FIELD JOURNALCapital Area Master Naturalists

Meeting

March 26, 20086:30 p.m.Austin Nature and Science Center

Raymond Slade, Jr. will teach us about the Impacts of urbanization on water resources in the Travis County area. What happens to water quality as Travis County becomes more urban? What are the effects of all that impervious cover during flood peaks? Raymond M. Slade, Jr. served as a Hydrologist for 33 years with the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas until he retired. He authored about 90 reports concerning Texas water resources, with topics including the Edwards aquifer, floods, droughts, rural and urban hydrology, and water quality of surface and ground water.

CAMN Board Meeting

March 6, 20086:45 p.m.ProEd, 8700 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, TX All Master Naturalists are welcome to attend.

Volunteer and Advanced Training Opportunities

Visit the CAMN website and log in to the CAMN Volunteer Calendar to start fulfilling those volunteer hours. The Environment Needs YOU!

M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R

March 2008

Have you taken a walk along the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail lately and noticed the plants trail side? Paid much attention to the plants along the roadside while you were driving to your latest Master Naturalist Volunteer activity? Stopped by the local nursery and saw a few Ligustrum plants for sale?

Whether you are just beginning to notice the local invasion of exotic species or your hands are already bruised and blistered from removing

these plants in our local wild lands, you will be interested in participating in the Invaders of Texas Citizen-Science Program. Sponsored by the LBJ Wildflower Center and coordinated by CAMN Christine Powell, this training opportunity will enable you to detect and map these nasty exotics and do something about the loss of habitat caused by this invasion.

Not all specifics are not determined yet, but check the Wildflower Center website for more information.

Learn to Track Invasives on JUNE 5, 2008

It’s ALL Ligustrum!

weeh-tweeh-tweeh-TWEEsy! Can you hear it? Early March marks the return

of the Golden-cheeked Warbler to the Texas hill country. This warbler spends its winters in the forests of Central or South America and its summers in fewer than 35 counties in south central Texas. Sadly, this unique bird is one of over 200 species of migratory birds whose survival is threatened by the destruction of native habitat -- in both its winter and summer ranges-- due to agriculture and development.

The Golden-cheeked Warbler is a 4 to 5 inch-long songbird with dark gray upperparts and white underparts with thick black streaks on its sides. Its head has a black cap and throat, bright yellow “cheeks”, and a dark eye-line. Dark wings with two white wingbars complete the brightly colored male, while the female is duller with olive-green upperparts, a streaked cap, and a white throat.

This warbler is totally dependent on a mixed woodland of oak and stands of old-growth ashe juniper (or cedar trees) for nesting habitat, just like those found in the ravines and canyons that surround our neighborhood. This unique habitat provides the warbler with long strips of peeling bark from the mature ashe juniper trees, and they use them, along with spider webs, to construct their nests. An insect-eating bird, they forage through the leaves and bark of oaks & other trees, gleaning them of a multitude of caterpillars, spiders, beetles, and other insects.

Golden-cheeked Warblers arrive at their breeding grounds by mid-March, returning to the same territories each

year and nesting from April to May. Females lay 3-4 eggs during the nesting season, with the young fledgling birds leaving the nest only 8 or 9 days after hatching, staying in the vicinity of their caring parents. Of the nearly 360 bird species that breed in Texas, the Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only one that nests exclusively in Texas, and in our neighborhood at that!

As mentioned above, the major threat to the warbler is native habitat destruction and fragmentation, with the most significant factor being the widespread removal of native ashe junipers in south central Texas. Over the twenty year span between the early 1970s and 1990s, coincident with urbanization removing 50% of suitable habitat, the warbler ’s population declined dramatically from over 15,000 birds to less than 5,000, prompting it to be listed as an endangered species in the United States.

What can we do to preserve this unique Texas species for future generations? Buy shade-grown coffee, which supports better agricultural practices that protect habitat in the warbler’s wintering range. Here at home, suppor t the Ba lcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP), which contains the greatest amount of prime warbler habitat in large, undisturbed tracts. From March 1 to July 31, the BCP is closed for the Golden-cheeked Warbler breeding season, and citizens must obtain a permit for access during this time.

So consider yourself lucky if you see a Golden-cheeked Warbler, a rare denizen of the Texas hill country. And think twice before cutting down those native, life-sustaining ashe junipers!

For more information, visit the Austin City Connection at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/description.htm

GOT INFO FOR THE NEWSLETTER?

Send us information and photos about projects you volunteer for, advanced training opportunities you attended, and notice of awards CAMN members receive. We try to get the newsletter out on the 1st of the month so the deadline for submitting material is the 27th of the month before publication. Send materials to Kim Bacon (kimbacon@mac.com) or Christine Powell at (xtinepowell@verizon.net)

Field trip: Nature Watch by Jim and Lynne Weber

The Golden-cheeked Warbler

T

Christine and Kim want to thank Jim and Lynne Weber for volunteering to contribute really interesting natural history articles for each issue. Thanks ya’ll!

WE’RE LOOKING FOR A BUNCH OF GOOD VOLUNTEERS

EDUCATION

Explore UTSaturday, March 1, 11 am – 5 pm

During UT’s annual open house, more than 30,000 visitors come to campus to learn about college life and participate in fun activities offered by all the departments. This year, the Wildflower Center will be teaching children about the plant life cycle and helping youngsters pot up wildflower seeds in ecopots to take home and plant in their own yards.

Contact Flo Oxley at 512/232-0160 or oxley@wildflower.org if you’d like to help out. Shifts are from 9 am – 2 pm and 1 pm - 6 pm.

FAMILY PROGRAMMING

Nature Nights

Nature Nights is a special series of evening programs designed to share our wondrous nature in Central Texas. During each program we will explore new topic learning about Texas culture, animal habits and habitats. Each program will also feature a habitat hike, thematic crafts, and activities galore!

Friday, March 21, 6-9 pm FrogsFriday, April 18, 6-9 pm WildflowersFriday, May 23, 6-9 pm Bats

Contact Stephen Brueggerhoff at 512/232-0112 or sbrueggerhoff@wildflower.org if you’d like to help out.

PLANT CONSERVATION

Seed Cleaning Parties

Help out the Millennium Seed Bank Project at the Wildflower Center by cleaning seeds for storage at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, and the Wildflower Center. Great project, fun company, and pizza lunches.

Saturday, March 8, 10 am-2 pmSaturday, May 10, 10 am-2 pmSaturday, June 14, 10 am-2 pmSaturday, July 12, 10 am-2 pmSaturday, August 9, 10 am-2 pm

We can also accommodate any special schedules. So, if you need to get a bunch of hours all at once, we’re the place to come. If you’d like to help, contact Flo Oxley at 512/232-0160 or oxley@wildflower.org.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center offers numerous volunteer opportunities for Master Naturalists needing to fulfill their service hour requirements. Check out these upcoming opportunities.

If these opportunities don’t ring your chimes, we have lots of other volunteer opportunities throughout the Wildflower Center, including in horticulture and landscape restoration. Trust me, we’ve got something for everyone!

For more information on other volunteer opportunities, contact Carrie McDonald, Volunteer Coordinator at 512/232-0102 or cmcdonald@wildflower.org.

t was a dark and stormy night…” That’s literally the way my birth story starts. December on the plains of

Montana. I think it explains why I’ve always loved the snow.

I met this world on a cold, snowy day, so how did I end up in Central Texas?

When my father was in the Air Force, we moved around a lot, so we were all born in different states. We lived in Montana, California, Missouri, and Florida, where I believe my 3-year-old self must have picked up an irrational fear of alligators that I carry with me still. (Alligators really do live under the bed, you know.)

I grew up in Oklahoma, where both my parents were born. Oklahoma is a beautiful state, with ancient mountain ranges, gorgeous woodlands, and big-sky plains (“where the wavin’ wheat sure sme%s sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain…”). One of my fondest memories is playing with the gentle horned lizards in the dusty driveway of my grandmother’s farmhouse in Fargo, Oklahoma. I’ll never forget how they feel—spiny and sharp on the top and so soft on their bellies.

And Oklahoma weather—oh, my! The storms are spectacular, with rattlesnake lightning and the green skies that come before tornadoes. The summers are lush, almost tropical, and the winters have those beautiful days of sparkling snow in the sun. Autumn in Tulsa is almost as colorful as an east coast autumn, and spring is filled with blooming dogwoods and redbuds.

I studied English literature and history at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater (a very windy town), and I received my master’s in library science from the University of Oklahoma.

During college, I worked summers at the Oklahoma City Zoo. My high school biology teacher was the zoo director, and he started a program where college students worked summers cleaning in the mornings and working with the public in the afternoons. It was my first introduction to exotic wildlife up close.

After I graduated from OSU, I spent one year as a keeper in the nursery at the OKC Zoo. I raised all kinds of animals—howler monkeys, sun bears, kangaroos, leopards, hyenas, all kinds of hoofed mammals. It was a United Nations of wildlife. At one point, I was taking three baby tigers home with me at night for feedings. My experiences there taught me how much wildlife depends on us to maintain wild places for wildlife to live. Zoos are often criticized, but they are centers for conservation and education. The tigers I raised were part of the Species Survival Plan for Siberian tigers, and I am proud to have been a part of that. Plus, how many people can say they’ve witnessed the birth of a tiger, carried a chimpanzee, or been bitten by a bushbaby?

My interest in zoos and wildlife has followed me throughout my life. I lived in Tulsa for almost 20 years, and I spent most of those years as a docent at the Tulsa Zoo. I loved doing live animal programs for the public. Most people are fascinated with prairie dogs or snakes or turtles, and they love to experience them up close—seeing and touching and smelling them. There’s nothing like introducing native wildlife to a group of disabled teenagers. Or, on the other hand, standing in front of the elephant enclosure with a group of Webelos when one of the elephants decides to urinate.

My husband and I moved from Tulsa to Lompoc, California, and commuted on a scenic highway to Santa Barbara to work every day. Where else can stopping to watch a passing pod of migrating whales be an acceptable excuse for being late to work? We moved to northern California for another 3 years, with its rich history of the Gold Rush and the railroads. California is truly packed with natural beauty—tidepools, sand dunes, mountains, deserts, foggy mornings, and all kinds of wildlife. No cardinals, though.

We moved to Central Texas 12 years ago and built a house in Hays County on 15 acres that my husband bought in the 80s. I feel so fortunate to live in the country, with the songs of birds in the morning and frogs in the night. The night sky is filled with stars on clear nights, although the lights of town are getting brighter due to development projects in our area.

(Peggy’s Spotlight continues on the next page, left column)

Field crew Profile: Class of 200

Peggy Murphy

Peggy Murphy, CAMN member in a rare still moment.

“I

Field Journal Needs Your Help!We’re quite tolerant of our wildlife neighbors, and we’re rewarded with opportunities to see all kinds of critters in and around the house. Spiders on the porch, foxes at the birdfeeders, harvestmen under the eaves, snakes in the creek, turkeys by the mailboxes, owls in the oak trees, scorpions just about wherever they want to be.

The Wildflower Center was opening in its new location when we moved here, so I decided I needed to learn a bit about the other end of the food chain—plants! Becoming a docent there was my introduction to the wonderful people and interesting plant life of Central Texas. Coming from California, I had to “redefine beauty” here. The seasons and colors are subtle, and I’ve learned to pay closer attention and to appreciate the small miracles I see every day.

Through all these moves, I’ve enjoyed a career as a public librarian, with a specialty in working with children and families. To me, there is no more magical combination than a good book, the outdoors, and a child. I have been fortunate in my work to meet so many truly wise and funny children. They have a particular way of looking at the world, and they have taught me what is genuine and worthwhile.

I worked at the Wildflower Center as an environmental educator for a while (until cutbacks eliminated my position), and I cannot imagine more interesting or more rewarding work. I’m happy to be able to do some of the same work through CAMN now.

I visited my birthplace in Montana a couple of years ago and had a wonderful time in an early snowfall on the battlefield of the Little Big Horn. I discovered I still love everything about cold weather--the sting of sleet, the cold air catching my breath, the crunch of frozen grass under my boots. So, even though I’m settled in Central Texas now, I suppose I’ll always be that child born on the cold, windy plains of Montana.

Christine and Kim are real grateful to all ya’ll who have taken the time to tell us how much your appreciate our work on the Field Journal. What began as an attempt to help keep CAMN members motivated and informed about the doings of all CAMN members continues to evolve.

One thing we have already learned. CAMN members are busy out there in Central Texas making a difference.

If you read below, you will find a list and description of the types of information we are including in the CAMN Field Journal. Give us a hand (with a pencil or camera in it!) and help us get the information we need for Field Journal.

Front Page Highlight: In this section, we try to highlight a coming Advanced Training Opportunity. If you know of an organization that is hosting an AT event, send us an email (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net) so we know about it.

Field Trip: Send us an article about something you volunteered for as a CAMN member. Don’t forget to include a photo or two of the event! Send to (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Postcard: Did something unusual or really cool happen while you volunteered or as a result of your volunteering (you developed a new hobby, you saw a world record species, or you fell into a cave (just joking!). Are you a CAMN member who received special recognition or an award from a group? Take a photo and tell us! Send to (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Crew Profile: Who are CAMN members? . . .besides caring, responsible, intelligent, and good-looking. . . well, you get the idea! Write and article about one of the CAMN members and surprise them in

an issue of Field Journal. Or tell us about a CAMN member who should be profiled. Much thanks to Peggy Murphy for being our first profile. There are over 200 more of these we could do! Send us your ideas (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Notes: Nine items a month. That’s all we ask. CAMN members are knowledgeable about tons of things. But Christine and Kim aren’t. Send us your list of nine (arrow points, shrubs, bees, beetles, large mammals, small rodents, frogs, rocks, clouds, people to know, fall wildflowers, invasive plants, wilderness areas, and on and on). If possible include photos so we don’t have to spend hours hunting down copyright-free photos. Send them to (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Photographers: If you carry a digital camera with you everywhere and want to be on our photographer list, let us know. If we need a local photo of an invasive species, a mockingbird, the Balcones Canyonland, or a CAMN member, we’ll send out a request to this list of photographers and give you credit in the newsletter. Send us your email address (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Work: Send us announcements of CAMN volunteer activities. The Website Calendar is still the first place to list these but we’ll try to put them in the Field Journal as well. Send them to (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

So we would like your help on this volunteer newsletter . . and you have our email addresses (see above). So we’ll waiting for an email FROM YOU every month!

We’re also open to other ideas! Send ‘em on! (kimbacon@mac.com or xtinepowell@verizon.net).

Field Postcards

CAMN Goes International to Mexico

And the Oscar Should have gone to . . .

The Blue Morpho, lime-green Malachite, and the stunning Anna’s 88 (above) were only a tiny sampling of the 299 spectacular butterfly species recorded during the El Cielo Butterfly Festival in Tamaulipas, Mexico, October 31 to November 4, 2007. We’ll have more about this trip in the April Field Journal.

Here’s another reason to have a DVR.

In February, these CAMN members

were featured on the Central Texas

Gardener television show on KLRU.

Cathy Nordstrom and Jane Tillman

spoke about restoring your backyard

(and maybe even the front yard)

habitat to attract birds and other

wildlife. The show also featured the really

incredible restored habitat that Jim

and Lynne Weber have created in their

yard in Jester Estates.

CAMNs Jim and Lynne Weber

CA

MN

Cat

hy N

ords

trom

Five CAMN members joined other butterfly enthusiasts from as far away as Maine and Massachusetts to watch butterflies in Mexico.

Photos by Peggy Murphy

CAMN Jane Tillman

his is a wonderful little plant to brighten any shady corner. One of the first flowers to bloom in late winter to early spring, it is invaluable to those

early pollinators that venture out on the sunny days.

Golden groundsel, has several common names (Golden groundsel, Round-leaf groundsel, Roundleaf ragwort) but this is my favorite—it really is gold in the garden. This perennial member of the aster family is a great year-round ground cover as it forms rosettes with several runner-like stolons terminating in similar rosettes. These stolons allow the plant to spread quickly and form a wonderful evergreen ground cover. Slender flowering stems rise to one and half feet above the rosettes of oval leaves. These yellow flower clusters can be few to many-headed and occur on slender pedicels.

In our region it grows on the calcareous rock slopes and rich woodland banks. Usually common in the limestone soil of the Edwards Plateau to North Central Texas, it also likes moist well-drained loam clay. Moist humus-rich soils are most preferred. So few plants seem to give us color in the shade or part shade, but golden groundsel is the exception. It should be cut back after blooming.Greatly loved by butterflies it is also coveted by deer! It makes a great alternative to Major and Minor vinca (bigleaf periwinkle and common periwinkle) both of which have

escaped into the wild area of our state to become invasive.

Field Sighting: Packera obovata

Golden Groundselby Christine Powell

T

Useful Native Plants – Feb. 27, 2008 presentation at CAMN General Meeting

by Jean Nance What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Quick Tips and Cautions about Using Native Plants First, and most important, always know how to positively identify the plants you want! Some have a number of very similar species, which might or might not have the same taste or other useful properties. Or, some useful plants can be easily confused with completely unrelated plants, sometimes with disastrous results. Also, if you have food allergies, be especially cautious because plants from the same family as your allergens can cause a similar reaction. For example, sumacs are in the same family as mangoes and cashews, so if you’re allergic to those, don’t try the sumacs! Never co%ect plants or their products (berries, seeds, etc.) unless there is a large population in the area, and never collect everything. Always leave something for the wildlife and for producing future generations of the plants. Make sure that what you’re collecting has not been sprayed with chemicals like herbicides or pesticides. And always make sure that you have permission to collect—most parks, preserves, and refuges do not allow any kind of collecting or harvesting. Remember, wild plants can vary considerably )om plant to plant. One individual might produce sweet berries, while its neighbor is bitter. Also, when and how you collect will affect the taste, for instance, greens and potherbs are usually best collected when the plants are young, before the leaves have toughened or developed more bitter chemicals. Also, recall that we often modify our typical vegetables before eating them, with dressings or by cooking with spices, flavorings, or other ingredients. Be sure you know how to prepare the plant properly for the use you want. For example, some edible plants must be boiled through one or two changes of water to remove bitterness or caustic chemicals, some plants have some edible parts but not others, some plants are good in small quantities but too much can cause stomach upsets. And, personal allergies must always be considered. Do not assume that if wildlife can eat it, so can you! Native plants are useful to wildlife in many ways that benefit us indirectly, even if we don’t use the plants directly. For example, yaupon or possumhaw berries (ilex spp.) and juniper berries (juniperus spp.) are an important winter food source for birds and other animals, but are inedible for humans (except that juniper berries can be used as flavorings in very sma% amounts). Last, of course, just because you can’t eat it doesn’t mean it isn’t useful! Landscaping, flower arrangements, soil improvements (nitrogen-fixing, soil retention), dyes, waxes, fibers, perfumes, medicines, chemicals, building materials, and other non-food uses are also common uses for native plants.

A Little Ethnobotanic History Since prehistoric times, in all civilizations and all parts of the world, plants have been proven to have or have been thought to have medicinal properties in addition to their many other uses. )om wildflowerinfo.org: “As Lady Bird Johnson has said, “Surely there are others like digitalis waiting out there.” She was referring to the famous English medicinal wildflower commonly known as Wild Foxglove, but botanically, “Digitalis purpurea.” This is the now-famous plant that is widely used today to treat heart disease. The medicine derived from this plant is usually called simply “Digitalis” and has saved untold lives worldwide through its modern applications. How at least one medicinal plant was “discovered.” The story of the Foxglove is a classic. In 1775, an English physician and botanist named William Withering was asked to treat a patient suffering from dropsy, a broad term that at the time meant “fluid retention.” He had heard of an “old woman in Shropshire” who knew a secret cure which included the foxglove plant. Dr. Withering, after using the secret remedy, which was a concoction of over twenty herbs, found it amazingly successful, but also quickly perceived that only one plant in the mix was working the cure. The whole stew was said to be a diuretic, but Dr. Withering knew that the major cause of dropsy was congestive heart failure. He also knew that foxglove, with its powerful toxic properties in the proper quantity, could strengthen cardiac contraction and enable the heart to pump more efficiently, delivering blood to the rest of the body. Ten years later, Dr. Withering published “10 years of clinical data on patients treated with foxglove.” The rest, as they say, literally, is history--medical history.” Scientific names can give a hint as to traditional use: In the Linneal binomial system of plant taxonomy, more than sixty plants have been given the species name officinalis, officinale or officinarum. The group has a great deal of diversity, and it includes a rose, a peony, several culinary herbs, and several vegetables. Essentially, these represent plants with a long history of being used for medicinal purposes. Etymology of Officinalis Officina, a noun, is a Medieval Latin word derived from the noun opificina that was later shortened to officina. Originally, it referred to a workshop, later to a monastic storeroom, then to an herb store and finally to a pharmacy. The adjective officinalis in all of its declined forms is used in botanical Latin to mean used in medicine in the sense of used in the practice of medicine. Nasturtium officinale Water-cress , Taraxacum officinale Common dandelion (for the language geeks among us: The word ending changes because in Latin the adjective modifying the noun must agree with the noun in gender, case and number. All three forms, officinalis, officinale, and officinarum, are in the genitive case. If the noun is singular and the gender is either masculine or feminine, the modifying adjective is officinalis. If the noun is neuter, the modifying adjective is officinale. If the noun is feminine and plural and belongs to the first declension, the modifying adjective is officinarum.)

Other Examples ♦ Medicinalis is another botanical Latin term, which also means currently used in medicine in the sense of used in the

practice of medicine. ♦ Asclepias (milkweeds) comes from Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine, indicating uses in folk medicine for

hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. For example, Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Weed or Pleurisy Root, which is native to North America. Omaha Indians ate the raw root to treat bronchitis and taught pioneers to do the same. It is an expectorant; which means it promotes coughing that raises phlegm. It also contains cardiac glycosides and an estrogen-like substance. It was a component of Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound (1875 to 1960) advertised for use in “womb trouble, sick headache, and nervous breakdowns”.

♦ Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) gives a strong hint that it was used as an emetic (sometimes ceremonially by Native Americans).

♦ Ephedra antisyphilitica (erect ephedra) clearly was thought to have some medicinal use! Common names also can reflect beliefs about traditional uses: kidneywood , boneset ,”A%-heal” Yarrow (Achi%ea mi%efolium) was a medicinal plant in ancient times and the Middle Ages in Europe where yarrow tea was taken to stop internal bleeding. It is one of a small number of plants referred to as “all heal“ in the English herbal tradition. Micmac Indians drank it with warm milk to treat upper respiratory infections. The Navajo Indians looked upon it as a panacea, one of the plants they referred to as “a life medicine“. Modern researchers find good experimental evidence for yarrow’s use as an anti-inflammatory agent and possibly as an astringent. “Doctrine of Signatures” )om Wikipedia: “The doctrine of signatures is an ancient European philosophy that held that plants bearing parts that resembled human body parts, animals, or other objects, had useful relevancy to those parts, animals or objects. It could also refer to the environments or specific sites in which plants grew. Many of the plants that were so regarded today still carry the word root “wort“, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “plant” or “herb”, as part of their modern name. The doctrine of signatures was given renewed thrust in the writings of the Swiss physician Paracelsus von Hohenheim (1493-1541) and continued to be embraced until the 17th century.”

Milkwort family (Polygala spp.) Spiderworts (Tradescantia spp.) Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) wrote that chewing leaves of willow (Salix) reduced pain, and he prescribed it for women in labor, but it was known as a folk remedy in Europe long before that. In North America, Native Americans including the Alabama and Chickasaw Indians used willow to relieve fevers, aches, and pains. The Doctrine of Signatures proposed that willow worked to reduce joint inflammation because the “weeping” branches were flexible, like human limbs. In 1763, an English clergyman named Edward Stone wrote that willow is useful for lowering fever because both willow and fever thrive in damp regions. The 17th century botanist and herbalist William Coles believed walnuts were good for curing head ailments because “they Have the perfect Signatures of the Head”. Nicholas Culpeper’s famous herbal takes the doctrine of signatures as common knowledge. The doctrine of signatures was included in mainstream medical texts into the 19th century and its influence can still be seen in homeopathic medicine.

A Few of the Many Useful Native Plants in Central Texas

Yuccas , Agave family , Yucca spp. Flowers and fleshy fruits are edible, but other parts (roots, leaves, seeds, etc.) are not. Flowers are high in vitamin C. Native Indians have long historical use of yuccas for food, fibers, and shelter. During World War I, U.S. industries substituted yucca fibers for jute in burlap bags. In WWII, the U.S. Navy made rope, twine, and paper from yucca. The yucca root can be used to make soap. Sumacs , Sumac family , Rhus spp Medical use: Dried leaves were boiled for asthma relief, malaria, fevers, canker sores, and sore throats. The Comanche combined dried leaves with tobacco. An injection of bark infusion or tea when drunk was said to provide relief from rectal conditions, chronic diarrhea, and rectal hemorrhage. Berries and leaves were made into a poultice for skin diseases. The juice of berries was thought to be good for dysentery and urinary problems. A tincture treats diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhages, headache, and mouth ulcers. Culinary use: Berries can be dried for winter use and make an excellent “sumac-ade” (contains malic acid, same as apples). The juice can substitute for vinegar when making jellies and other recipes. Mescalero Apache ground the seeds and combined them with meats. Other use: Infusion of berries is used is a black dye for wool. Some southwestern Native Americans used species for basketry. Shrubs provide excellent vegetable tannins used in tanning leather, controlling mud viscosity when drilling oil wells, and other industrial uses.

Cutleaf daucosma , Carrot family , Daucosma laciniatum Difficult to distinguish edible Texas species of this family from toxic species, for example, poison hemlock. Due to that and other reasons, collecting this family for food is not recommended in Texas. An edible species, Queen-Anne’s Lace, is not common in Texas. Folklore uses included boiling wild carrot flowers in wine as both a love potion and a contraceptive. Daucosma is well-liked by deer, and is used as a larval food plant by eastern black swallowtails. Milkweeds , Milkweed family , Asclepias spp. , Matelea spp. Some species are highly poisonous, but bitter taste usually deters eating. One eastern species is edible, but does not grow in Texas. Important association with monarch butterflies, which incorporate the poison and use it as protection, and with viceroy butterflies, who mimic the monarchs with their color pattern in hopes of benefiting from the monarchs’ poisonous reputation. Silky floss in mature milkweed pods was historically used for making candle wicks, spinning like cotton, and in World War II, it was used as a substitute for kapok in life vests due to its buoyancy and water-resistance. Some Native Americans chewed the sap as a gum. Pods also contain oils and waxes, and the plant produces yellow dye. Some species have potential as hydrocarbon sources. Mistflower , Shrubby boneset , Sunflower family , Eupatorium spp. Excellent butterfly and bee nectar plants. Also, excellent choices for landscaping. Gaillardias , Sunflower family , Gaillardia spp. Perfume, dye, butterfly nectar plants. Some species were used for blood tonics and diuretics, poultices were applied to relieve sinus headaches. Long-lasting flowers can thrive in poor soils. Mexican hat , Sunflower family , Ratibida columnifera Produces green or yellow dyes. Popular landscaping plant for wildflower gardens. Goldenrods , Sunflower family , Solidago spp. The name Solidago, from the Latin solido, “to make whole,” indicates its use as a wound-healing herb. Goldenrod is an astringent remedy for treating wounds and bleeding. Antioxidant and diuretic, goldenrod is a remedy for urinary tract disorders. The plant contains saponins that are antifungal. The herb can also be taken for sore throats, chronic nasal congestion, and diarrhea. It may be used as a mouthwash or douche for yeast infections. One species was called “liberty tea” when it was used as a substitute for tea by American colonists after the Boston Tea Party. One species is high in hydrocarbons. Frostweed , Sunflower family , Verbesina virginica Important fall nectar source for migrating monarchs and other butterflies. Fall/winter seed source for small birds. Interesting “frosting” that occurs when the sap freezes and splits the stalk during the first few hard frosts. Purple cone flower , Sunflower family , Echinacea purpurea syn E. angustifoli Preparations of this plant were used by the Plain Indians (Comanche and Sioux) for the treatment of upper respiratory infections, burns, stings, snakebites, and cancers. This was the most widely used medicinal plant of the Plains Indians. It has been demonstrated that plant extracts stimulate the immune system to combat bacterial and viral infections. It also possesses antibiotic properties. Echinacea’s name is derived from the Greek word for hedgehog and was inspired by the appearance of the flower’s central cone. Agarita , Barberry family , Berberis trifoliolata Agarita produces fragrant yellow blooms which provide an important nectar source in early spring, followed by delicious red fruits in late spring, which are popular with wildlife and humans alike. It makes an excellent jelly that is still produced for sale. Its yellow roots helped equip World War II paratroopers by helping to dye silk parachutes. Parachutes for different drops were color-coded to indicate whether they contained equipment, supplies, food, or ammunition, and agarita provided the yellow. San Antonio dairy farmers collected much of the raw material from rural fencerows. Lindheimer prickly pear , Cactus family , Opuntia lindheimeri Medical use: Poultice of young joints reduces inflammation, and a decoction of the joints is good for pulmonary afflictions. Tea made from the fruit, or tuna, helps gallstones. Culinary use: The pads and joints can be eaten after burning off the spines. Syrup can be made by boiling the ripe fruit and straining off the seed. Fruits make an excellent jelly. Other use: Juice of the joints is boiled with tallow to make hard candle wax. Cochineal bugs, which feed on prickly pear, can be harvested to produce an excellent magenta dye, which was used by early Aztecs and Mayans. When it was first introduced to Europe, it was highly prized, rare, and valuable, at first restricted to royalty and religious purposes. Used occasionally to dye British redcoats. Still used as a coloring in cosmetics and foods. Cardinal flower , Bellflower family , Lobelia cardinalis Medical use: Treats fevers, meningitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, hepatitis, peritonitis, nephritis, and periostitis. Convulsions can be treated with an injection of herb infusion. A weak infusion every 10 min. is used to relax the muscular system to aid in setting broken bones and dislocations. Or a cloth soaked in warm infusion is applied to the area. Dayflowers , Spiderwort family , Commelina erecta , Commelinantia anomala , Tradescantia spp. Family includes dayflowers and spiderworts. All have edible leaves, stems, flowers. Lovely flowers can be used in landscaping; good for shady areas.

Balsam gourd , Gourd family , Ibervillea lindheimeri Fruits not edible for humans, but reportedly liked by birds. This vine is valued as an ornamental and a nectar source for insects. Buffalo gourd , Gourd family , Cucurbita foetidissima Native Americans have used this plant for at least nine thousand years: seeds for food, oil as a cosmetic, green fruit and root as a laundry detergent, dried fruit as rattles in ceremonial dances. Madrone , Heath family , Arbutus xalapensis Edible fruit, beautiful flowers and exfoliating trunk. Very difficult to transplant, which limits its landscaping potential. Texabama croton , Croton family , Croton albamensis var. texensis This family is known for various medicinal uses, such as Croton cortesianus, known in Mexico as “Palillo,” used as a caustic in the treatment of skin diseases; Croton suaveolens, known in Mexico as “Encinillo” and used for baths during convalescence from fevers; Croton neomexicanus, root bark is used in Mexico as a purgative; Croton ciliato-glandulosus, leaves are used in Mexico as a purgative and febrifuge. Texabama croton, “officially” discovered in 1990: The genetic studies support the distinction of Alabama and Texabama croton as varieties, perhaps even subspecies. It is difficult to determine if Texabama croton is derived from Alabama croton or vice versa. There is some evidence and logic that Alabama croton is the more recent variety. However these two varieties diverged fairly recently (Quaternary period, maybe during Pleistocene glaciations?). Researchers examined Steve Ginzbarg’s hypothesis that Passenger Pigeons may have been responsible for spreading the shrub from Alabama to Texas, and they actually turn it around (since the seeds mature in what would have been the Spring migration for the pigeons) and suggest that, if anything, the pigeons may have spread the shrub from Texas to Alabama! But the genetic evidence for this is weak. Both varieties of Alabama croton are most closely related to a set of crotons in Cuba, or another group which occurs in the Yucatan, Cuba, and northern South America. The divergence of Alabama croton from those relatives may have been as long ago as the Eocene (45 mya), which corresponds to the faulting and uplifting of the Balcones Escarpment. The whole set of these related croton shrubs is ancient and only very distantly related to all of the rest of crotons and in fact may be ancestral to all other crotons. Has excellent landscaping potential. Redbud , Pea family , Cercis canadensis Medical use: bark is astringent and used to treat dysentery. Culinary use: leaves are edible raw, pickled, or fried, young pods can be sautéed and served with butter. The flowers can be added to salads. Honey mesquite , Pea family , Prosopis glandulosa Culinary use: Legumes contain almost 30% sugar and can be eaten or pounded into pinole meal and baked or fermented into alcohol and were an important of the southwestern Native American’s diet. Gum is made into candy. Other uses: beans are used to make black dye, mend pottery, and to make gum arabic. Wood is excellent for woodworking and furniture. Excellent nectar source, and makes wonderful jelly. Oaks, Beech family , Quercus spp Medical use: Bark is used as an internal astringent, treats diarrhea, mucous discharge, and hemorrhage. Tea is used to strengthen outer blood vessels. White oak bark (Quercus alba) treats goiter, nasal drip, and improves digestion. A solution of acorns, bark, and milk helped to treat ulcerated bladder. Culinary use: acorns are edible after leaching in boiling water to get rid of tannin. Acorns can be deep fried, ground into a flour and then either used on its own or added to other flour to add protein, or dried for use as a coffee substitute White oak acorns are reported to be the best and sweetest. Other uses: the bark can be used for tannin in tanning hides, wood is an important building and furniture source. Oak galls provided tannin used in making inks. Red buckeye “fish-poison bush” , Buckeye family , Aesculus pavia Powdered bark was used for toothaches and skin ulcers. Crushed fruit was used for fish poison and the roots were used for washing clothes. Purple horsemint , Mint family , Monarda spp. Volatile oils provide fragrances, spices, breath sweeteners, potpourris, teas, medicines for bronchial and respiratory infections, fevers. Lemon beebalm has citronellol—active ingredient in citronella oil, used for insect repellents. Placed in chicken nests to drive off fleas, mites; in stored foods, deters weevils. “Beebalm” indicates its use as a soothing treatment for stings. Yellow horsemint contains thymol (an antiseptic and fungicide originally obtained from the thyme plant), which is one of the active ingredients in Listerine. Monarda spp. provide about 20 percent of the honey crop in Texas. Cedar sage, Mint family, Salvia roemeriana Salvia spp. are used as spices, teas, hair rinses. Scutellaria spp. are reportedly toxic. Popular landscaping plants. Trout lily or Dogtooth violet , Lily family, Erythronium albidum Iroquois women reportedly ate the leaves to prevent conception, and the plant has some anti-bacterial properties. It was listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1820-1863 as a treatment for gout. The bulb is reportedly edible at certain times of year. The fresh leaves are mostly used in the form of a stimulating poultice, applied to swellings, tumors and certain kinds of ulcers. Elbowbush, Spring herald , Olive family , Forestiera pubescens Excellent early spring nectar source for variety of butterflies, wasps, flies, and bees.

Indiangrass, Eastern gamagrass, grama spp.,Grass family, Sorghastrum nutans, Tripsacum dactyloides ,Bouteloua spp. Important seed crops for Native Americans, seed and forage for wildlife. Blue grama was used as roofing for early settlers’ sod houses since it is a short grass with shallow roots. It was a critical food for bison—it is “drought-cured” (meaning the leaves remain nutritious). Southern maidenhair fern , Fern family , Adiantum capillus-veneris Used by Native Americans in basketry. Scarlet clematis , Buttercup family , Clematis texensis Can be used in weaving and basketry, but can be a skin irritant. Some Clematis species used as dyes. Columbine , Buttercup family , Aquilegia canadensis Preparations were used as an astringent, analgesic, and diuretic. Native Americans used crushed seeds to relieve headaches. Carolina buckthorn , Buckthorn family , Frangula caroliniana Spring nectar source, fall/winter berries for wildlife. Also used for dyes, landscaping. Buttonbush , Madder family , Cephalanthus occidentalis Excellent nectar source, fall/winter seed balls are eaten by birds and other wildlife. Good landscaping option for wetter areas. Hop-tree or Wafer ash , Citrus family , Ptelea trifoliata Medical use: Bark is used to treat dyspepsia, asthma, syphilis, diarrhea, rheumatism, epilepsy, fever, a bitter stomic, and as a mild tonic. Culinary use: fruit can be substituted for hops in beer making, as was done in WWII. Good giant swallowtail larval food source. Prickly ash or Toothache tree , Citrus family , Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Medical use: bark is chewed to numb oral tissues and increase salivation. Powdered bark is made into a rheumatic liniment. Fruits are antispasmodic, stimulant, carminative, and act on the mucous tissues. Tincture treats hepatic and pancreatic sluggishness, chronic muscular rheumatism, lumbago, temporary paralysis, female troubles, typhus, typhoid pneumonia, and syphilis. Reported to have the same base as xylocaine, the common dental deadener. Agalinis , Figwort family , Agalinis edwardsiana Nectar and larval food source for buckeye butterflies. Texas paintbrush , Figwort family , Castilleja indivisa Native Americans made a weak tea from flowers for rheumatism, as a love charm, and as a poison against enemies. The Doctrine of Signatures said that it was used to sooth burns, stings, and a concoction from the roots would dry up menstrual flow. A decoction of roots was used as a blood purifier. Chief pollinators are hummingbirds. Popular landscaping plant; “hemiparasitic” with a host plant, often bluebonnets. Also used for dyes. Datura or Jimsonweed , Nightshade family , Datura wrightii Used ceremonially for its psychoactive properties; extremely poisonous and extremely dangerous. Known as “Jamestown weed” or “jimsonweed” since the Jamestown revolt when Royalist soldiers consumed some and were delirious and hallucinating for days. Silverleaf Nightshade ,Nightshade family , Solanum elaeagnifolium Medical use: Treats skin diseases, syphilitic conditions, leprosy, eczema, rheumatic afflictions, ulcers, glandular swellings, obstructed menstruation, and as a treatment for cancers. Tea is taken; 1-2 cups is good for skin/hair diseases and worms. Bark in vodka is taken a few drops at a time for heart disease. Externally, 1 lb of bark was heated slowly in 1 lb of lard for 8 hours to treat painful tumors, ulcers, irritated skin, piles, burns, scalds, etc... Native Americans used berries as a substitute for rennet in cheese-making. American beautyberry , Vervain family , Callicarpa americana Edible berries are a favorite with mockingbirds and other wildlife. Popular landscaping plant. Mustang grape , Grape family , Vitus mustangensis Culinary use: The grapes are somewhat sour but are edible, may cause skin irritations in some. The underripe fruit is an excellent source for pectin. Young leaves can be boiled for 10-15 minutes and served with butter, or they can be lightly boiled and then used to wrap meats when baking in an oven or on coals. Can be used to make wine. Virginia Creeper , Grape family , Parthenocissus quinquefolia Medical use: bark is used for a tonic, expectorant, and remedy for dropsy. WARNING: BERRIES CAN BE FATAL WHEN EATEN IN QUANTITY. Bois d’arc (Bois d’arc means “wood of the bow.” Osage orange is another common name. ) Mulberry family Maclura pomifera The wood of this tree is one of the finest in the world for making bows, and was prized by Native Americans for this. One common name refers to its use for bows, another to the color of the wood and the Osage Indians who used it for bows and traded it to other tribes. The orange-colored wood was used to dye uniforms khaki color in World War I. The wood is amazingly durable and decay-resistant, and has been used for everything from telephone poles to bridge pilings. A few Texas towns, including Dallas, experimented with paving blocks, and for a time, bankers in Central Texas would not loan money to build a house unless it had bois d’arc foundation blocks. Its growth habit, dense foliage, and long thorns made it an excellent hedgerow, which became a thriving industry in the 1800s—a wonderful natural substitute for barbed wire!

Charles Goodnight’s first chuckwagon was made from bois d’arc wood. Black cherry , Rose family , Prunus serotina Medical use: Bark is used as a cough remedy, also used for diarrhea, indigestion, and bronchitis. Culinary use: thoroughly dried stones can be pounded into flour, fruit makes excellent jams and jellies, though pectin must be added. Sweeter fruits after pitting can be used in pancakes, muffins and other baked goods. WARNING: FOLIAGE AND FRESH PITS ARE POISONOUS Rough-leafed dogwood , Dogwood family , Cornus drummondii Medical use: leaves are used as a poultice for sores and tumors. Flowers are used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, and as an alternative for rheumatism and syphilis. Fruit is used as a laxative. Culinary use: flowers are used as a flavoring in drinks by soaking in water. Fruit is made into pies, wines, and jellies. Other use: dried leaves are used as an insecticide, bark is used as a black dye. Texas lantana , Vervain family , Lantana horrida Medical use: A decoction of the leaves is used for a stomach tonic. Also used for snake bites, a strong decoction is taken internally and a poultice of leaves is applied to the bite. Yaupon holly , Holly family , Ilex vomitoria Medical use: Raw leaves act as a purgative in ceremonies by Native Americans. Culinary use: A smoky flavored caffeinated tea can be made by roasting green leaves in a skillet until they turn brown and stop popping and then steeped like an oriental tea. Good flavor and has one heck of a kick. WARNING: DO NOT USE LEAVES IN THEIR GREEN STATE OR EAT THE BERRIES AS THEY WILL CAUSE VOMITING AND DIARRHEA. Interesting Non-natives Dandelion , Taraxacum officinale Medical use: A mild detergent, aperient, and diuretic. Culinary use: The leaves can be used like greens, the flowers fried, or made into wine. Roots can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute. Mullein , Verbascum thapsus Medicinally, it is expectorant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, astringent, and demulcent (which means soothing). Mullein tea is primarily used as an effective treatment for coughs and lung disorders. Due to its mucilage content, Mullein is also a soothing emollient for inflammatory skin conditions and burns. Local anecdotal use to treat childhood asthma. “Quaker rouge”; “Cowboy’s toilet tissue”

GLOSSARY OF PREPARATIONS Infusion Put crumbled herb into tea pot or strainer, pour near-boiling water over, and let steep 5-10 minutes. Preferred for leaves and flowers, since it extracts the flavor without driving off the volatile oils. Must be taken the same day. Decoction Place herb in water, bring to a boil, and simmer a set amount of time, usually ten minutes or less. Move pot off of heat, let steep for a few minutes, strain if necessary. The preferred method for roots and bark. Must be taken the same day. Maceration Steep the herb in room-temperature water for 12 hours, and strain or press. Tincture Made in the same way as macerations but uses an alcohol/water mix. Either ethyl alcohol or diluted vodka. stores well. Fluid extract One part herb to one part alcohol. Syrup Concentrated sugar solution to make herbs more palatable and help to preserve infusions and decoctions. Liquid is heated before adding sugar or honey: 17 fluid ounces of liquid to 18 ounces of sweetener. Poultice Heat herbs with water and then apply under a wrap. Compress Soak a cloth in hot infusion, decoction, or diluted tincture. Oils Heat 9 oz of dried herb or 27 oz of fresh herb in 17 fl. oz. of oil in a double boiler for 2-3 hours. -or- fill a jar with herb and top up with oil, covering for 2-3 weeks, and renewing herb for another 2-3 weeks. -or- add 25-50 drops of essential oil to 100 ml. 5 tbsp. of oil. Ointment Heat herbs in petroleum jelly or other solid fat in a double boiler for about 2 hours then strain while still hot: 2 1/2 oz of dried herb to 18 oz of fat. Powder Ground dried herbs; can be mixed with milk or water or mixed with oil or honey.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Books: ♦ A Practical Guide to Edible and Useful Plants by Delena Tull, Texas Monthly Press ♦ Legends & Lore of Texas Wildflowers by Elizabeth Silverthorne, Texas A&M University Press ♦ Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World, edited by Nelson Foster & Linda S. Cordell, University of Arizona Press ♦ Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden by Gilbert L. Wilson, Minnesota Historical Society Press ♦ Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners by William W. Dunmire & Gail D. Tierney, Museum of New Mexico Press Research Papers, Talks: ♦ “Phylogeny and biogeography of Croton alabamensis (Euphorbiaceae), a rare shrub from Texas and Alabama, using DNA

sequence and AFLP data,” by Benjamin W. Van Ee, Nicolas Jelinski, Paul E. Berry, and Andrew L. Hipp, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Botany, March 2006

♦ “Anything but Plain: The Rich Cultural Legacy of the Prairie,” by Matt Turner, University of Texas, at the NPSOT-NPAT 2007 Joint Symposium, “Texas Prairies: Celebrate a National Treasure.”

Websites: www.wildflower.orgwww.piam.com/mms_garden/plants.html www.usefulwildplants.org/index.htmwww.swsbm.com/ManualsOther/UsefulPlants/Useful_Plants.htmlwww.angelfire.com/tx6/trickcoyote/oldherbal.htmlwildflowerinfo.orgwww.pfaf.org/plants.usda.gov/www.dallashistory.org/cgi-bin/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=4215www.wikipedia.org

Officers

President: Sue WisemanVice-President: Barbara CoutantPast President: Tim ScogginsTreasurer: Linda NowlinAdministrative Secretary: Margaret HillRecording Secretary: Debbie BlackburnAt-Large Board Members: Lynne Weber,Sally ScottAdvisory Board Members: Kelly Bender, Clark Hancock, Melissa MacDougall

Board of Directors

According to the CAMN By-Laws, our Board of Directors consists of the Officers and the Chair of each Committee.

If you have concerns you wish the Board to consider, please contact one of the Board members via email.

CAMN Board Meetings are held on the first Thursday of odd numbered months at: 6:45 p.m. at ProEd, 8700 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, TX.

The agenda for the next Board Meeting is available here.

GOT INFO FOR THE NEWSLETTER?

Send us information and photos about projects you volunteer for, advanced training opportunities you attended, and notice of awards CAMN members receive. We try to get the newsletter out on the 1st of the month so the deadline for submitting material is the 27th of the month before publication. Send materials to Kim Bacon (kimbacon@mac.com) or Christine Powell at (xtinepowell@verizon.net)

Cap ital Area Master Natural ists

Officers Committees

Administrative Contact: Margaret Hill Maintains database of students and alumni, including names, addresses, class attendance, volunteer hours earned, and advanced training completed.

By-Laws Contact: Tim Scoggins Develops the organizational by-laws.

Communications Web page: Christine Powell Field Journal: Kim BaconPress releases: Kelly Bender Responsible for the Internet web page and press releases.

Curriculum Contact: Theresa Pella Develops the CAMN curriculum, as well as plans the lectures, activities and field trips for each class.

Advanced Training Contact: Frank Esparza Plans, coordinates, and approves advanced training opportunities.

Food & Fun Contact: Stuart Bailey Facilitates the social aspects of CAMN including the Certification Ceremonies and holiday celebrations.

Volunteer Opportunities Contact: Bruce Brown Develops criteria to determine whether volunteer opportunities may be counted for CAMN credit. Reviews, approves, and publicizes opportunities.

Ad Hoc Education Partners: Jeri Porter, Jessica Wilson Seeks and applies for grants to boost our outreach efforts.

Sponsors/Partners

Mission Statement

To develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.

Members of CAMN are dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of our natural resources. To that end, we encourage and support trained Master Naturalist volunteers in Austin and Travis County in providing community programs and projects that increase appreciation of our natural environment and promote, protect, and preserve native flora and fauna.

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Texas Cooperative Extension

Austin Science and Nature Center

Lower Colorado River Authority

Austin Sierra Club

The Nature Conservancy of Texas

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research

Bat Conservation International

Native Plant Society of Texas

Travis Audubon Society