From 1843, when the first collections were made, until 1987, when
an amateur botanist discovered the only known Iowa site for spring
ladies tresses, thirty-two species of orchids have been recorded in
Iowa. The state's wild orchids range in size from the
three-inch-tall delicately blossomed nodding pogonia of the eastern
woodlands to the three-foot-tall floral spike of the western
prairie fringed orchid and in color from whites and pale pastels to
buttery yellows and passionate pinks. Flower shapes run the gamut,
too, from the tight-lipped parsimony of the fall coral-root to the
cheerful roundness of the yellow lady's-slipper. Along with superb
color photographs of all thirty-two species, this latest addition
to ""Iowa's"" series of laminated guides includes common and
scientific names, habitat (prairie, woodland, wetland) and
distribution, height, approximate time of blooming, status, and
potential for hybridization. Bill Witt devotes a separate panel to
species missing and presumed extirpated; photos of orchids from
nearby states illustrate these lost species. Because orchids have
highly specific requirements for germination, growth, and
reproduction, the conversion of natural lands for agricultural
development has resulted in such loss of habitat that all but a
handful of orchid species are now considered threatened or
endangered; two orchid species are now known to live in just one
site each; and three species have likely been wiped out. ""Orchids
in Your Pocket"" is a welcome reminder of the beauty and fragility
of these native species and their prairie, woodland, and wetland
homes. Longtime freelance photojournalist and former state
representative, Bill Witt is the intellectual property officer and
technology transfer coordinator for the University of Northern
Iowa. His photographs and essays, almost all focusing on the plants
and animals of the Midwest, have been published in such diverse
journals as the ""Iowan"", ""Iowa History Illustrated"",
""Sierra"", ""Nature Conservancy"", and the ""Sun"". He has studied
Iowa's native orchids for over twenty years.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(2)
