With few units found in nature, these plants are extraordinarily exuberant. Meet them all:
In orchids they are some of the most cultivated and harvested flowers in the world. I’m flowers unique, beautiful and vibrant that attracts a lot of attention.
Unfortunately, all of this attention ends up being negative for them. Many species have been overexploited for trade and are being sold on the black market for large sums.
This has absolutely devastated the wild population of many orchid species around the world, including almost all of the rare orchids on this list. To make matters worse, orchid’s natural habitats are threatened by deforestation and other human activities.
If you want to know the The 10 rarest orchid species in the worldinstead of buying them, stay with us and take a look below:
1. Serapias à Pétales Étroits
The Sérapias à Pétales Étroits, native to Algeria and Tunisia, is a critically endangered orchid that has a very small population. There are only a few locations in both countries where Sérapias à Pétales Étroits grow and each group is estimated to have fewer than 50 mature plants. The total population of Sérapias à Pétales Étroits is approximately 250 units.
Unlike some of the other rare orchids on this list, Sérapias à Pétales Étroits isn’t really threatened by over-harvesting. Instead, the species is threatened by the destruction of roadside ditches, the trampling and grazing of livestock, and the establishment of a zoo.
Although all orchids are included in Appendix B of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are generally protected, there are no additional conservation programs that protect the Sérapias à Pétales Étroits.
2. Rothschild’s slipper orchid
Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid, also called Kinabalu Gold Orchid, is one of the most sought after rare orchids in the world. According to reports, just one stem of the Rothschild Slipper Orchid can be worth as much as $ 5,000 on the black market. Unfortunately, the species’ popularity among orchid collectors has greatly threatened its status in its natural habitat.
This orchid only grows on Mount Kinabalu in North Borneo, Malaysia. The IUCN Red List estimates that there are now fewer than 50 units left. Additionally, the IUCN Red List states that while Rothschild’s Slipper Orchid is very popular, it is still rarely grown and most of the plants sold come from the wild population.
3. Urban paphiopedilum
Urban Paphiopedilum is another rare orchid on this list that has nearly gone extinct in the wild because people can’t get enough of its beauty. According to the IUCN Red List, the population of Urban Paphiopedilum has been nearly decimated and reduced by more than 95% in the past three generations.
In addition to poaching, Urban Paphiopedilum’s major threats include habitat degradation, trampling, settlement area expansion, deforestation, irregular fires, logging, random logging, slash and burn agriculture, and l soil erosion. Currently, it is estimated that fewer than 50 Paphiopedilum de Urbano remain in the wild.
4. Paphiopedilum of Liem
Although Liem’s Paphiopedilum is very close to extinction in the wild, this rare orchid is often available for sale in various online stores or for trading on orchid forums. This popularity is the greatest threat to the species, found only in a single 4 km² (1.54 mi²) area in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
In the past, Urban Paphiopedilum was abundant, but its population began to decline dramatically in 1971 due to over-harvesting. Even at that time, Urban Paphiopedilum was close to extinction and the wild population never recovered. There are only a few plants (less than 50) in an inaccessible area, which prevents the orchid from extinguishing completely.
5. Paphiopedilum of Sang
Paphiopedilum di Sang is a rare orchid native only to the mountain forests of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is estimated that the species only grows in an area of 8 km². Despite being so difficult to reach, Sang’s Paphiopedilum has been harvested. The species is also threatened by deforestation, logging, fires and habitat destruction.
According to the IUCN Red List, the wild population of the Paphiopedilum di Sang has declined by about 90% over the past decade. Fortunately, the remaining Sang Paphiopedilum are located in an area that is difficult to reach. For now, this is one of the only things saving this rare orchid from extinction.
6. Paphiopedilum of Fairrie
Like many of the rare orchids on this list, Fairrie’s Paphiopedilum’s beauty is the primary cause of its critically endangered status. Fairrie’s Paphiopedilum has vibrant purple and white petals and yellowish-green markings. This beautiful appearance has made Fairrie’s Paphiopedilum one of the most cultivated orchids in the world. There is a strong demand for the orchid and, unfortunately, the species has been over-harvested from nature.
In the past, Fairrie’s Paphiopedilum was found in Bhutan and India. Today, the plant’s only surviving population is found from the far east to the Himalayas to Assam. Fairrie’s Paphiopedilum went extinct in Bhutan shortly after it was first discovered in 1904.
7. Western underground orchid
The Western Underground Orchid is extremely rare and one of the most unique flowers in the world. As the name suggests, the plant spends its entire life underground. This rare orchid also blooms underground.
The Western Underground Orchid has no green parts, such as stems and leaves, and does not photosynthesize. Instead, it gets all of its nutrients from a mushroom that grows on the roots of the gorse bush.
There are currently estimated to be fewer than 50 Western Underground Orchids. Getting an exact population size count can be difficult because it often takes hours of careful digging to find a single plant.
8. Vietnamese paphiopedilum
The Vietnamese Paphiopedilum may already be extinct in the wild, but it is still widely cultivated by orchid collectors around the world. Like most orchids, both the rarest on this list and the species with the highest number, the Vietnamese Paphiopedilum is overexploited in the wild. People exploit the plant for horticultural purposes and for international trade.
The IUCN Red List states that the Vietnamese Paphiopedilum population has been reduced by 95% in the past three generations. The last update on the remaining plants dates back to 2003 and there may be fewer than 50 Vietnamese Paphiopedilums left. This rare orchid is found only in the Thái Nguyên province in northern Vietnam.
9. Hawaiian swamp orchid
The Hawaiian Bog Orchid is the rarest orchid species native to Hawaii. During the last count in 2011, there were only 33 such orchids found in the wild on three Hawaiian islands. The biggest threat to the Hawaiian Swamp Orchid has been habitat destruction by humans and domestic and wild animals. This rare Hawaiian orchid is also threatened by invasive non-native plant species.
Although the Hawaiian Bog Orchid has become increasingly rare in the wild, conservation efforts are currently underway. In recent years, conservationists have been growing Hawaiian orchid seedlings and replanting them in the wild. Conservationists hope the seedlings can survive long-term and stabilize the Hawaiian orchid population.
10. Rolfiano Zeuxine
The Rolfian Zeuxine was rediscovered in nature only in 2010, after being known only from documents of more than 121 years ago. While finding the actual plants is significant, unfortunately the researchers found only about 18 sterile Zeuxine rolfia. With so few individuals and no signs that the remaining plants will reproduce, Zeuxine rolfiana is the rarest orchid in the world.
The 2010 research team collected three specimens of Zeuxine rolfiana and returned them to St. Joseph’s College in Kozhikode, Kerala, India. Orchids ended up blooming in the gardens, but died shortly after. The habitat of the Zeuxine rolfiana is strongly threatened by the vast constructions in the area.
* Via Rarest.Org
Source: Terra
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