Vol. 29, No. 2 April 2001 FREMONTIA

A Journal of the California Native Plant Society

in this issue:

Discovering the Endemic Plants of Kings River Canyon by Dana York / 3 • Calflora: California Plants Online by George Hartwell / 7 • Memories of Lincoln by Barbara Ertter / 13 • Taking Steps Toward Long-Term Preservation of the Sonoma Spineflower by Michelle Coppoletta and Barbara Moritsch / 23 Vegetation in Watercourses of the Eastern Mojave Desert by Julie M. Evens / 26 VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 1 Notes and Comments / 36 • Book Reviews / 36 California Native Plant Society FREMONTIA www.cnps.org MEMBERSHIP VOL. 29, NO. 2, APRIL 2001 Dues include subscriptions to Fremontiaand the Bulletin. Copyright © 2001 California Native Life ...... $1,000 Supporting ...... $75 Plant Society Benefactor ...... $500 Family, Group, International . . . $45 Patron ...... $250 Individual or Library ...... $35 Linda Ann Vorobik, Editor Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income $20 Bob Hass, Copy Editor Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer ADDRESSES CHAPTER COUNCIL CALIFORNIA NATIVE Memberships; Address Changes; Of- Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart ficers; General Society Inquiries; Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... PLANT SOCIETY FremontiaAdvertising: CNPS, 1722 J Stephen Ingram Street, Suite 17, Sacramento, CA Channel Islands ...... Lynne Kada Dedicated to the Preservation of 95814. Tel: (916) 447-CNPS (2677); Dorothy King Young (Gualala) . . . . the California Native Flora Fax: (916) 447-2727 Lori Hubbart Executive Director: Vacant East Bay ...... Tony Morosco The California Native Plant Society Fremontia: Dr. L.A. Vorobik, Editor, El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman (CNPS) is an organization of laymen c/o University and Jepson Herbaria, Kern County . . . . . Laura Stockton and professionals united by an interest 1001 Valley Life Sciences Bldg. #2465, in the native plants of California, open UC, Berkeley, CA 94720-2465. (510) Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains to all. Its principal aims are to pre- 642-2465, [email protected] Halli Mason serve the native flora and to add to the Bulletin: Steve Tyron, Editor, Bulletin Marin County ...... Bob Soost knowledge of members and the public [email protected] or US Mail to Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . at large by monitoring rare and en- CNPS Office (listed above) Lynn Houser dangered plants throughout the state; Rare Plant Botanist: David Tibor, Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas by acting to save endangered areas CNPS, 1722 J St., Suite 17, Sacra- Monterey Bay . . . Rosemary Donlon through publicity, persuasion, and on mento, CA 95814. (916) 324-3816, Mount Lassen ...... Jim Bishop occasion, legal action; by providing dtibor@cnps. org Napa Valley ...... Marcie Danner expert testimony to government Vegetation Ecologist: Julie Evens, North Coast ...... Kim Hayler bodies; and by supporting financially CNPS, 1722 J Street, Suite 17, Sacra- Orange County . . . Daniel Songster and otherwise the establishment of mento, CA 95814. (916) 327-0714, Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . . . . native plant preserves. Much of this [email protected] Richard Hanes work is done by volunteers through Earth Share Liaison: Halli Mason, Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . CNPS Chapters throughout the state. 4728 Rosita Place, Tarzana, CA 91356. The Society’s educational work (818) 345-6749 Katie Barrows includes: publication of a quarterly Legal Advisor: Sandy McCoy. (510) Sacramento Valley . . Jennifer Hogan journal, Fremontia, and a quarterly 644-2900 x107; wbmccoy@earthlink. San Diego ...... Sara Steinhoffer Bulletin which gives news and net San Gabriel Mountains . Lyn McAfee announcements of Society events and San Luis Obispo . . . . Dirk Walters conservation issues. Chapters hold BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sanhedrin (Ukiah) . Chuck Williams meetings, field trips, and plant and Officers: Santa Clara Valley . . Mary Simpson poster sales. Non-members are President ...... Sue Britting Santa Cruz County . Janell Hillman welcome to attend. Vice President . . . . . Sandy McCoy Sequoia (Fresno) . . . . Jeanne Larson Money is provided through member Secretary ...... Lori Hubbart Shasta ...... Dave DuBose dues and funds raised by chapter plant Treasurer ...... Steve Hartman Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- and poster sales. Additional donations, Chapter Council Chair ...... veras, Mariposa) . . . . . Patrick Stone bequests, and memorial gifts from Lynne Kada South Coast (Palos Verdes) . . . Ellen friends of the Society can assist greatly Chapter Council Vice-Chair . . . . . in carrying forward the work of the Lori Hubbart Brubaker Society. Dues and donations are tax- Directors: Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan deductible. Carol Baird, Charli Danielsen, Greg Willis L. Jepson (Solano) . . . . Mary Jirak, Lynne Kada, Betsey Landis, Shaw Fremontia logo (by L. Vorobik) reprinted Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . Randy from The Jepson Manual, J. Hic kman, David L. Magney, Patt McDaniel, Carol Witham Ed., 1993, with permission from the Jepso n Zebell Herbarium, UC. © Regents of the Univer- MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION sity of California. Members and others are invited to submit material for publication in Fremontia. Instructions for contributors can be found on the CNPS web page, www.cnps.org, THE COVER: Boyden Cave lime- or can be requested from FremontiaEditor, Linda Ann Vorobik, vorobik@rock stones bisecting Monarch Divide in island.com, or c/o University and Jepson Herbaria, 1001 Valley Life Sciences Kings River Canyon. Photograph by Bldg. #2465, UC, Berkeley, CA 94720-2465. Dana York.

2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Discovering the Endemic Plants of Kings River Canyon by Dana York

arly morning on July 21, 1995, my stomach started doing flip- stop and reconsidered the cause of EI left my Sierra Nevada foot- flops. Attributing this to the ex- my malady. I was so close to my hill home in Auberry for a citement of the moment, I pulled destination that the thought of two-hour drive to the Kings River. over for an emergency “comfort” going back seemed foolish, so I My desire to explore the deepest river canyon in North America was Upper 1,500 feet of the limestone outcrop directly across the Kings River from Boyden prompted by a discovery that oc- Cave. Monarch gilia ( Gilia yorkii) was originally collected in the saddle (upper right- curred earlier that spring while fel- hand corner). Photographs by the author. low botanist Scott Wilson and I were exploring the Boyden Cave limestone outcrops. Although we were somewhat early for flowers, we unexpectedly came upon a new population of Tehipite Valley jewel- flower (Streptanthus fenestratus) be- fore a rainstorm forced us to quit. This jewelflower is endemic to Kings River Canyon, occurring be- tween 3,000 to 6,000 feet elevation and covering a known area of ap- proximately 50 square miles. Origi- nally discovered by John Thomas Howell in the 1960s, the Tehipite Valley jewelflower was associated only with granitic sands. Prior to our discovery, the largest known population was in Tehipite Valley, just six air-miles from Boyden Cave. Because the limestone outcrops are covered with thousands of Tehipite Valley jewelflowers, it is likely that the species originated here and eventually colonized the known gra- nitic populations. This discovery was just a taste of what was to come. My plan was to return to the jewelflower population at 4,000 feet elevation, and to continue climb- ing higher on the limestone for- mation until I reached the 6,000- foot saddle. While I was driving, I kept thinking about how exciting it was on the previous trip to have discovered a new population of the rare Tehipite Valley jewelflower. I was full of anticipation for further rare plant discoveries. After driv- ing for about an hour and a half,

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 3 continued toward Boyden Cave with a case of stomach flu or food Endemic plants of the Kings River Basin poisoning—but either way, I was Co rdylanthus tenuis ssp. barbatus Fresno County bird’s-beak not a happy camper! At Boyden Eriogonum nudum var. regirivum Kings River buckwheat Cave, I stuffed my pack full of sup- Erio go num o valifo lium var. monarchense* Monarch buckwheat plies and proceeded across the river (in press) to the base of the first limestone Gilia yorkii* Monarch gilia outcrop. After several hours of Heterotheca mo narchensis* Monarch goldenaster climbing, I began to think that Streptanthus fenestratus* Tehipite Valley jewelflower there was no end to the limestone nor to the poison oak. Sometime *known from the Boyden Cave limestones in the afternoon I attained my goal: a 6,000-foot elevation saddle di- viding the middle and south forks summer approaches, with the ridge with John Semple (North American of the Kings River. The ridge be- plants being the last to display their Heterotheca expert) and Jim Shevock tween the forks of the Kings River treasures. (at the time, the Regional Botanist is known as Junction Ridge and it for the US Forest Service), we sub- forms the western segment of a sequently described this plant as more extensive formation called Expecting the Monarch goldenaster (Hetero theca Monarch Divide. It is also the di- Unexpected monarchensis). It is endemic to the viding line between the Sierra and Boyden Cave limestones. Sequoia national forests. Both for- Just a few feet beyond the jewel- It was getting late into the after- ests administer this area as Mon- flowers I spotted the inflorescences noon and I still had a long way to go, arch Wilderness. There on the of buckwheats. My first thought but my body was not cooperating. I ridge I saw my old friend Tehipite was, “These little guys are weird!” started to get painful leg cramps. Valley jewelflower in full bloom. The plants were densely matted Spending the night with minimal The jewelflower starts to flower at with ball-like heads of flowers held supplies and little water started look- the bottom of the formation in just a few inches above their small ing like an option I would have to March or April, and then contin- round leaves. I only saw a handful consider. Because of the heat, I knew ues to bloom higher and later as of plants, mostly on small ledges my water would not last much longer or in crevices, on the north-facing so I pushed on. During the climb up Tehipite Valley jewelflower ( Streptanthus side of the ridge. At the time, I I had crossed a spring at about the fenestratus) from the limestones above broke off an inflorescence with halfway point. Limping along, I Boyden Cave. a few leaves to take back home managed to find the spring, hydrate for further scrutiny. I have subse- my body, and refill the water bottles. quently named this plant Monarch Although I was momentarily op- buckwheat (Eriogonum ovalifolium timistic, I still had 1,500 feet to var. monarchense; Madro ño, in press). descend through brush and steep It is still only known from this lo- limestone with painfully cramped leg cation. muscles. I left the buckwheat and began I managed to stumble my way climbing down the limestone, fol- down the last portion of the de- lowing the base of a cliff. About ten scent, arriving at my car in the early minutes into the hike, I noticed nu- evening before it was too dark to merous clumps of yellow compos- see. This was a huge relief, but now ites all around me. I had not seen I had a new problem. I could barely these on my trip up to the saddle, push in my car’s clutch with my left but here I was surrounded by a leg. Shifting gears on the drive golden garden of sunflowers. The home became a deliberate act re- stems and leaves were silvery white quiring planning and intense con- with dense hairs. Each plant had centration. I have no recollection numerous flowering heads with of arriving at my home. But I do golden-yellow ligules. Like the buck- know that I recovered in time to wheat, I took a small sample of this return to the Boyden Cave area less plant for later analysis. Working than two weeks later.

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Monarch goldenaster ( Heterotheca monarchensis) on limestone at the type locality above Boyden Cave.

Return to Kings lation, where I collected enough river, and Jim spent several minutes River Canyon material to make several type speci- just sitting in the flowing water. It men sheets. Armed with bags of col- had been quite a day: we had made On July 31 I returned to Kings lected goodies, I climbed back down the first scientific collections for River Canyon with Jim Shevock. to Jim. He was very intrigued by three previously unknown plants— Having explored the Southern the gilia I had just discovered. This a feat that had not occurred in Cali- Sierra extensively and making sev- Kings River Canyon endemic gilia fornia for a long time. eral discoveries of previously un- was subsequently named Monarch Following the discovery of known plants, I knew he would not gilia (Gilia yorkii) by Jim Shevock these endemic plants and at the pass up an opportunity to investi- and Alva Day (Polemoniaceae ex- beseeching of both Dr. Kristina gate the unusual flora of the Kings pert at the California Academy of Schierenbeck (professor of Biology River limestones. Sciences in San Francisco). at California State University, We climbed all day and made it I was hoping that the return Chico) and Jim, I spent the next five to the Monarch goldenaster (Hetero- down the limestone would be un- thecamonarchensis) site that I had eventful—unlike my previous trip— Habit of Monarch buckwheat ( Eriogonum discovered during my previous visit. but this would not be the case. ovalifolium var. monarchense), and a Jim decided that he had climbed Because Jim drove from San Fran- detailed illustration of a flower from holotype collection and photographs. high enough and so, after we fin- cisco for his first field outing of the Illustration by Laura Cunningham. ished collecting material and taking season, the heat and strenuous con- photographs of the goldenaster, he ditions wreaked havoc on him. Like stayed behind while I continued on my previous trip, we were tempted alone. When I reached the saddle I to stay the night and continue out noticed a wispy annual gilia with in the morning. However, our lack lavender flowers growing in crev- of water and camping gear were ices in the limestone. I collected sev- incentives to push forward and get eral individuals of this gilia before off the outcrop. Just as it was get- continuing to the buckwheat popu- ting dark we made it down to the

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 5 years exploring and documenting all the plants (including mosses with Jim) of the Kings River Basin. My master’s thesis (partially funded by the CNPS), A Phyto geo graphic Analy- sis of the Kings River Basin, Califor- nia, is a compilation of fieldwork, 2 cm hundreds of hours of herbarium work, and comparative floristic analyses. I examined over 35,000 vascular plant specimens at the Her- barium of California State Univer- sity, Fresno. Of these, nearly 4,000 specimens collected from the Kings River Basin were annotated and documented in my thesis. I also in- cluded data from nearly 1,900 speci- mens of my own. Also, various pub- lished and non-published lists ac- counted for several thousand records making a total of nearly 10,000 Habit and detail drawings of Monarch gilia ( Gilia yorkii) from holotype collections showing plant in flower and fruit. Magnified details (from left to right) include flower specimens cited in my analysis of with calyx trichomes; calyx with mature, included capsule; dissected corolla with stamens the flora of the Kings River Basin. and style; and basal and lower cauline leaves. Adapted from Madroño 45:138. Illustrations Although natural habitats by Linda Ann Vorobik.

throughout the state are under siege on a daily basis, there are still spe- cial places left to discover and explore. Kings River Canyon is one of those places. Its endemic plants are the result of a magical mix of climate, geology, geomorphology, topography, soils, hydrology, and biology. It is also a place that demands respect. Although the re- wards can be lavish, it is an unfor- giving place to those who are not prepared. Over a period of five years, I made several more trips to the Boyden Cave limestones, find- ing new populations of the endemics and other rare plants. From my adventures I learned that determi- nation, plentiful water, sturdy boots, limestone endemics good physical fitness, a happy gas- trointestinal tract, and an active The Boyden Cave limestone endemics are likely neoendemics arising imagination are all necessary com- from desert ancestors. These endemics are more like their desert ponents for discovering botanical relatives than their congeners in the surrounding Sierra. There are treasures in places such as Kings several other species on these limestones that are more typical of River Canyon. The next species is those occurring in Mojave Desert habitats. This Mojave link was waiting to be discovered. The pos- probably severed during an ice sheet event in the Quaternary. It is sibilities are imaginable! important to note that the Boyden Cave limestones are just below the southern Sierra’s glaciated landscapes. Dana Yo rk, P.O. Bo x 264, Death Valley, CA 92328-0264

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Calflora: California Plants Online by George Hartwell

Pioneers In unusual pine on that high bluff over- Land Management Perspective looking the beach. Applications Plant species names would be harles Christopher Parry was displayed to him in a manner corre- Calflora’s functionality goes far C a legendary explorer and lated with names assigned the same beyond individual observation botanist. His plant discov- species by others, past and present, records. It has become an indis- eries and collections, many of which in both scientific nomenclature and pensable tool for natural resource were made during the mid-1800s as vernacular, or common use. He may managers of all sorts. To explain part of the United States and Mexi- have been able to learn that similar why, let’s go back to Parry’s high can Boundary Survey, widely ex- pines, what we now call P. to rreyana bluff overlooking the San Diego panded the scope of knowledge of ssp. insularis, occur on Santa Rosa coast. Remember the seam of lig- California flora (Ornduff, 1992). Island, and he’d have seen where to nite? When Parry set out, his pur- In June, 1850, Parry wrote to go to study specimens or find the pose of the moment was to pros- his close friend and former profes- living trees. pect for coal, of which lignite is one sor, renowned taxonomist John Tens of thousands of Califor- form (Nichol, 2001). Torrey at Columbia College, of a nia plant species photographs Calflora provides information new discovery in San Diego: would be available for him to look critical to land managers that helps at, almost instantaneously, to help them determine what impacts their I have been some 20 miles him determine quickly by compari- project will have on native plant up the coast to the Soledad son whether his pine-on-the-bluff resources. By accessing the species Valley to examine a seam of really was so very different from records from Calflora, Parry, local lignite which is exposed in known species. government officials, state and the high bluff overlooking the beach—I here found a new species of pine growing Part of Calflora’s homepage. Other “Advanced Query” pages give users many more in sheltered places bout the options for search and display of information. bluff. Its characters are so unique I am in hopes it may be non-descript . . . if new, I wish it with your permis- sion to bear the name Pinus to rreyana.(Nichol, 2001) Imagine what message Parry might have e-mailed Torrey if he could have dialed up the Internet and accessed the Calflora database, www.calflora.org, and its massive files containing detailed informa- tion regarding some 7,600 plant taxa known to exist in California today. He would have had at his fingertips a comprehensive database of plant distribution information. The records he could study deeply probe the experience of explorers before him, their observations, and the geo- graphic locations of the species they reported. With current data he could have learned whether some- one before him had reported an

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 7 (Vacc inium spp.), and most recently, has the potential to spread coast redwoods (Sequo ia semper- to other regions of Califor- virens) (Frankel, pers. comm.). Con- nia, such as the Central Val- cern that the disease may spread ley and the foothills of the farther is so great that legislation Sierra Nevada Mountains. that became law in October 2001 The unprecedented level of allocates $3.5 million toward pre- dieback of tan oak, coast live vention, control, and management oak, and black oak poses sev- of sudden oak death. The enabling eral immediate and long- legislation, Assembly Bill 62 term environmental and (www.leginfo.ca.gov/), co-authored public safety threats. by Assembly members Carol Susan Frankel, a member of Migden (D-San Francisco) and the multi-agency California Oak Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) Photograph of Torrey Pine ( Pinus torrey- Mortality Task Force, reports the observes: ana) taken by Charles Webber from the Calflora database has been a real California Academy of Sciences collection Scientists do not know catalyst, accelerating the task force’s in CalPhotos, managed by the UC Berke- ley Digital Library Project, which con- whether this dieback will be success. “The Calflora database is tains over 30,000 images of California limited to coastal oaks or being used as the basis for a survey plants searchable through Calflora. whether sudden oak death to determine the incidence and im- federal agencies, a coal mining Over 5,500 contributed observations of black oak ( Quercus kelloggii) to Calflora form company, and others could exam- the basis of this distribution map (originally in color). Each dot is an individual ine the known range of Torrey pine observation; shaded areas indicate county-level reports. Maps can be recreated each time the database is searched, providing the most up-to-date information available. and determine whether Parry’s ob- servation represented a previously unknown location for the species. In addition, Calflora data would have helped any one of them evalu- ate the relative abundance or rarity of the species and assess what ef- fect a lignite mining operation on the bluff might have on distribu- tion of the species as a whole.

Calflora and California’s Oak Woodlands

In a contemporary example of its extraordinary versatility and criti- cal functionality, the Calflora data- base is proving to be a key element in helping researchers develop a plan to combat sudden oak death (some- times called SOD) in California. Sudden oak death, caused by the pathogen Phyto phtho ra ramo rum, has been observed in coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and a growing list of other species, including black oak (Q. kelloggii), tan oak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), rhododendron (Rhodo- dendron macrophyllum), huckleberries

8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 pact of the pathogen on the native plants,” she wrote (Frankel, pers. comm.). “The Calflora database provided instant access to the known locations of the plants that will be checked for infection. Its web ac- cess allowed scientists at several lo- cations and universities throughout the state to get to the information,” she said. If scientists like Frankel need to expand their studies to in- clude additional species, they can immediately access relevant location information in Calflora’s existing online collections.

Planning for Plant Diversity

Calflora’s remarkable utility— and its seemingly limitless poten- tial to further knowledge of Cali- fornia plant life—provides tools that help encourage conservation of natural resources. “When you’re looking at im- pacts on the diversity of a land- scape, you want to ask a series of questions about the species that oc- cur there, whether they are com- mon or rare, widely distributed, or narrowly endemic,” explained Ann Dennis, PhD, Calflora’s founder and director. “You want to know not just generalizations about those species, but specifics about their roles here in this landscape. Man- agers need those specifics to iden- tify which species most need pro- tection and plan accordingly.” No such universal reference tool existed before Calflora.

A Calflora Taxon Report page, illus- trating information typically available for a species. In this case, the noxious weed Canada thistle ( Circium arvense) is shown. Sections include a representative photo from CalPhotos, name and status infor- mation, summary of observations from the Calflora Occurrence Database, links to other online sources of information, and citation information. Calflora con- tains taxon records for over 8,000 native and alien plant taxa reported as occurring in California wildlands.

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 9 Some of the over 750,000 individual plant observations in Calflora can be visualized as dots on maps with the GIS Viewer developed by the UC Berkeley Digital Library Project. The Viewer features smooth pan and zoom, display of multiple data types, and location precision “fuzziness” displayed by different sized circles that are “hot linked” to the original observation. Background layers include USGS quad maps, three-meter resolution aerial photos, and other data types. Users can also add annotations, then save and share them with colleagues on the web.

An “Eight- project (with the “eight-character” Calflora’s rich data are discovered Character File file name of “calflora”) into a func- almost every day. name” tional tool for assessing species and habitat impacts throughout Califor- Calflora began in 1994 as a US nia. “We needed to take existing On the Road With Forest Service interdisciplinary re- data resources that are rich with Calflora search effort that examined the im- information and put them into a plications of forest management form readily accessible to the people The California Department of practices on wildlife, plant diver- who need to use them: land manag- Transportation (Caltrans) recog- sity, and ecosystem health. “Even ers and the public who participate nized the need to identify plant in relatively widespread plant com- in making land-use decisions,” Den- species native to highway project munities, like mixed conifer forests, nis said. “I was trying to make it locations in order to restore road- when you cut timber or build roads possible for people to manage land- sides to their natural appearance and across mile after mile of landscape, scapes for plant diversity and have function and to select locally native your actions can degrade native enough information at hand so they species for use in replacement veg- plant diversity,” Dennis com- could do that.” etation plantings. Calflora devel- mented. “Even if none of the spe- “The approach was not to cre- oped a user interface for Caltrans cies you affect is rare in an absolute ate a new body of information. that allows project designers—and sense, those local species losses have Instead, it was to use the new tech- any others who may access Cal- an effect that reverberates through- nologies we have to unite the flora’s web pages—to create a list of out the ecosystem.” sources of information that exist al- species that might be expected to Calflora evolved from a research ready,” she said. New uses for occur naturally on a specific site.

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 “In highway construction today, plant names and I don’t know what when native vegetation is removed, the species look like. With Calflora, there is an emphasis on replace- I can search the database using sci- ment of that vegetation where ap- entific or common names and learn propriate. The Calflora database much more about them,” she said. provides Caltrans’s landscape archi- There is also a broader use for tects and biologists an opportunity Calflora in the classroom. Students to determine what plant species are can discover what plant species likely to occur naturally at a specific could occur naturally in their state, location, and then create a mitiga- county, city, near their school, or in tion plan from those data,” said Gary their backyard. “An interesting Bush, Caltrans’s chief of landscape thing teachers can do is assign architecture, now retired. projects where students need to use “The database query form is set Calflora to learn about certain plant up in a simple, easy-to-understand species and plant communities,” format. It’s very easy for anyone Whitney noted. “They will discover making an inquiry to specify the lo- the wealth of information that’s cation of their project and then de- available on the Internet, beyond termine what native plants are likely downloading music online or shop- to occur in that place,” he added. ping. I don’t think children know what a wealth of information there is online and Calflora is a perfect Calflora in the example.” Classroom

Perhaps Calflora’s greatest po- Information tential lies in its use as an educa- Straight From tional resource in California’s class- the Source rooms to help students and their science teachers learn about plant Calflora’s data sets come from life in near and distant places. numerous sources ranging from Whitney Hartwell is a high state and federal public agencies school senior with an intense inter- to universities, non-government est in the rare plant species of her organizations, and private collec- area, Amador County’s Ione chap- tions. In most instances, the infor- arral. She maintains a web site mation was arranged, stored, and with information regarding some made available in formats designed of those rare species, www.ione by the data owners. Few were com- chaparral.org. Her site provides a patible with others. Ann Dennis link to Calflora. “My web site deals credits then-UC Davis graduate with only a few plant species,” she student Kwei-Lin Lum’s 1975 tran- said. “By seeing and learning about scription of plant distribution those plants, people may become information from Munz, A Cali- interested in the plant community fo rnia Flo ra and Supplement (1959 as a whole and then they can use and 1968), as the genesis for the An online annotation system allows ex- Calflora to learn what other plants Calflora database. perts to confirm or correct plant identi- grow in the Ione chaparral.” “I decoded the Munz geo- fications for submitted photos. Here, the top photo has been reviewed (checkmark) “I use Calflora to search for dif- graphic data and overlaid that with and the bottom has not (empty box). A ferent species in my area and inter- the California Native Plant Socie- similar system is planned for observations esting plants that are endemic to ty’s inventory data for rare taxa,” data in Calflora. other areas, too,” she said. “One of Dennis said. In addition, G. Fred the reasons I go [to the Calflora Hrusa, PhD, developed a system- applied to a given group of plants web site] is to look at the pictures. I atic manner of tabulating rela- over time. “Fred’s name table made can associate plant names with tionships between the different it possible for us to develop ma- plants I’ve seen. Sometimes I hear scientific names that have been chinery that pulls together data

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 11 transactions in which requests for people who want this information. information were processed. Calflora now needs the financial resources to expand its data, im- prove its functions, and encourage What the Future more public participation.” Holds With increased support from scientific, business, academic, and Tony Morosco is Calflora’s individual users, Calflora can real- project manager, a botanist, and was ize its goal: to become a clearing- a computer programmer for UC house for plant information for Berkeley’s Digital Library Project. California that serves education, He administers the Calflora data- conservation, and science. The seed base and is responsible for its pro- has germinated. You can help it gramming, data management, and grow and share in the thrill of dis- hardware maintenance. Morosco covery its use makes possible: views Calflora as an emerging util- Every step I take into the ity that has enormous potential. fields, groves, and hills ap- “Calflora can serve as a dynamic pears to afford new enjoy- information exchange center,” he ments. Here is an old ac- stated. “The botanical community quaintance seen again; there at large will be able to share infor- a novelty—I feel an exulta- mation seamlessly, rapidly, and with Stinging lupine ( Lupinus hirsutissimus), a tion. I am going to add a photograph contributed by John Game good documentation, thereby mak- new object, or a page to sci- to the CalPhotos collection. ing observations on plants available ence. This peaceful conquest almost instantly.” has cost no tears, but fills my resources from widely different time Morosco and Dennis are devel- mind with a proud sensation periods. We originally used this ma- oping ways that will allow research- of not being useless on earth, chinery to update the Munz data to ers and other observers to contrib- of having detected another correspond to the names and spe- ute new data to Calflora directly, link in the creative power of cies concepts we consider current, and allow other users to submit com- God. (Author unknown, generally the ones you’ll find in The ments on those data. “Being able to quoted in Nilsson, 1994) Je p s o n M an u al,” Dennis explained. accept information from the public According to Dennis, libraries is one direction Calflora is going,” of actual plant observations have Morosco explained. “Another is al- References grown to the point where it is no lowing expert users to review and longer necessary to rely on those verify data that are submitted. Third, Frankel, S. Personal communication secondary sources. “Today, when we’ll be able to alert interested par- (email) with A. Bradley. March 1, you display a range map in Calflora, ties when new data are submitted. 2001. USDA Forest Service, Pacific you can pull up the exact informa- Specialists in particular plant groups Southwest Region. tion on which it’s based—who saw and others will be able to receive Munz, P. A. 1959 and 1968. A Califo r- that plant there when, and what new reports, photographs, observa- nia flo ra and sup p lement. University basis they had for saying so,” said tions, and other information.” Al- of California Press, Berkeley. Dennis. “Often hundreds, even ready, users can submit their digital Nilsson, B. 1994. A wild flo wer by any thousands of those specific obser- photos via the website, and qualified other name. Yosemite Association. vations lie behind each one of our reviewers can add annotations and Yosemite National Park, California. maps.” corrections to the descriptions of any Nichol, H. 2001. No tes fro m the natu- With so many different types of photo in the online collections. ralist. Torrey Pines State Reserve. users, and more discovering its ver- But Calflora’s growth—like Available online: www.torreypine. satility daily, managing Calflora’s plants in a garden—requires nur- org/hn_parry.htm data in a manner easily accessible turing for success. “We started out Ornduff, R. 1992. Integrative Biology and equally useful for everyone is a as a research project to find out X113 wo rkbo ok. University of Cali- substantial challenge. In February whether we could provide this ser- fornia, Berkeley. Unpublished. 2002 alone, Calflora received over vice,” Dennis said. “We have dem- 500,000 requests for information— onstrated that it can be done and Geo rge Hartwell, P.O. Bo x 804, Pine not just hits on the web site, but that there are tens of thousands of Gro ve, CA 95665

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Lincoln Constance on Railroad Ridge, White Cloud Mountains, Idaho, July 1994. Photograph by Barbara Ertter. MEMORIES OF LINCOLN by Barbara Ertter

hen word came that closer to extinction. Multiple eulo- Idaho, a small liberal arts school in W Lincoln Constance, gies, published and presented at his southwestern Idaho. My major ad- emeritus professor, memorial gathering in October visor, Patricia L. Packard, had writ- Dean of Botany, Director of Bo- 2001 (Baldwin, 2001; Park, 2001), ten to Lincoln seeking an expert tanical Garden, etc., etc., at the extolled his long and distinguished opinion on some local floristic University of California at Berke- career as scientist, administrator, puzzles, and shared with me the ley had passed away on June 11, and mentor, each personalized by pun contained within the detailed 2001 at the age of 92, the botan- unique reminiscences. I welcome response: “I don’t know beans about ical community mourned the pass- the opportunity to add my own trib- Phaseolus”[for those of you not up ing of yet another of its giants. ute, combining my own memories on all of your botanical latin, Not only was the world’s foremost with highlights of some of Lincoln’s Phaseolus is the bean genus]. When expert on the Umbelliferae (Apia- lesser-known contributions and ac- I recall this now, after having had ceae—Parsley Family) lost, with no complishments. the immense pleasure of his per- replacement in sight, but the breed My first exposure to Lincoln sonal friendship, I realize how even of gentleman scholar which Lin- Constance was when I was a mere this earliest introduction exempli- coln epitomized came that much undergraduate at the College of fied not only his ready wit, but also

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 13 nevinii A. Gray when molecular evi- dence indicated it was only distantly related to other Erio phyllum (Bald- win, 2000).

IRRETRIEVABLY HOOKED

Curiosity about how Lincoln made the transition from woolly sunflowers to umbels, and his early career in general, led me to delve into his formative years. Perhaps Lincoln’s choice of dissertation topic, for example, was influenced by the common name of Oregon Sunshine, evoking his boyhood in the environs of Eugene. An early natural history interest in taxidermy was short-lived, after “losing struggles with the skins of a decid- edly dead squirrel and a few ill-fated birds put an early end to that ambi- tion” (Constance, 1988). In his oral history (Constance, 1987; source of subsequent otherwise unattributed quotes), Lincoln describes how, while still in high school, he instead began spending Saturday mornings “hobnobbing” with the eminent Louis F. Henderson at the Univer- sity of Oregon. Plants submitted for identification were sometimes set aside for the precocious youngster: “They used to save things that came in, if they couldn’t identify them readily, to see if this young squirt could, by any chance, identify it. Sometimes I did. Of course, that was very exciting.” Lincoln Constance as an undergraduate student, 1928. Photograph courtesy of William During his subsequent under- Constance. graduate years at the university, Lincoln had his first taste of pro- the amazing level of correspondence (or three!) people fully occupied. fessional-level collecting in 1928, he maintained with colleagues So fully identified was Lincoln with when Henderson managed to ob- around the world, or for that mat- these two families that it may come tain funds for field work in Kla- ter with anyone who asked his as- as a surprise to learn that his doc- math and Lake counties. Travel was sistance. toral work, under Willis Linn dependent on “a stage which was Why Pat was asking Lincoln Jepson, was on Erio phyllum (woolly usually an old seven-passenger au- about legumes I have no idea, since sunflowers) in the Asteraceae (Con- tomobile, which would go a couple his expertise was principally in stance, 1937). This early associa- times a week to some of these rela- Umbelliferae and Hydrophylla- tion provided the justification for tively widely dispersed towns.” Af- ceae (Waterleaf Family), which was the establishment of Constancea as a ter being dropped off somewhere certainly enough to keep any one new genus to accommodate E. along the way, Lincoln would spend

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 the day collecting, hauling all his Diablo, Lincoln’s published thesis gear with him to the next town. If (Constance, 1935) foreshadowed things didn’t work right, “you might many of the land management is- be there for three days waiting for sues just now being grappled with. the next stage.” A catchfly collected Particularly noteworthy are such by Lincoln during that summer was comments as “Even now it is rather described by Henderson as a new late to attempt to obtain an idea of species, Silene insec tivo ra (now S. the natural vegetation of the re- nuda ssp. insec tivo ra),leaving Lin- gion, and, within a few years, it will coln “irretrievably hooked” on be altogether impossible,” and botany (Constance, 1988). “There seems little doubt that the After receiving his bachelor’s Oakland Hills have suffered a cli- degree in 1930, Lincoln was fortu- matic shift toward greater aridity, nate enough to obtain a teaching and that this has prevented the man- assistantship at the University of destroyed vegetation from regain- California at Berkeley. The stipend ing dominancy.” was barely sufficient to live on, even Interspersed with his fieldwork with meals budgeted at 50 cents a on Redwood Peak, Lincoln spent day. For his master’s thesis, Lin- his summers working as a seasonal coln undertook a floristic survey of naturalist in Crater Lake National a local peak, as was standard for Park in 1931 and 1932. For those many of Willis Linn Jepson’s stu- who are only familiar with his more dents. The resulting detailed study scholarly papers, it is a treat to read of Redwood Peak in the Oakland the interpretative essays he wrote Hills provides an invaluable base- for Nature Notes from Crater Lake Lincoln Constance pressing plants on botanical society trip to Mt. Oso, 1948, line on the East Bay’s native red- during this period. These articles with Rafael Rodriquez. Photograph wood forest (done almost exactly contain such whimsical lines as “The courtesy of University Herbarium halfway between its complete de- meadow itself is a giant’s paint-pot, archives, UC Berkeley. forestation in the 1850s and the with dabs of all hues lavishly scat- present condition). Incorporating tered over it,” and “Crater Lake is niscent of the style of his mentor, the fledgling (and still somewhat experiencing a migration of butter- Jepson. suspect) field of ecology, as did fel- flies resembling the flights of lo- Lincoln’s final pre-academic job, low Jepson student Mary Leolin custs which perturbed the Pharaohs after receiving his PhD in the sum- Bowerman in her flora of Mount of Egypt in ancient times,” remi- mer of 1934, was a plant survey of Bull Creek Flat in Humboldt William (Bill) Constance and Sara (Sally) Luten Constance, passport photo for Chile, County, just purchased as a preserve 1954 (left). • Lincoln Constance passport photo for Chile, 1954 (right). Both photographs by the Save-the-Redwoods League. courtesy of University Herbarium archives, UC Berkeley. Lincoln’s first academic ap- pointment began in fall of 1934 at Washington State College in Pull- man: “I was paid for half-time, and I worked about two-and-a-half time.” In addition to teaching courses in taxonomy and ecology, his her- barium responsibilities led him to collect extensively for exchange and to begin developing the correspon- dence network that would expand throughout his life. One high point during this period was his marriage to Sara (Sally) Luten, college sweet- heart from their time at the Uni- versity of Oregon. Another was his lasting friendship with his first graduate student, Reed Rollins, at

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 15 Research on the Hydrophylla- ceae soon incorporated a seminal collaborative element, with the in- volvement of cytogeneticist Marion Cave. Having earned her own PhD in genetics in 1936, Marion ob- tained a research associate position in the botany department at UC Berkeley during her husband’s ca- reer as a professor of economics at San Francisco State University. The two-decade long collaboration be- tween Cave and Constance on the chromosome numbers of Hydro- phyllaceae represented one of the pioneering applications of cytoge- netics to plant systematics (Kaplan et al., 1997). Lincoln’s early years at Berke- Lincoln Constance collecting Lomatium ley also saw the development of observatorium on Mount Hamilton, May 1993. At left, close-up of Lomatium his most prominent collaboration, observatorium. Photographs by Barbara and the launching of his lifelong Ertter. involvement with the Umbelliferae. Mildred Mathias, with whom he had ous white water to the bottom of corresponded regarding loans while mile-deep Hell’s Canyon of the at Pullman, had completed her doc- Snake River” (Constance, 1982). toral work on Cymopterus at Wash- During this period, another of ington University in St. Louis in northern Idaho’s rarest species was 1929 (Gibson, 1995). Following her the beginning of Rollins’ own out- named after Lincoln, Cardamine physicist husband Gerald Hassler standing career as an expert on constancei Detling. to Berkeley, she was deeply involved Cruciferae (Brassicaceae—Mustard Such rewards were insufficient in Lomatium at the time of Lin- Family): “Our mutual passion for to counterbalance Lincoln’s disdain coln’s arrival. Lincoln’s knowledge field botany was facilitated by Reed’s for the “smug little cow college,” of western geography proved to be possession of a Model A Ford car however, so that in 1937 he leapt at an immense help in untangling vari- and my occasional success in wan- the chance to return to Berkeley, ous complexities, and Lincoln in gling small sums from the depart- turning in his resignation prior to turn was eager to get expert assis- ment to purchase the fuel to keep it accepting the new position. tance with the many Lomatium running” (Constance, 1982). He came as Jepson’s successor he had collected in Pullman. The Many of their joint fieldtrips after the latter retired, in spite of interaction blossomed into a full col- were in adjacent Idaho, whose Jepson’s characterization of Lin- laboration that continued long af- mountains provided a welcome re- coln’s new professional home as ter the Hasslers left Berkeley, with lief from the windswept Palouse “a nest of vipers.” Settling quickly Mildred eventually obtaining her prairie. Together they described the in, Lincoln began work on the first own faculty appointment and pres- plant that would eventually become of the two families that would be- tige at UCLA. Idaho’s first federally listed species, come his lifetime claims to exper- In Mathias’s introduction to Mirabilis macfarlanei.1 The distinc- tise, the Hydrophyllaceae. He chose Lincoln’s oral history, she recalls tive species was named for the boat the family “because I wanted to that, when faced with the looming pilot who pointed it out on “the work on a group that was well- deadline for a treatment of the annual spring vacation mass foray represented in the area so I could Umbelliferae for No rth Americ an by motor launch through danger- study it in the field, and one that Flo ra, “I did a serious bit of arm- was small enough that you weren’t twisting and the team of Mathias & 1Note: newly-named species frequently do not have a common name, or have one that always frustrated by the fact that Constance was born.” Lincoln him- is repetitive of scientific name, e.g., some of its key representatives were self recalls that, around 1940, “she “McFarlane’s mirabilis.” in Asia or somewhere.” came in one day and said, ‘Gerald

16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 and I are going to have a family, tive careers of their own around the and I’m going to give up the world. With Mathias and a diver- Umbelliferae, and I want you to sity of other collaborators, he de- take them over.’ . . . I countered the scribed 165 new plants, mostly from proposal—that I would work with western North America, Mexico, her until she had completed all of and South America. Several of the commitments she had made, and Lincoln’s more thought-provoking she had made plenty.” Reflecting papers, notably “The Versatile Tax- back on his productive collabora- onomist” (1951) and “Systematic tions with Cave and Mathias de- Botany—An Unending Synthesis” cades later, Lincoln ruefully won- (1964), stand today as landmark ef- dered: “I do not know whether these forts to strike a balance among con- two associations with remarkably flicting approaches to systematics. talented women were examples of This productivity was sufficient to continued exploitation or liberation, make Lincoln a shoo-in as the third but they were of inestimable value recipient of the newly established to me” (Constance, 1988). Asa Gray Award in 1987, with yet one more feather added to his cap when his first student, Reed Rollins, SETTING THE FIELD was presented the fourth award the AFIRE following year. Even more out- standing, Lincoln’s scholarly ac- Having traced Lincoln’s path to complishments overlapped his long the beginning of a 40-year career at service as a capable administrator, Berkeley, followed by another two during which he served variously as decades of productive post-retire- department chair, dean, vice chan- ment research, I leave to others the cellor, and even acting chancellor Professor Lincoln Constance, University full biography that is certainly called for a brief period. Needless to say, of California at Berkeley, 1952. Photo- for. As mere highlights of his illus- being part of the UC Berkeley ad- graph courtesy of University Herbarium trious professorial career, I note that ministration during the turbulent archives, UC Berkeley. Lincoln published over 200 papers sixties left Lincoln with a decidedly and supervised 29 graduate students, sour taste for the era that is nearly Beyond these core elements of most of whom went on to produc- synonymous with Berkeley. Lincoln’s career, there are several lesser-known episodes from this pe- Douglass Henderson and Lincoln Constance relaxing on porch of Lincoln Log Cabin riod that are worth bringing to light, Motel in Stanley, Idaho, July 1994. Photograph by Barbara Ertter. beginning with his World War II experience. Mere months after the birth of his and Sally’s only child, William (Bill), in December 1942, Lincoln was recruited by a friend from Pullman to join the Office of Strategic Services: “I was getting increasingly embarrassed to be here, alive and not in uniform, and I ex- pected to be drafted most anytime.” As geobotanist (“the government’s first geobotanist, I think”), research analyst, and editor, “Our job was supposedly to prepare background material ostensibly for the use of our invading forces. We tried to find out all we could find out about Sicily, and North Africa, and Nor- mandy, and so on. . . . Some people went overseas, but by and large

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 17 almost all were working from pub- NEW TAXA IN WESTERN NORTH AMERICA lished materials of one sort or an- (INCLUDING BAJA CALIFORNIA) AUTHORED other, or somebody’s confidential OR CO-AUTHORED BY LINCOLN CONSTANCE reports. It was an erratic kind of thing; you wouldn’t do anything for GENERA with Author(s) FAMILY days, and then would work all night Sho sho nea Evert & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) for three nights in a row. I was SPECIES AND VARIETIES with Author(s) FAMILY pretty cynical about most of it.” Angelica callii Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) With the war’s end, Lincoln re- Arabis cruciseto saConstance & Rollins Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) turned to Berkeley in 1945. Two Cymopterus douglasii R. L. Hartman & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) years later, however, he was re- Cymo pterus williamsii R. L. Hartman & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Douglasiagormanii Constance Primulaceae (Primrose Family) cruited for a temporary appoint- Do uglasia laevigata var. ciliolata Constance Primulaceae (Primrose Family) ment at Harvard “to advise and Eriophyllum lanatum var. hallii Constance Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) assist in reorganization of the bo- Erio phyllumparishii Hall ex Constance Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) tanical establishment there.” As Gilia congesta var. burleyana Constance & Rollins Polemonieaceae (Phlox Family) interim director of the herbarium, Gilia congesta var. montana Constance & Rollins Polemonieaceae (Phlox Family) “I discovered that my prime duty Gilia congesta var. pseudotypica Constance & Rollins Polemonieaceae (Phlox Family) Gilia spic ata var. cephaloidea Constance & Rollins Polemonieaceae (Phlox Family) was to convince the former direc- Gilia spic ata var. tridactyla Constance & Rollins Polemonieaceae (Phlox Family) tor, Professor Fernald, that he had Hydrocotyle acuminata var. pubescens Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) indeed retired.” Although it was Ligusticum calderi Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) clear that Harvard had its eye on Lilaeopsismasonii Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lincoln for a permanent appoint- Lo matium c ilio latum var. hooveri Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) ment, he chose instead to return to Lomatium columbianum Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lo matium c uspidatum Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Berkeley. He was, however, instru- Lomatium erythrocarpum Meinke & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) mental in getting his former stu- Lomatium frenchii Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) dent Reed Rollins appointed as Lomatium hamblenae Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Fernald’s replacement, a post that Lomatium idahoense Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) served both Rollins and Harvard Lomatium inyoense Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lomatium observatorium Constance & Ertter Apiaceae (Umbel Family) well, to Lincoln’s further credit. Lomatium peckianum Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) A later episode, which was sig- Lomatium quintuplex Schlessman & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) nificantly less satisfying to Lincoln, Lomatium ravenii Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) brought great glee to those of us Lo matium ro llinsii Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) who stumbled across the yellowed Lomatium shevockii R. L. Hartman & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lomatium stebbinsii Schlessman & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lomatium tracyi Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Mirabilis macfarlanei Constance & Rollins Nyctaginaceae (Four-O’clock Family) SPECIES NAMED Oreonana purpurascens Shevock & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Perideridia b ac igalupii T. I. Chuang & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) FOR CONSTANCE Perideridia b o landerisubsp . invo luc rata T. I. Chuang & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Androsace constancei Wendelbo (nom. nov. Perideridia gairdnerisubsp . bo realis T. I. Chuang & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) for Do uglasia go rmanii Const.) Perideridia le pto c arpa T. I. Chuang & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Primulaceae (Primrose Family) Phac elia amab ilis Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Arabis constancei Rollins Phac elia b eatleyae Reveal & Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Phacelia cookei Constance & Heckard Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Bupleurum constancei Nasir Phacelia gentryi Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Phacelia pulcherrima Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Cardamine constancei Detling Phacelia stebbinsii Constance & Heckard Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Phacelia strictiflo ra var. connexa Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Carex constanceana Stacey Phac elia stric tiflo ravar . lundelliana Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Cyperaceae (Sedge Family) Phacelia strictiflo ravar . robbinsii Constance Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Eryngium constancei M. Y. Sheikh Phlo x co lubrina Wherry & Constance Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family) Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Podistera yukonensis Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Lupinus constancei T.W. Nelson & J.P. Nelson Pseudocymopterus longiradiatus Mathias, Constance & Theobald Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Fabaceae (Legume Family) Sanicula moranii P. Vargas, Constance & B. G. Baldwin Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Nama constancei J. D. Bacon Sanicula tracyi R. H. Shan & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family) Sho sho nea pulvinata Evert & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Phacelia constancei Atwood Tauschia hooveri Mathias & Constance Apiaceae (Umbel Family) Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Barbara Ertter, Lincoln Constance, and Margaret Henderson in White Cloud Mountains, Idaho, July 1994. Photograph by Douglass Henderson. newspaper clippings in the UC her- Judging from the frequency multiple trans-hemispheric com- barium scrapbook. In August 1952, and fondness of latter reminis- parisons with the California flora, when on vacation with his family in cences, perhaps the most pleasur- the real treasures of both trips were the mountains near Bend, Oregon, ably memorable interludes during lifelong friendships established with Lincoln made his way up Three- Lincoln’s career were his two ex- Latin American counterparts, which Fingered Jack to a point from which tended trips to temperate South Lincoln cultivated with great plea- all ways down looked the same. As America, accompanied at least part sure. summarized by his son, “He guessed of the time by his family. The first wrong, descended into a valley, re- trip, to Chile and Argentina on a alized he was lost, followed a stream Guggenheim Fellowship in 1953– FROM ICON TO downhill for about 12 hours, set a 54, is recorded in detail in Lincoln’s FLESH-AND-BLOOD signal fire, which went out, and then oral history, but available references another, which got away and burned to the return trip in 1967–68 are The early history and subse- five acres before the Forest Service surprisingly sparse. As recalled by quent episodes detailed above, in- put it out. He eventually found a his son Bill, much of the second teresting enough in their own right, road and walked into camp, little visit was spent in Patagonia and also provide added dimension to the worse for wear, admitting to Tierra del Fuego, where “travel was my unabashedly personal reminis- having set the fire.” The newspa- by Power wagon on muddy, rocky, cences given here and, taken as a pers, needless to say, had a heyday, dirt roads, one of which led to the whole, help convert a near icon into concocting headlines such as “UC airstrip, where Tom Goodall took a flesh-and-blood human. I write Prof Gives Self ‘Hotfoot’” and his two-engine Cessna to get to and this recalling how, at the time I “Prof. Sought Flora But He Fauna from the outside world.” In addi- arrived in Berkeley in 1985, Lin- Fire.” tion to an abundance of umbels and coln was one of the most respected

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 19 this difficult time, I began spending various siblings, nieces, and neph- more time with Lincoln. Thinking ew. He recalled McCall as the town like a botanist, this meant taking where he had rendezvoused with him on field trips beyond what he Francis Pennell during his early was inclined to tackle on his own years, for the purpose of chasing (though he remained adamantly Penstemon through Idaho. One long resistant to the slightest hint of so- day’s drive from the cabin took us licitousness!) One of the first trips back to Lincoln’s old northern was a drive to the top of Mount Idaho stomping grounds, where he Hamilton in May 1993, to relocate and Reed Rollins had once traced a Lomatium that had been photo- the route of Lewis and Clark. We graphed by Nigel Hancock among took another side trip to the Stanley the Lick Observatory complex. Basin, where Lincoln finally viewed When the photograph was sent to the Sawtooth Mountains after hav- Lincoln, he had excitedly recog- ing long given up the hope of ever nized it as a species he had known doing so. There we rendezvoused only from a handful of herbarium with Douglass Henderson of the Mirabilis macfarlanei, Nyctaginaceae. Drawing by J.R. Janish, from Vascular specimens, insufficient for describ- University of Idaho and his wife Plants of the Pacific Northwest, V3, used ing a new Lomatium. For my help Margaret, a year before Doug’s with permission of UW Press. in tracking down this and adjacent tragic death. After we all spent the populations, I ended up as co- night in the aptly named Lincoln giants in my chosen field, to the author of Lomatium observatorium Log Cabins, Doug drove us to the extent that I was in awe of now (Constance & Ertter, 1997). top of Railroad Ridge, where Lin- having him as a colleague. By this Later that same year, we drove coln was able to wander one last time he had been officially “retired” up and over Ebbett’s Pass, return- time among subalpine umbels. for over a decade, which meant he ing through peak fall colors in Hope My most cherished memory of could now devote full time daily to Valley. A more poignant trip was the Idaho trip, however, was at the his beloved “humble umbels.” The two years later, in 1995, when we annual meeting of the Idaho Native opportunity for regular contact in- drove to UCLA for the memorial Plant Society, which was held that creased when he chose to relocate service of Lincoln’s long-time col- year in McCall. Lincoln decided to his office along with the herbaria laborator, Mildred Mathias. Later come to the evening presentation to interim quarters in the Marchant in the summer, I assisted Lincoln with me, but had asked to remain Building, an arrangement that con- with one of the first of the Week- tinued when the University and end Workshops newly instituted by Lincoln Constance wearing umbelli- Jepson Herbaria returned to fancy the Friends of the Jepson Her- ferous t-shirt, July 1994. Photograph by new quarters on campus in 1994. barium (on Umbelliferae, of Barbara Ertter. Nevertheless, he was still on a pro- course!) Somewhere around this fessional pedestal in my book, which time I found a t-shirt for him on made me hesitant to assume any- Telegraph Avenue, with the Gary thing beyond polite colleagueship. Larson cartoon of “Early vegetar- This changed when Lincoln’s ians returning from the kill” carry- pleasure in returning to campus was ing over their heads a giant carrot! dampened by the death of his be- After initial reluctance, Lincoln loved wife of 56 years. The months eventually tried the shirt on, claim- of tending Sally during her long ing it was the first t-shirt he had decline drained Lincoln, physically ever worn! as well as emotionally, to the extent By this time we had essentially that he never fully bounced back “adopted” each other into an ex- after her death in May 1992. Ac- tended family, setting the stage for cording to his son Bill, Lincoln’s a trip to the Ertter family cabin in life work was largely a dedication to McCall, Idaho. Having no grand- Sally. With her death, Lincoln had children of his own, and only a lost his great love, and life would single niece, Lincoln adapted well never be the same. to being immersed in the Ertter In an effort to help him through clan, surrounded by my parents,

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 to the locked gate. After missing a rendezvous with Lincoln’s son Bill, we overshot the summit gate and started dropping down the north side of Mt. St. Helena toward Middletown. My attempt to turn around gave Lincoln the opportu- nity to escape from the car and scamper up the serpentine slope. He disappeared into the Cupressus forest, purportedly looking for an anomalous mistletoe that he thought he had once found. I tried calling him back to the car, but in vain. I finally went looking and found him sitting at the bottom of a draw, where his brief spurt of en- ergy had given out. Propping him Lincoln Constance and Barbara Ertter at Josephine Lake, Idaho, July 1994. Photograph up in the gathering dusk, I man- by Christopher Davidson. aged to steer him over the terrain back to the highway, by which time anonymous. Throughout the pre- coln,” his otherwise impeccable night had fallen. How we managed sentation, which included a segment sense of proportionality was seri- to avoid getting hit by the rushing on Mirabilis macfarlanei, this quiet ously askew. As a result, the legiti- traffic as we worked our way along elderly gentleman remained in the mate germ of a good idea would the narrow verge to the turn-out background, only a minor curiosity balloon preposterously: preposter- where I left the car, I’ll never know. to the gathering of Idaho’s botani- ous, that is, to all except Lincoln, As unflattering as such episodes cally inclined. In the free-for-all dis- who became increasingly hurt as are in isolation, they are to me an cussion that followed, however, Lin- we seemingly dismissed his brilliant integral part of the whole person. coln couldn’t help but reminisce to ideas and sincere efforts to help. With moderating layers temporarily those seated nearby on the discov- My favorite example was how he stripped away, it was possible to ery of the Mirabilis, and the boat- was going to use his old friendship appreciate the deliberately culti- captain for whom it was named. with Glenn Seaborg, Nobel-prize vated elements of Lincoln’s gentle- The multiple conversations around winning physicist who occasionally manly persona that counted to his the room gradually quieted, as the liked to hike on Mount Diablo, to credit as hard-won accomplish- realization spread that the elderly garner support from other Nobel- ments. At the same time, one pri- gentleman was Lincoln Constance prize winners for the revised flora mal aspect that shone through himself, until the entire gathering that I was working on! strongly, even during the worst of was listening raptly to his every My most intense memory from this period, was his sincere drive to word. For all his request for ano- this period, a sobering but at the be of help, and his acute dismay nymity, I could tell that Lincoln same time deep personal experience that those closest to him seemingly was thriving on the attention! with Lincoln, occurred on Thanks- dismissed his efforts in this regard. Alas, the opportunity for addi- giving Day of 1997. Instead of I accordingly treasure my memo- tional extended trips was curtailed spending a quiet day at home as ries of Lincoln from this brief pe- when Lincoln suffered an episode initially planned, I found myself ca- riod, and chose to share them as of congestive heart failure in 1996, tering to Lincoln’s insistence that part of my tribute to this great which sapped his physical vigor. we look for an odd Lomatium on gentleman botanist. Subsequent mental difficulties led the top of Mt. St. Helena. In addi- to further complications as Lincoln tion to it not exactly being the right responded unexpectedly to an anti- time of year to look for a spring- EPILOGUE depressant combination that flowering plant, there was a locked “worked too well.” During the re- gate between us and the site. Still, it Although his ability to retrieve sultant two-month hypomanic stage was a beautiful day for a drive to memories remained impaired, pre- in 1997, which those of us who bore Napa Valley, so I decided to acqui- venting him from doing further re- with him refer to as “Hurricane Lin- esce at least to the extent of driving search during his remaining years,

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 21 Washington 3:12–24. (Based on 1932 master’s thesis at UC Berkeley, “A Survey of the Flora of Redwood Peak.”) ______. 1937. A systematic study of the genus Erio phyllum Lag. Univer- sity o f Califo rnia Public atio ns in Bo tany 18:69–135. ______. 1951. The versatile taxono- mist. Britto nia 7:225–231. (Address of the President of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, 1950.) ______. 1964. Systematic botany—an unending synthesis. Taxo n 13:257– 273. (Summation lecture of a sym- posium on the Broadening Basis of Classification, under the auspices of the Systematic Section at the 10th International Botanical Congress at Edinburgh.) ______. 1982. The years of prepara- tion, 1911–1948 (tribute to Reed Rollins). Taxo n 31:401–404. ______. 1987. Versatile Berkeley Botanist: Plant taxonomy and uni- versity governance. Oral history Lincoln Constance collecting Ligusticum in central Idaho, July 1994. Photograph by conducted in 1986 by Ann Lage, Barbara Ertter. Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of Lincoln did regain full lucidity and colleagues around the globe. The California, Berkeley. his hallmark sense of humor. He final weeks prior to his death, at age ______. 1988. Plant taxonomy in my was accordingly able to enjoy the 92, were a period of grace during time. Aliso 12:1–5. public celebration held on his 90th which Lincoln actually regained Constance, L. and B. Ertter. 1997 birthday, when oral tributes were much of his former sharpness, en- [1996]. Post-manual adjustments in supplemented by two scrapbooks thusiastically discussing research Californian Lomatium (Apiaceae). full of congratulatory letters from with visiting colleagues. Soon there- Madro ño 43:515–521. after, however, he informed Bill that Constance, L. & R.C. Rollins. 1936. he was “checking out,” a prediction New or otherwise noteworthy northwestern plants — II: Two new The Lincoln made good on June 11, 2001, after species from the Grand Canyon of Constance a bout of pneumonia. According to the Snake River. Proceedings of the Memorial Fund Bill, “He certainly was tired of be- Biological Society of Washington 49: ing old, but not tired of life. I’m 147–150. Gifts in Lincoln's memory can pleased to report that, up to the Detling, L.E. 1935. A new Cardamine be made to The Lincoln Con- end, Lincoln still had that twinkle from northern Idaho. Madroño3: stance Memorial Fund at the Uni- in his eye.” 176–178. versity and Jepson Herbaria, UC Gibson, A.C. 1995. Mildred Esther Berkeley. Funds will be used to sup- Mathias Hassler (1906–1995). port Constancea: University of Cali- References www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/bg- fo rnia Elec tro nic Public atio ns in am-lp.html. Botany, a new publication named in Baldwin, B.G. 2000 [1999]. Constancea: Kaplan, D.R., L. Constance, & R. Lincoln's honor, and to curate bo- a new genus for Eriophyllum nevinii Ornduff. 1997. Marion Stilwell tanical collections, especially the (Compositae—Heliantheae s. lat.). Cave (1904–1995). Madro ño 44: Apiaceae. Madro ño 46:159–160. 211–213. Please mail to: The Lincoln Con- ______. 2001. Lincoln Constance Park, R. 2001. Lincoln Constance. stance Memorial Fund, University (1909–2001). The Jepson Globe 12(2): California Monthly 112(1):50. and Jepson Herbaria, UC, 1001 1,5. Valley Life Sciences Bldg. #2465, Constance, L. 1935. Flora of Redwood Barb ara Ertter, University and Jepso n Berkeley, CA, 94720-2465 Peak, Oakland Hills, California. Herbaria, UC, 1001 Valley Life Sc ienc es Research Studies of the State College ofBldg. #2465, Berkeley, CA, 94720-2465

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 The Sonoma spineflower ( chorizanthe valida) occupies 2.5 acres of coastal prairie where grazing has occurred for over a century. Research has suggested that this rare plant is dependent on grazing to reduce competition with non-native vegetation. Photograph by Barbara Moritsch. Taking Steps Toward long-term Preservation of the Sonoma Spineflower by Michelle Coppoletta and Barbara Moritsch

n January 1990, Fremo ntia re- of the federally endangered spine- 1841. These early collections indi- Iported on the rediscovery of the flower. Through the combined ef- cate that the flower once had a much Sonoma spineflower (Chori- forts of the Point Reyes National broader range in Marin and Sonoma zanthe valida) in Point Reyes Na- Seashore Association (PRNSA), a counties. Intensive agriculture and tional Seashore (Volume 18, No. devoted cadre of CNPS volunteers, urbanization since the early 1900s 1). The plant had last been recorded and the vegetation managers of the have significantly altered the spe- in 1903 and was presumed to be US National Park Service (NPS) a cies habitat and today the Sonoma extinct until a group of amateur second population of Sonoma spineflower is limited to one native botanists led by Wilma Follette of spineflower was established from and one introduced population en- the Marin Chapter of the Califor- seed in the Seashore in 2000. compassing approximately 1 hect- nia Native Plant Society (CNPS) The Sonoma spineflower was are (2.5 acres) of coastal prairie. discovered specimens growing in a first described in 1877 by Sereno The Sonoma spineflower is a grazed pasture on the Seashore. Watson from specimens collected robust, annual member of the buck- Until recently, this single popula- by Ilya G. Vosnesensky, an ento- wheat family (Polygonaceae). It is tion was the only known occurrence mologist and curator of the zoo- distinguished by broad lance-shaped in the world. Over the past ten years logical museum in St. Petersburg, basal leaves, dense head-like clus- much progress has been made in Russia, who traveled and collected ters of pink flowers, and spine- the reestablishment and protection in Northern California in 1840 and tipped bracts. These spines are

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 23 ous other rare plant species, includ- cess. These populations will reduce ing Point Reyes horkelia (Horkelia the vulnerability of the species to marinensis), large flowered linanthus change, amend the effects of ge- (Linanthus grandiflorus), North netic drift, and supply additional Coast phacelia (Phacelia insularis var. genetic diversity to the main popu- continentis) and Gairdner’s yampah lation (Falk and Holsinger, 1996). (Perideridia gardneri ssp. gardneri). It is believed the Sonoma spine- flower is presently limited in dis- The Need for tribution by both its restriction to Management well-drained, disturbed, sandy soils and its apparent dependence on CNPS volunteers and NPS staff grazing by cattle or other wildlife. began monitoring the Sonoma Prior to the settlement of Point spineflower population shortly af- Reyes and the subsequent introduc- ter its rediscovery in 1980. Recorded tion of cattle to the peninsula, graz- numbers of plants have varied ing by elk and other ungulates may widely, ranging from 2,000 to have played a role in the perpetua- 30,000 individuals within a three- tion of the Sonoma spineflower year period. Fluctuation in these (Davis and Sherman, 1992). In 1988 numbers may be attributed to the a study was conducted to investi- natural variability within the spe- gate the effects of cattle grazing on cies (resulting from climate and the Sonoma spineflower population. weather patterns), intermittent ob- The study suggested that in the ab- servations made at differing times sence of grazing, non-native plants of the year, and a lack of standard- could outcompete the spineflower ized monitoring methods. (Davis and Sherman, 1992). These In response to the inconsistency ecological requirements, coupled in monitoring methods and results, with the spineflower’s narrow en- the US Fish and Wildlife Service demism (restriction to a certain re- (USFWS) published a recovery plan At one time believed to have gone extinct, gion or part of a region), make it in 1998 that outlined habitat con- the Sonoma spineflower is known today from a single location worldwide located particularly vulnerable to events servation, management, and moni- in the coastal prairie of Point Reyes such as disease, fire, flood, or other toring guidelines for the restora- National Seashore. In 2000, through the circumstances that could eliminate tion of the Sonoma spineflower combined efforts of resource managers, the population and cause extinction. (USFWS, 1998). The ultimate goal CNPS volunteers, and the Point Reyes Populations with small numbers of this plan is to establish two addi- National Seashore Association, a second population of Sonoma spineflower was of individuals may also suffer from tional self-sustaining populations established from seed. Photograph by excessive inbreeding and a lack of within the Seashore that demon- Doreen Smith. genetic diversity. This can result in strate a potential for growth and restricting the species ability to sur- long-term persistence. Once these believed to facilitate seed dispersal vive only within a very narrow range two populations are established, the by attaching the seed to passing ani- of environmental conditions and Sonoma spineflower will be con- mals (US Fish and Wildlife Ser- may eventually lead to a loss of re- sidered for downlisting or delisting vice, 1998). During the flower’s peak productive fitness. Establishment of (the removal or change of protected blooming period, between June and additional populations is essential status under the federal Endangered August, the Sonoma spineflower to the Sonoma spineflower’s suc- Species Act). emits a strong floral scent that at- In 1999, the PRNSA provided tracts many insect visitors. Known The Sonoma spineflower. Illustration by the Seashore with funds to moni- foragers include honeybees (Apis Windom Elliot. tor, evaluate, and develop manage- mellifera), yellow-faced bumblebees ment strategies for the Sonoma (Bombus vosnesenski), and solitary, spineflower in accordance with the ground-nesting wasps (Bembix USFWS recovery plan. The moni- ame ric ana c o mata; Davis, 1988). The toring plan, currently in the final coastal habitat of the Sonoma stages of development, focuses on spineflower also supports numer- developing scientifically based,

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 repeatable monitoring protocols to established 150 meters from the habitat. Trial seed plots placed over obtain reliable population numbers main population, in 1999. One year a wide range of habitat types will each year, to track and record cattle after planting, the seed plots each help managers better understand the grazing levels, and to monitor com- support over 50 plants. species tolerance levels, limiting fac- position and cover of native and non- Based on the success of the seed tors, and habitat requirements. Con- native vegetation in the population trials, NPS vegetation managers trol and field experiments also will area. The plan includes proposals to began to search for sites away from help determine factors that limit the expand the existing population of the main population that would be Sonoma spineflower to a narrow the Sonoma spineflower beyond its suitable for Sonoma spineflower geographic range and will aide in current boundary and to establish reintroduction. By consulting his- identifying suitable habitats for its additional populations in suitable toric records, soils maps, and local expansion. habitat in the Seashore. In support plant taxonomists and by conduct- Whether or not the new popu- of the conservation of this species, ing field searches to identify poten- lations will persist over time cannot Sonoma spineflower seed has been tially appropriate habitat, a site was be predicted now. Nevertheless, the collected and placed in long-term identified for trial planting. The site, establishment of a second popula- storage in the seed bank facility of located on a historic ranch 1.5 km tion away from the main popula- the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical south of the main population, is tion is significant because it reduces Garden. This collection can pro- believed to be the location where a the probability of extinction from vide seed for future research and Sonoma spineflower specimen was catastrophe and moves us one step reintroduction projects and protect collected by A.D.E. Elmer in 1903. closer to the long-term conserva- the species against catastrophic It is also the site of the historic tion of this species. events that could eliminate the in Point Reyes Post Office and was a situ population. major center of shipping activity for peninsula ranchers in the early Acknowledgments 1900s. In fall 1999, cattle troughs Population were removed from the selected site, We gratefully acknowledge the Expansion the soil was lightly disturbed with a generous support of the Point Reyes rake, and 1,000 seeds collected from National Seashore Association and The first effort to expand the the main colony were planted. the hard work and dedication of Sonoma spineflower population was In 2000, the trial plot was revis- Liam Davis, Brook Edwards, Bob undertaken by Liam Davis, a gradu- ited and found to support 34 Soost, and the many members of ate student at Sonoma State Uni- Sonoma spineflower plants, all of the Marin Chapter of the Califor- versity, in 1988. Three 2x2 meter which produced flowers and many nia Native Plant Society. plots were established within the of which later set seed. The PRNSA coastal grassland pasture of the main generously provided additional References population. To facilitate gene flow funding to continue to manage this by insect pollen foragers, the three species, and two more plots were Davis, L. 1988. Letter to Dr. James plots were placed 100-200 meters established within 200 meters of the Reveal, University of Maryland, from the original population (Davis first trial plot. Each plot was sown dated 12 October 1988. and Sherman, 1992). The soil was with 1,000 seeds collected from the Davis, L. and J. Sherman. 1992. Eco- lightly disturbed with a rake and main population. By early summer logical study of the rare Cho rizanthe 1,000 seeds were dispersed by hand 2001 the first trial plot, established valida (Polygonaceae) at Point Reyes and pressed into the soil by foot. in 1999, contained 182 Sonoma National Seashore, California. Mad- Monitoring over the next three spineflowers and had expanded be- ro no 39(4):271-280. years revealed that all three trial yond the original seed plot bound- Falk, D.A. and Holsinger, K.E. 1996. Genetics and Conservation of Rare plots had successful establishment ary. Of the two plots established in Plants. Oxford University Press, and reproduction with two plots 2000, one was successful, with 77 New York. expanding outside of the original Sonoma spineflower plants by June U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1988. seeded area (Davis and Sherman, 2001. Seven coastal plants and the Myrtle’s 1992). After twelve years one of The success of these seed trials Silverspot Butterfly recovery plan. these seed plots continues to sup- suggest that the boundaries of the Portland, Oregon. 141 pp. port spineflowers, with a popula- main population of Sonoma spine- tion count of 691 plants in 2000. flower can be expanded through Michelle Co ppo letta and Barbara Mo ritsch, Using these seed plot methods as a seeding and the establishment of Point Reyes National Seashore, 1 Bear guideline, two more trial plots were additional populations in suitable Valley Road, Point Reyes, CA 94956

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 25 Drainage networks of watercourses occur across deserts from steep canyons to gently-sloping washes, as seen from the crest of the southeastern Granite Mountains in the Mojave National Preserve looking to the south. Photographs by the author. Vegetation in WaterCourses of the Eastern Mojave Desert by Julie M. Evens

hen most people think watercourses usually sustain a more terns appear to be expressions of Wof the Mojave Desert, luxuriant growth of plants, com- water availability, water-induced they envision rugged, prising a large percentage of the disturbance, and other changing en- sparsely-vegetated mountains, vast most unique and biologically diverse vironmental elements. arid expanses of creosote bush-dot- environments of this desert ecosys- ted alluvial fans, and closed salty tem. The vegetation is particularly basins. However, a rich and com- productive, structurally complex, Types of desert plex collection of riparian forests, and biologically rich in water- watercourses woodlands, and shrublands occur courses, including a high number in Mojave Desert watercourses. As of endemic, rare, and endangered Most desert watercourses expe- compared to surrounding uplands, plant species. These vegetation pat- rience periodic flooding during

26 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 heavy precipitation events, and then do not occur in the surrounding seen in desert watercourses, and the they may remain dry for extended uplands. These plants are restricted mountains of the eastern Mojave periods. They are disturbance-de- to desert watercourses because they Desert especially have been ne- pendent systems that occur in drain- depend on periodic water-induced glected. By acquiring knowledge of age networks across deserts. They disturbance for renewal, stimulation, watercourse vegetation patterns and can particularly vary with respect to and continuance. Watercourses pro- related environmental factors, agen- the amount of water flow, topogra- vide habitats for these disturbance- cies can create better management phy, and substrate. related species, as well as annuals, schemes that protect and preserve Watercourses can be defined by long-rooted perennials, and occa- plants in a multi-species approach their topographic position relative sionally upland species. rather than a single-species ap- to mountains, alluvial fans, and ba- Watercourses house a diversity proach. sins of the desert. Three different of animals as well as plants. They Ecologists with the US Geo- categories of desert watercourses provide important habitats for feed- logical Survey’s Mojave Vegetation can be distinguished in the Mojave: ing and nesting animals such as Mapping Project recently have clas- canyons, arroyos, and washes. High bighorn sheep, warblers, phaino- sified the vegetation in the Mojave in desert mountains, canyons cut peplas, red-spotted toads, and Desert. Lead ecologists Kathryn deeply through the bedrock with skinks. Because of the relatively Thomas and Todd Keeler-Wolf V-shaped gorges. Narrow canyon lush and palatable foliage in these have created a map and classifica- watercourses originate on steep up- habitats, watercourses strongly at- tion of the vegetation types across per mountain slopes and become tract non-native cattle and burros, this vast desert. I had the opportu- prominent on lower slopes as can- which can cause devastating effects nity to work for Kathryn and Todd, yon bottoms. Storm waters carry through trampling, grazing, and as well as for Jim André of the massive amounts of debris, sand, waste concentration. University of California Granite and rocks through these steep nar- Since watercourses sustain high Mountains Desert Reserve. As we row canyons where vegetation is plant and animal diversities, studies sampled vegetation in numerous often scattered among smoothed of watercourses can provide land- uplands and some watercourses, I bedrock staircases, large boulders, managing agencies with a wealth of observed that vegetation quickly rock outcrops, and gravel flats. quantitative resource information. changed every few hundred meters With immense force, flood wa- However, few studies have focused down a single watercourse. This ters carry sediments and rocks to on the distinct vegetation patterns vegetation patterning was more broad, gently-sloping watercourses on alluvial fans. Arroyos usually An intermittently flooded shrubland of Baccharis sergiloides (desert mulefat) occurs in deeply incise the upper alluvial fans a mesic, bedrock-exposed canyon of the Granite Mountains. at canyon mouths and are sometimes underlain by pediment. Washes shal- lowly incise the lower alluvial plains of the bajadas with their even gen- tler slopes and finer rock surfaces. Washes are ubiquitous in the Mojave Desert, scouring vast alluvial plains in dendritic or reticulate patterns. In strong storms, lowland washes transport water to basins that re- plenish groundwater aquifers.

Need for sampling vegetation in watercourses

Desert watercourses are classi- fied as riparian habitats even though they may not contain flowing water for many years. Many plants are found only within their channels and

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 27 Table 1. Vegetation Types in Watercourses of the Eastern Mojave Desert

Alliance Type Dominant in Alliance Common Name

Forest Quercus chrysolepis canyon live oak Woodland Pinus mo no phylla singleleaf pinyon pine Temporarily Flooded Woodland Populus fremontii1 Fremont cottonwood Shrubland Ac ac ia greggii catclaw Encelia virginensis Virgin River brittlebush Hymenoclea salsola cheesebush Prunus fasciculata desert almond Quercus turbinella desert scrub oak Dwarf-Shrubland Salvia do rrii desert sage Intermittently Flooded Shrubland Bac c haris sergilo ides desert mulefat Chilopsis linearis desert-willow Chrysothamnus paniculatus sticky rabbitbrush Ephedra californica California desert tea Psorothamnus spinosus1 smoketree Temporarily Flooded Shrubland Salix exigua narrowleaf willow

1 Alliances represented in less than three samples (all other alliances are represented in at least three samples)

complex than our sampling efforts gested in books and other accounts. patterns in mind. My primary goal captured, with tremendous numbers I began formulating my master’s was to capture and better describe of species and intricate spatial pat- thesis (with John Sawyer at Hum- this detail in watercourses of the terning that had only been sug- boldt State University) with these eastern Mojave Desert.

A grove of Quercus chrysolepis (canyon live oak) found in a spring-fed, north-facing canyon of the Providence Mountains. Study Design

To describe vegetation detail of eastern Mojave watercourses, I studied watercourses of a wide alti- tudinal gradient and on two rock types. I chose eight distinct water- courses, each with a nine km active channel. Four were found on gran- ite and four on limestone, two com- mon rock types in the eastern Mojave. The watercourses were mainly within the Mojave National Preserve, accessed from Interstates I-40 to I-15, and flowing out of the high elevation ranges of the Granite, Providence, New York, and Clark mountains. I used a modified CNPS relevé protocol for sampling the vegeta- tion. I recorded vegetation and en- vironmental variables in 264 plot samples, including vascular plant composition, species percent cover,

28 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 elevation, slope, aspect, surface rock, and sediment characteristics. In the 1998 spring of sampling, I docu- mented a prolific number of annu- als, yet in the following spring I found a meager number (with 99 total native annuals identified). Be- cause of this variability, I only ana- lyzed data of perennials and hearty non-natives. I used standard classi- fication, ordination, and gradient analyses to obtain the following re- sults. See my thesis (Evens, 2000) for a full description of methods and analyses used.

From the broad view

I identified 245 vascular plant species in all watercourse samples. Of these plants, 232 were perennial native species and 13 were non- native species. Further, 21 of the native species are classified as en- dangered, rare, or of limited distri- bution. I also identified complex plant associations, in which I classified the watercourse vegetation into 15 ma- jor types, called “alliances.” Each alliance was based on distinguishing structure, a dominant or character- istic overstory species, and other dis- tinctive species as done for series in CNPS’s Manual of California Veg- etation (Sawyer and Wolf, 1995). I followed the conventions of The Nature Conservancy’s National Vegetation Classification (TNC, 1999) in my classification of one forest, one woodland, one tempo- A tall shrubland of Quercus turbinella (desert scrub oak) in a north-facing canyon of the rarily flooded woodland, five shrub- New York Mountains. land, one dwarf-shrubland, five in- termittently flooded shrubland, and Likewise, a distinct set of species modified also by substrate, aspect, one temporarily flooded shrubland and vegetation types occurred in elevation, and regional location. alliances (see Table 1). the canyon zone. Other sets of spe- The spatial patterning of veg- cies and vegetation types occurred etation was affected strongly by to- in arroyo and wash zones, which Canyon vegetation pography. Regardless of rock type, were more similar in species com- canyon bottoms had the highest position to each other than to the In 80 canyon samples, I encoun- number of plant species, greatest canyon zone. While topography tered a total of 221 plant species, or percent coverage of plant strata, and strongly influenced vegetation, the 90% of all plants identified in the highest number of vegetation types. local patterning of vegetation was study. Per sample, I found an aver-

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 29 A colorful, dwarf-shrubland of Salvia dorrii (desert sage) occurs in a limestone-rich arroyo of the Clark Range at the mountain front. age of 36 species and up to 57 spe- since the canyons contain many Arizona and Baja California. Quercus cies, astounding numbers for most riparian associates such as Agera- chrysolepis, in association with Rham- desert samples. Species primarily tina herb ac ea, Fallugia parado xa, nus ilic ifo lia, composes a relatively found in canyons were Baccharis Prunus fasciculata,and Rhus trilobata, lush broad-leaved evergreen forest sergilo ides, Brickellia califo rnica, whereas the uplands have upland with a variety of other plants such Castilleja linariifo lia, Elymus associates like Ephedra viridis, Ju- as Bric kellia c alifo rnic a, Erigero n elymoides, Pinus monophylla,and niperus o steo sperma,and Keckiella utahe nsis, He de o ma nanumssp. Salvia mo havensis. Further, I recog- antirrhino ides. califo rnicum, Leymus salinusssp . nized 10 alliances in canyons. In contrast, distinct and widely mo javensis,and Rhamnus to mentella The higher sections of most can- scattered groves of Quercus chryso- var. ursina. yons contain coniferous woodlands lepis (canyon live oak) are confined Groves of Populus fremontii (Fre- of Pinus monophylla(singleleaf pin- to north and east-facing, spring-fed mont cottonwood) and Salix exigua yon pine). These pines along sea- sites, such as in the upper canyons (narrowleaf willow) are even more sonal watercourses blend into the of the Providence Mountains. This infrequently found. These broad- surrounding stands of upland pines. oak has a wider distribution in other leaved deciduous relatives occur The canyon and upland stands dif- more mesic regions of California, along perennial canyon streams that fer, though, in understory plants and it ranges into the mountains of temporarily flood. Individuals of

30 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 Acacia greggii, catclaw (left), Chilopsis linearis, desert-willow (middle), Salvia dorrii, desert sage (right). Illustrations by the author.

Populus fremontii form open to dense scrub is scarce in lower canyons and Two other vegetation types con- woodlands while those of Salix arroyos of the Clark Mountains. sistently occur in drier and lower exigua form almost continuous Thickets of Baccharis sergiloides canyon sites. Tall shrublands of Ac a- shrublands. Associated with both (desert mulefat), with its broom-like cia greggii (catclaw acacia), with its types are Bac c haris sergilo idesin the and impenetrable green branches, tangle of usually leafless and effec- Granite Mountains, and numerous consistently occur in upper and tively barbed “wait-a-minute” wetland species such as Epilo bium lower canyons. Baccharis sergiloides branches, stretch widely across canum ssp. canum, Juncus mexicanus, shrublands form associations with coarse rocky canyons, arroyos, and Muhlenbergia rigens,and Typha Muhlenbergia rigens,Prunus fasci- washes. Ac ac ia is certainly conspicu- domingensis. culata, and Rhus trilo bata. These ous with the deep red, parasitic Quercus turbinella (desert scrub shrublands are true indicators of mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum, oak) is restricted to cool, upper and water, especially occurring in gra- that often covers the shrub. Tall lower granitic slopes of the New nitic canyons that have intermittent shrublands of Prunus fasciculata York Mountains and Midhills. This flooding, saturated soils, standing (desert almond), with its tangle of evergreen shrub oak lines canyon pools of water, and permanent densely intricate branches and small banks in particularly dense clumps, springs such as in the Granite and leaves, occur in gravely canyons growing significantly taller along Providence mountains. and arroyos. Prunus is particularly watercourses than in surrounding upland sites. It grows with Pinus Shrublands of Acacia gregii (catclaw acacia) are a conspicuous component of canyons, mo nophyllaand Bac c haris sergilo ides, arroyos, and washes, such as in the Granite Mountains. forming tall and diverse shrublands with species such as Castilleja linariifo lia, Bo utelo ua c urtipendula, Fallugia paradoxa, Galium munzii, Mirabilis coccinea, Pellaea mucronata, and Wo o dsia o regana. Salvia do rrii (desert sage) is a bright purple-flowered, exception- ally aromatic, gray-leaved shrub that forms another rare canyon type. Populations of pure Salvia do rrii oc- cur in calcareous, cobbled channels with a myriad of species such as Castilleja angustifo lia, Esc o baria vivipara var. deserti, Gutierrezia mic ro c ephala, Opuntia phaeacantha, Penstemon palmeri, Purshia mexicana var. stansburyana, Prunus fasciculata, Yuc c a b ac c ata,and possibly emergent trees of Pinus monophylla. This Salvia

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 31 Shrublands of Ephedra californica (California desert tea) occur in sandy arroyos and washes of the Granite Mountains. noticeable with the silky tent webs bottoms. Chilopsis linearis has im- c e a amb igua var. amb igua, Salazaria that caterpillars form in their pressive, large-flowered drooping mexicana, and Yucca baccata. branches during early spring. branches that gracefully overhang Tall shrublands of Psoro thamnus various other plants in structurally spinosus (smoketree) are local but diverse stands. It associates with conspicuous in parts of the south- Arroyo and wash Prunus fasciculata, Hymeno c lea salso la, eastern Mojave Desert. Psorothamnus vegetation Salvia do rrii, Viguiera parishii,and spinosushas a wispy, skeleton-like Chrysothamnus paniculatus. Chilopsis gray appearance most of the year I encountered 151 species, or linearis is common in mid-elevations except in spring when covered in about 61% of all plants identified, of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan royal blue blooms. The shrublands in 181 arroyo and wash samples, deserts as well as the eastern Mojave contain only a few other widely and I found an average of 22 species Desert in intermittently flooded spaced individuals such as Ephedra per sample. Species found most fre- watercourses. californica, Hymenoclea salsola,Iso meris quently in these watercourses are Patches of Enc elia virginensis arbo rea, and Senecio flaccidus var. Ambro sia erio centra, Brickellia incana, (Virgin River brittlebush) in asso- monoensis. They are found in braided Encelia virginensis, Ephedra califor- ciation with Salvia do rrii are uncom- washes of granitic and volcanic sedi- nica, Erodium cicutarium, Eriogo- mon in the eastern Mojave Desert, ments below the Granite Mountains, num inflatum var. inflatum, and and can be found sparingly in and become more common in the Erioneuron pulchellum. I recognized limestone-rich arroyos of the Clark Sonoran Desert. nine alliances (seven in arroyos and Mountains. These brightly-flowered Thickets of Ephedra californica six in washes). small shrubs form a species-rich (California desert tea), Hymenoclea Stands of Chilopsis linearis (desert- mosaic with other vibrant species salsola (cheesebush), and Chryso - willow) line many rocky arroyos and like Mirabilis pumila, Penstemon thamnus paniculatus(sticky rabbit- braided washes as well as canyon palmeri, Psilostrophe cooperi, Sphaeral- brush) occur as separate vegetation

32 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 watercourses. These patterns may Table 2. Watercourse Vegetation Types appear confusing at first look; how- and Habitats ever, an eye to detail, consistent and careful measurement in quantitative (Geologic substrate is denoted by G = granitic, L = calcareous, and B samples, and use of computer analy- = both granitic and calcareous.) ses reveal consistent vegetation types that are related to environmental el- Dominant in Alliance Canyon Arroyo Wash ements (see Table 2). Some vegeta- Pinus mo no phylla(singleleaf pinyon) B tion types are rare, while some are Quercus chrysolepis(canyon live oak) B widely distributed. I identified new Bac c haris sergilo ides (desert mulefat) G alliances not described for the Po pulus fremo ntii(Fremont cottonwood) G Mojave Desert, California, with the Quercus turbinella(desert scrub oak) G dominant species of Quercus chryso- Salix exigua (narrowleaf willow) G lepis, Quercus turbinella, and Salvia Prunus fasciculata (desert almond) B B do rrii. I also documented new alli- Salvia do rrii (desert sage) L L ances not previously described else- Ac ac ia greggii (catclaw) B B B where with the dominant species of Chilopsis linearis (desert-willow) B B B Baccharis sergiloides, Chrysothamnus Encelia virginensis(Virgin R. brittlebush) L paniculatus,and Prunus fasciculata. Ephedra californica(California desert tea) G G The 15 alliances broadly serve Hymenoclea salsola (cheesebush) G G as umbrellas or “habitats” for rare Chrysothamnus paniculatus (rabbitbrush) B and common plant species (some Psorothamnus spinosus (smoketree) G exotic) that occur in the canyons, arroyos, and washes. Specifically, canyons contained a higher num- ber of rare species (see Table 3) as types in nearly pure stands through- Conclusions well as more exotic species (see out the eastern Mojave Desert. Table 4) than arroyos and washes. Ephedra californica forms shrublands This study provides a classifi- An endangered, bright pink-flow- in sandy granitic arroyos and washes cation of the complex vegetation ering herb, Penstemo n stephensii,oc- of the Granite Mountains. This patterns in eastern Mojave Desert curred only in canyons on granite, Ephedra is particularly conspicuous with one to two meter tall green A tall, arching shrubland of Chilopsis linearis (desert-willow) occurs in an intermittently stems that are usually leafless, thin, flooded, gravelly arroyo of the Granite Mountains. upright, and broom-like. Hymen- o clea salso lais the most ubiquitous wash shrub lining many granitic washes and disturbed roadsides, such as in the Granite and Provi- dence mountains. It is straw-col- ored most of the year, but in spring bright green leaves—unusually scented (some say like old cheese) and threadlike—overtake it. Chry- sothamnus paniculatusforms dense shrublands in gravelly washes of the Granite and Providence mountains. Its leaves are dark green, resinous, and linear, and its stems become black-banded by a fungus. Ephedra californicaand Hymenoclea salsola are strong constituents of Sonoran desert washes while Chrysothamnus paniculatus is affiliated with the Great Basin.

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 33 and a rare red-flowering herb, Table 3. Special Plants in WaterCourses Mirabilis coccinea, occurred continu- of the Eastern Mojave Desert ously from canyon to wash also on granite. The five other CNPS List Species CNPS List 2 species were only in canyons pri- marily on limestone, such as the Penstemo n stephensii (Stephen’s beardstongue) 1B twining violet-flowering Maurandya Ageratina herbac ea (desert ageratina) 2 antirrhiniflo ra ssp. antirrhiniflo ra. Erigeron utahensis (Utah daisy, Utah fleabane) 2 Of the 14 CNPS List 4 species Leymus salinus ssp. mojavensis (hillside wheat-grass) 2 identified as having limited distri- Maurandya antirrhiniflo ra (violet twining snapdragon) 2 bution, four occurred in canyons Mirabilis coccinea (red four o’clock, red umbrella-wort) 2 and arroyos on granite and lime- Physaria c hambersii (Chamber’s double bladderpod) 2 stone, which were Astragalus nutans, Agave utahensis var. nevadensis (Clark Mtn agave) 4 Galium angustifo lium ssp. gracilli- Alo ysia wrightii (oreganillo) 4 mum, Quercus turbinella,and Tragia Asc lepias asperula ssp. asperula (antelope horns) 4 ramo sa. Another occurred from ar- Astragalus nutans (Providence Mtns. milk-vetch) 4 royo to wash on limestone, which Cryptantha tumulo sa (New York Mtns. cryptantha) 4 was the silvery-tufted and white- Eriogonum heermannii ssp. flo cco sum (Clark Mtn. buckwheat) 4 flowered Cryptantha tumulo sa. The Fendlerella utahensis (yerba desierto) 4 other nine species were exclusive to Galium angustifo lium ssp. gracillimum (slender bedstraw) 4 canyons such as Asc lepias asperula Galium munzii (Munz’s bedstraw) 4 ssp. asperula with its dark and light Hedeoma nanumssp. californicum (Calif. mock-pennyroyal) 4 chocolate-colored flowers. Further, Petradoria pumilassp. pumila (rock goldenrod) 4 seven exotic species resided in wet Quercus turbinella (desert scrub oak, shrub live oak) 4 canyons, while six were spread Tetradymia argyraea (striped horsebush) 4 widely across canyons, arroyos, and Tragia ramosa (desert tragia) 4 washes (see Table 4). KEY: The information presented 1B = California Native Plant Society (CNPS) listed as endangered in California and here should provide botanists and elsewhere naturalists with a richer apprecia- 2 = CNPS listed as rare or endangered in California, more common elsewhere tion of the diversity and organiza- 4 = CNPS listed as plant of limited distribution tion of nature, in what superficially may be perceived as a harsh and in- hospitable environment. And the Table 4. Exotic Plants in WaterCourses more detailed understanding of the biota and ecological arrangement of the Eastern Mojave Desert of these vegetation types can be uti- Species in Canyons Frequency lized by land-managing agencies and conservation organizations to Agro stis viridis (water bent) occasional ensure representation and suste- Avena fatua (wild oat) rare nance of the rich and varied life of Bro mus diandrus (ripgut grass) common Mojave Desert watercourses. Cynodon dactylon (bermuda grass) occasional Polypogon monspeliensis (rabbitfoot grass) occasional Sisymbrium o rientale rare Selected References So nc hus o lerac eus (common sow-thistle) occasional California Department of Fish and Species in Canyons, Arroyos, and Washes Frequency Game. Natural Diversity Database. January 2001. Special vascular Bro mus madritensis ssp. rub ens (foxtail chess) abundant plants, bryophytes, and lichens list. Bromus tectorum (cheat grass) abundant Biannual publication. Mimeo. Bro mus trinii (Chilean chess) occasional Evens, J.M. 2000. Waterc o urse vegeta- Erodium cicutarium (filaree) abundant tio n o n granitic and c alc areo us sub- Schismus barbatus (Mediterranean grass) abundant strates in the eastern Mojave Desert. Tamarix ramosissima (tamarisk) common Master’s thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.

34 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 The wash shrubland of Hymenoclea salsola (cheesebush) commonly contrasts the upland bajada shrubland of Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) such as in this vegetation plot and the environs of the Providence Mountains.

Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson and J.M. Piorkowski. 1995. Soil- States. Western Conservation Sci- manual: Higher plants of California. plant water relations in a Mojave ence Department, Boulder, CO. University of California Press, Desert mixed shrub community: A Thorne, R.F., B.A. Prigge, and J. Berkeley. comparison of three geomorphic Henrickson. 1981. A flora of the Jorgensen, E.E., and S. Demarais. surfaces. Journal of Arid Environ- higher ranges and the Kelso Dunes 1998. Herpetofauna associated with ments 29:339–351. of the eastern Mojave Desert in arroyos and uplands in foothills of Stein, B.A. and S.F. Warrick, eds. 1979. California. Aliso 10:71–186. the Chihuahuan Desert. The South- Granite Mo untains reso urce survey. Vogi, R.J. 1995. Basic principles of western Naturalist 43:441–448. Environmental Field Program. Uni- desert ecology and guidelines for the McHargue, L.T. 1973. A vegetatio nal versity of California, Santa Cruz. management of California deserts. analysis o f the Co ac hella Valley, Cali- Stone, R.D. and V.A. Sumida, eds. In The Califo rnia Desert: An intro - fo rnia. PhD dissertation, University 1983. The Kingston Range of Califor- ductio n to natural reso urces and man’s of California, Irvine. nia: a reso urc e survey. Environmental impac t, eds. Latting, J. and P.G. Sawyer, J.O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. Field Program. University of Cali- Rowlands. June Latting Books, Riv- 1995. A manual o f C alifo rnia ve ge ta- fornia, Santa Cruz. erside, CA. tio n. California Native Plant Soci- The Nature Conservancy. 1999. An ety, Sacramento. alliance level classification of vegetationJulie M. Evens, CNPS, 1722 J Street, Smith, S.D., C.A. Herr, K.L. Leary, of the coterminous western United Suite 17, Sacramento , CA 95814

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 35 notes and comments

Letters to the but if yo u have an o pinio n o n this matter, was apparently viable after 15 years. editor please send yo ur “vote” to the Edito r My experience is that spring collec- either electro nic ally o r in writing (see tions from snowbreaks and windfalls Dear Editor, masthead for addresses).] yield about 25% germination seed, Thank you and congratulations for while fall collections from squirrel the new Fremontia! Mine came Dear Editor, caches yield 50% to 65% germination. through the mail surprisingly un- My perennial quixotic request, as a According to Giant Sequoia Ecology scathed and I really appreciate the look former CNPS president and long-time (1980), 85% of the squirrel-cut cones of it. I particularly like having the full member of the Publications Commit- are two to five years old, while cones table of contents attractively inte- tee: Give up the three-hole punch in can stay live on the tree up to 20 years. grated with the front cover. Page 2 was Fremontia. How many fingers does it The spring collections will have large packed with useful information, and I take to count members who actually numbers of poor (old and immature) also liked the placement of the put them in a three-ring binder? cones. The old cones have poor viabil- classifieds inside the back cover, with James P. Smith, Jr., Arcata, CA, ity and the young cones yield imma- the contributors and editorial on the North Coast Chapter ture seeds. These immature seeds will outside. All very thoughtful. look good in a cut test, but will dry For composition, right down to the Dear Editor, quickly. This may give the appearance typography, every page—as well as the Your article on growing redwoods of a short shelf life. whole—is a work of art. I love your stated that the viability period of The squirrels will cut immature drawings, too. If that were not enough, sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) cones at the beginning of fall, after the you even used many of my favorite au- seeds is short. I have found quite the first frost, but I have never seen them thors in both the articles and book re- opposite. store them. However, it is not always views! Native plant horticulture is a I helped process sequoia cones har- easy to identify an immature cone. major interest of mine. vested from the Case Mountain log- They seem to firm up and lose their I would love to see an article about ging in about 1953. I think our yield yellowish tinge during the first cold cultivation of the Shasta snow wreath. was about 1000 pounds of seed, which weather. I suppose by now that at least some of was sent to Mannings Seed Company I have stored seed in a 50-degree re- the botanic gardens are gathering in Roy, Washington. We were paid as frigerator, and inside a shady barn that some experience with it. it was sold. The seed was stored at +10 allowed for air circulation with no ap- Best regards. degrees F. in their storage facilities in parent loss of germination. I once Jeffrey A. Caldwell, Cupertino, Tacoma. picked up seed from Three Rivers that CA, Santa Clara Valley Chapter When Bent Gerdes bought the had been left in the top drawer of a company in 1968 (and changed the metal file cabinet which was standing [Edito r’s No te: An artic le o n gro wing name to Silvaseed Company), there outside for two years, that also yielded Shasta sno w wreathNeviusia ( cliftonii) was a small amount remaining. I think the expected germination. In short, will appear soon.] most of the sequoias planted in this redwood seed has a good shelf life and 15-year period were from Case is easy to store. [The following was included as a commentMountain seeds. Although I don’t Larry Otter, Springville, CA, to the Edito r in a non-Fremontia letter, know about the quality of the seed, it Alta Peak Chapter

BOOK REVIEWS

Illustrated Field Guide to Se- mation for 149 taxa on the California Central Valley. Major vegetation types lected Rare Plants of Northern Native Plant Society’s Lists 1A and 1B here include coast redwood forest, California, edited by Gary Nakamura for the ten northernmost California marine and freshwater wetlands, and Julie Kierstead Nelson. 2001. counties. coastal dune scrub, chaparral, foothill Agriculture and Natural Resources One might think at first that restrict- woodland, mixed evergreen forest, Publication 3395, University of Cal- ing the species to only those that oc- mixed conifer forest, montane mead- ifornia, Oakland, CA. 370 pages. cur in the northern counties gives the ows, upper montane forest, mixed sub- $36.00 softcover. reader a very limited resource. Not so, alpine woodland, alpine tundra, cold The editors have collected beauti- however, because within those coun- desert scrub, juniper woodland, vernal ful color photographs from more than ties occur the Coast Ranges, Klamath pools, and low elevation grassland. 70 contributors, distribution maps, area, southern Cascades, Modoc Pla- Altogether, 24 CNPS habitat types, ten drawings, and general biological infor- teau, and the northern part of the Great Jepson subregions, and the elements of

36 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 three floristic provinces are included. and Southern Sierra Nevada, by and generally between 5,000 and 9,000 There is a brief overview section Donald A. Potter. 1994. USDA For- feet elevation along both west and east that describes the CNPS categories of est Service, R5-ECOL-TP-003, flanks of the Sierra Nevada. rarity and endangerment, together Albany, CA. 164 pages. Free upon Part of the value of these two with definitions from the California request. Softcover. publications is due to very readable Department of Fish and Game, and a This is a marvelous pair of books overview sections on physiography, listing of state and federal laws that that summarizes two decades of field climate, geology, soils, and history of protect plants. work by Donald Potter, a tireless zone/ disturbance of the upper montane Each plant is presented in alphabeti- province ecologist for the Sequoia, zone. The author defines forests of cal order by scientific name—from Sierra, and Stanislaus National For- this zone as characteristically con- Abro nia umbellata to Viola primulifolia ests of California. The region de- taining red fir, Abies magnific avar. ssp. occidentalis—and each gets two scribed extends from Lake Tahoe magnificaor A. magnifica var. shastensis. pages of text organized in a repeating south to Lake Isabella—a range of Forests here experience the deepest layout of information; consequently more than three degrees of latitude— and longest-lasting snowpacks in Cali- one can work through the book eas- ily. The book’s size (5.5 x 8.5 inches) is very handy for the field and its spi- ral binding allows every page to be fully opened and utilized. There is no wasted space in this publication. The close-up plant photographs and the more distant photographs of veg- etation and landscape are crisp, reveal- ing, informative, and often artistic. Here, for example, is Tom Griggs’ back-lit photo of Tuctoria greenei with the sun shining through its long epi- dermal hairs, or there is Vivian Parker’s spectacular photo of Castle Crags ris- ing up in front of a purple-blue sky, the locality for Camp anula shetleri. Even the least photogenic taxa (for example, Atriplex depressa) become fas- cinating in these photographs. Draw- ings add even more detail. They have been taken from more than 20 books or sources but nearly a third come from The Jepson Manual. The book ends with an index of scientific and common names, a list of references, a glossary, and a map of geographic subdivisions of California referred to in the book. I recommend this gem to amateur or professional botanists in northern California with a special interest in rare plants. Michael Barbour, Plant Ecologist, Environmental Horticulture Dept., UC Davis, CA 95616

Forested Communities of the Upper Montane in the Central and Southern Sierra Nevada, by Donald A. Potter. 1998. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report PSW- GTR-169, Albany, CA. 319 pages. Free upon request. Softcover. A Guide to Forested Communities of the Upper Montane in the Central

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 37 fornia. Soils are typically Inceptisols The standard Forest Inventory As- the Sierra Nevada, I can recommend on granitic or volcanic substrates. sessment (FIA) sample design was the pair of books very highly to any- The most important disturbances used, which includes a one-tenth acre one who works with natural montane here, in terms of tree mortality, are fixed plot coupled with variable- vegetation throughout California. lightning strikes, avalanches, and dis- radius plots. Michael Barbour, Plant Ecologist, ease. Wind throw and catastrophic fire An easy-to-use three-page key re- Environmental Horticulture Dept., occur, but are less important. Potter quires one to answer questions about UC Davis, CA 95616 points out that Heterobasidium annosum the identity of a relatively few species (root rot) has become an especially of trees, shrubs, and herbs. Each as- “abundant” pathogen in the upper sociation is named according to its Mosses and Other Bryophytes: An montane during the twentieth century, dominant taxa. Some association Illustrated Glossary, by Bill and in contrast to the relatively low impor- names reflect only one plant (e.g., Nancy Malcolm. November 2000. tance of Cronartium ribicola (white pine “mountain hemlock association,” Micro-optics Press. Distributor: Tim- blister rust), compared to the lower “western juniper association,” “red fir ber Press, Inc., Portland, OR. 226 montane zone. Very few fire scar stud- association”) but most reflect two or pages. $39.95 hardcover. ies have been published for this zone, more names. Names joined by a hy- There are few things I find more and the few that exist indicate an aver- phen indicate that they share the same aggravating than trying to use a di- age surface fire-return interval of 25 canopy layer or growth form (e.g., chotomous key to identify a plant while to 100 years, much longer than that in “red fir-white fir-Jeffrey pine associa- being unsure what the author had in the better-studied lower montane tion”). Names separated by a slash in- mind by using a particular term as a zone. Average fire size is less than 10 dicate that they occupy different diagnostic feature. Definitions of plant acres, although fires larger than 1,000 canopy layers or are different growth terms without illustrations for this acres occur occasionally. These surface forms (e.g., “Jeffrey pine/huckleberry botanist leave much to be desired. fires are low to moderate in intensity. oak association”). This choice of no- However, when definitions are accom- Fire scar records show no change menclature is standard among North panied by carefully selected illustra- in the fire-return interval until post- American ecologists. tions, a glossary can indeed be a help- 1875, at which time the interval be- Each association includes a color ful tool. Now along comes this won- gan to lengthen. Fire-suppression photo showing the appearance of the derful and much needed illustrated management became effective in the vegetation; prose paragraphs that glossary of terms used in the study of upper montane by the 1930s. Graz- summarize the association’s distribu- bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and ing was most significant as a distur- tion, habitat, soil, forest structure and hornworts). This glossary met all of my bance between 1860 and the 1950s. composition, productivity, and man- expectations and exceeded them in Logging did not become a major dis- agement recommendations; and tables nearly every category. turbance in the upper montane until on cover of each major growth form The authors have done a remark- post-World War II, because the fi- category, of major species, and of habi- able job of bringing this glossary into nancial yield per acre was low com- tat traits. Snow course records from production. Just wait until you see the pared to pine-dominated stands at 193 locations were included in the quality of the 970 color images it con- lower elevations. Since then, signifi- roster of site factors. tains! While the authors reside in the cant portions of forested land has Appendices include a lengthy table Southern Hemisphere and many taxa been clear-cut, thinned, select-cut, or on “autecological relationships of se- used throughout the glossary are pri- salvage-logged. Clear-cuts were gen- lected plants,” which summarizes 35 marily from that part of the globe, this erally smaller than 30 acres and af- vegetation and site factors for 42 spe- glossary is no less useful for those of terward were planted with Jeffrey cies of trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses. us in the Northern Hemisphere since pine saplings. In many cases, Another appendix is a list of scientific many of the cosmopolitan species used plantings of red fir were failures for and common names and acronyms for in the illustrations are also present unexplained reasons. all taxa. Two extensive sections com- here in California. The larger portion of each book plete the book: one a glossary, the You will find few books that have as (80%) was devoted to descriptions of other a list of cited literature. The 1994 many high quality photographs as this 26 associations. These community publication comes in a field-friendly, one; many of the microscope images types were statistically separated out rugged ring binder with rigid plastic are simply stunning. Perhaps the from 757 samples subjectively located covers. It is a condensed version (only book’s best feature is the way it handles throughout the study area in stands 164 pages) of the 1998 publication (319 definitions. Terms are cross-refer- “with no evidence of recent distur- pages), but still contains all elements enced, with words in boldface dis- bance” and with tree canopy cover of the larger book. One unique ele- played elsewhere in the glossary. This greater than 10%. Data taken in- ment is an environmental summary of arrangement makes it easy to compare cluded: cover by trees, shrubs, forbs, each association, including 15 environ- terms and compare the associated grasses, and mosses by species; tree mental factors, productivity, site index, color images of the feature in ques- density and basal area; and more than wood volume, and basal area. tion. The definitions are notably clear 80 abiotic stand traits. A total of 104 Because many of the species and and succinct. The definitions coupled taxa were encountered and quantified. associations described occur outside of with excellent images especially help

38 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 define the terms as they are used in bryology. This is a key point because some of the terms used in the study of flowering plants are also used in bryo- phytes but do not always mean the same thing. The book itself is a con- venient size (6 x 8.5 inches) with a sturdy hard-back binding, high qual- ity paper, and two to six color images per page. Another nice feature at the back of the glossary is an illustrated index arranged by scientific name. Anyone with an interest in learning more about bryophytes will find this illustrated glossary a wonderful refer- ence. This glossary will make the jour- ney of bryophyte discovery so much more rewarding now that every bryo- logical term you are likely to encoun- ter in a key or species description is clearly defined and illustrated. With a price of under $40, this illustrated glossary is indeed a bargain. A general treatment of the land- Tinkering with Eden: A Natural scapes of North America and their veg- History of Exotics in America, by James R. Shevock, USDI National etation, this book looks at our country’s Kim Todd. 2001. W.W. Norton & Park Service, Pacific West Region, terrain through the author’s travels, Company, NY. 302 pages. $26.00, 1111 Jackson St., Suite 700, and reflections of what once was. It is hardcover. Illustrated by Claire Emery. Oakland, CA 94607-4807 a great introduction to many vegeta- Although this book focuses prima- tion types, including those in Califor- rily on animals, it helps the reader BOOKS RECEIVED nia, and an insightful look at how we understand the history and human el- might save what is left of our natural ement of why these often biologically heritage. Palmer is a fine writer, and devastating introductions occur, and The Habitat Garden Book: Wild- his prose flows, which is another in- makes suggestions about how we can life Landscaping for the San Fran- centive for reading this book. learn from our mistakes. cisco Bay Region, by Nancy Bauer. 2001. Coyote Ridge Press, P.O. Box 192, Sebastopol, CA 95473, (707) 829- CLASSIFIED ADS 3910. 56 pages. $14.95 softcover. A delightful and easy-to-use guide- book for creating backyard habitat for Classified ad rate: $1.00 per wo rd, mini- west coast and worldwide. A large birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects, mum $15; payment in advance. Address selection of our inventory is now advertising inquiries and c o py to : CNPS, available on the web: www.abebooks. specifically in the San Francisco Bay 1722 J Street, Suite 17, Sac ramento , CA com/home/FFBOOK/ Area. Emphasis is on native plants— 95814. (916) 447-2677 o r fax (916) 447- the heart of the garden—as well as re- 2727. ECOLOGICAL gionally appropriate non-natives that RESTORATION provide food and nectar, color and Publications scent. Color photos show specific Ecological restoration journal. In the The Habitat Garden Book: Wildlife Land- 2002 June issue, read about converting plants for attracting local butterflies sc aping fo r the San Franc isc o Bay Regio n 74 acres from 95% weeds to 85% native and birds. Beginners and experienced by Nancy Bauer; color photos. $14.95 grasses and wildflowers without grazing, gardeners alike will find new ideas and includes tax and shipping. Coyote Ridge burning, tilling, or herbicides. THE a diverse group of plants that will trans- Press, P.O. Box 192, Sebastopol, CA REVEG EDGE, Craig Dremann, since 95473 1972. form their gardens into sanctuaries for themselves and local wildlife. Author Flora & Fauna Books, 121 First Avenue REVEGETATION Nancy Bauer is a garden columnist and South, Seattle WA 98104, Tel. (206) STANDARDS 623-4727, Fax. (206) 623-2001, wildlife habitat gardener. ffbooks@blarg. net, Specializing in The Heart of America , by Tim Native California grassland and desert Botany, Gardening, Birding, and ecological restoration standards and Ecology, both new and out-of- Palmer. 1999. Island Press/Shearwa- costs, plus pictures showing results. ter Books. Washington, D.C.; Covelo, print. We carry a large inventory of www. ecoseeds.com/standards.html California. 338 pages. Black and white Floras, Keys, and Field Guides for the photographs by the author.

VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001 FREMONTIA 39 Editorial

hile reading this collection nia coast (Pinus to rreyana), to the elec- truly appreciates the greatness of the Wof articles, I am struck by tronic explorations of a high school man, who was not just extremely ac- the importance of the student, whose virtual field trip into complished, but was equally gracious. human experience in learning the wild leads her to discover spectacu- The last two articles allow us to about California’s native plants. Dana lar photos of California natives. experience the fruits of working in York’s article leads me up into the When I invited Dr. Barbara Ertter the field. Michelle Coppoletta and Sierra on an adventure, and it reminds to write a tribute to Dr. Lincoln Con- Barbara Mortisch report on their find- me that such a large part of un- stance, who passed away this past year, ings of the Sonoma spine-flower derstanding and appreciating native I had a specific goal in mind. Lincoln (Chorizanthe valida), and Julie Evens plants and their habitats comes from Constance was and is an icon of bot- summarizes her studies of eastern Mo- days spent exploring and discovering any, and several formal tributes have jave watercourses. Through their writ- in the company of fellow botanists. been written about his long and dis- ings and photos we visit these sites, George Hartwell’s article about tinguished career already. I asked Bar- imagine their floras, and return in Calflora looks at this wonderful bara, who knew Lincoln well, to share spirit to a day that we might have spent Internet tool through the lens of hu- with us a glimpse of the man that we reveling, with our friends or co-work- man experience. He compares, for ex- might have known if we had shared a ers, in the beauty and diversity of ample, Torrey’s historic discovery of a day in the field with him. It is only California’s native plants. unique pine on the southern Califor- through such experiences that one Linda Ann Vorobik, Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

Michelle Coppoletta , botanist with the USDI National Park Service in Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California, specializes in rare plants. Barbara Ertter , research botanist and administrative cura- tor at the University and Jepson Herbaria, UC Berkeley, is especially interested in western floristics and botanical his- tory. Julie M. Evens , CNPS vegetation ecologist, worked on veg- etation mapping projects for Sequoia and Kings Canyon of the National Park Service, and the Mojave Desert Ecosys- tem Program of the USGS/Biological Resources Division. George Hartwell worked for 11 years at Caltrans, where he created the Caltrans Botanical Management Area pro- grams. He now is public information officer for the Cali- fornia Highway Patrol, and is an amateur botanist passion- ate about the Ione rare plant species. Barbara Moritsch is a plant ecologist working for the USDI National Park Service at Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California. Dana York , formerly a district biologist for the California Department of Transportation in Fresno, has been the bota- nist for Death Valley National Park since 1999.

Fremontia Editorial Advisory Board Ann Bradley; Travis Columbus; Susan D’Alcamo-Potter; Ellen Dean; Kathleen Dickey; Phyllis M. Faber; Bart O’Brien; John Sawyer; Jim Shevock; Teresa Sholars; Nevin Smith; Dieter Wilken; John Willoughby; Darrell Wright 40 FREMONTIA VOLUME 29:2, APRIL 2001