Here I go again! - Orchid Board

footTRAX · #1 10-03-2010, 12:15 AM

I was hiking today and found these orchids in bloom. They are on a huge oak tree and are located in Martin County. They are about a mile down the trail and the tree is hanging over the water. I took out my good camera and realized I left my camera battery at home. I always carry two cameras with me, so I was able to take some picture. The orchids were 10 foot over the water, so I climbed out there just to take some basic pictures. I am going back tomorrow if anybody is interested in going. I don't know what they are called and never seen them this far North. Please help!

You can call me at 561-632-1819 if you want to go.Going early!

I will have better pictures tomorrow.

ronaldhanko · #2 10-03-2010, 01:16 AM

Polystachya concreta I believe.

prem · #3 10-03-2010, 02:46 AM

yes, indeed...nice to find them in Martin County!

There are historic records for this county for this species, but I would've suspected that recent freezes (last year's included) might have done these in.

Interestingly enough, I had one of these as a cultivated plant (purchased from Troy Meyers)...it was the first orchid done in by last year's freeze at my house...other orchids, including vandas, were covered in plastic, and survived...but not the little Poly concreta!

---Prem

prem · #4 10-03-2010, 02:49 AM

Here's a link with a distribution map for this species:

Polystachya concreta - Species Page - ISB: Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

footTRAX · #5 10-03-2010, 04:22 PM

I went back today and took some better pictures. Enjoy!

footTRAX · #6 10-03-2010, 04:24 PM

flhiker · #7 10-03-2010, 08:49 PM

Justin Parkkonen · #8 10-04-2010, 11:53 AM

Nice find! I've found these in Martin County once before, back in 2004. Wish I could have joined you on this trip! Let me know when you are going next, I'm ready when you are.

Tindomul · #9 10-04-2010, 03:16 PM

Wow! Nice find! How did you spot that?
I really suspect that these plants survived the freeze for two reasons,
A) most tropicals have the ability to survive 2-3 hours of temps at 0 or just above (centigrade) and
B) Since the freeze occured in Florida last year, people who have found survivors and posted them here on Orchid Board always find them directly over water. The large bodies of water (the swamp/everglades etc) really act as a temp buffer. Whatever freezing happened here was probably much milder than what you would have seen in your backyard.

footTRAX · #10 10-05-2010, 08:20 AM

Justin, it was nice to talk to you on the phone yesterday. Let me know when you are free this week. I also would like to check out a section in J.D.S.P. that looks promising.