DECEMBER 2007  (Vol. 19 No.6)

THIS MONTH'S FEATURES:

FRONT COVER:

Cypripedium pubescensWolrd Orchid Conference Glasgow 1993

Photographer: Colin Jennings

Orchids of Australia's Southwest

Western Australia's southwest is one of the world's Biodiversity Hotspots with some 80% of the plant species being found nowhere else on the planet.

Isolated from the rest of Australia by the arid country which sweeps in a large arc from the Indian Ocean in the north, to the Southern Ocean at the Great Australian Blight in the east, has had the effect of keeping invasive spacies at bay.

The President’s Word

Pam Bartlett reflects on the Annual General Meeting of the AOS at which the Orchids of the Year 2006 were selected.

Epidendrum ilense – Peter Taylor

Epidendrum ilense provides an intersting example of ex-situ conservation, a practice all species enthusiasts engage as habitats become more fragmented and at threat.

More Orchids of Educational Beauty from Kanchanaburi in Western Thailand – Rod Rice

Continuing on from the last article - 'An Orchid Safari in Western Thailand', a further selection and cross section of the orchid taxa that occurs in the large province of Kanchanaburi are presented below. As they occur in the same areas, many of these plants go through the same sort of distinct, dry, cool/cold period as the others mentioned in the previous article.  

AOC Orchids of the Year 2006 – olin Jennings

Congratulations to the winners of these four prestigious Australian Orchid Council Awards:

• ORCHID HYBRID OF THE YEAR
  Sc. Royal Beau 'Dendi' FOCC/AOC 2006
  Dendi Orchids, New South Wales, AOC#3649

• ORCHID SPECIES OF THE YEAR
  Dendrochilum magnum 'P.I.' FCC-ACE/AOC 2006
  Royale Orchids, New South Wales, AOC#3564

• AWARD OF DISTINCTION OF THE YEAR
  Dtps. Brother Sheridan 'Warrigal' AM-AD/AOC 2006
  Dr. Graham McKay, Queensland, AOC#3565

• CULTURE AWARD OF THE YEAR
  Dendrochilum magnum 'P.I.' FCC-ACE/AOC 2006
  Royale Orchids, New South Wales, AOC#3564

Vincentia - Prasophyllum affine, Disappointment, Frustration, Relief & More Frustration - Alan Stephenson

the saga began in 1997 with a visit to the site with well-known Sydney orchid identify, Ruth Rudkin, who was entertaining two Austrian orchid aficionados, Karl Rotbusch and his daughter, Monika Ottowitz. Ruth had contacted me to ask if I could help her by showing her guests some orchids on the NSW south coast.

The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz - Samuel Sprunger

To celebrate the 100th birthday of the famous orchidologist Jany Renz and the seven year activity of the Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz, it's time to inform the public about the state of affairs at the Foundation.

And much more . . .