Ep. 268 - How Small Flies Made A Lot Of Orchids

In this episode, we are joined by PhD student Melissa Díaz-Morales and director of the Lankester Botanical Gardens Dr. Adam Karremans to look at how flies have managed to influence the evolution of the largest subtribe of orchids in the world - the pleurothallids. This remarkable group of orchids is home to over 5,000 unique species and presents some of the most stunning and complex floral morphology of the entire orchid family. They also undergo some serious chemical ecology that helps attract their fly pollinators. We also explore the difficulties in both studying and publishing pollination work and how that can hinder our understanding and conservation of these plants. This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus and was produced in part by Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.