Gary Yong Gee [surname Yong Gee] is an Australian born Chinese, and lives in Brisbane, Australia. He began growing orchids around 40 years ago. These days, he maintains a large hobby greenhouse, cultivating Australian native, and exotic species. He has over 100,000 orchid photographs taken on travels to parts of Australia, New Guinea, Asia, Europe, Central and South America, South Africa, and Madagascar, at shows, and in situ.  Gary is an orchid judge with the Australian Orchid Council. He is also a member of several Australian orchid societies, the American Orchid Society, and the Orchid Conservation Alliance.

Gary’s main interest is species orchids. He has contributed an extensive monthly article to the Orchid Species Bulletin, published by the Orchid Species Society, for over 30 years. Gary has also written occasional articles for Orchids Australia, and the Australian Orchid Review; and given numerous talks to various orchid societies. The Vandaceous Orchids supplement to Orchids, Bulletin of the AOS, November 2021, has his article about Aerides. He has a website, which is currently being upgraded, and shows some of his photographs at www.yonggee.name

Orchids of Southwestern Western Australia

Flora in Southwest Western Australia makes up a large proportion of the Australian floral kingdom. Various habitats in the southwest are subject to a mediterranean climate, of cool, wet winters, and hot, dry summers. All orchids in this region are tuberous terrestrial plants that have an annual growth cycle. Several genera (Drakaea, Elythranthera, Pyrorchis) are unique to the region. All have adapted to bushfires that occur naturally in the dry period. Some taxa do not flower unless the habitat is subject to burning, the previous season. Many species have evolved alongside their unique pollinator. Thus, pseudocopulation plays a major role in the pollination syndrome.