New discovery of a Phragmipedium besseae population from Peru.

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treefrog

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Matoury - FRENCH GUIANA - FRANCE
Phragmipedium besseae was originally discovered in 1981 near the town of Tarapoto in Peru (San Martin Department) on a moss-covered wall in the Cordillera Escalera. This population is now ‘nearly’ extinct. Just after the description, poachers collected every single plant in less than a week, and then went for the seedlings during the following months……..in the time of a few weeks, this population was extinct and not a single other plant was encountered for the last 42 years in Peru. At least one of the collectors (whom had a bit of conscience) relocated 2 plants along another cliff just nearby, on the side of the Ahuashiyacu waterfall. Now this artificial population (in 42 years) has grown to just 12 plants we can observe with binoculars.

I’ve been travelling the Peruvian Cordilleras Esclera, the Alto Mayo and the Cordillera del Colan (all parts of the Cordillera Oriental) for more than 16 years now, going into the most remote places, entering from both the East-side and the West, many multi-day expeditions, climbing the accidented landscape, walking along cliffs on mud paths, following streams, torrents and waterfalls…….During all this time, I’ve never seen a single Phragmipedium besseae (and I have Super Sayan eyes and lots of experience to detect orchids) and this even if I was in, what appears to be, perfect habitats for this species. To my knowledge, Phragmipedium besseae from Peru might be the rarest and most endangered Phragmipedium species.

About a year ago, hundreds of wild collected besseae appeared in the greenhouse of some well-known orchids vendor in Northern Peru. During the last year, I was able to track back this poaching ring to finally locate the habitat these plants were collected from.

We set up an expedition to this remote location, located about 250 km North East of the initial Tarapoto locality. We left from Tarapoto for a 14h drive to reach the closest human settlement, and from there another 8h of walks. The hike was complicated, tiring and, of course, extremely dangerous since we had to walk on a very steep slope, just above violent rapid waters, and many times crossing the rapid waters when our route was cut by the canyon. No need to say that no trail was available.

We finally reached a very beautiful waterfall and on the right side was the besseae population, at least what was left of it. We saw 4 flowers + 5 additional plants on that cliff that the poacher did not succeed in reaching since they were too high. According the number of plants, I saw at the poachers house and according to the collector’s story, about a 1000 plants were extracted, with a good proportion being sold and smuggled to Ecuadorian orchids nursery. As a side notes, these plants were collected by campedinos and purchased by orchids vendors for 150 soles and re-sold between 250 and 300 soles (4 soles = 1 USD/EUR)…..so this is quite lucrative for a campesino to poach (given a daily salary is around 20-40 soles). I’ve spoken to the orchid vendor (the head of the poaching ring) who ordered the Phrag from the campesinos, and all he wants is to make the maximum of money and to make sure the habitat was emptied so that he has exclusivity. While this is abominable, a good surprise (for us) was to realize these Phragmipedium were also growing as epiphytes on moss-covered trees around the waterfall! The poachers, most likely, focused on the rock wall, must have overlooked the trees, and we could find a few plants of this new Phragipedium locality at eye level!

I’m not really good with description so I’ll just leave you with some pictures (in this post) and videos (in the next post) so that you can have a good idea. The habitat is located at 1700m of elevation (this is about 1000m higher than the Tarapoto population).

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Here are some videos so you can appreciate the habitat
in your video, the besseae looks even more beautiful in its nature habitat than in any greenhouse. Too bad had the locals protect the site and charge tourists for guide/trip /food/lodging they would generate a source of income indefinitely into the future , instead one time money, then no more .
The part that I don't understand in the post is that you mention the campesino earned 150 sole then the orchid vendors resale for 250 to 300 sole . equivalent to 37 Euro , resale for 75 Euro.
-75 Euro for 1,000 plants was 0.075 Euro per plant, why would the orchid vendors selling them so cheap ?
-on the other hand , if 75 Euro for one plant , then it is too expensive , nobody would want them .
Anyway, I love your video with the besseae on the branch
 
-75 Euro for 1,000 plants was 0.075 Euro per plant, why would the orchid vendors selling them so cheap ?
-on the other hand , if 75 Euro for one plant , then it is too expensive , nobody would want them .

Yes, they are sold for 75 euro for one plant. Yet, many 'rich' collectors are wiling to pay this price in Peru. The Peruvian besseae is a legend here. Moreover, many are purchase by nurseries (mostly in Euador), as a breeding stock, to multiply them in-vitro. In comparison, the Ecuadorian besseae are sold for 120 soles, and kovachii for 30 soles now.
 
Phragmipedium besseae was originally discovered in 1981 near the town of Tarapoto in Peru (San Martin Department) on a moss-covered wall in the Cordillera Escalera. This population is now ‘nearly’ extinct. Just after the description, poachers collected every single plant in less than a week, and then went for the seedlings during the following months……..in the time of a few weeks, this population was extinct and not a single other plant was encountered for the last 42 years in Peru. At least one of the collectors (whom had a bit of conscience) relocated 2 plants along another cliff just nearby, on the side of the Ahuashiyacu waterfall. Now this artificial population (in 42 years) has grown to just 12 plants we can observe with binoculars.

I’ve been travelling the Peruvian Cordilleras Esclera, the Alto Mayo and the Cordillera del Colan (all parts of the Cordillera Oriental) for more than 16 years now, going into the most remote places, entering from both the East-side and the West, many multi-day expeditions, climbing the accidented landscape, walking along cliffs on mud paths, following streams, torrents and waterfalls…….During all this time, I’ve never seen a single Phragmipedium besseae (and I have Super Sayan eyes and lots of experience to detect orchids) and this even if I was in, what appears to be, perfect habitats for this species. To my knowledge, Phragmipedium besseae from Peru might be the rarest and most endangered Phragmipedium species.

About a year ago, hundreds of wild collected besseae appeared in the greenhouse of some well-known orchids vendor in Northern Peru. During the last year, I was able to track back this poaching ring to finally locate the habitat these plants were collected from.

We set up an expedition to this remote location, located about 250 km North East of the initial Tarapoto locality. We left from Tarapoto for a 14h drive to reach the closest human settlement, and from there another 8h of walks. The hike was complicated, tiring and, of course, extremely dangerous since we had to walk on a very steep slope, just above violent rapid waters, and many times crossing the rapid waters when our route was cut by the canyon. No need to say that no trail was available.

We finally reached a very beautiful waterfall and on the right side was the besseae population, at least what was left of it. We saw 4 flowers + 5 additional plants on that cliff that the poacher did not succeed in reaching since they were too high. According the number of plants, I saw at the poachers house and according to the collector’s story, about a 1000 plants were extracted, with a good proportion being sold and smuggled to Ecuadorian orchids nursery. As a side notes, these plants were collected by campedinos and purchased by orchids vendors for 150 soles and re-sold between 250 and 300 soles (4 soles = 1 USD/EUR)…..so this is quite lucrative for a campesino to poach (given a daily salary is around 20-40 soles). I’ve spoken to the orchid vendor (the head of the poaching ring) who ordered the Phrag from the campesinos, and all he wants is to make the maximum of money and to make sure the habitat was emptied so that he has exclusivity. While this is abominable, a good surprise (for us) was to realize these Phragmipedium were also growing as epiphytes on moss-covered trees around the waterfall! The poachers, most likely, focused on the rock wall, must have overlooked the trees, and we could find a few plants of this new Phragipedium locality at eye level!

I’m not really good with description so I’ll just leave you with some pictures (in this post) and videos (in the next post) so that you can have a good idea. The habitat is located at 1700m of elevation (this is about 1000m higher than the Tarapoto population).

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Thank you for posting these beautiful photos. However, it is not new that Phrag. besseae still exists in Peru. I found several populations in 2015 and 2017 not far from this location. I published photos in the 2020 year end Phragmipedium issue of the Orchid Digest, along with a discussion as to why this species was first encountered on the side of the road south of Tarapoto. There are other populations of besseae throughout the area north of where you took these photos and east of Zamora Chinchipe, Ecuador. As roads expand more popualations will be found. Besseae is by no means isolated.

One of the people who first encountered this population attempted to have the plants described as a new species, based in part on the erroneous supposition that besseae was extinct in Peru, which clearly is not, and never was. Thank goodness there was not another species description in this genus of an already existing species.

All the best,
 
I found several populations in 2015 and 2017 not far from this location.
This is fantastic Frank! I didn't knew about your discoveries! I really should have investigated the recent literature on the topic. We should discuss because I'm planning other expeditions on the coming years and your valuable experience would be precious!

You never happened upon any Cattleya rex in your travels, have you? I dream of seeing it in the wild.
Yes, I do occasionally find Cattleya rex. Some populations of this species occur in the mountains between the town of Tarapoto and Moyobamba. This is another species that has been severely poached and encountering plants in the wild often involve very long hike. I might do a post about this species someday ....maybe not in a slipper forum. A lot of variation is found within this species with some individuals having massive flower size! Would be interesting to start a selection program on these since the availability of stud plant is wide with all the orchids collectors around.

Cheers,
Math
 
This article was so fascinating/ informative. Orchids are beautiful things that make people go nuts: I'm still on the line between sane and crazy myself ;). Sure I would love one of these plants, just like anyone on this site, however where I draw the line is wild collected/ unethicaly sorced plants. When you get one of these plants you may have a rare and beautiful specimen, however you are taking the opportunity from countless generations to see this in the wild. We can attack the collectors and poachers all we want, however the only thing we can do is say no to buying these plants. We could set up traps search party's and spend millions protecting these awsome plants [if anyone has a couple of millions to set up a nonprofit please get in contact;)]. All these efforts would only make the poachers get better at hiding their trade. Another topic to bring up with this is global warming. In Montana we are starting to plant things from Colorado so they can survive better. I'm not sure how these plants are being affected but im sure the same thing will happen one way or another. These plants grow slowly and only in a few spots I assume. In turn they will not be able to acclimate. I know I may get a lot of hate for saying this, take it with a grain of salt, but the poachers are almost doing a lesser evil that may save this species. If the habitat is destroyed then no one will get these plants and they will become legends in the history books. However if a select few have them then the plant can live on until new habitats are located or they get so widely distributed that they can be reintroduce into their habitats without the risk of being dug up. Sure if we lived in a perfect world they would only collect seeds but people want blooming size plants now. It is something we have to live with in the darkest parts of our mind. I am no expert but this is how I see it. I am 110% against wild collected plants but if it comes down to it and the world's climate does not settle down then I would rather see losses and still have some out their rather than having them all die off. There may be flaws in my argument, so please share your thoughts on things I may have gotten wrong. Again I am no expert so please keep your arguments civil so I can learn and get a better understanding of the situation.
 
Yay besseae. I have been invited to Ecuador and Peru many times. I hope my knees don't give out before I make it. :( Thanks for sharing. I hope someone there is smart enough to spread seed back into the natural home of this species.
 

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