Sixty-Five Years of The International Palm Society by Dr. Scott Zona
Illuminating the synergy between palm botanists and our mission of research, education, and conservation, scientists and devoted enthusiasts are invited to share their rich experiences. In this issue, PALMS co-editor and IPS Director Dr. Scott Zona tells his story:
Dr. Scott Zona embarking on the Treetop Walk on a rainy day in Singapore’s MacRitchie Nature Trail & Reservoir Park. 2016 Borneo & Singapore Biennial. Photo by Dr. Adrian Loo.
My interest in palms began in high school with a seedling of Drymophleous litigiosus given to me by a friend, who had purchased it from a Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society palm sale. My only source of information about this uncommonly cultivated palm was McCurrach’s Palms of the World from the lo-cal public library. That book, with its black-and-white photos and phrases like “this little-known palm…,” set me on a path of wanting to know more about the family. My fascination, or by then, obsession, grew once I arrived at the University of Florida and discovered Principes (the forerunner to PALMS) in the university’s library and Langlois’ Supplement to the Palms of the World at a local bookshop (purchased for $25 on March 6, 1978 – the receipt is still tucked in the book). Langlois’ fuzzy, grainy photos only increased my desire to know more about these fabulous plants.
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: Palm Society of South Texas by Chuck Malloy, Vice President of PSST and IPS Life Member