1999 utah native plant society annual compliations

8/9/2019 1999 Utah Native Plant Society Annual Compliations

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VOL. 22 No. 1

February 10, 6:00PMFebruary 12,7:00 PMFebruary 6 and 13March 5 , 7:00PMMarch 10, 6:00PMMarch 13,9:00 AM to ?April 2, 7:00 PM

JAN/FEB 1999CALENDAR OF EVENTS

UNPS Board Meeting,,USFS Shrub Lab, ProveSL ChapterMeeting:WildflowersofAm-Borrego-DickHildreth,SugarhousePark Garden CenterSL nd Utah Valley Chapters: SusanMeyer, Native PlantPropagation Workshop.Preregister, See page6

SLChapter: Program TBAUNPS Board Meeting, RBG&A Ft. DouglasStansbury Island field trip U N P S , WRGS, RBG&A, Meetat RBG&A VisitorsCenter

SLChapter:Utah Astragalus- Dr.Stanley L. Welch,SugarhousePark Garden Center

SeePage 6 formoreactivities.Four-wingedSaltbushBy Joe Ideker

Reprinted from the Native Plant Society ofTexasNewsletter, 16(2):4,1998Four-winged Saltbush has found use asa hedge or an ornamental background for

flowerbeds.Thisdrought tolerant bush needs nowatering once rooted, but lightwateringimproves appearanceand growth. It isan deal xeriscape shrub, unless one insistson showyflowers, which it lacks. With taproots reaching down as faras 12meters (40 feet), the extensiveroot system makes this drought resistantshrub useful in erosioncontrol. It provides apalatablefoodofhigh nutritious value for cattle, sheep, goats, and deer, including both leaves and seed. Butin a few scattered caseswhere too much may have been eaten, it has allegedly killed sheepandgoats. It provides cover, shade, food, and roosts forbirds like ScaledQuail and smallmammalssuch as Porcupines, Ground Squirrels,Rock Squirrels, and Jackrabbits. Caterpillarsofthe Py rnyBlue (Brephidium exile)and probably several skippers, consumethe leaves. The pollen causeshay fever and thus is used in immunization extracts.The Goshute Indians (of Utah) ground theseeds to use as a baking powder in bread making.


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The Sego Lily Newsletterof the Utah Native Plant SocietyFour-winged Saltbush occurs on various soilsincluding saline and alkaline soils of dry mesa, altor alkaline valleys, sandy deserts, prairies, slopes,and hillsides from the western lower Rio GrandeValley west into Arizona an d California and northinto South Dakota (the type locality), Alberta, andWashington. In Mexico, i t occurs from BajaCalifornia and Keyhole south into San Luis Potosiand Zacatecas at altitudes from 9 to 7,000 eet. Theshrub is grayish, erect, evergreen, and loosely todensely branched. It can reach 2.5 meters (8 feet),but is usually 1 to 1.5 meters tall. Deep-rooted andvariable in shape, it has brittle, gray-scurfy stemsand thick silvery-gray leaves. The four-winged fruitcharacterizeAtriplex canescens,which is it memberof the Chenopdiaceae (Goosefoot Family). Atripiexcomes from a Latinizing of the Greek wordatraphaxys which means orach, (which is avegetable of this genus), while the Latin canescensrefers to the canescent (silvery or white) scurf of theleaves and stems.Four-winged Saltbrush is calledChamiso in Mexico.Four-winged Saltbush bears numerous, simple,alternate,evergreen,sessile or nearly so leaves. Thelinear to spatulatc to oblong leaves have usuallyblunt tips, narrowed bases, and entire margins.Theymeasure 1-5 cm (0.4 - 2 inches) long and 0.3-1.2 cmwide. Each thick leaf has one nerve and a dense,silvery-gray scurf on both surfaces, which graduallybecomes lost with age. The stout, terete, brittle,smooth, ray-scurfy twigs have a gray bark, whichexfoliates in thin layers when older. Four-wingedSal tbush bears unisexual flowers usually onseparate plants, rarely on the same; from April toOctober. The male flower heads appear clustered indense spikes from terminal, leafy-based panicles.The perianth is 3-5 cleft with a stamen inserted atthe base of each lobe. The 2-celled anther producesabundant pollen. The female flowers, also in spikeson densely leafy-bracted panicles, lack perianths.Each flower has 2 stigmas and has 2 conniventbractlets subtending its base. The fruit are utriclesenclosed in 4- winged bracts. Produced in greatquantities almost every year, they follow flowerproduction. The fruit are4-15 cm 0. 16 - 0.6 inch)

long. They vary considerably in size and shape indifferent regions. The sessile or short-pedunclebracts are little, compressed united to their summitThey develop the characteristic two pairs of wingsTo propagate, gather the fruit when ripe. Thabundant seeds needs no cleaning. The seedaverage 22,500 seeds per pound with about 85%purity. Germinaiion averages 30-60 percent. Theseeds may be broadcast locally at a rate of 14-1pounds per acre to reseed broad, sandy loam rangareas or planted in containers for fewer plants asoon as ripe. Viability lasts several years if stored ina dry place. Seeds can be stored and planted thnext Spring or wet period. Cover with about 3 m mof soil. Seedlings tolerate full sunshine, but arsusceptible to dropping off during their firsfortnight.


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T h e Sego Lily Newsletterof the Utah Native Plant Society

Medicinal Plantsof the Desert and Canyon WestMedicinal Plants of the Mountain WestBy Michael MooreMuseum ofNewMexico PressBook Review by Tim McKimmieFrom Native Plant Society ofNew MexicoThese two works have not been previouslyreviewed in th e Newsletter, perhaps because ourmembership has no t had a focus on the medicinaluses of plants (though we occasionally print articleson the subject). Since the "MountainWest" volumewas published in 1979 it hardly makes sense o waitany longer.First, le t me say that these books are no t fieldguides. For positive identification, users will needto refer to other sources. On the other hand, the"appearance" section for each plant may provideplant characteristics that one will not find in a florasuch as "stickinessf1;ragrance; color and texture ofstems and bark, and other often delightful ways ofdescribing a particular species. Plant family, genus,and species are given with some speciesjust listedas "sp." ndicating that any of them is acceptable.Common names, often several of them, are alsolisted. Importantly, Spanish common names areincluded, since curanderasmay use these terms.Moore does not attempt to rally against traditionalmedicine, noting that many of the plants listed werehistorically used by physicians an d even todayappear in such traditional sources as the NationalFormulary. Other countries such as Germany,however, conduct far more research on the effectsof medicinal plants. M edicine is the largest industryin the United States ye t has not been verysupportive of "alternatives". A primary weapon ofthe industry, drugs are a double-edged sword,providing cures to serious illnesses but ofteninducing unacceptable side affects. From his ownback yard, however, Moore criticizes the "chronicpussyfooting in regards to dosage and qualitative

opinions" presented in many recent herb booksUsers of this work are cautioned that he ispresenting "guide-lines" that may work differentlywith different individuals and that factors such arace, diet, sex, and time need also be taken intoaccount.Andrew Weil, who introduced the "Desert andCanyont'book (1989), noted that useful informationon herbal medicine is hard to obtain. He lauded"Desert and Canyon" as striking a balance betweenthe extremes where such books often fall, of beingtoo technical or too general. Moore is welrespected among herbalists and his writing style iconcise, instructive, with lots of human-interest anda bit of humor. The geographic area, about which hewrites, the American West, has not been asextensively studied "herbally", as has the eastFurther, the climatic extremes of th e west seem tobe responsible for the production of unique plancompounds.Each book treats more than 100 plants most owhich can be considered natives. Each is illustratedwith a good l ine drawing and some a raccompanied by color photographs. A gooddescription of plant habitat is provided anddistribution maps accompany the "Desert andCanyon" volume. Instructions for plant collectioninclude what plant part to collect and how tpreserve i t Of greatconcern to Native Plant Societmembers,of course, is the extent of collection. Abook such as this will certainly increase the amounof plant material collected. Moore recommendconservation practices including how to minimizdamage to perennials and to the health of planpopulations.Instructions for various preparation methods (teasdecoctions, infusions, etc.) are described aninformation on chemical constituents is includedThe section on medicinal uses is th e largest part oeach entry and often provides fascinating anecdotaand historical descriptions. Includes bib1iographyand therapeutic use and name indexes. Althougham not qualified to comment on th e herba


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T h e Seep Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Societyprescriptions or make comparisonwith other worksI think that people will find this information worthreading whether for it's medicinal andethnobotanical information, or for its fresh look athabitat andplant descriptions.

The Endangered SpeciesAct and Plants:CuttingThrough the Confusion

By Walter Fertigreprinted from Castilleja: The Newsletter of theWyoming Native Plant SocietyAwareness and concern for endangered &mals hasgrown tremendously since the passage of theEndangered SpeciesAct (ESA) nearly 25 years ago.This is especially true in a state like Wyoming,where such high profile threatened and endangeredspecies as the black-footed ferret, gray wolf, grizzlybear, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon all occur.Discussion and debate over the ESA and itsramifications on everyday life have becomecommonplace today. A very different situationexists in the botanical world. Threatened andendangered plants receive far less attention thantheir vertebrate kin, even though they make upnearly 60% of the current roster of Endangeredspecies nationwide. A lot of confusion existsregarding the degree of protection that plantsreceive under the ESA. Such misunderstandings areespecially dangerous because they can erodesociety's support for the Act. Public support iscritical if the conservationgoals of the ESA are tobe achieved at the local level where rare speciesactually occur.The most common "myth"regarding plants and theESA is the idea that rare plants receive the sameamount of protection as animals under the ESA,especially on private lands. In reality, the ESA'sSection 9 rules on "take" and habitat protectiononprivate property apply primarily to animals.Landowners are not prohibited by the ESA frombanning listed plants or destroying their habitat on

their ow n property, unless they are receiving federamoney for a development project. This followslone legal tradition, dating to Roman law, in whicplants are viewed as the property of the landownerBy contrast, animals have historically beenconsidered property of the monarchy or society,bunot of the private citizen on whose property theymight reside. Amendments to the original ESA doprovide a few protections for listed Threatened andEndangered plants on private lands. Plants arprotected from illegal harvest or take by peopltrespassing on private land and are protected frointerstate trade. These provisions were enactedprimarily to protect commercially valuable speciessuch as rare cacti, from over harvest. The use ocertain herbicides that are hazardous to listed plantmay also be restricted on private lands under ruleadoptedby the Environmental Protection Agency.Themain protection for listed plants under the ESAcomes on public lands. Under Section 7 of the Actfederal agencies are required to consultwith the USFish and Wildlife Service o ensure hat governmenactions do not negatively impact a listed speciesThe use of public lands by private citizens, industryand agricultural leaseholders may be restricteunder the ESA if such uses are not compatible withthe needs ofan endangered species.The protection of he ESA applies only to plantthat are officially listed as Threatened oEndangered (or have been formally proposed folisting). It does not apply to the hundreds o"candidaten species, many of which should blisted, but the proper documentation has yet to bcompleted.Most federal land management agenciehave adopted internal policies to protect thescandidate species and to ensure that agency actiondo not contribute to the need to list them under thESA. This proactive approach has been useful inproviding needed management attention fornumber of rare species on BLM and Forest Serviclands, without invoking the ESA.The second major source of confusion regardinendangeredplants is the lack of information on th


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T h e Sego Lily Newsletter of he Utah Native Plant Societymanagement needs of these species. Bothproponents and opponents of theESA often assumethat drastic management changes must be madewhen a species becomes listed, or when apreviously listed plant is discovered at a new site.The management needs of a given species oftenvary from site to site, and are dependent on anumber of factors, including the species' life historycharacteristics and dependence on naturaldisturbance. In many situations, the bestmanagement may be the continuation of currentactivities (with or without slight modifications).People often fail to realize that rare species arefairly sensitive indicators of habitat condition, andtheir presence at a site may suggest that existingmanagement activities have been compatible withthem. One final mistake regards the fear ofadditional information on the locations and naturalhistory of endangered plants. There is often acommon feeling that information can only be usedagainst landowners and other users. In reality moreand better information can vastly improvemanagement actions and prevent our limitedconservation resources from being usedinappropriately. In Wyoming, there area number ofcases in which additional field research has resultedin the removal of plant species from considerationfor listing under the ESA due to the discovery ofmany additional populations. Research can alsoclarifythe management needs ofa species, resultingin improved practices and the elimination ofunneeded land-use restrictions.The key to overcoming current misunderstandingsabout the ESA and plants is through improvededucation and outreach. This is especially importantin order to address the concerns of privatelandowners, public land users, and other"stakeholders" who are (or perceive that they are)negatively impacted by endangered plants. Betteroutreach is needed to make people aware of whatrare species may be present in their local area andtheir actual level of protection and managementneeds.Without education, the. long-term survival ofmany of ourrarest plants will remain injeopardy.

1999 UNPSBoard of DirectorsThose elected at the 1998 annualmeeting are:Rick Collins(801) 489-6937James G. Coyner(80 1) 292-4777Ben Franklin(80 1) [email protected] Garvin(801) [email protected] Harris(80 1) 222-8623W. ichard Hildreth

(80 1) [email protected] Hreha(801) 944-2337Mike Hubbard(435) 566- [email protected] King(SO 1)[email protected] Meyer(801) [email protected](801) [email protected] Meyer(80 1) [email protected],eduTeresa Prendusi(801) 399-4347tprCTdusi@r4/ped.us

Frank Smith(801) 752-3534Marjorie Stolhand(SO1) [email protected] Wamer(80 1) 523-9294


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T h e Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyUTAH NAT IVE PLANT SOCIETYSalt Lake Chapter monthly meeting scheduleFirst Friday of Each Month-

7:OO PMSugarhousePark Garden CenterThe spring meetings are listed on the front cover.Other upcoming meetings include:May 7:Possible garden tourJune-Sept: Field outingsTBA including:Susan Meyer - Garden ofPenstemons - PicnicXeriscape Garden - U N P S Utah County Chapter

Native Plant Propagation Workshopby the Utah Valley ChapterHands-on Experience Growing Utah NativeWildflowers, Shrubs, andOrnamental Grasses fromSeedTwo Sessions:Saturday, February 6, 19999 am o 12:30 pmUSFS Shrub Science LaboratolyGreenhouse Complex1325 East 820 NorthProvo, UtahSaturday, February 13,19991 pm to 4:30 pmU ofU Grounds GreenhouseComerComerandPollock (450 South)Fort DouglasSalt Lake City, UtahThis workshop is part of the Utah Heritage GardenProgram, which has the goal of ncreasing love andknowledge of native plants through horticulture.Participants will receive information on nativeplanthorticulture and will have the opportunity to takehome planted seedsand watch them grow.

Space is limited. Please preregister by mailing youname, phone number or e-mail, addressand sessiolocation with your $5.00 fee by January 3 1 to:Celeste Kennard,306 North 600 East,Provo, Utah 84606Please include a phone number or e-mail addreswhere we can reach you to confirmyour space. CaCeleste at 801-377-59 18 for more information.

Common NamesFred Johnson, White Pine ChapterIdaho Native Plant SocietyAre you fascinated with unusual common names?Are youperplexedby names: for example- hydon't our meadow rues grow in meadows? And whyis a Pseudotsuga ( alse-hemlock) called Douglas firwhen it isn't either a fir (Abies) or a hemlock(Tsuga)? Why do some common names just add tothe confusion, such as five tree generawhich havethe common name of "cedar" n western NorthAmerica (Thuja, Chamaecyparis, Libocedrus,Torres, and Juniperus)? Some common names aresimply intriguing,others are picturesque, and someare really cryptic. Here are some of my favorites.How many do you know? Match the commonnames belowwith the first-cited ("accepted")commonnames from Hitchcock's"Flora."All ofthese plants grow in Idaho, either native or escapedAnswers areon Back1. Doll'seyes.2. Pilgrim's blush3. Enchanter's-nightshade4. Vipers bugloss5. Hairy Albert6. Puccoon7. Spiders-on-a-stick8. Pathfimder9. Ghost orchid10.Bowdark


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyA Look at Linum and Linen

By Susan ErwinReprinted fromSageNotes,Idaho Native Plant Society,May 1994

Linum lewisii is one of nearly 100 species in thegenus Linum, a member of the flax family(Linaceae). Members of this family may be foundthroughout the world in both hemispheres, and maybe one of the most important vegetable fibers fromthe standpoint of widespread and continuous usage.Most of us know it as that pretty yet frustrating blueperennial that drops its petals when picked an dopens only a few blossoms at any one t ime-Although found throughout the world, in NorthAmerica, flax species are common in the west andMidwest in dry, sunny habitats with well-drainedsoils. Flowers can be white, blue, yellow, or red.Petals stay on the plant for only a short time afterblooming. Blue flax is a handsome plant commonlyused as an ornamental in landscape gardening. Inthe west, prairie flax was first described byMeriwether Lewis near the Continental Divide inMontana on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It hasbeen written that Native Americans used the plantin baskets, mats, snowshoes, ishnets, strings, andcords.Flax species in general are considered poor tofair as livestock forage. Some species arepoisonousto livestock, containing cyanide compounds in theseeds. The European species of flax, L jmmusiatissimum, was imported and widely cultivatedby the early American colonists, and later on theprairies as Americans headed west. Diminishingsupplies of imported textiles in the early 17thCentury necessitated growing flax in the colonies toprov ide f i be r for weaving t e x t i l e s . TheMassachusetts General Court ordered boys and girlsto be taught to spin, and families to grow a certainamount of flax each year, or pay a fine!

The first true linen industry started in the early 18tCentury in New Hampshire by Scottish-Irishimmigrants. Linen textiles w ere considered a statussymbol during that t ime and continue to beconsidered a finer qual i ty fabric. By the 1Century, production of linen shifted from handweaving and spinning to factories and automatedmachines. The transition to automation was slow incoming because of the difficulty in process ing flax'brittle fibers. Eventually, cotton replaced linen athe fiber of choice because it was easier to procesand was more readily available. Linen requireapproximately one year from seed sowing tofinished product. More labor intensive than cottoor wool, linen garments last just as long anactually improve with age and wear. Processininvolves drying the plants, then beating them toseparate the inner pith from the woody fibers. Thesfibers are then carded, combed, and spun in muchthe same way that wool is processed. Other uses foflax are linseed oil from the seeds and as a medicinfor inflammation, coughs, ulcers, and burns.

There should be no monotonyIn studying your botany.It helps to trainAnd spur your brainUnless you haven't gotany.It teachesyou, does botanyT o know the plants and spotany.And learn just whyThey live or die .In case you plant or potany.AnonymousOccidental College StudentFrom Sage NotesIdaho Native Plant Society


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UNPS $EGOLILYc/o Jo StolhandUtah Native Rant SocietyP.O.Box 520041SaltLakeCity,UT 84152-0041ReturnServiceRequested

Non-ProfitOrg.U.S. PostagePAIDSaltLake City, UtahPERMIT No.327

Answers to Fred Johnso nqs"common names" quizWestern red baneberry,Actaea rubra (the whiteberried phase).Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus. (Indaysofyore,young adies brushed their cheekswiththe hairy leaves to bring a blush.)Enchanter's-nightshade, Czrcaea alpina. (Circewas an enchantressof Greek mythology;however, "enchantress'snightshade"is tough topronounce, hence the masculine name.)Blueweed,Echium vulgare (escaped, origin:Europe).Western hawkweed, Hieracium albertinum.Western stoneseed, Lithospermum ruderule.(Whence "puccoonn? know not.)Cross-shapedmitrewort,Mitella stauropetala.Trail-plant, Ademcaulon bicolor.Phantom-orchidor snow orchid, Eburophytonaustimae.

10.Osage-orange, MacZura porn ifera. (Escaped,origin: central USA . Bowdark is ananglicization of the French bois &arc or woodfor archery bows, one of the early importantuses of this tree. But this tree, escaped in HellsCanyon, has other picturesque names, such asho~se-apple--or ould you prefer hedge-apple).

Membership Application

Name -treet

IfGift,From:CheckMembershipCategoryDesired0 tudent $6.000 enior $10.000m w $12.000 ~ousehold $20.000 Sustaining $35.000 upporting- $50.00f l~orporate $250.00 and up0 ~ifetime $250.000 lease scad a complimentary copy of theSego Lily totheaboveindividual.

Pleaseencloseacheck,payableto Utah Native PlantSociety, aid A d t to:MembershipUtah NativePlantSocietyP.O.Box 520041Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-0041

If you prefer not to cut thisoutof yourSego Lily, feel freetocopy the membershipform or simply write the the informationdown and send it with paymentand category ofmembership.


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VOL. 2 No. 2

April 14,6 PMApril 23,24,25

May 7,7 PMJune-Sept

UNPS Web Site

Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Socie

CALENDAR OF EVENTSS L Chapter Utah Astragalus- Dr.Stanley L. Welch,

SugarhousePark Garden CenterUNPS Board Meeting, RBG&A Ft DouglasWildlandNursery, Open House, See back page for!SLforroation

SLChapter:Program TBA (Possiblegarden tour)Field outings TBA:Susan Meyer GardenofPenstemom - PicnicXeriscape Garden - UNPS Utah County Chapter TourUNPS has enteredthe electronic age. The schedulewill beupdatedand posted on our new web pagewww.Xrnission~~om/ r n t is currently underconstruction.Our e-mail is [email protected].

Why Bother?Or, The Importance ofKnowing Which Sedge It IsBertieWeddell, White PineChapter, Idaho Native Plant SocietyA few years ago, onabreakduring an excellentwetlandplant identificationcourse given byformerCDC BotanistRob Bursik, I overheard the followingconversation in the bathroombetween two membersofa federalagency thatwill remain nameless. Rob hadjust givena lucidexplanationof what aperigynium is, thedifferencebetween lenticular and trigonousachenes, howto distinguish the different kinds ofCarex styles, etc.: "Why dowe need to know which sedge itis? Isn't it enoughjustto know ifs a sedge?" "Yeah,I mean aren't they all pretty much found inwetplaces"f


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Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyWell, no, it's a little more complicated than that,They aren't all found in w et places. And, yes, it isimportant to know which species yo u are dealingwith because sedges are important indicators ofwet land status, and the delineat ion of wetlandboundaries h a s tremendous importance for theconservationand regulation of hese ecosystems.Until recently, wetlands in this country were viewedas places to be draiiiecl - to make room foragriculture and development and 10 get rid ofm o s q u i t o e s . i n t h e mid-1800s the federalgovernment passed a series of Swamp Lands Actsthat gave 65,000,000acres of wetlands to 15statesfor reclamation. This and similar policies worked sowe l l that today less than 50% of o u r nation'soriginal wetlands remain. By the 1930s t began tobe obvious that while this widespread destructionofwetlands might have some short-term economicadvantages,there was a down ide too. Wetland losscombined with widespread drought causedwaterfowl populations to plummet, and th e federalgovernment began purchasing wetlands to protecthabitat f o r migratory birds . People gradua l lyrealized that in addition to providing habitat forfish, wildlife, and plants, wetlands perform manyother useful functions such as storing floodwaters,improving water quality by trapping pollutants ando the r sediments, and fac i l i ta t ing groundwaterrecharge. All of this eventually led the federalgovernment to do an about face regarding wetlandspolicy. With the passage of the Clean Water Act, itbecame illegal to place dredged or fill material inthe uatioo's waters, including wetlands, withoutpermission from the US Army Corps of Engineers(USACE). With this legislation, wetlands becamethe only type of ecosystem to be comprehensivelyregulated, regardless of land ownership, throughoutthe nation.The Clean Water Act also made it imperative tohave a method for mapping wetland boundaries, sothat when a developer causes the loss of a givenamount of wetland, he can be required tocompensate, or "mitigate,"or that loss by creating,enhancing, or restoring an equivalent or larger areaof wetlands. It is important to have a delineationprocedure that will neither omit areas that are

w e t l a n d s nor incorrec t ly ident i fy uplands awetlands.Several procedures have been proposed by varioufederal agencies fo r determining the boundaries owetlands The one that is currently required by thUSACE, as wel! as by many local govenunentswas published by the USACE in 1987. Thprocedure requires the use of three types oindicators: hydrology, oils, aod vegetation. Todetermine whether wetland vegetation is presenthe indicator status of each dominant species irecorded. The i nd ica to r statuses reflect thprobability that a species will occur in wetland. Thiis determined by referring to the "National List oVascular Plant Species that Occur in Wetlands(NLVPS). which was compiled by panels of expertfor each region in the United States.Obligate wetland species (OBL) virtually alwayoccur in wetlands; upland species (UPL) irtuallalways occur in uplands. Common cattail (Typhlatifoliuj and yel low monkey-f iower (Mimuiugutratus) have indicator statuses of OBL, meaninthey are pretty much restricted to growing in weplaces , whereas Japanese brome (Bromujaponicus) and spotted coral-root (Corallorhizmaculata) are found in uplands an d have indicatosta tuses of UPL. The picture is complicatehowever, by facultative (FAC) species: those thacan grow, reproduce, and compete under a varietof condit ions of soil moisture ranging from welldrained to saturated. Utah honeysuckle (himutaftensis} and black hawt horn (Crutaegudouglasii) are examples of FAC species in ouregion. Facultative species are further divided intfacultative wetland species (FACW), which usualloccur in wetlands but are not restricted to them, anfacultative upland species (FACU), which usuallybut not always, are found in uplands. Even furtherefinements are added by pluses and minuses. witpluses indicating the wetter en d of a category anminuses indicating the drier end. Communities iwhich more than 50% of the dominant species havi nd ica to r statuses of OBL, FACW, or FAC(excluding FAC-) are considered to have wetlandvegetation.


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietySedges, because there are somany of them and theyvary so widely in their ecological amplitudes, areenormously useful for th e purpose of wetlanddelineation, provided t ha t they are correctlyidentified and tha t they have been assignedappropriate indicator statuses. Woolly sedge (Carexlanuginosu), bristle-stalked sedge (C. ep tdea ) ,inflated sedge (C. esicaria), and C-utriculata areobligate wetland species in our region, so placeswhere they grow ar e probably going to be wetlands.But e lk sedge (Carex gqeri), northwest sedge (C.concinnoides),and Ross sedge (Carex rossii),occurin coniferous forests or prairies and do not evenappear on th e NLVPS. Stil l other carices areintermediate in their ecological niches, includingbig-leaf sedge, C. amplIfolia (FACW+), blackalpine sedge, C. nigricans (FACW), smooth- stemsedge, C. aeviculmis (FACW), soft-leaved sedge,C. disperma (FACW), inland sedge, C. interior(FACW-),Mertens' sedge, C,mertensii (FAC), andDewey's sedge, C.dew- (FACU).Of course NPS members know that th e real reasonfor learning your sedges is because i t is fun. But ifthat isn't reason enough, now yo u know a strongpractical (and political) reason why it matters whichsedge it is.The NLVPS can be obtained from he U.S.Fsh andWildlife Service, Nadonal Wetlands InventoryCenter, Suite 101, Monroe Building, 9720Executive Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2440; phone (813)570-5425; fax (813)570-5409;or via e-mail from [email protected] for the February 15, 1997 edition of the"National List of Vascular Plant Species that Occurin Wetlandsn compiled by Porter B. (Buck)Reed,Jr- Not all plants that occur in wetlands have beenassigned indicator statuses; furthermore,some ofthe indicator statuses given ID the NLVPS do notaccurately reflect a plant's affinity for wetlands inour region. Since the list is revised periodically andth e submission of comments is encouraged,however, there is plenty of opportunity for the list tobe refined and improved. Comments can be sent [email protected]. This provides avaluable chance for anyone having experience with

wetland plants in our region to have input intofuture iterations of the NLVPS.

Carerlept&3 istle-stalkedsedgeNotes on the Taxonomy andNomenclaturalChanges in Carex

Alan Y en, University of WashingtonFred Weiomann, Environmental Protection AgencyCarex is th e largest genus of vascular plants inNorth America and the Pacific Northwest. There areover 600 Carex species in North America, morethan 130 of which are found in th e PacificNorthwest . Most people f ind Carex to be anintimidating group of plants to learn, and there arcgood reasons for the general apprehension towardsthe genus.The differences among species are oftenminute an d the interpretation of the charactersambiguous.This article covers a brief overview onthe taxonomy of the genus Carex, characters used indelimiting major groups within the genus with


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of th e Utah Native Plant Societyspecific reference to Hitchcock's "Flora of thePacific Northwest," a n d some nomenclaturalchanges since the publ ica t ion of Hitchcock's"Flora.Brief history onCarex taxonomyThe genus Carex was named by Linnaeus and ischaracterized by having achenes enclosed in bractscalled perigynia. There are about 2,000 Carexworldwide, most of which are in the temperateregions. However , there is a distinct group oftropical Carex found in the montane areas of thetropics-Carex belongs to the tribe Cariceae in thefamily Cyperaceae, which comprises about 100genera and 4,000-5,000species. Four other generaare traditionally classified w i t h Carex in th eCariceae-Kobresia, Schoenoxiphium, Uncinia, andC ymo p ~ l l u s .Carex traditionally is divided into three to foursubgenera and about 80 sections. Recognition ofsubgenera within Carex is based entirely o nphenetic similarity an d may not necessarily reflectevolutionary relationships. Subgenus Primocarex,with 60 species, is characterized by a singleterminal inflorescence and is considered artificial bymost authors. Subgenus Carex, with 1,400 pecies,i s a morphologically diverse group whosephylogenetic relationships within the subgenus andto other subgenera are unclear. Subgenus Vignea,with about 400 to 500 species, is generallyconsidered a natural group, although this hypothesishas not been tested. Subgenus Indocarex, withabout 100 mostly tropical species, is considered themost primitive subgenus n Carex by most, but notall, authors.The present classification of Carex, except for thesystematic position of Primocarex, largely followsth e system of Georg Kukenthal (1909) , w h oorganized Carex i n t o four subgenera, based oninflorescence structure. Kenneth Mackenzie (I931,1935) w a s the last person to complete acomprehensive treatment of the North AmericanCarex. Most regional floras in the United Statesfollow the treatment of Mackenzie with somemodifications. Because of the large size of the

genus, taxonomic keys to species of Carex arealmost always divided into groups. Some floras("Flora of the Northeastern United States an dCanada," "Flora of Canada") divide species intosections (such as Ovales, Atratae, Limosae, tc.),while others (such as "Flora of Pacific Northwest,"The Jepson Flora") d i v i d e species intomorphologically similargroups.All subgenera except Indocarex are present in th ePacific Northwest. Cronquist, in Hitchcock's"Floraof the Pacific Northwest," divided Cares, into eighgroups. Group I represents subgenus PrimocarexGroups 11-V represent members of the subgenusCarex; and Groups VI-VIII represent members ofthe subgenus Vignea. Primocarex is characterizedby a single terminal inflorescence unit. Suba,enusCarex is characterized by separate male an d femaleinflorescence uni t s . Subgenus Vignea ischaracterized by having male and female flowers onthe same inflorescenceunit.The following is a brief description of each of theeight groups n Hitchcock.SubgenusP~moc a r e xGroup I: There are 17 species in group I, all ofwhich belong to the subgenus PrimocarexCommon species in this group include C. geyerifound in ponderosa pine forests,C . n i g r i cm , foundin wet meadows in the subalpine zone, C. eptateafound in sphagnum bogs in mid-montaneareas, andC . scirpoidea, found in open places and meadows athigh elevation.SubgenusCarexGroup 11. There are eight species in group 11, all ofwhich are large, robust plants. The most commonspecies in this group include C. utriculata (Crostrara misapplied in Hi tchcock) and C. vesicariawhich are both common n freshwater wetlands Thereal C. oszrata is one of the rarest plants in the US.The common plants called C. rostrata are really C.utriculuia,C. omma is a rare sedge in this group,


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Society

CaratutricidaSaBeakedsedge

Reprinted from Frederick J. Hermann, Manual of theCarices of the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Basin,1970.USDA Handbook.

Group 111: There arenine species in group 111, all ofwhich have hairy perigynia Two species, C. rossiiand. C concinnoides,are found commonly in theforests east of the Cascades. C. luzulina is found inmid-montane wetlands. C. lanuginma and C.lusiocarpa are found in wetlands from low to midelevation.Group IV:There are 30 species in group IV, whichis subdivided into four subgroups. All members ofgroup IV have glabrous perigynia, separate maleand female inflorescences, and three s igrnas thatwither after maturation. This is a complex group.Many taxa are common in the mountains, includingC. mertensii, found in disturbed areas along trailsand roads, C. spectabilis, found in mid-montaneareas, C. iuzulina (also in group III , for it sometimeshas hair on the perigynia), found in wet areas inmid-montane areas, and C. Umosa, found in bogs.C. mplifolia is found in low elevation wetlands.Group V: Group V contains 18 species, which arecharacterized by having separate male and femaleinflorescence units and two stigma. The taxonomyof many of the species in group V has been revisedby Lisa Standley (see below). This group containssome of the most common Carex species includingC. ienticuloris and C.aquatilis, both found in wethabitats from low to high elevation. One of the mostbeautiful species, the golden sedge, C. aurea,belongs to group V. Carex aurea has goldencolored perigynia when mature and hence the name,Subgenus VigneaGroup VI: There are 19 species in group VI,characterized by having male and female parts onthe same inflorescence unit with male parts on topof female parts (androgynous) or plants dioec ious.Many species in this group are common wetlandspecies such as C. usickii, C. stipata, C.disperma,and C. diandra.Group VII: There are 11 species in group VII,which is characterized by having male and femaleparts on the same nflorescence unit with femaleparts on top of male parts (gynaecandrous) andwingless perigynia. The common species in this


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyTable 1. Nomenclatural changessince the publication of

Hitchcock's"Floraof the Pacific Northwest"NAME IN HITCHCOCK NEW NAME REFERENCEC.foetida C. ernacula Mastrogiuseppe 1993C.oeti& comprises both American and European plants.The American plants have more often beencalled C.verruseuia, although Cronquist, in Hitchcock's "~lora"hought the ~ m e r i & n lants deserved only varietal status.However, both Mackenzie (193 1, 1935)and Mastrogiuseppe ( 1 993) recognizedC. emacula at the species level.C. imnopAi/a C.microptera Whitkus and Packer 1984C. limno~hita as merged with C.microptern in a studyof he C.m a c t o v ~omplex by W hitkusand Packer.There have been numerous name changes in this group, which includes C. ac~ystachya,~.a y d e n h a , C.microptera,and C.mucloviana.Whi tkus and Packer'streatment is similar to that in Hitchcock's "Flora" n that thespeciesnames of C. achystachya,C. haydentcma,and C. micropterawere all preserved.The definition of C.macloviana was expanded to C. h t n o~h i l a .C. rnuricata C. echinata subsp. echinata Reznicek 1980C.phylhmanica C. echinafa subsp.phyllomanka Reznicek 1980Reznicek (1980) revised the taxonomy of Carex section Stellulatae, to which C.mwicataandC. hyltoman1Caboth belong. Reznicek concluded, on the basis of herbarium records, that C .murk& L. s an ncorrect name forC. echitiala subsp. echinataand C.p h y l l o ~ c as merely a subspecies ofC. chinata.C.pensylvanka var. vespertinu C. inops subsp. inops Crins & Ball 1982C.pensylvanica var. digyna C. mp s subsp.heiiophila Crins & Ball 1982Crins and Ball studied the taxonomy of he C. pensylvanka complex and concluded on the basis of cytologicaland geographical evidence that all westernC.pensylvanica should be C. imps,with tw o subspecies. The JepsonManual"follows this treatment.C-oederi C . viridula subsp. viridula var. viridula Crins and Ball 1988C. viridula is'a widespread taxon with circumpolar distribution.On the basis of a study of the morphology,genetics,ecology, and geography of the Corexj7avacomplex, Crins and Ball chose to use C. viridula, forwhichC. ederi is a synonym.C. rostrata C. ostrata and C.utriculata Reznicek 1985The common wetland C .rostrata should becalled C.utriculata. (See T h e rue Carex rostrata in the AmericanRockies, p.11)C- urycarpa C. ngustata Standley 1985C .prionophyila C . scopulorum vat. prionophylla Standley 1985C . 1eniiculorIS C. lent1CulorIS var dolia Standey 1985

C. lenticutaris var. impressa Standley 1985C. enficuiarisvar. lentkularis Standley 1985C. enticularis var. lipocarpa Standley 1985C. enticularis var. l i m p h i l a Standley 1985

C. itchensis C.aquatiiis var. dives Standley 1985Standley merged C. sitchensis, a. robust plant found near the coast, into C.aquotilisvar. dives, and C.prionophylia into C. copulorum var. prionophylia. Three new varieties ofC. enticularis (var. dolia, var.lipocorpa, and var. impressa)were described.In addition, C. eurycarpa was changed o C. angustam for theformer name was misapplied.C. saxaiilis var. major C .saxtilis Ford and Ball 1992C. saxatitis var. m/or has long been thought to be a synonymof C. saxatilis. However, Ford and Ball (1992)reported that the type forC. axatiiis var. major is a hybrid betweenC. axtilisand C. utriculola,therefore thetype is invalid.C. stewp?ylla C.eleocharis Mastrogiuseppe 1993C. stenophylla is another example of a European name applied toAmericanplants. Cronquist, in Hitchcmk's"Flora,"believed that C. stenophylla and C. eleocbaris cannot be sorted out without reference to geography.However, both Mackenzie (1931, 1935)and Mastrogiuseppe ( l993), adopted the name C. eieocharis to refer tothe American plants.


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The Sego Lily Newsletterof he Utah Native Plant Societygroup include C. deweyana (a forest species), C.canescens, C. echinata var. echinata [=C.mwicata}, C. nterior, and C. laeviculmus, all ofwhich are found in freshwater wetlands at variouselevations.Group VIII: There are 25 species in group VIII,which is characterized by having male and femaleparts on the same inflorescence unitr with femaleparts on top of male parts (gynaecandrous) andwinged perigynia. All members of group VIIIbelong to Cores, section Ovales, a complex andnotorious1y difficult section. Several speciesin thisgroup key out inmore than oneplace in Hitchcock's"Flora," indicating the difficulties involved inspecies delineation. One of the most commonspecies is Carex pachystachya, found in manydifferent habitats from low to high elevation. Ataxonomic revision of the Carex pachystachyacomplex by R. Whitkus was published in 1984,resulting in some name changes in this group.AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to acknowledge LisaStandley for her contribution to the initialorganization of an article like this one and ArtKruckeberg for kindly providing that initialmanuscriptReferencesCrins, W. . and P.W. all. 1982.The taxonomy ofthe Carex pcnsytvanica complex (Cyperaceae) nNorth America. Can. J. Bot 61:1692-1717.Crins,W. . and P.W. all. 1988.Taxonomy of theCarex flava complex (Cyperaceae) in NorthAmerica and northern Eurasia. II . Taxonomictreatment. Can. J. BO L67: 048-1065.Ford, B.A, and P.W.Ball. 1992.The taxonomy ofthe circumpolar short-beaked taxa of Carex sectionVesicwiae.S y s t Bot. 17:620-639.Kukenthal, G. 1909. Cyperaceae-Caricoideae. InDas Pflanzenreich IV. Vol. 20, heft 38. A. Engler,ed. Wilhelm Englemann, Leipzig. pp. 1-824.Mackenzie, K.K. 1931. Cyperacecte-Cwiceae.N.Am. Flora 18 (1- 3): 1-168.Mackenzie, K.K. 1935. Cyperaceae-Cariceae.N1Am. Flora 18 (4-7):69-478.

female-


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyMastrogiuseppe, J . 1993,Carex. Pp. 107-1 138 inThe Jepson manual, higher plants of California. J .C.Hickman, ed . Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley.Reznicek, A. A. and P. W. Ball. 1980. Thetaxonomy of Carex, section Stellulalae in NorthAmerica north of Mexico. Contribution of the Univ,Mich. Herbarium 14:153-203.Reznicek, A. A. 1985. What is Carex rostrataStokes?Am. J. Bot. 72966.Standley, L A. 1985. Systematics of the Aculaegroup of Carex (Cyperaceae) in the PacificNorthwest. Syst. Bot. Monogr. Vol. 7.Whitkus, R and J . G. Packer. 1984.A contributionto the taxonomy of the Carex macloviana aggregate(Cyperaceae)in western Canada and A laska. Can.J. Bot. 62:1592-1607.Adapted from "Douglasia," the newsletter of th eWashington Native Plant Society and "Sage Notes,"Newsletter of the Idaho Native Plant society.

NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATIONINITIATIVE1999Action Agenda Meeting Highlights

Lady Bird JohnsonWildflower Center,Austin, Texas, anuary 11-15, 1999by Dr.Alyce M. reha, UNPS Board of DirectorsBackgroundThe Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS) oard ofDirectors recently voted to join the Native PlantConservation Initiative (NPCI). The NPCI is aconsortium of ten federal agencies (Members)andover 100 lion-federal Cooperators representingseveral disciplines within the conservation field:biologists , botanists , hort iculturists , habitatpreservationists, resource managers, conservationorganizations,concerned citizens, nature lovers andgardeners. A n y interested organization with amission statement that includes preserving andprotecting our nation's ecosystems and theircomponents may become a Cooperator. Some ofthe Cooperators include: TNC, botanical gardenssuch as Red Butte Garden, native plant societies,

private consultants, seed companies, nurseries angarden clubs.NPCI1sNational StrategyCooperators pledge their support to the NPClNational Stategy which consists of six objective(NPCI, 1995).They are to:

Bring people and organizations together to sharesources and talents to effectively conserve thnation's native plants.Provide opportunities for people to enjounderstand an d value native plants and placommunities.Ensure conservation and restoration of nativplants and natural plant communities througecosystem-based conservation.Encourage the scientific community to conduresearch and develop technology in support onative plant conservation.Encourage practices that support appropriaand sustainable uses of beneficial plants.Promote the development and use ocoordinated databases and information-sharinto support native plant conservation.

NPCI Members and Cooperators collaborateorder to solve native plant extinction problems anres tore nat ive habi tats , ensuring ecosystepreservation. Federal plant conservation resourceare pooled at the national level to provide a focusestrategic approach to plant conservation at the loclevel on both public and private lands. NPCI seekto eliminate duplication of effort and increaseffectiveness of these programs (NPCI, 1995).


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T h e Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Society

Benefits toNPCI CooperatorsNPCI Cooperators:

may apply for conservation grants awarded bythe NFCI through t h e National Fish andWildlife Foundation.have access to combined resources an d sharedknowledgeof all Members and Cooperatorssuch as grant project reports, restoration modelsand educational guides and material.wil l receive the NPCI newletter, PlantingFoundations and other NPCI publications.c a n be l inked t o NCPI's w e b s i t e(http://w ww .nps.gov/plants/).may host the NPCI traveling exhibit whichhighlights uses, conservation an d threats tonative plants.may participate in the f i ve working groups:Exotics, Pollinators, Restoration, InformationSharing and Public Outreach.

NPCI Action Agenda MeetingI had the opportunity of representing the UNPS atth e NPCI Action Agenda Meeting that was heldJanuary 1 1- 15, 1999 at the Lady Bird JohnsonWildflower Center in Austin, Texas. The Meetingw as attended by more t h a n 100 NPCIrepresenta t ives f rom federal agenc ies a n dorganizations throughout the U.S. There was a highpercentage of federal government agenciesrepresented including the national botanists fromthe U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of LandManagement.I spent most of my t ime t a lk ing to therepresentatives from other state native plantsocieties. The president of the Indiana Native Plantan d Wildflower Society was especially exuberantabout promoting th e native plant conservation

message to the public. The Indiana Society hasover 600 active and enthusiasticmembers.From my conversations with meeting attendees, Icame to the conclusion that plant conservationproblems are similar across the country bu t the floraaffected changes from place to place. Developmentis decreasing native plant habitat and native plantcommunities are in peril due to the effects of habitatfragmentation and invasion by exotic plant species.Although funding for plant conservation programsis scarce to nowexistant in most places, there seemsto be a genuine interest by the general public toinitiate vo l un t e e r e f f o r t s and pe r pe t ua t econservationprojects.On Monday afternoon (1 11/99),w e assembled inthe audi tor ium at the Wildflower Center f o rintroductions by Dr. Robert Breunig, W ildflowerCenter Director and Peggy OIwell, Federal NPCIChairwoman. After the keynote address by Dr.Peter White , Director of the North CarolinaBotanical Garden, we listened to speakers addressvarious topics regarding the operating proceduresand previous accomplishmentsof the NPCI .We spent the next two days in two differentworking groups developing action plans to acheivet h e desired outcornes/group object ives . Iparticipated in the Exotics Working Group onTuesday (1 12/99) and Restoration Working Groupon Wednesday (1113199). On Thursday morning(1/14/99),we re-assembled in the auditorium forreports from the f i v e working groups on exotics,pollinators, restoration, information sharing andpublic outreach- There were several excellent ideaspresented during this session. Friday morning(1/15/99), we went on an extremely informativefield t r ip to the Mayfield and Forest RidgeReserves to see Austin's best examples of habitatrestoration and endangered species preservation.The best part of the meeting w as the luncheon andthe special award presentation to Lady Bird Johnsonby Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt held in theWildflower Center's Visitors Gallery. There werehuge bouquets of flowers placed at strategiclocations within th e Visitors Gallery and lovely


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Societywildflower arrangements on each table. The mealwas a feast fit for an y botanist or gardenerextraordinaire. Flowers and herbs decorated ourplates and garnished our food and drinks. 1 havenever seen such attention to detail or so many secretservicemen in m y life.Secretary Babbitt, on behalf of the NPCI, presentedLady Bird with a lifetime acheivement award forfounding the Lady Bird JohnsonWildflower Centerand her contributions to national wildflowerconservation. At 86 years of age, the Texas GrandDame of Wildflower Conservation stood proudlyaccepting her award and said she "wanted topreserve the beautiful wildflowers of this greatcountry for her grandchildren, especially the TexasBlue Bonnets."The purpose of the Wildflower Center is to educatepeople about the environmentalnecessity, economicvalue and natural beauty of native plants. TheWildflower Center provides information to statehighway departments, landscape designers,developers, teachers and backyard gardeners. Bysharing its knowledge, he Center encourages alegacy of regional beauty, economic savings andrestoration of damaged habitats (LBJWC,1997)."Whatever its condition, the environment is, afterall, a reflection of ourselves-our tastes, ouraspirations,our successes and our failures."-Lady Bird Johnson.Let us all pitch in to continue the conservationlegacy of this great Lady from Texas and helpprotect Utah'sdiversified native flora. If you wantto volunteer to promote and implement th e NPC1Strategy objectives by planting native landscapesorworking on restoration projects come to the UNPSmeetings and get involved. With your help, theUNPS can create conservation "successesuhere inthe Intermountain RegionReferencesNational Plant ConservationInitiative. 1995. NIT1National Framework for Progress, 12p.

Lady Bird JohnsonWildflowerCenter. 1997. LadyBird Johnson Wildflower Center Map and GuidPamphlet

Dick Hildreth Receives LifetimeAcheivement AwardRed Butte Garden's Education Director, W. R(Dick) Hildreth, received the Utah CommunityForest Council's first "Lifetime AchievemenAward" during its annual membership meeting onNovember 6, 1998. The award was established torecognize individuals who have made exceptionacontributions to the community in the areas oarboricultureand forestry. Dick was recognized fo21 years of educational work he has provided foRed Butte Garden and the community. Among himany contributions to the community, Dickestablished the Utah Native Plant Society in 1978co-founded the Utah Community Forest Council in1991, and helped the International Society oArboriculture establish a certification program inthis region, hereby decreasing damage to trees dueto unprofessional care.Dick also had a vital role in th e planning anddevelopment of Red Butte Garden. I n the earlyyears, he assembled a board of scientists andcommunity leaders to help promote and define thevision of the organization. He also acted solely athe staff of the Garden, doing everything fromcollectingplant species to establishing the Garden'seducational programs. He remains one of the mosknowledgable horticulturists in the state (as well ain California, where he began his career with theUniversity of California at Davis Arboretum).When asked what inspired him to devote his life toplants, h e jokingly responded, "Well, when yougrow up o n the United States Department oAgriculture Horticultural Research and PlanIntroduction Station, you don't really have much ofa choice." Located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, hestation researches all types of plants for the highplains area. Dick's father was a researcher thereand early on, gave Dick some projects to work onincluding collection of seed from plant selection


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of th e Utah Native Plant Societygrown in the research fields. Dick began his firsthorticultural research project at thirteen, hybridizingClematisp d cu l a t a .After more than two decades with Red ButteGarden, Dick will be retiring this summer. He sayshe plans to resume some plant breeding projectswhich he began almost30 ears ago.

Wanted:Interested gardeners to participate inacomparative study ofbackyard pollinators.

Vince Tepedino of the USDA ARS Bee Biology &Systematics Lab in Logan would like to hear fromgardeners in the Salt Lake Valley who are interestedin participating i n a study of th e effects ofurbanization on local native bee pollinators. If yo uhave a flowerlvegetable garden and a spot on afence/barn/tree, etc. where a small, unobtrusivenesting station (it's ust a cardboard tube with strawinserts)could be placed, le t Vince know either by e-mail or snailmail.The species that will use these tubes to nest in arenot aggressive (unless, of course, you decide to tryto harvest their pelts). It would also help if you werewilling to observe the nest tubes once per week andjust record which tubes had been plugged: thiswould take 5 - 10minutes per week.Vince is interested in several participants each indeep urban (Salt Lake City), suburban and ruralsettings. Every thing you need gratefully supplied byUSDA. Please respond as soon as possible to:Vincent J. Tepedino, USDA ARS Bee Biology &Systematics Lab, Department of Biology, UtahState University, Logan UT 84322-5310. e-mail:andremabiology.usu-edu

ResearchGrants from UNPSUtah Native Plant Society has moneyavailable to assist graduate student research andother projects that highlight Utah native plants or

plant communities. Projects could include, but arenot limited to: education, conservation, fieldsurveys of rare species, experimental research, orhorticulture. The grant program is open toindividuals, groups or organizations. ProposalsfromUNPS chapters and committees are not eligible forthis program and should be submitted directly to theBoard of Directors for consideration. Awards willbe made on a competitive basis. The award limit is$1000 per project per year.

Proposals should consist of a brief outline(one or two pages) consisting of the fol lowingsections:Introduction, project description, relevance to thepurpose of UNPS, objectives of the study, methodsto be used, how results will be handled (report.publication, or other form of final product). Theapplicant's background a nd statement ofqualificationsor resume and project budget shouldbe submitted with the proposal. Awarded projectsmust, at completion, submit a brief summary of theproject for publication in Sego Lily.

Proposals should be submitted by M a y 1,1999, to: UNPS, P.O.Box 520041, Salt Lake City,Utah, 84152-0041, attn: Proposal ReviewCommittee. Awards will be decided by June 1,1999. In future years, the deadline for proposals willbe March 1, and awards will be decided by mid-April.


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UNPS SEGOLILYc /oJo St01hand Non-Profit Org.Utah Native Plant Society U.S. Postage \PAIDP.O.Box 520041Salt LakeCity, UT 84X&OO41 ! Salt LakeCity, UtahPERMIT No. 327 ::Return Service Requested

WILDLAND NURSERY would like to extend aspecial invitation to members of the Utah NativePlant Society to our open house on April 23,24 nd25 , 1999. Our goal at Wildland Nursery is not onlyto provide a wide variety of native plants, but alsoto support efforts to educate people in the benefitsof using natives in the landscape. We are a newbusiness but growing quickly, your suggestions tohelp us serve you would be greatly appreciated.The nursery is located at 1221lsouth 4000 west inRiverton, UT. Hours are 900 am to 6:00 PMMonday through Friday and 9:00 to 500 onSaturday. And our new address iswildlandnursery@w ww .corn.

Membership Application0 ew Member 0 enewal 0 GiftNameStreet

If Gift, From:CheckMembershipCategolyDesired0 tudent $6.00I3 Senior $10.000 ndividual $12.000 Household $20.000 ustaining $35-00SupportingOrganization $50.00m~orporak $250.00and up0 ifetime $250.00

0 lease send a complimentarycopy of he Sego Lily tthe above individual.Pleaseenclose a check, payable to Utah Native PlantSociety, and send it to:MembershipUtah Native Plant SocietyP.O.Box 520041Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-0041

Ifyou prefer not to cut this out of your Sego Lily, feel frcopy die membership form or simply write the the informadown and send it with payment and categoryof membership


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VOL. 22 No. 3

Thursday, May 133:30 PMSaturday, May 15.9:00AM

Wednesday,May 196:OO PM

Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Sock

Thursday, May 207:OOPMSaturday, May 229:O- 1:30AM

Saturday June 129:00am

July 10, 19999:00AM to 4:00

MayiJun 1999CALENDAR O F EVENTSSalt Lake Chapter meeting, John and Mary Jim EnglishGarden Tour. Outstanding collectionof hemlocks anddesert plants. 2453 East 3080 South (Gregson), SLCUtah Heritage Garden open house and breakfastpot-luck,Wasatch Elementary School, 1080North 900East,Provo, Public invited, bring food!Board ofDirectors Meeting, RBGA,Ft. DouglasTreeplanting ceremony tocelabrate Dick Hildreth'sretirement. Cottom's Gulch,W. fMuseumof NaturalHistoryOn he U. ofUtah campus.Rock Canyon Nature Day. UtahHeritageGarden plantingparty, Rock CanyonTrailhead Park, just east of the LDStemple in Provo. Come early (7:00 m) orgreatbirdwatching with experts;bring your unch fora picnic

in the Pavilion, and stay tohear aboutWeeds versusWildflowers and proposed plans for restoration of thecanyon mouth.Joint SaltLakeand Utah Valley chapter meeting andHeritageGarden tour.Meetatthe ThanksgivingPointAnimal Park Heritage Garden, proceed to Rock CanyonTrailhead andWasatch SchoolHeritageGardens, then totheMeyer-Schultzresidence in Elk Ridge forpenstemonviewing and potluck lunch on he deck.IntermountainNatives forLow-Water Utah Landscapes: ASymposiumon theirPropagation,Production, andUse.Utah State University Biology and Natural ResourcesBuilding rm 102.Details inside.


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Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyTheComplexW eb of LifeUnderGround

Peter Lesica, Montana Natural Heritage Programfrom Kelseya, the newsletter of the Montana NativePlant Society,Autumn 1999.Reprinted with permission.Achlorophyllous (non-green) plants usually attractnotice. They seem so anomalous, so "unnatural."Green plants use chlorophyll to capture sunlight andproduce food. These white, yellow or red plants areclearly different; how do they make a living? Form a n y years i t was thought that someachlorophyllous plants were saprophytes (obtainingnutrition f r o m decaying plant material) orrnycorrhizai (implying mutual benefit to bothpartners). We now know that neither is th e case. Allachlorophyllous vascular plants in Montana areparasites; t hey obtain nutrition from a host,damaging but no t killing that host. The process ofparasitism is varied and interesting.In our area achlorophyllous plants occur in fiveplant families:Loranthaceae (mistletoes)

Cuscutaceae (dodders)Orobaochaceae (broomrapes)Ericaceae (ericads)Orchidaceae (orchids)

Mistletoes and dodders attach themselves to th ebranches of other vascular plants and l ive theirentire lives completely in the vegetation canopy.Dwarf mistletoes {Arceuthobium spp.) parasitizeconiferous trees causing deformed branches, andheavy infestations may eventually kill the host.Dodders (Cuscuta spp.) twine around the stems andleaves of herbaceous and shrubby host plants inmany families. Both mistletoes and dodders areperennials and can cause damage of economicimportance by infest ing commercial timber orcrops.Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) also parasitize greenvascular plants, but they do i t underground,attaching their roots to the roots of a host. Manyspecies specialize on hosts in the Aster Family,especial1y sagebrushes (Artemisia spp.), however,

one-flowered broomrape (0. unifloru) has muchmore catholic tastes. Many species of broomrapeare annuals. All three of these groups of plants havelong been recognized as parasitic.It is th e achlorophyllous orchids and ericads thacause confusion about life history. These includeth e coral-root orchids (Corallorhiza spp.) and candystripe {Allotropa virgata), Indian pipe (Monotropuniflora) pi nes p (Hypopitys monotropu} andpinedrops (Pterospora andromeda) i n theEricaceae. These plants usually occur in forest soilswith deep humus ayers.This led to the belief that they were obtainingnutrition directly from decaying plant materialLater it was observed that their roots or rhizomeare filled with fungal hyphae. Some scientistsassumed hat these achlorophyllous plants formed abelow-ground symbiotic partnership with the fungamycelium the way most vascular plants doHowever, green plants supply their fungal partnerswith carbohydrates in exchange for soil nutrientstrue symbiosis, bu t achlorophyllous plants have ncmeans to manufacture food so they have no way tobenefit their associated fungi. Rather, the plantsinduce the fungal mycelium to enter their roots andthen digest them parasitism not symbiosis.The achlorophyllous ericads are usually associatedwi th the same fungi that form mycorrhizalsymbioses with coniferous forest trees. Pinesapparasit izes members of th e genus SuillusRhizopogon, and close relatives; Indian pipe wasfound with members of the genus Russula; andpinesap parasitizes a single species of Rhizopogont h r o u g h o u t its entire range. L i k e t h eachlorophyllous vascular plants, these fungi cannomanufacture complex carbon compounds such assugars. But with their f ine net of subterraneanhyphae, they sequester mineral nutrients from thesoil and supply them to their tree partners inexchange for carbohydrates that the trees have inexcess. Carbon compounds are made by coniferstransferred to the mycorrhizal fungus, and thentaken by the pinedrops or Indian pipe. In this waythe trees supply both the fungus and non-greenplants with food. The wintergreens (Pyrola spp.) are


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The SegoLily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Society

Striped coral-root(CoraSoftsizamia}by Jeanne R.Jani.

closely related to pinesap and pinedrops, and insome instances, they too may become totallydependent on fungi for carbohydrates. For manyyears leafless wintergreens were considered adistinct species, Pyrola aphylla, until i t wasdiscovered that different species of wintergreencould become leafless, presumably when there is amore substantial relationship with the fungicomparedto their leafy conspecificstThese leaflesswintergreens are considered an evolutionaryintermediate stage between mycorrhizal andachlorophyllousspecies of theWintergreen Family.Coral-rootorchids may also parasitize mycoirhizalfungi, but they have more often been foundassociatedwith root rotting fungi such asArmUlorlarnelka,the honey mushroom. These fungi parasitizeconiferous trees for carbohydrates and are in turnparasitized by the orchids.This life history helps explain results of a recentstudy from northwest Montana where spotted coral-root was found to be more common n old-growthforests compared to myear-oldsecond growth*Theroot rot that foresters so despise is food for theorchids thatwe admire.These simple-appearing plants give testimony to hecomplex web of life going on below ground.Further Reading Farman, T.E. and J.M. Trappe.1971. Phylogeny and ecology of achlorophyllousangiosperms. Quart Rev. of BioL 46:219-225.Cullings, K.W., T.M. Szaro, and T.D. Bruns. 1996.Evolution of extreme specialization within a lineageof ectomycorrhizal epiparasites. Nature 379:63-66.

A Role of Thumb forBotanists;The 1-in-20RuleDr,David H.WagnerFrom the Oregon Flora On-Une Newsletter, OregonState University, Vol. I (3), July 1995. ,Reprinted with permission.There have apparently been instances in the pastwhere well-meaning botanists have destroyed plantpopulations through over zealous collecting. The


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Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Societycase most familiar to m e concerns one of theworld ' s rarest ferns , the pum i c e grape-fern,Bofrvchium pumicola. A student searching for newsites found two individuals of this species onOregon's T um a l o Mountain in 1954 which hecollected to make herbarium specimens. In the late1970s I searched the top of Tumalo Mountain withfriends. We were experienced fern hunters, but wefound no Bmychium. I strongly suspect that thet w o plants r emoved in 1954 eliminated thepopulation at this location. Today w e would hopethat botanists finding only one or two plants at a sitewould document their discovery with photographsand notes. Good photographs and careful field notesare increasingly acceptable for recording plantdiscoveries.Nevertheless, from time to time, a field worker mayencounter a small population of a plant and feel it isnecessary to collect a bit of i t for positiveidentification and documentation. The Native PlantSociety of Oregon's Guidelines and Ethical Codesfor botanists urges that a collector use goodj udgment and rules of t humb when decidingwhether or not to collect. But in this case, what is agood rule of thumb? During the past 10 years, Ihave been using what I call he the "1-in-20 Rule."The 1411-20 Rule dictates that a botanist nevercollect more than one ou t of 20 plants. It meansNOT collecting ONE lant UNTIL you have foundat leastTWENTY. nly if 20 are found should youconsider collecting one plant. And 40 should bepresent before tw o are taken, and so on. The ruleapplies to parts of plants, also: remove nomore than5%(one-twentieth) of a shrub, one fern frond froma clump of 20,5% of a patch of moss, 5% of seedsfrom a plant. I use the 1-in-20 Rule whether I amcollecting voucher specimens for the herbarium,doing rare plant work, or gathering common speciesforclassroom use.The 1-in-20 Rule does not obviate the need for goodjudgment. Only when a botanist has the knowledgeto assess whether collecting is both ecologicallyjustified and legally permitted should a specimen betaken.Any pertinent factor relating to th e survivalof a population needs to be superimposed on the 1-

in-20 Rule. The main value of this rule of thumb isto provide a clear point of reference from which tobegin assessing a situation. I t helps a botanistdetermine how m u ch t ime should be spentinventorying before sampling is appropriate. Isuggest the I-in-20 Rule as a minimal criterion to bemet before any taking of a plant be considered.There is a t least a modicum of scientific logicbehind this rule. Statistically, a population sampleof 19 is not significantlydifferent from a sample of20. One population geneticist I consulted advisedme that contemporary statistical theory wouldsupport th e 1-in-20 ule. Another pointed outhowever , that repeated collecting would tend toreduce every population to 19 individuals. Thiscaution serves to emphasize that the 1411-20ule isa rule of thumb, not a license to ravage.An interesting line of argument in support of the 1-in-20 Rule has developed since I first published theidea in the Bulletin of the Native Plant Society ofOregon in 1991.First, I received a letter from JamesGrimes of the New York Botanical Gardenquerying whether or not I had picked up the ideafrom a similar article he and others had published inthe newsletter of th e Idaho Native Plant Society afew years before. I honestly cannot recall seeingtheir note. Then, last year, four botanists fromAustralia and New Zealand published an article inth e international journal, Taxon, which madeessentially the same recommendation. Thus, hreebotanists or groups of botanists, deliberatingindependently, have arrived at the same standard. Isubmit that this concurrence from three separatesources speaks strongly for the sensibility of the 1-in-20 Rule.

AwesomeOpuntiasby Joseph PearlReprinted from "Southwest Trees and Turf 3:l2(9)1998.

Enough of the negative talk of these great landscapeplants, let me tell you some of the assets of theOpuntia genus. What a great plant to use for a


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant Societysecurity hedge, a unique specimen plant and/or awildlife habitat. For a low- or no-maintenancelandscape, the Opuntia is the perfect plant. Thereare so m a n y options available, that al l one needs todo is take some time and research what type ofcholla or prickly pear is most desired.The flowering of the prickly pear is unequalled inthe desert. The Engelman's prickly pear, with itsvivid orange blooms, is a true spectacle. The bunnyears, with its profusion of yellow blooms, is upthere in ornamental values as well. After flowering,the plants develop fruits called tunas. They can beused in making jams and jellies or even eaten raw.The pads of some -plants are also used as a foodsource for both people and animals.

As for the wildlife that are attracted to this genus,do no t know where to start. Perhaps the cactuswren, who has found residence in the cholla, is agood place to begin. What about the prickly pear,that provides sustenance for the collared peccary,A K A . javelins? These two are just the tip of the

iceberg of the wild critters that depend the Opuntiagenus.As far as where these plants can be found growingin the deserts, look in Arizona, New MexicoMexico, California, Utah, Baja California, andTexas. They can be found growing at elevations ahigh as 6,000 feet down to sea level. They grow inareas that will make you scratch your head andwonder how they manage to survive.When planting in the landscape, allow room fothem to grow. No rrigation is needed once hey areestablished, but a good drink every now and then ihelpful. Although they are true desert dwellers, onemust still remember that when using them in alandscape, some water will be required. The morethey are watered, the larger they will get. Certainlnot rocket science.No matter how one looks at these plants, they argreat to use in the landscape. Moderation should beused, but there are many varieties that can enhanca native landscape. Take some time before plantingand decide which ones will look the bestRemember to choose your planting location withcaution and enjoy a plant that gets little positivrecognition.

PropagationWorkshopsA SuccessBy Susan Meyer, Utah County ChapterOver sixty people participated in UNPS-hostedplant propagation workshops held in early Februaryin Provo and Salt Lake. People enjoyed thexperience. Some comments w e received onevaluations were "very informative","educationaand a lot of fun", and "hands on workshops arreally the best way to learn".Each person was given the opportunity to planseeds of up to twelve species out of a total onineteen different species for which seeds werprovided. The species list included rare1y grownplants like spider milkweed (Asclepias asperulaand shining muttongrass {Poa fendleriand), as welas old stand-bys like Indian ricegrass (Stipa


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The Segu Lily Newsletter of th e Utah Native Plant Societyhymenoides), P a l m e r pens temon (Penstemonpalmers) and showy goldeneye (Vigueramultiflora).The list also included shrubs like green mormon tea[ E p h e d r a v i r i d i s ) , r u b b e r r a b b i t b r u s h{Chrysothumnus nuuseusus), a n d mountain bigsagebrush (Artemisia tridentuia ssp. vaseyana).Each part icipant received a handout wi thdescriptions an d growing information for eachspecies, as well as more general information aboutpropagating natives from seed. We hope to use theworkshop handouts as th e beginning of a Utahnative plant horticulture database on the newly-established UNPS website. This database will alsoinclude color pictures of the plants.Participants took home their boxes of plantedSpencer-Lemaire bookplanters and tried their handat growing o u t the plants. On Saturday, May 1,about a third of the participants gathered at theThanksgiving Point production greenhouses for areunion and plant swap. While results were mixed,most of those w ho came to the reunion expressedinterest in taking part in similar workshops in thefuture. Even better, they agreed to become part of agrower network for producing plants for the newlyestablished Utah Heritage Garden program. Thegoal of this program is to increase awareness ofnative plants by establishing demonstration gardensat schools and other public places around the state.This year's workshops resulted in donation ofalmost a thousand plants to Heritage Gardenprojects, as well as providing plants for native plantgardens at the homes of participants.W e would like to thank the USDA Forest ServiceShrub Sciences Laboratory, the University of UtahGrounds Department, and the productiongreenhouses at Thanksgiving Point for hosting ouractivities.

IntermountainNatives forLow-Water UtahLandscapes: A Symposium on their Propagation,

Production, andUseJuly 10, 1999Utah State University Biology and NaturalResourcesBuilding, Room 102The purpose of this symposium is to provideinterested individuals in Utah's green industry th eopportuni ty to hear some of Utah's plantprofessionals talk about their area of expertiseregarding Iotennountain West natives foruse in lowwater landscapes and share their favorite nativespecies. This symposium will also give thoseinterested th e chance to see low waterdemonstration landscapes and research at Utah StateUniversity regarding production an d use ofIntermountain natives.9:00. ntroduction and welcome by Roger Kjelp e n ,

Associate Professor ofHorticulture,Dept. Plant,Soi ls , and Biometeorology, Utah Stateuniversity910. Keynote address by Judy-Ann Buffmire, staterepresentative to Utah legislature (D-SLC) onrecent legislative de ve l opm e n t s on waterconservation and her vision for the future930. Bill Varga, (Dept . Plant , Soi ls , andBiome~eorology)ow water landscaping at the

new Utah State University botanical garden inKayesville10:00. Dick Hildreath, University of Utah, Natives

in the landscapes10:30. Break10:45 Susan Meyer, Forest Service Shrub Lab,Provo, on seed propagation of Intermountainnatives11: 15. Robert Johnson, Great Basin Native PlantN ur s e r y , Chal lenges facing growers ofIntermountain natives11 45. Janett Warner, Wildland Nursery the mostconfused woman about plants, not including12:15. Lunch provided by Dept. Plant, Soils, andBiometeorology, Utah State University ,networkingon your own


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The Sego Lily Newsletterof the Utah Native Plant Society1~00. hil Allen, Botany Dept., Brigham YoungU n i v e r s i t y , u s i n g na t ive s on the 1-15

reconstruction1:30. Franci Delong, Xeriscape Design, L C , SaltLake City, on designing and installing low wateruse landscapes2:OO. Roger Kjelgren, USU, o n research intoproduction and use of Intermountain natives forlow water landscapes230 Adjourn formal meeting, discuss potential forholding similar meeting next year, participantsfill out survey forms3:W-4.00, eeting at farm for tour of USU low-water use landscapingwith Intermountain nativeresearch and demonstration plots

Heritage Garden ProgramPicking Up MomentumBy Susan Meyer,Utah County ChapterIt's hard to believe that it has been less than

a year since the Utah Valley chapter planted theinaugural Utah Heritage Garden at WasatchElementary School in Provo- The garden, whichincludes over ninety species of Utah natives, hasgrown very well and is getting ready to put on aspectacular bloom show in May and June t h i s year.The garden has attracted quite a bit of attention,including the attention of the local school district.They included a visit to the Utah Heritage Garden atWasatch School as on e of ten recommended studentac t i v i t i e s i n ce l eb ra t i o n of the ProvoSesquicentennial. Teachers at Wasatch Elementaryrecently honored Susan Meyer and Bitsy Schultz,chief planners a n d weeders, with Friend ofEducation awards for their efforts.Sometime in the middle of winter w e wereapproached by folks from th e Animal Park atThanksgiving Point about putting in a little UtahHeritage Garden, to be used as part of theirenvironmental education program. The garden,which includes about twenty species of mostlystreamside and mountain environments,was plantedduring Earth W e e k , on April 22. The mainchallenge at this garden was making it goatproof--it's located right next to the goat pens! We are stillworking on signs and interpretive materials.

Several tens of thousands of schoolchildren takepart in the environmental education program atThanksgiving Point each year, so this garden is sureto get lots of use and visibility.Our big planting project this spring is a newUtah Heritage Garden at the Rock CanyonTrailhead in Provo. This Provo City Park was builta fe w years ago; largely to protect the mouth of thecanyon from motorized vehicle impacts. This isone of the very few city parks we know of wheremanagers have vowed--no turf! So it's a natural forone of our gardens. It will include about fiftyspeciesnative to the Wasatch Front. We decided toteam up with some other organizations to get morevisibility for our planting project. Rock CanyonNature Day, May 22, will be co-hosted by the UtahNative Plant Society, the Uinta National Forest, theForest Service Shrub Sciences Laboratory, ProvoCity Parks and Recreation, th e Utah Division ofWildlife Resources , and the Rock CanyonPreservation Alliance. We invite all interestedparties to help us plant our new Heritage Gardenfrom 9:00- 1 30am that Saturday.Not all the HeritageGarden action is in UtahValley. Folks at the University of Utah GroundsDepartment have committed to plant a UtahHeritage Garden in one of he large circle beds onthe mall. Their gardenwill feature a high-diversityxeriscape design with a lot of color. Anothergarden in the works is at Ensign Elementary Schoolin Salt Lake, where there is already a fine 25-year-old planting of native shrubs on a steep formergravel quarry behind the school. We hope to addmore shrubs as well as a lo t of wildflowers, and toreplace the exotic tall wheatgrass on the slopes withnative basin wildrye. The first planting party atEnsign School is scheduled for somet ime inOctober, to reduce the need for follow-up wateringfo r establishment.

W e would like to network with people whoalready have or know about native plant gardens ornaturescapes in public places like schools and parks.If you know of any projects of this kind, please e-mail semeyer@ isoa.com or call Susan Meyer at theShrub Lab i n Provo, 377-5717. Our goal is adirectory and map, possibly on our website, to le tpeople know about these projects. And please


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UNPS SEGO LILYc/o Jo Stolhand Non-Profit Org.Utah Native Plant Society U.S. PostageP.O.Box 520041 P A I DSalt Lake City , UT 84152-0041 Salt LakeCity, UtahPERMIT No. 327Return Service Requested

contact us if you have an idea for a new HeritageGarden,W E H A V E HERITAGE GARDEN T-SHIRTS! These feature th e beautiful UtahLadyfinger Milkvetch logo and sell for $14.00.Proceeds will support the Heritage Garden Program.Get yours at one of the activities listed below, orcontact semeyer@ sisna.com or at 423-2603.

Mem emhip Application0 ewMemoet 4 Rennwd GiftStreetCity Slate

IfGift, From:Check Membership CategoryDesired0 tudent $6.000 enior $10.000 ndividual $12.000 ousehold $20.000 ustaining $35.00Supporting Organization $50.000 t e $250.00aad upLifetime $250.00

0 lease send a complimentary copy of theSego Lily tothe above individual.Please enclose a check, payable to Utah Native PlantSociety, and send it to:MembershipUtah Native Plant SocietyP.O.Box 520041Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-0041

Ifyou prefer not to cut thisout of your Sego Lily, feel freecopy the membership form or simply write the the nformatiodown and send it withpayment and categoryof membership.


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VOL. 22 No. 4

July 14th,6:00PMJuly 17,9:00 A M

August6-7

End ofAugust,TBA

CALENDAR OF EVENTSUNPS BoardofDirectors Meeting, Potluck attheMeyersin Holladay. (801) 272-3275Seed Collection Workshop, Shrub Sci.Lab, 735 N. 00East,Provo.Susan Meyer will teach collectionandprocessing of native seeds. Bring a hat, sunscreen,sturdy shoes, drinking water.WasatchRock Garden SocietyField tripto RubyMountains, NV.Call Bill King (801) 582-0432Albion Basin WildflowerHike: Utah Valley Chapter,DWRWidlifeHeritagePtogram, S h rough (943-6183for ime).Meet atPark andRide ot near base ofLittleCottonwood Canyon.Bring a lunch.

HikeMl Timpanogas to helpmakeaplant list DeaNelson(ForestService)will lead. CallDea 423-3358) fordetails.

RED CANYON, UTAH:GEOLOGY AND PLANTSThereare m y c reaswith d p k plant ~ u n i f i ~a y of explodonw i t h ashort drive from Salt Lake City, Utah. During the summer months, when July ternusually top 1WF, hat better relief couldwe offer visitors tban a nip tothe mountains?relevations provide visitors with much-welcomed cooler temperatures, great scenery, and anabundanceofwildflowers.One of my favoritebotanical areas to observe diminutive species is Red Canyon on theDixieNational Forest in Garfield County atop the Paunsaugunt Plateau of southernUtah. Red Canyon,named for its brightly colored, eroded knolls and scree slopes produced by the weathering anderosion of the red limestonemember of the C l a m Formation, is bisected by State Highway 12.The Red Canyon badlands are located on the western edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, whileBiyceCanyon National Park, abouttenmilesto thesoutheast,makesup its easterncscaipment


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T h e Sego LUy Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietyThis region is composed of dry, sparselyvegetated, sloping terrain that forms an intricatesystem of deeply cut canyons and r ive r valleysseparated by high plateaus. A unique and endemicflora is restricted to the Claron Formation. Plant

species restricted to unusual or distinct rocksubstrates and soils are called edaphic endemics.Edaphic endemics restricted to calcium-carbonate-rich strata are called calciphiles (limestone lovers).Many of this suite of calciphiles endemic to the RedCanyon area can also be found growing on theCiaron Formation at Bryce Canyon National Parkand Cedar Breaks National Monument.Geology: The geological features of themagnificentscenery of this area are the remnantsofextensive sediments deposited in a series of ancientPaleocene lakes during 60 million years ofweathering and erosion. Sediment accumulation inthese oscillating lakes varied as depositionalenvironmentsand climatic conditions changed.Thelakes gradually dried up, and the south-centralportion of Utah was fragmented into a series ofhigh, faulted plateaus, then subjected to millions ofyears of erosion.The thickness of the Claron Formation varies.At Cedar Breaks, it exceeds 1000' while in theBryce Canyon area it generally ranges from 500-800'. Variation in color is due to different amountsof iron and manganese present in the beds.Gradation from white to pink to red represents thestate of oxidation and the concentration of thesemetals in each layer; the densely compacted, red,calcareous beds contain the most iron while theporous,white sandy bedscontainthe leastHardness or erodibility of the beds is highlyvariable and depends on their textural componentsand limestone (carbonate) content. Very soft bedshave more clays and silts present while veryresistant beds have a high percentage of limestoneand dolomite. Softer beds erode to steep-sidedslopes,while harder beds erode to form picturesquelimestone spires, pinnacles, breaks, hoodoos, andwalls, aswell as natural amphitheaters, rock castles,and temples.

Outcrops of these rocks have been called theBadland Cliffs,PinkCliffs,SunsetCliffs, and TableCliffs, all descriptive of landforms outstanding in

form or color. These colorful landscapes attractmillions of visitors to southern Utah each year.The formation has been described as having arapid rate of erosion, largely a function of creepresulting from winter freezing rather than fromrunoff produced from summer thunderstorms. Thelimestone rims atBryce Canyon recede 10"-50". ercentury, which is considered quite rapid bygeological standards. Water in the form of runofffrom winter snow melt and heavy summerthunderstorms contributes to streamflow in this areaand is the primary agent of erosion to these beds.Slopes are so steep (25-45') that storm runofftravels rapidly, taking with it any loose material onits downhill course. Control of soil loss and theresultant heavy sedimentation are major soil erosionproblems of this badland topography.


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The Sego Lily Newsletter of the Utah Native Plant SocietySoil weathering caused by winter freeze-thawcycles or frost heaving loosens the rock fragmentswhich are then carried downhill by the pelting force

of rain during torrential downpours and landslides.As many as 200-300reeze-thaw cycles per year arecommon on south-facingslopeswhere temperaturefluctuation is most pronounced. Soil development islimited, resulting in shallower soils and sparservegetation on south-facing slopes compared tonorth-facing slopes and relatively flat floodplainsites.

The slope soils in Red Canyon are a mixture ofcoarse limestone and fine clay particles arranged inalternating vertical bands overlain by gravel, scree,and talus. Slope soils are generally lacking inorganic matter- North-facing slopes and floodplainsites have greater vegetative cover and more visibleorganic matter than south-facing slopes.Climate: The average annual precipitation of 18.6"falls primarily in the form of snow rom Novemberthrough March. June is the driest month with lessthan an inch of precipitation, and August is thewettest month with almost 3"of precipitation fromsummer thunderstor

1999 utah native plant society annual compliations

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