Newsletter

December 2006

Meeting Dates

December 17, 2006 - Holiday Party
January 21, 2007 – Atrium, Olbrich Gardens
February 18, 2007 – Atrium, Olbrich Gardens
March 25, 2007 – Atrium, Olbrich Gardens
April 22, 2007 – Meeting Room, Olbrich Gardens
May 20, 2007 – Atrium, Olbrich Gardens
June Picnic – TBA

Up-coming Events

February 3-4, 2007 - Orchid Quest 2007
February 16-18, 2007 - Batavia Orchid Show
March 3-4, 2007 - Northeastern Wisconsin Orchid Society Show and Sale
March 23-25, 2007 - 32nd Illowa Orchid Society Spring Show
April 27-29, 2007 - Illinois Orchid Society Spring Show in conjunction with Spring Mid-America Orchid Congress
February 2 - March 2, 2008 - 19th World Orchid Congress

Officers and Committees

President:
Judy Stevenson (2008)
judy_stevenson@/SBCGlobal.net

Vice President:
Sarah Lundey (2007)
sarahlundey@/charter.net

Secretary:
Meg McLaughlin (2007)
lodi4ever@/charter.net

Treasurer:
Don Fago (2008)
Donfago@/jvlnet.com

Hologlossum kimballiana
Photograph by Denise Baylis

Board:
Liz Barlow (2008)
eabarlow@/wisc.edu

Svetlana Kot (2009)
grigkot@/gmail.com

Jill Hynum (2007)
jhynum@/sbcglobal.net

Away Shows:
Sandy Delamater (2007)
sldjn@/aol.com

Photograph by Rich Narf of Paphiopedilum liemianum

Hospitality:
Dawn Weckler (2007)
Jeri Gjertson (2007)

Librarian:
Liz Wood (2007)
ewood@/biochem.wisc.edu

Membership:
Board of Directors

Newsletter:
Denise Baylis
jrbaylis@/tds.net

Orchid Quest:
Board of Directors

Programs:
Elaine Malter (2007)

Ribbon Judging:
Wayne King

Web Master:
Svetlana Kot
grigkot@/gmail.com

Liaisons:

Alliant: Elaine Malter (2007)
AOS: Jill Hynum (2007)
MAOC: Don Fago (2007)
Orchid Digest: Jill Hynum (2007)

Submit your photos to be included in the newsletter. Every month we want to include a gallery of photos to enjoy. Email your photos to Svetlana (grigkot@/gmail.com) and Denise (jrbaylis@/tds.net)

The Orchid Growers' Guild, Inc. (OGG) is a non-profit organization, affiliated with the American Orchid Society. It is dedicated to the education of both OGG members and the public about orchids and their culture. OGG also promotes the conservation and appreciation of orchids. Meetings are held on the third Sunday of each month at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. See our website at orchidguild.org for more information.

The Orchid Grower

Orchid Growers’ Guild

NEXT MEETING DECEMBER 17TH: HOLIDAY PARTY AND “GROWING LYCASTE”

The December meeting is a busy one. It is time for our annual Holiday Party and members are asked to bring a dish to pass. Tableware will be provided. If you are bringing orchids for judging please be there by 1 p.m. The room is reserved beginning at 12:30, and we want to start the presentation on time. It is also time for membership renewal, $18 for individuals and $24 for couples.

Leo Schordje will talk on Growing Lycaste and he will have plants available for purchase. His talk will focus on the more compact growing species, and will discuss cultural requirements.

Lycaste have been a popular orchid in collections since the Victorian era. They never surpass Cattleya or Phalaenopsis in popularity, but they have always had a following. They are exquisitely beautiful and any mixed collection of orchids should have at least a few Lycaste. There are no tricks to growing Lycaste.

The flowers of Lycaste are exquisite. The pallet of colors include yellows, pinks, whites, browns and the Ida group that is in all the various shades of white & green. They usually have wonderful soft fragrances. There are hundreds of species to choose from, from dwarfs to giants. Lycaste are a delightful genus of orchids to grow.


Lycaste bradeorum	Lycaste deppei-punctatissimum	Lycaste linguella

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

February 3 and 4th will be a milestone for the Orchid Growers Guild. It will be the 20th year anniversary of Orchid Quest. An important part of the guild has been putting together an annual orchid show. This is not a little feat because it has grown from a small show at West Towne Mall to the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Center. It comes at a very opportune time of year, during the cold and gray of winter. Our show is one of the largest held in the Midwest. This is not a small achievement because we are a small organization.

As part of your New Year’s resolutions, I encourage all of you in the guild to sign-up for one or more of the volunteer opportunities available from Friday February 2nd through Sunday February 4th. Much work has already been done behind the scenes to pull this feat off. Bring your calendar to the December meeting so as to sign up for one of the many remaining jobs.

On Friday we need helpers to assist the unloading of orchids from vehicles into the show room. Saturday at 7:00 AM we need several more persons to clerk along side the judges spotting plants, recording results and awarding ribbons. This was my initiation job three years ago at my first OQ. It was worth waking at that early time of day because I learned so much from the judges. We especially need volunteers to sign up for work at the raffle table. Sunday is wide open for volunteer opportunities in all categories. My finding has been that working at OQ is most uplifting because being around so many gorgeous plants gives one an adrenalin rush. If you can’t come to the December meeting, I encourage you call me to find a volunteer slot. I wish you the best as this year comes to a close and the New Year starts.
Judy Stevenson

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT TO MID-AMERICA AFFILIATED SOCIETIES MID-AMERICA ORCHID CONGRESS

The Fall 2006 Mid-America Orchid Congress was held August 25-27, 2006 in Lexington, Kentucky. There were 140 registrants , nationally recognized speakers and interesting exhibits. Judges evaluated the 312 plants and 23 exhibits. The AOS Show Trophy went to the exhibit by the Hoosier Orchid Company, and the Mid- America Perpetual Trophy went to the Greater Cincinnati Orchid Society’s exhibit. The judges selected sixteen orchids for AOS award consideration and the following six AOS awards were granted.

MAOC will support the Cleveland Botanical Garden ($400) to assist in purchasing orchid species from Costa Rica and the Native Orchid Conservation Committee of the Northern Wisconsin Orchid Society ($400) for conservation efforts at Carney Fen, Carney, Michigan. The Research Committee reported developments in the MAOC-funded project to use liquid nitrogen for the preservation of orchid seed. The Affiliated Societies Breakfast addressed “Trends in Local Orchid Shows”. Issues discussed included show location, charging admission, vendor charges and selection of vendors, as well as publicity.

The Spring MAOC will be held in Chicago April 27-29, 2007. The topic for discussion at the Sunday morning breakfast hosted by the Affiliated Societies Committee will be “Challenges Facing Local Societies.” Register in advance. Information can be obtained by email maoc2007chi@earthlink.net. Check the MAOC web site for information & registration forms: www.midamericanorchids.org.

ORCHIDS IN THE NEWS
Thanks to Svetlana Kot, who supplied links to recent articles on orchids:

“Orchid bees adjust without orchids”, published on the Miami Herald website on Nov. 12, 2006:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/home/15982210.htm

This article describes the establishment of a new species of exotic bee in south Florida (Broward County). The bee is Euglossa viridissima, a euglossine bee belonging to a group of insects known as the ‘orchid bees’ because of their crucial role as pollinators of orchids in their native Central America. How E. viridissima became established in Florida is unclear, but it is clear it has established itself in spite of the lack of appropriate orchids. Male bees of this species attract female mates by using odor cues. However, the bee does not make its own chemical attractants (pheromones). Instead, the male bee gathers odors from orchid flowers, usually members of the genera Gongora, Stanhopea and Lycaste. In the process, it pollinates the orchid flowers. This dependency of the bee on orchids for its mating courtship, and the dependency of the orchids on the bee for their pollination, made a remarkable example of coevolution for biologists. However, E. viridissima in Florida is gathering courtship odors from sources like basil leaves, allspice and melaleuca (an Australian exotic tree). Thus, the bee’s dependency on orchids is strictly facultative. The species is proving to be very flexible in its behavior outside of its native range, and the study suggests that the orchids may be far more dependent on the bees than the bees are on the orchids for reproduction. Perhaps we should call these genera the ‘bee orchids’.

“New Orchids Found in Papua New Guinea Rainforest”, published on the Environmental News Service website on Oct. 16, 2006:
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2006/2006-10-16-01.asp

New Guinea is a hotspot for orchid species, with over 3000 described so far. This article describes the discovery of at least 8 and perhaps as many as 28 new orchid species by a WWF expedition to the Kikori region surrounding Lake Kutubu.

POLLINATING ORCHIDS AT ORCHIDS BY THE ACKER'S

Chuck Acker gave us a demonstration and 'hands on' experience with pollinating orchids by hand. Genera covered included Cattleya, Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum. The tools required are simple; a new or sterilized razor blade, and a new toothpick or pair of sterilized tweezers. Four simple steps complete the procedure:

CATTLEYA POLLINATION
Photographs by Jeff Baylis

Anther and stigma exposed, after labellum is removed	Labellum removed, anther removed	Anther, pollen cap and pollinia

Pollinia have been separated from the pollen cap	Column showing stigmatic area, and stigmatic fluid is being transferred to toothpick	Inserting the pollinia onto the stigmatic area

Using the razor blade, remove the labellum to expose the column and its reproductive areas.
Using the toothpick or tweezers, remove the anther (male structure, consisting of a cover or cap and the pollen masses under it). In Cattleyas the anther is at the distal tip of the column, and the cap portion of the anther has a sticky 'pull tab' on the bottom which facilitates the anther removal.
Separate the pollen masses from the anther using the razor blade and toothpick (this latter does not apply to Paphiopedilum. and other genera lacking discrete pollinia).
The stigma or female area of the column is ventral, under the 'chin' of the column, and more proximal than the anther. If stigmatic fluid is present, gently remove some fluid with the tip of the toothpick. Using the fluid as glue, pick up the pollen masses on the toothpick, and place them firmly against the stigmatic surface and surrounded with stigmatic fluid. Phalaenopsis have a small pocket in the stigma, into which the pollen masses should be gently tamped with the toothpick as a ramrod.

Development time for the seeds can vary from 2 months to a year, depending on the genus.

RESULTS OF NOVEMBER 19, 2006 MEMBERSHIP MEETING

First Place:	Jeff Baylis Jill Hynum Wayne King Svetlana Kot Meg McLaughlin Jan Rapacz Judith Rapacz Steven Thimling Steven Thimling Steven Thimling Steven Thimling Steven Thimling	Laelia rubescens Sophronitis cernua Cattleya labiata ‘Sherwood Forest’ Paphinia Majestic Phrag. Paul Eugene Conroy Paph. Chuck’s Surprise Lc. Angel Heart ‘Hihimauu’ Barkeri skinneri Bulbophyllum dentiferum Cischweinfia pusilla Maxillaria pseudo-reichenbachiana Maxillaria sophronitis
Second Place:	Jeff Baylis Sandy Delamater Sandy Delamater Sandy Delamater Wayne King Wayne King Svetlana Kot Meg McLaughlin Meg McLaughlin Judith Rapacz Judith Rapacz Judy Stevenson Loraine Snyder Steven Thimling Steven Thimling Jody Thistle Jody Thistle Liz Wood	Epidendrum ilenese Aerides lawrenceae Cattleya intermedia Paph. Henrietta Fujiwara Phal. Maratha Ragan x Dtps. Happy Valentine Slc. Acker’s Royal Hue Psychopsis Mendenhall ‘Hildos’ Oncidium Twinkle ‘Red Fantasy’ Phrag. Mountain Maid Lc. Arctic Star ‘Snow Queen’ Neostylis Lou Sneary ‘Lea’ Phal. Classic ‘31915’ Pot. Burana Beauty ’Borneo’ Dendrobium oligophyllum Epidendrum porpax Onc. Sweet Ears ‘Pacific Gold’ Bllra. Marfitch ‘Howard’s Dream’ Cymb. Lipper ‘Autumn Splendor’
Third Place:	Jeff Baylis Sandy Delamater Sandy Delamater Svetlana Kot Elaine Malter Meg McLaughlin Lorraine Snyder Lorraine Snyder Judy Stevenson Steven Thimling Steven Thimling	Brassavola flagillaris Phrag. Eric Young Phrag. Magdalene Rose Den. Nanae ‘Uniwai Beauty’ Den. moniliforme ‘Kinkaku’ Den. biggibum Phal. Everspring King ‘Musacino’ Paph. It’s A Doll Burr. Stephen Isler ‘Lava Flow’ Paph. Simaril ‘White Pepper’ x lawrenceanum 'Tradition’ Scaphosepalum fimbriata

NEW PURCHASE

The Board authorized the purchase of a Sharp XR-10x DLP projector for $800. It has 2000 lumens, 1024 x 768 XGA resolution and is HDTV compatible.

PAPHIOPEDILUM SPECIES
Photographs by Rich Narf

Paphiopedilum spicerianum	Paphiopedilum charlesworthii	Paphiopedilum gratrixianum

OCTOBER BOARD MEETING'S MINUTES (doc file)