Journal of the Native Orchid Society of South Inc

Print Post Approved .Volume 36 Nº 9 PP 543662/00018 October 2012 NATIVE ORCHID SOCIETY OF PO BOX 565 UNLEY SA 5061

www.nossa.org.au.

The Native Orchid Society of South Australia promotes the conservation of orchids through the preservation of natural habitat and through cultivation. Except with the documented official representation of the management committee, no person may represent the Society on any matter. All native orchids are protected in the wild; their collection without written Government permit is illegal.

PRESIDENT SECRETARY Geoffrey Borg: Robert Lawrence ph 82948014, or 0488 356 720 Email. [email protected] Email: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT Kris Kopicki

COMMITTEE Bill Dear Bob Bates Cathy Houston Pamela Monk

EDITOR TREASURER David Hirst Marj Sheppard 14 Beaverdale Avenue Telephone 8344 2124 Windsor Gardens SA 5087 mob. 0419 189 118 Telephone 8261 7998 Email: [email protected]

LIFE MEMBERS Mr R. Hargreaves† Mr. L. Nesbitt Mr H. Goldsack† Mr G. Carne Mr R. Robjohns† Mr R Bates Mr J. Simmons† Mr R Shooter Mr D. Wells† Mr W Dear Mrs C Houston

Conservation Officer: Cathy Houston telephone 8356 7356; Email: [email protected] Field Trips Coordinator: Wendy Hudson. Ph: 8251 2762, Email: [email protected] Trading Table: Judy Penney Show Marshall: B Jensen Registrar of Judges: Les Nesbitt Tuber bank Coordinator: Jane Higgs ph. 8558 6247; email: [email protected] New Members Coordinator: Vacant

PATRON Mr L. Nesbitt

The Native Orchid Society of South Australia, while taking all due care, take no responsibility for loss or damage to any whether at shows, meetings or exhibits.

Views or opinions expressed by authors of articles within this Journal do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the management committee. We condone the reprint of any articles if acknowledgment is given

Journal Cost $2. per issue. Family or Single Membership with subscription $20.00* *Postal Mail full year $20.00. Email full year $15.00. Pro-rata rates for third quarter $10.00 and last quarter $5.00 Students $10.00 per year. Juniors $5.00

Front cover from an original drawing of Caleana major by Helen Lawrence. Used with her kind permission. JOURNAL OF THE NATIVE ORCHID SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC.

OCTOBER 2012 VOL. 36 NO 9

CONTENTS THIS JOURNAL Title Author Page

Diary Dates 90 September Judging Results 91 For Your Information – NOSSA News 92 NOSSA Sarcanthinae Show 2012 93 2012 Spring Show report Les Nesbitt 93 NOSSA visit to Muloowurtie Reserve, Mulbura Park, Ramsay Way ` and the Brentwood Cemetery, on Yorke Peninsula Leo Davis 95 September 2012 Winning Photo Rosalie Lawrence 99

The Native Orchid Society of South Australia meets every 4th Tuesday of the months February –November

NEXT MEETING 23 OCTOBER 2012 . NEXT MEETING

Tuesday, 23 October at St Matthew's Hall, Bridge Street, Kensington. Meeting starts at 8:00 p.m. Doors to the hall will be open from 7:15 p.m. to allow Members access to the Library and trading table. The meeting comprises the Sarcanthinae Show [see page 93]. Kevin Western will also be speaking at the September Meeting about Sarchochilus.

DIARY DATES

Oct 27, Saturday; 11am Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Spring flowering orchids Nov 11th Sunday Cox Scrub for Caleana & Paracaleana (Duck orchids) Dec 29th Saturday Raywood Nursery & Talisker CP for Dipodium 25th November Sunday Annual NOSSA BBQ, Myponga Nov 27th Tuesday ANNUAL AUCTION and XMAS Supper

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING Tues, 30th October. Meeting commences at 7:30 p.m. to be held at the home of David & Rosemary Hirst, 14 Beaverdale Ave Windsor Gdns.

Judging results for September Meeting

Species: Bulbophyllum elisae; Dendrobium falcorostrum; Dendrobium kingianum (Corrigans Red x Cherries) x Clara; Dendrobium tetragonum var. melaleucaphilum; Dockrillia mortii; Dockrillia striolata; Sarcochilus aequlis; Sarcochilus australis; Sarcochilus falcatus; Sarcochilus spathulatus; Sarcochilus weinthalii. Hybrids: Dendrobium Brinawa Charm; Dendrobium Blush x Gulginnie x kingianum x Lynette Banks; Dendrobium Colonial Summit; Dendrobium delicatum ‘Apple Blossom; Dendrobium delicatum; Dendrobium Elegent Glow; Dendrobium Elegent Heart; Dendrobium Kate x Steve; Dendrobium Peewee ‘Keith x Katherine Banks; Dendrobium Keb No 1 x James; Dendrobium unknown. Terrestrials benched; Species: Caladenia arenicola; Caladenia latifolia; Caladenia reticulata; Chiloglottis trapeziformis; Chiloglottis aff. truncata; sulphurea; Microtis unifolia; Pterostylis cycnocephala; Pterostylis pedunculata. Pterostylis plumosa. Hybrids: Caladenia ‘Fairy Children’; Diuris Earwig (2 plants); Pterostylis Hoodwink.

Judging results Epiphyte species Open division Grower 1st Dendrobium falcorostrum W & S Walloscheck 2nd Sarcochilus weinthalii Kris Kopicki 3rd Dockrillia striolata Les Nesbitt Epiphyte Hybrid Open division None benched Epiphytes Species 2nd division: 1st Dendrobium kingianum (Corrigans Red x Cherries) x Clara Janet Adams No 2nd or 3rd Epiphytes Hybrids 2nd division 1st Dendrobium Brinawa Charm Janet Adams 2nd Dendrobium delicatum ‘Apple Blossom Janet Adams 3rd Dendrobium Peewee ‘Keith x Katherine Banks Janet Adams Terrestrial species Open division 1st Kris Kopicki 2nd Chiloglottis trapeziformis Les Nesbitt 3rd Pterostylis cycnocephala Les Nesbitt Terrestrial hybrids Open division 1st Diuris Earwig John & Bev Gay 2nd Pterostylis Hoodwink Les Nesbitt 3rd Caladenia ‘Fairy Children’ Les Nesbitt Terrestrial Species 2nd division Microtis unifolia Janet Adams Terrestrial Hybrid 2nd division 1st Diuris Earwig Janet Adams

Popular vote Terrestrial species: Caladenia arenicola Kris Kopicki Terrestrial Species 2nd division: Pterostylis curta Janet Adams Terrestrial hybrid: Diuris Earwig John & Bev Gay Terrestrial Hybrid 2nd division; Diuris Earwig Janet Adams Epiphyte Species: Dendrobium tetragonum var. melaleucaphilum Kris Kopicki Epiphyte Species 2nd division; Dendrobium kingianum Janet Adams Epiphyte Hybrid 2nd division Dendrobium Brinawa Charm Janet Adams

Plant of the night: Diuris Earwig John & Bev Gay

Plant commentary on terrestrials given by Les Nesbitt & on epiphytes by Noel Oliver.

91 September Speaker: Les Nesbitt spoke briefly on the Dockrillia teretifolia seedings then proceeded to raffle them off. There will be a second distribution at the October Meeting

FOR YOUR INFORMATION - NOSSA NEWS

FIELD TRIPS

Upcoming Field Trips All field trips commence at 10:00 AM Date Site Orchids Meeting Place Oct 13, Scott Creek CP Thelymitra Corner of Cherry Gardens and Dorset Saturday grandiflora Vale Road, Cherry Gardens. 168E8. Oct 27 Mt Lofty Botanic Meet at the Lower carpark, Lampert Saturday Gardens Road, Crafers. UBD 145F4. **NOSSA members willing to assist with this tour would be most appreciated.

Nov 11 Cox Scrub Caleana & Southern end of Cox Scrub, small car Sunday Paracaleana (Duck park, corner Creek Road & Bond Road orchids) (no through road) Ashbourne. Dec 29 Raywood Nursery Dipodium Delamere Store, corner Main South Road Saturday & Talisker CP & Cole Road, Delamere.

NEXT JUDGES MEETING The next judges meeting will be October 13th at Les Nesbitt’s home

2012 MEMBERSHIP NOTICE Members who wish to pay 2012 Membership Fees electronically should e-mail NOSSA Treasurer on [email protected] You will receive banking details so that you can complete your subscription. Please remember to include in your e- mail any change of address details. Marj Sheppard, Treasurer

TUBER BANK

Tubers (or, at this stage, promise of prospective tubers) are urgently needed for the Tuber Bank. Could you please let me know if you will have any, and what they are, as soon as possible, so that I can compile a list before December. Thank you. Contact details are as follows:- Jane Higgs Phone no. 08 85586247 P.O. Box 134 MYPONGA. S.A. 5202 email: [email protected]

92 XMAS RAFFLE

Please bring in to Faye Eaton at the October meeting any items to that can be added to the Christmas Stocking/Basket Raffle prize. Please check that the use by dates on the products will still be current into 2013.

ARTICLES / ITEMS FOR NEXT JOURNAL Articles / items for the October journal need to reach the Editor by Friday November 9th.

NOSSA Sarcanthinae Show 2012

Held at October monthly meeting [Tuesday 23rd] Show Schedule Class Description Sarcochilus hartmannii Sarcochilus falcatus Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii Other Sarcochilus Species Other allied species st Seedling - species 1 flowering (Mark with a white ribbon) Sarcochilus Fitzhart Sarcochilus Hybrid – predominately white Sarcochilus Hybrid – white with red centre Sarcochilus Hybrid – pink/red Sarcochilus Hybrid – yellow/green Sarcochilus Hybrid – any other colour Allied Intergeneric hybrid Judges will select from within these classes for both species and hybrids: The best seedling The best specimen

st Seedling - hybrid 1 flowering (Mark with a white ribbon) Grand Champion of the show will be the best overall Sarcochilus

There will be only one division for the Sarc show at the October meeting.

2012 Spring Show report Les Nesbitt

The 2012 show display was the best for several years. There were lots of high quality specimen epiphytes, including speciosums, and the terrestrials were good also. The sales tables groaned under the weight of so many flowering Dendrobium speciosum in this special blooming year. There was the usual buyer rush at 10am on Saturday. For the remainder of the show visitors took their time to look and learn. Visitors went away with a small free orchid just for attending. It is a fun time for the Society workers to talk about the orchids they love with their peers and breathe in the perfume of so many wonderful Australian orchids. Photographers enjoyed the chance to get up close to such a variety of flowers.

93 Seventeen growers staged orchids in the displays this year. For two or three it will probably be their last show so that added to the emotion. Moving around the hall there were two magnificent yellow speciosums in Noel Oliver’s display together with a white speciosum var curvicaule with upright spikes. The next table held the best floral art ever seen at our shows. John Gay won the champion floral art ribbon with a restaurant table centrepiece arrangement.

Edda Viskic and Russel Job had a variety of hot/cold Dendrobium hybrids and won the trophy for champion epiphytic species with a magnificent specimen plant of Dendrobium falcorostrum. Next tabletop was entered by Les and Eric Nesbitt. It featured nice plants of Sarcochilus aequalis and Dendrobium kingianum ’Çorrigans Red’ plus the tall terrestrials Pterostylis Hoodwink and Ptst. x ingens.

Pink Dendrobiums were the feature of Janet Adams display. The only sun orchid at the show, Thelymitra rubra, opened its flowers on the warm Saturday but they remained closed on Sunday. The standout orchid on the next table by M&L Guy was Den. speciosum var grandiflorum with a single long spike of huge yellow flowers. This was judged the best speciosum in the show.

Alongside was the tabletop display by J& B Gay given the highest points by the judges. The grand champion orchid of the show, Den. Yvonne Conway, stood out amongst other large specimen epiphytes in many different colours and shapes. John surprised himself with a terrestrial, Diuris Earwig, that eclipsed numerous pots of this hybrid at the show. In the corner Bodo Jensen set up a group of stands to display his hanging pots of colourful hot/cold hybrid Dendrobiums. Bill Dear took out the champion terrestrial species trophy with a nice pot of Caladenia tentaculata.

Displayed on a couple of wire cylinders were enough mounted species to satisfy the most discerning native orchid lover. This was Kris Kopicki’s exhibit. Den. tetragonum, Sarcochilus wienthalii and Sarco. spathulatus were outstanding. He also had eye-catching terrestrials in Diuris sulphurea and magnificent tall Caladenia arenicola.

The best floor display was put together by J&D Higgs and L&R Gunn with a bush camp theme. The range of terrestrials was outstanding. The champion terrestrial hybrid, Ptst. Dusky Duke, was just one of many specimen pots featured amongst the greenery.

In the centre of the hall a table by Trevor Garrard had some nice dark pink Den. kingianum and hybrid seedlings contrasting with a tall Den speciosum var hillii. L&M Burgess brought along terrestrials and a nice white Den. Kathryn Banks which caught my eye. David Pettifor displayed Ptst. plumosa plants in flower and several newly removed tubers. Bub Wells filled a table with large specimen dens including Gracillimum, striolatum and Ronald Banks. The composite table held plants from G & J Burford, Kerry Ninnes, Allan Jennings and W & S Thompson including an antelope orchid newly arrived from Queensland and there for display only.

Pictures from the monthly photo competition were displayed in the foyer while just inside the door Rosalie Lawrence demonstrated the use of the DVD and answered questions.

Many thanks for all those who contributed to the successful staging and smooth running of the show and to the judges who got up early to choose the best orchids on the day.

94 NOSSA visit to Muloowurtie Reserve, Mulbura Park, Ramsay Way and the Brentwood Cemetery, on Yorke Peninsula. Sunday, August 26, 2012. Leo Davis

The organisers of this outing can feel proud and satisfied. What a fruitful and friendly day! Our taste for travel and rare sightings is undiminished (so far, this year, we’ve been way out to Mawantjie Willauwar C. P. south of Tailem Bend, out along Chauncey’s Line Road, to Ferries McDonald C. P. and Monarto C. P. and as far north as Sandy Creek C. P.). The turn out of 17 included a number of non NOSSA members who live on the Peninsula and were interested to join us on the day and possibly as future NOSSA members. At least 7 NOSSA bods were sensible enough to sleep on the Peninsula on Saturday night (Fred and Pauline Myers, Wendy Hudson, Jill McPherson, Annette Smith and Patsy Love and David Mangelsdorf). Some made it a longer stay. For those travelling from Adelaide it was a 12 hour day.

Helen, Jill and Annette are keen and skilled ornithologists, so they made the most of time on the Peninsula, spotting dry land birds. Three sightings of note were of sexually dimorphic species (males & females different, as with NOSSA members!); Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius) and, perhaps near the edge of its distribution, the Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis).

One novice mistook a flower of Early Nancy (Wurmbea sp.) for a small orchid. Bob Bates was able to correct the observation. Not only is he an unparalleled expert on orchids; he has published in J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 21 (2007) 75–81, surveying all Early Nancy species of SA, and so is the expert in that field also.

We started at Muloowurtie Reserve (inland, west of Pine Point) where we saw as many species as elsewhere but many fewer actual plants and flowers. Some leaves of the endangered, SA endemic, Tall Bayonet Spider Orchid (Arachnorchis macroclavia), were seen inside protective cages, but there were no flowers. On August 28 last year flowers were observed.

Slim Tongue or Common Mallee Shell Orchid (Diplodium dolichochilum) plants were seen with seed pods, and the Red Shell Orchid (D. erythroconhum) was found in healthy flower. Bob mentioned that plants with richer coloured flowers might be seen at sites later in the day. The Tiny Shell Orchid (Hymenochilus pisinnus) was in flower and a few buds of the Scented or Dryland Sun Orchid (Thelymitra megcalyptra ), the most widely distributed Sun Orchid in SA, were close to opening. A few plants of the Glossy or Limestone Banded Greenhood (Bunochilus prasinus) were ending flowering and setting seed. The plants were only a quarter, or less, the height of plants currently in full bloom at Sherlock, the type location, where they are up to 36 cm high.

At Mulbara Park, a National Trust property, we were thrilled to find specimens of the vulnerable, SA endemic, Winter Spider Orchid (A. brumalis) and the endangered endemic SA Dwarf Comb Spider Orchid (A. conferta), immediately we entered the property. The Little or Cinnamon Donkey Orchid (Diuris palustris) was in flower with some pure yellow forms. Blue Beard or Blue Fairy-orchids (Pheladenia deformis) occurred in colours from the usual dark blue, through sky blue to full albino.

At Ramsay Way Conservation Park, inland from Port Vincent, we found the same two spider orchids but Bob Bates alerted us to hybrids between the two. The hybrids, naturally, had characteristics and appearances between the parents but varied among themselves. It

95 was instructive to see examples of the parent species with a hybrid growing between them.

In passing, Bob declared the Ramsay Park to be “Pheladenia heaven” and indeed we had trouble not treading on them.

A last minute decision to head to Brentwood, given we’d already come so far, caught Leo unprepared yet again. A detour through Minlaton restored his fuel supplies and we all met up at the quite hard to find 19th century cemetery, an oasis amidst the bare orchid free crop lands. There were more thrills as we found perhaps 20 flowering plants of the critically endangered SA endemic Ghost Spider Orchid (A. intuta). The Latin name, intuta, means “unprotected”, and refers to the precarious conservation status of the species. The common and widely distributed Pink Fairies (Caladenia latifolia; sub-genus Elevatae), which we’d already seen at Ramsay Way, were also in flower and a single specimen of Diuris palustris was found.

Unobserved by the writer, some people visited Curramulka Scrub and sites near Pine Point, and their observations are recorded on the table below.

Arachnorcis intuta. Brentwood Cemetery

Below: At Mulbura Park

96 The species lists, below, are necessarily incomplete. Somebody will have made observations not listed. Codes: 1 = Muloowurtie. 2 = Mulbura Park. 3 = Ramsay Way. 4 = Brentwood Cemetery. 5 = Near Pine Point. 6 = Curramulka Scrub (near Muloowurtie) .

1 2 3 4 5 6 Acianthus Spent pusillus. flowers Bunochilus Flower/Seed. prasinus. Caladenia Flowers. Flowers. latifolia. Cyrtostylis Flowers. robusta. Arachnorchis Flowers. Flowers. Flowers brumalis. A. conferta. Flowers. Flowers. A. intuta. Flowers. A. macroclavia. Leaf. A. conferta x Flowers. brumalis. Diplodium Seed. Flowers. dolichochilum. D. Flowers. erythroconchum. Diuris palustris. Flowers. Flowers. Flowers. Hymenochilus Flowers. pisinnus. Jonesiopsis Flowers. bicalliata. J. capillata. Flowers. Linguella sp Hills Rosettes. nana. Microtis Leaves. Leaves. arenaria. Pheladenia Flowers. Flowers. deformis. Prasophyllum Leaves. elatum. P. fitzgeraldii. Buds. Thelymitra Buds. antennifera T. megcalyptra. Buds. Buds. Urochilus Flowers. sanguineus.

97 Diplodium - Muloowurtie Arachnorchis - Ramsay Way

At Muloowurtie Reserve

98 September 2012 Winning Picture Rosalie Lawrence I was reminded this month that this is a picture competition which is broader than a photographic competition. To illustrate this, the winning picture has had the background de-focused. In the past we have had, though they haven’t always won, entries that are collages and others that have been turned into artwork using Photoshop editing tools. Such entries as well as other forms of artwork are always welcomed. It was encouraging to have an entry from one of our most recent members – a yellow Diuris pardina on an iPad. I am told that it didn’t receive any votes as the iPad ‘forgot that it was an entrant and went to sleep’!

Now to this month’s winner: Helen Lawrence’s picture with a defocused background of a Leporella fimbriata, Fringed Hare Orchid. This distinctive orchid, reminiscent of a ballerina, ranges from Western Australia through the south of the state from Southern Eyre Peninsula across to the South East and into Victoria.

An autumn flower preferring open sites, it occurs in mostly sandy soil but can also be found in gravelly soil.

Just as the flower is attractive, so too is the leaf with its distinct red stripes. The leaf emerges after the flowers.

(Information can be found in South Australia’s Native Orchids DVD-ROM, which can be purchased from the Secretary)

Remember, entries to the photographic competitioncan be sent via post or email [email protected]

99 Corybas incurvus Chiloglottis trapeziformis

Pterostylis plumosa Pterostylis cycnocephala

Caladenia arenicola

Caladenia reticulata Caladenia latifolia

Caladenia Fairy Children

Pterostylis pedunculata Diuris Earwig Pterostylis Hoodwink

Plants benched September 2012 1 photo's D. Hirst Dockrillia striolata

Diuris Earwig Diuris sulphurea

Dendrobium tetragonum Var. melaleucaphyllum

Bulbophyllum elisea Flowers (below) hidden by 2 crossed leaves at bottom of photo above

Dockrillia mortii

Sarcochilus spathulatus

Plants benched September 2012 2 photo's D. Hirst Sarcochilus falcatus Sarcochilus eaqualis

Dendrobium delicatum

Sarcochilus weinthalii Dendrobium 'delicatum'

Dendrobium delicatum 'Apple Blossom'

Plants benched September 2012 3 photo's D. Hirst

Dendrobium falcorostrum

Above & below: Dendrobium [I missed the name-Ed]

Dendrobium Brinawa Charm Above & below

Dendrobium Elegant Heart

Dendrobium Candice

Dendrobium Kate x Steve

Dendrobium Jonathon's Glory Dendrobium Colonial Summit 'Dark Joy'

Plants benched September 2012 4 photo's D. Hirst