Category Archives: Newsletter

Meeting May 7, 2014: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

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Speaker: Dr. Antonio Toscano —- Topic: “Sex, Lies and Orchids”

Dr. Antonio Toscano is the director of the Orchid DivisioToscano Field Photo may 2014 medn, Marie Selby Gardens in Sarasota. Born in Brazil, he received his PhD from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through the University of Reading and has completed several expeditions to the Amazon in search of Pleurothallids.  The Pleurothallid alliance of New World orchids includes popular genera such as Masdevallia and Dracula and Dr. Toscano is the world’s leading expert on the more than 4000 species of these amazing orchids.

 He recently completed a Global Plants Initiative project on the orchid diversity of the rapidly disappearing Atlantic rainforests of S.E. Brazil. VAOS continues to support conservation efforts in this area through our annual contribution to the Orchid Conservation Alliance.

He will discuss the unique form and structure of these orchids as well as their complicated and sometimes “erotic” pollination methods. He’ll dazzle us with breathtaking  photos from around the world, especially from Brazil.

 

Orchid Envy, one of our newer local growers, will have a selection of their beautiful plants and arrangements for sale.

 

Meeting: February 5th, Speaker: Mike Owens Topic: Orchids of the Fakahatchee

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Mike Owen has been Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park biologist since 1994. His primary focus is collecting data relating to the survival, distribution and reproductive habits of the native and exotic animals, as well as plants like the ferns, orchids, peperomia and bromeliads (some, such as the ghost orchid, which are extremely rare).  Mike will be sharing his experiences and insights as well as photos of this beautiful and unique environment.

With help from park staff and other supporters, he documents and studies fluctuations of water levels, fire and weather events, the effects of exotic species invasions, topography and the importance of maintaining the biological diversity of this area, which includes the greater Everglades and Big Cypress ecosystems. He continues to contribute greatly to the scientific knowledge of the area, most of which had never been documented before. He offers visitors an introduction to the many wonders of the region and is famous for his guided swamp walks which delight visitors from around the world. Mike Owen photo