. Bromeliad Society of Victoria Inc.

VOL 35 NO 3 June –July 2018

The June General Meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 27 June, in the Multi-purpose Room at Phoenix Park. Details on page 7.

CONTENTS 2018 Calendar of Events ...... 2 Editorial ...... 3 BSV President’s Report ...... 4 Requests ...... 5 Book Review ...... 5 May Field Day...... 6 General Meetings...... 7 Report of the April General Meeting ...... 8 Discussion Group Meetings ...... 9 ANANAS ‘Symbolicus’ ...... 10 July Field Day...... 14 Cipuropsis, A New ...... 15 Membership Subscriptions ...... 16

2018 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 27 June - meeting 22 July - Field Day-Collectors Corner 22 August - meeting 23 September - Field Day 24 October - meeting 10-11 November - Annual Show 12 December - Christmas meeting

COVER: Neoregelia concentrica

BSV Inc. Contacts MAIL PO Box 101, Darling VIC 3145 FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/groups/198663673628029/ WEBSITE http://bromeliad.org.au/ then, CLUB NEWS, Victoria EMAIL [email protected]

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EDITORIAL I write this on a cold and rainy Melbourne day I am so grateful that I’m inside a warm house.

Bruce and I attended the RHSV 2018 Gardeners’ Day Out at Deakin University representing the brom society.

Now might be the time to start thinking about which you could enter in our annual show in November. Details will be in the August newsletter. Meetings for 2018 start at 7.30pm sharp and finish by 9.40 pm followed by a quick clean up. Please arrive punctually. Plant sales and set up of display plants will be from 7 – 7.25pm, with further plant sales during interval.

Don’t forget to send me photos of your garden or broms for other members to enjoy as well. Articles for the newsletter are also very welcome.

Happy brom growing, Jill

MIDHURST BROMELIAD FOREST DRIVE NURSERY NURSERY Specialist Growers of Tillandsia Located at REPTON, South of Seedlings and other Genera Coffs Harbour. AND VARIETIES Hard grown to suit all Australian All quality plants at reasonable prices Plants for all level of collection. conditions. Beautiful TILLANDSIA, Wholesale and mail order only. VRIESEAS, NEOREGELIAS, AECHMEAS ETC. Write for price lists of Tillandsia Visitors Welcome, but phone first and other genera to: (02) 6655 4130 A.H. P.O. Box 612 Hurstbridge, Vic 3099 For mail order send S A E: PO Box 2 Phone ( 03 ) 9718 2887 Bonville, NSW, 2441 Email : [email protected] Prop. Peter Tristram www.bromeliads.com.au

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BSV PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hi Members, You can never call Melbourne’s weather consistent or predictable. After a couple of months of no rain we then have a couple of months of incessant showers. This must play havoc with nature but it’s amazing how quickly the garden bounces back. I’ve found a few bromeliads that obviously didn’t get much water during the dry spell and then were soaked over an extended period so they rotted at the base. Disappointing but I have plenty more to keep me going.

What I thought was a well-planned BSV year for 2018 has had a couple of setbacks with intended activities having to be changed due to unforeseen circumstances. Fortunately we have had members step up to fill the gaps and get thing back on track. The May Field Day is a case in point. An unexpected cancellation was graciously filled by Rochelle Gaugg at her place in North Ringwood. Thank you Rochelle and husband Troy for opening up your garden and putting on a sausage sizzle as well as hot drinks.

It was nice to see Fred Guymer at the May Field Day. Fred was brought along by Garry Thompson and has decided to join the BSV so a membership form was put in his hands before he changed his mind. Fred and his wife Joan have been growing bromeliads in Hastings for many years and my garden bears the progeny of many of his eBay sales. Great to have you on board Fred.

Our April meeting was another case of well laid plans gone astray after a planned presentation didn’t eventuate. However our vice president Chris stepped up with another instalment on the changing names of bromeliad species and I brought along a group of neoregelia hybrids that had been cultivated from species containing ‘tiger’ like stripes. The insufficient light conditions in my garden don’t do these neoregelias justice but members got to see the variety of plants available in this line of cultivation. We also had a very full display table with the opportunity for members to talk about their plants and how they are grown.

The next Field Day (22 July) will be an afternoon at Collectors Corner in Springvale Road, Braeside. For those who haven’t been to Collectors Corner it is part of the Garden World complex and there is a café where we can partake in afternoon tea. This will be a very informal event with the opportunity for members to attend the nursery and café at their leisure and catch up with fellow bromeliad lovers. Our next General Meeting will be 27 June when we will have a presentation by Doctor Randall Robinson, a lecturer in Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental

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Management. He comes highly recommended by Len Colgan after speaking at the SA Bromeliad Society. This is an event not to be missed. Don’t forget to bring along plants for the display table and some food to share for supper. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Bruce Lee

PLANT REQUESTS Ian Macfarlane wants to buy small pups of Neoregelia 'Perfection', Nidularium antoineanum, Orthophytum (now Sincoraea) albopicta, Orthophytum (now Sincoraea) burle-marxii, Orthophytum rubrum, Portea petropolitana extensa, Tillandsia cyanea “blue flowered", 'Dark Knight', Vriesea fosteriana 'Rubra',

Vriesea 'Patrice'. Contact Ian Macfarlane Ph. 9889 5166

Gary Lee is looking for superba and Neoregelia ‘Yang’ Contact Gary at [email protected] Sandra Bryant would like zebrina ‘Surprise’, Aechmea chantinii Black and

Aechmea pectinate. Contact Sandra at [email protected]

Rochelle Gaugg is looking for Aechmea chantinii ‘Ebony’ [email protected]

BOOK REVIEW BY MIKE RAYMOND (LIBRARIAN) Tillandsia I By Antonin a Ondrej This book on Tillandsias is a Czech book translated to English. The first half of the book is a copy of the second but it is written in Czech. The second section has the same information in English. After a brief introduction the book illustrates the family tree and then quickly moves on to concentrate on Tillandsias. The identification of Tillandsias by the flowers etc is fully discussed then we look at the distribution of the species and the natural environments where they live. The focus moves onto the identification of the Tillandsias, covering the bulb and pseudobulb and other characteristics of the plant, as well as the care and requirements of Tillandsias. The preservation and protection of the species is then discussed, followed by selection of suitable species for cultivation, protection from the elements and finally general tips on keeping and propagating Tillandsias. This book is well illustrated with many diagrams and pictures. A great book if you are starting out with Tillandsias or even if you already have some experience in keeping Tillandsias.

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MAY FIELD DAY The change of plan regarding the venue for the May BSV Field Day worked out very well. Rochelle and Troy opened up their garden to about 15 guests including one prospective member in the form of Fred Guymer.

As Rochelle chatted with various members in relation to her Bromeliads and garden in general, Troy played the attentive host cooking sausages on the barbecue and organising drinks. There was also plenty of other food supplied by members to share around.

Rochelle and family have only been in their house in North Ringwood for a few years but the garden is well established with plenty of bromeliads planted in the garden and in containers next to the house. A major feature of the garden is an in-ground pool and cascade but the weather was not conducive to taking a dip so we’ll have to make sure that the next field day at Rochelle’s place is during summer.

Thank you very much Rochelle and Troy for being such wonderful hosts and providing the surrounds for a very enjoyable field day at short notice.

Bruce

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GENERAL MEETINGS These are held at Phoenix Park Community Centre, Rob Roy Rd, Malvern East. Melway Ref. Map 69, D2. Meetings commence at 7:30 pm sharp.

AVAILABLE AT EACH MEETING

At each meeting you may take advantage of the following: 1. Raffle. 2. A Bromeliad Book Library. 3. Members’ plant sales table. 4. Plant display and competition. 5. A section for your problem plants. Ask the experts what they think. 6. Books for sale. 7. Accessories for sale. 8. Lots of other interested growers to meet and chat with.

OFFICE BEARERS 2018-2019

Position Name Email Phone

President Bruce Lee [email protected] 9726 6126

Vice President Chris Larson [email protected] 9568 8856

Secretary Kerry Lusk [email protected] 0438 798 568

Treasurer Chris Baker [email protected] 9596 1992

General committee Jill Abbott [email protected] 0400 921 374

Robert Mather [email protected] 0431 968 358 Mike Raymond [email protected] 0411 283 369 Garry Thompson [email protected] 0422 759 544

Non-committee Positions Membership Jane Baker 9596 1992 Secretary: [email protected] 90A Martin Street, Brighton VIC 3186 Librarian: Mike Raymond Plant Sales: Bryan Paten Supper Coordinator Rochelle Gaugg Patron: Maurice Kellett Life Members: Nance Esmore, Chris Larson, Jean Nicol, Len Summers, Garry Thompson Editor: Jill Abbott [email protected] Production: Brian Abbott Deadline for all editorial and advertising is the first Tuesday of publication month.

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REPORT OF THE APRIL GENERAL MEETING

This year, there is no competition at meetings, but members are encouraged to bring in broms to show and to talk about where and how they are grown...

28 members and visitors were entertained by Chris Larson speaking about the new classification of Wittmackias.

Bruce Lee spoke about the ‘tiger revolution’ where Neoregelia ‘Rafa’ which is probably a natural hybrid from , was crossed with Neoregelia ‘Skotak’s Tiger’ producing many striped plants.

Some of the broms on display at the April meeting (below). Please remember to bring your broms to show and discuss at the June meeting.

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DISCUSSION GROUP MEETINGS The Discussion Group will meet Wednesday 20 June, 2018 at the Kevin Heinze Garden Centre, 39 Wetherby Rd, Doncaster, at 8 pm. The discussion group meets on the third Wednesday most months to talk bromeliads in an informal setting. The meeting is not of a technical nature. However arrangements may change at the last minute, so if you are not on the discussion group mail out, please call Chris (9568 8856) or Len (9569 7936) to check that arrangements are still current if you plan to attend. All members are very welcome - don’t be put off thinking it will be technical. Future Discussion Group dates: 2018 – 18 July, 15 August, 19 September

Vriesea scalaris Ananas comosus variegated Geoff Beech Peter Fisher

Tillandsia ‘Candelabra’ Guzmania ‘Firedragon’

9 Geoff Beech Rob Mather

Neoregelia ‘Orange Surprise’ ANANAS ‘Symbolicus’ BY SIG SUSSMAN (Reprinted from Bromeliana Vol. 54 No.8. Originally published in November 1976) My interest in art always seems to be complemented by my fascination with Bromeliads. Recently, I was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attended a gallery talk on 18th Century English Rooms and the Decorative Arts being given by Mrs. Carolyn P. Cassilly in a beautiful dining room designed by Robert Adam (about

1760).

A large table was set as if for an elaborate and important dinner. The centerpiece was a pyramid of various fruits at whose apex was a pineapple. Mrs. Cassilly indicated that this type of centerpiece was used as a symbol of hospitality and wealth.

My curiosity was aroused and I asked Mrs. Cassilly where I could get further information about the pineapple in 18th Century England. She was kind enough to check her notes at home and told me of two magazine articles written by Jean Gorely, who was editor of the publication “Old Wedgwood”, the annual periodical of the Carved wood staircase with Wedgwood Club. In 1940 she wrote an article on pine cone. “Pine Apple” on “Pineapples as a Decorative Motif’ and in July, 1945 she top. London, 1675 wrote on ‘Pineapples’ in the magazine "Antiques".

What follows is a brief history of the introduction of Ananas comosus into England. In 1555 a monk named Andre Thenet sent a specimen to Europe from the West Indies. The first pineapples to reach England were sent to Oliver Cromwell in 1657. Later, in 1668, King Charles II served pineapples at a royal banquet for the French Minister, Colbert. Due to the long trip from the West Indies to England the pineapples apparently had spoiled and the guests did not like their taste.

In 1755 Dr. Samuel Johnson gave the following explan ation for the name: From before the middle ages and through the 15th century the pine cone was regularly Silver urn with used in designs and in heraldry, and it was popularly pineapple on top cover. London, 1740 called the pine apple. Be cause of its resemblance to the pine cone, the fruit of the Ananas also came to be known as a “Pineapple”.

In the middle of the 17th century a Mr. LeCour at Leyden, Holland showed how to grow Ananas under glass by installing a stove in the greenhouse to provide the heat required by this tropical plant. To this day warm greenhouses are called “stove houses”. 10

In 1720 an Ananas comosus was grown, flowered and fruited in a pineapple stove house in Richmond, Surrey. This feat created such excitement that the Dutch painter Theodore Netscher, painted a picture of it. It hangs in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England. A pineapple was fruited in Scotland in 1732 in a "pine apple stove house" at an estate at Crichton near Edinburgh. Interest in growing the Ananas became so intense that hothouses were designed specifically for growing pineapples. They were called "pinehouses" or "pineries", and erecting them became one of the pastimes of the wealthy.

Adam Taylor, in his "Treatise On The Ananas" in 1769, called the pineapple "The King of Fruits" and stated that the production of pineapples "has become the test of good gardening". By this time the pineapple had become the rage of London aristocracy. Whenever an important dinner or banquet was given the "grand table" would have an elaborate centerpiece. This was usually a pyramid of mixed fruits and sweetmeats topped at the apex with a pineapple. It was either on a revolving platform of willow wood (our Lazy Susan) or on a silver epergne.

The guests would eat other fruits and goodies but would leave the pineapple untouched so it could be used to adorn another table. It was so expensive that no one would dare ask the butler to cut this fruit or he might never be invited anywhere again. The pineapple was so rare and esteemed that if the host did not have one in fruit in his “pinery”, he would rent one from someone who did. It became such a symbol of importance and wealth that a method of “candying” pineapples was developed to preserve them. It took the cooks so many changes of syrup that 10 weeks were required to complete the preserving process. It was evidently worth the trouble to have a pineapple last over a year.

Carved wood pineapple on porch Pineapple on door as welcome symbol railing post

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As a very impressive gift, Voltaire in 1772 gave a pineapple to the Duchess of Northumberland when she came visit him. It was reported that in 1789 a banquet was given in Windsor Castle and that many pineapples were served on the tables.

That was royal hospitality.

The popularity and prestige of the pineapple reached such heights that it influenced Josiah Wedgwood to produce a pineapple pattern for his ceramics, and a large quantity was produced between 1759 and 1764. By the end of the century it was firmly established as a decorative feature symbolizing wealth and hospitality. Pineapples were carved on furniture, mirrors, glassware, fabrics, silver urns, teapots, flatwear and sugar bowls. The practice spread to the West Indies, the pineapple's original habitat, and to the United States where this symbol was carved on bedposts and chairs and over doorways.

In his play, "The Rivals", written in 1775, Sheridan had Mrs. Malaprop say: "… He was the pineapple of politeness." By then everyone knew that a pineapple was the pinnacle of the fruit world and the malapropism was readily understood.

By the middle of the 19th century, the symbolism of the pineapple was extended beyond mere hospitality. Hooper writes in "The Lady's Book" in 1841, that the gift of a pineapple between lovers signified “you are perfect”.

I am sure that none of this interesting information will help you to grow the ananas successfully, but if anyone wants to rent a pineapple, just call me. Members of the

New York Bromeliad Society will receive a 25% discount. “

(Editor’s note: Dunmore House shown in the photo below was built into the wall of a large garden in 1761 by John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore. It is still known as Scotland’s folly and the most bizarre building in Scotland. A hothouse was built on the ground floor of the building for growing pineapples and other plants. The south facing ground floor now covered in stucco was originally covered with glass window panes. The carved, stone pineapple on top is 40 feet high.

Over the centuries the Dunmore estate and this building fell into ruins and was abandoned. One lot, called the "Pineapple Lot", included the folly and the large walled garden, along with some woodlands and a small lake. This lot was purchased by the Countess of Perth, and in 1974 was given to the National Trust for Scotland. The "Pineapple Lot" was then leased to the Landmark Trust, who restored Dunmore House - Scotland’s ‘Folly’ the building.

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The edible pineapple we love to eat was classified as the species Ananas comosus, but it has now lost its genus status and become a cultivar called Ananas ‘Comosus’. The reason for the change is that for 200 or more years this plant has been clonally selected and crossed and recrossed, and it is impossible to get an accurate description of the physical characters of the original plant.

The pineapple is a multiple fruit; each flower in the inflorescence produces a fruit, but these mature into a single mass in which each flower has produced a true fruit. After flowering the mass is called an infructescence. Examples are the fig, pineapple, mulberry, osage-orange, and breadfruit. Pineapple fruits frequently turn bright red during the flowering/fruiting process.

Variegated Ananas ‘Comosus’ with multiple basal and apical offsets

Over the past hundred years horticultural techniques for producing commercial pineapples have become more advanced. Pineapples are grown commercially in Hawaii, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico (before Hurricane Marie), Mexico, Brazil, Africa and

Asia in open fields where they get a lot of direct sun.

This is necessary for the plants to rapidly mature, flower and produce large fruits. Pineapple plants can also get enough direct sun when they are grown in greenhouses, but they will not get enough light to flower naturally when grown indoors. If given enough strong indoor light pineapples grown indoors with a fertilizer regimen might be forced to bloom with the application of a chemical flower inducer. However, a mature pineapple plant is very large and takes up too much horizontal space to be considered by indoor growers.

When flowering plants are mature enough to bloom and arrive at their seasonal flowering time, they are programmed by their DNA to produce ethylene gas into their capillary systems which trigger certain enzymes that shut down leaf production in their meristems and initiate the production of inflorescence tissue. This process holds true for all species of flowering plants.

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Commercial pineapple growers treat their plant crops with different chemical flower inducers that create ethylene gas molecules that are absorbed by the plants to initiate the flowering process. They do this when the plants are big enough to maximize yield and product recovery.

This brings me to the subject of the “stove houses” described above. During the 17th century wealthy owners of estates put wood-burning stoves to heat their glasshouses for the benefit of their tropical pineapple plants. This, they thought, was responsible for the occasional flowering they achieved. Little did they know that it was the smoke from the burning of the wood that caused the plants to set buds. One important chemical component of that smoke is ethylene gas.

Commercial growers have developed clones that are more compact (to be able to grow more pineapples), and easy to handle leaves without spines. They produce clones like the “Golden Pineapple” with fruit that consistently ripens sweet and juicy.

Some striking ornamental pineapple plants have been produced such as the variegated, spineless Ananas Ananas (comosus) ‘Ivory Coast’ ‘Ivory Coast’.

JULY FIELD DAY Will be held at Collectors Corner, Garden World 810 Springvale Road, Braeside Sunday 22 July 1 to 4 pm

Don’t forget to bring your membership cards for a 10% discount on any purchases from Collectors corner.

Afternoon tea will be available from the cafeteria.

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CIPUROPSIS, A NEW GENUS by Chris Larson Cipuropsis subandina Based on Cipuropsis subandina. No-one knows C.subandina and it appears to not be in cultivation. Known only from the Type collection and “a few additional collections” No details of the petal structure are known. Thought to be closest to Vriesea dubia

Cipuropsis amicorum Was Tillandsia amicorum, from Venezuela, found at altitude 1000m

Cipurosis asmussii New species – only just described, from Venezuela , altitude 1200 m

There will be more to come as the taxonomists re-evaluate current species as well as new species and will possibly include Vriesea dubia.

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MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS Single: $20 per annum Family: $25 per annum All membership fees are due on 1st January each year. In order to reduce costs and keep the BSV financial we will only send an electronic copy of the newsletter to you where you provide us with an email address. If you also require a hard copy of the newsletter, in addition to an electronic copy, then we are asking that you pay an additional $12 on top of your annual subscription to help cover some of the printing and postage costs. Please refer to the Membership Form for details or contact a BSV committee member if you have any questions.

All subscription correspondence should be sent to: The Membership Secretary, Jane Baker, 90A Martin Street, Brighton VIC 3186 PLEASE NOTE THAT PAYMENT OF MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION CAN BE MADE BY BANK TRANSFER. THE SOCIETY’S BANK DETAILS ARE: BANK NAB ACCOUNT BROMELIAD SOCIETY OF VICTORIA INC. ACCOUNT NO. 48-585-2809 BSB 083-251 please note the new BSB

PLEASE ENSURE THAT DEPOSIT/TRANSFER CLEARLY SHOWS THE MEMBER’S NAME.

COLLECTORS CORNER GARDEN WORLD 810 Springvale Road Braeside Vic 3195 Phone (03) 9798 5845 Fax (03) 9706 3339 Email: [email protected] Website: www.collectorscorner.com.au BROMELIADS – comprehensive collection together with a large selection of Imported Tillandsias available. 10% discount on most lines to Society members on presentation of their cards. CACTI – from small varieties to advanced specimens SUCCULENTS – living stones, crassulas, agave, aloe and many more. BONSAI – from starters to specimen plants. CARNIVOROUS PLANTS – from seedlings to advanced plants.

All opinions expressed in the Newsletter are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the BSV. 16