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BAY AREA CARNIVOROUS PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
Volume 10, Number 2, Spring 2001
April 27, 2001
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NEXT MEETING
Date: May 26, 2001, Saturday
Time: 12:00 Noon
Place: University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley
Program: Barry Meyers-Rice: "Poaching and Rare Sarracenia"
ABSTRACT: Three species of Sarracenia are officially listed in the
Endangered Species Act as being endangered: S. alabamensis, S. jonesii,
and S. oreophila. According to federal law, the habitats of these
plants are protected from destruction. Unfortunately, poaching by
hobbyists continues. This presentation will be a review of the wild
population status of these species, and how hobbyists are viewed by
conservation organizations. Possible conservation initiatives of the
ICPS will be outlined. I expect and hope for a spirited discussion
after the presentation!
The meeting starts at noon with the social, display, and plant sale (10%
of sales and auction go to BACPS). Announcements begin at approximately
1:00 p.m., followed by the program, raffle, auction, and business
meeting. Members are encouraged to bring plants for the display table,
auction, and raffle.
The University of California Botanical Garden is located on Centennial
Drive above the main U. C. campus, between the Stadium and the Lawrence
Hall of Science. For more detailed directions, call the Information
Center at 510-643-2755 or consult the BACPS web site (www.bacps.org).
There is a parking fee and an entrance fee.
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Mike Ross
Greetings! May meetings are usually the best since it is the season
that sees the fresh new growth of our favorite plants. Let's have the
best ever display table for this meeting. Please nurture your favorite
specimen, and bring it for the display table (tables I hope).
As you weed and tend your plants this spring, why not look for the
duplicates that you could share with other members and support the
auction and raffle part of our program.
Don't forget the Bug Days event at the Randall Museum on Saturday the
19th of May.
Hope to see a great turnout on Saturday the 26th of May.
Cheers, Mike
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BUG DAYS
Geoff Wong
Kids interested in exploring the wonders of the bug world will enjoy
spending the day at the Randall Museum for their Bug Days event on
Saturday, May 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The San Francisco Insect
Zoo, University of California at Berkeley, Butterfly Discovery Park,
local beekeeper's society, BACPS, and other organizations will be
setting up hands-on interactive stations throughout the Museum.
Examples from previous years are live bugs (butterflies, silkworms,
praying mantids, crickets, hissing roaches, beetles, etc.),
metamorphosis, microscopes and bug parts, insect cuisine, pests,
predators, arts and crafts (masks, flags, hats, painting, games (insect
races, bug hunts, insect Olympics, passports and stamps, etc.), and
story telling.
BACPS will have its own room for plant displays, sales, and "visiting
experts" to explain CP to the visitors. A special feature will be Venus
fly trap feedings at regular intervals during the day. We will also
have pitchers and other plant objects for kids to touch and cut open to
see what's inside. If you are interested in lending some plants for
display or being one of the explainers, please contact Geoff at
gbwong@iname.com.
It should be a fun day. Please stop by and bring your family and
friends. Admission is free.
The Randall Museum is located at 199 Museum Way, telephone (415)554-
9600. There is plenty of free parking. Consult the BACPS web site
(www.bacps.org) for directions.
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MINUTES FROM MEETING ON FEBRUARY 3, 2000
Gary Dughi and Judith Finn
The February 2001 meeting took place at the Randall Museum in San
Francisco. The BACPS meeting began, as usual, with a discussion of
plants brought in for display.
Albert Huntington discussed his large Cephalotus follicularis grown in a
clay pot with about one third each of sand, perlite, and peat. He has
kept this plant in the pot without disturbance for a long time. The
plant receives cool nights and 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit (24-27 degrees
Celsius) days. Albert occasionally feeds the plant with crickets.
Gary Dughi showed several Pinguicula plants including P. x 'Titan', P.
cyclosecta, and P. ehlersiae.
Peter D'Amato displayed a Drosophyllum lusitanicum and a Drosera
cistiflora and discussed how each grows. Peter pointed out that
Drosophyllum are not bog plants and that he uses the "Slack" method of
potting to grow them. This method is outlined in Slack's book
"Carnivorous Plants and How to Grow Them". The basic method involves
starting the seeds in a clay pot with sand, vermiculite, and small
amount of peat. This is kept fairly wet for about six months after
germination. This clay pot is then placed into a plastic pot half full
with the same mix and sphagnum moss placed between the pot sides. The
plants are then kept much drier than before. Peter pointed out that
Drosophyllum needs much sun. His withstand 17 degrees F (-8 degrees C)
nights and rain in winter. Peter told us that his Drosera cistiflora,
with the largest flowers in the genus, is an easy winter grower from
South Africa. These plants die back to thick black wiry roots in
spring. He keeps his cool and dry in shade during summer dormancy.
They start new growth in October and November, reaching 10 to 12 inches
(250 to 300 mm) before producing their purple flowers.
Dues of $5.00 will be required only from those people who wish to have a
hard copy of the newsletter. Everyone else should send their e-mail
address to Bill Weaver (bill_weaver@hp.com) in order to receive the
electronic version of the newsletter. Sarracenia leucophylla seeds will
be sent to any new members. Everyone is encouraged to send reports of
trips to CP habitats for the web site.
Geoff Wong made an announcement concerning the Randall Museum's 4th
annual BUG DAYS. (See article above.)
On January 26 the Conservatory in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park had a
gathering of experts and people representing different plant
organizations to brainstorm about how the Conservatory should develop to
best serve the community. The type of collections that should be
emphasized and the possibilities for a rotating exhibit were discussed.
The unique nature of the building and the ability for wide temperature
ranges was touched upon. It will be interesting to see the outcome of
the session. Scot Medbury, who oversees Strybing Arboretum and the
Conservatory is very interested in featuring a much larger collection of
CP.
David O. Gray, president of the ICPS, urged people to join the larger
organization. Back issues of the journal are available. A while ago
Barry Meyers-Rice wrote a question and answer sheet about the ICPS and
general information on growing the plants. David has produced an
updated flyer for distribution to businesses. Anyone who wants a copy
or any other information about the ICPS may contact David at
david@carnivorousplants.org. There are some t-shirts left over from the
S. F. International Conference 2000. They are available at California
Carnivores nursery. Japan will most likely host the next conference
and, perhaps later, Borneo. David told of his trip to Hawaii and
visiting the ridge of an old volcanic crater, which experiences periodic
frost. He saw Drosera angelica, which was probably introduced by birds
in the distant past. He showed his invention for growing display
Utricularia. There is an outer solid clay pot and an inner glass pot.
There is a rubber insert to keep out light and keep the glass from
hitting the clay. A screen grid, purchased from a bonsai store, is
inserted inside the glass pot to separate the growing media from the
water. David also showed a 12" tweezer used for weeding and feeding
crickets to the plants. David also told people that he would help them
register good clones in their CP collections.
Peter D'Amato's California Carnivores nursery will remain on the old
Mark West Vineyard site. He related, in his typically marvelously
humorous manner, his experiences during filming of the Martha Stewart
Show last October that featured him. She has invited him back for
future shows. Peter asked whether people would be interested in a field
trip to Northern California bogs in August or September 2001.
Mike Ross brought up the possibility of having a banquet to celebrate
the 10th year anniversary of the Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society.
Ron Parsons gave the featured slide presentation and lecture. Ron is a
well-known photographer and his slides were exceptional. He has a
collection of over 20 Pinguicula. He showed plants from different
locations. From Florida: Pinguicula lutea, P. primuliflora, and several
shades of P. caerulea. From Mexico: Pinguicula moranensis (several
clones), P. laueana, P. hemiepiphytica, P. marginata (different color
variations), P. agnata, P. gigantea, P. esseriana, P. heterophylla, and
immaculata (both very tiny specimens). From Cuba: Pinguicula albida
(very beautiful white flower with a yellow throat). From California:
Pinguicula macroceras and P. nortensis on serpentine cliffs. From
Europe: Pinguicula longifolia ssp. caussensis. Ron showed us a picture
of a log upon which Phil Faulisi grew Pings very effectively. The next
group of slides were of Utricularia from Florida. They included
Utricularia subulata, purpurea, praelonga, longifolia, quelchii,
asplundii, and sandersonii. Also shown was Genlisea violacea. Ron then
covered the Sarracenia species with Sarracenia flava, minor, purpurea,
oreophila, and the different Sarracenia rubra subspecies including
gulfensis, wherry, and alabamensis. His slides also included 3 species
of Heliamphora, pygmy and tuberous Drosera, and, of course, Venus fly
traps. Ron covered the following species of Nepenthes: macrophylla,
villosa, clipeata, maxima, hamata, ampularia, bicalcarata, rafflesiana,
hookeriana, and mirabilis. Ron finished the show with specimens from
"down under": Byblis, Cephalotus, Drosera spathulata, falconeri, binata,
and pygmaea. He ended his wonderful slides by telling us of the "plant
collector market" in Melbourne. All in all, it was a wonderful
presentation for a large gathering of 46 people.
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TREASURER'S REPORT
2/3/01
Joe Mazrimas
CREDITS DEBITS BALANCE
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Dues 65.00
T-shirts 47.00
Sellers 14.00
Raffle 102.00
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TOTAL 228.00
Newsletter 24.00
Postage 25.94
Randall Museum (2-3-01) 25.00
Flyers 4.17
Bank account error (11-4-00) 25.00
Envelopes/postage (T-shirts) 10.27
Check returns 20.00
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TOTAL 134.38
Current balance 93.62
Previous balance (11-4-00) 1911.99
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TOTAL 2005.61
Restored Berkeley Fund: $1427.50
Because of a postponement in the construction of a new CP viewing module
at the Garden, the check sent to the University was returned. When a
new plan is drawn up, this check will be reissued.
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BACPS CALENDAR
2001
May 19 Bug Days, Randall Museum
May 26 Spring Meeting, U. C. Botanical Garden
July 7 Deadline for submissions for next Newsletter
August 4 Summer Meeting, tentatively at Randall Museum
November 17 Fall Meeting, U. C. Botanical Garden
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BACPS CONTACTS
President Mike Ross
Vice-President (shared) Larry Logoteta
& Bill Weaver
Secretary Judith Finn
Treasurer Joe Mazrimas
Program Coordinator Geoff Wong
Newsletter Editor Geoff Wong
E-mail Distributor Bill Weaver
Snail Mail Distributor Paul Bourbin
Business Manager Larry Logoteta
Auction Manager Glen Rankin
Auctioneer Peter D'Amato
Raffle Manager (temp) Larry Logoteta
Website Manager Albert Huntington
Website: http://www.bacps.org
Mailing address: BACPS, 825 Bennington Street, Manteca, CA 95336
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This document is designed for courier 10 point font or equivalent.
Please direct questions or comments concerning this newsletter to the
editor, Geoff Wong.
If you wish to be added or removed from the distribution list, please
send a message to Bill Weaver.
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