April 2009 Monthly Meeting:

This meeting will be held on Sunday May 3rd 2009 at 10.00.am at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building at the University of the West Indies Campus, St Augustine.

Directions to the venue: Members will enter the Campus from the north entrance on St Augustine Circular, stop at the security booth and advise the security that you are going to Sir Frank Stockdale Building, The guard will then give you further directions.

Following is the agenda:
(1) Decisions of the Management Committee Meeting, April 2009- - Diane Huggins Secretary.
(2) Report on Barbados Orchid Show – Gopaul Chackan President
(3) Update on the Spring Orchid Show carded for 23rd and 24th of May 2009---Keshwar Maharaj
(4) A Presentation on a conservation project being carried out by TTOS Conservation Subcommittee to preserve the terrestrial orchids in the Aripo Savanna.
(5) There will be the usual monthly show table, so do bring along your flowing Orchids.

All members of the TTOS Conservation subcommittee are asked to attend a brief subcommittee meeting immediately after the monthly meeting.

HSTT Flower Show.

The Horticultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago has extended an invitation to TTOS to participate in their Annual Flower Show which will be staged at the Trinidad Country Club Champs Elysees Maraval on the 25th and 26th April 2009 on the theme “The 2009 Home and Garden Show”.
The TTOS has the responsibility of mounting the display and carrying out the judging. Therefore we would like members to send / bring their entries on Thursday April 23rd 2009 to the venue from 3.00 pm.
Judging will take place on Friday April 24th 2009.

Spring Orchid Show 2009

Our annual Spring Orchid Show will be held at the San Fernando Technical Institute in San Fernando on May 23rd & 24th 2009. The Chairperson for the show is Keshwar Maharaj and the co-Chairperson is Stacey Williams.

This show will feature exhibits within the entire auditorium comprising of small, medium, and large exhibits.
Exhibits will also be staged by sister societies, environmental organizations and the Ministry of Agriculture.
There will be many vendors selling orchid plants and horticultural supplies.
The entry desk will be set up at the show hall to receive entries of Orchid flowers and plants on Friday May 22nd 2009 from 5.00pm to 10.00pm.
Judging of exhibits will be done on Saturday morning, May 23rd 2009 to be completed before the show opens 10.00am. All TTOS Judges are expected to attend
Assistance is required from members of the society for the INFORMATION DESK and SALE OF TICKETS at the door for both days of the show and setting up of the show. Members who are willing to assist can contact the Show Chairpersons Keshwar Maharaj and Stacey Williams.

Entry to the show will be free to members on presentation of their Membership Card 2008/2009. Members whose subscription is not up to date should contact the Treasurer Mr. Gervais de Matas to have their membership renewed.
Tickets for the show are available from the Treasurer Mr. Gervais de Matas and other members of the management committee.

Annual Orchid Show October 2009
The Annual Orchid Show is carded for the 3rd and 4th October 2009
This year’s show will be an A.O.S. SHOW.
The show will be staged at the Ambassador Hotel, 99a Long Circular Road St James.
We are now in the process of looking for volunteers for the October show.
Any member wishing to volunteer his or her services is kindly asked to contact any member of management.

One of the species from the Aripo Savanna

Cyrtopodium parviflorum Lindl., London J. Bot. 2: 672 (1843). This name is accepted

Formerly known as Cyrtopodium broadwayii this rare terrestrial orchid occurs in the Aripo Savanna. The Aripo Savanna has been declared a protected Environmentally Sensitive Area by the Trinidad and Tobago Environmental Management Authority and access is allowed only by permit. No removal of species is allowed.
The plants are relatively small. The pseudobulbs, about 15 cm long are initially wrapped by the narrow, short or long leaves to 50cm long; but later the pseudobulbs usually lack leaves or they remain shrivelled and fixed to the pseudobulbs for a long time. It grows in marshy or dry areas, between 100m to 1,500m. This species occurs from Brazil through northern South America.
Due to the nature of the tropical savanna soils which are extremely wet during the rainy season and parched during the dry season, pot culture of this orchid is extremely difficult.

SEE YOU AT OUR MEETING ON SUNDAY MAY 3RD 2009 .