The Living Arks

A living library of Begonia diversity. This Ark celebrates the extraordinary variation within the genus Begonia, from iridescent leaves to spiral patterns to species that climb, creep, and cascade. A testament to the beauty and resilience of one of the largest plant genera on Earth.

This Ark preserves a fragment of Madagascar's vanishing cloud forests. It is home to Begonia lyallii and Begonia bogneri, two threatened Madagascar endemic begonias. Selaginella madagascariensis, a spikemoss found only on the island, carpets the forest floor. Angraecum rutenbergianum and Angraecum urschianum, both Madagascar endemic orchids, climb alongside Microcoelia aphylla, a leafless orchid found from Kenya to South Africa and Madagascar. Asplenium sp. Madagascar, an undescribed species of spleenwort, unfurls among the mosses.

A prayer for one of the world's most threatened biodiversity hotspots.

This Ark preserves a fragment of the Neblina tepui, one of the most isolated and biodiverse table mountains on Earth. It is home to Masdevallia tovarensis and Masdevallia rechingeriana, two striking orchids of the Venezuelan highlands. Nautilocalyx pemphidius, Peperomia meridana, and Begonia sp. aff. hitchcockii are endemic to the Cerro de la Neblina region. The carnivorous Utricularia quelchii adds a botanical curiosity, while Selaginella erythropus carpets the forest floor. Hypnum cupressiforme forms the mossy understory, and the lichen Parmotrema aurantiacoparvum – a grayish‑green foliose species – clings to moss‑covered branches, adding texture to the misty microcosm.

A prayer for the mist‑shrouded summit of Neblina, where ancient species have evolved in silence for millennia.

A miniature limestone hill ecosystem, home to some of the world's most specialized and endangered Begonias. Sonerila sp. Holographica, Begonia sp. Sarawak, and Begonia lichenora are all Borneo endemics, the first two undescribed by science. Selaginella sp. Blue Borneo, an iridescent blue form found only on the island, thrives in the humidity of this cloche.

A charm for biodiversity in a landscape threatened by mining and deforestation.

This Ark holds a fragment of the Finisterre Range, home to one of the most biologically diverse and threatened forests on Earth. Bulbophyllum cruciatum, a New Guinea endemic, shares space with Cadetia umbellata, a miniature orchid found from Maluku to New Guinea. Piper sp. Timika is an undescribed species from Papua, Indonesia. Mosses include Hypnum plumaeforme and Rhynchostegiella papuensis, the latter found only in New Guinea.

Here, orchids grow on every branch and mosses drape the trees like veils.

This Arcula features Chiloschista extinctoriformis, a Thai endemic orchid classified as endangered. A miniature Thai ecosystem preserving epiphytic orchids from Southeast Asia's threatened lowland forests.

Home to Pteroceras semiteretifolium, a Vietnam endemic orchid. A tribute to the limestone orchids of Vietnam, many of which are disappearing due to quarrying.

Oberonia japonica was rediscovered in Saitama after 40 years of being considered extinct. Bulbophyllum inconspicuum is classified as Endangered in South Korea and Near Threatened in Japan. A meditation on Japanese miniature orchids, honoring the tradition of cultivating small treasures.

Home to Bulbophyllum bootanoides, found in Vietnam and South China, and Schoenorchis fragrans, which ranges from Assam to Indo-China including Yunnan. A luminous Ark featuring rare Chinese orchids and crystalline stone.

This Arcula features Lepanthes telipogoniflora and Masdevallia wagneriana var. pteroglossa, both Colombian Andean endemics. The bryophyte layer includes Palamocladium leskeoides, Hypnum cupressiforme, and Syntrichia ruralis. A cloud forest fragment from one of the most orchid-rich regions on Earth.

Home to Platystele johnstonii and Capanemia micromera, both found in the tepui regions of southern Venezuela. A refuge for species threatened by political conflict and oil drilling expansion.

This Arcula features Aerangis pumilo and Angraecum urschianum, both Madagascar endemic orchids. A humid forest fragment honoring the island's extraordinary orchid diversity beyond the dry forests.

Home to Aerangis rhodosticta, found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, and Microcoelia aphylla, a leafless orchid ranging from Kenya to South Africa. An African savanna fragment featuring ancient wood and leafless orchids.

This Arcula features Barbosella miersii, Barbosella microphylla, and Acianthera hystrix, all Atlantic Forest endemics. A fragment of one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth, home to some of Brazil's most threatened miniature orchids.

Home to Dendrobium leucocyanum and Bulbophyllum chrysotes, both Papua New Guinea endemics. A tribute to the hyperdiverse forests of Papua New Guinea, home to more orchid species than any other island on Earth.

Dresslerella sijmiana has its type locality in the Cordillera del Cóndor. Trisetella abbreviata is an Ecuador endemic. Fernandezia subbiflora ranges from Ecuador to Peru. A cloud forest fragment from one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.

Home to two Bornean endemic orchids found together in the highlands of Sabah. The moss layer includes Thuidium delicatulum, Hypnum cupressiforme, and Leucobryum javense. Serpentinite hardscape reflects the rare ultramafic soils of eastern Sabah.

A prayer for the vanishing cloud forests of Borneo's spine.

Home to Constantia cristinae (rosea) and Isabelia virginalis, two rupicolous Brazilian orchids. The moss Sematophyllum subsimplex threads through the granite scree, emerging between the stones. Granite hardscape echoes the exposed outcrops of the Atlantic Forest's high-altitude campos.

A fragment of Brazil's vanishing campos de altitude.

Home to Lepanthopsis astrophora and Platystele umbellata, two delicate Colombian orchids collected within the Tatamá-Caramanta Biological Corridor. The bryophyte layer includes Hypnum andoi, Thuidium peruvianum, Plagiothecium novogranatense, and the liverwort Plagiochila adianthoides. Andesite echoes the volcanic bedrock of the western Andes, where Pacific clouds wrap the forest in mist.

A prayer for the windward slopes, where clouds touch stone and every branch holds a universe.

Home to Epidendrum schlechterianum and Stelis mystax, two orchids of the highland cloud forest. The bryophyte layer includes Hypnum amabile, Palamocladium leskeoides, and the liverwort Plagiochila rudischusteri. Volcán Barú lava rock echoes the young volcanic terrain of the mountain.

A prayer for the highlands, where the volcano meets the sky and every fissure holds a garden.

Home to Epidendrum gnomus and Platystele reflexa, two orchids of the Peruvian cloud forest. The bryophyte layer includes Hypnum amabile, Palamocladium leskeoides, and the liverwort Plagiochila rudischusteri. Oxapampa Andesite mirrors the volcanic geology of the eastern Andean slopes.

A prayer for the cloud‑veiled ridges of Oxapampa, where orchids nestle in mossy forks and mist never leaves.