Australians Can Join a National Orchid Research Effort
Citizen scientists can contribute a lot to orchid research. Australians can help by finding wild orchids and taking photos. First, choose an area to explore by checking the Atlas of Living Australia. Next, go into the wild, and be observant and curious. Take photos, not plants. Then, upload the pictures to iNaturalist Australia or Wild Orchid Watch. To help limit illegal plant poaching, it’s best to remove location metadata before posting online. Experts will verify the plant identity. Researchers and conservationists can use the records for their work.
Aussie orchids can be found all around coastal and inland areas, and there are even some desert species. Like much of its native wildlife, Australian orchids are fascinating and often bizarre. From Sun Orchids, Rock Orchids, and Donkey Orchids, to Greenhoods and Flying Duck Orchids, there are varieties which are showy, and others which don’t even look like flowers. Scientists hope to sequence DNA from every Australian native orchid species to understand and conserve them better.
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