Orchids Welcome to my Orchid garden. In recognition of Earth Day 1998, I have written this special article about the possible permanent loss of uncountable unique orchid species. Ironically, it is through the attempts to save orchids in their natural habitats that could spell their doom when that environment is lost in the name of progress. The family Orchidaceae is the largest group of flowering plants known to modern science. It consists of over 25,000 unique species.
Orchids are the most fascinating plants in the world.
The blooms may be nearly any color and shape imaginable. Through the efforts of environmentalists worldwide, there are now many creatures and plants that are protected from extinction - insects, fish, mammals, birds, and yes, even orchids are on the list. In the past 200 years, scientists and orchid enthusiasts have explored every nook and cranny of our world from mountainous forests to the tropical jungles in the search for new species of these wondrous plants. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm and demand for orchids resulted in the natural habitats being stripped of every orchid causing many to become either extinct or rare. Many orchid people thought that the only way to get most of the rare species was through jungle collecting.