After Charles Darwin wrote ‘On the Origin of Species’, he became instantly famous, and could’ve chosen any subject matter he desired for his next book project. Any subject matter he desired… and he chose orchids. In this presentation you’ll learn what makes orchids botanically unique, and more importantly, the highly evolved role they play in ecology with a focus on their indelible link to fungi. We’ll also learn about the nontrivial role they’ve played in our culture, and even learn about some of the ~35 species found in the mid-Atlantic. After listening to this presentation, you’ll better understand why Darwin chose orchids, and why he chose very well indeed.
Tom McCoy is an autodidact amateur naturalist with a keen focus on fungi, and current vice president of the Mycological Association of Washington DC. He has given numerous presentations on his beloved fifth kingdom, kingdom fungi, which led him to his current obsession with orchids. rchids, all orchids, have a compulsory connection to fungi, and without this link, orchids would cease to exist.
6:00 pm free dinner: mushroom bisque, tomato soup, and sandwiches, gluten free and vegan options. Dessert is strawberry pretzel salad and oatmeal cookies, gluten free options. Cold drinks and hot shade-grown Honduran coffee will be provided.