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71 members and guests heard Fred Case, author of
Orchids of the Western Great Lakes Region, speak on "Native Orchids of Michigan," including
the popular Cypripediums or lady slippers, orchid habitats and their conservation. As expected,
Fred's talk was marvelously presented and highly informative, vividly illustrated with excellent
slides and dual projection (Fred's wife and botanizing partner Roberta ["Boots"] ran the two
projectors). Several AAOS members enjoyed having brunch and talking with Fred and Boots at
Bill Knapp's prior to the meeting. Refreshments and beverages were generously provided by the
Dumans, Ruth Kittle, and Glenn Lehr.
One of the most critical factors in the ecology of North American terrestrial orchids is the important role played by mycorrhizae, a symbiotic association of subterranean growths of certain fungi with the roots of certain orchids, conifers, and other plant species. The orchidsapparently parasitize the fungus for their nutrition, a relationship which particularly benefits the earliest growth and development of the orchid seedling but may also benefit, to a lesser extent, that of the adult plant. This symbiotic relationship probably has a lot to do with the rarity of certain species or the difficulties that many have reported with their growth or propagation. The required suite of microhabitat conditions (soil chemistry, pH, soil temperature, moisture level, and the presence of the right fungal species and other plant species) may be relatively rare (such asin a sphagnum bog) or quite ephemeral (temporary) under natural conditions. Many orchids seem to thrive in places where the right combination of conditions is only present at a given spot for only a few years, such as around the margins of lakes whose water levels fluctuate markedly every few years, or on gravel bars newly deposited by floods. There are very few orchids in a climax (such as beech-maple) forest, where the microhabitat conditions are relatively stable for long periods of time. The rare Prairie Fringed Orchid often grows on good open, arable land. Fred feels that the first priority in conserving our native orchid species is protect areas of orchid habitat such as wetlands, bogs, cedar swamps, and wet prairies from various types of human disturbances: off-road vehicles, dirt bikes, logging activity, fertilizer use, or insecticide spraying. The Nature Conservancy, for example, has been responsible for preserving many areas of orchid habitat. The second priority is developing successful propagation methods; Fred believes that tissue culture methods for native orchids will be perfected within the next 5 years.