Australian Orchid Foundation

Funded Projects Index

357-2023   Plastid phylogenomics reveals evolutionary relationships in the mycoheterotrophic orchid genus Dipodium and provides insights into plastid gene degeneration.
Applicant:  Stephanie Goedderz

356-2023  Propagation and cryopreservation of helmet orchids (Corybas) in New Zealand
Applicants:  Dr Karin van der Walt and Dr Carlos Lehnebach

354-2023  Pollination by sexual deception in endangered Rustyhoods (the Pterostylis rufa group) and its implications for conservation
Applicant: Eamonn Culhane

353-2023 Amendment to approved project: Recovery of Rhizanthella gardneri populations and habitat post fire.
Applicant:    Dr. Jacopo Calevo 

352.2023 Towards translocation: the Tasmanian Orchid Conservation and Research Program
Applicant: Dr Magali Wright

351-2023 New Autoclave for the Les Nesbitt Orchid Propagation Facility.
Applicant:  Lindy McCallum

350-2023 A Foundational Dataset for the Future of Orchid Taxonomy in Australia
Applicant  Dr. Heidi Zimmer

349-2022 The taxonomic, phylogenetic and conservation status of the orchids of Lord Howe Island
Applicants: Ian Hutton, Dr Heidi Zimmer

348-2022 The evolution and diversification of the Australian Diurideae: Understanding the influence of genome size and chromosome number 
Applicant: Ryan  O’Donnell

347-2022 Quantifying the impact of climate change on orchid mycorrhizal symbiosis 
Applicant: Dr. Jacopo Calevo

346-2022  Effects of herbivory and population density on the pollination and reproductive success of Diuris chryseopsis D. L. Jones and Diuris ochroma D. L. Jones (Orchidaceae) 
Applicant: Rebecca Grinter

345-2022 Conserving and monitoring the Ovate Spider Orchid (Caladenia ovata) on Kangaroo Island
Applicant: Dr Richard Glatz

344-2022 Warn stratification for improved in-vitro germination in Australian terrestrial orchids
Applicant: Brendan Janissen

343-2022 Recovery of Rhizanthella gardneri populations and habitat post fire
Applicant: Dr. Jeremy Bougoure

342-2021 Optimising in vitro germination of Calochilus (Orchidaceae)
Applicant: Brendan Janissen


341-2021 A Complete Description of the Orchids of Australia Online
Applicants: Dr Endymion Cooper, Dr Heidi Zimmer


340-2021 Genetic diversity, mycorrhizal associations and the virome of Cryptostylis ovata, the Western Australian slipper orchid.
Applicant: Dr Steve Wylie


339-2021 Diversity and diversification of the Speculantha group (Tiny Greenhoods; Pterostylis subg. Speculantha [syn.Speculantha])
Applicants: Dr Russell Barrett, Dr Heidi Zimmer, Dr Mark Clements, Dr Katharina Nargar, Dr Lachlan Copeland, Dr Michael Mathieson, Mr Gavin Phillips, Dr Matt Renner


335-2020 Do some food-deceit orchids actually provide a hidden food reward?
Applicants: Professor Caroline Gross & Dr K. David Mackay


334-2020 Phylogeography of Australian Cymbidium orchids – assessing intraspecific taxonomy and the influence of biogeographic barriers on intraspecific genetic diversity using target sequence capture 
Applicant: Dr.Lalita Simpson


333-2020 Project Kimberley Cymbidium- rebuilding depleted populations of Cymbidium canaliculatum
Applicant: Professor Kingsley Dixon


332-2020 Understanding the effects of season-of-burn on orchids and their mycorrhizae to inform the fire management of endangered orchids of the Mt. Lofty Ranges of South Australia
Applicant: Alexandria Thomsen


331-2019 Promoting AOF activities-Asia Pacific Orchid Conference 13 (APOC) Kuching, Malaysia, 2019
Applicant: John Varigos


329-2019 Tasmanian Orchid Conservation into the Future Round 2 (2019-2022)
Applicants: Dr Nigel Swarts and Dr Magali Wright


328-2019 Native Orchid Display, Cairns Botanic Gardens Conservatory
Applicants: Dr. Charles Clarke


327-2018 Climate and habitat condition controls on orchid populations – research outcomes associated with a citizen science program
Applicants: Dr. Greg Guerin


326-2018 Hunter Region Botanic Gardens-extending the Living Orchid Collection
Applicants: Patricia Shearston


325-2018 Australasian orchid diversification in space and time: elucidating the floristic interchange between Australia and New Caledonia in a phylogenomic framework.
Applicants: Dr. Katharina Nargar and Dr. Mark Clements


324-2017 Evolutionary shifts in host associations of mycorrhizal fungi in Australian orchids: Tulasnella fungi in Drakaeinae orchids
Applicants: Arild Arifin


323-2017 Serendipita diversity in Australia: Biogeography and specificity of Serendipita across the Australian continent
Applicants: Fitria Okalita


322-2017 Pollination ecology of Australian Pterostylis (Orchidaceae)
Applicants: Tobias Hayashi


321-2017 Orchid diversity hotspots: a bunch of fussy plants or easy-going neighbours? Exploring mycorrhizal fungal diversity across sympatric forest orchids in New Zealand
Applicants: Dr Carlos Lehnebach and Dr Lara Shepherd


320-2017 Communicating research on Australasian Bulbophyllum orchids
Applicants: Lalita Simpson 


319-2017 Ecology and phylogenetics of a unique Australasian orchid genus: Cryptostylis
Applicants: Alyssa Weinstein 


318-2017 International Speaker’s Tour in Australia
Speaker: Fred Clarke from Sunset Valley Orchids, California USA


317-2017 Molecular systematics of the Australian genus Corunastylis Fitzg. (Prasophyllinae Orchidaceae)
Applicants: Dr Selen Mashayekhi


316-2017 Development of the velamen cell wall in roots of epiphytic and lithophytic orchids
Applicants: Dr David Collings


314-2017 Oh brother, where art thou? Distribution patterns and characterization of Tulasnella spp. associated with two related Australian orchid species, Diuris fragrantissima and Diuris punctata.
Applicants: Dr Eleonora Egidi and Dr Ashley Franks


313-2017 The Orchid Guardian Project
Applicant: Julian Pitcher


312-2016 Tasmanian Orchid Conservation into the Future
Applicant: Dr Nigel Swarts


311-2016 The orchid-fungus symbiotic partnership: is there a role for a third partner – mycovirus?.
Applicant: Dr Steve Wylie


310-2016 Investigations of the mycorrhizal associations of Australian Bulbophyllum orchids.
Applicants: Dr John Dearnaley and Mr Jed Clavert


309-2016 Disentangling evolutionary relationships in the Thelymitra pauciflora/nuda species complex using next-generation sequencing. 
Applicant: Dr Lars Nauheimer


308-2016  Pollination biology of Diuris: testing for Batesian mimicry in Southwestern Australia. 
Applicant: Daniela Scaccabarozzi


307-2016 Growing Diuris fragrantissima (Sunshine Diuris) in the thousands to establish new populations.
Applicant: Karen Lester


306-2016 Assessing a metabarcoding protocol for the recovery of Tulasnella spp. associated with the highly endangered orchid Diuris fragrantissima. 
Applicants: Dr Eleonora Egidi and Dr Ashley Franks


305-2016 Global listing of Australian orchids to sustain and enhance conservation and global funding opportunities for conservation.
Applicant: Dr Nigel Swarts


303-2015 Pollination, hybridization and breeding systems in the midge orchids (Corunastylis) of the Blue Mountains, NSW.
Applicant: Professor Peter Bernhardt


302-2015 Phalaenopsis rosenstromii, its systematics, distribution, conservation and propagation.
Applicant: Dr. Ashley Field


301-2015 Post-fire monitoring of the reproductive success of terrestrial orchids following prescribed burning and bushfire in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia.
Applicant: Dr. Renate Faast


300/2014 The establishment of the Orchid Conservation Centre, Cranbourne.
Applicant: Dr. Noushka Reiter


299/2014 Hunter Region Botanic Gardens – increasing opportunities for visitors to learn more about the family Orchidaceae.
Applicant: Patricia Shearston


298/2014 Untangling New Zealand spider orchids’ web; using DNA fingerprinting techniques to detect hybridisation and species boundaries in members of the Corybas trilobus aggregate.
Applicant: Carlos Lehnebach


297/2014 The role of colonisation in establishment of self-sustaining populations of rare terrestrial orchids – a template study for establishing principles to guide translocation and conservation programs.
Applicant: Professor Dorset W. Trapnell


296/2014 Below ground diversity in an orchid biodiversity hotspot.
Applicant: Dr. Michael Whitehead


295/2014 Molecular phylogenetic insights into the diversification and historical biogeography of the sun orchids (Thelymitra, Orchidaceae).
Applicant: Rowan Schley


294/2014 A website-based interactive identification key to the orchids of South Australia.
Applicant: Robert Lawrence


293/2013 The Wasp and the Orchid: Edith Coleman’s contribution to the study of Australian Orchids.
Applicant: Dr. Danielle Clode


292/2013 Publication: ‘With Strange Device – A history of the discovery of Tropical Australia’s orchids’.
Applicant: Dr. Peter S. Lavarack


291/2013 Epiphytic orchid diversity over varying spatial scales in the tropical and sub-tropical zones in eastern Australia.
Applicant: Jennifer Sanger


289/2013 Orchid Conservation – making the links. 5th International Orchid Conservation Congress. La Réunion 2013
Applicant: Dr. Michael Fay


288/2013 Ecology and pollination of a deceptive New Zealand Greenhood orchid.
Applicant: Emma Bodley


287/2012 Orchid Conservation across the Tasman: First steps in understanding orchid mycorrhizal associations in New Zealand.
Applicant: Jonathan Frericks


286/2012 An in depth study of the roles of mycorrhiza in the carbon and mineral nutrition of green West-Australian orchids.
Applicant: Wei-Han Lim


285/2012 Hunter Region Botanic Gardens – improvement to and development of the orchid collection.
Applicant: Noel Winney – Orchid House Curator


283/2012 The taxonomic status and ecology of Sarcochilus hartmannii.
Applicant: Dr. John Dearnaley and Mr. Mathew Irwin


281/2011 Financial support to present a conference paper at the International Botanical Congress held in Melbourne in July, 2011.
Applicant: James Indsto


280/2011 Resolving species concepts in the contentious Dendrobium speciosum complex using molecular data.
Applicant: Lalita Simpson


279/2011 Systematics of Corybas in Papua New Guinea.
Applicant: Stephanie Pimm Lyon


277/2010 The effects of fire on the reproductive ecology of terrestrial orchids and their pollinators in fragmented landscapes of southern Australia.
Applicant: Associate Professor José Facelli


276/2010 The roles viruses play in the decline of terrestrial orchids in Australia’s hotspot of global biodiversity.
Applicant: Dr. Steve Wylie


275/2010 Continental-scale specialisation in mycorrhiza of orchids.
Applicant: Dr. Nigel Swarts


274/2010 Support for the attendance of a Threatened Species Project Officer at the 1st International Conference on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Wild Plant Diversity, Chania (Crete), May 2010.
Applicant: Kate Vlcek


273/2010 Growth Requirements and Mycorrhizal Relationships of Thelymitra epipactoides, the Metallic Sun Orchid.
Applicant: Dr. Noushka Reiter


272/2009 Population dynamics and conservation of the endangered pink – lipped spider orchid Caladenia behrii.
Applicant: Dr. Sophie ‘Topa’ Petit


271/2009 Effects of fire management on population dynamics of two threatened Pterostylis (Orchidaceae) species.
Applicant: Dr. Steve Leonard


270/2009 Seed collection and mycorrhizal isolation of targeted Tasmania orchid taxa.
Applicant: Dr. Nigel Swarts


269/2009 Geographical Patterns among the Pollinators of Sexually Deceptive Spider Orchids in the Genus Caladenia (Orchidaceae: Calonema) in South-Eastern Australia.
Applicant: Dr. Colin C. Bower PhD


268/2009 A review of South Australian Thelymitra of the T. pauciflora complex.
Applicant: Robert J. Bates


266/2009 Pollination biology of the sexually deceptive threatened orchids Caladenia richardsiorum, Caladenia hastata and its pollinator Catocheilus caelebs.
Applicant: Kate Vlcek and Dr. Graham Brown


265/2008 Tracking phenological shifts and evolutionary impacts relating to climate change.
Applicant: Phyllis Frances MacGillivray


264/2008 The mycorrhizal associations of endangered Victorian orchid species: how do we best conserve them?
Applicant: Dr. Magali Wright


262/2008 Understanding the symbioses between seed and mycorrhizal fungus for long term storage and effective propagation.
Applicant: Matthew Larcombe


261/2008 Fire-induced morphological and functional differences in orchid mycorrhizal fungi.
Applicant: Dr. Tien Huynh


259/2007 Conservation of the nationally endangered Arachnorchis atroclavia (Black-clubbed spider orchid).
Applicant: Dr. John Dearnaley (Chief Investigator), Dr. Andrew Le Brocque and Dr. Michael Mathieson


255/2006 The role of pollinators and mycorrhiza in controlling distribution and speciation in Drakaea – implications for conservation. management.
Applicant: Dr. Ryan Phillips, Dr. Andrew Batty, Prof. Kingsley Dixon and Prof. Stephen Hopper


254/2006 Support the attendance at the third International Orchid Conservation Conference in Costa Rica of four students.
Applicant: Z. Smith – M.Wright – E. McQualter – K.Gowland


248/2005 Propagation of fungus dependant orchid species.
Applicant: Mr Les Nesbitt


247/2005 Information and Awareness Program on the Orchids of Papua New Guinea.
Applicant: Mr Gary Backhouse


246/2005 Maximising mycorrhizal activity that sustains Caladenia species in cultivation and re-introduction.
Applicant: Ms. Magali Wright, BSc (Hons) PhD student


245/2005 Fungal associations of Dipodium hamiltonianum (Yellow hyacinth orchid).
Applicant: Dr. John Dearnaley