Monocots III: Orchids

SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS (2001-2005)

  • Publication of three volumes of Genera Orchidacearum, vol. 2 (2001), 3 (2003) and 4 (2005)
  • Publication of Orchid Conservation (2003), co-edited by Kew staff and with eight chapters contributed by Kew staff, including a new, phylogenetic classification of Orchidaceae (2003)
  • Publication of the CITES Orchidaceae Checklist volume 4 as hard copy and via the internet
  • Completion of anatomical work on four orchid subtribes as part of the Anatomy of the Monocotyledons series
  • Took a leading role in the IUCN/Species Survival Commission Orchid specialist group and participated in the plenary session at the World Orchid Conference in Dijon (France), 2005
  • Co-organised and participated in the Second International Orchid Conservation Conference (Sarasota, Florida) in September, 2004
  • Published monographs of Paphiopedilum (2003), Coelogyne (2002) and Cymbidium (2005)
  • Published The Orchids of Sarawak (2001), The Orchids of Sumatra (2001), The Orchids of Bhutan (2002), The Orchids of Borneo: vol. 4 (2003), and submitted/finalised The Orchids of Madagascar (2006) and The Orchids of Mt Kinabalu (2006), submitted the Orchids of Sabah manuscript
  • Published studies on the fungal associations of orchids in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, series B (2004)
  • Lead partner for two orchid taxa within the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (Cypripedium calceolus and Liparis loeselii)
  • Propagated and re-established orchid species as targeted by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan
  • Genetic studies of 20 out of 53 extant species in the UK completed or in progress for conservation and species delimitation
  • All African orchid type specimens databased and imaged
  • Completed web version of World Checklist of Orchids
  • Developed novel uses of herbarium specimen data, i.e. extinction risk assessments and climate change modelling
  • Submitted for publication Growing Orchids from Seed (2006), which was aimed at conservation groups and growers without access to specialist laboratory facilities
  • About 70% of the c. 5,000 CITES applications per annum are for Orchids

KEY ELEMENTS OF FUTURE PLANS (2006 onwards)

  • Publication of the remaining two volumes of Genera Orchidacearum, vol. 5 (2006) and 6 (2007)
  • Development of an orchid (Leochilus labiatus) as a model species
  • Continue focused evolutionary studies of orchids, including floral colour absorbance/reflectance in tropical communities, orchid mimicry, DNA repair mechanisms, evolutionary rates and genome sizes
  • Continue to take a leading role in the IUCN/Species Survival Commission Orchid specialist group
  • Development of cryopreservation techniques for orchid protocorms, seeds and fungi for a wider range of species
  • Launch of Semina Orchidacearum, investigating seed longevity for 30 species
  • Collation of data leading to a publication on molecular delimitation of species of orchid-mycorrhizal fungi
  • Submit English edition of Flora of China, Orchidaceae
  • Submit Field Guide to Madagascan Orchids
  • Complete final two volumes of The Orchids of Borneo
  • Contribute data and resources to the international Tree-of-Life project on orchids
  • Complete and submit the orchid portion of the Anatomy of the Monocotyledons series
  • Continue to monograph selected orchid genera of systematic, conservation and horticultural significance, submitting monographs of Bornean Dendrobium, Calanthe and Lycaste for publication
  • Enhance the orchid living collections to facilitate research and conservation programmes, particularly by targeting hardy orchid species
  • Facilitate wider access to our unique images of orchids by making more material held by Kew available via the internet
  • Complete type specimen imaging/databasing of orchids by 2010 (subject to funding) 
  • Incorporate a complete set of British native orchid DNAs in the Kew DNA Bank, focusing on population samples
  • Continue conservation genetic studies of orchids from Britain and elsewhere in support of conservation activities
  • Development of novel uses of herbarium specimens data, i.e. extinction risk assessments and climate change modelling