I'm looking for comprehensive books on the orchids of the New World

[kentuckiense]

As some of you may know, I collect regional orchid floras. One thing I have noticed is that the old world is FAR better covered. For example, I have numerous books covering Europe, Russia, China, and various southeast Asian countries and island nations. Hell, even Bhutan has a massive tome dedicated to it.

With the exception of the United States, Canada, and the Antilles, the new world is extremely poorly characterized. I cannot find any comprehensive treatments of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, etc. Some of the treatments that are available are either impossible to find, prohibitively expensive, or both (The Orchids of Costa Rica and Orchids of Ecuador sets come to mind). Does anyone have any suggestions for books that I have overlooked?

Also, does anyone have Eric Hagsater's book on the orchids of Mexico? It looks like it is the most comprehensive one available for that country.

 

[etex]

I have Leon Wiard's "An Introduction To The Orchids of Mexico". It's an interesting book. That and my "Wild Orchids of Texas" are my only New World orchid flora books.
I agree that the Old World seems better covered. I have a book on African orchids, and a few on Borneo and on Madagascar.
Hope you find what you are looking for!!

 

[Shadow]

I have first volume of Vanishing Beauty. Native Costa Rican Orchids. Beautiful photography, but I can't say that info is comprehensive, just an info on the genuses. So, it's rather a very good photo album than a reference book.

Also, I have Native Ecuadorian orchids, which is also have more photos than info. But there are photos of the species that I couldn't find in the Internet.

 

[Leo Schordje]

Bennett and Christianson were working on a Flora of Peru, I believe they were into the 4th or 5th volume when Bennett passed away. Thesaurus Masdevallia is another tome, I have a complete copy for sale, but it is quite pricey. Luer continued the Masdevallia series under a different title, check the Missouri Bot Garden library.
http://www.mobot.org/mobot/archives/default.asp
http://www.illustratedgarden.org/mobot/rarebooks/

There are so many species of New World orchids asking for a single reference is really unrealistic, it would have to cover in the range of 20,000 species give or take a few thousand. Not a task for mere mortals.

Luer, Christiansen, Bennet, Hirt, Dodson, Dalstrom, Atwood, and dozens of others have books that tackle some part of this task.

I really would start at the MoBotGarden Library, also Selby and for that matter Harvard and Cornell libraries to get a sense of what has been written, then maybe narrow it down to a 'practical' list.

 

[kentuckiense]

Thanks to everyone for the comments and links. I should clarify that I'm not looking for one comprehensive work for the new world. I'm mainly interested in regional works that are well done and have some pictures. It seems there is a dearth of those for most new world countries. In terms of the USA, I have all the seminal works (Correll, Case, Luer) as well as many smaller-scale works (ie Brown, Coleman, Bentley). It's looking like Hagsater will be my best bet for Mexico. I was just hoping there were some books from the 1970s or 1980s that I was overlooking.

 

[lienluu]

I can't seem to find it online right now and i don't have the book here, but there's a great book entitled Orchids of Brazil. It's a japanese book, with english translations on one side... Francisco Miranda authored one of the chapters.

 

[JeanLux]

One of the first great brazilian Orchid sites I came across years ago!!!! Jean

http://www.delfinadearaujo.com/page2.htm

 

[nikv]

I know there is also a Native Orchids of Columbia, although I don't happen to have a copy and I think it's now only available on the secondary (used) market.

 

[JeanLux]

I know there is also a Native Orchids of Columbia, although I don't happen to have a copy and I think it's now only available on the secondary (used) market.

Native Colombian Orchids, 4 volumes, Colombian Orchid Society, coord. Rodrigo Escobar R.

really lots of excellent pics in these books!!!! Jean

 

[Leo Schordje]

Don't forget G.K.C Dunsterville's multipart series The Orchids of Venezuela.

 

[kentuckiense]

Thanks for all the leads! There are certainly more works on the neotropics than I suspected. Unfortunately, most are pretty pricey. However, it's good to know they are out there.

 

[Shadow]

Native Colombian Orchids, 4 volumes, Colombian Orchid Society, coord. Rodrigo Escobar R.

really lots of excellent pics in these books!!!! Jean

+ 2 additional volumes, 6 in total.

 

[kentuckiense]

+ 2 additional volumes, 6 in total.

They do look excellent, but the only place I found them listed them at >$200 each.

 

[JeanLux]

too bad!!! They do not seem to be available as new book anymore !! (would need 5 and 6 to be complete) Jean

 

[Shadow]

Yes, it is hard to find... Price depends on how lucky you are, as they are all "used" now. I have 4 and 6. Still looking for 1,2,3,5...

 

[slippertalker]

There is also "Orchids of Guatemala" which is a two volume classic....

 

[kentuckiense]

There is also "Orchids of Guatemala" which is a two volume classic....

Is that Orchids of Guatemala and Belize by Ames and Correll? If so, I've got that one. It is, indeed, a classic.