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Folsom: A CASE FOR EVOLUTION Casual observation can often notice differences in related species. Spiranthes cernua—a compilospecies—show gene flow or influence, from the basic diploid species that are found within its range. In the Northeast, Spiranthes cernua shows a marked influence of S. ochroleuca and in the Midwest of S. magnicamporum. Spiranthes diluvialis, an allotetraploid species derived from S. magnicamporum and S. romanzoffiana has evolved into a solid, wide-ranging species that although still rare, often occurs now where neither ancestral parent may be found (Sheviak, 1984). Lastly, alien species have arrived whether having been borne in on storm winds or hitchhiking a ride in cargo from far off lands or brought to our shores as a garden plant. An example in Florida is Zeuxine, the lawn orchid, our only annual orchid, and has seeded in all over the place but does not drive out native species. Zeuxine has been documented to have arrived in lawn seed from the Far East in the 1920s. Another example would be Oeceoclades maculata, the African spotted orchid with its beautiful mottled leaves. This species started to appear about 25 years ago and has now insinuated itself through central and southern Florida. It is S. diluvialis assumed it first arrived as wind-borne seed from Africa and has also colonized several islands in the Caribbean. Further north Epipactis helleborine, the broad-leaved helleborine, has been known in North America for more than a century after it was first seen near Syracuse, New York. It is now found throughout most of temperate North America and shows a decided fondness for 48
Folsom: A CASE FOR EVOLUTION calcareous habitats and even in the cracks of the sidewalks in Boston! Dactylorhiza found in Ontario and Newfoundland present another problem in that although the species are European in their primary distribution. Their arrival in northern North America has not been documented and as they are in similar habitats as in northern Europe their alien status is unsure. Orchids are still evolving and meeting the conditions of their environment. There are orchids that have adapted to mowing and consistently bloom on spikes that stay below the mowers blades. Orchids have seeded into human areas where they can find the right conditions such as the lime leaching from cement sidewalks and roadways. They are traveling on hurricanes, in cargoes from other countries, along railways and roadways as they seed into new places. Whatever the process, however, North American orchids have proven they are survivors and will hopefully be around for many more millennia to come. The prospect invites conjecture as to what new and exciting forms will evolve in the future. Literature Cited: Catling, P. M. 1980. Rain-assisted autogamy in Liparis loeselii (L.) L. C. Rich. (Orchidaceae). Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club107:525-529. Darwin, C. 1859. On the origin of species by means of natural selection. London. John Murray. [1st edn]. -------. 1862. On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects. London. John Murray. Hammer, R. 1996. A Week in the Fakahatchee. Orchids. 65(3): 252-261. Sheviak, C. J. 1982. Biosystematic study of the Spiranthes cernua complex. Bull. New York State Mus. Sci. Serv. 448. ------. 1984. Spiranthes diluvialis (Orchidaceae), a new species from the western United States. Brittonia 36: 8–14. ------. 1991. Morphological variation in the compilospecies Spiranthes cernua (L.) L.C. Rich.: Ecologically-limited effects of gene flow. Lindleyana 6: 228–234. Stan Folsom, 10896 SW 90 th Terrace, Ocala, FL 34481. Stan has written numerous articles for the NANOJ and is a fine artist whose work is found in the series of orchid field guides co-authored with Paul Martin Brown. 49
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