Native Orchids of New Zealand

Forest and Bird, Volume 14, Issue 6, 1 May 1983, Page 34

Native Orchids of New Zealand

JOHN JOHNS

BRIAN MOLLOY

There are almost 80 species of native orchid growing wild in New Zealand. Poking out of banks, hiding under scrub, half-sunk in swamps and perched on trees, they provide ample proof of the beauty and vibrant colour to be found in our plant world. Many of the species are readily accessible in various parts of the country. Others are barely known to exist, so rare are the sightings of them. Most have delicate, exquisite flowers, many are quite tiny. All display a remarkable array of flower types, especially at close range. The beauty of these flowers is now presented in

book form by photographer John Johns, with supporting text by botanist Brian Molloy. John John’s work is represented in 64 pages of full-colour plates and many black and white photographs. Brian Molloy has provided information on the names, origins, cultivation and distribution of the orchids. Native Orchids of New Zealand is a book to delight and inform. It stands as an important addition to the growing library on New Zealand’s nature world. JOHN JOHNS, an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, is one of New Zealand’s leading outdoor photographers. As staff photographer for the New Zealand Forest Service he has travelled throughout the country and has a deep experience of our flora and fauna. His work is already well known through two earlier books, The Forest World of New Zealand (with Geoff Chavasse) and Know Your Camera. BRIAN MOLLOY Dip. Agr., Dip. Tchng, M.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D. is a senior botanist with the DSIR at Lincoln, where his work includes the study of several plant types, nature conservation and vegetation history. He believes strongly that botanists have a responsibility to make their work accesssible to lay people interested in the nature world around them.