JUNE 2005  (Vol. 17 No.3)

THIS MONTH'S FEATURES:

FRONT COVER:

Dendrochilum latifolium ‘Underwood’ HCC/AOC 2005.  Award No. 3302.  Owned by L. Johnson, Tasmania.  (Photograph by Rex Johnson.)

Gerald McCraith

The grand old man of the Australian orchid world, Gerald McCraith, AM, FAOC, has been honoured for his lifetime of work with and for orchids by the Orchid Society of South East Asia.  The award of the society’s highest honour, the Gold Medal, was announced at the World Orchid Conference in Dijon, France, in March. Unfortunately Gerald was unable to be present.  We are proud to feature a reproduction of the Citation and the obverse and reverse of the Gold Medal.  (This has been reproduced on this website – Click here)

  AOC Wins WOC Website Award

The Australian Orchid Council’s website carried off the Gold Medal for society websites in the inaugural competition at the World Orchid Conference in Dijon in March.  The website had undergone massive changes in the week before the competition.  Colin Hamilton provides some insight into the make-over, and Coralie Hills reports on the Council’s reaction.  The new look is the collaboration of Wolfgang H. Bandish, who designed the page templates, and AOC’s webmaster Colin Hamilton. Needless to say we are all very proud the achievement of these two volunteers.

 AOC Slide Library

Jim Shaughnessy reports on the six new slide programs available to societies for their meetings.

 World Orchid Conference, Dijon, March 2005

Colin Jennings was one of the Australian contingent who attended this triennial event, this year held in Dijon, France, and combined with the huge European horticultural exposition, Florissimo.  Colin covers many aspects of the WOC from the set-up, judging, lectures, and social events.  The article is supplemented with photographs from Gary Yong Gee and include both the Champion and Reserve Champion orchids.

 An Orchid by Any Other Name….etc – Part 3

Gary Yong Gee continues his multi-part article on orchid species.  This month his topic is the family Oncidiinae. The description of the species is augmented by 33 of Gary’s own excellent photographs.

 Troubled Times for Some Rare Orchid Species

AOC Conservation Officer, Alan Stephenson, reports on some orchids fighting extinction in various countries, not the least of which is our very own ‘elbow orchid’ or Arthrochilus huntanus subsp. nothofagicola, or more recently Thynninorchid huntianus.  This species grows in the South West of Tasmania in debris on the forest floor.  It is threatened by the unique Lyrebird which scratches up the debris to build its nest.  Alan reports in a footnote that the Tasmanian Dept. of Primary Industries is taking steps to erect mesh barriers in an endeavour to save the orchids from the Lyrebirds.  Photos of Lyrebirds by Brian O’Leary accompany the article.

 From the Bookshop

Publications Director Colin Jennings, provides an update on the items available from the AOC Bookshop.  (An updated list is available on this website).

 Selected Species – Peter Taylor.

This month Peter has chosen Pleurothallis titan as his subject, and as usual provides notes on the habitat, history and conditions necessary to grow this species in captivity.  Two excellent photographs by David Banks illustrate the article.

 Another View of the Conference (Dijon)

Orchids Australia editor, Coralie Hills, provides an additional look at the World Orchid Conference, and in particular the old city itself.  Coralie concludes that attending a WOC is a great experience and one well worth saving for every three years.  Four of Coralie’s photographs accompany the article.