Volume 10 No.5 October 1998

CONTENTS

FRONT COVER: Dendrobium bioculare - Described in 1904 by J.J. Smith and never seen again, that is until now. We are proud and delighted to bring the first ever colour photographs of this beautiful orchid. Front cover shows a pendulous spray of flowers, leading to the article inside which has a great shot of a single bloom. Photographs by Phil Spence.

Selected Species - Epidendrum pseudoepidendrum. Peter Taylor's regular feature is always a wealth of information, and this month is no exception. Peter delves into the history of his subject and makes for fascinating reading. The accompanying photograph is a half page blow up of two different clones of this beautiful and unusual orchid.

The Cymbidium Page. Julian Coker writes on some aspects of Cymbidiums and aspects of the effects of frost on plants, flowers and buds. Photos show the flowers and buds ravaged by the cold.

APOC 2001. Yes, you'll read it here first. Where is the Asia Pacific Orchid Conference being held in three years time? Somewhere in …….

VALE - Marion Ruff Sheehan. Marion Sheehan is a name synonymous with orchid art, and the series of watercolours Marion prepared for the American Orchid Society Bulletin (now Orchids) with husband Tom over many years is known to millions. Sadly Marion died suddenly last July and we pay tribute to a great orchidist, artist and lady.

Book Review: Orchids 98 New Zealand O.S. Yearbook. Colin Hamilton reviews this annual publication of the New Zealand Orchid Council.

Amesiella monticola. David Banks and Jim Cootes describe this beautiful new species from the Philippines. This is the first publication of this species, with a great colour photograph by David and line drawings by Jim.

Trichoglottis seidenfadenii. David Banks describes this wonderful species and has once again provided a magnificent photograph to accompany the story.

The Fun of Potting Orchids. Something different here from Linda Fortner in the USA. We've all been there, done that. This hilarious account of coming to terms with dividing and potting up a monster of a plant that should have received attention a couple of years earlier. But when Linda has to resort to using an axe, well stand clear!

New York, New York. That's one hell of a Show they have in New York in the first week of April, and Colin Hamilton was lucky enough to be there this year. This isn't the usual sort of show report either. Plenty of pix, and a great panoramic shot by Kenn McCaffrey (Brisbane) of the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty from the plaza outside the World Financial Centre complex where the Greater New York Orchid Society holds its International Show.

Vancouver 1999. The World Orchid Conference is looming on the horizon - next April. More information in this issue and a warning that the second tier registration fee closes at the end of October.

Miniature Cymbidiums. Kel Staples writes on these fascinating darlings of the Cymbidium world. It is interesting how different things mean different things to orchid growers too. The penchant of the orchid growers in Japan for variegated foliage and the presentation of their prized plants in glazed pots is a feature of this story. There is also a 'check list' of species including our own native Cymbidiums.

Orchid Haus Papua New Guinea. You won't find this in other magazines. Our intrepid editor was on hand for the official opening of this massive shadehouse at the National Capital Botanical Gardens, Port Moresby, at the end of August. The orchid house is only one aspect of the revitalisation of the gardens over the last five years, and there are many aspects to its development. Over the weekend the Orchid Haus (pidgin English spelling) was open to the public and they turned up in their thousands.

Australian Orchid Council 1997 Orchids of the Year Award Nominations. Colin Jennings, Registrar General of Judging, shows most of the orchids nominated for the categories of Orchid Hybrid of the Year, Orchid Species of the Year and the Award of Distinction of the Year. Now readers can see the dilema judges go through to select the best of each category, and try their hand at picking the winners. (The winners will be announced at the AOC AGM in October and published in our December issue.)

Other Things: There are details of the coming spring shows around Australia, workshops, our usual departments such as Cultural Notes, Computer Corner and more.

Revised October 1998

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