Huntleyas and Related Orchids [Hardcover]

Patricia A. Harding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 12, 2008

Revered by avid orchid collectors for its delightful, star-shaped flowers, Huntleya is a small group of orchids found mostly on the floor of the cloud forest. Besides their striking colors-from deep blue to waxy red, royal purple to almost black-flowers of this group are known for their distinctive shapes, patterns, and textures. As appealing as these lovely tropical orchids are, their identification has been confused since the first species was described in the mid-1800s. Recent DNA studies have led to a clearer understanding of relationships and, as a result of this clarity, it is now possible to sort out the taxonomic problems and identify the characteristics that set species apart. In this first book devoted to the Huntleya alliance, author Patricia Harding presents evidence from the scientific literature, other growers, and her own experience that will enable orchidists everywhere to identify their plants and grow them successfully.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Harding wanted to write a definitive book about Huntleya orchids and she has accomplished her goal beautifully.”

(Muskogee Phoenix )

About the Author

Patricia A. Harding has been growing and photographing orchids for three decades. An accredited American Orchid Society judge in the Pacific Northwest Center, she is co-author of The Debatable Epidendrums (Timber Press, 2004). She travels extensively to study and photograph orchids in the wild and is a frequent speaker on the topic.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press (November 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881928844
• ISBN-13: 978-0881928846
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,330,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you're interested in the pseudobulbless Zygopetalinae, this is a good book to own., September 14, 2009

By 

Philip Shin (Rosemead, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Huntleyas and Related Orchids (Hardcover)

Overall, this is a fairly good book to own if you're into the pseudobulbless Zygopetalinae such as Kefersteinia, Pescatorea, and Bollea.

There is a section with color photos of these orchids growing in cultivation. Most of the photos focuses on the flower itself rather than the plant and their growth habits.

There is a short 2 1/2 page section about how to cultivate them. The author unfortunately doesn't go much into detail about how to cultivate the plants.

Most of the book is dedicated to their taxonomic identification, with a brief overview of each genus at the beginning of each section. Following the species description, there is a brief mentioning of the locality in which the orchid can be found (country, sometimes province, and elevation are included).

While the above mentioned is very helpful and somewhat entertaining, I felt that it offers exactly what the item description says and not much more.

If you're looking for a book on how to cultivate these plants, it can help, but you'd still have to do a lot of research on your own. At least with this book, you have a good starting point and guide.

There are no photos of this group of orchids growing in the wild. To me this was disappointing, but I still value this book. It is definitely better than nothing and much better than wandering aimlessly on the web for info on this group of plants.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Owns a permanent place on my shelf, November 26, 2008

By 

Jamie V. "Wordseeker" (Cologne) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Huntleyas and Related Orchids (Hardcover)

Books on such specialist subjects as orchid families are all to few and maintaining quality is often not easy, due to budget restrictions. This book, however, beautifully fills the gap and sets the groundwork for the family to which Huntleya belongs.

I would have liked to see more cultural and habitat information, as well as a chapter on hybridizing work currently being done.

5.0 out of 5 stars A specialist work on special orchids, October 8, 2010

By 

MarkF "triffids'n'tentacles" (Canberra, ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Huntleyas and Related Orchids (Hardcover)

Patricia Harding has served the orchid world particularly well in creating this lucid and prectical monograph on some of the most beautiful orchids of all. I will admit to being partisan, I have always thought that Huntleyas were the most exquisite orchids imaginable.

This volume offers comprehensive descriptions of all the species in the group, including such choice genera as Chaubardiella, Pescatorea and Warscewiczella, and has many beautiful photographs. It also offers a comprehensive explanation of recent taxonomic and cladistical research, which helps give a better understanding of the relationships within this group.

It is not a book for the novice orchid grower, although they might find it useful, rather, it is for the grower who is wanting to develop their collection, or learn more about this oft neglected group. I found this book both informative and intellectually satisfying, and was impressed with the lucidity of Patricia Harding's arguments. I would like to be able to write a book as useful as this.