Many Jambi orchid species on the verge of extinction
Jon Afrizal, Jambi
Large-scale forest destruction in Jambi province has left various species of orchid on the verge of extinction, with little or no effort being made by government to save them.
According to Meiti SP, the head of the cultivation system laboratory and director of the Sri Sudewi Orchid Park in Jambi, there were an estimated 500 orchid species flourishing in Jambi up to the 1970s, but at this time there are only about 80 species left.
She said that illegal logging was mostly to blame for the deforestation that had led to the extinction of the orchid species. Orchids depend on forest trees for their survival.
"We couldn't do much to save them. The question is, are there any natural habitats where the various species can grow? With the state of our forests now, we can be sure that many species will become extinct before they are even discovered," she told The Jakarta Post recently.
She said that between 70 percent and 80 percent of the rare species could be found in highland forests, such as those in the Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Duabelas National Park.
The remainder were to be found in lowland forests, such as those in the Berbak National Park, and other low-lying forests in Muarojambi regency.
Many species found in the Kerinci Seblat National Park are of the bulbophyllum species, including bulbophyllum biflorum and bulbophyllum lepidum.
These species usually grow at an elevation of between 400 meters and 1,100 meters above sea level. Some of them bloom throughout the year for between one and ten days, while others bloom between two and four times a year for periods ranging between seven and ten days.
The most common species found in lowland forests are bromheadeea finlaysoniana, coelogyne incrassata, coeloggyne rochussenii, cymbidium artropurpureum and cymbidium finlaysonianum.
They grow at altitudes of between 30 meters and 50 meters above sea level, with their flowers blooming twice a year for a duration of one week. However, there are also species that bloom the whole year through for periods of up to one week.
Some of the species that thrive in low-lying forests below an altitude of 30 meters above sea level are dendrobium mutabile, grammatophylium speciosum and schoenorchis yuncifolia. They usually bloom throughout the year for between two and five days.
The grammatophylium speciosum species, called the tiger orchid by locals, is the most prized orchid as it only blooms once a year. Its flowers can remain in bloom for up to three months. It was first discovered in the Gelam river area in Muarojambi regency in 1979. Each clump consists of two to three stalks of up to two meters in length bearing between 50 and 75 flowers.
The orchid park has been collaborating with the Bogor National Biology Agency (LBN) which describes and names newly discovered species. Besides that, they jointly conduct expeditions. Unfortunately, no expedition is planned for this year due to a lack of funds. A seven to 10-day expedition in a national park can cost Rp 10 million (US$1,200), with the risk of not finding any new specimens always being present.
But, at least, efforts are currently being made to breed species using what is termed the "network cultivation system". Each newly discovered species is propagated in sterile vacuum flasks (in vitro).
The process involves what is called "acclimatization breeding", that is, encouraging the plant to adapt to its normal habitat by using the medium of gelatin and various chemical mixtures, including kinesis hormones.
After buds have sprouted, the plant is placed in coconut husks, charcoal or fern mediums. The breeding process lasts for between two and three years. "Thus far, the rare species that have been successfully cultivated have yet be marketed commercially, even though they can fetch up to Rp 1 million a stem. There are worries that if they're sold, people will start profiting from them in their own interests, whereas what we want to do is to preserve them," she said.