Raffelsia tuanmudae; The parasitic Raffelsia has the largest single flowers in the world, sometimes measuring more than a meter across. There are over 21 distinct species occurring throughout the wet regions of Southeast Asia. The species shown here is endemic to Sarawak. Right, Boiga nigriceps; the Blackheaded Cat Snake is an arboreal predator of birds and other […]
The Art of the Palm by Bradley McCarson Palms have a fascinating beauty seldom matched elsewhere in nature. Their beautiful fronds swaying in the wind and their unique trunks provide an artistic and architectural balance to any garden. Palms have many different textures and colors while providing winter interest. With all these elements palms possess it’s easy […]
An Expression of Gratitude To walk the grounds of Floribunda is an experience to overwhelm even the most jaded palm expert. The towering mass of mature rare and endangered palms collected by Jeff Marcus on his world travels is a palm vortex, a living palm seed bank for the earth. At the 2013 IPS Board Meeting, a […]
Travel Highlight: Bako National Park Participants in the June 2016 Biennial may have the rare good fortune to catch sight of the endangered Proboscis Monkey during the visit to Bako National Park. “Bako is home to approximately 275 rare proboscis monkeys, found only in Borneo. The male is an oddlooking creature, with a huge pendulous nose and a […]
PRICE HIKE COMING, REGISTER NOW We are now only six months away from the 2016 IPS Biennial meeting! This promises to be a once in a lifetime adventure, with access to a wide range of palms in the jungles of Borneo and the gardens of Singapore, all in the company of other like minded palm enthusiasts. The […]
MADAGASCAR: the Directors’ Cut The location of the IPS Interim Meeting of the Board of Directors in Madagascar provided many photo opportunities, including other travel destinations tacked on before and after the meeting itself. This issue of the Newsletter features photos and commentary submitted by a number of Directors. From Mike Merritt: JeanFrançois (“Hery” on […]
IPS BOARD MEETING, MADAGASCAR In October, the IPS Board of Directors convened on the island of Sainte Marie off the east coast of Madagascar to discuss the business of the IPS. Officers and committees presented statements of performance and future directions for Membership, Finance, Bylaws, Editors, Risk Management, Website, Public Relations, Biennial planning, Endowments, and Nominations of […]
IPS TRAVEL: VIEW PALMS IN HABITAT by Brad McCarson Every two years members of the International Palm Society gather together to experience an exciting and wonderful event that’s all about visiting palms that grow in exotic locations across the globe. As a group, they find palms naturally occurring in tropical or subtropical areas to better understand how […]
A HINT OF SARAWAK: The 2016 Pre-Tour by David Tanswell David Tanswell, together with palm adventurers Philip Arrowsmith, Rudy Meyer, and Michael Gray, set off on a reconnoitre for the IPS 2016 pre-tour. What a great excuse to go back to Sarawak, the east Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, and check out its National Parks […]
Nursery Owner and Friends Rescue Palms from Grim Future — New South Wales by Benjamin Smith, edited by Brad McCarson Most palms existing in older gardens can face a future of uncertainty. Many properties must be cleared for construction or infrastructure purposes, leaving palms bulldozed over or sent to the chipper. Colin Wilson, Margaret Kraa, and I […]