Journal of the Native Orchid Society of South Australia Inc Thelymitra Print Post Approved .Volume 32 Nº 10 PP 543662/00018 November 2008 NATIVE ORCHID SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 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 Bill Dear: Cathy Houston Telephone 8296 2111 mob. 0413 659 506 telephone 8356 7356 Email: [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT Bodo Jensen COMMITTEE Bob Bates Thelma Bridle John Bartram John Peace EDITOR TREASURER David Hirst Marj Sheppard 14 Beaverdale Avenue Telephone 8344 2124 Windsor Gardens SA 5087 0419 189 188 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 Conservation Officer: Thelma Bridle Registrar of Judges: Les Nesbitt Field Trips Coordinator: Bob Bates 83429247 or 0402 291 904 or [email protected] Trading Table: Judy Penney Tuber bank Coordinator: Jane Higgs ph. 8558 6247; email: [email protected] New Members Coordinator: John Bartram ph: 8331 3541; email: [email protected] 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 plants 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 by Jane Hutchinson. Used with her kind permission. JOURNAL OF THE NATIVE ORCHID SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC. NOVEMBER 2008 VOL. 32 NO 10 CONTENTS THIS JOURNAL Title Author Page Diary Dates 85 October Meeting 86 Sarchochilus Show Summary Reg Shooter 87 For Your Information – NOSSA News 87 How it is Done Reg Shooter 88 Terrestrial Tips – November Les Nesbitt 89 Spring Visit to Mt Lofty Gardens: NOSSA trip report 2008 R. Bates 90 Some of the things I’ve learnt about Terrestrial Orchids Helen Lawrence 91 The library of the Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz 94 The Native Orchid Society of South Australia meets every 4th Tuesday of the months February -November NEXT MEETING 25 NOVEMBER 2008 Tuesday, 25 November, 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 guest speaker for the meeting is Justin Priddy from Queensland to share his experience with Australian Cymbidiums, followed by the Christmas Supper. Bring a plate to share. DIARY DATES November meeting Justin Priddy; Xmas Supper 30 November Xmas BBQ February 2009 first meeting for 2009 May 2009 AGM NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING Tues, 3rd December at the home of Bodo Jensen. Meeting commences at 7:30 p.m. OCTOBER MEETING PLANTS BENCHED Epiphyte species: Dendrobium kingianum (4 plants); Den. monophyllum; Dockrillia striolata; Dock. shoenina Epiphyte hybrids: Dendrobium Mini Spec; Den. x Delicatum. Terrestrial species: Caladenia tentaculata; Chiloglottis aff. formicifera; Diuris drummondii; Diuris laxiflora; Pterostylis falcata 'Orchidhaven'; Pterostylis baptistii. Terrestrial hybrids: Diuris drummondii x aurea; Diuris Mule; Diuris sulphurea x brevifolia; Diuris hybrid; Pterostylis Cutie x baptistii. Judging Results Grower Epiphyte species 1st Dockrillia shoenina Wally Walloscheck 2nd Dendrobium kingianum Wally Walloscheck 3rd Dendrobium monophyllum Les Nesbitt Epiphyte hybrid 1st Dendrobium Mini Spec Bodo Jensen 2nd Dendrobium x Delicatum R Job & E Viskic No 3rd Terrestrial species 1st Caladenia tentaculata Les Nesbitt 2nd Diuris drummondii L. & R. Gunn 3rd Pterostylis baptistii Jane & Don Higgs Terrestrial hybrids 1st Diuris hybrid Les Nesbitt 2nd Pterostylis Cutie x baptistii Jane & Don Higgs 3rd Diuris Mule Les Nesbitt Popular vote results Epiphyte species Dendrobium monophyllum Les Nesbitt Epiphyte hybrid Dendrobium Mini Spec Bodo Jensen Terrestrial species Pterostylis baptistii Jane & Don Higgs Terrestrial hybrid Pterostylis Cutie x baptistii Jane & Don Higgs Plant of the night Caladenia tentaculata Les Nesbitt Commentary on terrestrials given by Les Nesbitt & epiphytes by Noel Oliver. 86 Sarcochilus show Summary In addition to our normal benching a special Sarcochilus show was mounted. This was very well patronised with 54 hybrids & 10 species Sarcochilus exhibited. The successful 1st prize winners were; Robert & Lesley Gunn with Sarco. hartmannii, Sarco. fitzgeraldi & best species specimen with Sarc. hartmannii. M & L Guy with Hybrid specimen with Sarco. Wandjina x hartmannii & Rhinochilus Lava Burst. Judy Penny won with a white Sarco. fitzgeraldii The most successful winners were Pauline & Mark Hockey with 5 winners; Sarco. Dots x (Heidi x Jewel), Sarco. First Light x Hot Ice, Sarco. Burgundy Ice, Sarco. Perky & Sarco. Heidi x spathulatus. The Grand Champion of the Show was a beautiful mounted specimen of Sarcochilus falcatus exhibited by Steve Howard. Reg Shooter FOR YOUR INFORMATION - NOSSA NEWS 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] Judges Award for the best orchid displayed at monthly meetings in 2008 went to Cymbidium canaliculatum ‘Murray Bridge’ grown by John & Bev Gay. Next Judges Meeting - will be on Saturday 6th December at 9.30am at Les Nesbitts. Plant of the month next meeting to be any Australian Cymbidium species whether in flower or not. ARTICLES/ITEMS FOR THE NEXT JOURNAL Closing date is Friday 5th December 87 Christmas BBQ As last year the Xmas BBQ will be held at the home of Wally and Shirley Walloscheck’s at Cherry Gardens. Sunday 30th November; 11:30 am NOSSA will be providing the meat. Please bring A salad or dessert to share and $2.00 donation Also bring a chair, folding table, plates, eating utensils and drinks inc. tea-bags, coffee, milk & sugar. Hot water will be provided. Christmas raffle and Supper The Annual Christmas raffle will be drawn at the November meeting. Bring a plate of food to share at the Xmas supper. This is the last meeting for 2008. NEW MEMBERS A warm welcome from NOSSA Committee to new members Deborah Furbank of Marion Bay; Ms Judith Griffin of Flagstaff Hill; Eric Nesbitt from Vale Park and P & R Watts. Library Books – the Committee requests that all Library books be returned before the end of November, i.e. at our final meeting 25th November. Thank you. Orchid CD’s available 1: Western Australian Orchids first edition 2008 2: Orchids of South Australia second edition 2008. Proceeds are shared between NOSSA and AOF. Postage. The CD mailer comes in two sizes; large, which will hold 2 CD’s, is $1.45 and the slim mailer for a single CD is $1.00. Add to the cost of your mailer a postage cost of $1.10. 88 How it is Done Reg Shooter The genus Sarcochilus is a truly Australian Native Orchid. It consists of about twelve to thirteen species all endemic to this continent. In general they flower later in the year than the majority of Aussie natives, around late September to late November. A couple of exceptions are Sarcochilus ceciliae that flowers right through from late October to March & Sarco. falcatus that can flower as early as June right through to October. With a couple of exceptions the species are easy to grow and flower, the hybrids are even easier. In the main they are cool growing orchids. In their native habitat they inhabit cool humid gullies and cool rainforests. One of the easiest species to grow is Sarco hartmannii. In SA it grows quite happily in squat pots containing fairly coarse, free draining compost, it is important to have a free draining compost as this species, like most of the Sarcos, are intolerant of wet feet and the thick fleshy roots will quickly rot if they remain wet for any length of time. They are not heavy feeders and one or two doses of a weak Australian Native Orchid fertilizer two or three times during the growing season is usually sufficient. Given good treatment with plenty of humid air movement this species can be grown into a specimen size plant that lives for a long time in a healthy condition. This species has been used extensively in riplicate both with other species from the Sarcochilus genus and with many other genera such as the Australian genera Rhinerrhiza, Plectorrhiza, Pomatocalpa & the exotic genera Phalaenopsis, Ascocentrum, Renanthera & Vanda. Producing some really outstanding hybrids that are quite easy to grow and flower. Evidence of this was to be seen at the Sarcochilus show mounted at the recent October meeting of NOSSA. Terrestrial Tips – November Les Nesbitt Summer usually starts in Adelaide at the end of the first week in November. After that it requires daily watering to keep terrestrial pots moist.