Stamps on Orchids from Thailand and Jersey…

 Date of Issue : 2 June 2011

Hi ! In today’s Post, some lovely orchids, featured recently on stamps. “Orchids on Stamps” are very popular with collectors all over the world.The reason is “The orchids are so beautiful to see”. Here are the new stamps issued by Thailand Post and Jersey Post featuring different varieties of orchids . The stamps are wonderful and sure to be liked by all lovers of flowers and thematic collectors.

In the second part of this Post, I am pleased to share a Press Clipping from Times of India that has given a coverage to Rainbow Stamp News. I thank all my readers and contributors who made it popular worldwide !! This is all for Today….Till next Post…Have a Great Time !!

Orchids on Jersey Stamps

Date of Issue : 17 May 2011

The orchids which feature on the six stamps are: Paphiopedilum La Garenne (Saint John), Odontioda Les Brayes (Pontac), Phragmipedium Don Wimber Kriegerara Kemp Tower (Trinity), Angulocaste Noirmont (Isle of Jersey), Calanthe Beresford (Victoria Village) and Miltonia Point des Pas (Jersey).The stamps in the set range in price from 37p for the Paphiopedilum La Garenne to £3 for the Miltonia Point des Pas with a miniature sheet.

Orchids

There are many interesting facts about these popular plants. Orchids are differentiated not only by their flowers but also from the leaves and roots. Grammatophyllum speciosum is the largest and Bulbophyllum globuliforme is the smallest orchid plant in the world.

Orchids are preferably grown on slopes to let the excess amount of water to flow off. This provides the orchids with the favourable conditions to grow in. Instead of just by ‘hybriding’ using the advanced technology, orchids can be resulted from the pollination by bees or butterflies too. Some orchid hybrids are extremely beautiful, while there are also many species with flowers which are unusual, bizarre or downright ugly.

Do you know ?

The vanilla flavouring comes from the pods of a leafy climbing orchid named Vanilla Planifolia.

Though orchids sometimes grow on trees/other plants, they are not parasites. They only use the trees for support. They do not take nutrients from them. Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica and found in almost every color except black. Orchid leaves are thick and fleshy, giving them the impression that they can withstand drought well like cacti.

Club News

Press Clippings..

Coverage of Rainbow Stamp News by Times of India

News from UK…..

WW2 code breaking Tunny machine commemorative stamp and cover issued…

6 June 2011

To mark the opening of the new Tunny Gallery at The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park Post Office issued a commemorative cover and ‘Smiler’. The cover features 1940s photographs of the original Tunny machines, a map of World War II German “Fish” communications network, a Lorenz SZ42 encipher machine and explanatory text.

The Tunny machine was vital in World War II code breaking and was a British re-engineering of the Lorenz SZ42 cipher machine used in radio teleprinter communications amongst German High Command. It produced the final decrypts and provided key intelligence for D-day, Kursk and in ousting the Axis forces from Italy and France. The rebuilt Tunny machine is now on display in the museum and features on the ‘Smiler’.

The cover bears a Bletchley Park Post Office CDS for 26 May when the new Tunny Gallery opened in the presence of four surviving veterans associated with the Tunny machine. Amongst them was Gil Hayward who helped build the first Tunny machine. Each veteran was presented with a limited edition cover.

The National Museum of Computing commissioned the limited edition of 250 covers as a tribute to the war-time code breakers. The issue price is £12.50 each.

The 20 stamp ‘Smilers’ featuring the rebuilt Tunny machine are a limited edition of 50 at £40 each. The issue will contribute to the Museum’s fund raising drive

The stamps and covers are available, while stocks last, from The National Museum of Computing or Bletchley Park Post Office. They can be viewed at www.bletchleycovers.com.

- Terry Mitchell, UK