Steve Lucas, age 64, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas passed away on January 13, 2011. Steve Lucas was currently serving on the IAS Board of Governors and as Corresponding Secretary. Steve was passionate about plants and passionate about people, which made his role as secretary a perfect match. Steve enjoyed getting to know new members of the Society and hearing about their interests. Many members felt as though they knew Steve very well because of his communication through emails, mailing lists, plants forums and yes, even Facebook. Steve enjoyed bringing like-minded people together to discuss plants, animals and nature, in general. About ten years ago, Steve moved from Florida to Arkansas. He knew that the plants he had grown in his yard in Florida would not survive the cold winters of Arkansas, but he was determined to continue growing tropical plants. Steve had a tropical atrium built onto the back of his home in Siloam Springs, Arkansas and began a website (www.exoticrainforest.com <http://www.exoticrainforest.com>), where he posted pictures of atrium and information on many of the plants that he grew (most of them aroids). His website gradually produced a huge following of people seeking information about aroids. It was Steves joy to answer questions about the plants he loved and his wonderful atrium. Those who had the opportunity to visit Steve in his home knew him to be a very generous person, sharing cuttings of many of his plants with those who were interested. Recently Steve has been influential in the formation of the MidAmerica chapter and working to increase the membership of the Society. He will be remembered as a great voice in the Society and an unforgettable friend to many. - Zach DuFran, Corresponding Secretary, International Aroid Society ------ Steve Lucas was something akin to a human dynamo, a seemingly tireless individual whose commitment to the International Aroid Society was second only to that for his family. We in the IAS have experienced a great loss in his passing. Probably the thing that will stick most in my mind about Steve as a plantsman was his effort to marry the two related but different worlds of the scientific and the horticultural. His sources on both sides of the divide were varied and numerous. One need only review his article in the latest /Aroideana/ (Volume 33), defining in plain English numerous technical botanical terms, or wander through his excellent web site, Exotic Rainforest, to see how seriously he took explicating the arcane world of technical jargon. His view was that knowledge of what science understands would enhance the growing experience for those of us who are not botanical professionals. Much of his effort was directed to helping sort out, for the lay aroid aficionado, the complex world of species identification. As we in the IAS well know, the "true" identities of many of our plants are debatable even among the few dedicated taxonomists working with the aroids. When we venture out into the commercial and hobbyist world we find a tangle of misunderstandings, historical error, inertia, and sometimes even outright deception when it comes to naming our plants with certainty. Steve Lucas was a member of many on-line discussions and was relentless in his insistence that proper identifications be made, at least for those who should care that it be done right. After all, knowing what plant you actually have will assist you in finding correct cultural information so that you will be successful. Besides, it burns all of us to hear that some innocent person has paid a handsome sum for a purportedly rare species only to find that it is identical to a $15 plant at Home Depot. While it is probably fanciful to imagine that a day will come when the names of all our plants will be correct, without the pesty scrutiny of those committed to truth the situation would be hopeless. Steve was also an enthusiast for growing plants himself and enjoying the efforts of others to maintain a healthy and attractive individual plants or complex gardens. Pictures of his own greenhouse are abundant at the Exotic Rainforest site and are well worth the time for those who appreciate the beauty of a well-grown assembly. I have attached here a picture of Steve conversing with our old friend Julius Boos at the 2009 IAS Show at Fairchild Gardens. They were simply making their way back from lunch and became engaged in some animated discussion about a plant (and likely not even an aroid) they had come across. This picture reminds me of the both of them and their unbounded interest in nearly everything wonderful and amazing in the world. Steve was also a friendly and outgoing ambassador for aroids and the other things that he loved. His quiet southern accent and vast life experiences made for easy conversation. As our Corresponding Secretary he always greeted each new member with a welcoming note. He wished fervently for an expanded IAS membership based on a love of our plants and informed by the best that science can offer. I hope we can keep that spirit as others move in to take over his responsibilities. - Ted Held
