Several fungi had distributions extending into central and northern parts of the continent, illustrating their tolerance of an extraordinarily wide range of environmental conditions.
Tag - orchid
Juniper Kiss
Orchid conservation must be guided by an understanding of their ecology
What makes orchids unique can also make saving them a challenge.
Erin Zimmerman
In vitro axenic germination and cultivation of mixotrophic Pyroloideae (Ericaceae)
Pyroloids, forest sub-shrubs of the Ericaceae family, are an important model for their mixotrophic nutrition, which mixes carbon from photosynthesis and from their mycorrhizal fungi. They have medical uses but are...
Alex Assiry
The orchid that’s running out of time
Ophrys sphegodes, the early spider-orchid, is a plant with a very short pollination window. The changing climate is closing that window more and more often as the planet warms.
Alun Salt
Orchid populations and endophytic fungi change with rainfall and prescribed burning in Pterostylis
Wildfires are common in seasonally dry parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate. Prescribed burning is used to reduce fuel load and fire risk, but information on its effects is often lacking. Jasinge et al...
botanyone
Ghost orchid symbiotic seed germination
Successful orchid germination, embryo development and seedling establishment require the presence of mycorrhizal fungi. However, little is known about the orchid seed germination niche requirements in situ, especially...
The significance of developmental robustness for species diversity
Why some taxa are more species-rich than others still represents a major conundrum in biology. Ecological opportunities and evolutionary innovations are considered main factors that drive biodiversity, but are sometimes...
Botanists uncover the secrets of sexual attraction
An interesting paper has moved into free access in Annals of Botany: Caught in the act: pollination of sexually deceptive trap-flowers by fungus gnats in Pterostylis (Orchidaceae). It sounds like a very specific paper...
Molecular phylogenetics of the orchid Himantoglossum
The first comprehensive molecular phylogeny for Lizard orchids (Himantoglossum), sampling all known taxa across the whole distribution area of the genus.
Pollination by sexual deception in Pterostylis
A single species of male gnat (Mycetophilidae) visits and pollinates the rewardless flowers of P. sanguinea. The gnats often show probing copulatory behaviour on the labellum, leading to its triggering and the temporary...
Nectary evolution in Disa orchids
Independent nectary evolution of orchid genus Disa has involved both repeated recapitulation of secretory epidermis, and innovation of stomatal nectaries.
Do pollinators isolate new species of plants?
It’s time for the last paper of the pollinator-driven speciation week. The previous posts have examined how pollinators can select and cause diversity among plants but, if they’re all the same species, could...
Why is one orchid so happy to cater for ants?
There’s a paper that’s moved into free access at Annals of Botany. Uptake of ant-derived nitrogen in the myrmecophytic orchid Caularthron bilamellatum by Gegenbauer et al. It describes an odd orchid...
