Foreword Orchids at Kew

The orchid family is one of the major research subjects of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Even a garden of our size cannot carry out detailed studies of all the world's flora, so we have chosen to concentrate our research on a number of particularly important plant families. As the largest plant family in the world, and one that has long been of great interest to many people, the orchids are an obvious choice for our studies. This book, by past and present staff members at Kew, shows the multifaceted approach adopted towards a group of plants.

The studies are possible because of the large collection of 20,000 orchid plants that we hold in the Living Orchid Collection, and because of the size of our Orchid Herbarium which has been built up over the last 150 years. With these collections as a basis, we are able to carry out research on the cultivation, classification, cytology, anatomy, pollination, physiology and conservation of orchids. This involves close collaboration by members of staff from our three main scientific departments: the Living Collections, the Herbarium and the Jodrell Laboratory. This teamwork approach, much of which is described in this book, enables us to learn more about orchids than would a scientist working in isolation.

No botanist can fail to be fascinated by the variety of form and function that has evolved in the orchid family as it has radiated over the entire globe, throughout tropical and temperate zones and in both humid and dry climates. This book provide a glimpse of this remarkable family of plants, whether grown in the conservatories of Kew or the rain forests of Borneo. Today, orchids have gained increased importance as barometers of the conservation status of many natural areas. Their diversity and the way in which most species grow over restricted ranges and in specific habitats make them ideal organisms with which to monitor the status of a habitat.

The orchid studies reported in this volume would not be nearly as far advanced were it not for the long-term financial support of Sir Robert and Lady Sainsbury, culminating in the endowment of our orchid programme at Kew. I am extremely grateful for this support and for the Living Orchid Collection presented to us by Lady Sainsbury. It is highly appropriate that this book should be edited by our Sainsbury Orchid Fellow, Mrs Joyce Stewart, who has brought together a collection of papers that demonstrate both the diversity of the orchid family and the extent to which the Royal Botanic Gardens are involved in their study.

Ghillean T Prance
Director
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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