BAY NEWS

Newsletter of the American Gesneriad Society of San Francisco

Volume 27, No. 8, August 2005

Next Meeting: Sunday, August 21, 2005

Program: TBA

Reminder: Show and Sale on August 27^th and 28^th

The Prez Sez...

by Katherine Henwood

Here it is August, surely our busiest month!  I hope that all of you who have entered the San Mateo county Fair have you plants well groomed and almost ready to go.  This is a great opportunity to show a lot of folks what gesneriads are!..And if that isn't enough, our own show and sale comes the last weekend of the month.  If you have not received a show schedule and entry blanks, call David Waugh right away.  Remember that your entry forms must be in my hands no later than August 22.   It is great if your sale plants also are samples of your show plants.  Nothing sells better than little plants of the show plants.

Looking forward to seeing you at our regular meeting August 21.

Pleasant Memories of the AGGS Convention

Portland, Oregon

July 5-10, 2005

by David Waugh

Jon Dixon, Alan LaVergne, Celine Chase, Harriette Poss, and Katherine Henwood attended this convention and talked about it at our July 17th meeting.  

The convention hotel was centrally located in the downtown area, a bustling and very interesting area. The hotel was outstanding in the size of rooms, service. Breakfast and afternoon cocktails were included in the room charge. The city of Portland is very picturesque with flowering baskets on the downtown streets, beautiful trees and lots of greenery.

The big news was the announcement of the member vote results on the change of name of the Society and the journal. It will take some time for the changes to take place but when they do the Society will be known as the “Gesneriad Society” and the magazine will be known as “Gesneriads”.  Other tidbits:  Retiring President Susan Grose passed the gavel to Carol Ann Bonner, new President.  Our own member, M. J. Tyler, living in Washington, is now the Chapters and Affiliates Chair person. 

The Thursday tour visited the beautiful Chinese garden, the Japanese garden and the rose garden.  The Saturday final event was an excursion and dinner on a paddle boat on the Columbia River.  During convention week members also visited the nearby Bovee’s Nursery, famous for rhododendrons, both hardy and tropical, as well as shade growing rock garden plants.  Beautiful wild flowers grew on Mt. Hood, making another nice excursion. 

An interesting lecture was given on taxonomy of the Gloxinieae tribe by Eric Roalson, of Washington State University.  The genus Gloxinia, as currently defined, is not a coherent group,

and it will be split up among several new and existing genera.  Gloxinia perennis is the type species of Gloxinia, so the genus name stays with G. perennis.  Koellikeria erinoides will be transferred to Gloxinia.  A new genus Gloxinella will be created for G. lindeniana, and the old genus Seemannia will be resurrected for what is now Gloxinia sylvatica and its close relatives.  When the papers are finally published there will be some name changes to many gesneriads.   Another interesting lecture talked about gesneriads in Sweden, and streptocarpus hybridizing in Japan. 

The show had 140 entries in horticulture with big variety, plus entries in arrangements, educational, photographs, and crafts. The best plants came from the members from British Columbia.   They grow so well and are so enthusiastic.

The sales room tables had many very interesting plants for sale, filling two rooms.  These plants were grown by members from all over the west coast, plus commercial growers like Robs.  The plant sales chairman was Alan Lavergne, who did an excellent job.  Revenue helped both AGGS and the contributors who included members and chapters. 

The 2006 convention will be in Rochester, New York

Show and Tell and Raffle Table

by Lorah Gross

Gene Sussli brought 5 plants that did not flourish for show and tell. He donated two plastic propagation boxes to the raffle table. Paula brought Saintpaulia “Bob Serbin”, Saintpaulia “R. Bogee Wogee”, and Strep. (unknown) for show and tell. She donated the following to the raffle table: Alsobia “cygnet” (it is not in bloom and might be a diantheflora if it turns out to be pink Alan brought Sinn. Cooperi and Sinn. ‘Anne Crowley” for show and tell. Terri Campbell brought Sinningia cardinalis “Innocent”, Saintpaulia diplotricha, and Sinningia “Premiere Pink” for show and tell. She donated Streptocarpella species and cuttings of Columnea ‘Tanager’ to the raffle table. Katherine brought the following plants for show and tell: x Smithiandanea ‘Dane’s Tree’, Strep. ‘Mightly Mouse’, Strep. Cyanandrius, Sin. ‘Mightly Mouse’, Gloxinia linelensiana, Achemenes ‘Ambrosia Verschlaffelt’ and Sin. Sperusa ‘Charles Lawn Hybrid.”. She donated the following plants to the raffle table: Gloxinia lendensis, Sin. Hybrid (pink blooming bug my x self), Kohleria (?), Kohleria ‘Strawberry Fields’, and Alsobia diantheflora. Jon D. brought the following plants for show and tell: Sinn. Cardinalis x macrorrhiza (bulbosa), Sinn. ‘Anne Crowley’, Sinn. Eumorpha Saltao, Sinn. Aff. Reitzii (sp. Black Hill), Strep. ‘Phoebe’, Strep. ‘Hera’, Strep purple double, Kohleria ‘Regent’, Columnea seedling-erthrophaea x Schiediana ‘Mexican Sunrise’ (tentative name), Chirita ‘Dreamtime’ (yellow flower), and Chirita ‘kitaguni’ (yellow flower). He donated the following plants to the raffle table: two Episcia ‘Pink Acajou’, Episcia ‘Checkerboard’, Nematanthus crassifolius, Nematanthus ‘Petropolis’, and Nematanthus ‘Mardi Gras.’

Minutes of The American Gesneriad Society of San Francisco

July 17, 2005 Meeting

by David Waugh, Secretary

The meeting was called to order at 12:57pm by President Katherine Henwood.   The following were also present:  Harriette Poss, David Waugh, David and Irene Fey, Gene Sussli, Larry Williams, Celine Chase, Alan LaVergne, Terri Lynn Campbell, Jon Dixon, Kevin Daly, Paula DeBella.

A summary of the Board meeting was given by the President.   She added the following:

• Bring your Entry Sheets to the meeting on August 21 or mail them so that they will be received at her (Katherine’s) house by August 22.
• Plan to bring plants (well groomed, no bugs) to the Show and Sale on Friday evening after 4:30.   If you cannot bring all plants on Friday evening bring the sale plants Saturday morning at 8am. 
• Because we are such a small club all of us should plan to spend the weekend of August 26, 27, 28 at our Show and Sale if at all possible.

Minutes:  There were no amendments to the minutes of the June meeting.

The Treasurer again reported we are still in good condition financially.  She hopes to put some of our reserve money into a mutual Fund in order to earn more interest.  She also reported we have a new member, Virginia Clark, from Escondido, California

A count of number of entries to the San Mateo County Fair on August 14^th or 15^th   showed we will have 25 entries provided they are blooming by that date.

Jon Dixon, Harriette Poss, Katherine Henwood and Alan LaVergne gave their pleasant memories of the AGGS Convention in Portland, Oregon the first week of July.

We then did “Show and Tell” and the raffle 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:43 pm

2005 Officers

President:  Katherine Henwood

Vice President:  Terri Lynn Campbell

Secretary:  David Waugh

Treasurer:  Irene Fey (please request Irene’s address from Lorah Gross)

Newsletter Editor: Lorah Gross lorah@lorah.net

Meetings: Usually third Sunday of each month, 1-4 p.m. at Library of County Fair Bldg., Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.  (Enter from parking lot North side of 10^th Avenue and Lincoln Blvd., turn right through gate next to building, go to third door) 

2005 meetings: April 17, June 19, July 17 (Board meeting before regular meeting), August 21, September 18, November 20, December 18 Holiday Luncheon.

Shows, Sales, and Field Trips:

May TBA Field Trip, June 4 Exhibit and Plant Sale, July 5-10 AGGS Convention (Portland, OR), October TBA Field Trip

Dues: $10 single, $11 family. Make checks payable to AGS SF, mail to Treasurer.

Website: http://www.agssf.org