# What Orchid book do I get next?



## kentuckiense (Jul 13, 2006)

I have:

Averynov - Slipper Orchids of Vietnam
Cribb - The Genus Cypripedium
Cribb - Slipper Orchids of Borneo
Bentley - Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachians
Hansen - Orchid Fever

Orchid lore, monographs, guides, whatever. I want to read something. What next?


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## PHRAG (Jul 13, 2006)

Well, The Orchid Thief would be a logical suggestion. I read it long ago, so can't tell you much more than the basics.


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## Heather (Jul 13, 2006)

Despite the fact that he hates my guts, I notice Lance's book is missing. 
http://www.lancebirk.com/

Orchid Fever's a good one for fun...I read it long ago, but since have read parts again...It's useful for certain things. Especially the chapters on Averyanov, Boscha Popow, etc...


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## Mahon (Jul 13, 2006)

I highly suggest Eric Hansen's 'Orchid Fever', like Heather said, it has Averyonov and some other known names, and discusses corruption in CITES (that is the main jist of the entire story, and to reveal the stupidity of the laws). Cribb actually tried to sue Hansen after the book came out, because it was ruining his reputation, but I think Eric told me the case didn't hold water...

Since I know you are interested in North American orchid species, try Carl Luer's 'The Native Orchids of Florida' and 'The Native Orchids of North America Excluding Florida'... these are quite expensive and somewhat rare (because no one wants to give them up), but they contain very valuable information, as Dr. Luer photgraphed every picture (maybe excluding a few taken by his son or wife)...

I do not suggest Paul Martin Brown's books, they are up to date names, but he splits everything he can into new species... he has also used a few of Dr. Luer's photos, in which Luer told me that Brown didn't even ask for permission (even though Dr. Luer says he doesn't care, it bothers me to be seeing stolen pics on an "original" work of Brown's)... Brown also described Hexalectris spicata var. albolabia off a picture take by Dr. Luer in the 1970's of a single albino form found only in Dr. Luer's back yard... and Cliestes bifaria and Cliestes divaricata is the same species, C. bifaria being a white variety, and C. divaricata being the pink... Sacoila plaudicola are of plants found in Citrus County, and it is just a variety with tiny white dots... so I don't use P.M. Brown's books anymore...

-PM


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## PHRAG (Jul 13, 2006)

Hey All,

Read Zach's list again. Orchid Fever is already on it.


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## Heather (Jul 13, 2006)

PHRAG said:


> Orchid Fever is already on it.



Well, he should read it again, dammit! 

(why H should not post at 5:17 a.m. pre-latte!)


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## Carol (Jul 13, 2006)

Martin Motes and his wife Mary came up for our OSWP Banquet in June. Along with the vandas, etc. Mary was promoting her new book, Orchid Territory, A Comic Novel. I borrowed it from a member that purchased it, and am enjoying it thoroughly.

Carol


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## adiaphane (Jul 13, 2006)

Orchid Hunting in the Lost World (& Elswhere in Venezuela)

The Slipper Orchids by Cash

And the books Stephen (Silence882) have available in pdf


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## gore42 (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd second Lance Birks _Paphiopedilum Grower's Manual_. Some people don't like the fact that it's not a scientific volume (no citations, etc), but it still has great photos, species specific information, and some interesting stories 

- Matthew Gore


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## kentuckiense (Jul 13, 2006)

Mahon-
Luer's writings are certainly on my list. I wish they'd get reprinted, though.


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## Mahon (Jul 13, 2006)

Zach,

I can either trade or sell 'Native Orchids of Florida' to you, I have 2 copies of this book, both are signed, and in pretty good condition... if interested. They contain very valuable information, and there are many interesting things that I still discuss with him about the book and the plants in there (some things you will pick out and ask a question about)...

-PM


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## silence882 (Jul 13, 2006)

Any specific subject you were thinking of?

--Stephen


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## kentuckiense (Jul 13, 2006)

silence882 said:


> Any specific subject you were thinking of?
> 
> --Stephen


Not really... I'd prefer to shy away from books about floofy Catts, though.


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## adiaphane (Jul 13, 2006)

In that case, You Can Grow Cattleya Orchids by Mary Noble.


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## Rick (Jul 13, 2006)

kentuckiense said:


> I have:
> 
> Averynov - Slipper Orchids of Vietnam
> Cribb - The Genus Cypripedium
> ...



I have all the books on your list. I think Averyanov's book is great. Much more eco related than taxonomic. Cribbs book covers more species, but had less usefull info than Averyanov's book given the limited number of species in it. 80% of the text and photos in Slipper Orchids of Borneo is lifted directly out of Cribbs big book, so you don't get much more. Orchid Fever is a fun good read.


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## Rick (Jul 13, 2006)

gore42 said:


> I'd second Lance Birks _Paphiopedilum Grower's Manual_. Some people don't like the fact that it's not a scientific volume (no citations, etc), but it still has great photos, species specific information, and some interesting stories
> 
> - Matthew Gore



I'd reccomend it too. I realy like the weather patterns and temp regimes in it.


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## Mahon (Jul 13, 2006)

kentuckiense said:


> Mahon-
> Luer's writings are certainly on my list. I wish they'd get reprinted, though.



I have been informed that there will be no re-prints of this book (primarily because of the outdated taxa epithets...), but I wish that MBG and Luer will make it...

-PM


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## silence882 (Jul 14, 2006)

Birk's book is alright for culture and species info, but it doesn't even have a bibliography. There's no way of knowing where any of his info is coming from.

--Stephen


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Jul 14, 2006)

I've always been a Braem fan myself. He can be controversial, but always presents both sides of an argument and allows the reader to make the call. I highly recommend his newest book, and could live without all my other paph books as long as I had it. I've met him as well, and fortunately he doesn't suffer from the pompousness or arogancy many non-german(and non-Bavarian) taxonomists suffer from.

I'm not a good person to ask though, I couldn't count the hours I've spent reading Icones Pleurothallidinarums by Luer. I go for technical over fluff, but still enjoyed Orchid Fever when I read it...always worth another read.

Jon
________
Buy easy vape vaporizer


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## Mahon (Jul 14, 2006)

Jon in SW Ohio said:


> ...I'm not a good person to ask though, I couldn't count the hours I've spent reading Icones Pleurothallidinarums by Luer. I go for technical over fluff, but still enjoyed Orchid Fever when I read it...always worth another read.Jon



Icones Pleurothallidinarum is a great series... have you seen his other books Thesaurus Dracularum (in German, I think that's what Luer told me) and the Masdevallia one (I forgot the name of it, Thesaurus Masdevalliarum?)... all the watercolors in these 2 books are done by Stig Dalstrom, who illustrates almost all of Dr. Luer's line drawings (check for Stig's iconograph in Luer's Icones, a cursive 'S' and 't', and Luer's is a simple C, A, and L all connected)... Dalstrom's paintings are the most intricate I have ever seen... really good reference books... 

-PM


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## Wogga (Jul 15, 2006)

Anyone know of any really good pleuro specific books other than luer's monographs?


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## SlipperFan (Jul 15, 2006)

You are probably familiar with the Pleurothallid Alliance web page?
http://www.pleurothallids.com/ Lynn probably knows what good books might be had about this group.


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## Rick (Jul 15, 2006)

I'd like to find

Pradhan, U.C.1976a Indian Orchids: guide to identification and culture.

There are 2 volumes.


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## silence882 (Jul 15, 2006)

Two books every orchid grower should have:
The Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species, 3rd Edition (1992) by Bechtel, Cribb & Launert
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids (1992) by Pridgeon

--Stephen

p.s. I must disagree with Jon. I was subjected to much pompousness during the one e-mail conversation I had with Dr. Braem.


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## Mahon (Jul 15, 2006)

Colin,

For Pleurothallids in Ecuador (or Venezuela), try Calaway Dodson's 'Native Ecuadorian Orchids'... there are plenty of line drawings and/or photographs of the species... even treats alot of the Lepanthes species, and also includes some unknown species (most likely undescribed species or odd forms)...

-P.A. Mahon


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## kentuckiense (Jul 17, 2006)

I just picked up a first edition copy of Luer's 'The Native Orchids of Florida.' My apologies to whoever I bidsniped.


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## silence882 (Jul 17, 2006)

I have been meaning to suggest to ebay the following:

If a bid is placed within 5 minutes of the auction close, an additional 5 minutes is added to the auction period. That way, sniping is hindered and it's more like a real auction!

--Stephen

p.s. Novelty Slipper Orchids, by Koopowitz & Hasegawa is worth a read and can usually be found for about $35 with shipping from Australia.


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## kentuckiense (Jul 17, 2006)

silence882 said:


> I have been meaning to suggest to ebay the following:
> 
> If a bid is placed within 5 minutes of the auction close, an additional 5 minutes is added to the auction period. That way, sniping is hindered and it's more like a real auction!
> 
> --Stephen


SORE LOSER!

In all seriousness though, I'd have to imagine that has been proposed hundreds of times over the years.

Thanks for the Koopowitz/Hasewaga recomendation... I'll look into it.


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## silence882 (Jul 17, 2006)

Agitated seller, actually! It seems like eBay would want to add it to get the prices as high as possible...

--Stephen



kentuckiense said:


> SORE LOSER!
> 
> In all seriousness though, I'd have to imagine that has been proposed hundreds of times over the years.
> 
> Thanks for the Koopowitz/Hasewaga recomendation... I'll look into it.


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## aquacorps (Jul 17, 2006)

http://esnipe.com/ is a great site for sniping on ebay. it places you bid for you six seconds before the item closes. works real well.


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