The COALITION for ORCHID SPECIES

at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens 10901 Old Cutler Road

Miami, Florida Meets every third Monday at 7:30 p.m.

The President’s Message by Eduardo Marcellini

Dear COS Members: So many exciting events have happened in the past month with better than excellent results in C.O.S. that I don’t know where to start. First, at the last meeting we had a full house, and when I say full house, I mean it. We had to bring chairs from the other auditorium, to the point that we are going to consider the possibility of getting a bigger room in the future. This is very gratifying for the board because it shows that all our efforts are paying off. Believe me, it’s a great feeling to walk in the auditorium and see all the members there. Second, a group of volunteers went to the Court House by F.I.U. to mount donated orchids and some bromeliads. Most of us were there at 7:30 and by 10:30 the job was done. Two of the judges came to stay with us and they couldn’t thank us enough. A feeling of satisfaction overtook me. This kind of thing encourages me to keep going and do more. Lastly, the 3rd annual Symposium accomplished all that we had desired.

OUR AUGUST SPEAKER -- Nina Rach: Sobralia species & culture

Nina Rach is an AOS Accredited Judge. She is currently president of the Houston Orchid Society (HOS) and Webmaster for both the HOS and the Houston Judging Region. Her own website, http://www.autrevie.com/AutreVie.html, is loaded with pictures and information on Stanhopea and So-bralia. Nina started growing orchids on library windowsills when she was ten or eleven. Encyclia cochleata was one of her first plants. She now grows a variety of species and hybrids outdoors, in a greenhouse, and also under lights. She is particularly fond of Eulophia, Stanhopea, and Angraecoid orchids and also

has good success with Dendrobium and Cattleya. She has an AOS award to her credit: Phal. amabilis 'Mem. David Rach', AM/AOS, and enjoys judging other people's plants. Nina has had many wonderful opportunities to travel and photograph orchids in the wild. She lived in Africa in 1985-86, and worked as a darkroom photographer while finishing her graduate thesis on Lake Victoria. She attended two World Orchid Conferences - New Zealand (1990) and Scotland (1993), each as part of around the world trips. Nina has attended Cornell University (B.S.), Duke University (M.S.), and the University of Houston Law Center (J.D.) (1998).

AUGUST 2009

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The Symposium was a great success and only team spirit made it possible. Lou did a terrific job by coordinating the whole event – one that began with a superb selection of speakers. The whole program went like it was on wheels: Breakfast . . . first speaker, Lee Moore . . . break . . . second speaker, Glen Decker . . . and so on. In the AOS judging, which was great, seven plants were given awards. Lunch was organized, on time, and delicious. The third speaker, Manuel Aybar came next and then we had a break. The Silent Auction was closed. Then there was Weyman Bussey, our fourth speaker. At the end there was the raffle and adjournment. During the breaks, tickets for the raffle were for sale, attendees were bidding in the Silent Auc-tion, new members were signing in and vendors were selling! The three vendors were almost sold out before lunch. And COS Polo shirts were being sold, too!. One of the notes of con-gratulation said about the Symposium said that “something was going on at all times!” We had guests from many places in Florida – from Key West to Broward County, to Fort Pierce, to West Palm Beach, to Boca Raton, to Delray Beach, and to Port St Lucie. Several were even from Puerto Rico and Jamaica.. I’d like to thank our friends, vendors and all our members for their donations: Vendors: Amazonia, Carib Plants, Henington Farms, Kerry’s Bromeliads, Motes Orchids, O.F. E., R. F. Orchids, Ruben in Orchids, Soroa Orchids. Members: Betty Eber, Ernie Barham, Carmen & Carlos Segrera, Larry Cox, Sandy Schultz, Lou Lo-dyga, Eric Gottlieb, Georgia Tasker, and Mirta R. Heineman. And a huge thanks to all those who volunteered in the kitchen, setting up, taking down, and transporting equipment, plants and people!

Bits and Pieces by Mirta Russis-Heineman

Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009 Page 2

Thanks to all those great people who helped pre-pare breakfast for our Symposium! Namely,

Georgia Tasker, Sandy Schultz, Carole DeBiase, Millie Rodriguez, Linda Curle, Cindy Langdon, and Pat Chen Yin! (and Katria for fetching all of

the yummies for that morning).

This event has one creator and that person is Lou Lodyga. He presented his idea to the board three years ago and I’m happy that we agreed to do it, because it is a winner. The symposium was a complete success all around, great attendance, good selection of speakers and produced positive economic results for the club. The preparation was incredible. Lou, a true leader, was in total control taking care of every little detail but I have to tip my hat to the volun-teers. They worked hard with enthusiasm and dedication. I said this before and I think I’ll never get tired of saying it, with board members like the ones in C.O.S., being president is very easy and their fervor and passion is contagious. The best thing you can do to reward their efforts is to keep coming to the monthly meetings. I’ll see you all at the meeting this Monday. Your President, Eduardo Marcellini

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Page 3 Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009

GET GROWING! Cyrtopodium punctatum by Lou Lodyga

Florida is home for several native species of orchids. Among these is a rather spectacular species, Cyrtopodium punctatum (L.) Lindley, variously known as cowhorn or-chid or cigar orchid because of the shape of the pseu-dobulbs (swollen stems). It has also been called bee-swarm orchid because of the fancied resemblance of the inflorescence to a swarm of bees suspended in air. Cyrto-podium punctatum occurs from extreme South Florida through the Caribbean Islands and southern Mexico into central South America. It at one time was rather abun-dant in the Everglades and Big Cypress swamps, but be-cause of excessive collecting, is now nearly impossible to find there.

The earliest recorded collection of C. punctatum in Florida was by A. P. Garber in 1877 near Miami. At that time and for 50 years or more thereafter, it was quite common in the scrub cypress areas of the Everglades and Big Cy-press swamps. Collectors have since devastated these populations. According to Carlyle Luer "It is certainly one of our most spectacular native orchids. Because it has such great appeal, it has been intensively sought and unmerci-fully hauled out of the forests of southern Florida. Two generations ago it was quite abundant in the open, sunlit cypress stands of the Big Cypress Swamp. Immense plants weighing hundreds of pounds existed. Old accounts

relate that wagon-load upon wagon-load of the largest plants were carted out. Since then, the smaller ones have disap-peared too. Today these beautiful plants can be found only in the inaccessible areas of the most remote swamps, but these, too, are gradually falling victim to thoughtless collec-tors." With these plants becoming ever scarcer, collectors are now removing them from remote areas of Everglades Na-tional Park. All such collection is illegal, but enforcement is very difficult.

The cowhorn orchid sometimes grows as a terrestrial plant in parts of its range, but it grows primarily as an epiphyte in Florida. In cultivation it is grown solely as an epiphyte. It has a more massive root system than most other epiphytes and requires a large pot or support. A cypress plaque with chunks of Osmunda fiber is satisfactory for growing this plant. It requires a well drained and aerated medium.

Cattleya of the Month — Cattleya dowiana — by Mirta Russis-Heineman

Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009 Page 4

Hospitality for August

MILLIE RODRIGUEZ

MARIA CERNA

PEGGY RENTE

MIRTA R-H

DIANA GONZALEZ

(and Jorge Leno and Rafael Toledo, of course!)

You are the Best!

Cattleya dowiana is one of the most beauti-ful Cattleyas species that occurs from Costa Rica to northern Colombia. The Colom-bian varieties, sometimes known as C. aurea, are larger-flowered with more intense col-ors. The pseudobulbs are swollen above the midpoint with a single leaf. The inflo-rescence is erect with from two to seven large flowers. The flowers can exceed fif-teen centimeters in diameter. The sepals are dark yellow, and the petals are rich yel-low, usually with red venation and flushing. The lip is velvety red, with golden yellow veins. It is very fragrant and its fragrance is a trait that passes to its hybrids. C. dowiana

is often considered difficult to grow. I grow mine in about 50% sun, and in a place with good moving air that helps my dowiana dry out its roots fast because they do not like to keep their roots wet, and at the same time cool its leaves. Fertilize with a weak formula (1/3 or ¼ of normal feed-ing) and only during the growing period, which is during early spring to summer, when it blooms. Do not use slow release fertilizer because this may continue to feed during dormancy, which can contribute to pseudobulb rot.

Mirta Russis-Heineman’s Cattleya dowiana

Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009 Page 5

SFOS SPEAKERS DAY! The South Florida Orchid Society cordially invites you to participate in our annual Speakers Day event being held on October 4, 2009. Speakers Day has AOS approval for judging seminar credits. Speakers’ Day will in-clude breakfast, lunch, five stimulating programs, plant sales, and AOS judging and panel discussion. The full details of the day’s program are in the attached flyer. Our speakers this year will be:

Bob Burkey

Jason Fischer

Norito Hasegawa

Tom Mirenda

Marguerite Webb

Speakers Day will be held at Signature Gardens, 12725 SW 122 Ave., Miami, FL. The ticket price is $45.00 which includes a continental break-fast and a cold buffet lunch. Please let your members know about this exciting full-day orchid learning experience and judging opportunity by distributing the flyers at your next meeting and announcing it in your newsletter.

Note that advance registration for the program is required… no tickets will be available at the door.

We look forward to seeing you at Speakers Day.

Sincerely, Carol De Biase, Speakers Day Chairman South Florida Orchid Society, Inc., 10801 S.W. 124 STREET / MIAMI, FLORIDA 33176

TELEPHONE / FAX: (305) 255-3656 E-MAIL: sforchid@bellsouth.net Website: www.sforchid.com

Keep that March 2010 COS Trip to Costa Rica alive!

Our planned trip to the orchid show in San Jose, Costa Rica, is still ON! We plan to tour the surrounding orchid-laden countryside! The orchid show will provide CITES plants for purchase. This is a wonder-

ful opportunity, so mark your March 2010 calendars !

Page 6 Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009

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

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 auc-

tion your plants!

August 2009 Coal i t ion for Orch id Species Page 7

WHAT’S IN BLOOM ! Photos by Melanie Trexler & Rafael Toledo

B. nodosa, Mirta Russis- Heineman

Stanhopea candida Betty Eber

Prosthechea fragrans, Betty Eber

Laelia anceps Jose Gancedo

Gramatophyllum scriptum

Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009 Page 8

July Loop Road Tour with Eric Gottlieb

COS CONSERVATION at the THIRD DISTRICT COURT of APPEAL July 25, 2009 Photos by VERONICA ANTONOFF, Third DCA

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Coal i t ion for Orch id Species August 2009 Page 9