Page 229 - The Guide To Sarawak

THE GUIDE TO SARAWAK 227
ORCHIDS
Sarawak provides a sustaining environment
for over 1,000 species of orchids, including some
of the rarest in the world. While some are of interest only to the botanist, many produce spectacular blooms, especially three genera; Vanda, Phalaenops and Paphiopedilum. 74 species are classified as critically endangered,
39 as endangered and
13 as vulnerable. Orchid gardens are open to the public in Kuching and Kota Padawan.
Sarawak’s spectacular orchids are famous thanks to two remarkable men, American author Eric Hansen and Sarawakian breeder Datuk Au Yong Nang Yip. Hansen first encountered Sarawak’s orchids during a 4,000km journey into the interior of Sarawak and Kalimantan, documented in his best- selling book, Stranger
in the Forest (1988). He returned to Sarawak
over a decade later in Orchid Fever, subtitled A Horticultural Tale of Love, Lust, and Lunacy.
The late Datuk Au Yong Nang Yip takes up an entire chapter of Orchid Fever.
A passionate collector, breeder and conservation advocate, “Sarawak’s Orchid King” created many prize-winning hybrids in his Orchidwood Nurseries. His son, Au Yong Kien Chung, spent most school holidays
Orchidwood Nurseries’ spectacular Red Ribbon and Silver Medal winning display at the World Orchid Conference 2011, held in Singapore.
hunting for rare orchids in the jungle, and has followed in his father’s footsteps. At the Borneo Orchid Show 2010 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, he won 24 trophies, proving that Sarawak may have lost an Orchid King, but it has gained an Orchid Dynasty.
In Semenggoh Nature Reserve, wild orchids collected throughout Sarawak are conserved in the Rena George Memorial Orchid Garden, named
in memory of the former officer-in-charge of the Botanical Research Centre, who died while on a field trip to Limbang to collect plant specimens.
Mr Au Yong Kien Chung of Orchidwood Nurseries with his prize- winning Aranda hybrid (concealed by rosettes) at the World Orchid Conference 2011. Painstakingly bred by Mr Au Yong, it won the Blue Ribbon, Gold Medal and Trophy for Best Aranda in Show.