"Thirteen varieties of orchid in South China's Guangdong Province are on the verge of extinction due to the worsening environment and the invasion of alien species, according to a recent report by Guangdong Environmental Protection Bureau.
"We did extensive research throughout 2005, and discovered that Guangdong's biodiversity is falling much faster than at any time in the past. This is due to both natural laws and man-made problems," Peng Shaolin, leader of the investigation team, told... "Orchids are one group of plants that are being seriously affected." According to Peng's report, there are 230 varieties of orchid in Guangdong, and most of them are in trouble. The report investigated in total 360 endangered species in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region... Peng said. "Lots of flower traders exploit wild orchids illegally, causing a great loss of resources." The 13 most-endangered varieties include Aerides odorata lour, Calanthe nankunensis, and Coelogyne primulina barretto. ... the increasingly polluted environment and the industrialization of agriculture and forestry has... caused the extinction of orchids and the loss of biodiversity." source : http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/29/content_4613793.htm ********** regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
