Seedlings by the Flat

A flat of newly deflasked seedlings always brings a smile to my face.  For hybrids, there is the hope for a particular color or shape and a general sense of unknown potential.  With species, of course, you know what the plants and ultimately the flowers will look like, but there is still such an anticipation to one day see them bloom.  So, here's to the hope of tomorrow's flowers.  

World Orchid Conference -- South Africa

A World Orchid Conference.  In South Africa.

Does that make anyone else start to imagine the angraecoid possibilities?  Any WOC is an incredible event--the Orchid Olympics I've heard it called.  But a WOC in South Africa?  A WOC that has selected an angraecoid orchid as its official flower?  Registration is now open for the conference, and I've already submitted mine.  I haven't figured out exactly how I'll get there; the airlines aren't even accepting reservations for September 2014 yet.  But, I'm going one way or another.  Are you?

For more information visit www.woc21.org.

Spring Newsletter

The Spring 2013 issue of The Angraecoid Alliance's newsletter has been published.   A generous donor has provided the funds to print and mail the newsletter this year.  Although a digital copy is great, there is something about holding it in your hand.  So, members will be receiving a copy in your mailbox in the next few days.  But, for those who want an additional copy or just can't wait a PDF is available at
http://www.angraecoids.org/uploads/Spring_2013.pdf

Vote for Priority Species

Many thanks to members of The Angraecoid Alliance who have offered seed or pollen to the Ex-Situ Conservation project.  A botanical garden in the United States has offered flasking services and the first seeds will be sent this week.

As a practical matter, we cannot propagate every species at once.  Ultimately, it is the members of the Angraecoid Alliance who determine which species will be given priority in the Ex-Situ Conservation project. On our facebook page you can vote for the species you would like to see given priority.


Vote for Species -- click to follow link

or copy and paste this web address into your browser: 
http://www.facebook.com/www.angraecoids.org

Website Overhaul

Check out the newly updated Angraecoid Alliance website.  Additional information about the ESC project, photographs and other info has been added, and the whole website has been given an overhaul.  If you find any broken links etc, please let me know.

The Spring newsletter is currently in the works and should be finished in a few weeks.

www.angraecoids.org

Like Moths to a Flame

This weekend, my local orchid society hosted a small show at the local botanical gardens.  Included in my exhibit were several angraecoids--among them a beautiful Angraecum sesquipedale. By mere chance, there were two small, blooming sized plants of the same species availabe on the sales table.  These two plants were in such high demand that they had to be quasi-raffled to keep the people from fighting over them.  (Raffled in the sense that if your name was drawn you had the "honor" of paying for the plant.  :) )

Watching everyone so intrigued by this species of course made me think of the hundreds of people who have been fascinated by this orchid for centuries. Everyone has heard of Darwin's orchid, and the prediction he made that there must be a moth with a sufficiently long tongue to pollinate the flower.  This was, of course, sesquipedale, and there is just such a moth.  Even those who have no particular interest in botany or evolution are attracted to the shape and substance of this flower. 

So, if this weekend is any proof, people are still drawn to this species like moths to a flame -- or perhaps more accurately like moths to an Angraecum sesquipedale.

Winter 2013 Newsletter Published

The Winter 2013 issue of The Angraecoid Alliance is available at

http://www.angraecoids.org/uploads/Winter_2013.pdf

(If you have an problems reference, go to the main page
on www.angraecoids.org and click on the link.)

This newsletter features articles on Angraecum erectum, Rangaeris amaniensis, and details of available pollen and the status of the ESC project.