A Different Way To Protect The Ghost Orchid

[Mechanica071]

Originally Posted by epiphyte78

WeirdGuySeattle,
Am I trying to save lindenii from extinction? What I'm trying to do is facilitate the adaptive radiation of Dendrophylax. What I want is more, rather than less, species of Dendrophylax. I want a million different species of Dendrophylax growing on trees from Florida to California and from Canada to Argentina.

Right now there are around 30,000 species of orchids. Did there always used to be 30,000 species? Of course not. At one point there was only 1 species. Nature decided that she wanted more orchid species. Nature always wants more species. So do I. I want each and every planet in the universe to have gazillions of different orchid species.

Nature and I both want the universe to have the maximum amount of life possible.

You need to take a step back and realize that you're not creating "species," but hybrids. I've seen no evidence of naturally occurring hybrids (read: new species) of Dendrophylax lindenii and funalis, thus it may be for a reason that they're not found in nature. It could be that the hybrids created are sterile, or that they're unattractive to pollination. Or it could be something entirely different that makes it unsuitable for wild growth. All I know is that if it was possible for it to become a new species, it would most likely have happened in Jamaica already and be accepted. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice it may not be meant to happen.