by Mike Dahme from The Palmateer Vol.IV, 2000
Donations for seeds of some 34 species, including those made at the September and October meetings, exceeded for the three months ended October 31. Special thanks go to first time seed donors Karen and Tom Barrese [for Copernicia prunifera], Arv Vaisnys [Archontophoenix cunninghamiana], Darin Yeatman [a variety of Dioon edule and Archontophoenix alexandrae], Sam Sweet [Jubaea chilensis], Steve and Cynthia Rael [Dypsis decaryi and Dictyosperma album] and Ruth Sallenbach for seeds of the clustering form of Chamaedorea tepejilote and the unique [for Florida, at least] form of Caryota mitis that grows in her Palm Beach area garden.
Continuing donors Scott Ward [seven species], Richard Lundstedt [the “Florida hybrid”], Greg Hodge [also for the “Triangle Palm” and Acrocomia], Lou Thomas [first time distribution of Licuala grandis and Schippia], Mark Grabowski [Allagoptera and single trunk form of Chamaedorea tepejilote], Bud Wideman [two species: see below] and Neil Yorio [Carpentaria] are likewise credited for supporting the chapter financially.
The Montgomery Botanical Center of Miami [host of the next chapter meeting, January 20] posted seeds of seven species to the chapter for distribution, which resulted in donations exceeding for this quarter. The support of this institution has been extremely important to the success of the seedbank.
Also, individuals such as Lou Thomas and Bud Wideman have had a significant impact, each of them contributing seeds that have greatly exceeded in donations. During this quarter Bud’s Arenga pinnata plant showered the chapter with almost [ year to date, a record for distribution of a single species] worth of fruits, and they keep coming. Lou’s seed donations for just the past year have exceeded , and since seed bank inception have been much more. Finally, Richard Lundstedt’s continuing generosity with his hand-pollinated Butia/Syagrus cross seeds resulted in in receipts this summer alone.