest 28th Terrace, Ft. Lauderdale, Both are with the Department of Biological 1,000 meters (ca. 3,000 feet) elevation. Florida 33312 (e-mail Robert.Pemberton Sciences, Florida International University, Those areas are both farther north than @ars.usda.gov). Suzanne Koptur, PhD, Miami, Florida 33199 (e-mails kopturs@ Miami’s 26 degrees north latitude, and a plant ecologist, does research primarily fiu.edu; [email protected]).