[OGD] Andy Easton
Hi, This guy as a New Zealander really lets the team down... If only he would devote his emails to orchids where he has a wealth of knowledge and could be a real assett to this group. He has much knowledge of hybridisation and cymbidiums and it would be nice if he shared it rather than writing the emails he does.. Share your knowledge Andy...that is what this group is about... Cheers from New Zealand Peter Spear in sunny Auckland. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Phalaenopsis Black Ruby 'Orchis'
Hi Iris, See picture of Phalaenopsis Black Ruby 'Orchis' on the web page of Dragon Agro Products of Kendall Park, New Jersey. web page: http://www.dragonagro.com/dapphal.htm It appears to be an unregistered grex Company President: Perla Wee should be able to give you more information on it Address: DRAGON AGRO PRODUCTSPO BOX 33Kendall Park, NJ 08824-0033Tel: 1-908-208-4767Tel : 1-732-297-2829Fax : 1-732-297-6276website: www.dragonagro.comEmail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Large plastic pots
Can anyone help me find 12 inch or larger plastic pots suitable for orchids? Thanks. Peter Hirsch ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Trebly Amazing Andy Easton
In OGD Vol 7 # 73, Andy Easton said: "I am always amazed when people make statements that seem to me to have no basis in fact." Andy, you've given the game away. You manage to amaze yourself every time you open your mouth. That is why you are driven to tell everyone what a superior being you are you find it a doubly amazing experience. I got home from my short trip abroad (OGD Vol 7 #63). No letter from Mr Easton confirming his statement that "O'Byrne is a racist, pure and simple" how predictably pathetic. When invited to make good on his threat to reshape my face, Easton's response was "I wouldn't waste the money on a flight to Singapore." (OGD Vol 7 #65). It just confirms what I said earlier, that in addition to being a self-confessed liar and cheat, Andy Easton is a braggart and a coward. He's happy to slur and slander from a safe distance, but he has no intention of taking it any further. He hasn't got the balls to attack you at close range and he certainly isn't enough of a man to stand up and justify his slander in court. Easton finishes off his OGD Vol 7 #65 with the statement "That's the mark of a person of integrity". Andy, I'm sure you found that one trebly amazing. The sad truth is, you wouldn't recognise integrity if it jumped up and punched you in the face. You'd be too busy running away to find a safe hiding place. Andy, you don't need any advice from Nic about horse manure. You're already pure chickenshit. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Eating orchids
Last week in Yangon (capital of Myanmar) I saw a display of about 7 different orchid species in the Kan Daw Gyi Nature Park. What was unusual about these was that they are all Myanmar natives that have been identified as having a use in traditional Chinese medicine. The owner of the display has begun propogating these species from seed with the intention of starting a business supplying China with orchid-derived medical ingredients. Amongst the species on display were: Dendrobium pulchellum Dendrobium falconeri Dendrobium densiflorum The principle medical applications of all 7 species was in reducing fevers and quelling upset stomachs. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Geographically challenged. Can't count, either
As always, Andy Easton takes liberties with facts. In this case, geographical facts. He can't count, either. IN OGD V7 #110, Andy said: "As some of us said six years ago, a central European WOC in early March is ludicrous." Andy, France has never been part of central Europe. Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall and Europe's eastward expansion, Dijon is unquestionably in the western part of the continent. Andy then said:"Despite the pretence of a Site Selection Committee and an unwritten tradition of two Northern Hemisphere Conferences to one Southern Hemisphere one, the Site Selection Committee (will) ensure that Singapore will be selected to host the 2011 event. Taiwan and Cape Town are on a hiding to nothing. Of course when you realize the last WOC was right next door in Malaysia, this is patently unfair, but never mind. The last WOC was in Malaysia. Current one is in Dijon, and the next in Miami. That is two consecutive northern hemisphere conferences. So, following your "unwritten tradition" (we'll discuss the validity of that some other time), the next one will be in the southern hemisphere. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere. Singapore is on the equator. Taipei, at 25° N is the only truly northern hemisphere candidate, so presumably you'd want them automatically crossed off the list, eh ? Seems rather churlish of you, seeing as how it would be such a great place to visit in order to see many wonderful orchids which is the point of a WOC, isn't it ? I don't understand your gripe. If what you allege is true, then after 2 successive northern-hemisphere conferences, the 2011 one is going south. Have I missed something, or have you forgotten how to count beyond two ? Oh yeah; I almost forgot. Kuala Lumpur's latitude is 3° N. "N" is for North, Andy. So Miami will be the THIRD successive northern-hemisphere conference ... do we hear you whining about how unfair that is ? Are you going to lead the pack in demanding that the 2008 WOC be taken away from Miami and relocated south ? I was going to suggest you buy an atlas, but then I realised that to certain geographically challenged innumerate expat Kiwis, the southern hemisphere starts at Cape Reinga. Peter O'Byrne. 1.2° N, 103.9 °E ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] OGD 7 #116: Eric Young beyond the grave
Viateur, According to the article you quoted, that Eric Young guy is a miracle worker: "The private orchid collection and breeding center was established in 1986 by Eric Young, an English eccentric . Eric Young, who died in 1984," Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] We're going buggy
Can anyone help us eradicate a tiny (fraction of a millimeter) black beetle that is infesting our greenhouse? To the naked eye they look like large grains of soot. They appear beetle-like under a jeweler's loop. Sevin seems to kill colonies that appear on flower buds, but they reappear on the next plant with buds. There is no clear sign that they do damage, but they're certainly not an enhancement to beauty. Peter and Marie ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Counting stomata
Dr. Charles Bracker criticised Steve Topletz's methodology during his rough and ready count of the stomata on a Paphiopedilum leaf. I would agree with Dr. Bracker that the method used was crude, but I suspect it is not necessarily as ineffective as Dr. Bracker suggested. Scientifically, the main weaknesses in Steve's method were that only one leaf was tested (3 times), and there was no attempt at controlling a number of variables that Dr Bracker quite rightly drew attention to. May I suggest that Steve repeats his experiment, using a different plant (or at least, a different leaf) and the following rough and ready method that should give good results, provide a permanent of evidence, and also avoid a number of the pitfalls Dr Bracker mentioned. It involves making a cast of the leaf surface. 1) While the leaf is still attached to the plant, apply a thin layer of instant-setting resin (or similar) to the surface under investigation. At school the students use red nail varnish ... the presence of a colour helps when viewing. I use Windsor & Newton water-colour fixative (since I have cans of it lying around the house) but even a thin layer of cheap aerosol spray paint will work. 2) Cut away the painted part of the leaf, carefully peel the cuticle away from the resin, and view the cast under the microscope. When lit from underneath the cast, open stomata show up instantly as spots of light. When lit from the side, the guard cells (either open or closed) are easily viewable. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Loud pipes and open stomata
Jean, my Guzzi won't move unless the stomata are open. Peter O'Byrne Singapore >When we say "Loud pipes save lives", does that mean "I'll >run my Harley with open stomata"? ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Swastika armbands, Bhotpal and Singapore
Andy Easton (OGD V7 #123) has done it again my bullshit detector is ringing. Let's do a quick check of the facts. "Seems like the minor British royals can parade around with swastika armbands but the more literate OGD members are to be chided for using a common literary term." It was one British princeling, not plural royals. And the response, both nationally and internationally, amounted to considerably more than being chided. Get your facts right, Andy. The term "grammar nazi" seems to be confined to North America, which, despite the irrational beliefs of many of it's inhabitants, is only one small part of the English-speaking world. Any orchid-lover would understand that being locally abundant doesn't equate to being widespread and common. Get your words right, Andy. (Or did you mean "common" in the sense of "vulgar" ?) "If Steve is correct and Singapore is to host the 2011 WOC, remember you heard it here long before the meeting. It was all orchestrated by the "Dragon Lady" and neither Taiwan nor Cape Town had a chance. (snip) Even the crooked Olympic's Site Selection Committee got busted for this behavior." Andy, that's the second time you have implied that the WOC selection committee uses unethical methods, but this time, you've gone further and said that they're "like the Olympic Selection Committee, who got busted". Let's do a fact check. the Olympic Committee got busted after Salt Lake City paid tens of millions in bribes and in kind to members of the selection committee. So your statement amounts to "whichever of the 3 bidders wins the 2011 WOC will have done so by paying huge bribes to the Selection Committee". Andy, I sure hope you've got documentary evidence to back up your allegation. For what it is worth, I was not part of the team that prepared the Singapore bid, but I was trotted out and paraded (once) in an attempt to impress the visiting inspectors, so I know a bit about what personal inducements were given to the inspectors. They were: 1) Airplane ticket. In my book that's fair enough ... Joyce Stewart is too old to walk to Singapore from UK. 2) Hotel room & all meals. Is this criminal ? Joyce probably did her share of crashing on other people's floors when she was younger, but she's way too old to enjoy that now. 3) Driven around Singapore to be shown the proposed sites. Well, that is obviously the business part ... no complaints there, eh ? 4) Treated to a slap-up buffet dinner fusion Indian/Peranakan/Malay menu yum, yum. If that counts as bribery, then we're guilty. However, it wasn't 52 courses at the Grande Hotel. The dinner wasn't even held in a proper restaurant, but in a little-used building in the backlot of the Bot. Gardens. BG staff prepared the venue and did most of the waiting/waitressing. They didn't even hire a band ... the only entertainment was conversation. It was all fairly low-key and casual, ... they wouldn't have got me to go along otherwise. 5) Two of the inspectors had an orchid named after them. This is hardly a secret; it was in the local press the next day, and you can read about it in the latest Orchid Review. Surely you're not going to claim there is some financial value in this honour ? The inspectors didn't even get to keep the plants. 6) All three inspectors were invited to attend the launch of OSSEA's most recent book ... "Orchid Hybrids of Singapore, 1893-2003" by John Elliott ... 302 pages, lavishly illustrated, and a far more entertaining read than the title suggests. I'm sure John would have presented the inspectors with a signed copy, just as he gave me (& several other people) a signed copy. That's what book launches are for. And that's it. All of it, as far as I'm aware. Apart from items (5) & (6), the inspectors were given nothing that wouldn't be offered to an overseas judge officiating at a local orchid show. And since it is Asian custom to hold a party for the judges when the judging is over, you can delete item (6) from your list of suspicious activities. Isn't this level of hospitality standard in the US as well ? So, you must be objecting to some monetary bribe I don't know about. Andy, it's no use looking at OSSEA's balance sheet. This isn't Salt Lake City we simply don't have that sort of cash sitting around. Our money is currently tied up in our "Orchid Hybrids" book. So you must be suggesting that SINGAPORE (the incorruptible, painfully honest, totally transparent, hands-above-the table Singapore Government) did the Salt Lake City part ??? Wow. I SURE hope you've got a top-rate lawyer as well as documentary evidence. Andy, I'm calling you. Either put up or shut up. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: off-topic issues
Charles, your response to Gerald H Fisher : > It amazes me that statements like this can be made by anybody. > anyone can take any event in which a few hundred individuals > (or in other cases very many more) die, and making it seem as > 'due and appropriate revenge' (reaping their harvest) for something like a > vague determination as in this case, that 'a nation' deserves in general, is >extremely shameful. is extremely clear. I hope you include the USA's revenge attack on Afghanistan in your list of shameful events. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] from the mouths of fools
>From: Buzz Baxter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [OGD] Peter, Peter, Peter >Sometimes it is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than open >your mouth and leave no doubt. >Buzz Buzz, that's an uncharacteristically self-aware statement. Is it original or did you have help ? Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] A suitable spokesperson
Robert M Scully, of Sarasota, FL USA, wrote: >Mr O'Byrne, (snip) I shall wonder aloud this weekend, as I entertain a >distinguished group of Singaporeans, including Dr Kiat Tan and the Minister of >Development, whether they are aware of your misplaced political > pronouncements (snip). May I suggest that you .. (snip). Mr Scully, I understand you are the "prominent orchid grower named Bob Scully who four years ago was banned from Selby's greenhouses over complaints of sexual harassment and other problems." Source: http://www.sptimes.com/2003/11/02/news_pf/Tampabay/A_whiff_of_scandal.shtml In which case, I don't think you are in a position to make any suggestions regarding personal behaviour. When, this weekend, you complain to Kiat and the Minister about my political views, please quote my response to your posting. Be prepared to explain the charge of sexual harassment (which is a criminal offence in Singapore), and be prepared to explain why a US citizen seeks to deny a Singapore resident the right to freedom of speech. I'm sure the Minister will be interested ... Kiat has heard it all before. Sincerely, Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Scully Story/character assassination
With apologies for this post, off topic indeed, I am responding to Mr
Scully's OGD V7 #132 post suggesting that I have been guilty of
character assassination.
Mr Scully,
Let us go back to the start of this confrontation. In your OGD V7 #130
posting, you launched an unprovoked attack on me. You used the
following choice phrases to describe me:
"pretentious self-promotion", "belligerent responses to challenge",
needs help to "resolve your considerable personal torment". When it
comes to character assassination, you're no slouch, are you ?
Furthermore, you deliberately attempted to misrepresent me by
insinuating that I present myself as a "spokesperson for the civil
people of Singapore", when even a child could identify at least two
flaws in the logic of your statement. When it comes to being malicious
for political purposes, you're something of an expert, aren't you ?
Mr Scully, in OGD V7 #132 you complained that my "conclusion that I
want to limit your speech is also flawed", then proceeded to give
details about how you want to limit my freedom of speech. The
contradiction is noted. It has also been noted that you did not
publicly object to the series of purely political postings on OGD to
which I responded. The conclusion is obvious; you only seek to gag
non-US citizens who you disagree with. I think I said something like
this in OGD V7 #130.
You've gone to considerable lengths to discredit the St Peterburg
Times article, you've dismissed the method used to find it ("an
inadequate Google search on the topic"), and you've accused me of
malice for citing it, with never a hint of apology for the malice of
your original attack on me.
The fact remains that the article was published, it is publicly
accessible, and it is what a Google search turns up. Tell you what,
why don't you provide us all with a link to the St Peterburg Times
article where they correct the alleged error in their original
publication, I'll then apologise for the inadequacy of my Google
search, you can apologise for attacking me in the first place, and
then we can all shake hands, pretend to be the best of friends and
resume talking about orchids.
Yours sincerely,
Peter O'Byrne
Singapore
___
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[OGD] Orchids and politics
Harvey Brenneise, John H. Vandermeulen, and doubtless many others want this forum to return to discussing orchids. Gentlemen, you're missing the point. You don't think someone as rarified as Robert M Scully would stop lurking and launch an unprovoked attack on me without a reason, do you ? He's busy playing orchid politics. He said so in OGD V7 #130: "I shall wonder aloud this weekend, as I entertain a distinguished group of Singaporeans, including Dr Kiat Tan and the Minister of Development". It has suddenly occurred to Mr Scully and his cronies that if the 2011 WOC is to be held in Singapore, then the venue presents one enormous fly in the ointment ... me. Mr Scully is busy right at this moment trying to pull political strings with the intention of getting me either gagged or removed. You think I'm going too far ? Assigning myself too much significance ? You shouldn't. Mr Scully already told you so: " I will be sure to ... provide details and history No doubt, these distinguished Singaporeans will want to assure that only the best possible image is portrayed as the OSSEA moves ahead with its WOC effort." Just ask yourself what sort of leverage someone in Mr Scully's position could expect to apply. my guess is that it is the dreaded boycott card again. Remember the AOS boycott of the 2003 WOC in Kuala Lumpur ? The AOS instructed its staff, for security reasons (which looked ill-informed and cowardly at the time and are laughable in retrospect), not to attend. Remarkably, Andy Easton (of all people) has provided corroboration: "Singaporeans would do well to muzzle him (that's me) if they expect any reasonable level of US participation in the 2011 WOC." Andy isn't usually noted for the accuracy of his statements and I would normally take this as being concrete evidence that no such thing is happening, but coming so soon after Mr Scully's thinly-veiled threat, I think the agenda is clear. There are still 6 years to the 2011 WOC, and the dirty politics have already started. I think they are going to be six very long years, full of lies, propaganda, provocation and increasingly frenzied attacks on anyone who stands up to the bullying of the self-proclaimed "elite" of the US orchid world. It will end with a boycott (of course, they'll use a nicer word) and the offer to shift the 2011 WOC to somewhere more convenient (of course, they'll use a politer word)... such as Miami. Orchids are politics you might as well get used to it. Peter O'Byrne Still talking. Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Jason who ?
Andy Easton is back to his old trick of posting unsubstantiated statements: > I ran into my good friend Jason Oong, He has recently moved back to > Singapore His comments on O'Byrne were interesting and > could not be repeated in a public forum. Andy, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting your good friend. Several months after I left the OSSEA Committee I received a phone call from a worried OSSEA Committee member, asking my advice about OSSEA's legal position regarding a recent returnee who was trying to sell wild-collected CITES Appendix A plants at monthly meetings. I'm afraid I can't remember if the man's family name was Oong, but his given name was definitely Jason. Was that your friend ? Yours, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Jason, ME!
Jason, thanks for reminding me. I do apologise ... I didn't realise that Andy Easton meant you when he wrote about his good friend Jason Oong. I also failed to make the possible (but apparently non-existant) connection with Jason Wong. I did indeed meet you at the OSSEA meeting on the 4th January last year. As you say, I photographed your Bulbophyllum lindleyanum (purchased in Chatukchai Market, Bangkok) and Eulophia zollingerii (donated by a friend in Malaysia). The Eulophia was a particularly nice plant, and I remember asking you how you intended to keep a saprophyte alive for longer than one growing season. What totally puzzles me is the accusation that I turned around and accused you of selling Appendix I plants at the meeting. I think you may have your wires crossed here. The phone call from a committee member (that I mentioned previously) was in the evening, not during a meeting. OSSEA's position on the sale of App. 1 plants is written in OSSEA's rules and regulations, and has been re-printed at regular intervals in the OSSEA bulletin. It is very clear. If you weren't selling App. 1 plants, then there is no way I would have accused you of doing so. I put the word "Singapore" after my name in each posting because it is a geographic identifier. If you'd been a member of this group for long enough, you'd recall a discussion on the need to state where you live ... after all, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" isn't exactly informative, is it ? By diong this I do not claim to represent Singapore any more than Mr Scully claims to represent Sarasota, Florida, or the USA when he signs off with "Sarasota, FL USA". It is a bit of etiquette that I suggest you emulate. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Another inconsistency
I'm totally confused. In V7 #124, Andy Easton claimed: > the WOC Site Selection Committee voted 11-5 to award the Conference >to South Africa. >A hastily convened meeting of the WOC Trustees then, in secret session, >gave the 2011 WOC to Singapore. Andy Easton has never posted a retraction of this statement, so presumably he still believes it is true. However, in V7 #137, he said something totally different: >The "Dragon Lady" stacked the WOC Site Selection Committee at the last >moment with active, in touch orchid figures like Alasdair Morrison, to get the >result she needed i.e. Singapore. Perhaps Mr Easton would tell us which of his two versions is the false one. Peter O'Byrne Resident in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] orchids named for VIPs
In OGDV7 #140, Viateur asked: "It seems to be customary in Singapore to name orchids after visitors to the country. Is this a privilege reserved for heads of state ? Have orchidists/orchidophiles been honored in a similar way in that country ? Are there orchid species or hybrids named after Joyce Stewart, or other orchidophiles ..." Viateur, the SBG has a programme for honouring visiting VIPs by naming a hybrid after them. The programme is not limited to Heads of State ... in Aug 2003 Ricky Martin (the pop star) had a Renaglottis named after him. In January this year, Spathoglottis Joyce Stewart and Ascocenda Henry Oakley were named in honour of two well-known orchidophiles. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Orchid species named after my daughters.
In OGD V7 #141, Kelvin said: "Species I believe there's a few. In fact, I believe that POB named quite a few species after his daughters.". Actually, it was one each, but I'm in trouble on that front. In a forthcoming publication I'm going to reduce one of these names to a synonym of an earlier J.J.Smith name, which means one daughter will lose "her" orchid. I've offered to publish a "replacement" name, and while she's amenable in principle, she's being fussy in practice. Only something with enormous, showy, fragrant, long-lasting, nicely-coloured flowers will do. She's rejected several fascinating little jewels, and keeps on asking when her fantasy giant is going to turn up. There's a moral somewhere in this tale. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Phalaenopsis gigantea : leaf size
Wolfgang says he's seen leaves of P. gigantea larger than those quoted. A couple more references: 1) "Daun besar, berukuran 50-75 cm panjangyna dan lebarnya 20-25 cm". From: "Koleksi Anggrek Kebun Raya Bogor, Vol 1 #2, 1999". You don't need to speak Bahasa Indonesia to work out what it says. 2) "Plants with leaves 90 cm long have been recorded, but 50 cm is a more usual size". From "A to Z of S.E.Asian Orchid Species", O'Byrne, 2001 Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] John Vandermeulen's slander and strife
Jean Vandermeulen said: "several contributors are making complete asses of themselves, plus they are taking up valuable time and space, and they are depriving the rest of us of useful orchid-rearing tips and tricks. . go off-line, and leave the rest of us talk about orchids. " Jean, this forum is for people with an interest in orchids. Amateur orchid-growers (from what you wrote it seems that you're in this category) often seem to think they're the only members of the orchid community, but they're actually only one of a number of groups of people who are interested in orchids. These groups hardly ever interact, except on this forum and at WOC's. Lets list some of the other groups: a) Professional orchid-growers, ie people who grow and sell orchids for a living. There are a lot of them on this forum, some of them are very vocal, and, like you, they often choose to ignore the fact that there are other orchid-interested groups out there. b) Professional growers of orchids for the cut-flower market. Quite a number have subscribed to this list in the past and may still be subscribers, but they never, ever, ever stop lurking. In economic terms, these guys are the only significant group of orchid-interested people on the planet. If you don't believe me, check out the statistics. c) Professional scientists with a specialty in orchids. You could subdivide this groups into a dozen or so sub-groups, according to interest and specialty. A surprisingly large number subscribe to this list, but they hardly ever contribute directly. Some of them are barred by contractual terms from doing anything other than passive reading. Others don't want to get involved in public exchanges with amateurs and the vocalists from Group A (hardly surprising, considering some of the things that have been said about scientists on this forum), so any contribution they make is usually posted through an intermediary. d) Amateur scientists with a specialty in orchids. (Amateur in the sense that they don't get paid for their work; not necessarily amateur in the quality of the work they do). There have always been many of these involved in orchids, and there are still many scattered around the world. A large proportion of our knowledge of orchids is the result of the work of amateurs. Several (including myself) subscribe to OGD. e) People with an environmental/conservation interest in orchids. Members of this group tend to shot down in flames the moment they try to say anything on this forum, since they are in direct conflict with the interests of most amateur growers and Group A members. f) Professional politicians with a specialty in orchids. g) Law-enforcement personnel with a specialty in orchids. The OGD must be compulsory reading for your (US) orchid police ... Fish & Wildlife Service, or whatever you call them. h) Others, eg people who work at Botanic Gardens, collectors of orchid literature, producers of orchid literature, photographers, students, full-time orchid-collectors, orchid-smugglers, etc. Jean, this forum is for members of all the above groups, not just yours. It doesn't bother me when you make a complete ass of yourself by assuming that the only people interested in orchids are those like yourself. It is a common enough misconception. Personally, I have hardly any interest in your "useful orchid-rearing tips and tricks", but I don't complain that you (and others who are interested in these tips) are "taking up valuable time and space", or depriving me of anything. I certainly wouldn't be so rude as to tell you to "go off-line", just because I'm not interested in what you're saying. I'd use the "scroll" button. Why don't you try it ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Just stirring ....
Poirot (from "Raphael & Chawadee Verkest"), in an OGD V7 #166 posting headed "Save wild ochids and whales too", said: >Make sure that the rest of the world knows that Canada is continuing to kill seals >Boycott Canadian seafood!!! >Make them and the world stop killing any wildlife!!! Poirot, that is an interesting sentiment to see on this forum. Do orchid species count as "wildlife", as your header implies ? If so, does your sentiment only apply to Canada, or can other countries join in ? Hands up all OGD readers who have never killed any of the "wildlife" in their collections. Peter O'Byrne PS ... Banksy rooles OK. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Virus alert ... it's a hoax
"Raphael & Chawadee Verkest" posted a "NEW VIRUS ALERT!!!" regarding the "life is beautiful" virus. There is no such virus. It is a hoax. Check: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/life.is.beautiful.hoax.html Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Vietnamese orchid story
In OGD V7 #166, Sandy Gillians asked about Saigon Orchids and Flora, following a posting on their website. Sandy, I visited the Saigon Orchids and Flora "nursery" on 18th December 2004 ... almost exactly one month before the date of their website posting, and spent several hours talking to Mr.Trán Kim Khá. Mr.Trán never mentioned most of the problems that his website describes, although he did talk about previous "difficulties" with the Government, and his plans to avoid future problems, the most pressing of which is due to location. The "nursery" is in a suburban area that is converting from traditional (partly-residential) use to newly-established light-industry. The "nursery" is located on the corner of a large block where two roads meet. Last December, both these roads were in the process of undergoing a major upgrade ... from what I saw, they will end up as urban motorways (6-lane highways cross-town freeways I'm not certain what you'd call them in Canada), and it seemed inevitable that at least a part of the "nursery" land would vanish in the name of progress. There is much more to this story than meets the eye. Contact me privately if you're really interested, because I'm not prepared to discuss this further on this forum. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] ice cream made from orchids fertilised with camel dung
>What would you call the ice cream made from orchids fertilised with camel >droppings? Perhaps Oz Desert Dessert? Mike, the nearest equivalent is probably the popular (but expensive) drink called "coffee luwuk" (google for details). I'd suggest "camelel creme" Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Your roots are showing
Viateur, I think you'll find the word "trash" is of North-American origin, and has only quite recently been adopted by English speakers elsewhere. People bought up speaking British English are more likely to use "rubbish", "garbage" or even "junk". The recent spread of "Trash" can probably be attributed to Mac computers. The phrase "trash basket" (when applied to orchid roots) is also a North-American colloquilism. If you check your extensive library more thoroughly, you'll find "catch roots" has been used by authors in (British) English, Dutch, German, Latin, and probably other languages for at least 100 years. I'll provide you with some references later, when I get home. BTW, 'catch root' is probably a misnomer, but 'trash basket' is worse. You'll be able to quote me dozens of references that say the function of catch-root systems is to catch descending leaf-litter (OWTTE), but I have never seen any evidence to support this hypothesis. When I lived in PNG the more experienced growers would tell you that if you tried to feed Grammatophyllum or Acriopsis species by covering the catch-roots with compost the result would usually be a dead plant. I've tested this on Acriopsis liliifolia the old growers were dead right. I suspect that the true function is something to do with ants, which are always closely associated with these plants in the wild, at least in S.E. Asia. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Your roots are showing; references
Viateur, you asked for references to "catch roots" in scientific books and journals. Here is a selection : Comber; Orc. Java (1990) pages 386 & 387. Comber; Orc. Sumatra (2001) p 246 Minderhoud & de Vogel; Orc. Monographs 1 (1986) used repeatedly on pps 2-15 O'Byrne; Lowland Orc. P.N.G., (1994) pps 557, 562-564, 568-569. Seidenfaden & Wood; Orc. Pen. Mal. & Sing., (1992) p 562 Wood; Orc. Borneo 3, (1997) p 27 OK ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Eulophia petersii and roots showing
Nick (Plummer), the inflorescence on your E. petersii is unlikely to reach 3 meters long, but 2 meters is quite possible. with respect to catch-roots, you said: "Alternatively, perhaps the plant needs roots that are outside of the ant nest. If conditions within the ant carton are relatively dry, the external catch roots might absorb moisture, while the roots inside the ant nest absorb nutrients." That is precisely what I had in mind. The ants do indeed nest underneath and around the plant's main roots, which must surely reduce the amount of water the plant receives. It is interesting that so many people report their cultivated plants flowering without forming catch-roots; this rather suggests that the plant makes catch-roots in response to ant nests, not vice-versa, although in Acriopsis liliifolia the root-structure seems designed to accomodate an ant's nest. Lewis & Cribb (Orc. Solomon Islands & Bougainville, 1991, p310) contains the following quote: "this orchid (A. liliifolia) often grows in ant's nests on trees . this is ascribed to the fact that the ants eat drops of fatty oil (elaeiosomes) which are located in the cells of the seed wing. The ants carry the seeds to their nests where many are able to germinate". Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] OGD and fame ...
Viateur your latest contribution just reinforces what our Oz contributors said about declining journalistic standards. "Contributors to the most prominent Internet listserv for orchid nutjobs the Orchid Guide Digest frequently threaten each other with violence" Frequently ?? Twice, as far as I recall. When I offered to let Andy turn his fantasy into reality, he chickened out. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] PNG orchid book sold out
I just heard from the Marketing Dept of the National Parks Board (ie, my publisher) that they have just sold the last 5 copies of my book "Lowland Orchids of PNG". After getting over the astonishment at discovering that there are actually 5000 people in the world interested enough in PNG orchid species to fork out a pretty substantial amount of dough and buy a copy, I realised that I'd have to break the following tragic news to anyone who has not yet got a copy I can no longer put you in touch with anyone who can sell you the book, so please don't ask. Peter O'Byrne Best-selling author, still talking from Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Acriopsis liliifolia and catch-roots
Paul J. Johnson wrote a good account of catch-roots in the neotropics, and asked for first-hand observations from the S.E.Asian area. Of the species in several genera of Asian orchids that form catch-roots, the most common and easily-seen is the widespread Acriopsis liliifolia (Koen.) Ormerod (syn. A. javanica Reinw. ex. Blume). This species occurs from sea-level to at least 1600 m altitude in a range of habitats ... primary and secondary forests (both lowland and montane), plantations and farmland, pine forests, solitary trees in villages & waysides, freshwater forests, coastal swamp forest, trees in savannah areas, etc. It occasionally occurs lithophytically, was once recorded growing on tufts of grass near the shore, is one of only a few species that quite happily grows on the stilt-roots of giant Pandanus species, and is the only epiphytic species I know of that will grow on bamboo stems in bamboo forests. It is clearly a versatile species that adapts readily to a wide range of environmental conditions. It is most often seen in very exposed situations such as the trunks and upper branches of dead trees (eg, along forest margins) where it thrives in full sunlight. However, this is only because it is highly visible in such situations ... if you enter the forest and hunt around, you'll find it in just about every possible habitat except total shade. It is worth noting that for an orchid that grows so readily almost anywhere in the wild, it is surprisingly difficult to maintain in cultivation. Transplanted specimens rapidly lose their leaves, then usually develop a rot at the centre of the plant, leading to a rapid radiating die-off of mature pseudobulbs and the consequent loss of the plant. When you find A. liliifolia in the wild, you'll usually (but not always) find an ant's nest. The plant is often associated with nests of small red-brown ants that are locally called "fire ants" for obvious reasons (possibly not the same species of "fire ant" that occurs in N. America). Even plants that do not sit over an ant's nest often have ants crawling over them. The ants nest under and around the main roots, and as new roots are produced from new growths they extend outwards in the usual orchidaceous manner, growing over the top of the ant's nest and hiding it from view. The ants seem to expand their nest at the same rate as the plant grows, because the top of the roots always seems to be level with the top of the ant's nest. The ant's nests are so well concealed that it is extremely hard to tell, from the outside, which plants are growing on ant's nests and which one aren't. Although the plant forms a tight cluster of pseudobulbs, the pseudobulb shape is such that ant crawl-spaces exist between the bases of the pseudobulbs. In most orchids, roots grow outwards to fill the available space (you've all seen one root growing tightly alongside a slightly older one) but in A. liliifolia the roots radiate to a greater extent, resulting in gaps between them that the ants can nest in. The catch-roots are not covered by the ant's nest, and are certainly not buried by it, though presumably the ant's nest eventually grows up and covers the bases of the older catch-roots. I cannot recall if I've ever seen catch-roots growing up through the nesting material to any extent ... as I said before, it is hard to tell if there's a nest there at all. Ants are scrupulously hygienic animals, and devote a lot of effort to keeping their nest & environs clean. They seem to extend this care to the plant that houses them, because anything small enough to be cleaned away seems to get removed. The leaves and twigs I've seen trapped between the catch-roots are those too big for a small ant to deal with. For this reason I doubt that Paul's hypothesis "given the right conditions trash roots may accumulate a little compost" is correct; as the leaves decay into small enough fragments the ants would remove them in order to keep their runs clear. I have no doubt that the plants derive benefits from their association with ants ... I don't know if the plant would gain nutrients from ant faeces (do ants use a midden, do they relocate their droppings to outside nest ?) but they certainly attack and deter animals/insects that might attempt to graze on the plant... on several occasions I've been on the receiving end of such an assault, and have been deterred by it. Orchid-ant associations are really common in S.E.Asia. We have at least 5 genera where some or all the species specialise in the production of what we probably ought to be calling "ant-roots". Also, it is not at all unusual to find ants nesting amongst the roots of other epiphytic orchids, eg Dendrobiums, Aerides, Bulbophyllums, Erias, etc. Finally, why do I think A. liliifolia is so difficult to transplant from the wild ? Maybe it is because
[OGD] Jay's Acriopsis
Jay, all Acriopsis tend to drop their leaves in a hurry when they don't like the conditions. It sounds like your A. indica is behaving "normally" and you've been lucky with your A. liliiflolia clone. How come the AOS awarded a plant with just one under-sized inflorescence ? Don't they know what the correct standard is ? Jay, when you see those guys again, tell them that A. liliifolia in peak condition should have one inflorescence per active lead, with each inflor reaching at least 90 cm long and having at least 5 main branches (these should also have side-branches) and the flower-bearing part of each branch should be at least 50 cm long. Your current inflorescence is much nearer the mark. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Award for Jay's Acriopsis
The story so far ... Jay Pfahl's Acriopsis was awarded a CBR/AOS. The inflorescence was very undersized. Andy Easton commented: That statement is rather patronising ... there is no way that this occasion was a "first sighting" because the plant has been around for ages and is well-documented in the literature. What you probably mean is "the first time AOS judges have seen it", which is not the same thing. The unavoidable conclusion is that none of the AOS judges on the team did their homework before awarding the plant. Do all AOS judges work in an information vacuum ? Jay never commented on the plant's maturity. Mature or immature is irrelevant; I'd expect anyone who is supposed to be something of an expert (such as a judge) to have sufficient knowledge about the species to be able to make an informed assessment; that clearly didn't happen on this occasion. Where individual judges don't have the knowledge to make an informed judgement, they should refrain from passing judgement and withdraw from the team; that clearly didn't happen, either. OSSEA judges would never have awarded such a plant. They would have returned the plant to the owner with an encouraging comment and the suggestion that it should be bought back for re-judging in a couple of years when it is doing a bit better. Andy, this story (and your comment) just reinforces the widespread belief that AOS judges are "soft" when compared to their Asian counterparts. In light of your earlier boast to this forum about how the judging standards at the next WOC are going to be high and consistent (you dissed Vanda judging at Dijon, remember ?), perhaps you would share with us all an outline of your masterplan to bring Florida Award-Judging up to Asian standards before the next WOC. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Tracking illegal Phragmipedium kovachii seedlings
Several people have claimed that once "legal" P. kovachii seedlings go on general release in the outside world, those who own "illegal" plants will be able to let them (or their progeny) surface without fear of detection. That statement is incorrect. We have been told that Manuel Arias has only five legally-collected plants, each of which has been identified by a name, and that these names are on record as being the parents of any particular legally-exported flask. In order to be able to trace all legal progeny of these 5 plants, all the Peruvians have to do is subject the one leaf from each of the 5 parent plants to a simple DNA-typing procedure, placing the results on record, and store the surplus DNA in a fridge. Demonstrating that any individual plant (or seedling) was NOT the progeny of a cross between two of these 5 plants would then be a piece of cake the sort of procedure that a competent technician could do in a well-stocked lab. This procedure has become routine in child-support and child-custody disputes since the test became cheap enough to be affordable. If the Peruvian authorities (or anyone else) wanted to demonstrate the illegality of an individual plant, they could do so, and will be in a position to do so for generations to come. The real question is, will they want to ? Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Thank you Andy !
Andy, that's exactly what I suspected. In order to get a species into the AOS system, you award it the first time you see it. It therefore follows that the less the AOS judges know about a species, the more likely it is to be awarded. And if the AOS judges know nothing about a species, it will automatically be awarded. Thanks for the confirmation, Andy. What I'm still puzzled about is the vacuum aspect. We're not talking about a species that is obscure. This is a species that is common and widespread, grows like a weed in the wild (though not in cultivation), has been illustrated in virtually every general guide to S.E.Asian orchids ever published, has been described in every recent geographic treatment of S.E.Asian orchids, and has been described in lavish detail in a fairly recent revision of the genus in a publication that is still available. Reference to any one of these readily-available sources would have alerted the judges to the fact that the plant was sub-standard, yet they awarded it. Aren't the AOS judges aware of what is going on in the outside world ? This plant would not have been awarded (not even a CBR) in this part of the world because the judges would have known better. They'd have asked the grower to return the plant in better condition in a couple of years time. If our judges were to get what Andy calls a "first sighting" of (say) Cypripedium acaule, they wouldn't rush out and award it just because it is new. They'd do their homework first, find out what the prevailing standard is elsewhere, then set a local standard based on the best external one. Local orchid-growers seem to be justified when they complain that standards here are higher. Andy says he has "no knowledge of Singapore judging", which is an astonishing admission from an AOS judge. Surely one of the duties of a judge is to keep themselves informed about current awards and prevailing standards around the world ? In light of this confession, I'm REALLY interested to hear how Andy plans ensure a consistently high standard of judging at the next WOC. Or does he assume that his local standard + system is automatically the best ? The Acriopsis-award story suggests otherwise. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Gentelmen's agreement and tracking Pk
Hi Guido. welcome back. > do you really believe that whenever a plant of Pk surfaces, someone is >going to do DNA testing to find out where it comes from? I avoided expressing any opinion about that. I pointed out that it not impossible to track these plants. >And do you really believe that none of the people that visited the sites of >Pk have hitherto left without plants ??? I have made no statements about that, either. >Do you also want DNA testing on the hybrids that will appear within the next >couple of years to make sure that the were made with officially released plants? I expressed no opinion on that, either. I corrected a false statement others posted on this forum, viz:. It is not only possible to track these plants & their progeny, but with current techniques it would be fairly easy. I notice you're not challenging me on this, so I assume you concur. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Much to rant about
Andy, many people have told me that you are widely respected as an AOS judge. These people agree that you know sod-all about species (only a complete ignoramus would say "all orchids are weeds somewhere"), and that you are a liar, a cheat, a bully and a coward (all publicly well-proven in recent months), but (they've continued to assure me) you really do know about judging. So I'm truly surprised that you, as a supposedly experienced and knowledgeable AOS judge, managed to post the following: 1) "A CBR is what it says it is, a Certificate of Botanical Merit" Actually, the AOS website says it is a "Certificate of Botanical Recognition". The CBM is awarded by inferior societies elsewhere in the world, not the AOS 2) "I am sure Acriopsis is a weed somewhere, all orchids are. That's why it got its particular award and not a Certificate of Horticultural Merit." Actually, the AOS website states that a CBR is "Awarded to rare and unusual species" Since when has A. liliifolia been rare and unusual ? Andy, I'd have though you'd have been verbatim on the AOS Awards. Next, you demonstrated (a) your care for the well-being of orchids with: " What we call a "mow over" orchid!" (Thanks for providing us with that insight into your character, Andy.) (b) your usual capacity for obfuscation: "Why should I be concerned with Singapore judging? . judging by the plants reported to be on display like Bc Languedoc 'Singapore Welcome'" (what has that Bc got to do with Singapore judging ? ) (c) your well-documented capacity to avoid discussing issues by launching personal attacks: "O'Byrne is pretty thick". But for all that, you failed to deny my observation that "the less AOS judges know about a species, the more likely they are to award it", and you've effectively confirmed my suspicion that as far as the AOS judging system is concerned, the outside world doesn't exist. Thanks, Andy. So you're only a member of the committee that appoints judges for the next WOC ? I gather from your parting comment "exhibitors can be confident that their prize plants get every opportunity to shine rather than be judged by a bunch of untrained wannabes" that you've already removed your name from any of the teams judging species. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Awards and their rationale
within other systems (RHS, Australia) as well as AOS regions outside Florida about what happens in your part of the world, and how you set your standards, and how you ensure your growers get a level playing-field when it comes to awards. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: Peter or any one interested in Judging
Jose, what I'm interested in is the underlying rationale, not the published rules & regulations. I'd like to know which societies try to maintain an external standard, which ones don't bother, and which ones pay lip-service but secretly consider this to be an unattainable ideal. I'm also particularly interested in knowing how a judging system can achieve a balance between encouraging local members to participate while maintaining some sort of "international standard". I'm keen to hear the methods by which different societies estimate/measure/apply this "international standard" Please don't refer me to the AOS' Awards Quarterly; we have tried that, and the result has been distorted perceptions and inflated standards. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore On 4/17/05, Jose A. Izquierdo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Should anyone of you want it, I can provide copies of the rules regarding > judging and the awards, granted by the New Zealand judging system and by > the South African judging system. > > Also , If anyone can provide me with a copy of the rules of the Australian, > JOGA and/or RHS judging rules and "Handbooks" (including the judging of > fragrance) ; I will appreciate it. I may not be a judge, but for reasons > unknown ( probably because I am a nut-case) , I have made the study of the > systems used for Judging Orchids a hobby. > > TIA > > Jose > > PS...I cannot offer to present /share my short presentation "An Outsider > Looks at AOS Judging and Other Judging Systems" because my minor opus has > just hit the 3000 slide mark and my musings on paper have reached the 154000 > words count. Somehow , my brain was not wired for short and concise writing > :) [Ok, those who maybe tempted to flame me, go gentle on the heat, the body > is not in the optimum shape for broiling as it was in former times] > > ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] RE: Orchids Digest, Vol 7, Issue 214 Orchid Judging in the UK
The RHS has nothing to do with Orchid Judging in the UK. The BOC (British Orchid Councild) deals with that. Peter Fowler Alton, UK ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] RE: AOS vs OSSEA
Kathy, you said: "Also I believe the AOS has required reference books to be in each center's library for use by the judges, and in each judge's personal library.". Meanwhile, Bert posted: "Despite the fact that there is no expectation by the AOS about what judging references are or are not to be used, our local teams have limited material on hand including the AQ Quarterly, Wildcat and a few regional flora books in their library. " Kathy, do you have any further info regarding this "required book list" ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Andy's sense of humour
Where would he be without it ? You've got to hand it to him, he always scores highly in the awards stakes: http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] RE: AOS Center libraries
Thanks Kathy, for going to the trouble of posting that book-list. I certainly can see what the AOS is getting at ... any centre that had all those books would be quite well set up for references on 90% of the species they were likely to encounter. I've got a couple more questions: (a) Which ones are mandatory ?, and (b) who finances these libraries ? Can anyone supply information on which references other AOS judging centres hold, and which ones they actually use ? Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Really ?
Viateur queried: "a cross between the Malaysian [really ?] orchid "Arachins Maggie Oei" and ..." Yes, really. The later press release said "the local Arachnis Maggie Oei", thus correcting the typo and using a better adjective than "Malaysian". If you want to split hairs, the Maggie Oei hybrid was Malayan, not Malaysian. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Malayan Hybrid
Viateur, Nik and Fred have already told you the origin of Arachnis Maggie Oei and explained why "Malayan" is more accurate than "Malaysian". I consider Maggie Oei to be a Malayan hybrid because John Laycock created the hybrid in Malaya ... if you really want to split hairs, he lived and worked in the "British Straits Settlements of Malaya". Both the hybrid's parents also reside in Malaya, and a natural hybrid between the 2 parents (Arachnis maingayi) occurs in Malaya. Up to 1961, "Malaya" referred to both a political unit (admittedly the name changed a few times) and a geographic area. Although the political unit has changed, the words "Malaya" and "Malay Peninsula" refer to the same geographic area, which is which I publish my discoveries in the "Malayan Orchid Review", not the "Malaysian Orchid Review". Arachnis Maggie Oei is therefore a Malayan hybrid no matter what the political units are called. Malaysia did not exist before 1961. It came into existance when Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak joined in a federal union. The name "Malaysia" is compound created from the names of these 4 states. Singapore withdrew from the federation 2 years later, so Malaysia is currently a political unit occupying most of the Malay Peninsula and most of North Borneo. Since Arachnis Maggie Oei occurs in the wild in Malaysia (the Malay Peninsula bit) as a natural hybrid, a garden escape and from wind-blown seeds, the Malaysian press is probably entitled to refer to it as a "Malaysian hybrid", though I think their phrase "local hybrid" is less misleading. OK ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Sarcochilus pallidus
Paul Mitchell asked about his Sarcochilus pallidus. Paul, the correct name for your species is Pteroceras pallidum (Bl.) Holtt.; Sarcochilus pallidus is a synonym. Your species is not closely related to the Australian Sarcochilus species, which are showy little things with long-lasting flowers. P. pallidum is fairly typical of the genus; looks rather Phalaenopsis-like in habit, and is found in similar conditions to lowland Phalaenopsis species. It usually carries several inflorescences which will extend slowly over a period of several months (in some Pteroceras species the inflorescences are active for 2-3 years) and flower intermittently, each producing out one to several flowers at a time. The flowers are ephemeral, lasting less than one day. Flowering is gregarious and synchronised; all plants in an area flower on the same day, and while nothing is known about the conditions that trigger flowering, the most likely candidate is the sudden temperature drop that accompanies a heavy rainfall. P. pallidum has an unusual habit that also occurs in a few other Pteroceras species; the inflorescence forms buds that grow and swell rapidly until about half-developed, then they stop swelling and go dormant. They remain in this state for weeks or months until they receive some environmental trigger, after which they resume their growth and open a few days later. It sounds as if your plant is behaving normally. I'm surprised it survived the cold spell... this species is from the warm tropics, usually found below 600 metres altitude in ever-wet or monsoonal forests. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] orchids / development (Malaysia)
In OGD V7 #261, Viateur copied from the following source : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/19/nation/10938850&sec=nation Part of his posting read: "Among the species that have gone missing in the past 15 years are the Anoectochilus brevystilus, Goodyera bifida, Bulbophyllum malleolabrum, Calanthe monophylla, Corybas calopelos and Bulbophyllum hodgsonii." I think this is factually incorrect. I have recorded Goodyera bifida in 2 different locations in the Cameron Highlands within the last 5 years, and also recorded Bulbophyllum hodgsonii from a further 2 different locations in the Cameron Highlands within the last 5 years. G. bifida is common around the edges of the main carpark at one of the principle tourist attractions in the area, while B. hodgsonii occurs in quantity along the first few hundred metres of the main public hiking trail leading uphill from the town of Tanah Rata if you go for a hike after a storm or heavy rain, you can see wind-fall specimens lying on the path. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] polymorphic inflorescences?
In OGD V7 #263, Nick Plummer asked: "Has similar behavior been described for other orchids? That is, do they produce inflorescences that are predetermined to generate a keiki and that are morphologically quite distinct from inflorescences that produce flowers?" Nick, I don't want to seem pedantic, but any shoot that is predestined to generate an adventitious shoot (a keikei) rather than flowers cannot be called an inflorescence, no matter how inflorescence-like it may appear. The ability of orchid inflorescences to produce adventitious shoots is very well documented for a wide range of genera. (No, Viateur, I'm not going to spend the rest of the long weekend looking up references for you). Phalaenopsis are probably the best known example amongst hobby growers. I've recently been shown photos of a Taeniophyllum that behaved in a similar manner to what you described, except that the inflorescence produced some sterile flower buds which failed to develop, eventually turned green and presumably started to photosynthesise. Shortly afterwards, it sent out a root, and then a fresh inflorescence. Since Taeniophyllum is a leafless (and almost stemless) genus, the bundle of one root and one young inflorescence probably constitutes a fully-developed keikei. An even weirder occurrence that I've seen twice ... once in a Diplocaulobium and once in a Thrixspermum, is a keikei forming from a green seed capsule that is still attached to the inflorescence. On each occasion I checked carefully, and the roots and leaves were definitely emerging from inside the capsule. It was impossible to determine if the young shoot arose from seeds within the capsule, or from cellular material that arose entirely from the mother plant. Happy Vesak Day. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Interesting ideas for a research project?
Hi everyone. I'm a middle school teacher and been on this listserv for years -- learning much. I've just been awarded a 5 week research project in Costa Rica. Originally I submitted a proposal surveying arthropod diversity in the leaf litter but would love to do something involving orchids. Pollination comes to mind, but is there anything anyone could think of that might be interesting? Your input is appreciated. Best, Peter Petrossian Washington, DC ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] re: polymorphic inflorescences
Nick Plummer wrote: "what do we call a shoot that bears only a keiki? Does "adventitious shoot" refer just to the keiki, or does it encompass the keiki and the shoot that bears it?" I would use the term "adventitious shoot" to refer to any shoot produced by a self-supporting plant that has the potential to develop into a separate, self-supporting entity. Thus the keikei is an adventitious shoot, but the inflorescence-like organ that supports it would be a stem. "In the Taeniophyllum, was the shoot bearing the keiki longer and growing at a different angle than an inflorescence?" It was several times longer than the old inflorescence-remnants on the mother plant. However, since the Taeniophyllum species involved has not been identified, it cannot be stated with certainty that the keikei-bearing shoot was any longer than an average inflorescence from this species. The productive inflorescence on the keikei was abnormally small. Inflorescence angle in Taeniophyllum isn't a very meaningful line of pursuit since most species don't seem particularly geotropic and will happily grow right-way up, sideways, or upside down. In the bark-hugging species the inflorescences grow outwards away from the stem axis, and you are likely to find them going upwards, sideways or downwards with respect to gravity. In the species that hang by their root tips, the plant's main concern seems to be to get the flowers outside the root-ball, without bothering about the subtleties of "up" and "down". The Taeniophyllum that I was talking about is a bark-hugger, and I saw nothing unusual about the angle. I have no problem with a Dendrophylax producing a specialist stem whose only function is to produce keikeis. Lots of other orchids do it. Phalaenopsis do it from barren inflorescence-like shoots. If you check pages 340-341 of my "Lowland Orchids of PNG" book, you'll see a description of an un-named Dendrobium species in section Grastidium which propagates by producing adventitious shoots along specialist scrambling rhizomes, in the same way that grasses and strawberries reproduce vegetatively by sending out stolons. Since I wrote the book, I've seen the same thing in several other Dendrobiinae. This is, essentially, the same thing that you saw in Dendrophylax. If it works, there will be an orchid somewhere that does it. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Ed Merkle's Kovach quote
Ed, you said " Michael told me he later regretted reporting the situation to Vietnamese authorities because the authorities reacted by " Did Mr Kovach provide any supporting evidence, or was this nothing more than a good yarn ? Did Mr Kovach say why he was looking for orchid species in Vietnam ? I don't recall seeing any resulting publications or articles bearing his name. In light of his subsequent conviction for orchid smuggling, didn't it occur to you that Mr Kovach was likely to be one of the "Internationals" he mentioned ? Which raises the following question, Ed, ... why are you repeating a convicted criminal's gossip on this forum, especially when the gossip contains a statement that is clearly malicious, and almost certainly slanderous ? Don't you know that the listowner can be held legally accountable for anything you post here ? Kenneth's neck is worth much more than the sort of crap you've just passed on to us. Peter O'Byrne In Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Sulawesi Black Orchid
In OGD V7 #268, Viateur provided a quote from the Jakarta Post, part of which read: "At least 55 types of rare orchids grow in the 5,000 hectare area, one of the most attractive and sought-after being the black orchid [Coelogyne pandurata ?], which only blooms between October and December each year." The famous "Black Orchid" of Sulawesi is Grammatophyllum stapeliiflorum (T. & B.) J.J.Sm. [Ref: O'Byrne, "A to Z of S.E.Asian Orchid Species" (2001), page 98]. The article goes on to say: "Before ... 2000, the combination of the scenery and the orchids attracted between 20 and 35 foreign tourists a year, the Poso Tourism Office says. However, few if any foreign tourists are known to have visited the area since." Actually, a trickle of foreign tourists have visited the area since the civil war. Most non-Muslim visitors have little choice but to stay in the (outrageously expensive) only hotel in the predominantly Christian town of Tentena because of the danger of getting caught up in the religious/ethnic/political/tribal hostilities and violence that still flares up sporadically throughout Poso subdistrict. It is therefore pretty easy to keep track of how many foreigners are in the area. When I was last there (9 months ago) there were 3 other foreign tourists in the hotel which is probably about the same as the pre-war average. This place has never been high on the tourist agenda. "the Poso government is attempting to entice tourists back, with one initiative being the One Million Orchid Movement, a beautification program designed to encourage the planting of a million orchids in the area." This has to be one of the most mis-conceived ideas I've ever heard of probably on a par with Bush's now-infamous "Iraq has WMD" theory. If it proceeds, it will devastate the exceptionally rich natural flora of this outstanding area. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] A lecture on slander
Ed, If you can't substantiate your posting, anyone whose interests were damaged could consider themselves slandered. You've got no evidence and you can't substantiate. I can. That's the difference between my postings and yours. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Enc. phoenicea vs. Enc. phoeniceum
Sue, Regarding Enc. phoenicea vs. Enc. phoeniceum; you've only got one specific name there. "Phoeniceus" is an adjective meaning "bright red" or "scarlet". When describing a female noun, the adjective becomes "phoenicea", and when describing a neuter noun, the adjective becomes "phoeniceum". The gender of the adjective has to agree with the associated noun, so whether your species is correctly called E. phoenicea or E.phoeniceum depends on whether "Encyclia" is a female or neuter word. Most people would opt for "Encyclia phoenicea" because the endings match, but this isn't necessarily the case. My Latin dictionary isn't comprehensive enough to allow me to work out the derivation of "Encyclia" it appears to be an invented name based on either the Greek adjective "cyclo-" (= circular) or the Greek adjective "cyclus-" (= whorled). Converting Greek words into Latin is tricky because they don't always follow the rules. In order to be 100% correct, you'd have to read the original description of the genus Encyclia, and hope the author has mentioned the etymology ... in other words, said if the newly-coined noun is neuter or female. If the author didn't make the etymology clear, then it is possible that there is no correct answer. Classical-language experts have been arguing for the best part of 100 years if "Aerides" is female or neuter. Some say "Aerides odorata" is correct, others insist it should be "Aerides odoratum". Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Tennis Maynard's Killing for Orchids
Tennis, you said: "Treating Ed like a criminal for repeating an amusing and interesting anecdote he thought he was sharing with friends is unacceptable, immature, and inappropriate." Tennis, since the meaning of my posting escaped you, I can only repeat it in very, very, simple words and hope that you manage to comprehend what I'm saying. This digest is owned by Kenneth. Kenneth lives in Belgium. Belgium is a country in Europe. European laws are different to US laws. When you post something on OGD, European law says that Kenneth is responsible. If you post a lie, Kenneth can get into trouble. If Kenneth gets into trouble, he might stop running the OGD. I know it is very, very, hard, but can you follow that ? There, I've responded to you without any of the vitriolic invective you predicted. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Encyclia derived
"The generic name Encyclia is derived from the Greek word 'enkyklein' which means 'to encircle' : descriptive of the lip which encloses the column." Thanks Viateur. Do you know if the derived Latin noun is neuter or female ? Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Encyclia derived
Viateur, thanks for finding out: "Actually, the Greek verb is enkykleomai which means 'I encircle'. The adjective enkyklios has several meanings including 'circular' (for example, in the sense of encyclical letters) ; from that adjective, the feminine form (enkyklia) was applied to a genus, transforming it into a feminine substantive." Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Encyclia and Greek genders
Pandelis thanks for your additional info about the feminine derivation of "Encyclia". Do you have any insights regarding the correct gender of "Aerides" ? Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium sutiknoi, new species
I've just described Dendrobium sutiknoi, a large showy new species in section Spatulata, in the May 2005 edition of Journal fur den Orchideenfreund. The species, which occurs in New Guinea and Morotai Island (Indonesia), appears to come in two colour forms ... bronze-orange and yellow-green. It is probably closest to Dendrobium lasianthera, but differs in having a very long narrow midlobe that is reminiscent of the midlobe in D. tobaense. The species has been in cultivation in S.E. Asia for several years. The first flask-grown generation have beenh flowering for several months, and the first D. sutiknoi hybrids came into bloom last month. One interesting discovery is that the highly distinctive midlobe is passed on and appears in the hybrids, unlike D. tobaense, where the midlobe appears to be recessive and does not appear in hybrids. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Correct gender of aerides
My thanks to Jose and Pandelis for their contributions to this problem. Pandelis, I found your "son of" explanation very interesting. I didn't know that Greeks used this construction to produce names, even though it is quite common in several other European & Asian cultures. My knowledge of the Greek language is confined to a few numbers and several choice swear words ...and its been so long since I've needed to use them I've probably forgotten how to say them properly. Jose, your posting is the advice I got from Kew when I asked them. The trouble is, Kew says "Aerides" is neuter, hence Aerides roseum. According to Pandelis, it is masculine, ie Aerides roseus. How can a masculine "son of" end up producing a neuter name ? The implication is that Kew considers the "-ides" ending to be of Latin derivation rather Greek origin, but the only offering I can find in Stearn is under "Greek Substantival Suffixes": "-ides (f.): indicates resemblance; noun base." Pandelis' "son of air" (masculine) seems more likely than Stearn's "resembling air" (feminine), but neither produces a neuter "roseum". Anyone ?? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re:pollinators/creation
>To solve that problem we are working on the mechanism of turning >a sparerib into a blonde. Guido, you mustn't scoff. Stem-cell research is producing wonderful results ... it won't be that much longer before the Koreans can turn extract-of-sparerib into spare-parts-for-a-blonde. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium furcatum
Hi Bernard You asked about Dendrobium furcatum after Sandra Hardy gave you the parentage of Dendr. Mousmee as D. furcatum x D. thyrsiflorum. I can make no authoritative comment on D. furcatum being used in a hybrid (even though it seems improbable), but I can comment on D. furcatum, since I was actively hunting for this species for several years. D. furcatum has been collected at least 20 times since it was first described in 1854 (based on herbarium specimens at Kew and Singapore) on almost every occasion the origin is North Sulawesi. This count includes collections labelled D. amabile. About three-quarters of these collections are pre-1938, and the remainder were between 1960 and 1975. It is quite likely that other plants ended up in live-plant collections rather than as herbarium specimens, but I've found no records of these, and neither have a couple of other authors who have searched far and wide for evidence of such collections. Most likely the plants died after quite quickly after being moved. D. furcatum is probably quite common in both North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi. In North Sulawesi it currently occurs as an epiphyte between 800-1100 metres altitude on dense 3-4 metre high shrubs just below the poison-gas zone at the apex of active volcanic cones. Although this is the only habitat I've seen it in, it almost certainly occurs elsewhere, since life that close to the gas-cloud zone is rather tenuous. The point is that few people bother looking for interesting plants (let alone orchids) in such localities, which is probably why records are sporadic. In the Central Sulawesi mountains it occupies a totally different niche, in which it is almost invisible unless in flower. Each time I've seen it, it was growing between waist-height and head-height on a tree in moss-forest. The lower 2-3 metres of tree-trunk in this sort of forest are covered in moss, and thin grasses growing on the forest floor send long adventitious rhizomes up onto the mossy layer to exploit the extra space. D. furcatum grows amongst these grasses on the mossy tree-trunks. Since the orchid is convincingly grass-like in habit, it is extremely well camouflaged and is unlikely to be detected until it flowers. The flowers are ephemeral, and produced infrequently, so detection rates must be minimal. The flowers are extremely beautiful, and non-typical of Dendrobium ... indeed, when viewed from the front there is a close resemblance to a Holcoglossum. There are two colour-forms .. plants from North Sulawesi are white with a yellow anther, while those from Central Sulawesi are white with a lilac midlobe and either a dark purple or lilac-and-yellow anther. I've also seen and photographed the only other closely-related species in Sulawesi; Dendrobium superans J.J.Smith. This plant does appear to be much rarer than D. furcatum. D. has larger flowers with a longer, straighter spur. In other respects (including the flower colour; white with purple lip) the two are identical, and I'm not certain that D. superans deserves it's status as a separate species. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] OGD V7 #281 Linguistics
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[OGD] Aerides name
Hi Roy. That's what Phil Cribb told me several years ago, so I dutifully changed all my Aerides name-endings to the neuter form. However, Phil never told me why Aerides is neuter (and I had no reason to ask), so, in the wake of Pandelis' "son of" revelation, I'm hoping someone will provide enlightenment. If you know any more about the "why" aspect, I'd like to hear it. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore >Peter I recently had cause to question the currenly accepted name >for what was known as Aerides fieldingii. I e-mailed the Registrar at >the RHS and his reply was the " Roseum" was the accepted name >in use at the RHS. Julian went into detail about masculine & feminine, >neuter? etc . The upshot is that Aerides roseum would be the name >used in the registrations. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Bulbophyllum vittatum
Ana Fischer asked: "Can somebody help me to find a photo and the culture for Bulbophyllum vittatum". Ana, that name has been used for two different species. You've probably got the American species, Bulbophyllum vittatum Rchb.f. & Warm, which was first collected in Minas Gerais in Brasil. This species is currently called Bulbophyllum warmingianum Cogn. If you try searching under this name you may have more luck. Nowadays the name Bulbophyllum vittatum only applies to a Javanese species described by Teijsm. & Binn. in 1862. I've never seen it and I can find no mention of it in recent literature (eg, Comber's "Orchids of Java") which implies that it is so rare it's dropped totally off the radar-screen. You are very unlikely to have this species, but if you have, I know at least one person who would love to hear from you. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Bulbophyllum vittatum
Viateur said: "Most likely the reason you could not find it (Bulbophyllum vittatum) in "recent" literature is because it is a variety of Bulbophyllum cernuum and is listed as such in Comber's book. J. J. Smith also listed it as a variety of B. cernuum in Die Orchideen von Java, of course I would not consider that recent literature." Viateur, in his Orchids of Java, Comber actually says "var. vittatum (T.& B.) J.J.Sm." is the variety of B. cernuum. I'll accept that it is possible that this is the same taxon as B. vittatum T. & B., but it is interesting that neither IPNI: http://www.us.ipni.org/ipni/query_ipni.html nor the Kew Monocot Checklist: http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/monocotChecklist/default.jsp agree to that. Both list B. vittatum T. & B. as a separate entity (Kew says the name is currently accepted), and neither lists B. vittatum as a syn. of B. cernuum. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Bulbophyllum vittatum
My apologies to both icones and Viateur. It was indeed icones who posted regarding Bulbophyllum cernuum, not Viateur. Icones, you've correctly deduced that I don't have J.J.Smith's original book on the Orchids of Java, just the books of icones and Supplement 7. I'll take your word that Smith reduced B. vittatum T & B to a syn of B. cernuum, and yes, I'd appreciate a copy of the reference. While I agree that neither IPNI nor the Kew Monocot list are 100% correct (how could they ever be ?), there is another possible reason why the reduction does not appear in either database ... the botanists who advise on these lists may not agree with the botany, and have "played safe" by listing B. vittatum as a distinct taxon. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Molecular taxonomy of important genera
In OGD Vol 7 #295, Roy Lee said; "I personally like the forma Rupicolous Laelias . These orchids are not overly well represented on the Australian show benches... I still cannot believe that someone has probably spent a great deal of time and money using this new technology on a genus that does not have a great influence on the orchid world. One would have thought that the knowledgably folk doing this type of work, would have selected a genus that has a major role in world orchids." Roy, I'm not in a position to comment on Rupicolous Laelias, but your posting has left me wondering how you assess the importance of a genus in the world of orchids. I suspect you're thinking in terms of genera that are common in horticulture, either a species or as hybrids. While these genera may be important in the human world, they are not necessarily significant in the orchid world. You mentioned Phalaenopsis .. this is a very good examples of what I'm talking about. This genus is enormously important in horticulture, but doing DNA studies on these plants is unlikely to tell us very much. The money would be better spent doing studies on a broader range of Aeridiinae, in order to advance our understanding of the relationships between the unsatisfactorily large number of genera in this group. Currently, there are ongoing research projects into 2 groups of Asian orchids: Bulbophyllum and the Eriinae. Neither of these groups is of special horticultural significance (Bulbo has a small but dedicated following), but botanically they are of enormous importance, as they constitute approximately one-fifth of all Asian species. As such, they're well worth studying, even if they don't appear on your local show-bench very often. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] DNA-based taxonomy
In OGD V7 #298, on the theme of DNA-based taxonomy, Roy Lee said: "I would really like to know, within reason that the species I am using for breeding is as pure as possible to the name. If I/we are to believe that we are using superior clones today than were used decades ago, we should be able to predict outcomes better than originals or what it may do in a new cross. At present, I dont think we can be certain of anything. " Roy, That sort of DNA-taxonomic enquiry is not what research botanists earn PhD's for doing. They are seeking answers to questions relating to the evolution of groups of orchids ... usually quite large groups, since that is where the genetic differences are greatest and therefore (supposedly) most meaningful. The closer together two taxa are, the harder it is to differentiate between them genetically. It is quite possible that one may not be able to find any statistically-significant differences between the DNA of two closely-related species. The kind of enquiry you are wishing for is the sort of thing that you pay someone to do privately. You have to provide them with leaf-samples of the two "pure" species, a leaf of the one you are interested in, and the leaf of something else to use asa control. If you are very, very lucky, you'll get a meaningful answer along the lines of "the 3 are identical to within 95% statistical significance", or "X and Y share 87% of the genome (ie, the bit we looked at), and both share 81% of the genome with Z." All too often, what you get is gibberish, and even though the price of such work has come down a lot, it can still amount to fairly expensive gibberish. BTW, even if you knew the answer to your question (eg, you knew that your "superior clone" contained 87% of the real species), it wouldn't enhance your powers of prediction because (a) you wouldn't know which 13% was different, and (b) there is no way of knowing if the 13% difference has any effect of the offspring of a cross all 13% may be from genes that are not expressed. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Commercial spam
Regarding Mr Pond trying to Flog his Phrags, how come we're getting commercial spam printed in full on this digest ? (Check his header). Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Den. suzukii is a natural hybrid.
Iris said: "Apparently this Den. suzukii is a natural hybrid. " Iris, one parent occurs only at Lake Toba (North Sumatra), the other only on the Isthmus of Kra (southern Thailand), yet the hybrid appears 1000 km away in a nursery in Vietnam, supposedly wild-collected from a Vietnamese location left unclear, and apparently no-one has ever seen it in the wild, and the first flowering of both the "species" and the hybrid took place only 4 months apart and only a few years after the discovery of one parent ... exactly the time it takes to grow a flowering-size Dendrobiums from seed How many coincidences are you prepared to accept ? A natural hybrid ? No chance !!! There is nothing natural about "D. suzukii" ... it is man-made, and proved very lucrative for the fraudsters. Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] D suzukii/Peng Seng
Cathy said: "All den suzukiis look like suzukiis, all Peng Sengs look like Peng Sengs, and Peng Sengs don't look like suzukiis." All "D. suzukiis" don't look alike. There is no such thing as a "standard suzukii" appearance. Just looking at the flowers of different plants reveals considerable variations ... in size, sepal and petal shape, colour, wartyness of lip, width of the sidelobes, wartyness of the sidelobes, shape of midlobe and shape of midlobe apex. This is precisely the degree of variation you'd encounter in a primary hybrid. All Peng Sengs don't look alike, either. I don't know where your Peng Seng originated, but the first series of photos I took of this hybrid were of the originator's first-flowering plant. His original flowers showed several differences to the one your previous posting refers to ... for instance, the original plant has a mass of red calli totally obscuring the floor of the lip and the base & middle sections of the midlobe the only wart-free part of the midlobe is the apex. This feature does not apper in your D. Peng Seng photo, but it is exactly what your awarded "D. suzukii Belmont Highlands" has got. "D. Peng Sengs don't look like suzukiis" . ... well, I suggest you look at a larger sample of each, and compare both your "suzukiis" and Peng Sengs to the originals. Icones said: "Reviewing the flowers of the man made hybrid D. Peng Seng and those of D. suzukii reveals that they don't resemble each other very much. Column, lip, side lobes, etc... are very different." I agree ... but then, one D. suzukii doesn't resemble the next D. suzukii very much, either, unless you're working from a very limited range of material. Similarly, one D. Peng Seng doesn't resemble the next D. Peng Seng particularly closely. In both cases ... just what you'd expect in a primary hybrid. BTW, What column differences are you referring to ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Den suzukii/Peng Seng
Cathy, the DNA analysis contained in Yukawa's D. suzukii publication, viewable at: http://www.orchideen-forum.de/board/showtopic.php?threadid=8974&highlight=) shows what Yukawa states; that, based on the molecular characters tested, D. suzukii is distinct from the closely related species D. tobaense and D. cruentum. Yukawa had no reason to suspect that his D. suzukii was a hybrid, so he has not discussed this possibilty in his analysis. I showed his paper to researchers doing similar work at the Molecular Biology lab at Singapore University, and was told that you'd get identical results if "D. suzukii" was a hybrid. It is worth pointing out two things: a) As is usual in such work, only a single plant from each taxon was sampled, so the results do not allow for genetic variability within each taxon. b) The closer relationship of D.suzukii to D.cruentum than D. tobaense is consistent with D. cruentum being the pod parent, since the DNA used in the analysis was of ribosomal origin. This is consistent with D. suzukii being made in the Vietnam lowlands, since D. cruentum flourishes there but D. tobaense won't survive for long due to the high temperatures. Icones, DNA work has already been done, but methodology used tested the wrong question. It is currently impossible to PROVE that a plant is a hybrid by using DNA analysis... the best you can do is show that a specimen is intermediate between two species. This would be true if the plant was a hybrid or a true intermediate species. Further work doing a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial nucleic acids may supply informative results, but still wouldn't be absolute proof. You said: "Other facts may ultimately prove D.suzukii to be a hybrid." and "Peter's points seems to me to be a gut response to the thing, but without as yet any factual basis. He could be right, but that is not usually how learned people go about these things." Icones. how many facts do you want ? Unless you can find "D. suzukii" growing in the wild (all attempts failed so far) or get a confession from the originators (they're keeping very quiet, but you should see the smile on the face of the Vietnamese collaborator when he discusses the events at Nagoya), no-one will ever PROVE anything one way or the other. As for my response being a gut reaction. true, but not quite correct it was someone else's gut reaction, not mine. I wouldn't normally be summoned to give my opinion on a hybrid. The originator of D. Peng Seng called me in because HE had a gut feeling that something was wrong. I visited his home. On his bench were several D. suzukiis in bloom (it hadn't been described at that time), his first-flowering hybrid (later to be registered as D. Peng Seng) and a range of D. cruentums in flower. His D. tobaense specimens were dying due of heat-stroke, but it didn't matter ... we were both very familiar with that species. He told me that HE wondered if D. suzukii and D. Peng Seng were the same thing. I told him I'd investigate. I have investigated, as thoroughly as I've been able to. I don't know how learned people go about these things, but what I did is to collect as many facts as possible, and then make an informed assessment. Andy, chime out. Stick to complex hybrids. Your posting only reveals your ignorance and your desire to cause mischief. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium suzukii
Steve, I think I've been interpreting Yukawa's words differently to you. He said: "The number of base differences and sequence divergences within the ITS region were as follows: D. suzukii-D.formosanum: 38, 0,0801; D. suzukii-D.cruentum: 28, 0,0592; D. suzukii-D.tobaense: 38, 0.0803. Based on these molecular characters, D. suzukii is distinct from closely related species by its unique base substitutions in the ITS region and appears to have a sister group relationship with D. cruentum." My understanding of these words is that D. suzukii is different from both D.cruentum and D.tobaense because it has 28 bases not found in D. cruentum, and 38 bases not found in D. tobaense. Yukawa has not said that D. suzukii has any base substitutions that are unique in the sense that they are not found in either of the other two species. I hope he will reply to your email and clear this up. As for a hybrid exhibiting half the sequence changes from each parent, yes, that would be expected as long as: a) the two specimens tested are the parents of the hybrid. If the plants tested are not the parents, you would have to take into account the genetic variability (in the sequence being tested) between different plants of the same species. Do you have any idea what the normal variation is in the ITS region different plants of any one of these species ? I don't. b) nuclear ribosomes (the part of the cell that Yukawa tested) result in their entirety from material created as a consequence of the fusion of male and female gametes, and that none of the nuclear ribosomal DNA originates from other sources in the egg cell. I've been unable to get confirmation that this is the case. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Nick Plummer's ribosomal DNA
Nick, thanks for the clarification. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] jungle collected den suzukii/Peng seng
K. Barrett clattered: "I understand a picture of the type species for suzukii may be online. on an obviously jungle collected plant. The implication being that therefore its not a man made hybrid, all cute in a plastic pot, grown in bark or whathaveyou." Cathy, the "D. suzukiis" sold at the Nagoya APOC had fresh-bark fragments and moss adhering to the roots this is one reason why people were so readily convinced the plants were jungle-collected. However, the lack of charcoal and plastic means nothing, because in this part of the world people grow orchids (even hybrids) on trees as a standard cultivation method. It's easier and much cheaper than growing them in pots. As soon as the plants are large enough, tie them out on the branches and let nature take it's course, except for the occasional spraying with fertilizer & pesticides. Fruit trees are a preferred host the spray not only cares for the orchids, but improves the yield of fruit at the same time. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Stinky bulbos, dubious accuracy and other stuff
I read Viateur's link to the story on Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis: http://www.rochesterdandc.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050624/NEWS01/506240365&SearchID=73212240618018 with a sense of awe ... then I realised that this Scottsville Road place has to be in Texas, where everything is bigger, if not better. A flower spike the size of a soccer ball ? Pull the other one ... it's got bells on. Corydon Ireland (the staff writer) is not only ignorant of the facts of football (only true nurfs call the game soccer), but his/her geography ain't up to much either. B. phalaenopsis doesn't occur within 1800 km of Sumatra, but who cares, eh ? From your average Scottsville-Texan point of view, one of these foreign places is much the same as any other, eh ? It's a sign of the times accuracy seems to be going out of fashion. Andy Easton goofed (yet again ... does he ever get anything right ?) with his comment on John Stacy's profession. But today's prize for throwing a classic boomerang has to go to the high-ranking female member of the US administration, who made the mistake of repeating, into an live BBC World-Service microphone, Jack Straw's dismissal of the result of the Iranian Presidential election. I bet they don't give it much air-time in the USA: "The election was unrepresentative because there were only two candidates, and no women were allowed to run." Now... who is going to tell her boss ? Have a good weekend. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] RE: Orchids Digest, Vol 7, Issue 324
RE: Orchids Digest, Vol 7, Issue 324 orchids in Bogota / Colombia Viateur, Funny picture of a Cattleya hybrid!! Looked more like a Cymbidium hybrid! Viateur, I know you know the difference unlike the writer of the article. Peter Fowler, UK. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Uri..........
I have to agree with Andy.Uri you are a pain in the ass. Guido contributes more in one post than you do in ten years. So please go away and stop your idiotic unwarranted attacks on Guido. Peter . ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] To Uri
When you agree with Sheldon's suggestion of "a Catasetum stuck up Guido's ass" and then make it worse by suggesting a Cactus, you are in no position to object being called a pain in the ass, or to the use of the word ass. Get on with your life Uri; get off Guido's back and stop boring us with your problem. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] 4th July.
Andy, thanks for reminding me about this date; I would never have made the connection without your timely post. Sorry, but I can't oblige your request. I'm too busy in my new (voluntary) job ... I've been recruited to use my considerable local knowledge and influence to provide support and lobby in favour of the NY bid at the IOC conference. With a bit of luck I'll get to meet Mohammed Ali; he's arriving later today. Ali has been one of my heroes for ages I've always admired him for the bravery of his personal stand against senseless militarism. I suspect we have quite a lot in common, politically. I'm fairly certain you have a different opinion, as always. Enjoy your turkey. Peter O'Byrne Still in Singapore. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Andy and turkeys
Hi Andy, So New York didn't get the games. Looks like you've got another grudge to hold against me. Personally, I don't think any of the IOC delegates were too influenced by my "Politics, not War" T-shirt (that's the one with the picture of Osama bin Laden shaking hands with George Bush). Apparently the key point in the NYC bid came when, in the video, George Bush said "We will get you visas". It wasn't the cleverest thing to say, and went down like a lead balloon amongst the assembled delegates, none of whom like being patronised, and many of whom come from countries whose citizens have recently been treated as third-class humans by the US immigration services. You guys in Florida would do well to bear this in mind when organising your WOC, and start lobbying for change ... but then, I've said that before, haven't I ? Funny how these things come round again, isn't it ? Cheers, Peter O'Byrne Still in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] RE: Orchids Digest, Vol 7, Issue 336 Vanda IOC '?'
Viateur, It is now to be Vanda IOC 'London' New York didn't get a look in as they were thrown out early on, before Madrid. Peter. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] A to Z book: Dendrobium corrugatilobum
Hi. Would anyone who has my book "A to Z of S.E.Asian Orchids" please note that the photo on page 60, labelled "Dendrobium corrugatilobum J.J.Smith" does not show that species. The illustrated plant is Dendrobium mellicolor J.J.Sm., probably from Sumatra. The real D. corrugatilobum has turned up twice in the last few weeks; once in Sumatra, and also in Sulawesi, where it is not uncommon in moss-forest above 1000 metres altitude. The two species are in different sections and are easy to distinguish, once you know what to look for: D. corrugatilobum is in #Distichophyllae, and has 1-2 flowered inflorescences and glabrous leaves and sheaths. D. mellicolor is in #Conostalix, has black hairs on the sheaths, and (highly unusual in this section), a relatively long, erect 6-8 flowered inflorescence. With regard to the London payback-bombings, thanks to those who enquired. My family & friends are all OK. Like most Londoners, I know somebody who knows somebody who was on one of those trains. Gwynne Dyer's article "Blase about bombs" is well worth reading. He states what all my London friends & family have been saying "we knew this was coming". He also explains why Londoners didn't lose their heads and call for military action (against some unsuspecting innocents) in revenge for the atrocity. The difference is telling. His article is viewable at the following addy, but you need a subscription: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/review/story/0,5562,327563-1120946340,00.html? Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium gregulus
Chuck Hanson asked: "Anyone know where I might find Dendrobium gregulus?" Chuck, what do you think D. gregulus looks like ? Which "D. gregulus" do you mean ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium gregulus
Chuck, the plant you've seen (a lithophytic species with very small round pseudobulbs and small white flowers with some purple veining on the lip) probably isn't D. gregulus. D. gregulus is an epiphytic species (tree branches in open deciduous forest) with small onion-shaped pseudobulbs, deciduous leaves and sulphur yellow flowers with red-purple marks on the epichile. The reason I asked was that a number of small-bulbed deciduous Dendrobiums in section Stachyobium surfaced in Chatukchai market in January this year. The collector contacted me because he wanted a name for his plants. According to the him, they came from either Kanburi province, or just over the border in Myanmar. I haven't laid my hands on any of the plants, but the photos I was sent showed a series of plants, none of which matched any known species. I told the collector that he had one or more undescribed species with a relationship to either D. gregulus or D. garrettii. I wouldn't be at all surprised if these Dendrobiums have gone on sale using these names, but none of the photos I saw matches your description. In Opera Botanica 83 (1985), Seidenfaden gave details of all the known species in this group, but none of these match your description, either. The closest are D. garrettii, (non-deciduous, sepals and petals white with purple lines, lip green and yellow) and D. peguanum (deciduous, sepals and petals white, lip brown). I know there are several undescribed species in this group going on sale; I've seen the photos. It is quite possible that the plant you've seen is also undescribed. Can you tell me any more about it ... where you saw it, where it came from, whether it is deciduous or not, how long the inflorescence is, how many flowers ... stuff like that ? Peter O'Byrne In Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hi Chuck I can see why Jezek called it D. gregulus; it is probable that the identification is correct. I think the illustrated flowers probably are pale yellow, but the photos are over-exposed, so the yellow colour has bleached out. To confirm the identity, I'd need to see the upper surface of the lip... there should be a single, simple longitudinal callus on the flat, straight part of the lip floor. The plant Jezek has illustrated is epiphytic, not lithophytic. The plants are shown growing on a piece of lichen-covered bark that has been stripped off the tree and placed on a rock while the photo was taken. The second photo (the close-up of the inflorescence) was taken on a different occasion and is probably plant in cultivation, because the flower-bearing pseudobulb still has leaves on it. This doesn't happen in the wild, but would happen if it was cultivated in a different, moister climate. If you still want this species (which is epiphytic, not lithophytic) I suggest you write to Jezek and ask him for a cutting. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore On 7/12/05, Chuck Hanson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Peter O'Byrne wrote: > > Chuck, > > > > I haven't seen that book. can you scan the photo and send it to me ? > > > > Peter O'Byrne > > > > > >>I've never seen a plant of this but rather a photo and description in > >>Jezek's book. > > > > > Peter, > Attached are the two photos from Jezek. > Chuck > > > ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Rockwall cubes in the UK
Does anyone know where I can buy Rockwall cubes here in the UK? Thanks in advance. Peter ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Taxonomic Key to Genera
Martin, several recent books that provide a Geographical treatment to S.E.Asian Orchidaceae have reasonably good dichotomous keys covering the majority of of S.E.Asian genera. Try: J.J.Wood's "Orchids of Borneo, Vol 4." (Sabah Society/RBG Kew, 2003). Chapter 2. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Matching taxonomic endings
Cynthia Hill asked for some taxonomic help: "As Bulbophyllum / Cirrhopetalum spathulatum has been moved to a new genus, Rhytionanthos, would the correct updated name be ..". Cynthia, If I was you, I'd leave your labels reading "Bulbophyllum" until the results of the DNA analysis of the Bulbophyllinae are published. You shouldn't have to wait too long. There is little point changing everything, only to have to change them back (or change them into some new combination) in a couple of years time. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Books for Sale; Reprint of "A Manual of Orchidaceous Plants", Veitch
Dear All, I have a 2 volume reprint for sale of Manual of Orchidaceous Plants- Veitch. It is the A. Asher & Co, Amsterdam, hardbound reprint, 1963. It is far superior to the Indian one on offer. The parts are in the same order as in the original sets. No missing pages and the books are in very good order. The only thing is that the maps are in black & white, while the originals were in colour. I will supply, to the purchaser, colour scans of the maps from my original set, at an extra cost, if required. Cost of coloured maps depend on what type of paper the buyer wishes; normal or Glossy photographic. £40 for the 2 volume set plus colour copies of the maps, for an extra amount to cover cost of paper and ink cartridges. A good buy, as normally double that is often asked for. Buyer to pay postage at cost. I will pay for packing. Thank you for reading this. Peter Fowler, Alton, Hants. Tel. 01420 562250 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Science fiction or fantasy ?
Viateur quoted a CNN article that claimed "a user could simply photograph a specimen with a mobile phone camera out in the field, upload it to a computer which has the Daisy software on it, and the identification could be made in seconds." That Daisy software must be truly brilliant to make such a claim. Most cameraphone photos of orchids I've been sent for identification have been so badly off-focus that there is no visible difference when viewed with or without my reading glasses. Throw in the inevitable absence of any scale & the fact that the photos almost always omit the key identification features (eg the upperside of the lip) & a human identifier doesn't stand a chance. Maybe Daisy will reduce the number of time-waste ID-requests that I get in the e-mail. Damn clever, these machines. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Jim Comber passed away.
It is with great sadness that I inform you that Jim Comber passed away last Wednesday in Southampton at age 76, leaving behind wife Riam, son John and daughter Elizabeth. Jim was the author of "Orchids of Java" (1990) and "Orchids of Sumatra" (2001). Peter O'Byrne ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Nik's Help on id.
Nik, you are correct; your friend's beauty is a Spathoglottis, but is a very strange one. It is the uncommon & little-known S. hardingiana Parish & Reichenbach. Occurs in mainly in Myanmar & Thailand; in Malaysia known only from Langkawi, where it grows on limestone. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne in Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Spathoglottis hard/hand -igiana
Jay, I was citing Seidenfaden & Wood's "Orchids of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore". I don't have ready access to Reichenbach's "Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 45 1878", so I can't check the original. Perhaps another OGD reader has it in his/her library ? Peter O'Byrne in Singapore - Both w3tropicos and Ipni Plant Query have /Spathoglottis// hardingiana/ C.S.P.Parish & Rchb.f. in H.G.Reichenbach, Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 45 1878 as /Spathoglottis// handingiana/ C.S.P.Parish & Rchb.f. in H.G.Reichenbach, Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 45 1878 Only Kew's Monocot list has it as hardingiana. Which is correct? ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Spathoglottis hard/hand -igiana
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[OGD] Size and weight of Rhizanthella gardneri seeds
Can someone tell me the size and weight of Rhizanthella gardneri seeds? Thanks for your help, Peter ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] International Orchid Show held in Lima and Moyobamba Peru, this month
Hi, I have been asked to invite you all to Club Peruano de Orquideas' sixth International Orchid Show in Lima October 21 to 23, 2005 and Moyobamba October 28 to 30, 2005 For details visit their web site at: http://www.peruorchids.com/ Click on English Version, top right corner of home page. Peter ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
