Iris No. 71 • November 2013 The Alberta Native Council Newsletter Good-bye to a dear friend James Bennett Posey (1942–2013)

Jim Posey at Dry Island Buffalo Jump, 2012. Photo D. Johnson Jim Posey relaxing on a hillside at William’s Coulee, 2006. Photo L. Allen

It is with a very heavy heart that we tell you Jim Posey died from health complications on September 20, 2013.

We at the Alberta Native Plant Council will miss him dearly. Jim was an active member of ANPC, sitting on the Board for many terms, participating in Botany Alberta events throughout the province, writing for the newsletter, creating the Rogue’s Gallery of invasive plant information, sharing his substantial knowledge of native , and providing all of us with his entertaining viewpoint. Jim, you are in our thoughts.

In this Issue . . . The obituary for Jim can be viewed using following link: http://www.mhfh.com/?s=posey&cat=86 University of Alberta Herbarium...... 2 Poricidal Anthers...... 4 Members of ANPC have prepared a memorial Cardinal Divide Access Problems...... 6 ANPC Outreach Project...... 7 powerpoint presentation as contribution to the Native Plant Portrait: Columbine...... 8 Celebration of Jim’s Life, held in Calgary on News and Events...... 10 October 25, 2013. Please visit the ANPC website Using Willow Stipules for ID...... 12 (www.anpc.ab.ca) to view this memorial. ♦ Welcome to ALTA – The University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium

by Dorothy Fabijan

Herbaria are repositories of plant Department: paleo-botany (plant Over the years, the excellent amateur specimens, their associated collection fossils), the cryptogamic herbarium collections of W. C. McCalla of data, and ancillary collections such (bryophytes, lichens and fungi) and the Calgary and Dr. G. H. Turner of Fort as photographs, field notebooks and vascular plant herbarium (ALTA-VP). Saskatchewan, each numbering several libraries. As such, they are an amazing The vascular plant herbarium contains thousand specimens, were acquired. and irreplaceable source of information over 136,000 specimens, including ferns Many other smaller personal collections about plants, their history, and the and fern allies, conifers and flowering have also been donated by individuals world they inhabit. Their or their families, further enriching our uses are many and varied, collections. including basic functions such as identifying plants Herbarium collections grow through the and determining correct research activities of University faculty, nomenclature, discerning staff and students; the acquisition of distribution patterns, public and private collections; deposits understanding the from government agencies, industry phenology of flowering and and individuals; and exchanges with fruiting, compiling regional other herbaria. ALTA-VP continues to floristics and ecological add a few thousand specimens to the preferences, and including permanent collection each year. more advanced functions such as research on plant One of the Department’s extensive taxonomy, morphology, research programs was a five-year study systematics and genetics. of the ecosystem of Devon Island, More recently herbarium Northwest Territories, in conjunction collections have played a with the International Biological role in studying climate Programme’s Tundra Biome Project, change, ethnobotany and 1969–1975. Both taxonomists and paleo-ethnobotany, paleo- ecologists participated and deposited environments, conservation voucher specimens in the herbarium. biology, plant diseases and A voucher specimen is the original entomology. Herbaria were data, the proof that a species listed in a and are being established as publication was found at the time and teaching tools at all levels of Dorothy Fabijan pressing plants place of the study. the education system (public, graduate in the field. Photo I. J. Dymock and post-graduate levels) as well as Alberta’s floristic biodiversity is well resources for the general public. plants. Though the focus is Alberta and represented in the herbarium, but western Canada, the collection’s scope even after over 100 years of botanical The University of Alberta herbarium is is global; there are specimens from all exploration, many regions remain registered under the acronym “ALTA” continents except Antarctica. poorly explored and species are still as part of an international registry. being discovered for Alberta. For The herbarium was established by The herbarium collections, dating as example, Wolffia (water meal), the the first biologist hired by the U of A far back as 1816, include the lifetime world’s smallest , was in 1912, botanist Francis J. Lewis. It collections of past curators Francis discovered in a central Alberta lake in grew considerably so that ALTA now J. Lewis, E. H. Moss (author of Flora 1984. Carex bicolor, an alpine sedge, was includes three large botanical collections of Alberta) and J. G. Packer (editor of within the Biological Sciences the second edition of Flora of Alberta). See Herbarium, page 3

2 Iris No. 71 • November 2013 Herbarium, from page 2 discovered in Banff National Park in 2004. In 2006, I was pleased to participate Alberta Native Plant Council in an Alberta Parks survey of Kakwa Interprovincial Park. My goal was to voucher Garneau P.O. 52099 as many vascular plant species found within the park as I could. Though I failed to Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5 acquire a specimen of every species that the survey noticed, I did come back with website: www.anpc.ab.ca 800 specimens. The small-flowered paintbrush,Castilleja parviflora, was discovered e-mail: [email protected] in Alberta during that survey. As it turns out, when the main collection of the President herbarium was examined, two specimens of this species had been collected in Laurie Hamilton [email protected] Alberta before but had been mis-identified as Raup’s paintbrush,C. raupii. A growing list of new species for Alberta (since the publication of Flora of Alberta, Vice- President Leslie Monteleone second edition, edited by John G. Packer) can be found at our website. This list [email protected] reveals an amazing increase of 130 taxa in the past 30 years. Secretary Sandy McAndrews The mandate of the herbarium is research and teaching. As well as the main [email protected] collection, ALTA-VP maintains a reference collection of each species found in Treasurer Alberta for use by those studying in advance of their field seasons and identifying Amar Keshri specimens afterwards. There is a teaching collection for use in the classroom. [email protected] ALTA-VP is open to users from research institutes, public agencies, private Directors Marsha Hayward (Northern) companies and the general public. We host scientists from around the world, [email protected] students, the local environmental consulting community, public school classes and Tony Blake (Central) artists. The Alberta Native Plant Council’s Central Alberta Rare Plant Study Group [email protected] Christina Metke (Southern) regularly meets and works in the herbarium. Through a partnership with the Nature [email protected] Conservancy of Canada, plant species on their properties are catalogued and Chrissie Smith (Nature Alberta) vouchered. Our collections were instrumental in building the tracking and watch [email protected] lists of rare species by Alberta Conservation Information Management System. Membership Secretary We continue to participate by accepting voucher specimens of rare species and by Kelly Ostermann sharing information. From the City of Edmonton’s weed specialists, to the media [email protected] and to botanical gardens’ volunteers, ALTA-VP contributes in many ways to many Volunteer Coordinator communities. Janine Lemire [email protected]

Collections are dynamic and vital facilities. Conservation Action John Potter The vascular plant herbarium has been [email protected] working to compile collection data in a Education and Information database available at our website (http:// Mari Decker vascularplant.museums.ualberta.ca/). [email protected] Currently just over 50% of the main Rare Plants collection is in the database, including all Leslie Monteleone type specimens, 211 of 246 plant families, [email protected] Norma Calvo all new acquisitions since 2007, and all [email protected] specimens originating from the Northwest Reclamation and Horticulture Territories. ALTA is a participant in Kristyn Housman CanadenSys, a consortium of collections [email protected] building a national natural history Webmaster database. The goal is to allow interactive Mark Mayner mapping and metadata mining to online [email protected] users. Newsletter Committee Dana Bush [email protected] The utility of any herbarium is only Laurie Hamilton [email protected] limited by the questions we ask. We Patricia McIsaac continue to collect and to research as Wolffia columbiana with [email protected] Alfred Falk we learn about our environment. We continue Lemna minor. [email protected] to reach out to the community to educate and Photo D. Fabijan inform. ♦

No. 71 • November 2013 Iris 3 Why do some flowers have anthers with pores at their tips?

by Elizabeth Dickson

Species within at least 65 evolutionarily diverse plant families — including Solanaceae (Nightshade Family), Ericaceae (Heather Family), (Primrose Family), Boraginaceae (Borage Family), and the tropical families Melastomataceae and Caesalpiniaceae — have pollen enclosed within the anthers, and pores or slits at the tips of the anthers.6 Although widespread across families, only 6–8% of flowering plants have theseporicidal anthers,5 a trait thought to be driven by the plant–pollinator relationship. Along with poricidal anthers, floral features in common among these families often include radial symmetry, petals that are bent back, a prominent cone of with short, stout stalks, and a simple style that protrudes from the tip of the anther cone.4 Flowers with poricidal anthers frequently lack nectar, resin, Prince’s-pine (Chimaphila umbellata) flowers with poricidal anthers. oil, or sites for brooding that would Photo Bryan Hamlin draw pollinators to them. But, as with most generalizations about evolutionary shaker. As the bees forage for pollen, Evolutionary botany researchers suggest features, there are exceptions. For they inadvertently transport pollen to that nectar secretion is the primitive 6 example, the presence of nectar can stigmas of other flowers they visit, condition of the Ericaceae and 3 be found in many species of the promoting cross-pollination. Not all Boraginaceae, with the loss of nectar Ericaceae and Boraginaceae and urn- of the pollen is dispensed from an being the more advanced condition. 4, 7, 5 2 shaped corollas are found in Vaccinium anther during a single buzzing. This Researchers also propose that buzz (blueberry and cranberry) species. encourages visits by multiple pollinators pollination has repeatedly evolved from over an extended period of time and competition between foraging visitors Insects are attracted by the pollen of increases the likelihood of pollen needing to obtain pollen and plants these flowers, a rich oil and protein dispersal over a wider area. In addition, needing to control the rate of pollen source. From anthers with slits that pollen that is spilled onto the flower release. run lengthwise, bees can collect pollen during a buzz-pollination event may be by brushing against the surface, but picked up by non-buzzing insects and In Alberta, Ericaceae and Primulaceae poricidal anthers have pollen enclosed be carried to other flowers, where cross- are among the families having species within the anther. Pollen foraging pollination may occur. Some flowers with poricidal anthers and buzz insects, usually bees, cling to the base of have two types of poricidal anthers that pollination. All species formerly placed 1 poricidal anthers with their mouthparts differ in position, size, colour, or shape; in the Pyrolaceae (Wintergreen Family) and vibrate at high frequency — they one type acts as a food source, the other and now placed in Ericaceae have 8 buzz — causing the release of pollen as a fertilization source. through the pore as it shakes like a salt See Poricidal Anthers, page 5

4 Iris No. 71 • November 2013 Poricidal Anthers, from page 4 Tongue-tied in poricidal anthers. This includes one-flowered wintergreen Moneses( uniflora),one- Latin sided wintergreen (Orthilia secunda), prince’s-pine (Chimaphila umbellata), and species of Pyrola. A mixture of insect attractants is found in this group. Nectar rather by C. Dana Bush than pollen appears to be the main attractant for pollinators of prince’s-pine, either nectar or pollen draws pollinators to one-sided wintergreen, while pollen is I wrestle with the pronunciation of the primary attractant of the buzz-pollinated Pyrola species.6 All other species of scientific names. When I’m speaking Ericaceae have poricidal anthers, including common bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva- with someone about the rare wetland ursi), bog cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), which chaffweed (Anagallis), do I say a-nah- was formerly placed in the family Empetraceae. ga-lis or ăn-a-gah-lis. I’ve been stumped when people spoke of Another example from Alberta is mountain shooting star (Dodecatheon conjugens) — Cardamine as kar-dah-mi-nee, when in the family Primulaceae — that lacks nectar and has anthers with slits located at I pronounce it kar-da-mine. Even the top; these slits elongate over the plant’s three-day blooming period. At a study the pronunciation guides vary. The site in Sibbald Flats, Alberta, at least nine species of visited mountain reference I use below, pronounces shooting star, and buzz pollination was observed.4 The mountain shooting star Oenothera as oy-nō-the-ra , while an flowers were found to control the amount of pollen dispersed by being sensitive online guide pronounces it en-o-thee-ra. to the frequency of bee vibration and the number of pollinator visits. Researchers saw that pollen removal is restricted at lower buzz frequencies and is increased In the interests of communication, with fewer visits.4 I offer some standard (sort-of) pronunciation for some of our Alberta The next time you are in the bush and come across a flower with poricidal anthers, plants for which I have heard multiple see if you can observe a buzz-pollinating bee at work. pronunciations. However, if you choose to pronounce it differently, you To see a buzz-pollinating bee in action: will be in good company. Here are the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMvQSx2429U A’s. Next month — the B’s. http://www.anneleonard.com/buzz-pollination ă = cat a = apart, canal o = hot ō = note i = in References Abies ă-bee-ayz 1. Buchmann, S. L. 1983. Buzz pollination in angiosperms. In Jones, C. E., R. Little (Eds): Handbook of experimental pollination biology, pp. 73-113. NY, S. & E Abronia a-brō-nee-a Scientific and Academic Editions. Achillea a-kil-lee-a or ă-kil-lee-a 2. De Luca, P. A. and M. Vallejo-Marin. 2013. What’s the ‘buzz’ about? The ecology and Aconitum ă-kon-ee-tum evolutionary significance of buzz-pollination. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 16 Agastache a-gah-sta-kee (4): 429-435. 3. Dukas, R. and A. Dafni. 1990. Buzz-pollination in three nectariferous Boraginaceae Amelanchier ă-me-lan-kee-er and possible coevolution of buzz-pollinated flowers. Plant Systematics and Anagallis ăn-a-gah-lis Evolution 169: 65-68. Androsace ăn-dros-a-kee 4. Harder, L. D. and R. M. R. Barclay. 1994. The functional significance of poricidal Angelica ăn-gel-i-ka anthers and buzz pollination: controlled pollen removal from Dodecatheon. Antennaria ăn-ten-ah-ree-a Functional Ecology 8: 509-517. 5. Kawai, Y. and G. Kudo. 2009. Effectiveness of buzz pollination in Pedicularis Aquilegia ă-kwi-lee-gee-a chamissonis: significance of multiple visits by . Ecological Research Artemisia ar-tay-mis-ee-a 24(1): 215-223. Asclepias a-sklay-pee-as 6. Knudsen, J. T. and J. M. Olesen. 1993. Buzz-pollination and patterns in sexual traits Asplenium a-splay-nee-um in North European Pyrolaceae. American Journal of Botany 80(8): 900-913. 7. Larson, B. M. H. and S. C. H. Barrett. 1999. The ecology of pollen limitation in buzz- Atriplex ah-tri-plex pollinated Rhexia virginica (Melastomataceae). Journal of Ecology 87: 371-381. 8. Luo, Z., D. Zhang, and S. S. Renner. 2008. Why two kinds of stamens in buzz- Reference: pollinated flowers? Experimental support for Darwin’s division-of-labour Coombes, Allen J. 1985. Dictionary of Plant hypothesis. Functional Ecology 22: 794-800. ♦ Names: Botanical Names and Their Common Name Equivalents. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.♦

No. 71 • November 2013 Iris 5 Cardinal Divide access now more difficult by Alison Dinwoodie

Some of you may have heard that the The large, road south of the Cardinal Divide was mainly forested washed out after the heavy rains in area south of June. I was at the annual Trails meeting the Divide and with Cardinal River Operations (CRO) the Grave Flats about a week after this happened. A road has several representative from Yellowhead County, recognized OHV which looks after the roads, was there trails from both to tell us about the closure. I had been east and west up at the Cardinal Divide two days of the washout earlier and noticed the “Road Closed” (Toma, Ruby signs, but several off-highway vehicles Creek Network, (OHVs) were ignoring the signs (as etc.), and these they usually do) and going on through. will continue I assumed they were just going down to be used by Road washout south of the Cardinal Divide in summer 2013. the hill to their designated trail to OHV traffic, so Photo S. Pittman the Cardinal Headwaters (OHVs are it is likely they allowed on this county road). will continue to make a trail through and around the The washout is about 8 km further washout. As the County has enough Wanted: Writers south, beyond the Cardinal Divide difficulty maintaining the graveled Do you enjoy writing? parking lot. It is just to the west of the Robb-Cadomin-Cardinal Divide road, The newsletter needs writers Alexis Reserve, which is still accessible I can see why they would not be keen Iris from Highway 40 or from the north on spending more money on a little- and we have ideas to using the Pembina forestry road. There used, very rough, low-priority road. get you started! are no other settlements between there and Cadomin. The county official said As far as the Cardinal Divide area Contact Dana at 403-282-3975 or that as it was a low priority road, it was of the Whitehorse Wildland Park is [email protected] unlikely to be opened soon or could concerned, the usual access at the remain closed. parking lot is some distance away from the washout. There could be a Sam Pittman came along the road from problem with increased OHV access Join Our Highway 40 a few weeks later and took to the south end of the ridge, which Volunteers the photograph to the right. He noted at present is relatively little used, and the OHVs were continuing to use the once tracks are made, they tend to Are you looking to get road by driving their vehicles along the multiply. more involved with river, which is unacceptable behavior the ANPC? and probably against the law because So if anyone happens to be taking a There are many positions of destruction of fisheries habitat. Sam hike along the ridge and notices any available that suit a wrote to the Conservation Officers new disturbances, please let me know variety of interests. at Hinton about this but has had no — [email protected] ♦ response. Please send an email to [email protected] for further information.

6 Iris No. 71 • November 2013 Become part of ANPC’s Outreach Project by Patricia McIsaac ANPC has had many successful years and will make life easier for members in • photographers willing to donate of operation, and the group has a long all regions who carry ANPC’s name to photos history of getting things done — all the public at special events. • members to set up the display and thanks to the strong efforts of its talk with visitors at events volunteers. Developing a set of handouts to share • compilers to put together lists such with people is a related goal of the as target events to attend Glancing back over just some of the Outreach Project. Visitors to ANPC’s projects completed by ANPC members, display need a summary of who ANPC If you think you’d like to assist with we can be proud of Rare Vascular Plants is and contact information they can the Outreach Project or if you have a of Alberta, the Native Seed Source hang on to. Handouts on such things as suggestion that you’d like to contribute, List, A Rogue's Gallery of Invasive rare plants, school yard naturalization, please let us know. We’re aiming to have Non-native Plants of Alberta, Botany invasive plants, regional ecological the displays and other materials ready Alberta events, Adopt-a-Plant Alberta, communities, gardening with native for the annual general meeting in spring a purple loosestrife survey, smooth plants, and nifty plant facts will interest 2014 and will need your help to make brome control work parties, 26 annual many visitors, and a variety of handouts that happen. workshops, natural area stewardship, need to be developed by volunteers. participation in many provincial and Contact the project manager, Pat national advisory committees, and The ANPC website receives a steady McIsaac, ([email protected]). creation of numerous guidelines stream of inquiries from a wide variety She’s looking forward to hearing from documents that assist both amateur and of people, and there are questions that you. ♦ professional botanists. people repeatedly ask. The Outreach Project will be developing fact sheets to In keeping with this long history of quickly answer these inquiries. success, the current Board would like to see ANPC update its look and send As you can imagine, this will be a its message to more people in more complex project, and we’re using a Addenda places. We’d like more members to join couple of basic strategies to create the for the ANPC and more people to volunteer displays and handouts. Firstly, we’ll seek Rare for initiatives. So, the Outreach Project out a professional graphic designer. To Vascular has been born. use marketing jargon, the Outreach Plants of Project is in part intending to rebrand Alberta The Outreach Project will have a project ANPC’s displays and printed materials. are now manager (volunteer Pat McIsaac), and A graphic designer will be contracted to available! there are many ways ANPC members develop a unifying look and design for will be able to contribute to the goals of all the materials we are planning, in the this ambitious project. near and far term. The second part of For information, drawings, and our strategy calls on ANPC members range maps of rare vascular plant Bringing the name and face of ANPC to consider where they might assist and species of Alberta not found in to people at special events is the then jump right in to help. the Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta project’s first goal. The organization (Kershaw et al. 2001) please visit and particular members are often The Outreach Project will need a variety the Alberta Native Plant Council’s approached to set up ANPC’s display at of volunteers and talents, including the website at www.anpc.ab.ca under special events throughout the province, following: Publications. This is an ongoing but right now, ANPC can’t fulfill all • writers for handout or display panel project with plant species added as those requests. In the Outreach Project, text the pages are completed. four displays are planned. The displays • researchers or content experts to will be stored throughout the province team with writers, if needed No. 71 • November 2013 Iris 7 Native Plant Portrait: Columbine (Aquilegia species)

by Dr. Al Fedkenheuer This article is reprinted with permission.

This article presents our hardy native The leaves of columbines resemble columbine species that grow well in those of meadow rue, as they full sun and also in shaded, moist are compound, several, mostly areas. There are four native species basal and finely divided. Yellow present in Alberta: Aquilegia brevistyla columbine has showy yellow (blue columbine), A. flavescens (yellow flowers which appear in June– columbine), A. formosa (red or Sitka July. The flowers may be tinged columbine) and A. jonesii (also called with pink, are generally 2.5 to 4 blue columbine). There is another red cm across and 12 to 20 mm long, (or eastern red) columbine, A. canadensis, nodding, with white to cream which is an eastern Canada species blades 7 to 10 mm long. The spurs that is found as far west as eastern range from yellow to pinkish, 10 Saskatchewan. All columbines are to 20 mm long, curved and the attractive to hummingbirds, but they stamens protrude beyond the particularly love the bright red flowers, blades. Plant height ranges from as do butterflies. 30 to 60 cm depending upon the site. Red columbine is very similar The name “Aquilegia” comes from the except the flowers are bright red Latin “Aquila” which means eagle, and with some yellow, the spurs are Aquilegia formosa – red this comes from the resemblance of straight, it can grow up to 100 cm tall or Sitka columbine the spurred petals to eagle talons. In and flowers in June to early August. The Photo A. Fedkenheuer contrast, the common name is derived two blue columbines have blue , of 20 to 80 cm tall and many-flowered from the Latin “columbia” which means 12 to 20 mm long with white to pale while A. jonesii is much shorter, 5 to 20 “dove-like” as the arched spurs and yellow blades that range from 7 to 10 cm, and typically has one flower. spreading sepals, for some, resemble mm long. The spurs are hooked, blue, five doves arranged in a circle drinking 5 to 8 mm long, shorter than the blades Columbines grow well in shade, partial from a dish. and appear in June–July. The two or semi-shade and full sun. They grow species are primarily differentiated by A. in ordinary garden soil, preferring brevistyla growing moist soil, but not wet. None do well in a height range on heavy clay soil. These plants are all perennials but they tend to be shorter- lived, from three to five years, but they produce sufficient seed to replace themselves. Propagation is not difficult. Aquilegia Collect the seeds when they are black, formosa – and seed shallowly in the fall so they red or Sitka columbine are naturally cold stratified by Mother Photo A. Nature. If starting indoors, cold Fedkenheuer stratification will help with germination success. The species hybridizes so flower colour may change over time.

See Columbine, page 9

8 Iris No. 71 • November 2013 Endangered Species Conservation Committee – Update by C. Dana Bush

The Alberta Native Plant Council is This meeting considered the status Tiny cryptantha (Cryptantha minima) a voting member on the Endangered of hare-footed locoweed (Oxytropis is due for an update (Endangered in Species Conservation Committee lagopus) — I will update everyone as Alberta, Threatened by COSEWIC). (ESCC). The ESCC meets three times soon as the recommendation has been Although lots of new data are available, a year to read newly prepared status sent to the minister. The status report additional population inventories are reports, consider the status evaluation has been released but is not yet on needed. from the Scientific Subcommittee, the ESCC website. COSEWIC is also recommend groups for membership working on a federal status report. Biscuit-root (Lomatium cous) is found on the recovery teams, and review only in the Cypress Hills. We need basic the recovery reports. We pass our The recovery plan for whitebark pine data on population, habitat, distribution recommendations on to the minister (Pinus albicaulis) has been approved and limiting factors. of AESRD for the final decision. The and will soon be released. It is a ESCC is a multi-stakeholder group comprehensive report with significant Dwarf woolly-heads (Psilocarphus with members from conservation and expensive recommendations. It will brevissimus) (Special Concern by groups (ANPC, Nature Alberta, be interesting to see which actions will COSEWIC). This species likes Alberta Conservation Association, etc.), actually be funded, given the five-year ephemeral wetlands and fluctuates academic and government scientists, delay in producing the plan and the dramatically with the weather. Directed treaty associations, industry (forestry, shortage of funds and staff. population inventories are needed. agriculture, ranching, oil and gas), and municipalities. The broad cross-section There are several plant species of Whiskered Millipede Lichen and of people often results in spirited and conservation concern that need more Desert Tumbleweed Lichen both pointed conversations. The group data before writing Alberta Wildlife need basic data on population, habitat, operates by consensus, or a 2/3 vote if Status Reports. These may be good distribution and limiting factors. necessary. species for volunteer field trips. See ESCC Update, page 11

Columbine, from page 8

Aquilegia flavescens – yellow columbine Photo A. Fedkenheuer

Dr. Al and Pat are owners of ALCLA Native Plant Restoration Inc. of Calgary and have been growing and out-planting Alberta native plants for over 30 years. Aquilegia brevistyla – Email: [email protected] ♦ blue columbine Photo A. Fedkenheuer

No. 71 • November 2013 Iris 9 News and Events

Central Alberta Rare Plant Study Field Guide to the Plants of the Plant Happenings Group Location: University of Wildhorse Wildland Park and Plant Happenings is an email listing Alberta Herbarium, B-613 (botany Cadomin Area of native plant related events, wing), Biological Sciences Building Volunteers are needed to take publications, and the like that Lorna (east end), Saskatchewan Drive, photographs this summer Allen sends out whenever she has Edmonton. Date: Last Monday independently, to lead/join a field trip enough information gathered to make of the month; October to April to the area, or to donate photos you it worthwhile. If you wish to have your inclusive. Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. have already taken in the area. If name added to her email list, or you Facilitator: Varina Crisfield (vcrisfield@ interested, contact adinwoodie@shaw. have appropriate information that you gmail.com). ca or [email protected]. would like posted, email her with the details ([email protected]). Southern Alberta Rare Plant Study Group Location: University of Calgary Recovery Strategies for Industrial Herbarium, Biological Sciences Development in Native Prairie ACIMS – Alberta Conservation Basement. Date: First Saturday for the Dry Mixedgrass Natural Information Management System of the month; November to April Subregion of Alberta ACIMS has released new tracking inclusive. Time: noon to 4:00 p.m. The First Approximation is available lists. The November 2012 iterations Facilitator: Heide Blakely (enzian44@ on The Foothills Restoration are now out of date. shaw.ca). Forum website at: http:// • List of All Species and Ecological foothillsrestorationforum.ca as a pdf Communities in Alberta, within the Medicine Hat Rare Plant Study or as a bound, full-colour hardcopy ACIMS Database – June 2013 Group Location: Medicine Hat via the order form. The draft for the • List of Tracked and Watched College Herbarium (L155). Date: Third Mixedgrass Natural Subregion is Elements – June 2013 Saturday of the month from noon to available, and they are working on the • Tracked Elements Listed by 3:00 p.m. Facilitator: Cathy Linowski Northern Fescue Natural Subregion. Natural Subregions – June 2013 ([email protected]). • Ecological Community Tracking Saturday, November 16 (weather List – 2013 permitting) - Cheryl Bradley will Foothills Restoration Forum Fall • Tracked Ecological Communities: do a presentation on wetland Information Session Alphabetical listing with Natural plants. November 14, 2013. Claresholm Subregions – 2013 Community Centre. $20 registration The Northern Plant and Ecology fee. www.foothillsrestorationforum.ca http://albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/ Study Group (NPESG) also is part management-land-use/alberta- of ANPC. This is a field-based study conservation-information- group, active through the growing Call for Iris submissions management-system-%28acims%29/ season and into early autumn. Contact ANPC publishes the Iris newsletter tracking-watch-lists.aspx Marsha Hayward for more information three times per year to provide ([email protected]). information on all issues botanical Call for Feature Plant photos in Alberta and further afield. We are Do you have any great plant species always looking for guest contributors photos you’d like to share? ANPC ANPC Botany Alberta 2014 and to submit announcements, articles, needs a bank of plant species photos Workshop 2014 features, photos, etc. to Iris. ANPC that we can switch out seasonally for Organizers needed welcomes your submission to the Iris the Feature Plant series on the ANPC Please contact Mari at m_decker@ editor ([email protected]) for website. The photo needs to look telus.net or Janine at janinelemire10@ consideration. Deadlines are good at a width of 200 pixels and be hotmail.com if you have ideas and October 1, November 15, and accompanied by a little write-up about time to devote to helping organize the February 1. what makes the photo interesting. 2014 versions of Botany Alberta and Please send your photos and text to the ANPC Spring Workshop. [email protected].

10 Iris No. 71 • November 2013 ESCC Update, from page 9

The following table summarizes all federally and provincially assessed plant species. ESCC/SCC Species Provincial SARA Listed Recommended Scientific Name Common Name Recovery Plan2 (as of Oct. 2013) 1 Designations (as of Oct. 2013) (as of Oct. 2013) Vascular Plants Chenopodium Smooth goosefoot Threatened subglabrum Cryptantha minima Tiny cryptanthe Endangered Endangered (2005)** Approved 2012 Special Iris missouriensis Western blue flag Special Concern (2005)** Not Applicable Concern Not necessary as the only population is under federal Isoetes bolanderi Bolander’s quillwort Threatened jurisdiction (Waterton Lakes National Park) Special Recommendation pending Oxytropis lagopus Hare-footed locoweed Concern (2013) Approved (by ESCC) Pinus albicaulis Whitebark pine Endangered Endangered (2008)** 2013 Pinus flexilis Limber pine Endangered (2008)** In Progress Psilocarphus Dwarf woolly-heads Special brevissimus (prairie population) Concern Tradescantia Western spiderwort Threatened Endangered (2001)** Approved 2005, 2013 occidentalis Transberingia bursifolia ssp. virgata Slender mouse-ear-cress Threatened Endangered (2011)** (Halimolobos virgata) Tripterocalyx Small-flowered sand micranthus Endangered Threatened (2004)** Approved 2012 verbena (Abronia micrantha) Yucca glauca Soapweed Threatened Endangered (2002)** Approved 2006, 2013 Non-vascular Plants Not necessary as the entire population is under federal Bartramia halleriana Haller’s apple moss Threatened jurisdiction (Jasper National Park) Bryum porsildii (Mielichhoferia Porsild’s bryum Threatened Endangered (2007)** Approved 2010 macrocarpa) 1 These are the recommended designations; however, some may not yet be listed in the Alberta Wildlife Act Regulations, due to the AESRD Minister’s backlog. Dates refer to Minister Approval. 2 Provincial Recovery Plans to be completed within 1 year for endangered species and 2 years for threatened species. ** Status report is available on AESRD’s Species at Risk website at www.srd.alberta.ca/FishWildlife/SpeciesAtRisk/Default.aspx. NOTE: Species assessed by COSEWIC and determined to be Not at Risk are Phlox alyssifolia, Erigeron radicatus, Brickellia grandiflora, Carex nebrascensis, Stephanomeria runcinata, Stellaria arenicola. Status reports are available upon request.

University of Lethbridge Herbarium Digitization Project is complete The collection currently includes over 20,000 specimens of vascular plants and remains an important research tool for botanists, students and the general public. Hare-footed locoweed http://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/cdm/landingpage/ (Oxytropis lagopus) collection/herbarium Photo C. D. Bush ♦

No. 71 • November 2013 Iris 11 Willow Stipules: A Handy

Tool for ID by Kim Gould

Willows! Does anyone feel confident Very small stipules, deciduous identifying these variable woody stipules or lacking stipules: species? There are a number of S. alba – white willow useful vegetative characteristics, such S. arctica – arctic willow as stipules, that remain longer than S. athabascensis – Athabasca willow Past issues of Iris ephemeral catkins. Stipules are leafy S. bebbiana (deciduous stipule) – Bebb’s are now available bracts found at the base of a leaf willow online at www.anpc.ab.ca petiole and they can help distinguish S. brachycarpa – barren ground willow, some of the many species of Salix. short leaf willow S. discolor – pussy willow Species with stipules: S. exigua – sandbar willow, coyote willow S. alaxensis (linear stipule) – felt leaf S. fragilis – crack willow willow S. myrtillifolia – blueberry willow S. barclayi (round stipule) – Barclay’s S. pentandra – bay leaf willow, laurel willow willow S. barrattiana (broad oval stipule) – S. petiolaris (deciduous stipule) – Barratt’s willow meadow willow, slender willow S. boothii (sharp pointed stipule) – S. planifolia – diamond leaf willow Booth’s willow S. pyrifolia (deciduous stipule) – balsam S. candida (narrow stipule) – sage willow willow S. commutata (half-moon stipule) – S. reticulata – netted leaf willow undergreen willow S. scouleriana – Scouler’s willow S. drummondiana (narrow stipule) – S. sitchensis – Sitka willow Iris is published three times a Drummond’s willow S. stolonifera – sprouting leaf willow year by ANPC. The Council aims to increase knowledge of Alberta’s wild S. lanata (large stipule) – woolly willow S. tyrrellii – Tyrrell’s willow flora and to preserve this diverse S. lucida (half-moon stipule) – shining S. vestita – rock willow resource for the enjoyment of present willow and future generations. S. lutea (oval clasping stipule) – yellow Obviously more characteristics are If you have an announcement, article willow needed to identify a willow, but the or other item, you are invited to submit (oval or narrower stipule) – presence or absence of stipules can be a it to the editor for publication. Items S. melanopsis concerning native plants will be given dusky willow quick and easy place to start. For those highest priority. S. prolixa (oval clasping stipule) – species with obvious stipules, such as The editors reserve the right to edit MacKenzie’s willow S. lanata, S. lutea and S. prolixa, taking submissions, but will review changes S. pseudomonticola (oval stipule) – false a look at the stem might give you a big with the authors whenever possible. mountain willow clue to species. Disputes will be resolved in favour of the audience.

Glandular stipules: a row of glands Names and stipule descriptions are Copyright remains with the authors taken from E. H. Moss’s except where noted. Permission to along the stem, occasionally with Flora of reprint is generally granted, but please very small leaf-like structures: Alberta, second edition, revised by J. G. contact the editors for details. S. amygdaloides (glandular stipules) – Packer (1983). ♦ Submission deadline for the next peach leaf willow issue: S. arbusculoides (glandular stipules) – little November 15, 2013 tree willow A subscription to Iris is included with S. farriae – Farr’s willow membership in the ANPC. To join, S. glauca (oval stipule) – gray leaf willow contact the secretary, or check our S. maccalliana – McCalla’s willow website, www.anpc.ab.ca. S. pedicellaris – bog willow S. serissima – autumn willow

12 Iris No. 71 • November 2013