The Genera of Orchidaceae (45th Anniversary Commemorative Edition)

he Genera of Orchidaceae in Hong Kong is a handy reference for both amateurs and professional botanists in Asia who wish to enter the field of modern orchidology. Orchid appreciation is an art deeply rooted in Asian cultures. But in 1977, when this book was first published, orchidology as a science was new to people there. The technical vocabulary was unfamiliar and the subject matter difficult to understand. Therefore, this volume was intended as a general, easy-to-use reference book, with illustrations of the basic structure of orchids and their habit and habitat clearly described in Chapter I.

The book may also be used as a self-help guide for naturalists and gardeners in Hong Kong who wish to identify an orchid new to them. In Chapter II, keys, descriptions, and illustrations are given to allow the reader to look up and gain information about individual orchid species. Chapter III provides an analysis of the composition and an interpretation of the phytogeographic significance of the Orchidaceae in Hong Kong. Finally, Chapter IV helps the reader to understand and remember the Latinized names of orchids by providing an explanation on the origin and meaning of the generic names.

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This book is a facsimile reprint of the 1977 edition, which was published at a time when no comprehensive account of the genera of the orchids of Hong Kong had ever been attempted. Even after many decades, this volume remains the essential reference on orchid species growing in Hong Kong. This commemorative edition features a new foreword and a chronology of Professor Hu’s major life events.

Shiu-ying Hu (1908 – 2012 )

A botanist of great international renown, Professor Shiu-ying Hu was educated in China before the Second World War. She later attended Harvard University, where she was awarded a doctoral degree in 1949. She established herself as one of the most distinguished research scientists in the field of plant taxonomy for the more than 50 years that she was connected to Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum. In 1968, she joined The Chinese University of Hong Kong as a Senior Lecturer in Biology, after which she served as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Biology and a Senior College Tutor of Chung Chi College. In 2002, she was conferred honorary fellowship by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Hu was not only a renowned scholar and a much-loved teacher, but also a mentor of great kindness and compassion to her students, and was well known for the many generous donations she made in aid of scholars in need. In 2001, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region awarded Professor Hu the Bronze Bauhinia Star, awarded to persons who have given outstanding service over a long period of time. In 2008, Prof. Hu became the first recipient of the American Botanical Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Foreword to the Commemorative Edition by David T. W. Lau ...................................... ix

Foreword by Gordon W. Dillon .....................................................................................xiii

Preface by L. B. Thrower ................................................................................................xv Introduction .................................................................................................................xvii

I. The Basic Features Of The Orchids In Hong Kong........................................................ 1

Habit and Habitat....................................................................................................... 1

1. Terrestrial Orchids; 2. Epiphytes; 3. Symbiosis Root........................................................................................................................... 4 Stem........................................................................................................................... 5 Leaves........................................................................................................................ 6 Inflorescence ............................................................................................................ 6 Flowers...................................................................................................................... 7 Fruit......................................................................................................................... 16

Seed and Seedling .................................................................................................. 17

II. Keys and Descriptions ............................................................................................ 19

Keys to the Subfamilies, Tribes, and Genera........................................................... 19 Descriptions of Genera with Illustrations and Keys to the Species ......................... 26

III. Composition and Phytogeographic Significance ................................................... 125

Systemic Summary.............................................................................................. 125

Analysis of the Composition ............................................................................... 129

1. Generic Affinity with the Orchids of China; 2. Morphological Diversity;

3. Small Species and Poor Populations; 4. Alphabetic List of the Species

Phytogeographic Significance ............................................................................ 136

1. Indication of a Rich Flora and a Favorable Area; 2. Reference for Floristic

Relationships; 3. Endemism at the Species Level Conclusion......................................................................................................... 138

IV. Origin and Meaning of the Generic Names of Hong Kong Orchids....................... 141

Glossary..................................................................................................................... 149 Bibliography............................................................................................................... 155 Index ......................................................................................................................... 159

Major Life Events of Professor Shiu-ying Hu ............................................................. 161