Thursday, September 13, 2007

Wild Orchids of Wellington, New Zealand - New Book

native orchid book. Acknowledging the Wellington region as one of New Zealand's "orchid hotspots", the Department of Conservation has produced a
field guide identifying 72 species of wild orchids in the lower North Island...

The book was launched on September 4...
"We want to inspire people to head out and explore the region's parks and reserves while searching for orchids that, once found, can be left for others to enjoy," said Department of Conservation [DOC] botanist John Sawyer, who co-authored the book with Peter de Lange, one of New Zealand's
leading plant conservation scientists; photographer and botanist Jeremy Rolfe, and national orchid expert Ian St George.

"DOC is interested in orchids because, while much of the global interest is in the cultivation of exotic forms and varieties, there is also the most
important work of protecting wild populations, Mr Sawyer said. "Wetlands, dunes and forests continue to be degraded through development, drainage and
the effects of exotic animals and weeds so the need to protect wild orchids becomes ever more pressing," he said.

Mr Sawyer said Wellington was a hotspot for orchids because of its huge diversity of habitat types and ecosystems, ranging from the dry eastern
Wairarapa terrain, to sub-alpine areas and wetlands, estuaries, and the coast. "More than 70 percent of New Zealand's orchids occur in Wellington...

"We encourage the public to keep an eye out for wild orchids and let us know if they see anyone removing plants from the wild," Mr Sawyer
said... DOC is working with landowners, councils, iwi and community groups to protect nationally threatened orchids at key sites."

URL :
http://www.localmedia.co.nz/northerncourier/stories/nc100907/page11-NEWS-Otari+pic.htm

photo : [caption : A decade in the making, Wild

Enjoy,
Steve Peralta
1888Orchids.com

Prasophyllum affine - Jervis Bay leek Orchid endangered

The developer behind a new shopping centre and 604-lot housing development for Vincentia, on the New South Wales south coast, has met...
representatives at Jervis Bay.

The approval for the Stockland development this year was granted, after residents raised concerns about the impact of the development on endangered
species, including the Jervis Bay leek orchid [Prasophyllum affine]

A number of groups, including the Vincentia Ratepayer and Residents Association, met the developer on site...

Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson... says Stockland has already begun work to protect the orchid.
"Stockland actually proved themselves to be fairly environmentally sensitive during the clearing works," he said. "They discovered a patch of endangered orchids so they contacted the local
orchid expert [name ?] and with his assistance and advice, the orchids were
relocated." "

URL : http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/13/2031538.htm?site=illawarra

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Two rare species of orchids discovered in Nui Chua National Park

Nui Chua National Park in the southern province of Ninh Thuan...

scientists... discovered two rare species of orchids in the park...
Bromheadia annamensis and Panisea vinhii, were discovered by experts of the Institute for Ecology and Flora Resources of Vietnam and the Misurin[Missouri !] Botanical Garden of the US.

... these species... found in Vietnam for the first time. The park has designed a plan to protect the... orchids.

Nui Chua National Park is located in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district of Ninh Thuan province. It has a total area of nearly 30,000ha. This forest has a typical dry ecosystem of Southeast Asia, with 1,265 floral and 306 fauna species"

URL : http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2007/09/739589/

Monday, September 10, 2007

Jim Jordan - New Chief Operating Officer of AOS

"Florida-born Jim Jordan...
recently moved to Delray Beach to become the chief operating officer of the American Orchid Society. Previously, he was a principal of Franklin
Consulting & Training in Michigan, developing business plans for professional florists... Prior to that, Jordan was executive vice president of the FTD Association...

He plans to use many of the same strategies and tactics that made FTD the brand it is... as he develops the business plan for orchid society.
...
He... plans to shine a spotlight on the society's dedication to environmental and botanical conservation, and research.

He learned of the orchid society position through a colleague in Washington who urged him to apply.

The [AOS]... was founded more than 85 years ago by... growers from the Northeast. It was housed at Harvard University for nearly 60 years.

In 1984, the society moved to West Palm Beach to a 6-acre estate owned by former society President Lewis Vaughn. The organization broke ground on its new headquarters in Delray Beach in September 1999.

With nearly 18,000 members around the world, the society is recognized as the international leader in orchid education, research, and conservation."

URL :

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2007/09/10/a9bz_movingup_0910.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=6

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Cuba's Oldest Botanical Garden

Cienfuegos Botanical Garden...

Cuba's oldest botanical garden, founded in 1901 at south central Cienfuegos province, owns 400 breeds of orchids.
...
Cuba owns 49 endemic orchids, plus curiosities like leafless Afilas [???], and others that rank among the world's tiniest orchids..

Cienfuegos Botanical Garden, founded as a sugar cane study station"

URL :
http://www.cubaheadlines.com/2007/09/08/5660/cienfuegos_botanical_garden_has_400_orchid_breeds.html

Thursday, September 06, 2007

OrchidWiz Encyclopedia Software released...

Encyclopedia 4.0...
orchid database software from OrchidWiz...

the number of orchid images available... nearly 20,500...detailed taxonomic and cultivation data for thousands of orchid species.
...
orchid species cultivation data sourced from the work of Charles Baker...tabs for humidity, water, temperature...search the AOS bulletins and AOS magazines by author or title. list orchids from a certain area... or list... orchids of a certain genera
that are cool growing, or by other characteristics.
... compare images of the four top species in the background of a hybrid...

OrchidWiz... is a software company based in Miami Shores, Florida... OrchidWiz Encyclopedia software is used... in 33 countries. Over 200
American Orchid Society judges and more than 150 orchid nurseries currentlyuse OrchidWiz...

Web Site:http://www.orchidwiz.com "

URL : http://www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=58431

Monday, September 03, 2007

Tiffany Orchid Pins

"the 1889 Paris Exposition... Tiffany orchid pin...

a 1994 Wall Street Journal article mentioning the Tiffany orchid pins...

In 1889, Tiffany produced 25 Orchid brooches for the Paris Exposition. There, the company won the gold medal for jewelry, largely due to the pins,
which were exact duplicates of a natural orchid...

Produced as a limited edition, the Expo brooches disappeared into private collections... Several of the originals are in the permanent Tiffany & Co. collection.

In 1993, an orchid brooch from the Expo sold at Sotheby's for a record $415,000.

Measuring about 2 inches by 1-1/2 inches"

URL :
http://www.tulsaworld.com/entertainment/article.aspx?articleID=070901_8_D6_spanc40612

**************
Regards,

Steve Peralta
1888Orchids.com