Orchid Journey Blog: Research Beginnings

My current research project for the Society for Creative Anachronism is to study and research the origins of orchids through history and how they were used in different cultures. I realize that this research project is a vast undertaking, but I'm so fascinated with orchids, I yearn to know more and wish to share what I find with those who are interested. I'm officially raising my nerd flag high!

There's no time like the present to start researching the history of orchids.

Did you know...

The oldest fossil record we have on orchids dates back to between 58 and 37 million years ago from during the Eocene epoch. A piece of amber was found with a female fungus gnat preserved inside. Researchers discovered that the fungus gnat, Bradysia, had pollen on its hind leg that came from a long since extinct orchid called Succinanthera Baltica. Orchid lineage was well established in the Eocene epoch and its likely that lineages or orchids extend back further into the Cretaceous period which was between 146 and 65 million years ago. The fossil was found on the Samland Peninsula, which is part of modern-day Kaliningrad, Oblast, Russia, on the southeast shore of the Baltic Sea.

Another piece of amber was found in the Dominican Republic that had an extinct stingless bee trapped inside. The stingless bee, Proplebeia dominicana, had pollen on its body from an extinct orchid alled Meliorchis caribea which has been dated back to the early to middle Miocene epoch. The Proplebeia dominicana is closely related to the modern bee, which is neat since I'm also a beekeeper. This specimen was found in 2000 in a mine located east of Santiago, Dominican Republic.

To get an idea of where these fossils are dated back to, click over to the Encyclopedia Britannica's Geologic timeline page: https://www.britannica.com/topic/How-Old-Is-Earth. Key points to look for is Eocene, Miocene, our current Epoch, Holocene and the Cretaceous Period.

The closest living relatives that we have to these two extinct orchids come from the Epidendrae tribe (extinct orchid Succinanthera Baltica) and Ligeophila Longibracteata (extinct Meliorchis caribea) which is a type of terrestrial orchid. Ligeophila Longibracteata is distributed throughout Brazil and from the south of Mexico up to Bolivia and can grow from sea level up to nearly 2000 feet in elevation. Orchids that are in the Epidendrae tribe have over 6000 species. One of the more commonly known or recognized orchids in this species is the Cattleya orchid. Cattleya orchids have been commonly used to create corsages in the floral industry.

Ligeophila Longibracteata a species of Jewel orchid

an example of a Cattleya orchid

So how do I bring this back around to my orchid collection? I currently have two Cattleya orchids in my collection that I bought as "bag babies" from Lowe's Home Improvement. I'm going into nearly year two with them and they still do not have any blooms. I've read that it can take anywhere between three and seven years for a Cattleya to bloom, given the right conditions.

I also have two Jewel orchids in my collection as well. The Jewel orchid that ties into the closest living relative of the Meliorchis caribea, is only related to Ligeophila Longibracteata, through the subtribe Goodyerinae and that's my Ludisia discolor. Ligeophila Longibracteata to my knowledge isn't sold anywhere. My other Jewel orchid is part of the tribe, Cranichideae, which is what tribe my Macodes petola is in. The Ludisia discolor Macodes petola and Cattleya orchids are much easier to obtain and add to anyone's orchid collection. Hopefully in due time my Cattleya orchids will bloom, and I can finally see what they look like when in bloom (I've only seen images of the blooms). The Macodes petola is endemic to Southeast Asia which includes Malaysia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Philippines and Sumatra. My Ludisia discolor is endemic to Southern China, Northeast India, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.