LASTHENIA DAVIS BOTANICAL SOCIETY CALENDAR UPDATE LASTHENIA, the Newsletter of the Davis Botanical Society, is published by the Society in SPRING 2004 EVENTS - NOTE DATE CHANGES collaboration with the staff of the UC Davis Herbarium and Botanical Conservatory. Saturday, Feb. 14 Conservatory Open House OFFICERS President: Les Gottlieb Saturday, Feb. 28 Lichen Identification Workshop President-elect: Dan Potter Membership Vice President: Bill Saturday, Mar. 20 Photography Workshop McCoy Secretary: Layne Huiet Treasurer: Emily Griswold Saturday, Apr. 17 Picnic Day displays Past President: Barry Rice Members at Large: Louise Jackson, Ernesto Sandoval Saturday, Apr. 24 Coast Redwoods Field Trip Student Member at Large: Rosa Scherson Thursday, May 13 Spring Meeting Ex officio: Ellen Dean, Tim Metcalf, Robert Avalos, Kate Mawdsley Saturday, June 12 Grass Identification Workshop Contributors: E. Dean, E. Sandoval, K. Mawdsley, T. Metcalf, G.L. Webster Design: Susan Gloystein Cotterel

UC Davis Herbarium Section of Plant Biology One Shields Avenue University of Davis, CA 95616 0942

8 No. 23 Winter 2004 LASTHENIA

NEWSLETTER OF THE DAVIS BOTANICAL SOCIETY

HERBARIUM MOVING THE HERBARIUM’S SIGNIFICANT THIS COMING FALL COLLECTIONS: THE OAKS

The Herbarium team is gearing up Lasthenia has reported on Herbarium to move our specimens and library activities from a number of angles— to our new facility, the “Center for visitor and graduate student use, for Plant Diversity,” in the fall of 2004. example, or broad scale history. We’re As most of you know, the new initiating another open-ended series of facility will be located on the first articles that focus on significant floor of the Sciences Laboratory strengths of the collections, starting, Building, which is under fittingly enough, with the towering construction near Briggs Hall strength of the oak tree. between Storer Way and Hutchison The Quercus collection is the Drive. We have toured the new direct result of Prof. Emeritus John M. space to measure the walls and Tucker’s lifelong research. Dr. Tucker inspect for needed electrical came to the Davis campus as a teacher outlets. The new cases and and curator of the Department compact storage system are out to Herbarium in 1947 while still a Ph.D. bid. student at UC Berkeley. His interest in The move will be done in oaks was already well established and several phases. As new cases are dates from his teenage years in Santa installed, we will move collections Barbara. An oak exhibit in the botanical into them. Then, the old cases will wing of the natural history museum be moved and incorporated, and there and the interest of the museum’s Director Emeritus John Tucker with the collections will be rearranged curator led him to hitchhike to the sites Quercus john-tuckeri yet again. We anticipate that the of the eight or nine oak native herbarium will be unavailable for to the area. John’s growing interest led eminent and familiar faculty collectors much of the fall, and there may be to a part-time job at the Santa Barbara as Tracy Storer, Elliot Weier, Katherine a period of confusion afterward. Botanic Garden, although he reports he Esau, Alden Crafts and Leonard Day, as If you anticipate needing to was less than adept at a horticultural well as the Bay Area’s Mary Bowerman use the herbarium for a project, project there. But taxonomic field work continued on page 3 please plan ahead. If you have locating, gathering specimens and collections stored with us that you preparing good field notes on a rare IN THIS ISSUE will need to use during the fall, shrubby member of the heather family you may want to store them (Comarostaphylis) was another matter Herbarium Move ...... 1 elsewhere during the move. entirely. John was urged to pursue Contact Jean Shepard at 752-1091 botany rather than his intended major Significant Collections ...... 1 of forestry at UC Berkeley, and by July 15, if you have questions Directors’ Corner...... 2 about how your specimens will be scholarship, as well as the Davis affected ([email protected]). Herbarium, is the beneficiary of his Society Profiles ...... 2 decision. Development News ...... 4-5 E. Dean Dr. Tucker recalls finding six or seven cubbies of mostly California oaks Yolo County Bookshelves ...... 6 when he arrived in Davis, from such 1 DIRECTORS’ CORNER

Herbarium Two of our mounters are now hanging color-coded tags; it is much We are truly fortunate to have so many helping our wonderful volunteer, easier for us short folks to see what the dedicated undergraduates working in Denny Nolet, refolder the main upper cabinet cubbies hold. This is the herbarium this year. Our NSF collection. This entails separating our going to be even more important next summer interns have continued with us California collections from the North year, after we move, when the cases will for the academic year. They have America collections, adding folders be mounted onto compact storage identified and labeled hundreds of older where necessary, and stapling color- carriages. Separating out the California collections, including the 1940s era coded tags to all the folders (the specimens will also make it easier for us Mexican oak collections of Alfred California specimens are coded yellow). to digitize them as part of our Kinsey (yes, the author of…). We have Denny has been checking the names of participation in the California Digital four new mounters working with us, all all the specimens, updating Library project. of whom are great. We are very lucky to nomenclature, and printing family and Jean and I have been kept busy have six returning experienced generic names on the tags. Thank you, attending Yolo County hearings on mounters as well. crew! We are really enjoying having the proposed management plans for Yolo County Grasslands Park, home to Crampton’s Tuctoria (see update on SOCIETY PROFILES Robert Avalos following page). We have also been spending much of our time planning Meet Robert Avalos, the upcoming herbarium move, our new Center for Plant including coming up with a way to cart Diversity Campaign Director 250,000 specimens two blocks over to the new facility, researching how to We are very lucky to have a new move our plant drier (which may not be development officer working with feasible), and getting a handle on how us; Robert Avalos was hired in June many cases of what types of specimens 2003 by the Division of Biological we have currently. If you are interested Sciences to successfully complete in helping us move next fall, please let the fundraising campaign for the us know; we can use your help! Center for Plant Diversity I spent several weeks this past fall (herbarium). Robert has worked working on a project for the US Forest locally as a development officer for Service, identifying collected the past 15 years, first with the from various parts of the Sierra Nevada. American Heart Association and Kate Mawdsley and Jean Shepard then with Special Olympics. He is helped as well. The income will be used excited to be part of this campaign, Robert Avalos to help us move the herbarium this because one of his first loves was coming fall. We are grateful for Kate’s agriculture and he is still an avid gardener. continued volunteer help with so many Robert grew up in the Alkali Flats section of downtown Sacramento. projects; thanks also to Bill McCoy for His high school had a program to introduce city teenagers to agriculture. continued help with our library and to Robert helped the school construct a screen house for plant propagation, Linda Wheeler for creating the most filled his bedroom with grow lights and flats of seedlings, and raised beautiful showcase specimens we have chickens (he constructed the coop at the school). Upon graduation, Robert ever seen. majored in agriculture for his first semester at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. E. Dean However, after one semester in a program full of farm-raised students, Robert switched to a double major of political science and business. He says that he Conservatory didn’t enjoy a course in Swine Production and realized that no matter how Botany is the subject of concentration hard he tried, he couldn’t see the xylem and phloem (vascular system) of for the Academic Decathlon this year, plants through the microscope. Agriculture’s loss, our gain. and who could better help orient In addition to a life-long interest in growing plants, Robert is an avid California teachers and students to the fan of libraries and books. Some of the herbarium’s staunchest supporters are topic than the Conservatory’s Ernesto librarians, and so it is interesting to discover that Robert supported himself Sandoval? At the end of summer he as a student by working in the university’s library, and his first job post- gave a lecture-workshop to Southern graduation was to organize a toxics library for the Department of Health in California teachers. Two weeks later he Sacramento. He bought the shelving, set up the database, etc. But once that spoke to the Northern teachers and project was done, he moved on to a totally different career. Currently, he more recently to a group of the lives in Elk Grove, with his lovely wife and two beautiful daughters. students. Secondary schools in the If you haven’t yet met Robert, look for him at most Botanical Society surrounding area from Marysville to functions. He is a delightful, friendly person with a genuine curiosity about Vacaville have been sending their teams the history of agriculture and botany on the UCD campus. E. Dean continued on page 7 2 HERBARIUM’S SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS (CONT FROM PAGE 1) and John Thomas Howell. He describes gradations between the parents, he the present state of the collection, with collected population samples, dozens of characteristic restraint, as “excellent in examples of the pure species and California oaks, quite good for the intermediate forms in various locations United States, pretty fair for Mexico from southern Wyoming to and Central America.” The Old World southwestern Texas to show the range is “limited,” except for the eastern and extremes of variation. Progeny Mediterranean, especially Turkey, and tests, which grow out the acorns of Japan. Each of these exceptions reflects various forms of the suspected hybrids one of the ways strong collections to see if the next generation reveals the grow: student dissertation projects. But expected range of morphological the role of the mentor can be variation, supported the hypothesis paramount; Dr. Tucker estimates that a that the Q. undulata complex was in substantial part of today’s oak fact a group of hybrids between Q. specimens are his collections. gambelii and other species, including Lasthenia readers with unusually good Q. grisea (and produced additional memories—or room to store back specimens for the herbarium). issues—may recall a report in 1997 Major collections also grow by about final preparation of specimens addition of specimens sent to from Dr. Tucker’s research in the mid- recognized experts for determination 1950s on the Quercus undulata Intermediates of Quercus gambelii (identification). Dr. Tucker notes that complex, a confusing group of oaks and Q. tomentella some oak specimens sent to Davis led to occurring principally in the southern major studies of his own. Finally, Rocky Mountain states which had been complex was actually a series of hybrid herbaria exchange duplicates, especially described by previous experts as forms between the widely distributed of groups in which they specialize, with consisting of from one to nine distinct shrubby oaks Q. gambelii and Q. grisea, other strong institutions. Rancho Santa species. The study began with among others. A sabbatical in 1955-56 Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, the borrowing and examining hundreds of took Dr. Tucker to the University of herbarium of Brigham Young University specimens of the related species from New Mexico, his base for extensive in Utah, and the Santa Barbara Botanic other herbaria. On the basis of this field work searching for additional Garden have been major partners for examination, Dr. Tucker formed the evidence. Because oak hybrids may Davis. preliminary hypothesis that the exhibit a virtually continuous range of K. Mawdsley

PROTECTINGPROTECTING CRAMPTON’S CRAMPTON’S TUCTORIA TUCTORIA - -UPDATE UPDATE

In this spot in our last issue, we volunteers that has planted oaks and informed you of the plight of the native grasses in part of the park. grass illustrated in our Davis To help guide the County in making Botanical Society logo. Crampton’s decisions about how best to utilize the Tuctoria, Tuctoria mucronata, (also park land, Jean Shepard and I have known as Solano Grass) was first attended two Yolo County public described by Beecher Crampton in meetings over the past six months. 1959. It was originally found in the Herbarium specimens in hand, Jean and large, deep vernal pool named Olcott I have spoken about the native plants of Lake, located at Jepson Prairie Yolo County Grasslands Regional Park, Preserve; it is now known from only especially Crampton’s Tuctoria. Since two locations, one on private land Grasslands Regional Park is home to near Jepson Prairie and the other two federally endangered vernal pool scheduled a vernal pool delimitation close to Davis at the Yolo County plant species, the county has to have a day at Grasslands Regional Park on Grasslands Regional Park at the management plan in place to ensure the February 8th. Once this work is south end of Mace Boulevard (and continued viability of the vernal pools. completed, we will be able to provide adjacent Federal land). Grasslands Jean’s work on the flora of this park has the county with data on the extent Regional Park is used by a multitude already provided the county with much and location of vernal pools that are of contituents: a model airplane needed data. Additionally, in currently on county land. We will club, an archery club, off-leash dog- conjunction with six other Davis keep you posted on the outcome. walkers, and a group of enthusiastic Botanical Society members, we have E. Dean 3 RECENT GIFTS

Davis Botanical Society Herbarium Building Campaign McCaskill Memorial Fund Student Grant Fund Joseph & Emma Lin In Memory of Sterling Leisz E. Eric Grissell Dorothy Brose John M. Tucker June McCaskill Memorial Fund Karleen Darr Lars W. Anderson Ellen Dean Larry Mitich Memorial Suzanne Armstrong Donald Foster Student Grant Fund Donald & Nancy Crosby Jane Kimball Mick Canevari Alva G. Day Melvin R. Krom Eric E. Conn Ellen Dean & Tom Starbuck Douglas Leisz Ellen Dean & Tom Starbuck Joe DiTomaso Jacquelin Leisz Charlotte Mitich Gerald Dickinson Katherine Mawdsley James & Catherine Murray Lewis J. Feldman William McCoy Warren Roberts Roman Gankin & Jobyna Kingsbury- Pat Piper Gankin Reve Rocke Jack Major Memorial Hawkins Family Trust Student Grant Fund Franz R. Kegel Conservatory Operations Gifts Ellen Dean & Tom Starbuck Charlotte Kimball Anonymous Tena D. Farr Douglas & Luree Ketcham Ivan Buddenhagen Roman Gankin & Jobyna Sterling Leisz Carole Ludlum Kingsbury-Gankin Marjorie March Louise Jackson & Patrick McGuire Tim Metcalf Herbarium Operations Gifts Mary Major James & Nancy Pollock William McCoy Paul C. Major Rob Preston Steve Matson Warren Roberts Gifts of Books or Slides Stephen P. Rae Cynthia Roye Joe DiTomaso Marcel Rejmanek & Eliska Herbert & Maxine Schmalenberger Lynn Kimsey Rejmankova Maureen L. Stanton William McCoy Warren Roberts Roberta L. Stevenson Grady L. Webster Gail Sullivan Wesley Youngclaus Herbarium Endowment Mandy Tu Roman Gankin & Jobyna Kenneth & Shirley Tucker Kingsbury-Gankin Alan T. Whittemore William & Sandra Haley Louise Jackson & Patrick McGuire Betty Rivers Ernesto Sandoval Thank you for your support! Lisa Serafini Kenneth & Shirley Tucker

ON THE THRESHOLD OF A ROOM OF HER OWN

We are thrilled to report that we The Plant Identification are well on the way to meeting the Laboratory will contain goal of $150,000 to name the microscopes, plant reference Plant Identification Laboratory in books and space to compare the new herbarium in honor of mystery plants with some of the June McCaskill, curator of the herbarium’s more than 250,000 herbarium for nearly forty years. pressed, dried and identified Davis Botanical Society members, specimens. The room will be the June’s friends and colleagues, main user space in the new former students and participants herbarium, and will welcome in the trips she organized for members of the public, as well as many years for the Friends of the student and faculty researchers. Davis Arboretum have contributed generously in her memory. K. Mawdsley June identifying plants

4 CONSERVATORY ENDOWMENT TO BE ESTABLISHED The Davis Botanical Society board The fund, which will be managed Conservatory Director Tim Metcalf voted at the January 2004 meeting to by the UC Davis Foundation, parallels and Curator Ernesto Sandoval have lots establish an endowment for the the Herbarium endowment created in of ideas for ways to use the income from Botanical Conservatory. This action 1999. The principal in the Herbarium the Conservatory endowment, such as became possible when Treasurer Emily endowment is growing steadily from display cases for orchids or cloud forest Griswold reported that accrued income gifts from DBS members and others and species that require special growing from Life and other memberships and from its annual interest, which is being conditions. Gifts to the fund will appear undesignated gifts by renewing retained in the account. When the as an option on next year’s membership members had comfortably exceeded the interest reaches a useful level, it will be forms. balance required for routine Society used to support curatorial activities in K. Mawdsley activities. the herbarium. PLANNING, VOLUNTEER HELP TRY TO OFFSET CONSERVATORY BUDGET CUTS

cannot be cut below its current level of A new giving opportunity three extremely busy people. In addition, a $7500 allocation to fund With the new Sciences Laboratory interns to give tours for visiting school Building nearing completion, the children has been discontinued. Botanical Conservatory is gearing up to To continue to serve the teaching install a portion of the plantings and research program, Conservatory around the south end of the building staff will reduce their internship during the fall and winter months of program and seek grants, which have 2004. Catleya orchid provided an automated plant label- There will be no additional funds from a photo by Ernesto Sandoval making system and other special for the project, and with the budget equipment. Sale of plants grown by reductions, the Conservatory would We who delight in the ferns and orchids volunteers at the Arboretum Plant Faire welcome financial contributions to or wonder at those bulbous-based and the Conservatory pre-sale yielded make the plantings around the euphorbs don’t think about the fact that $14,000 this year, a record amount. building both educational and striking. the conservatory staff is also Income from previous plant sales, after Perhaps you would like to contribute responsible for extensive greenhouses the cost of materials is repaid, has towards the purchase of educationally used for research and production of funded the unit’s computer equipment, valuable specimen plants for classes plants for use in Plant Biology classes. reference books, orchid supplies, and that will be taught in the building, soil The cuts many campus units have the salary for the curatorial amendments, benches in honor of sustained this year (and for the next documentation project. someone you know, or paving for paths two, at a minimum) are, in the case of Continuing help from our Please contact Ernesto Sandoval at the greenhouses, “only” 6% of the total volunteers and supporters and creative 752-0569 with any questions you unit budget. But that means a 73% use of equipment innovation and task might have. reduction in the budget for student assignment will enable the help and supplies (like soil and conservatory to surmount this T. Metcalf, E. Sandoval, fertilizer), because permanent staff challenge. and K. Mawdsley NOVEMBER BOOK SALE A SUCCESS

Well, it was a dreary, rainy day, but on sale. We still have several boxes of you to the following dedicated November 15, 2003, we sold two books, some of which contain some volunteers who helped sort, move, thirds of the donated books we needed botanical gems, and so we hope to turn price, and sell books, lead herbarium to sell, and made $1,100 for the those into gold as well. Thank you to tours, decorate the premises, and serve Botanical Society. The sale books were our book donors for thinking of the refreshments: Suzanne Armstrong, comprised of donations from Grady Society and the herbarium library. Nyla Crain, Layne Huiet, Johanna Webster, Jack Major, and the estate of Attendees were also treated to Kwan, Kate Mawdsley, Bill McCoy, Tim June McCaskill. Many donations were herbarium tours and delicious Metcalf, Charlotte Mitich, Dan Potter, incorporated into the herbarium refreshments. We made new friends Robert Rhode, and Rosita Scherson. library, with duplicates sold at the and renewed old acquaintances. Thank E. Dean 5 YOLO COUNTY BOOKSHELVES

Baltic amber that was accumulated over THE MAGIC OF AMBER 20 million years during the Tertiary. Although the Baltic amber was originally in conifers and flowering plants. Plant Reins: chemistry, evolution, thought to be produced by pine trees, it Chemists regard them as mixtures of ecology, ethnobotany. now appears that the major amber- cyclic hydrocarbons that have By Jean Langenheim. Timber Press, producing tree belonged to the conifer increasing numbers of rings. Those Portland, Oregon. 586 pp. Black-and- family Araucariaceae and was related to compounds with one or two rings white drawings, (if not the ancestor of) the modern kauri (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) 47 color photographs. 2003. $50.00 pines (Agathis). An especially interesting aspect of Amber is defined in the Encyclopedia amber studies is the flora and fauna— Brittanica as “a fossil resin used for the mainly flower parts and — manufacture of ornamental objects.” In trapped in the sticky resin and later Plant Resins Jean Langenheim, Professor fossilized. In clear amber, such as Emerita at the University of California, Langenheim studied in Hispaniola, the Santa Cruz, shows that the study of preservation of plant organs and cell amber unlocks the door into a garden of structures is better than that of any earthly delights: amber and other other kind of fossil. resinous exudates from trees have been The paleoflora of Baltic amber prized by man since Neolithic times, deposits reveals flora very different from and trade in amber has connected far- that of today, with primitive genera such flung cities in Africa, Europe, and Asia as Drimys growing thousands of miles since civilization began. from where the plants now occur. Jean Langenheim’s George Poinar, who has written a accomplishment in writing this number of books about insects comprehensive volume arises out of her fossilized in amber, speculates in the early interests: she majored in botany final paragraph of Life in Amber (1994), with a minor in geology for both her Hymenaea protera in “the idea of cloning DNA from amber master’s and doctoral dissertations at Dominican amber inclusions might not be a topic only for the University of Minnesota. Her fictional studies.” He did find fossilized earliest publications include articles in mosquitoes in amber, and this was the are more volatile, and those with three plant ecology and paleobotany, and she inspiration for the film Jurassic Park. or four rings (diterpenes and co-authored two essays on ecological Amber is clearly the center of triterpenes), more viscous. These concepts with Professor Herbert Mason, attention in Plant Resins, but resinous compounds have varying one of her mentors while she was a Langenheim shows that it is only one degrees of toxicity for animals, which research associate at the UC Berkeley player of a large cast. There are many has ecological consequences in defense campus in the 1950s. As she explains in variations in proportions of phenolic of trees against attacks by insects. The the preface, her interest in amber began and terpenoid resins produced by a immense variety of these resinous with her expedition to Chiapas in the considerable number of different plant compounds apparently reflects the early 1960s. She studied her collections genera. The panorama begins with biochemical warfare that has of amber and resins from Chiapas in the oleoresins, liquids produced by conifers continued between plants and insects laboratory of Professor Elso Barghoorn and flowering plants that become for some 300 million years at Harvard University, where she fossilized as amber. Conifer oleoresins Amber originates from resin by developed imaginative techniques for are an important source of turpentine, chemical changes (polymerization) chemical analysis of resins. She had a pitch, and what historically has been during fossilization, which in special interest in the legume known as “naval stores.” Before Langenheim’s opinion requires at least Hymenaea, the source of much fossilization, various hardened resins are 40,000 years. Paleobotanical Mexican amber, and in 1975 she co- referred to as copals. Kauri pine copals reconstructions suggest that buried authored a monograph of the genus from New Zealand, a valuable source of resins converted to amber typically that has provided a valuable systematic varnishes, were harvested for a century accumulate in sediments in river background to her studies. Plant Resins in such quantities that the tree was estuaries.The primary source of amber is the testimonial to her dedication almost exterminated. for thousands of years has been the during four decades to a research Balsams, which are softer exudates shores of the Baltic Sea from near program that has culminated in this with a high content of volatile Danzig, in northern Poland, to magnificent synthesis of the chemistry, compounds, are produced by both southern Lithuania. Paleobotanical ecology, ethnobotany, economics, conifers and flowering plants. Their studies show that the earliest amber in paleontology, and biogeography of the primary use in the past was probably for the fossil record is from the Triassic, plants that produce resins. perfumes or incense; however, Canada over 200 million years ago, but the Resins are defined chemically as balsam Thankfrom Abies balsameayou provides a largest known deposits are those of secondary metabolites occurring mainly valuable mounting medium for 6 YOLO COUNTY BOOKSHELVES microslides. Storax, the balsam from dragon’s blood (sangre de Sweet Gum (Liquidambar), was used as drago) from Socotra and an incense by the Aztecs. Benzoin, the the , and phenolic resin produced by Styrax, is finally the most lucrative used medicinally in Asia. resin in today’s The best known of the balsams are economy—hashish and the incenses (elemis) produced by marijuana from the hemp several genera of Burseraceae in the genus (Cannabis). It is a and adjacent Africa. staggering biochemical Frankincense, which is often mentioned palette from the plant in the Bible, is a gum resin produced by kingdom. species of Boswellia. Myrrh, produced The utilization of all from species of Commiphora, was highly these exotic resins, valued by the Romans. The incense especially amber, by currently used in Catholic services is humans appears to have said to be a mixture of frankincense, begun in the Neolithic (at myrrh, and storax. Other resins are used least 5,000 years ago). Bee balling up resin from male Clusia grandiflora to obtain varnishes and lacquers rather There is some evidence than incenses. These include dammars that amber, perhaps and gamboges (from Dipterocarpaceae because of its brilliance, was prized for amber deposits, and the exotic plants as well as Burseraceae); sandaracs from its magical and religious associations, producing the resins. The depth of the conifers Callitris and Tetraclinis although it became most popular for scholarship revealed in Plant Resins is (Cupressaceae); mastics from Pistacia necklaces and other items of jewelry. indicated by the exhaustive (Anacardiaceae); and the varnishes used Langenheim recounts the fascinating bibliography that runs 67 pages! The for Japanese lacquers from relatives of history in the records of the trade 47 excellent photographs and the line poison oak (Toxicodendron). Add to routes by which amber and incenses drawings add greatly to the reader’s those the medicinal resins from the were transported between Europe, enjoyment and comprehension of the carrot family (Apiaceae): ammoniacum Africa, and Asia, beginning with the world’s resin-producing plants. The from Dorema, and expedition of Queen Hatshepshut to enthusiasm and dedication of Jean from fennel (), silphium (from an the land of Punt in 1500 BC (the Langenheim to her topic has been African species of Ferula that became world’s first recorded botanical matched by Timber Press in the extinct from over-exploitation), plus expedition!). meticulous production of a volume that resins from other families: the The appendices in Plant Resins is surely the definitive, and most purgatives jalap and scamony from are a great help in keeping track of all interesting, work on the subject of morning glories (Ipomoea and this information, with summaries of plant resins. Convolvulus), labdanum perfume from the families and genera of resiniferous rockrose (Cistus), the medicinal salve plants, locations and source plants of G. L. Webster

DIRECTORS’ CORNER (CONT FROM PG 2)

to the Conservatory for in-depth of various species, factors influencing us possess new plant beauties and exploration of the subject. It is a the feasibility of establishing oddities generated by the Arboretum delight to work with students who sustainable Aloe production for and Conservatory volunteers. And don’t want to leave after two hours of commerce by East African indigenous the Arboretum and Conservatory discussion and illustrations. The groups. programs have added resources for extra enrichment for the teams in this Ted, the star of last June’s their programs. area may challenge the usual Amorphophallus exhibit, has reappeared Linda Arnold, the purchasing dominance of Southern California in in vegetative guise much more quickly agent for the Section of Evolution the finals. and vigorously than expected, giving and Ecology who died recently after On his last trip to Southern hope he may join his three siblings in a a short illness, loved plants. At the California, Ernesto took large much more odiferous and fruitful request and with the help of her specimens of East African Aloes to display late this spring. friends and colleagues, Ernesto several botanical gardens and has It was another record-breaking incorporated some of the plants requests for more. The Aloes are spin- year for the annual Plant Faire. With from her yard and a Chitalpa tree offs from Elizabeth King’s research DBS and Arboretum members being into an attractive planting south east project (aided by a DBS student grant given ten percent discount and entry to of Storer Hall, a beautiful reminder in 2002-3) investigating growth rates the sale before the general public (over of her life and contributions. and secondary compound production 2000 customers for the day), many of T. Metcalf

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