AQUATIC ORCHIDS? Bletia purpurea Yaxha, Peten, Guatemala DR. NICHOLAS HELLMUTH AQUATIC ORCHIDS? December 2018 MAIN AUTHOR Nicholas Hellmuth FLAAR (USA) FLAAR Mesoamérica (Guatemala) EDITION Vivian Díaz Marcella Sarti Flor Setina COVER PHOTOGRAPH Nicholas Hellmuth INTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS Nicholas Hellmuth ART DIRECTION Andrea Sánchez LAYOUT Andrea Sánchez This report was made in cooperation with the COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park to help Bletia purpurea promove the park, its natural resources and, Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro, f/16, 1/640, ISO 1250. Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photography by: Nicholas attract future visitors. Hellmuth, FLAAR Mesoamérica. INDEX PHOTOGRAPH: Bletia purpurea Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro, f/16, 1/640, ISO 1000. Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala.Photography by: Nicholas Hellmuth, FLAAR Mesoamérica. 3 FLAAR Mesoamérica (Foundation for Latin American Anthropo- logical Research), is a nonprofit Guatemalan institution founded under the direction and enthusiasm of Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth, Classic Mayan Art specialist, with the aim of wanting to see our country to be recognized throughout the world for its land- scapes, culture and natural resources. We believe knowledge and ancestral wisdom of natural resources can be taken to any kind of person through education. At the same time, it will awake admiration and desire in people who follow our work to preserve these resources. One of our main objectives is to create consciousness about looking after Mesoamerica natural diversity. Thus, the FLAAR team creates educational material to raise public awareness of it. The work done in FLAAR Mesoamerica consists on the methodological compilation of facts about nature, flora, fauna, history, and culture of Mesoamerica, and to spread it up to the general public who play an important role in the conservation of ecosystems. One example is by making material that is easy to read, entertaining, reliable and visually pleasing, just like this report! PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG We are open to work, share and, to expand the efforts we do with other organizations, institutions or companies that share our vision. You can find more of our work in the different digital platforms of our directory: www.flaar-mesoamerica.org [email protected] © Copyright 2018 FLAAR Mesoamerica 1 FLAAR Mesoamérica NATIONAL PARK YAXHA NAKUM NARANJO Yaxha Nakum Naranjo National Park is a site of great natural and cultural importance for our country. Because of the diversity of species it holds, flora and fauna likewise is listed as a RAMSAR site because it includes three types of wetlands identify by the Wetland Convention: temporal lagoons, karstic systems, and peat bogs. From these systems stand out the Lagoon Yaxha and Lagoon Sacnab, Lankaja, Champoxte and Juleque reservoirs from the Lagoon Yaxha. In reference to the cultural importance that this protected area represents is that it contains heritage from the Prehispanic Mayan period that includes 292 recognized sites from which four are monumental archaeological sites: Yaxha, Nakum, Naranjo, and Topoxte. Other six intermediate archaeological sites include: Naranjito, El Carmen, La Pochitoca, Poza Mayor, el Bajón y el Pital, with other 282 minor archaeological sites within. (Plan Maestro PNYNN, 2006) PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG View of lagoon Yaxha from the temple 216, one of the wetland ecosystems declared by RAMSAR. Nikon D5. Lente 100mm f/2, f/11.0, 1/80, ISO 125. Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth, FLAAR Mesoamérica. 2 FLAAR Mesoamérica AQUATIC ORCHIDS? While returning from an expedition on boat, from the northeast side of Lake Yaxha, I noticed a pink light purple flower along the shore. At the time I wasn’t interested to stop and look at the flower up close since we had to return to Guatemala City that afternoon (We had only a few minutes to get back to the dock at the Yaxha camp area and leave to the city) While moving forward, about 20 meters ahead, I saw more of these pinkish flowers in the entangled grass-like reeds again. Something told me that I couldn’t let pass the chance of getting close. So I asked the lanchero to stop the boat and give us a moment to check them out. Quickly together with Teco, the tour guide that was with us, we realized it was an orchid. The first thing that came to my mind was: WOW! An orchid growing in the water, away from the shore!? (an expresion that any tourist and flower enthusiast could have thought) - DR. NICHOLAS HELLMUTH PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. Nikon D810. Lente Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4e FL ED VR. f/13, 1/320, ISO 1600. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 3 FLAAR Mesoamérica Bletia purpurea. Sighting of the light-pink flower at the shore Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Lente Canon EF 300mm f/2.9L IS II USM. F/2.8, 1/60, ISO 100. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Alejandra Gutiérrez. PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. Bletia purpurea. Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Lente Canon EF 300mm f/2.9L IS Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Lente Canon EF 300mm f/2.9L IS II USM. F/2.8, 1/50, ISO 100. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. II USM. F/2.8, 1/50, ISO 100. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Alejandra Gutiérrez. Photograph by: Alejandra Gutiérrez. 4 FLAAR Mesoamérica WHAT IT SEEMED “SIMPLE FLOWERS” FLOATING IN THE LAGOON. After the first stop where we watch these orchids, about 30 meters ahead, we saw more of these flowers again in the middle of more reed groups. We stopped one more time and manage to take more photographs, taking the risk of not arriving on time to the dock and not get back to the city, besides we were compromised to return the boat at certain hour. PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. Sighting of the light-pink flower at the shore Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro. f/16, 1/640, ISO 2500. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 5 FLAAR Mesoamérica For me, I’m sure that the orchid I have found at the lagoon is at least of semi-aquatic habits because: | They look very comfortable growing in the water. All their parts and buds are in great conditions and they look adapted. | There are no trees so close to the lagoon to make it seem that they have “fallen from one” | Even more importantly, all the plants were found in an ecosystem very similar. It looks like the communities of this orchid always choose reed and grass within the water to grow. It’s not that they fell by chance in the water and anchor to the first plant they found. PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. The first approach with the plant, I can easily realize we were in front of an orquid. Nikon D810. Lente Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF.2. f/14, 1/320, ISO 4000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 6 FLAAR Mesoamérica Bletia purpurea. This plant presents its flowers in a bunch-shape. Nikon D810. Lente Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4.e FL ED VR. f/16, 1/320, ISO 4000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. Bletia purpurea. Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro. f/16, Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro. f/16, 1/320, ISO 4000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. 1/320, ISO 4000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 7 FLAAR Mesoamérica PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG Bletia purpurea. This plant presents its flowers in a bunch-shape. Nikon D810. Lente Nikon 200mm f/4 AF-D Macro. F/16, 1/640, ISO 2000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 8 FLAAR Mesoamérica A lot of orchids similar to this one are known as Swamp orchids especially to the Habenaria kind. Weird enough, here at Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park there are no swamps but two open lagoons (it is true though that the shore were the plants start to accumulate and the ground can look like a swamp) When we just found the plant, we had no idea of its genus, even less the species of this orchid. While we were moving forward on the investigation, I found many mentions about semi-aquatic orchids in lakes and rivers in Guatemala. It is not madness that I try to find this kind of plants, since I have spoken with an orchid specialist, Fredy Archila, who clearly told me that in Guatemala exist orchids related to the water. I have even learned that in Guatemala there exist terrestrial orchids that can be expected PLANTS OF YAXHA - WWW.MAYA-ETHNOBOTANY.ORG in Peten (Now we know what to look for in our next exploration to Yaxha). Bletia purpurea. Nikon D810. Lente Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4.e FL ED VR. f/14, 1/320, ISO 4000. At Yaxha, Petén, Guatemala. Photograph by: Nicholas Hellmuth 9 FLAAR Mesoamérica Your donations can make it possible for us to find more (terrestrial and more water- associated) orchids. If your donation can cover the cost of an upcoming field trip or some of the resources we need for each field trip you would be welcome to join us at Yaxha- Nakum-Naranjo National Park to find more orchids, bromeliads, birds and pollinators (birds, ants, insects and mammals). Plus of course you can experience the archaeological aspect of this extensive national park.