Botanists from Kew Gardens risked their lives in Cambodian jungles littered with unexploded mines to bring back an orchid never before recorded by science.
Researchers had no idea that the orchid, one of 200 plants collected in a former stronghold of the Kymer Rouge, was a new species until it flowered months later in a Kew hothouse. It boasts a pink marble-size flower which was spotted as staff prepared for the annual Alluring Orchids festival ...
That is rather cool. At least now, others will be able to enjoy the orchids, before they are gone (the cutting down of the forest and the traffic can often harm native orchids).
Oh this is really interesting, can you imagine the orchids not discovered?! What a dangerous region to search in. This research just fascinates me. Thank you for sharing!
There's a french(russian)/cambodian team that makes explorations for more than 12 years and they have more than one unknown orchid on the publishing time table…
Last edited by lepetitmartien; 02-16-2015 at 07:15 PM..