SOUTHERN ONTARIO ORCHID SOCIETY NEWS December 2009, Volume44, Issue 11

Web site: www.soos.ca ; Member of the Canadian Orchid Congress; Affiliated with the American Orchid Society, the Orchid Digest and the International Phalaenopsis Alliance. Membership: Annual Dues $25 per calendar year (January 1 to December 31 ). Membership secretary: Hesse Pommells 416-245-0369, #503-370 Dixon Road, Weston, Ontario, M9R 1T2 Executive: President, Tom Atkinson 416-449-7907; Vice-president, Yvonne Schreiber, 905-473-3405; Secretary, Sue Loftus 905-839-8281; Treasurer, Elizabeth McAlpine, 416-487-7832 Honorary Life Members: Terry Kennedy, Doug Kennedy, Inge Poot, Peter Poot, Joe O’Regan, Diane Ryley, Wayne Hingston. Annual Show: February 13 – 14, 2010

Best display at ECOS by Les Orchidophiles de Montreal

Meeting Program Sunday, December 6: General Meeting to conduct elections, Annual auction, and Pot luck social. Election: Your executive is up for renewal. Our past president, Jay Norris proposes the following slate for the next two year term: President: Yvonne Schreiber, Vice President: Don Wyatt, Secretary: Sue Loftus, Treasurer : Liz McAlpine, Membership Secretary: Hesse Pommells, Directors: Peter Poot, Editor, Max Wilson, Webmaster, Chee Chong, Jay Norris, Arto Izmerlian, Inge Poot, Marion Curry, Laura Liebgott, Terry Kennedy, Wendy Hoffman, Henry Glowka, Tom Atkinson stays on as immediate past president. Annual Auction: This is your chance at some choice donated by outstanding growers. There will also be orchid related items such as grow lights, cork bark, books and periodicals. Proceeds will be shared between your society and the judging centre. Thank you for your donations! Pot Luck Social: This is always a very popular event. So bring your favourite holiday dish to share and pitch in with the set up and clean up. Early Membership Renewal. To encourage early renewal for 2010 there will be two draws for two orchid plants each time. 2009 Members renewing membership for the 2010 year who renew by the end of the November meeting are eligible for the December and January draws. Anyone renewing by the end of the December meeting is eligible for the January draw. A member is able to win only once. So, renew and get yourself a chance at an orchid .

1

SOOS President’s Remarks Mario Ferrusi has a maxim by which he lives insofar as SOOS is concerned. It is “What can I do for the good of the society?”. This seems simple enough. But it has resonance if you stop and think about it. If we have certain abilities, do we offer them up for the benefit of SOOS, or do we let others do so? If we value the society and the rewards which it brings, do we look for ways to improve, enhance, and sustain it? So I commend Mario‟s maxim to you in the days and years to come. It occurred to me a few months ago that SOOS is predominantly a tropical orchid society. Much as I might wish there to be a better balance, a reality check says that this assessment is so. There are at least 2 other aspects to SOOS of From the Atkinson garden which we need to be aware, and not lose sight. They are judging and conservation. The former An unpaid gardener and orchid lover! does enter all of our lives with the show table, Hello fellow orchid lovers. and with our annual Valentine‟s Day weekend show. Conservation of native terrestrial orchids I bear tidings of great joy to all today – we have is part of our charter, and as you know we are a new president! All will be revealed at the striving to restore orchids in areas around the December 6 SOOS monthly meeting. As this is city. If this were the COS – Colombian Orchid the annual potluck Christmas party and auction, Society – and we all lived in Bogota, then the here is even one more reason to mark the day native orchid aspect of the society would be on your calendar or e-calendar. And do not equal if not greater in magnitude than that of forget to bring a dish to share at the potluck, plus other tropical orchids. But in Canada and in a bag of money for the auction. temperate climates, alas, we have fewer of our We have a suggestion box, and I do encourage own to showcase. And for whatever reason, its use. From the Nov. 1 suggestion box we many of these require very particular conditions received this thoughtful note: “My feeling is that in which to thrive. the meetings are now far too long. I believe that It‟s been a rewarding 2 years, 2008 and 2009, it‟s taking an excessive amount of time to do the as your president. As my time in office ends, is it show table. If this portion of the meeting could cheers of thanks, or cheers of thanksgiving, be greatly reduced so that the total mtg. time is which I can just hear if I listen closely? This is a no more than about 2 hours, I think a lot more demanding job, but one which I am very glad people would stay for the mtg.”. The point is that I took on. It has its ups, and it has its downs. valid, and we do – several times a year – At times, I may have assisted members in some recalibrate this part of the meeting to move it fashion; at times, I know I have driven a few to along faster. When we have a guest who we fits of apoplexy; for the latter, lesson learned, sweet talk (or coerce) into acting as our show and may the incidents never be repeated. Once table expert, we do try to stifle any urge to the president office, s/he is “past “gong” her or him. There are many features of president” for the next 2 year term, so I‟ll be our society and our meetings which I myself find around. And if ever you want to contact me in more to my taste than the show table. But as my role as “Citizen Tom”, try mentioned in an earlier issue of the newsletter, it [email protected] , 416-449-7907, or let‟s is very popular with many members. What we talk at one of our meetings. suffer through at one meeting, others take delight in. And as they squirm in another As I sign off as your president, I leave you with meeting, we find the subject at hand fascinating. these immortal words, as life imitates art: Rest assured, the calibration does happen. And keep those suggestions coming in, please! One last thought on meeting length: we do try to start them sharply at 1 PM, and most will be over by 3 PM or slightly thereafter.

2

Orchid Shows Welcome New Members Linda Will, Gary Pyper, John Van Rompu, Jean and Jonathan Heath

Newcomers' Meetings Wayne Hingston will once again present his excellent series on the culture of the most popular types of hobby orchids. These sessions are for members who have just started in orchids Niagara Region Show SOOS display by Don Wyatt and and will be presented at the Toronto Botanical Henry Glowka photo by Henry Glowka Garden Board Room on the following Monday Don Wyatt and Henry Glowka volunteered to evenings at 7 pm: put in this nice display at the St. Catharines rd show. The display got 3 . Place in the society Dates are: December 14, 2009 and display class. Plants came together from a number of members: January 11, 2010 Synea Tan; Dendrobium Maiden Charlotte, Best in class; Paphiopedilum Julius, 1st.; Paphiopedilum Makuli 2nd.; Phalaenopsis hybrid Coming Events 2nd. nd December John Spears; Dendrobium bigibbum, 2 . Tom Atkinson; Cymbidium hybrid, 1st. 5, Toronto Centre judging, Toronto Botanical st Garden, Judges training 10 am, Judging 1 pm. Linda Gough; Yellow , 1 . Don Wyatt; Cattleya (Sophronites) cernua, 2nd. 6, SOOS meeting Toronto Botanical Garden 12 noon, General Meeting to conduct elections, John Jurica; Prosthechea (Encyclia) Green Annual auction, Pot luck social. Hornet (Prosthechea cochleata x Prosthechea trulla) 2nd.; Hybrid red mini Cattleya 2nd.; Hybrid 14, Newcomers meeting, Toronto Botanical Gardens red Vanda, 2nd.; Rhyncholaeliocattleya Board room 7 pm. () Chief Pink „Diana‟, 3rd. January 2010 Naneve Hawke; Prosthechea (Encyclia) cochleata, 2nd.; hybrid yellow Phalaenopsis, 2nd. 2, Toronto Centre judging, Toronto Botanical Garden, Judges training 10 am, Judging 1 pm. Monica Lee; Paphiopedilum Woessner Perle, 3rd. 3, SOOS meeting Toronto Botanical Garden, sales 12 nd noon, program 1 pm. Henry Glowka; Zygopetalum, 2 . 11, Newcomers meeting, Toronto Botanical Gardens Inge and Peter Poot took a display to the Eastern Canada Orchid society show in Board room 7 pm. Montreal. That display took a second place in 31, SOOS meeting Toronto Botanical Garden, sales the visiting society category. 12 noon, program 1 pm. Plants were contributed by: February Aina Balodis; Rhyncholaeliocattleya () Campobello Mendenhall‟ 13, Toronto Centre judging in conjunction with the nd SOOS Valentine Orchid Show judging 8 am, Toronto 2 .; Odontocidium (Colmonara) Wildcat „Yellow Butterfly‟, 2nd. Botanical Garden. Jean Ikeson; Cattleya (Laeliocattleya) C. G. 13-14, SOOS Valentine Orchid Show, Toronto St Roebling 'Royal Purple' HCC/AOS, 1 .; Botanical Garden, 11 am – 5 pm. Cattlianthe (Laeliocattleya) Tricky Red 1st.;

3

Cattlianthe (Cattleya) Sir Jeremiah Coleman genera is a “must have” for anyone who wishes to identify the species with their current names, 'Blue Moon', 2nd. or learn how to grow them properly. To round Inge and Peter Poot; Neofinetia falcata, 2nd.; out his interests our speaker has recently Lepanthes telipogoniflora, 2nd. acquired an interest in medicinal plants and has just finished a book on that topic as well! Thank you all. Orchid shows and the displays made with your plants help bring the orchid hobby to the attention of the public and bring in new members which benefits us all.

AOS Judging Results Eastern Canada Orchid society show: Rhyncholaeliocattleya (Brassocattleya) Chief Pink „Diana‟ HCC – 79 points C. Chief Snow x Rlc November Bride, Plant Exotica Laelia (Schomburgkia) schultzei „Jardin Botanique de Montréal‟ - AM 83 points, Jardin Botanique de Montréal Stelis eublepharis „Conni‟s Star„ CCM – 83 points, Conni & Mario FERRUSI

Toronto Judging Centre, November 7: Pleurothallis phalangifera 'Starry Crystals' CHM 81 pts. , Mario & Conni Ferrusi

Restrepia portillae 'Marsh Hollow' CHM 83 pts., Mario & Conni Ferrusi

Dendrobium niveum 'White Lightening' CHM 82 pts., Doug & Terry Kennedy

Lycaste macrophylla var. plana photo Dr. Oakeley

Lycaste, Ida and by Henry Oakeley (transcribed by Inge Poot, and edited Plants of the Lycaste are found from by Dr. Oakeley) Southern Mexico to Central America and some are also found in South America. They have Our speaker is a psychiatrist by profession who forward pointing in many colours from has been growing and anguloas since white to red, brown, green, yellow and orange 1957. When he started growing them there were and combinations of these colours. The lips 20 species of Lycaste and 8 species of Anguloa have wide side-lobes and may have hairs on the known to science. By now, even though the lip and tepals; the mid-lobe is never fringed. The genus Ida has been taken out of the genus distribution of the scent-producing glands or Lycaste, there are now 31 species plus 33 osmophores is different in the various species. varieties of Lycaste known to science, as well as Lindley separated this genus from Maxillaria in 39 species +11 varieties of Ida and 9 (or 10) +5 1843 with Lycaste plana (now Lycaste Anguloa - and those numbers exclude the macrophylla var. plana) as the type for this natural hybrids found. All this taxonomic activity genus. Note: while he did not indicate a type – it and confusion has resulted in over 300 was not required in 1843 - he still had a type. synonyms! His wonderful book on these three 4

Ida is found in northern parts of South America. bend its over the front of the and The flowers are pendulous to hanging and have in this manner shut the opening to the interior of very narrow side-lobes on their lips. the flower. colours are white, green and orange. The lips have no hairs, but usually have fringed margins. Underneath the sticky stigmatic cavity in the yellow flowered Lycaste is a two-pronged Anguloa is found in , , structure that catches the pollinia from the back , , and but not in Brazil. of the pollinator as the latter backs out of the They grow at elevations between 1,200 to flower and pushes it into the stigma. 2,300m. The flowers are held erect, white or yellow to red in colour, are shaped and The first Anguloa species was discovered, have a hinged, tubular or boat-shaped, lip. because explorers were looking for quinine sources to combat malaria and found a lot of The three genera have also been shown to be orchids as well. separate by DNA testing. Even the South American Lycaste species are in the same “clade” ( a clade is a group of species that appear to have a common ancestor) as the Central American Lycaste.

They can also be told apart when their pseudobulbs are -less. In Lycaste section Aromatica, the leaves leave long sharp spines behind when they fall off, but the leaves were all carried close to the top with no noticeable length of pseudobulb between the two leaves. In section Lycaste, there is a noticeable piece of pseudobulb between the two leaves, resulting in a step-like arrangement of the top of the bare bulb. In Ida there are no spines left behind by the falling off leaves. In Anguloa the spines left behind are shorter than those of the spined Lycaste species.

Another difference is the structure of the pollinia in the three genera. All have fairly long to quite long stipes ( Note: Most Maxillaria species have short pollen stipes, but some have equally long pollen stipes as the three genera discussed in the talk and all carry two pairs of pollen masses.) The viscidium or sticky end differs in shape for the three genera. Lycastes have rounded to triangular viscidia, idas V or W shaped ones and anguloas spear-shaped ones (often with two basal barbs) or diamond-shaped viscidia. photo Dr. Oakeley

The pollinating insect of Lycaste gets the pollinia stuck onto its abdomen - in some species between the segments of the insect‟s abdomen, In 1991, our speaker wanted to rediscover the in Ida they get stuck just behind the eyes of the lost Anguloa uniflora because it was the first pollinator. species in the genus to be described, in 1794, by the Spanish pharmacist/botanists Hipolito When a Lycaste flower is pollinated its scent Ruiz and Joseph Pavón, who had explored production ceases within 24 hours and the lip Peru. He found it in 1997 in Tarma where it had bends upward to close the opening to the interior originally been found. Even today it is a lengthy of the flower and later the lip shrivels and dries. journey involving a flight to Lima, Peru, then a A pollinated Ida flower on the other hand, will 5 nine-hour, over-night bus trip across the Andes, for even the closest of its current habitats.

The nomenclatural chaos in the genus Anguloa started with the description of the type species! It seems the author had both A. uniflora and A. virginalis in front of him when he did the description and it is only lucky that the type material has been lost and only a drawing remains and this drawing in definitely of A. uniflora and not of A. virginalis. This drawing has been designated the “holotype”. This pictorial holotype is a substitute for the lost herbarium specimen that should have served as the “type”. Despite the published description of A. uniflora, for the next 150 years all other white Anguloa species were lumped into this name resulting in a lovely mess! It is only since 1997 that all the species have been sorted out. It should be noted that the above two species need different culture. Both grow around 2,300 metres; A. uniflora will flower in somewhat shady locations, but A. virginalis needs full sun or only light shade to flower.

The definition of the genus Lycaste had its problems as well. Lindley named the genus after a beautiful woman from Trepanum in Sicily, nicknamed Venus, not after a daughter of Priam, King of Troy, as is often stated in books. The Ida locusta photo Dr. Oakeley genus that is really named for a goddess is the genus Paphinia which is another name for Venus. The first plant Lindley described as a Lycaste was Lycaste plana in 1843 and this is recognized as the holotype or lectotype for the genus. Today, this species is considered a The genus Ida is based on the species Ida colour variety of the very variable Lycaste locusta, chosen in 2003 by Ryan and Oakeley. macrophylla. One of the reasons for confusion in The species was described as Lycaste locusta the species is that the seven-volume work of the by Reichenbach f., in the Gardeners’ Chronicle. Flora Peruviana et Chilensis never made it past But the first Ida, Lycaste or Anguloa that the third volume. Along with the majority of the flowered in England was the Jamaican Ida orchids they discovered, L. macrophylla var. barringtoniae. It was introduced in 1790 by Lord alba, discovered by Tafalla (who continued Ruiz Allan Gardiner. and Pavón‟s expedition) in 1797, was supposed to be in volume 7. The plant with the original painting was eventually published in 2008. In most cases, lycastes and idas were described in the genus Maxillaria until Lindley moved the plants described by that time into the genus Lycaste. Maxillaria (Lycaste) aromatica from Mexico described in 1825 is a good example. It grows at 2000m elevation on oak type trees in dappled shade. Plants in heavy shade do not flower.

Maxillaria (Lycaste) macrophylla was a problem, since it supposedly occurred in both Costa Rica and Peru. A plant from Peru was used as the type by John Lindley in 1830 and since the 6

Costa Rican taxon is not identical, this species Most Lycaste species grow on mossy tree- had to receive a new name, namely Lycaste trunks. desboisiana. was described by Lindley to be growing at 400m Mist jets can be used under the staging, with elevation, beside a river to keep cool, but fans blowing air through the mist, to keep the exposed to full sun. The Costa Rican species plants cool and humid. was found by our speaker at 800m, in dappled shade, but not in bloom. Most species need a lot of light. Fortunately it is easy to tell if your plant gets enough light. If the The most famous Lycaste is leaves grow horizontally, they are not getting collected by George Ure Skinner in 1840 and enough light. If the leaves are upright, they are painted by Mrs E Powell in 1841. It is native to getting sufficient light. Guatemala in the Coban area, where it grows on the bark of trees and is exposed to lots of Potting as mentioned during the show table drizzling rain. What was known as L. skinneri var discussion should be done in a loose mix of 50% ipala – amongst other synonyms, has been Perlite and 50% about one inch (3cm) pieces of elevated to its own species as Lycaste sphagnum moss. (Use scissors or shears to cut guatemalensis. Lycaste skinneri also exposed the wet moss). one of John Lindley‟s less endearing characteristics – he never admitted an error. He published Maxillaria (now Lycaste) cruenta as When re-potting, leave enough space for two Maxillaria (now Lycaste) skinneri in 1840 and bulbs at the front end of the plant. If the compost then in 1842 he published it again as Maxillaria is still in good shape at repotting, take off the (Lycaste) cruenta, but never mentioned the compost at the back of the plant and add more previous mistake. at the front.

Dr Reichenbach was another famous botanist Take off back-bulbs and use them to get more with serious character flaws! He was rude and copies of the parent plant. New plants will often vindictive and stole plants off Kew Herbarium sprout from the abscission point at the top of the sheets! pseudobulb. Lay these bulbs with plantlets sideways onto the surface of the potting medium, because the roots have no root hairs. There are a couple Ida species which have been As they grow into the medium the new tips will confused. Ida (as Lycaste) gigantea has been grow root hairs. long confused with Maxillaria(Lycaste) longipetala and Lycaste heynderycxii (now Ida grandis). Ida fulvescens, a very floriferous Most species have phototrophic flowers. This species with an orange lip has been confused means that the flowers will grow and orient with Ida peruviana. themselves to face into the light.

Cultural Notes: Species with short stems and phototropic flowers will not need staking (just orient the plant so the flower buds are emerging towards the Most Ida and Anguloa prefer to grow terrestrially. light). If they have long stems, they will need staking as well to ensure that they are neatly Most species of all three genera grow in cloudy, spaced. misty damp places. The completely species experience dry conditions when the Species with long stems will have to have a fan bulbs are mature. Plants of Lycaste section of stakes inserted as soon as the buds appear Lycaste lose their old leaves when the new and the lengthening stems will have to be retied growth is partly made up. Most Lycaste section daily to achieve a pleasing presentation of the Aromatica and Intermediae lose their leaves two flowers. The flowers of some Ida are not to three months before the new growth starts. phototropic and without staking these flowers will Anguloa lose their leaves just before the face every which way. beginning of the growing season. Idas may keep their leaves 2-3 years. In the rainy season it is very wet. If a wayward bud of a phototropic species faces the wrong way anyway, then a black piece of

7 paper can be put behind it. The bud will turn to drawings and photographs of all the species and face away from the black paper. natural hybrids, in order to have a useful scientific record of the genera. Leaves are phototrophic and this can be used to have them out of the way of the flowers. When the leaves emerge the plant should be turned so that the light will make them bend towards the back of the plant. When the buds emerge turn Valentine Orchid Show 2010. the plant 180 degrees and the buds will face February 12, Set up towards the front of the plant and not be obscured by the leaves. 13, Judging, show and sales

Some phototropic flowers look better unstaked. 14, show and sales, take down. Just let them cascade over the side of the pot. Your show committee under the able leadership of Wayne Hingston is hard at The flowers of these three genera bruise very work. Invitations to sell and exhibit have easily. To get a plant to a show in pristine gone out and replies are flooding in. Now we conditions, bruising can be avoided by staking need the membership to step up and help the flowers far apart in a fan around the edge of with set up, judging and clerking, security, the pot. Remove the stakes when the plant is guiding, and coat checking. staged. Another way to prevent bruising is to cut a circle of paper a bit larger than the flower for Laura Liebgott will be doing the SOOS every flower, cut a slit in each circle down to the members display for those who do not wish centre and pin the papers around the ovary to to do their own. the back of the flowers, securing the two edges If you would like to try your hand at with a paper clip. displaying your own plants, why not try to do a basket display. Hybridizing: Peter Poot will have the sign up sheets for the various volunteer jobs out at the One of the most famous crosses is Lycaste December meeting. We need lots of Auburn. Unfortunately some strains are plagued volunteers to make the show run smoothly. by a crooked lip that is hard to get rid of in You can phone Peter at 905-640-5643 if you further hybridizing. The fault lies in one of the wish. parents used that had the crooked lip too. We are again aiming for record attendance The red colour seen in so many lovely hybrids so please advertise our show to your friends, comes from the brown species such as L. relatives and acquaintances. Coupons and lasioglossa. The brown colour is produced by a posters will be available at the December red overlay over a green segment. The breeding meeting. then tries to suppress the green colour and we are left with the red colour.

Ida costata has narrow leaves and is used to reduce leaf size. Show Table Lycaste dowiana is used to produce full and Our guest speaker, Henry Oakeley and Jay equally sized . Also the species is Norris did a wonderful job discussing the show summer flowering and shifts the flowering time table and below are some of the great cultural to a later month than the usual spring flowering tips that came out of the discussion. species. John Vermeer had a colourful basket of mini- The new Japanese hybrids with Lycaste skinneri to share with us and told us that he are getting incredibly full and colourful. pots his little beauties in a mix of diatomite and perlite. Dr Oakeley finished by emphasizing the importance of keeping herbarium specimens, 8

A little Phalaenopsis violacea on the show table The Kennedys and Mario Ferrusi brought led to the Eric Christenson observation that to several lycastes in bloom and our guest speaker tell P. violacea from P. bellina you can use their used them to give us a preview of some of the different fragrances. If the flowers smell like points he later made in his presentation. lemon it is P. violacea (formerly the Malaysan form of P. violacea with smaller, more evenly On culture, he feels they do best if grown in purple flowers) and if they smell like “fruit-loops” equal parts of Perlite or Styrofoam beads and then it is P. bellina (formerly the Bornean form of sphagnum moss chopped into one-inch (2-3cm) P. violacea, with larger flowers that have the pieces. The medium should not be packed into purple colour confined to the inner half of the the pot, but put in loosely to allow air to get to lateral sepals.).The plant had been kept warm, the roots. Use rain water to water and never let constantly moist with rainwater and fertilized with the medium dry out. When repotting be sure to 7-11-27 fertilizer with Calcium. Dr Oakeley noted cover the roots right away with a damp towel, that some Dendrochilum species as well as because if the root hairs dry out they are dead Ophrys insectifera change their fragrance to and the root is useless until it grows longer and attract different pollinators while the flower is produces new root hairs on the newly grown open and this indicated to him that variation in part. When treated this way, the moss does not fragrance was not a useful indicator for deteriorate and can be just fine for at least two separating a single species into two. years. The deciduous species do not get any rain from November to the end of March and Oncidium Sharry Baby on the show table led to have to make do with evening mists. Therefore a discussion on how to rid it of snow mould, a in cultivation they should only get a very light fungal infestation that starts in the bark medium, misting daily during these months to avoid covers the bark with white water-repelling rotting or drying out completely (although Dr mycelium and eventually covers the roots of the Oakeley just leaves them without water unless plant repelling all water and nutrient uptake by the bulbs start to shrivel). the orchid. The orchid will languish and eventually just dry up and die. The only remedy Comments on breeding included that the brown is to remove all infested potting medium, wash Lycaste species are used in red breeding off the roots with warm water and repot into a because the brown colour is produced by a red mix of equal parts of cut sphagnum moss and overlay over green flowers. L. cruenta, one of perlite. the yellow species is used to improve the shape of the progeny, because it has flat shape and Wendy Hoffman shared her so very successful equally sized and shaped sepals. L. dowiana is cultural methods for galeandras with us. The used to decrease plant size and give long plants are heavy feeders when in growth, but as sequential blooming through the summer, and soon as the leaves start to yellow she backs off often results in perfect shape. L. guatemalensis with watering and stops fertilizing and when the is used to shift flowering time of its hybrids from leaves fall off she stops watering altogether. If a mid-summer to fall. There is a problem with the new growth comes before the leaves fall off, she lip of the famous, much awarded hybrid L. continues watering – and presumably, feeding. Auburn, because one of the parental clones used had a twisted lip. This character is very Henry Oakeley told us that Dendrobium nobile hard to breed out. can get absolutely enormous if it gets high light and heavy feeding while in growth. (Peter, my The Plant of the Month is Paphiopedilum husband, just happened to get confirmation of Julius, grown by Synea Tan. The plant is this during this year when he ran out of bench about six or seven years old and has many space for our various pieces of this species. He growths and four gorgeous flowers. Synea says hung one plant up near the roof of the that every second year this plant would produce greenhouse and this piece instead of a one-foot two spikes, so the 2010 show table will have cane, produced a three-foot cane!) twice as many blooms!

Dendrobium Maiden Charlotte, a cross of D. Synea grows the plant on the south window and rhodosticta and D. aberrans was full of little summers it outdoors on the north side of her white flowers. This cross reblooms on old canes house. The eaves protect the plant during the again and again. It has to be grown warm and sunniest hours in the mid-day, so the plant only wet all year. gets early morning and afternoon sun. The plant 9 grows in coconut husks, bigger size in the bottom and smaller size on top. It gets watered once a week with a weak solution of MSU fertilizer - half-a-teaspoon per two gallons of rain water - and occasional flushing with plain water. In summer, it gets flushed a lot. Congratulations, Synea, on a job well done!

Iryna Bonya

October 2009 Show Table by Iryna Bonya

Class First Second Third Class 1 Cattleya (Laeliocattleya) Rhyncholaeliocattleya Cattleya Alliance Mari's Love (Brassolaeliocattleya) John Vermeer Goldenzelle 'Lemon Chiffon' AM/AOS x Rhyncholaeliocattleya ( ) Rubescence 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM/AOS John Vermeer

Class 2 Paphiopedilum Julius Paphiopedilum Mount Paphiopedilum Makuli Paphiopedilum Synea Tan Toro Synea Tan Synea Tan

Class 3 Phalaenopsis Gastrochilus obliquus Phalaenopsis bellina and Vanda Alliance Ascocenda Princess Wendy Hoffman Mikasa John Bob Jurica

Class 5 Galeandra batemanii Galeandra dives Cymbidium Wendy Hoffman Wendy Hoffman

Class 6 Dendrobium Thongchai Dendrobium Maiden Dendrobium bigibbum Dendrobium Gold Charlotte compactum Stephen Chen Synea Tan John Spears

Class 7 Acronia homolantha Acronia ascera All Others Joyce Medcalf Joyce Medcalf

10