The Orchid Society of Bangladesh recently hosted its annual two-day exhibition. The species on display at the show were Vandopsis, Ascocentrum Miniatum, Doritis, Onicidium, and different types of Vanda, Dendrobium and Ascocenda. "a lot of local orchids grow in the wild in Syhlet and the Chittagong Hill Tracks, but unfortunately not much is being done towards their preservation. We used to hold two shows a year, one for locals and one for hybrids, but we had to discontinue the event for locals as it is extremely difficult to gather enough for a show," lamented Naseem Iqbal, co-founder of the society along with her husband, Major Iqbal Ali (retired). The society began operations in May 1989 at the suggestion of the then head of Botany at Dhaka university Ahmed Shamsul Islam.

Vandopsis

There are other complaints too. "Ascocentrum Miniatum, which originated in Bangladesh, is no longer found here and had to be procured from Thailand," says Tasneem, a member of the society. Orchids belong to one of the largest groups of the plant families called Orchidaceae, and is the highest evolved with the most complicated flower structure among the Monocotyledons. There are over 15,000 different species found globally, even in adverse climates. New Guinea has more native orchids than other locations. A majority are epiphytes, growing on trees, while some terrestrial varieties grow on forest floors or the open ground. A few grow in water as semi-aquatics and two rare genera of Australian origin are subterranean, the tiny flower head reaching the soil surface at the most.