Every year the Pan American Orchid Society sponsors a trip in June or July
to the Fakahatachee swamp. This year it was decided to go in July in hopes
of finding the elusive ghost orchid in flower.

All clean and ready to go.

First victum crossing.

All cautiously crossing.

Are they looking at an alligator?

Catopsis a rare air plant.

Pond apple, the most common host of the ghost orchid,
can be eaten if really hungry.

A plant to stay away from, poison ivy.
Notice the three leaflets.

Poison wood, a very toxic plant to beware of.
Looks like Gumbo Limbo but has a very different bark.

Poison wood bark.

Spectacular scenery.

The native royal palm.

The advance group pausing.

Someone is laying down to take a nap??

The Cathedral or Gusmania Gultch.

Surrounded by gusmanias.

Gator bait.

The gators are watching.........

...and getting closer.

Epidendrum anceps in flower.

Nice plant of Epidendrum anceps.

Closeup of Epidendrum anceps.

Epidendrum rigidum.

Encyclia tampensis.

Beautiful large plant of Epidendrum nocturnum.

Epidendrum nocturnum and Gusmania

Closeup of Gusmania in flower.

Nice plant of Anachilium cochleatum in spike and flower.
This plant is commonly called an Encyclia but Anachilium
is the correct generic name.

Closeup of Anachilium cochleatum.

Large plant of Vanilla phaeantha.

A rare sight, Vanilla phaeantha just flowered. One flower opens
early in the morning and only lasts for a few hours. The next day
another flower opens for just a few hours. You have to get up early
in the morning to see it in flower.

On our way back from the lake, just a few feet from the road, we
finally found a plant of the ghost orchid, Polyrrhiza lindenii.
Every year we find fewer and fewer ghost orchids. Thirty
years ago you would see a hundred plants in the area we covered.
Last year we saw several plants. This year we found only one.
If the ghost is not growing over standing water where the humidity
is 100%, it will not survive for very long. Mismanagment
of the water supply over the years has led to the decline of this species.

After, not too dirty. Is anyone missing??

Finally, a cold beer.!!

The end of a great trip with friends.