Papua to be in orchid show

JAYAPURA, Papua: Papua will represent Indonesia in the world orchid exhibition for the second consecutive time, in 2005 in Paris, an activist said on Wednesday.

Secretary of the Indonesian Orchid Association (PAI) in Papua, Kheissye Manuputty, said the country's easternmost province was granted the honor after winning plaudits at the recent contest in Kuala Lumpur.

During the exhibition, which took place late in March, a Papuan original orchid of the rare Dendrobium genus was awarded two gold medals, four silvers and two bronzes.

The success prompted the World Orchid Society to ask Papua to participate in the upcoming event, which was approved by PAI.

The Papuan branch of PAI plans to display some 500 orchids from about 100 species, Kheissye said. -- Antara