Mexipedium xerophyticum possibly extinct in the wild?

[Tom499]

I have been hearing rumours that the last patch of Mexipedium xerophyticum has been lost to a forest fire, and as of yet, has not been found elsewhere.

I was wondering if anyone here knew more.

 

[Rick]

Interesting rumors. Can you elaborate?

I thought there was more than one population.

One was in a limestone sink hole that stayed damp. That was from a link attached to an old ST thread a year or so ago.

But maybe all the sites were stripped and the last one burned??

 

[gonewild]

I seem to remember that most of the plants were burned but there was at least one that was not. Not completely extinct...yet.

 

[John Boy]

I guess the species is safe, we've got loads of material growing happyly in our collections. But: not much point to restock the wild population, as long as these plants would be up on Ebay a week later.

 

[goods]

Has this species been propagated by seed? I thought I remember reading there was trouble getting these flasked, but that was a while ago. If this is still the case and with very few different clones around, the lack is genetic variability in cultivation is somewhat scary.

 

[cnycharles]

everything may be only from two clones at most; seedlings have been made though don't know how often; paper I read from and about the site had mentioned a while ago that there had been one spot 'on the ground' that was of moderate size, and then more were found on ravine banks where water was seeping down through. I don't have any info though for if any had been burned or if anything was left if so... I hope there are some left! .. and they had been guarding the knowledge of the location though we all know how that goes

what's really interesting is that this very different orchid is growing in this spot all by itself (it hasn't been found anywhere else), and that if there has been one forest fire there likely have been many, and the orchid is still there (hopefully). it makes you think about how many other unusual orchids there are in remote places just hanging on... that are very unusual compared to others

 

[mrhappyrotter]

I've read similar stories about a fire wiping out most or all of the known population of these guys -- probably read it on a thread here.

I'd like to try growing one of these guys some day. I've seen them in bloom, they're really cool and extremely interesting but certainly not the most striking of orchids.

I saw some miserable plants early on when they first started to appear on the market in North America. At that time, people were growing them like succulents (as the name suggested). It's amazing any survived. Now I think everybody grows them more like a paph, and the ones I see are healthier these days.

If they are extinct in the wild, we surely found them at just the right time, so there's hope they may some day be re-introduced. But I suspect they aren't entirely extinct. There may very well be other populations we haven't discovered yet, and it's possible even at the known location that they could recover.

 

[NYEric]

Scary thoughts.

 

[Tom499]

I've struggled to get more information, hopefully because those who know want to keep it secret and safe.


Would be a real shame to lose it.

 

[keithrs]

I remember someone on the forums saying the forest fire in Oaxaca that damaged the wild collection of mexi's was back in 09 and that there are still a few plants left. Whether that's true.. IDK!

 

[Dido]

was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time

Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants

 

[keithrs]

was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time

Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants

As far as I know all of whats out there are from the two site collected. I have scene flasks for sale also. Troy Meyers had 20 some odd plant in flask.

 

[Rick]

was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time

Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants

I thought there were at least 2 unrelated lines originating from just a handful of collected plants.

I haven't tried to self mine, since the plant is so vigorous with vegetative division, and keeping my eyes open for unrelated pollen. But I doubt this species would be difficult to breed except for the small size of the flower.

 

[goods]

According to this thread, it seems that it has been selfed before.

 

[silence882]

According to an article by Eduardo Perez-Garcia in the journal Lankesteriana, published in 2010, the species is known from a single limestone outcropping in Oaxaca, Mexico. At least 2 examples that were growing independently were collected when first discovered and persist in cultivation. No genetic studies have been done to determine if the plants are genetically different or the same. The genetic study would need to be done to confirm they are different clones since these plants propagate vegetatively so prolifically. The article also states that there was a wildfire in 1998 that did significant damage to the area in which the limestone outcropping is located. However, he states that he managed to find examples of the species when he visited in 2009.

Unfortunately (for me), the article is in Spanish, so I had to use google translate to read it. I am sure I am missing some of the important points because the translation isn't great. If anyone would like a copy of the original article, shoot me a PM and I will e-mail it to you.

--Stephen

 

[keithrs]

Thank you for the correction silence!

Mexi article

 

[Tom499]

The IUCN site should be updated in the next month or so..

Mexipedium xerophyticum is extinct in the wild.

 

[cnycharles]

collected or burned?

 

[Tom499]

Apparently another forest fire got the last known area.

 

[NYEric]

Ugh!