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. 

Happy Holidays!  This time of year holds particular joy for angraecoid growers.  Many species of angraecoids flower during the winter months.  In the northern hemisphere, winter blooming flowers are a particular pleasure.  As I write, I am enveloped by the fragrance from multiple Angraecum sesquipedale plants and hybrids.  There are also several sesquipedale hybrids in bloom as well-- Angraecum Crestwood and Angraecum Veitchii.  If only blog posts could include fragrance.

Congratulations to Angraecoid Alliance member Suzanne Hobbs.  She recently won the the Christine M. Chowning Award for the Best Angraecoid Species at the Mid America Orchid Congress' Fall Meeting.  The show was held October 27 and 28 in Kansas City Missouri.  Suzanne's lovely Angraecum didieri won the prize.

The plant was included in The Angraecoid Alliance's educational exhibit.   Congratulations Suzanne.

Another opportunity to educate.

In October 2012 The Angraecoid Alliance presented an educational exhibit at the Mid America Orchid Congress' Fall show in Kansas City, Missouri.  The Alliance's President, Sarah Waddoups, designed and prepared the large floor exhibit which included four large banners which provided information about Madagascar, Angraecoids generally, Threats to Habitat, Conservation & Cultivation and an introduction to the Angraecoid Alliance.  In the center of the exhibit, several angraecoid species and primary hybrids in bloom were exhibited in front of a large photograph of Angraecum sesquipedale.

We were very honored to receive the Orchid Digest Show Trophy for the exhibit and a 94 point Educational Exhibit Certificate from the American Orchid Society.  In addition, an Angraecum didieri grown by Alliance member Suzanne Hobbs won the Christine Chowning trophy for the best angraecoid species.   The exhibit and blooming plants also received other trophies and ribbons. 

The exhibit also included two copies of a research paper -- which included extensive discussion of the threats to Madagascar's habitat and an analysis of various integrated conservation and development projects in Madagascar.  Portions of that paper are being published in each of the Alliance quarterly newsletters.

The awards and trophies received by the exhibit were lovely, and we appreciate the opportunity to educate about angraecoids and their conservation. 

Photographs of Exhibit

Good news and bad news

First the good news: The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species doesn't include nearly as many angraecoid orchids as I had expected. (The IUCN is the International Union for Conservation of Nature.) The Red List is probably the single most comprehensive assessment of the extinction risk for thousands of plant and animal species. At present, the list is not yet complete for plants, but the IUCN does have a specific task force of experts focused on orchids. Links to the IUCN website, the Red List and the Orchid Specialist Group may be found at the bottom of this post.  So, the good news is that there were not nearly as many angraecoid orchids listed as I had anticipated.  This could be because they have not yet been assessed, or because they aren't quite as threatened as I had supposed.  I hope it is the later, but suspect it is the former. 

The bad news is the angraecoid species which are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.  

• Angraecum penzigianum -- Vulnerable
• Angraecum humblotianum -- Endangered
• Angraecum pinifolium -- Critically Endangered
• Angraecum coutrixii -- Endangered
• Angraecum sanfordii -- Endangered
• Aeranthes carnosa -- Vulnerable
• Aeranthes tropophila -- Vulnerable 
• Sobennikoffia poissoniana -- Vulnerable 

Most likely there are quite a few others that will join this list.  For example, Kew has observed that Angraecum longicalcar may already be extinct in the wild, and both Angraecum magdalenae and Aeranthes henricii have been collected almost to the point of regional extinction.  

IUCN main webpage: 
http://www.iucn.org/

Search for species on the IUCN Red List web page:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/

IUCN Red List available for download at: 
http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/publications/analysis_of_the_2008_red_list/

Visit the IUCN's Orchid Specialist Group's webpage: 
http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/who_we_are/ssc_specialist_groups_and_red_list_authorities_directory/plants/orchid_specialist_group/

Our Mission:

The Angraecoid Alliance is a world-wide group whose objectives are: 


1.  To increase the number of angraecoid species cultivated ex situ to improve the likelihood of species survival;
2.  Foster the in-situ conservation of angraecoids by establishing a free-trade orchid nursery in connection with the protection of a threatened habitat; and
3. Actively educate orchid growers and the general public about these endangered plants, the rampant destruction of the habitat and further educate to ensure successful cultivation and ex-situ conservation. 


These three missions will dictate the Alliance's course.  


The Ex-Situ Conservation (ESC) project will be a cooperative effort involving angraecoid growers from around the world.  This collaboration will "increase the number of angraecoid species cultivated ex situ to improve the likelihood of species survival" by contributing pollen, setting seed pods and sharing seed and ultimately distributing the flasks and seedlings to as many collections as possible.  


You can read more about the ESC program in our newsletter--available as a PDF here. 


Some commonly asked questions: 


Can people or institutions outside of the United States participate? 
Yes, absolutely!  The Angraecoid Alliance is based in the US, but already has members in several other countries.  Pollen and seed sharing as well as flasking will be done worldwide.  As flasks or seedlings become available the Alliance will work to legally distribute them to donors and members worldwide.   


Are Angraecoid orchids from Africa included, or just Madagascar? 
Yes, the Alliance includes all Angraecoid orchids, including those found in Madagascar and those from Africa. 


How will plants from the ESC program be distributed? 

The Alliance's objective is to distribute these species as widely as possible.  Seedlings (and flasks if yield is sufficient) will be distributed as follows: 

1. The donors of the pollen, the pod plant and flasking services for each particular seed capsule will have first option to receive the resulting seedlings and/or flasks. 
2. Next, any Angraecoid Alliance member with ESC status may obtain plants.  There will necessarily be some costs involved, but they will be kept minimal as possible.  ESC status is obtained by members who actively participate in the program.  Again more details can be found in our newsletter.  These growers will recieve the plants with the understanding that they are to be cultivated specifically for ex-situ conservation purposes.  The Alliance will privately maintain a list of where these plants have been distributed so that should additional pollen or seed be needed, it can readily be found.  
3. Members of the Alliance and the public.  The sale of these plants may include some donation to the Alliance in order to assist with flasking costs or the cost of distributing plants internationally to members.  The details about this distribution will be determined by the Alliance members.  

How can I join the Angraecoid Alliance?  
It is very simple.  Fill out the member information form available here.  The annual dues of $10 can be mailed to the address on the form or paid via paypal on our webpage.  

The Angraecoid Alliance's Summer 2012 newsletter is available at:

http://www.angraecoids.org/uploads/Summer_2012_Newsletter.pdf

or visit
www.angraecoids.org and click on "contact us" then follow the link to the newsletter.



Annual dues of $10 can be paid by visiting the membership page on our website.
http://www.angraecoids.org/Membership.html