MNPS Program: Native orchids - Ecologically interesting and deserving of MNPS support for their conservation

Speaker: Dennis Whigham, Founding Director, North American Orchid Conservation Center, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 

Maryland has 50 native orchids, about 1/4th of the species occurring in the US and Canada.  Our native orchids are represented by species that range from being completely mycoheterotrophic to evergreen species.  They all have features in common that represent a challenge from a conservation perspective.  Native orchids cannot live without having appropriate mycorrhizal fungi in their environment at every stage in their life history.  The ecology of native orchids will be the focus of this presentation, but it will be given in the context of how citizen scientists can join the Smithsonian and it's partners across the continent to assure the survival of native orchids.  You can get ready for the presentation by becoming familiar with Maryland native orchids on the Go Orchids web site (http://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/)

Location: Kensington Park Library.

Directions: From the Washington Beltway (I-495)

Take Exit 33, Connecticut Avenue, north to the third signal after the Beltway. Turn left onto Knowles Avenue and go 2 1/2 blocks to the library on the right. 4201 Knowles Ave.

The meeting is open to non-members.

Registration is not required.