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Special Ecology Feature: Conservation and Reintroduction of Native Orchids in the City in A Garden
LEFT Grammatophyllum speciosum flowered at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. above Dendrobium crumenatum—the Pigeon Orchid.
above Spathoglottis plicata is one of our common native orchids.
Introduction
The Orchidaceae consists of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 species or residential areas. Forest and mangrove areas such as those at Choa
worldwide; more than 800 orchid species in 120 genera have been Chu Kang, Jurong, Ang Mo Kio, and Serangoon, where native orchids
recorded in Peninsula Malaysia (Seidenfaden and Wood 1992) and used to thrive, no longer exist. As a result, the native orchids are
orchids are one of the largest vascular plant families in the world and in seriously endangered.
Southeast Asia.
The latest conservation status of the country’s native orchids can be
Singapore is located in one of the centres of flora diversity in the found in the Singapore Red Data Book published in 2008 (Davison et
world with thousands of orchid species. It is situated just north of al. 2008). Some 226 species of native orchids have been recorded in
the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Consisting of Singapore. Of these, 178 are considered to be extinct, 40 are critically
the main island of Singapore and many smaller islands, its total land endangered, one is endangered (Bulbophyllum vaginatum), and two
area is about 700 square kilometres. The whole island consists of are vulnerable (Vanilla griffithii, Bulbophyllum trifolium). Only five of the
lowland, with the highest point at Bukit Timah only reaching a height native orchids in the Garden City are considered to be common. Four
of 165 metres. With a typical equatorial climate, it experiences uniform of them are terrestrial (Arundina gramminifolia, Bromheadia finlays-
temperatures and high humidity throughout the year. Average daily onianum, Eulophia graminea, Spathoglottis plicata), while the most
temperatures fluctuate between 25 and 32 degrees centigrade. Annual common of all is the epiphyte Dendrobium crumenatum, also known as
rainfall is about 2,300 millimetres, with the wettest months being from the Pigeon Orchid.
November to January. Although the country is an urban city, many
interesting natural habitats can be found. In the heart of the main In terms of habitat, orchids can be divided into two main groups—
island is a primary rainforest and freshwater swamp forest. In addition, epiphytes and terrestrials. Epiphytes grow on other plants for support.
some mangroves also remain. The other habitats consist of secondary The term is often used loosely to include plants that grow on rocks
forests, shrubs, grasslands, urban parks, and fields. and cliffs (the correct term for them should be lithophytes). Epiphytes
make up about 75 percent of the orchid species and are limited to
The biological and physical factors within each habitat have created tropical and subtropical regions (Dressler 1981, 88-92). In tropical
numerous ecological niches for many orchids to thrive. After being rainforests, the majority of the orchid species are epiphytes. Terres-
released from a mature seed capsule, the airborne orchid seeds eventu- trial orchids grow in various soils. They are fewer in number, comprising
ally settle down in a niche, such as on a tree trunk, on rock or on the only 25 percent of the total number of species in the family. However,
ground. Provided with the right physical (e.g., moisture and light) and they can be found not only in the tropical and subtropical regions but
biological (e.g., the right fungus to infect the seed) conditions, the seed in temperate zones as well.
will germinate and grow (Arditti 1992). Numerous ecological niches
combined with the right climate account for the large number of Orchid Conservation Programme in Singapore
orchid species found on the island of Singapore. Unfortunately, many The orchid conservation programme by the National Parks Board,
of the natural habitats and the native orchids which thrive there have Singapore (NParks) aims to monitor existing species, explore ways to
disappeared due to habitat destruction. A comparison of the habitats conserve their germplasm, and increase their numbers through their
on the island 150 years ago with those today showed that most of the subsequent reintroduction into appropriate habitats, including roadside
mangrove and marshy areas have been replaced by industrial estates trees, parks, and nature areas. Propagation of native species started in
144 ecology
Special Ecology Feature: Conservation and Reintroduction of Native Orchids in the City in A Garden
At Tiong Bahru Park, reintroduced Grammatophyllum speciosum on the left side of the picture and
Bulbophyllum vaginatum flowered on the right.
the mid 1990s, and seedlings were introduced in 1999. By 2009, NParks phyllum membranaceum, Cymbidium finlaysonianum, Cymbidium
succeeded in propagating and introducing five species of native bicolor subp. pubescens, and Thrixspermum amplexicaule (Yam 2008).
orchids, namely, Grammatophyllum speciosum, Bulbophyllum vagina-
tum, Bulbophyllum membranaceum, Cymbidium finlaysonianum, and Grammatophyllum speciosum
Cymbidium bicolour subp. pubescens (Yam 2008). From 2009 to 2012, In the late 1996, a Tiger Orchid in the Gardens flowered and was self-
Nparks plans to enlarge these reintroduction efforts by planting 5,500 pollinated. The huge fruit was harvested seven months later and
plants consisting of 12 species in many parts of the island. the seeds germinated one month after being sown on Knudson C
medium (Knudson 1946). After growing for 12 months in the laboratory,
The most effective way to conserve species is to propagate them seedlings were planted in the nursery.
through seeds by sexual reproduction. Cross-pollination is carried
out between two different clones of the same species, through which Since G. speciosum occurred naturally in Pulau Ubin, the first batch
genetic recombination would result in more variable and vigorous of seedlings was reintroduced there in July 1999 when they were 26
offspring. However, if only one plant is available, self-pollination has months old and about 15 to 20 centimetres tall with five to six leaves.
to be carried out, but this may not result in seed formation because They were affixed on Durio kutejensis (durian), Nephelium lappaceum
not all orchids are sexually self-compatible. Because orchid seeds are (rambutan), Mangifera indica (mango), Pterocarpus indicus (Angsana),
the smallest among all flowering plants and do not have food-storage Fagraea fragrans (Tembusu), and Samanea saman (rain trees).
cells, they require the presence of a fungus to supply them with nutri- Seedlings were also planted on trees in the Gardens, around the Visitor
ents. Most tropical seeds, especially the epiphytes, can be germinated Centre at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and in the Orchard Boule-
on a sterile nutrient medium (such as Knudson C) with the addition vard area in the heart of the city.
of sucrose (Arditti et al. 1982; Knudson 1946; Yam and Weatherhead
1988). Six to 12 months after germination, the seedlings are ready to be With experience from the initial trials, it was decided that seedlings
transplanted out of flasks. would be introduced to the Bukit Batok Nature Park in the beginning of
2001. This time, the seedlings were more mature, about 30 to 40 centi-
For epiphytes such as Bulbophyllum and Dendrobium, a handful of metres tall with 16 to 20 leaves. They had at least three shoots, a well-
seedlings are planted onto community pots, using small charcoal and established root system, and fleshy pseudobulbs. In February 2001,
brick chips as media. When the seedlings become established, five to these larger seedlings were planted on trees along Orchard Boule-
10 seedlings can be planted on a fern bark. In about one to two years’ vard and on the yellow rain trees surrounding the Bandstand in the
time, depending on the species, the seedlings are mature enough to Gardens. In April 2001, this species was introduced to a site adjacent
be planted on trees. For terrestrial orchids, seedlings are grown in to a mangrove area in Pulau Ubin, and in early May again to the Bukit
soil compositions of top soil (30%), sand (30%), compost (20%), and Timah Nature Reserve. About 40 seedlings were also planted on rain
charcoal chips (10%). They can be planted in soil one to two years after trees along Holland Road. In December 2002, some 40 seedlings were
deflasking. planted on trees at the Upper Pierce Reservoir. In 2004, approximately
20 plants were planted at various urban parks such as Sembawang
NParks has propagated many species and have successfully reintro- Park, Kent Ridge Park, and Tiong Bahru Park.
duced the following back to the natural areas in Singapore: Grammat-
ophyllum speciosum, the tiger orchid, Bulbophyllum vaginatum, Bulbo- The seedlings planted have been growing for five to 10 years at the
145
left to right Reintroduced Cymbidium bicolor subsp. pubescens fruited at Dairy Farm in March 2010; Reintroduced Thrixspermum amplexicaule establishing
nicely in Pulau Ubin; Thrixspermum amplexicaule growing well at Singapore Quarry six months after reintroduction; Reintroduced Bulbophyllum vaginatum
flowered at Tiong Bahru Park.
various locations. More than 80 percent are doing well. New shoots have best planted in partially shady area, with at least 50 percent shade, to
developed and the roots are firmly established on tree trunks. Unfortu- avoid being scorched. Some of the seedlings flowered in May 2009 and
nately, most seedlings planted in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve were March 2010. Some seed capsules were collected from plants planted
damaged or removed by animals, probably squirrels and monkeys. on a rain tree outside the Dairy Farm Visitor Centre in March 2010.
Knudson, L. 1946. “A new nutrient solution for the germination of orchid seed.”
Size of plants
American Orchid Society Bulletin 15: 214-217.
The size of seedlings is also an important factor in determining survival.
For example, Grammatophyllum speciosum seedlings with 16 to 20 Seidenfaden, Gunner, Jeffrey J. Wood, and Richard Eric Holttum. 1992. The
leaves (30 to 40 centimetres tall) tend to survive better than those Orchids of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Fredensborg, Denmark: Olsen &
with only five leaves (15 to 20 centimetres tall). For sympodial species Olsen.
such as Bulbophyllum vaginatum, it is better to plant larger plants with
at least 10 pseudobulbs. Yam, Tim Wing. 2008. “Conservation and re-introduction of the tiger orchid
and other native orchids of Singapore.” In Global Re-introduction Perspectives:
Re-introduction case-studies from around the globe, edited by Pritpal S. Soorae,
Time of planting
261-265. Abu Dhabi, UAE: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group.
The best time for planting is during the rainy season (from October to
December). Seedlings planted during this period establish themselves Yam, Tim Wing and M.A. Weatherhead. 1988. “Germination and seedling
quickly by producing new shoots and roots. Once the roots attach development of some Hong Kong orchids. I.” Lindleyana 3: 156-160.
themselves to the tree bark, they can absorb water and nutrients
directly from the environment.