The Mathers Foundation
LightNews LightNews
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
The Mathers Foundation
@mathersfoundation.bsky.social
180 followers 91 following 350 posts
UK orchid conservation charity | The Brickell Award 2024 | RHS Gold medal winners 🏆| #🌿Six National Collections of orchids | 📍West Sussex, UK
Posts Replies Media Videos
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
K is for Masdevallia Kimballiana another historic hybrid registered in 1893 a primary of caudata and veitchiana. Which K orchids do you have? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 11, 2025 at 11:11 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
J is for Oncidium Janus, a historic hybrid registered in 1910. This one is a remake by the renown hybridizer, Bob Hamilton and is late flowering each year. Do share your J orchids too? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 10, 2025 at 9:52 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
I continues to challenge so here is Comparettia ignea. Originally from Colombia this delights visitors each year with its orange blooms. What orchids do you have with I in the name? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 9, 2025 at 8:07 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
H has also been tricky for our collection! Sharing Habenaria medusa instead from Kew - it is moth pollinated, terrestrial and goes completely dormant for the dry season. Do you have any H orchids to share? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 8, 2025 at 8:43 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
G is for Gomesa flexuosa a species native to Brazil and Argentina with petite bright yellow flowers. 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 7, 2025 at 8:23 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
F has been tricky with very unusual species! To keep the alphabet and joy here is Cymbidium Fliquet from our new National Collection of Cymbidiums. Registered in 1990 you can see the strong influence of sanderae. 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 6, 2025 at 7:56 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
E is for Eulophia roempleriana
seen on our travels in Madagascar. An interesting fact about this rare showstopper is that it climbs pandanus trees, rooting in each leaf axil. What E orchids do you want to share today? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet
December 5, 2025 at 7:32 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
D is for Disa uniflora. These South African terrestrials enjoy life on our flood bench in Sussex with running water to replicate the conditions in nature. Do share any orchids with a D in their name! 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 4, 2025 at 8:22 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
C is for Cymbidium King Paul which featured on one of the displays at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year - always a winner. Which orchids beginning with C would you like to share? 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 3, 2025 at 7:35 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
B is for Bulbophyllum ericssonii (aka binnendijki) a usual species and part of the Hartley collection. Which is your favourite bulbopyllum? 🔠 🌿🌸

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 2, 2025 at 8:03 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Starting the lead up to New Year with an A to Z of our collection🎉. Do join in by sharing your A to Z’s too! Anguloa Rolfei registered by Sanders in 1915 is a primary hybrid of cliftonii and brevilabris 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱
December 1, 2025 at 8:17 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Ending the month with a trip to Kew Gardens - always inspirational. Lots of orchids in flower and beautiful paintings too 🎨🌸🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 30, 2025 at 8:59 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Selenipedium dodsonii is an extremely rare orchid (2.5m tall) not usually seen in the wild so this was a real highlight. Named by Phil Cribb in honour of Calaway Dodson this was seen near Puyo 🇪🇨🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 29, 2025 at 9:45 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Sobralia rosea today which was seen at several different locations on our travels. Flowers are very short lived but look stunning 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 28, 2025 at 8:11 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Sobralia virginalis was seen on the steep roadside cliffs between Baeza and Puyo. The flowers are really stunning, large and supposedly fragrant too 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Oncidium fuscatum alba is rare - usually the colours are burgundy and white. It’s native range is from Panama to Peru and North Brazil. This was also found near El Pangui. 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 26, 2025 at 8:28 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Oncidium baueri is a species found throughout South America - this was seen close to the end of our trip near El Pangui and it is good to see another species we have in our National Collection 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Cattleya iricolor has a fascinating history. Strongly fragrant with delicate yellow flowers this species was described by Reichenbach in 1874 then undiscovered until 1962 when Padre Angel Andreetta found it in the Upano valley. 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 24, 2025 at 8:35 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Oncidium abortivum was seen close to Baeza near the Antisana National Park. Our own abortivum is a baby by comparison! Here taking measurements for our database. 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 22, 2025 at 9:34 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Maxillaria erikae (aka Trigonidium grande) with yellow flowers. This was seen on the road leading to Gualaceo from the Amazon basin. A striking orchid with just one flower! 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 21, 2025 at 10:01 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Stelis sclerophylla with a mass of flowers just spotted beside the road on a fence with farmland near Mindo 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 20, 2025 at 8:52 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Maxillaria acuminata is one of many we saw on our explorations. This was on a quiet roadside tree near Baeza. Many of the trees host lots of different epiphytes of all sizes! 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 19, 2025 at 10:49 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Pterichis pauciflora was seen in the cloudy Antisana Reserve close to the pink Elleanthus previously posted. This genus is one of approx 44 species of cool growing, terrestial orchids that grow at high altitude over 3000m 🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
Another Telipogon today. This species is possibly williamsii - a tiny flower growing as an epiphyte on a roadside tree near Mindo, the cloud forest outside Quito.🌿

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 17, 2025 at 8:10 AM
mathersfoundation.bsky.social
A rare unusual species today - Telipogon andicola with petite yellow flowers that are bigger than the plant. Growing on a steep cliff at 3000m. It dies back after blooming, resting until next season.

#orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation
November 16, 2025 at 10:24 AM