Wonderful story of "The Lost Orchid"!!! On Mon, Sep 8, 2008 at 7:25 PM, Anand Kumar Bhatt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
> we should be clear about the objectives of this site. One should also > consider that this caters to professionals as well as amateurs like me who > have not got any academic training in Botany. The age group of the members > should also differ substantially. Any such decision on as suggested by you > has to be judged in the light of these . > Best wishes, > akbhatt > > On Mon, Sep 8, 2008 at 2:29 PM, Naveein O C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Dear Friends, >> >> Besides Trees I think it would be worthwhile to read about Botanists of >> the yesteryears also, >> This is a discussion thread from the Tamilbirds discussion group which I >> am sharing with you all, >> >> >> >> Regards >> >> Naveein >> >> --- On *Mon, 9/8/08, Theodore Baskaran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: >> >> From: Theodore Baskaran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: [Tamilbirds] Re: The lost orchid >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Date: Monday, September 8, 2008, 12:20 PM >> >> Henry Noltie has written an interesting article in the current GEO >> on the botanist Wight. The article also carries some rare botanical >> paintings. Quite a few plants have been names after Wight. Theodore >> Baskaran >> >> --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] ups.co.in <Tamilbirds%40yahoogroups.co.in>, >> "vsram2003" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] ..> >> wrote: >> > >> > This is an interesting article on a botanist of Southern India. I >> did >> > some internet search and found that one of the books (Reminiscences >> of >> > Life & Sport in Southern India (London: W.H. Allen & Co., 1890) by >> > Heber Drury is available for download at: >> > http://openlibrary. org/a/OL1171971A<http://openlibrary.org/a/OL1171971A> >> > Santharam >> > >> > ------------ --------- --------- --------- >> > Biodiversity >> > >> > Biodiversity >> > >> > The lost orchid >> > >> > S. THEODORE BASKARAN >> > >> > There has been renewed interest in the early botanists of British >> > India. The story of Heber Drury and the rare orchid named after him. >> > >> > >> > When I received an invitation for dinner with Botanical historian >> > Henry Noltie of the Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh, I was >> > enthusiastic. I have heard about his research, particularly the >> > three-volume work on Robert Wight who, in 1836, trekked around the >> > Palani ranges and documented the botanical wealth of the area. In >> > recent years, there has been a renewed curiosity in the early >> > botanists of British India and Noltie's work on the subject is >> > considered seminal. My own interest in meeting him was to learn >> about >> > a British botanist named Drury. Over dinner Henry talked about >> Drury. >> > >> > Heber Drury (1819-72) was a Colonel in the Madras Light Infantry >> > stationed in Travancore. He wrote the Handbook of Indian Flora (3 >> > volumes) and the Useful Plants of India. Incidentally, the Handbook >> is >> > dedicated to the Prince of Travancore, showing that he was not the >> > usual, snobbish Raj Officer of that era. The British government was >> > interested in knowing the commercial potential of the plants in >> their >> > tropical colonies while naturalists like Drury were interested in >> the >> > plants as subjects of their study. As an adjunct to this study, a >> > school of botanical painting developed in South India. We have a >> > volume of drawings of grasses made by a "native" artist whom Drury >> > employed while in Travancore. His autobiography, Reminiscences of >> Life >> > & Sport in Southern India (London: W.H. Allen & Co., 1890) provides >> a >> > window to the natural history of the period. >> > Claim to fame >> > >> > Drury's another claim to fame is that a rare orchid of the Western >> > Ghats has been christened after him. Paphiopedilum drury is endemic >> to >> > the Agasthya ranges near Tirunelveli, better known as the Courtallam >> > ranges, almost at the southern end of the Western Ghats. This area >> has >> > now been recognised as one of the hot spots of biodiversity in the >> > world. Incredibly rich in life forms, these hills traditionally are >> > known for herbs and medicinal plants. The orchid we are talking >> about >> > grows in the grassy slopes of these ranges and blooms in May/June, a >> > yellow-coloured flower 5-7 cm in size. There was another G.D. Drury, >> > collector of Tiruvelveli, whom earlier I had mistaken to be the >> orchid >> > Drury. >> > >> > Known among orchid fanciers as "the Lost Orchid", now it is a much >> > sought after collector's item. I have only seen a pressed specimen >> in >> > the herbarium of the Botanical survey of India, Coimbatore. There >> was >> > an orchid fancier in Bangalore who had two plants but would not >> trust >> > me enough to let me photograph them. What is special about this >> plant >> > is that it is one of the relict species; that is, species found in >> the >> > Himalayas and next only in the Western Ghats but nowhere in between. >> > The red Rhododendron is another relict plant. Among mammals you have >> > the tahr — the Nilgiri tahr here and the Himalayan tahr there — as >> > relict species and among birds the Grey -headed flycatcher as relict >> > species. >> > Rallying point >> > >> > The lost orchid came to symbolise the disappearing floral wealth and >> > the amazing biodiversity of the Western Ghats. To raise money to >> save >> > such rare botanical species of the world, the plant artist Stone >> chose >> > to paint the Lost Orchid and sold it to raise money. >> > >> > When I first learnt about this orchid in the early 1970s, I was >> naïve >> > enough to think that all you have to do is to walk around in this >> area >> > and you will see the plant. I went searching for it. In Courtallam, >> I >> > took the Puckle's path, which goes along the Chithar right up to the >> > awe-inspring Thenaruvi (Honey falls). Beyond that I walked up to >> > Paradesi cave (because it is near Paradise Estate) which contains an >> > inscription yet to be deciphered. That was a memorable trek. But I >> did >> > not see the orchid. It was only later I learnt that this is a plant >> of >> > grasslands and that this terrestrial orchid is noticeable only >> during >> > the flowering season. This belongs to a variety popularly referred >> to >> > as "Lady's slipper orchid" after the shoe-shaped flower >> > paphilopedilum. There are quite a few of this variety in the >> Himalayas >> > and the Northeast but only one in Western Ghats. >> > >> > Quite a number of the books on natural history written during the >> Raj >> > era are getting resurrected, some through reprint and some through >> an >> > electronic form on the Net. This is providing us with new insights >> > about the pioneers, their work and the incredible wealth of wildlife >> > in those years. >> > >> > S. THEODORE BASKARAN >> > >> > There has been renewed interest in the early botanists of British >> > India. The story of Heber Drury and the rare orchid named after him. >> > >> > >> > When I received an invitation for dinner with Botanical historian >> > Henry Noltie of the Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh, I was >> > enthusiastic. I have heard about his research, particularly the >> > three-volume work on Robert Wight who, in 1836, trekked around the >> > Palani ranges and documented the botanical wealth of the area. In >> > recent years, there has been a renewed curiosity in the early >> > botanists of British India and Noltie's work on the subject is >> > considered seminal. My own interest in meeting him was to learn >> about >> > a British botanist named Drury. Over dinner Henry talked about >> Drury. >> > >> > Heber Drury (1819-72) was a Colonel in the Madras Light Infantry >> > stationed in Travancore. He wrote the Handbook of Indian Flora (3 >> > volumes) and the Useful Plants of India. Incidentally, the Handbook >> is >> > dedicated to the Prince of Travancore, showing that he was not the >> > usual, snobbish Raj Officer of that era. The British government was >> > interested in knowing the commercial potential of the plants in >> their >> > tropical colonies while naturalists like Drury were interested in >> the >> > plants as subjects of their study. As an adjunct to this study, a >> > school of botanical painting developed in South India. We have a >> > volume of drawings of grasses made by a "native" artist whom Drury >> > employed while in Travancore. His autobiography, Reminiscences of >> Life >> > & Sport in Southern India (London: W.H. Allen & Co., 1890) provides >> a >> > window to the natural history of the period. >> > Claim to fame >> > >> > Drury's another claim to fame is that a rare orchid of the Western >> > Ghats has been christened after him. Paphiopedilum drury is endemic >> to >> > the Agasthya ranges near Tirunelveli, better known as the Courtallam >> > ranges, almost at the southern end of the Western Ghats. This area >> has >> > now been recognised as one of the hot spots of biodiversity in the >> > world. Incredibly rich in life forms, these hills traditionally are >> > known for herbs and medicinal plants. The orchid we are talking >> about >> > grows in the grassy slopes of these ranges and blooms in May/June, a >> > yellow-coloured flower 5-7 cm in size. There was another G.D. Drury, >> > collector of Tiruvelveli, whom earlier I had mistaken to be the >> orchid >> > Drury. >> > >> > Known among orchid fanciers as "the Lost Orchid", now it is a much >> > sought after collector's item. I have only seen a pressed specimen >> in >> > the herbarium of the Botanical survey of India, Coimbatore. There >> was >> > an orchid fancier in Bangalore who had two plants but would not >> trust >> > me enough to let me photograph them. What is special about this >> plant >> > is that it is one of the relict species; that is, species found in >> the >> > Himalayas and next only in the Western Ghats but nowhere in between. >> > The red Rhododendron is another relict plant. Among mammals you have >> > the tahr — the Nilgiri tahr here and the Himalayan tahr there — as >> > relict species and among birds the Grey -headed flycatcher as relict >> > species. >> > >> > Rallying point >> > >> > The lost orchid came to symbolise the disappearing floral wealth and >> > the amazing biodiversity of the Western Ghats. To raise money to >> save >> > such rare botanical species of the world, the plant artist Stone >> chose >> > to paint the Lost Orchid and sold it to raise money. >> > >> > When I first learnt about this orchid in the early 1970s, I was >> naïve >> > enough to think that all you have to do is to walk around in this >> area >> > and you will see the plant. I went searching for it. In Courtallam, >> I >> > took the Puckle's path, which goes along the Chithar right up to the >> > awe-inspring Thenaruvi (Honey falls). Beyond that I walked up to >> > Paradesi cave (because it is near Paradise Estate) which contains an >> > inscription yet to be deciphered. That was a memorable trek. But I >> did >> > not see the orchid. It was only later I learnt that this is a plant >> of >> > grasslands and that this terrestrial orchid is noticeable only >> during >> > the flowering season. This belongs to a variety popularly referred >> to >> > as "Lady's slipper orchid" after the shoe-shaped flower >> > paphilopedilum. There are quite a few of this variety in the >> Himalayas >> > and the Northeast but only one in Western Ghats. >> > >> > Quite a number of the books on natural history written during the >> Raj >> > era are getting resurrected, some through reprint and some through >> an >> > electronic form on the Net. This is providing us with new insights >> > about the pioneers, their work and the incredible wealth of wildlife >> > in those years. >> > >> > http://www.thehindu .com/mag/ 2008/09/07/ stories/20080907 50300700. >> htm <http://www.thehindu.com/mag/2008/09/07/stories/2008090750300700.htm> >> > >> >> >> __._,_.___ Messages in this topic >> <http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/message/1620;_ylc=X3oDMTM1NjJiMXZqBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRtc2dJZAMxNjIxBHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTIyMDg1NjYzNwR0cGNJZAMxNjIw> >> (2) Reply (via web post) >> <http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxNG1wY29mBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRtc2dJZAMxNjIxBHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTIyMDg1NjYzNw--?act=reply&messageNum=1621>| >> Start a new topic >> <http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbmZzYXJrBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzEyMjA4NTY2Mzc-> >> Messages<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJmN3BmM3UyBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNtc2dzBHN0aW1lAzEyMjA4NTY2Mzc->| >> Files<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJnaHE0M2d1BF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNmaWxlcwRzdGltZQMxMjIwODU2NjM3>| >> Photos<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJmajBrcjdrBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNwaG90BHN0aW1lAzEyMjA4NTY2Mzc->| >> Links<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJnYTcyNHU1BF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNsaW5rcwRzdGltZQMxMjIwODU2NjM3>| >> Database<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/database;_ylc=X3oDMTJkOWtoOXQyBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNkYgRzdGltZQMxMjIwODU2NjM3> >> [image: Yahoo! >> Groups]<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlMzllNzluBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTIyMDg1NjYzNw--> >> Change settings via the >> Web<http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJndXJoM210BF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNzdG5ncwRzdGltZQMxMjIwODU2NjM3>(Yahoo! >> ID required) >> Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<[EMAIL >> PROTECTED]:+Digest>| Switch >> format to Traditional<[EMAIL PROTECTED]:+Traditional> >> Visit Your Group >> <http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tamilbirds;_ylc=X3oDMTJlMGFoOG5nBF9TAzk3NDkwNDgxBGdycElkAzE4OTE0MzUwBGdycHNwSWQDMTcyMDA4MzY2MwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNocGYEc3RpbWUDMTIyMDg1NjYzNw-->| >> Yahoo! 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