Monthly meetings include a show table of members' plants. Six
ribbons are awarded each month: four awards are selected by an alternating team
of three VAOS member judges. These awards are: one for Best Species, and a First,
Second and Third place award to any plant, a Speaker's Choice award and the
VAOS members vote on the plant for Members' Choice. The following section describes
each of these awards for September. There was a tie for Members' Choice in September.
Plants are named as presented with minor editing corrections. To view a larger
image, click on the photograph.
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First Place: Lc.
Mari Reyes
Grower: Elinor Burton
This interesting green spotted hybrid had 2 inflorescences
with 14 flowers. It is a cross of C. Sophia Martin and Lc.
Wailea which was registered in 1981. There are eight Cattleya
and two Laelia species in the background, with C. guttata
the most prominent. Three clones have earned HCC/AOS awards. |
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Second Place: Epilaeliocattleya
Don Hermon 'Gold Rush' HCC/AOS
Grower: Mary Anne Digrazia
Epilaeliocattleya Don Hermon is a hybrid of Lc.
Gold Digger and Epi. stamfordianum registered in 1996 by Carmela
Orchids.. This is probably the most well known grex of the intergeneric
hybrids made using Epi. stamfordianum. Hybrids of this type have
to be of value in their own right; they seldom are fertile for developing
new hybrids.
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Third Place: Epidendrum
Mabel Kanda
Grower: Jon Masters.
This is a hybrid of two species, Epi. cordigerum
and Epi. floribundum, that was registered in 1959. Although Epi.
floribundum was described in 1816, it is a synonym for the earlier
described plant, Epi. paniculatum. The exhibited plant had 70
flowers on 2 inflorescences. The clear green sepals and petals nicely
enhanced the pink lip. |
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Species of the month: Epidendrum
diffusum
Grower: Bill Timm.
This species was described in 1788 and and is often refered
to as the 'mosquito orchid' because the inflorescence creates a cloud
of flowers similar to a swarm of mosquitos. It is native to Mexico, Central
America and northern South America. |
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Speaker's Choice: Aerangis
articulata
Grower: Richard Amos
A native of Africa, this species has a pendent zig-zag inflorescence
that supports the alternating, well-spaced flowers. The species was first
described in 1872 and is native to Madagascar. The exhibited plant had
two inflorescences and about 37 flowers. |
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Members Choice: Aerangis
biloba
Grower: Richard Amos
A specimen plant of Aerangis biloba that created an excellent
display. It had more inflorescences (20) and flowers/buds (estimated at
250) than any clone of the species that has received a cultural award
from the AOS. The top award to date is the clone 'Titan III' which had
17 inflorescences, more than 240 flowers and buds, and earned 94 points.
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Members Choice:
Dendrobium Gulfshore's Roselite
Grower: Chris Simco
Another specimen plant with approximately 45 infloresences carrying up
to 14 flowers each. This is a cross of Den. Minapac and Den.
Vivian Snider that was registered in 1998. The recent breeding with this
type of Dendrobium has been to create smaller growing, floriferous
plants. |
21 plants from 17 exhibitors were shown.