April 2021 Newsletter

Sixty-Five Years of The International Palm Society by Dr. Larry Noblick

This continuing series illuminates the synergy between palm botanists and our mission of research, edu-cation, and conservation. Scientists and devoted enthusiasts are invited to share their rich experiences. In this issue, IPS Director and Montgomery Botanical Center palm biologist Dr. Larry Noblick tells his story:

Larry with Deckenia noblis in the Seychelles.

I joined the US Peace Corp in 1978 and spent two fascinating years in Brazil. I was given the task of reviving and restoring a university herbarium that had been long neglected. Insects were making substantial headway into destroying it. Besides disinfesting and remounting the collections, I also added a lot of new collections. I collected everything, but I began to notice that no one was collecting palms, at least not the enormous ones. Needless to say, palms are not easy to collect, especially the larger ones, but they are a valuable part of the flora and the economy. When I finished my term as a PC volunteer, I started looking for a place to study for a degree focusing on palms but decided instead to return to Brazil when I was invited back to continue building the herbarium that I had initiated for the Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana.

IPS Affiliate Showcase

The International Palm Society boasts over 30 affiliates. While the IPS focuses on its mission of research, education, and conservation, local clubs provide members with garden tours, growing tips and access to rare palms. Furthermore, many publish highly desirable periodicals which are valued by many enthusiasts far afield. For this reason it is common for IPS members to belong to more than one local chapter.

This month: PIMABBY (PIM-Australian Big-BY): A Story of Three Gorges, Two Palms, and a 4865 km Road TripĀ by David Tanswell

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