JUNE SPEAKER George F. Carr, Jr. The Genus Cycnoches

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1 JUNE 2009 The COALITION for ORCHID SPECIES at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens Old Cutler Road Miami, Florida Meets every third Monday at 7:30 p.m. JUNE SPEAKER George F. Carr, Jr. The Genus Cycnoches An accredited American Orchid Society Judge in the Florida North Central Judging Center in Tampa, Florida, George F. Carr, Jr. has been growing orchids for almost thirty years. His interest in the genus Cycnoches began in 1993 when he requested to do his research paper on the genus for his Student Judge requirement. His paper, Cycnoches One Hundred Sixty-five Years of Confusion was completed and presented in In 1996, the paper was awarded the first American Orchid Society Education Certificate of Appreciation. He has continued his research and writings on the genus and the related genera of the subtribe Catasetinae. He has published numerous articles in the United States in Orchids and the Orchid Digest, Brazil, France, England and Colombia. In 2003, George was named as an accepted American Orchid Society taxonomic authority on the Catasetinae specializing in Cycnoches. He is retired but stays busy with his work in the Catasetinae. The President s Message by Eduardo Marcellini Greetings from Buenos Aires! We arrived this past Saturday. The days are beautiful, very sunny with low humidity, but the temperatures range from the mid 30 s to the mid 50 s. This makes you appreciate the Miami weather more. As I mentioned in the previous letter, my mother had some health issues, and still has, so here we are to see what we can do. She is still in a nursing home and we don t know if it will be temporary or long-term. I will be missing this coming meeting, but the members of the Board and the members in charge of our committees will take care of every aspect of it. Last month we had a wonderful meeting with the people from Oak Hill, but the most important aspect to me was our attendance. We had a full house, and that is what it counts Continued on page 2 NEXT MONTH S PROGRAM will be presented by our very own BETTY EBER on THE ORCHIDS OF CUBA -- Mark your calendars and be sure to attend!

2 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 2 Continued from page 1 to me. We can bring the best speaker in the world, but few attendees is a sign that the club is not doing well and it won t grow. Let s keep it up, continue coming to the meetings and other functions. Support and promote our club, and if we get too big, we will move to another, larger room! Last but not least, I would like to thank the COS members that volunteered their time working at the Redland International Orchid Festival, and thank the Redland Growers Association as well. We received a nice check for our member s work. This event continues to grow and improve every year, and we are so fortunate to have it in our back yard! It s time to say good bye. I hope every one can make it to this meeting and bring as many friends as you can. I ll see you all in July. Sincerely, Eduardo Marcellini AOS Botanical Gardens to Remain Open! Delray Beach, Florida - The American Orchid Society (AOS) Botanical Gardens, which were slated to close at the end of June, were given a new lease on life by the AOS Board of Trustees who voted unanimously on Tuesday (June 2, 2009) to keep the gardens open to members and to the public. President Carlos Fighetti said there were a number of factors that help support the decision. First and foremost was the local support that came forward both in terms of existing members and the general public who did not want to see the gardens closed. Over 10,000 signatures were gathered that urged the Board to look for ways to sustain the gardens during the months when visitors are at low ebb. In addition to this overwhelming interest, a quickly formed pledge drive headed by the South Florida Leadership Council consisting of many local orchid societies secured some $40,000 that will help towards that end. [Thank you SFLC and COS Members!] A formal presentation was put together by the AOS Botanical Garden Committee and presented to the Board at their Annual Meeting held in Houston in April. The Board asked to include many of these events in the annual budget to see the impact keeping the Gardens open would have on the bottom line of the organization. IFighetti said, We are very proud of the initiative and the results generated by all those who treasure our Tropical Orchid Garden in Delray Beach. We are confident that with this additional funding that we can show many more visitors why this is one of the most beautiful horticultural and visitorattracting assets in southern Florida. The American Orchid Society Botanical Gardens are open to the public 7 days a week, from 10:00am to 4:30pm. The 3.5 acre site has a magnificent collection of tropical orchids in natural settings that complement the mission of the American Orchid Society. For information, please call Betty Eber and the Phabulous Phalaenopsis! Betty s next class on how to grow Phals will be especially interesting and enlightening. Come learn more about these delightful beauties at our next COS meeting! The mini class starts at 7:00 pm sharp in the Corbin Bldg.

3 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 3 The Coalition for Orchid Species (COS) will hold an orchid species symposium at Fairchild Gardens, Garden Room, on Sunday, August 2, Tickets are $35.00 for COS members and $40.00 for non-cos members, and include the lectures, continental breakfast, and boxed lunch from Panera. Orchid sales will be available during the day, as well as AOS judging. AGENDA 8:00-8:30am - Continental Breakfast 8:30-8:45am - Welcome 9:00-9:45am - Lee Moore - Orchids of Peru 10:00-11:00am - Manuel Aybar- Orchids of the Dominican Republic 11:15-12 Noon- Plant Sales & AOS Judging (Noon- 1pm- Lunch) 1:00-2:00pm - Weyman Bussey - Showy Mexican Species, Where they come from and how they grow 2:00-3:00pm - Glen Decker - Piping Rock Orchids Phragmipedium species and their Culture Lee Moore, Weyman Bussey, and Glen Decker will be selling plants throughout the day! Tickets can be obtained from: Mrs. Erna Maxwell,14736 SW 85 th Lane, Miami, FL , or hendrinamax@bellsouth.net Cos needs symposium volunteers! We need volunteers on Saturday 11:00 a.m to help set up tables and prepare the Garden Room; on Sunday, we need volunteers to help throughout the day with food, plants, etc. Please contact Lou Lodyga to see how you can help make the COS Symposium a fun and successful event!

4 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 4 Bits and Pieces for June This past month, a group of COS members and guests went on the free Fairchild Annual Tour. We were very lucky because we had a great guide that explained everything very carefully. The weather kept some members at home but it only rained at the end of the tour. I hope that next year we will have a sunny day! Anyway, we had a good time talking about... guess what?!? by Mirta Russis-Heineman Photos by Carlos San Martin Last Saturday, June 6, a number of us attended the sold-out 6th Annual COS Bus Trip event. We sold out about two weeks before the trip! The weather cooperated because it rained just a little on our way up and a little on our way home. The orchid nurseries were great and they had special prices and fabulous orchids -- things that you don t see around often. Rafael Toledo found a good place for us to park our cars for the day. We picked up a group of members in Broward, as well as members from our sister society, the Davie Orchid Society. Cynthia and Ivonne, with Maria and Diana, served us breakfast and snacks before we arrived at the first nursery, Palmer Orchids. During the trip, Melana organized some fun games with super nice prizes. After Palmer, we had lunch and visited Canaima Orchids, which had a very select group of orchids for sale. After that, we visited Fender Flora and Venice Orchids, that Pat suggested, and it was a good choice: they were very friendly and had also cactus, ferns and succulents. On the way back we stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner. We signed up 9 members to attend the Symposium, as well as 6 new COS members: Gloria and Eddy Rodriguez, Lisa Coello, Mary Foster-Munn, Orpha Hirst, Ruth Joanne Yates Schroeder, and Josefina Bisbal. Welcome to all! I hope you come to meetings regularly so that you learn a lot about taking care of your orchids. If you did not attend the bus trip this year, plan to attend next year as we are going to have a bigger bus so that more people can come! The next COS trip will be a visit to the Fakahachee in July. More details will be announced at the June meeting. Last week our dear member, Cynthia White (she does the Silent Auction) lost her mother. Our prayers and thoughts have been with her. COS Trip to Costa Rica in March 2010! COS is planning a trip for next year to the orchid show in San Jose, Costa Rica, to include tours of the surrounding orchid-laden countryside! We will announce details as the trip develops, so mark your 2010 calendars for this one!

5 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 GET GROWING! Epidendrum prismatocarpum by Lou Lodyga Page 5 If you like flowers that make a statement, than this striking species is for you! Found in Mexico and Central America, it s found in the forests where it grows on large tree branches. The bright, long lasting, fragrant flowers are produced in the summer on a 15 inflorescence. An easily grown species, it needs strong bright light, and can be grown mounted, or potted, and since it has pseudobulbs, it needs to dry out between watering. Fertilize only in active growth. Cattleya of the Month Cattleya warscewiczii by Mirta Russis-Heineman This Cattleya, also known as gigas, was found for the first time in Colombia, in the province of Medellin. It is an epiphyte (growing on trees, not as a parasite). The plant is found on trees near streams, often growing in full sun. The orchid s inflorescence has three to eight flowers. Its flowers are very large and showy, and can be up to 20 cm in diameter. Sepals and petals can be rose-pink (also white in the alba form); the lip can be carmine with yellow in the throat. It is perfect for growing in baskets or on trees. COS Conservation Events! The COS Conservation Committee is planning two exciting events to promote the restoration and management of native orchids in Miami- Dade County. Our first event will take place at Christ the King Lutheran Church on Saturday, June 20, The second event, TBA, will take place on the grounds of the Third District Court of Appeal, near the Fairgrounds. We are in great need of your plant donations (species or hybrids) and need several COS volunteers to help mount the orchids to trees in each location. Please contact Katria Whitfield, Carlos Segrera, or Melanie Trexler for more information!

6 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Stanhopea wardii x tricornis Newsletter Submissions - Show Off Your Plants! The COS Newsletter welcomes news, digital photos of COS member s plants, articles, events, and any other items of interest to members. Send items and/or photos in.jpg format by the FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH to: mbtrexler@gmail.com Please include your name at the beginning or end of your text. All submissions will be reviewed and may be edited because of space limitations. Thank you! Page 6 SILENT AUCTION! Each month, in addition to the raffle, COS has a silent auction of plants that COS members have brought in to share. This is a great way to acquire new plants and benefit COS at the same time. So clear off your orchid benches and bring in your offshoots, keikis, and divisions! Cynthia White runs the silent auction at each meeting, and will kindly provide you with everything you need to auction your plants! 2009 COS BOARD President: Eduardo Marcellini Vice President: Lou Lodyga Treasurer: Tom De Mello Secretary: Melana Davison Board: Betty Eber, Cindy Langdon, Melanie Trexler, Carlos Segrera Membership: Vivian Wadell Education Committee: Lou Lodyga Conservation Comm.: Katria Whitfield Newsletter Editor: Melanie Trexler Special Events Chair: Mirta Russis Heineman 2008 President: Katria Whitfield COS Hospitality Volunteers for June: JAVIER MOREJON MARIA CERNA RAUL TOLEDO And MARIE FERRARO Thank you so much!

7 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 7 WHAT S IN BLOOM! Photos by Jean Wilson Den. amabile - Mirta Russis-Heineman Coelogyne pandurata - Betty Eber Notylia barkeri - Melanie Trexler Dendrochilum uncatum

8 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 8 More of What s In Bloom Photos by Jean Wilson Broughtonia sanguinea Robiquetia cerina Aer. flabellata Miltonia spectabile var. alba -- Jordon Steele Thanks to all who bring in their beauties to share! Often, we don t know who the plant belongs to when we review the photos, and can t give credit where it s due. We encourage you to take a minute to fill out your name and your plant s name and attach it to the plant before Show-N-Tell. And see your name in print next Newsletter! Your COS photographer thanks you!

9 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 9 Please patronize our loyal advertisers! Michele R. De Bianchi ATTORNEY AT LAW LEVEY, FILLER, RODRIGUEZ, KELSO & DE BIANCHI, LLP 1688 MERIDIAN AVENUE, SUITE 902 MIAMI, FL TEL.(305) FAX (305) Where Quality is as Traditional as the Orchid Itself SW 182 Ave., Homestead, FL * rforchids@aol.com * Order toll-free VANDAS

10 Coal i t i on for Orchid Species Ju n e 2009 Page 1 0 Burma s Vanishing Orchids Rare plants on sale at By VIOLET CHO Friday, February 20, 2009 Thailand s Dan Singkhon market. PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Thailand (Photo: Violet Cho) The orchid market at Dan Singkhon in southern Thailand attracts thousands of enthusiasts, who don t seem to be worried that their love for these exotic plants is threatening many species with extinction. Many of the threatened orchids come from the forests of nearby Burma, imported at small cost with the cooperation of Burmese and Thai border officials. The Dan Singkhon market has been attracting collectors of orchids and other wild plants for more than a decade. The football field-size market takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thai customs authorities at the nearby Burmese border charge an average of 10 baht (30 US Cents) per imported plant, which can range from a simple orchid to an example of the world s oldest species. No official checks are made of the imported plants, many of which are on lists of protected and endangered species. One international expert, Jeffrey Wood, curator of the orchid herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in Britain, examined photographs of the plants on sale at the Dan Singkhon market and said: It's quite upsetting to see such a large variety of species being stripped off the trees in Burma. A lot of these species wouldn't survive, since they come from the mountains. It is very damaging to the local orchid flora. It s like the days back in the late 19th century when nurseries used to send out collectors and they used to strip an area bare. The same thing s happening in the remoter parts of Burma. Another expert, J F Maxwell, curator of the Chiang Mai University Herbarium, said many of the imported plants failed to survive when removed from their natural habitat. Plants have been around longer than people, so the idea of people killing everything is revolting, especially if it is based on greed and stupidity, said Maxwell, who joined Wood in identifying the flora on sale at the Dan Singkhon market, using photo documentation. Burma and Thailand are signatories to the Convention on the Elimination of Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which bans or restricts trading in all wild orchid species. Burma signed CITES in 1997 and management of the treaty is under the country s Ministry of Forestry. Thailand signed in The majority of the wild orchids on sale in the Dan Singkhon market are listed in either appendix 1 or 2 of CITES. Appendix 1 species are endangered with extinction and trade is virtually prohibited. Species listed in appendix 2 species are judged to be also under threat and trade is highly regulated. Among orchids listed in appendix 1 are those of the orchid genus Paphiopedilum, which experts say could become extinct in Burma unless trade in the plants is stopped. Fifty Burmese species of the Dendrobium genus are also listed by CITES as endangered an indication of the great variety of orchids to be found in Burma s forests. Experts point out that these orchids come from very delicate ecosystems and are unlikely to survive when replanted. Most die during their first dry season, said Maxwell. Almost all ground orchids die probably because of microrrhiza dysfunction. They simply can't cope away from their native niche, the epiphytic ones may linger around for longer, but most do not survive. Many merchants make fraudulent claims about the plants they are selling, often identifying them with false names and photos. Dormant, unflowering plants are also difficult to identify correctly. Ma Khaing, who has been selling orchids at the market for more than a year said she earns at least 200 baht ($6) per day. She and other traders know they re dealing in rare plants but argue that they need the money because of the harsh economic conditions in Burma. Endangered plants from Burma pass unhindered through Thai border posts. (Photo: Violet Cho)