1. Ball State University
Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection & Species Bank at the New Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse

2. Rinard Orchid Greenhouse Docent Training 2017
Objectives
Welcome new volunteers
Provide introduction to materials
Provide online resources
Partner new volunteers with existing ones for mentoring
Discuss how to sign-up
Handouts
Next steps
ROGH Docent Program 2017

3. Rinard Orchid Greenhouse Volunteering
Overview

4. History of Collection General
Home of Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection & Species Bank
Education, conservation and research
Original gift marked BSU as only 1 of 2 collegiate orchid collections in USA in 1971.
Uses
Nature Education, school tours, casual visitation, illustration, photography & research
ROGH Docent Program 2017

5. Greenhouse History Facility
Over 2,000 orchids, including species & hybrids
Largest collegiate orchid collection in USA
Original: 1,400 sq ft, built in NEW: Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse,
3,400 sq ft, built in 2014
Includes non-orchid plants and animals for ‘tropical’ experience
lessons of biology, ecology & plant-insect interactions
ROGH Docent Program 2017

6. Greenhouse Recreates Tropics
Many orchid species found in tropics
Tropical rainforests – home to wide number of plants and animals
Food from Tropics - banana, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cardamom
Medicines from tropics - snake venom (blood pressure, heart failure), periwinkle (cancer)
Today, rainforests occupy only 2% of the entire Earth's surface, less than 6% of the Earth's land surface.
ROGH Docent Program 2017

7. Orchids Everywhere Found worldwide, except poles
Air plants (epiphytes) and soil-grown (terrestrials)
43 orchids native to Indiana
largest group of flowering plants – 25,000+ species; 100K+ hybrids
Many species limited by habitat
ROGH Docent Program 2017

8. What is an Orchid - Anatomy Two defining characteristics
Parts in 3’s
3 sepals
3 petals - 1 modified petal (lip, labellum or ‘landing pad’)
Column
Fusion of male and female reproductive structures
Nose-shaped
“Business end” of flower
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) from Asia
ROGH Docent Program 2017

9. Orchid Roots Epiphytic Literally “on”-plant, anchoring Mostly tropical
Absorptive layer: velamin
Photosynthetic
Terrestrial
Ground-dwelling
Mostly temperate
Sometimes saprophytic
Lithophytic
On rocks
ROGH Docent Program 2017

10. Orchid Stems Simple stems Terrestrial orchids Cloud forest orchids
Pseudobulbs
Food and water storage organs
Typical of plants with seasonal or temporal variations
Various shapes and sizes
Canes
Long, narrow food storage organs
Typical of orchids with pronounced dry/wet seasons
ROGH Docent Program 2017

11. Orchid Leaves Parallel leaf venation
Structure of the leaves corresponds to the specific habitat
Leaf Types
Conduplicate - thick or leathery • Waxy cuticle to retain water • Defined midline • Drains water well
Soft-herbaceous - often terrestrial, w/ dormancy
Reticulate - network
Primitive plicate - pleated
ROGH Docent Program 2017

12. Pollinator & Flower Color
Bees - visit yellow, blue, purple flowers.
Butterflies - visit red, orange, yellow, pink, and blue flowers
Moths - visit white and light-colored flowers
Moths are almost exclusive pollinators for white flowers with long nectar spurs
Flies and gnats - visit green, brown, burgundy, white or cream colored flowers
Bats - rare as orchid pollinators, visit large light-colored night-scented flowers.
Hummingbirds - visit red, orange, purple/red tubular flowers.
ROGH Docent Program 2017

13. Orchids & Pollinators
Highly specialized relationship between orchid and pollinator
1 to 1 relationship
Based on:
Flower color
Flower shape
Flower size
Timing of flowering
Flower scent
Flower markings
Bucket Orchid
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Image: Cleblanc;

14. Common Orchid Groups ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credits: C. Bracker, lower right.; center: D. Reichard; All others: C. LeBlanc

15. Phalaenopsis – Moth Orchid
Only about 60 orchid species
Native to southeast Asia to the Philippines & northern Australia.
Named for similarity to large moths in flight.
Most popular in the orchid trade, with 1000s of easily grown artificial hybrids
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credits: top, & right: C. LeBlanc; left: D. Reichard

16. Cattleyas – Corsage Orchid
Some of the most showy orchids
#3 largest group of orchids
1,200+ species in related genera
Cattleyas & relatives (Alliance)
Only about 30 Cattleya species
From Mexico, Central & South America
Cattleya Alliance species used to create many spectacular orchid hybrids
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credits: upper : C. LeBlanc; lower: B. Daughtery

17. Lady’s Slippers Slipper-shaped pouches (modified lip)
Found in Asia, Central America and North America
Pouch - temporary insect trap
Often in fragile habitats (rocky slopes, wetlands)
Paphiopedilum (Asia), Phragmipedium (C. Amer.), & Cypripedium (N. Amer.) `
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credits: top: C. LeBlanc; left: D. Reichard; left: S. Verhoorn

18. Dendrobiums #2 Genus - 1,200+ species From SE Asia and Australia
Dendron (Greek for ‘tree’), bios (‘life’)
Mentum (projection)
Wide variety of habitats
Dormancy in dry season
Flowers open 1 day - many weeks
Some Asian species used in traditional medicines
Heavily used in hybrid breeding and cut flower trade
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credit: top right: C. Bracker

19. Bulbophyllums #1 Genus with over 2,800 species
From Papua New Guinea, S. Asia, Madagascar, Africa, S. America
Bulbo (‘bulb-like’) and phyllum (‘leaf’) refers to pseudobulb
Wide variety of habitats
Many fly-pollinated species (fetid)
ROGH Docent Program 2017
Photo credits: lower right: D. Reichard; all others: C. LeBlanc

20. Questions?
ROGH Docent Program 2017

21. Training Materials Online
ROGH Docent Program 2017

22. Sign-up Genius
ROGH Docent Program 2017

23. Rinard Orchid Greenhouse Docent Training 2017
Objectives
Welcome new volunteers
Provide introduction to materials
Provide online resources
Partner new volunteers with existing ones for mentoring
Discuss how to sign-up
Handouts
Next steps
ROGH Docent Program 2017