South African Indigenous Orchids

Gavin McDonald was born in Capetown in 1963, moved to Durban (KwaZulu-Natal) in about 1968 and lived around there ever since.  He studied for a BSc (Honours) in 1985 looking at taxonomy and biogeography of Disa and Eulophia (the largest genera of geophytes in South Africa).  He completed a Masters degree in 1988 on the taxonomy and biogeography of orchids in and around Durban.  He lectured at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the Department of Biology until 1993, then joined the Department of Nature Conservation at Mangosuthu Technikon.  He acted as Head of Department between 1996 and 1998.  Currently he’s a Senior Lecturer and Acting HoD (again, but for a short while) and registered part-time for a Ph.D. in molecular systematics of the genus Stenoglottis.

DVOS Christmas Party

Gavin started growing orchids in 1981, and qualified as a South African Orchid Council judge in 1989. He has served as President of the Umhlatuzana Orchid Species Club, served on the committee of the Natal Orchid Society.  He has been Chairman of Judges for the KwaZulu-Natal judging region, served 2 terms as National Vice-chairman and 1 term as National Chairman of judges for the South African Orchid Council.  He is still involved in the training of judges and was one of the task team instrumental in introducing the new National training program for judges.  He has also served as a corresponding member of the AOS conservation committee (for Africa) for many years (so many he has lost count).

Gavin has a modest collection of orchids, mostly species with a handful of indigenous orchids.  He has plans in place to expand this collection to a commercial scale within the next 3-5 years with a special interest in Vanilla and, to a lesser degree, Phalaenopsis. His talk will have examples of species of most of the South African genera of orchids, with some habitat shots, and cultural hints thrown in.  

Presently the DVOS is in need of a person or group of people to act as club Vice President: duties are to arrange speakers and raffle tables for next year, 2005.  Without speakers there will be no activity at club meetings except the Show and Tell Table and refreshments.  There will be no Raffle Table.

At President Dennis Olivas’ request outgoing VP Kathy Barrett arranged 5 speakers and 2 raffle tables for next year.  It will fall to someone else to keep in contact with these speakers, confirming their commitment, getting plants for  raffle table and taking the speaker to Dinner.  Feel free to cancel these speakers if you want.  Actually if no one wants to take on the responsibility of taking the speaker to dinner that social nicety can be dropped.  Other societies don’t take the speaker to dinner, so why should we? [shrug]

You can find speakers by asking Dennis Olivas, Francisco Baptista or Rob Terry who they have liked to hear in the past, calling that person up, and seeing if they can talk. Additionally there is a group of VPs that stay in contact by email.  You can find out who they have booked and call their speakers up to see if they want to come to talk to the DVOS too.

You have to attend Board meetings the 3^rd Thursday of the month.

You have to arrange Raffle Table Plants. Usually the speaker provides the raffle table plants but in cases where they can’t you only have to ask Dennis, Fordyce or Fred and Francisco who you may be able to get plants from.  You usually get this info at the Board meeting.

You have to tell the newsletter editor and the webmaster who the speaker is in time for them to put it in the newsletter, etc.  Speakers usually provide the biography that appears in the newsletter.

Kathy will provide you with correspondence and contact numbers for the speakers she has arranged to date.

Yes.  We are in dire need.