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August
2003 (Vol.15 No.4)
THIS MONTH'S FEATURES:
FRONT
COVER:
Cymbidium Tom
Thumb
This
beautiful display leads to an article by Sydney area grower, Gary Hart, on mini
cymbidiums. His article proclaims the rewards for growers of miniature and
intermediate cymbidiums which he finds most adaptable. Another seven photos
accompany the article. (Photo: Gary Hart)
Orchid Conservation Forum 2003
Melbourne's
Royal Botanical Gardens will be the site for the second Orchid Conservation
Forum from 25 - 27 September. Keynote speakers will include Dr Kingsley Dixon
and Dr Andrew Batty from Kings Park and Botanical Gardens, Perth. The forum will
provide an opportunity to present and hear the results of some of the progress
made in conserving our native orchids since the first forum.
Orchids
of the Year 2002 Nominations
AOC
Registrar General of Judging, Colin Jennings, provides the list of nominations
from the Regional Judging Panels for the Orchids of the Year 2002. The
categories are AOC Orchid Hybrid of the Year, Orchid Species of the Year, and
Award of Distinction of the Year. There are seventeen orchids nominated in
the various sections, and each is lavishly illustrated in this edition.
The judging panels have recorded their votes for each section and the results
will be presented to the Australian Orchid Council meeting to be held in
Adelaide in mid September. As our October issues will already be at the
printers, you will have to wait until our December issue for the results.
These will be added to our Awards of the Year section on this website when
available.
16th
Australian Orchid Council Conference, Adelaide, September 2003
The
countdown is on to this significant event in the Australian orchid
calendar. Time is rapidly running out for the Conference and Show which
runs from 16 - 21 September.
Stanhopea
marizaiana - Spectacular new species
We
are always delighted to carry reports of new orchid discoveries, and this one is
no exception. Rudolf Jenny of Switzerland, provides us with details of
this spectacular new species of Stanhopea from Peru. The article is accompanied
by photographs of the new species and it's closest relative, Stanhopes
deltoidea, as well as three comparing the lips of the two species.
Coelogyne
pandurata Lindl.
For
this issue Peter Taylor has selected this unusual yellow/green flower with a
most distinctive 'fiddle' shaped, black lip. In his usual Peter delves
into the background of the orchid and provides an intriguing article on its
discovery, habitat, and detailed information on how he grows it. Great
photograph by Peter as well.
Cymbidiums
- The Lip (Final chapter)
Kevin
Butler of EziGro Orchids, Perth, has provided us with a detailed article on lip
coloration of cymbidiums in each issue this year. These have been based on
flower colours. He has chosen to leave the classiest one for the last
episode - white. The article is accompanied by eight superb photographs
illustrating the broad range of lip colour and patterns, from a pale pink blush
to startling heavy dark red.
Just
Browsing....
Colin
Jennings has been browsing old orchid publications again and this time ran
across some fascinating information on the establishment of the Queensland
Orchid Society. The report, dated September 1946, refers to one E.J.
Beard, founder and first President of QOS, being made a life member at the 13th
Annual General Meeting.
We've
all heard this one before - How much should our/your orchid society get from the
sales of orchid plants? Well, Colin has unearthed an article on this topic
which sounds very much like today but is actually dated March 1941 !!!
DNA
Research Finds Surprise Connection
Orchids
are among the most colourful and complex, even bizarre, mmbers of the plant
world. For biologists, they are among the most challenging as it has been
difficult to place them in their plant family tree and identify their closest
relatives. However, new research from New York, using DNA technology,
suggests they are more closely related to... wait for it .... the asparagus
family, than to other plant groups. Well, I never!
Book
Review - Orchids: The Pictorial Encyclopaedia of Oncidium
Gary
Yong Gee has reviewed a new edition of this book by Harry Zelnko and edited by
Mark Chase. It is six years since the first edition was published (and reviewed
in Orchids Australia, June 1998). Harry is the primary botanical artist,
with Johanna Warshaw and Betsy Dillard. The illustrations are all
watercolour. The main variation from the first edition is another 50 or so
illustrations and the addition of Comparietta and Trichopilia.
Plus…
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All the regular features of:
the very latest RHS Orchid Hybrid Registrations (our list is second only to the
RHS publication) the latest list of Australian Orchid Council Awards for 2003; Computer Corner, what's winning at
Shows around the country, Cultural Notes for various parts of Australia,
Orchid Show dates across Australia, and our list of forthcoming International orchid events through to 2005.
There is also a surprise for some lucky Australian subscriber - Orchids
Australia free for one year, provided it is claimed in 14 days.
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