Jewels of the bushland

Dr Belinda Davis (Research Scientist)

Fairies, dragons, kings and queens are typically found in the pages of fairy tales and legends, but they are also ephemeral stars in Western Australia’s orchid flora.

More than 400 species of orchid occur here, the majority of which can be found nowhere else on Earth.

They have intricate webs of above ground deception of wasp pollinators and below ground fungal mutualisms.

Orchids are model subjects to investigate ecosystem function and the diverse orchid flora of Western Australia has long been a fertile ground inspiring scientific minds.

The Kings Park Science Orchid Conservation Program has been running for about 30 years, initially fostered by Kingsley Dixon and expanded under the direction of Andrew Batty and Mark Brundrett.

Western Power PhD research student (2001) Andrew Batty, examines orchid cultures produced in the laboratory.

The commitment to ex situ conservation is at its core, with the establishment of the cryo-stored seed and fungal banks. Ex situ conservation remains a core function to this day, supported by international collaborations such as the Millennium Seed Bank project at Kew Gardens.

Early translocation efforts focused on the threatened Cinnamon Sun Orchid, Thelymitra dedmaniarum, and the Dwarf Bee Orchid, Diuris micrantha, funded by Western Power and centred on optimising germination and plant growth.

The launch of the first International Orchid Conservation Congress in 1999 through Kings Park’s Orchid Conservation Program brought together scientists from around the world to improve orchid conservation and foster collaborative efforts. It still runs today.

The program expanded rapidly to include postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers and the diversity of research topics flourished.

Work began on understanding the ultimate puzzle of the orchid world, the unique Underground Orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri now also encompassing Rhizanthella johnstonii) by Jeremy Bougoure and Sofi Mursidawati. This was no small task, given the complex tripartite relationship between a host tree, orchid and fungal partner. Not to mention the difficulty in finding something that lives its entire life cycle below ground!

South coast Underground Orchid, Rhizanthella johnstonii. Photo: Kings Park archive

A multidisciplinary research approach is required to unravel the complexities of interactions and piece together what is required for translocations. The first of many such integrative studies involved the rare Grand Spider Orchid, Caladenia huegelii, by Nigel Swarts.

Orchid research projects use conservation genetics, pollination studies, mycorrhizal ecology and ex situ and in situ conservation in a multidisciplinary approach for science-driven conservation actions.

Collaborative projects began pushing scientific boundaries in pollinator attraction through studies of floral evolution and chemistry by Ryan Phillips, Myles Menz and Alyssa Weinstein and a partnership with the Australian National University. Compounds new to science were discovered and the existence of cryptic orchid and pollinator species were unravelled.

Moving underground, research by Belinda Davis and Wei-Han Lim used radioactive tracers to understand how orchids acquired their nutrition from the soil via fungal partners. Adult plants were also found to ‘nurse’ their offspring through shared fungal networks.

The evocative Queen of Sheba, Thelymitra variegata, eluded effective propagation for close to a decade until a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria provided renewed efforts to decode the Queen’s secrets.

Laboratory-grown Queen of Sheba, Thelymitra variegata. Photo: Dave Blumer

Building on those initial propagation protocols developed at the beginning of the Orchid Conservation Program, an improved nutrient mix was found.

The incremental knowledge gains of each species has finally led to a winning propagation protocol. A protocol that can now be optimised for other challenging species.

Many brilliant minds have contributed to the Orchid Conservation Program and left their mark to further our knowledge of orchid ecology.

The countless hours put in by our ‘Orchid Carers’ over the years has been integral to achieving its research and conservation successes.

Perhaps the greatest challenge now is the recovery of Bussell’s Spider Orchid Caladenia, busselliana. The hustle for Bussell’s has seen this species brought back from the brink of extinction. Where just four plants were left in the wild, there are now more than 2000 plants in the glasshouse of which 560 are soon to be translocated to the wild, the largest orchid translocation in Western Australian history.

Translocated Bussell’s Spider Orchids, Caladenia busselliana, flowering on site. Photo: Belinda Davis

Translocation of laboratory grown, critically endangered Caladenia busselliana to the field. Photo: Brian Trainer

Standing on the shoulders of giants, there are an impressive number of orchids for which Kings Park Science can offer effective conservation solutions, ensuring these jewels of the bush are there for future generations to enjoy.

The stats

7 species translocated

4 wild C. busselliana plants to 2000 propagated plants

270 species cryopreserved as seed

181 fungal species in cryopreservation

60 species in ex situ living collections

10 species of orchid available at Friends of Kings Park plant sales

8 Friends of Kings Park volunteers in the ‘Orchid Carers’ group

50+ people involved