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SempervirensSummer 2019 The Quarterly of the Native Plant Society Register now for the Front Royal gathering Article by Karen Hendershot, President, Piedmont Chapter iedmont Chapter members of ozone pollution Pare delighted to be hosting in disrupting scent the Virginia Native Plant cues of pollinators, Society’s Annual Meeting on the and the effect weekend of September 27–29 in of landscape Front Royal. It will give us the management opportunity to share with you on wild bee the diverse natural and scientific populations. resources of our region. We will Sadly, much of be staying at the Holiday Inn Blue human activity has Ridge Shadows, five miles from been detrimental to Front Royal. Situated with a view native plants. But The work of Professor Woodward Bousquet and his students of the Blue Ridge and close to the our Saturday night at the Abrams Creek Wetlands will be discussed at the Annual gently flowing Shenandoah River, speaker will tell Meeting in Front Royal. (Woodward Bousquet) it is well located for our many of a successful rescue effort of Conservation Effort by the native plant activities. native plants from the ongoing Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers All of us who have an march of urban development. Association. appreciation for native plants Woodward Bousquet, professor The rest of our weekend recognize that they are part of a of environmental studies and will be devoted to a range of system, vital to the survival of our biology at Shenandoah University events—34 in all, including environment. Natives are most in Winchester, will describe two tours of the Abrams Creek successful in supporting the the work he and his students Wetlands and several activities at life that has many functions, undertook to make Winchester’s Blandy Experimental Farm. We including acting as pollinators Abrams Creek Wetlands the have arranged numerous hikes in agriculture. We are therefore city’s first nature preserve. It was and tours, including a visit to the pleased to have as our speaker an area already long known as a Smithsonian Conservation Biology on Friday night T’ai Roulston, beloved site for birders. Woody’s Institute. Opportunities to learn entomologist with Blandy work with his students also about large-scale plant restoration Experimental Farm and curator of documented the creek’s rich store efforts may be had at the Jones the State Arboretum of Virginia. of plants. Cataloging more than Preserve, Clifton Institute, and T’ai’s extensive research on the 300 plant species, of which 20 Oxbow Farm. We are also offering ecology and evolution of plant– are considered rare in Virginia, a number of workshops. insect interactions has focused he and his students worked with Complete details and on the contributions of native developers, residents, and the registration information are pollinators to agriculture and local government to protect the available at vnps.org. For a how human activity influences area from the damage of human breath of fresh mountain air and insect populations. Among his activity and rescue many of the an enjoyable and enlightening interests are the role of parasites rare plants. For their efforts, they weekend, come join us in and resource availability on were awarded the Joe Penfold September. We look forward to bumblebee survival, the effects Memorial Award for Grassroots welcoming you to Front Royal. v 2 Sempervirens, Summer 2019

From the President ‘Botany Bill’ speaks up for the plants Endangered Species Coalition, for This issue of Sempervirens a meeting with an aide to Sen. Ben includes articles on our field trips any years ago I remember Cardin, D-Md. But while we were to the Texas Hill Country in March MNicky Staunton, VNPS waiting for our appointment, we had and Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula in President at the time, asking, “Who the opportunity to chat with Sen. June. I feel fortunate that I could will speak for the plants?” That Cardin himself as he entered the hall participate in both. For so many question has haunted me ever on his way to another meeting. He years I had heard so much about since. Do you believe that botany is very interested in issues that affect “The Bruce” that it was almost gets short shrift in research and the health of the Chesapeake Bay, mythical to me. The VNPS led field conservation? Are you concerned so he listened politely to our request trips there almost every June from that there are no longer any U.S. to reintroduce the bill in the Senate the early ’90s until about 12 years colleges and universities offering and had a picture taken with us. Our ago, but my employment did not botany as a major? Many of us formal meeting with his aide went afford me the opportunity to take in the native plant conservation well, but no action has come of these leave at that time of year. Many realm are very concerned—so meetings to date. thanks to Sally Anderson and much so that there is a movement Later that afternoon I joined Emily Southgate for arranging and to encourage Congress to pass with Sean O’Brien, president of leading the trip this year. Thanks a “Botany Bill.” Such a bill was NatureServe, and Anne Frances, its also go to Peggy Troyer and Janet introduced in the last Congress with lead botanist, to meet with an aide Pawlukiewicz for their efforts in bipartisan support, but it died when to my congressman, Rob Wittman, organizing the fantastic trip to that Congress adjourned in 2018. It (VA 01-R). Rep. Wittman serves on Texas. With those two trips, as well was reintroduced this year as H.R. the House Committee on Natural as time at home, I experienced three 1572, the Botanical Sciences and Resources, so his support would springs this year! Native Plant Materials Research, facilitate a bipartisan effort. We Field trips are filling up fast for Restoration, and Promotion Act. tried to stress that the bill would our Annual Meeting in September, The goals of this bipartisan bill are bolster efforts to improve the health but our Piedmont Chapter members to 1) employ and train botanists ​ of the Chesapeake Bay and provide have outdone themselves in the in the federal government; 2) fund opportunities for positive economic number of choices. Please join us research; and 3) promote the use of impacts and jobs. Unfortunately, for a wonderful time in Front Royal native plants rather than nonnatives. again, no action has been seen yet. September 27–29. v In June I joined national native As timely plant leaders and traveled to Capitol opportunities Hill to meet with members of arise for Congress to persuade them to support constituent and cosponsor this bill. Led by Emily efforts, I will Brin Roberson, director of the Native keep you Plant Conservation Campaign, and informed staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden, through e-mails, this effort was organized to coincide such as our Leaf with the annual conference of the Letter. Congress American Public Gardens Association takes a long being held in Arlington. I joined time to enact Emily, Marnie Bruce and Kerrie legislation, but Kyde of the Maryland Native Plant we are in this for Marney Bruce, Kerrie Kyde, and Nancy Vehrs take time for a photo op Society, and Corrie Westbrook of the the long haul. with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin while they were on Capitol Hill lobbying for native plants. (Corry Westbrook)

Sempervirens, Summer 2019 3

From the President Howe joins VNPS leadership ‘Botany Bill’ speaks up for the plants team as 1st vice president am pleased to report that we have a California (University Icandidate for the position of First of California, Berkeley), Vice President for the upcoming term. teaching high school Our incumbent, Janet Pawlukiewicz, biology for two years is stepping down at the end of her and graduate school term this year after having helped plan in California then the field trip to Texas and chairing Oregon (Oregon State efforts to make our organization University), I taught more diverse and inclusive. Thank and did research in you, Janet! The nominee to succeed ichthyology and aquatic Kevin Howe enjoying time in his “natural habitat.” her is Kevin Howe, immediate past ecology at various president of the Northern Neck universities in the Northwest and Virginia) and have held various board Chapter. He shared the following bio: the South before ending up at the positions in all, including president of “My wife and I retired to the Smithsonian Institution working the Potowmack (1980s) and Northern Northern Neck from Northern in environmental education. After Neck (2016–2017) chapters of VNPS. Virginia about five years ago. I grew some time, I left the Smithsonian In retirement I have kept quite active up in northern California, spending all to continue a family construction in environmental groups including the time I could , , company from which I retired five VNPS, Virginia Master Naturalists, skiing, climbing, kayaking, hugging years ago. I have been a member Audubon, and Northern Neck Land redwoods—anything outdoors. of native plant societies since 1969 Conservancy.” After pursuing biology in college in (California, Oregon, Washington, —Nancy Vehrs, President Native bumblebee slows down pipeline n early August, the Fourth U.S. caves), the Clubshell Mussel, and PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ICircuit Court of Appeals threw the Indiana Bat. CAPTURE IT. Take a photo, then out a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Society members can help contact Steve Tanguay (stanguay@ (USFWS) permit for the Atlantic search for and document the fs.fed.us) for bees found in the Coast Pipeline (ACP) citing what it federally endangered Rusty-patched national forest or T’ai Roulston (tai. termed a flawed biological opinion and Bumblebee (Bombus affinis) along [email protected]) for bees on incidental take statement regarding the path of the Atlantic Coast private land. endangered or threatened . and Mountain Valley pipelines. Calling the USFWS permit for So far this important native plant the 605-mile pipeline proposed to pollinator has been documented carry natural gas from drilling sites in in Bath County, however, there is West Virginia, through Virginia, and a high likelihood that this ground deep in North Carolina, “arbitrary nesting bumblebee lives in Augusta and capricious,” the court’s 50-page and Highland counties as well opinion suggested that the federal as some places in southwestern agency had “lost sight of its mandate Virginia. under the [Endangered Species Act] Help is needed to document to protect and conserve endangered this bee in other places along the and threatened species and their pipeline paths. Searchers should habitats.” The specific four species look in grassland areas filled with Conservation photographer Steven David Johnson captured this photo of a Rusty- cited in the case are the Rusty-patched blooming pollinator plants until late patched bumblebee (behind butterfly) Bumblebee; the Madison Cave isopod fall. If you find a bee you suspect along the ACP route in Bath County. (a tiny water crustacean found in to be a Rusty-patched Bumblebee, (Steven David Johnson) 4 Sempervirens, Summer 2019 The Odd Story of Bayard’s Adder’s-mouth Orchid (near Emporia). The duo continued known to be extant and that only From Your their botanical explorations of barely so, on Cape Cod. Across Natural Heritage Southeast Virginia until 1945, but its range, Bayard’s Adder’s-mouth Program they never again found the species. Orchid occurred in places that By Zach Bradford Other botanists in Virginia’s mountains experienced frequent natural fire. n September 11, 1935, Harvard had slightly better luck. On July 18, Perhaps fire suppression is the cause Obotanist Merritt Lyndon Fernald 1946, botanist and World War II of the precipitous decline. and his collecting companion Bayard veteran Carroll Wood found it along Your Natural Heritage Program Long spent a half-day looking for the “summit of ridge” on Poor is dedicated to incorporating interesting plants in Kilby, just west of Mountain in Roanoke County, an fire back into naturally fire- downtown Suffolk, in what was then area now possibly within the Virginia maintained communities across Nansemond County. The two, as they Department of Conservation and the commonwealth, and prescribed had done the previous year and would Recreation’s Poor Mountain Natural fire has proven to benefit many rare continue to do for another decade, Area Preserve. The following year, on species, some on the brink of loss spent many days in Southeast Virginia August 19, early shale barren expert from Virginia. For example, Pale in search of species to add to the 8th Lena Artz collected the species from Grass Pink (Calopogon pallidus) and edition of Gray’s Manual of Botany, Reddish Knob in Augusta County. Kidney Sedge (Carex reniformis) of which Fernald was editor. This date marks the last time the were both ranked as state historic, While on the edge of a dry species was knowingly observed in not having been seen in more than 30 shortleaf pine and oak forest in Kilby, Virginia, and these three observations, years until their rediscovery in areas of Long reached under a thicket and along with the original discovery, are Natural Area Preserves treated with collected an anomalous specimen of the only times the species has been prescribed fire. This story of Bayard’s an adder’s-mouth orchid (Malaxis) seen in Virginia. Adder’s-mouth Orchid could share a that didn’t quite fit the much more In the decades following its similar new chapter. While inventory common and widespread Green discovery, review of older herbarium and stewardship biologists with Adder’s-mouth Orchid (Malaxis specimens as well as new field Natural Heritage continue to search unifolia). “My own enthusiasm exploration have resulted in Bayard’s for this species, the Virginia Native to help was promptly diminished Adders’-mouth Orchid being Plant Society, through its educational through an attack by ants upon my purportedly found in an additional outreach and citizen science, could bare arms,” Fernald later wrote of 10 eastern states. Across its entire greatly increase odds of rediscovery as the moment of discovery. Convinced range Bayard’s Adder’s-mouth well ensure its future protection and of its distinctness, Fernald used the Orchid maintains a fascinating management. specimens collected in Virginia to mountain–coastal plain bimodal —Zach Bradford is the describe a new species and named it distribution. No matter where it is Chesapeake Bay region after his companion. The so-called found geographically, it prefers dry stewardship biologist with Bayard’s Adder’s-mouth Orchid sites: ridgetops and shale barrens in the Virginia Natural Heritage (Malaxis bayardii) differs from Green the mountains and dry pine and oak Program. woodlands in Adder’s-mouth Orchid by its shorter the coastal plain. flower pedicels (and thus much Interestingly, narrower flowering raceme) and by though, Bayard’s having much larger lip basal lobes Adder’s-mouth where pedicel meets flower. Orchid has nearly Several years later, on July 14, gone extinct in 1938, Fernald and Long again found the past several Bayard’s Adder’s-mouth Orchid, decades, with this time in nearly identical habitat This close-up photograph shows the differences betwee the lip only a single near Skippers, in Greensville County basal lobes of the Green Adder’s-mouth Orchid and the Bayard’s population Adder’s-mouth Orchid. (Mark Larocque) Sempervirens, Summer 2019 5 Annual Meeting Sampler of Events Five hikes & two car safaris in Sky Meadows State Park Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve Shenandoah River State Park Bear Wallow-Massanutten Virginia Working Landscapes at Bull Run Mountains Oxbow Farm The Clifton Institute Wildcat Mountain Natural Area Jones Nature Preserve Workshops on Nature Journaling, Ogden Cave Natural Area Preserve Monarchs, Mushrooms, and More Thompson Wildlife Management Area Go to VNPS.ORG for a comprehensive list and registration information.

Those who attend the Annual Meeting in Front Royal will have the opportunity to see Pixie Cup Lichen (left), learn about plant- insect relationships from Friday night’s speaker, entomologist T’ai Roulston, or see Calico Aster in bloom. (Plant photos Diane Krumme, bee photo T’ai Roulston)

Sempervirens (ISSN 1085-9632) is the quar­ter­ly newsletter of the Virginia Native Plant Society, Blandy Experimental Farm, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Unit 2, Boyce, Va. 22620, 540-837-1600, [email protected]. Nancy Vehrs, President; Nancy Sorrells, Editor; Karen York, Office Manager. Original material in Sempervirens may be reprinted if credit is given to the Virginia Native Plant Society, to Sempervirens, and to the author of the material, if named. Readers are invit- ed to send letters, news items, and queries Professor Woodward Bousquet, second from right, and his students conduct field for consideration. E-mail items to Nancy research at Abrams Creek Wetlands. Bousquet is the keynote speaker at the Annual Sorrells at [email protected]. Meeting. Participants will have the opportunity to tour the wetlands. (Woodward Bousquet) Next submission deadline: Oct. 15, 2019 6 Sempervirens, Summer 2019 Nitrogen Fixation in Roots of Ceanothus Article by W. John Hayden, Botany Chair oots are usually out of sight and, nitrogen-containing compounds. Rtherefore, out of mind. But as But there is a paradox about any good gardener will tell you, it is nitrogen and life. You, me, the of utmost importance to understand chickens in my backyard, and the those unique plant organs, even if their Pawpaw tree that shades them are essential functions occur hidden from all constantly bathed in atmospheric cursory observation. The red roots of nitrogen gas, yet that form of nitrogen the 2019 VNPS Wildflower of the Year, is completely unavailable to our cells, Ceanothus americanus, are particularly or the cells of my chickens, or my important because they host symbiotic Pawpaw. Every breath I take brings a bacteria that perform the essential quantity of fresh air into my lungs, 78 function of nitrogen fixation. These percent of which is nitrogen gas, yet prominent, knobby, distinctively despite the importance of nitrogen- Figure 1. New Jersey Tea or Redroot pigmented roots are also the inspiration containing compounds for life, all (Ceanothus americanus); the bustle of for the common name Redroot, applied that inhaled nitrogen is exhaled, biological activity evident here is possible to many species in the genus. unused and unmodified. For most life thanks to the nitrogen-fixing activity of Nitrogen is important. Nitrogen- forms, nitrogen gas is inert, despite its actinomycete bacteria living inside this containing molecules are diverse importance in the biochemistry of life. plant’s roots. (Photo by Betty Truax) and absolutely essential for life. It is Critically, there are exceptions no exaggeration to say that proteins to the picture painted above. A few This is the importance of symbiotic make up much of the physical different kinds of bacteria can take biological nitrogen fixation; bacteria structure of cells; proteins are also atmospheric nitrogen gas, rip apart convert relatively inert nitrogen gas into responsible—as enzymes—for the triple bond that holds its two ammonia, the host plant gobbles up mediating the majority of biochemical atoms of nitrogen together, and the fixed nitrogen and converts it into reactions that constitute life at the add enough hydrogen to form two diverse nitrogen-containing organic chemical level. Proteins are built from molecules of ammonia. This process, molecules. As we all know, plants feed chains of amino acids, and every known as biological nitrogen fixation, the rest of the biosphere. Animals get amino acid includes at least one atom consumes considerable amounts of the nitrogen-containing molecules they of nitrogen (a few amino acids have energy (provided by ATP, referenced need by eating plants or other animals two nitrogen atoms). Nitrogen is briefly above). Also, nitrogen fixation that have eaten plants. (The Bible also present in DNA and RNA, so, must be performed in the absence has it right: “All flesh is grass” [Isaiah through these molecules, nitrogen of oxygen, because oxygen disables 40:6].) Finally, as plants and animals contributes substantially to the the nitrogenase enzyme responsible die and decompose, microbes recycle storage, expression, and inheritance for this essential reaction. Unlike the their large nitrogen-containing organic of genetic information. Then there is nitrogen gas from which it is produced, molecules into simpler forms that can ATP, a relatively small molecule that ammonia is much more readily used by be taken up by plants—any kind of functions as a little packet of usable cells. Some plants can use the ammonia plant, not just the special ones that host energy that fuels all sorts of activity directly to synthesize the nitrogen- nitrogen-fixing bacteria. There is a bit at the molecular level. And let’s not containing organic molecules listed more complexity to the nitrogen cycle forget the hugely diverse category of above; of course, the bacterial cells can in its entirety: lightning converts some molecules called alkaloids, synthesized do this too. The important point is atmospheric nitrogen gas into oxidized by many different plants, largely to that once the relatively inert nitrogen forms that plants can assimilate, deter herbivory, but also having impact gas has been converted to ammonia, and there are other types of bacteria on people as poisons or, beneficially, the chemistry of moving that form of that take oxidized forms of nitrogen as medications. It is impossible nitrogen into proteins, DNA, RNA, and convert it back to relatively inert to imagine life on Earth without ATP, etc., is relatively easy. (See Ceanothus, next page) Sempervirens, Summer 2019 7 Botanical art exhibit reflects journey across America The Botanical Art Society of the in houses in Washington, Potomac, National Capital Region cordially and Alexandria. Green Spring is an invites members of the Virginia Native ideal venue to display pictures of Plant Society to the opening reception the kinds of plants that she might of “All in a Garden Green” at Green have encountered on her American Spring Gardens Park on Sunday, adventure. Subjects will include plants September 8, from 1-3 p.m. native to the eastern U.S., as well as The exhibit is inspired by English those that were cultivated on early writer Frances Trollope who, in 1828, American estates such as Green Spring. Illustrations such as this Flame Azalea by began a four-year journey around the The exhibit will be held at the Elena Maza Borkland will be on display at United States. In her book, Domestic Horticultural Center (4603 Green Green Spring Gardens until late October as Manners of the Americans (1832), Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312) and part of the “All in a Garden Green” exhibit she noted with delight the plants she sponsored by the Botanical Art Society of runs from August 27 to October 27. the National Capital Region. encountered. Trollope spent most of 1830 —Elena Maza Borkland Ceanothus continued atmospheric nitrogen gas. The point is its leaves that serve the same Compared with intensively studied that nitrogen fixation and subsequent purpose. And free-living (i.e., legume crops, there is little published recycling of fixed nitrogen accounts nonsymbiotic) cyanobacteria also material on nitrogen fixation in for the majority of the ways in which perform nitrogen fixation. Ceanothus; the few studies that have nitrogen sustains life on this good Earth. The roster of bacteria that been published focus on species from The most well known examples of can perform symbiotic nitrogen the western United States, where symbiosis-based biological nitrogen fixation includes one additional Ceanothus is diverse and, in at least fixation involveRhizobium and closely group known as actinomycetes. some plant communities, abundant. related bacteria that inhabit the root These are minute, filamentous, Our local Redroot, Ceanothus nodules of legumes. In essence, the bacteria that, decades ago, were americanus, shares with its western legume plant feeds the bacterium thought to be fungi, hence the relatives a tendency to inhabit nutrient- energy-rich molecules derived from “-mycetes” suffix in their name. poor, arid, rocky soils—the sort of photosynthesis from which the When present symbiotically, environment in which having a built-in Rhizobium bacteria generate ATP that actinomycete bacteria inhabit nitrogen fertilizer factory would fuels the production of ammonia from plant roots, which alters provide an obvious adaptive advantage. nitrogen gas; a portion of the ammonia their morphology; generally, Next time you encounter a produced is released to the plant for actinomycete-inhabited roots are specimen of our 2019 Wildflower of its diverse biochemical needs. Vast enlarged and knobby, compared the Year and admire its handsome amounts of nitrogen enter the biosphere with uninfected roots. Host plants foliage, its intricate small flowers, by means of legumes and their nitrogen- of nitrogen-fixing actinomycetes and the diverse pollinators fixing bacterial symbionts. are diverse, including Alders attracted thereto (Figure 1), take a But the legume–Rhizobium (Alnus.), Sweetfern (Comptonia), moment to acknowledge also the partnership is not the only Wax Myrtle (Morella, Myrica), hardworking actinomycete cells, nitrogen-fixing symbiotic system. She-oaks (Casuarina), Oleasters sight unseen, collaborating with Cycads have special roots that (Elaeagnus), and Redroots Ceanothus root cells in the task of grow near the soil surface, and, (Ceanothus). converting atmospheric nitrogen internally, these roots harbor In Ceanothus, the symbiotic into the nitrogen-containing organic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) actinomycete has been identified as molecules essential to all the life that perform nitrogen fixation. Frankia ceanothi, colonies of which forms that surround us ... and that, The peculiar floating aquatic fern develop inside cortex cells of its indeed, are essential to us too. v Azolla hosts cyanobacteria inside nodulated (enlarged, knobby) roots. 8 Sempervirens, Summer 2019 The Bruce once again beckons to plant enthusiasts Article and photos by Elena Maza Borkland, Piedmont Chapter strip of land lying between the Woods, a sheltered forest of mixed Anorthern shores of Lake Huron conifers, ash, white cedar, and on the west and Georgian Bay to the maples near Sauble Beach. Paper east, called the Bruce Peninsula or Birch, Buckthorn Alder, Balsam Fir, just “The Bruce,” is home to some Black Spruce, Hemlock, and Canada very unusual plant communities, Yew shaded Marsh Marigolds with some endemic species found and Buckbean in pools beneath; nowhere else in the world. Led by mosses and ferns, sedges, Starry botanists Sally Anderson and Dr. False Solomon’s Seal, Starflower Emily Southgate, 20 VNPS members and Twinflower carpeted the gathered at the Evergreen Resort ground. Spring was late and there during the first week in June to explore weren’t many flowers open, but we The elusive Calypso Orchid The Bruce. Society groups have visited came across a few blooms of Fly- this special place many times, but this Honeysuckle, Wake-Robin, Dwarf in The Bruce varies a great deal was my first visit. I looked forward to Lake Iris, and Wild Sarsaparilla. depending on exposure, with seeing many rare plants that I’d only On the way back to our hotel we temperatures dropping as one travels read about, and I’d never even seen the stopped at a sandy clearing along the north but becoming milder toward Great Lakes up close. gravel road to find a lovely patch of the western side. On our second We arrived on a Sunday afternoon; Gaywings, their magenta flowers in day, we drove through the town of the wind was whipping whitecaps on full bloom. Wiarton to see the rich woods of the surface of the lake, and Evergreen In the afternoon we visited Kemble Rock. The fields along the greeted us with a roaring fire to ward Oliphant Fen—the difference between way were covered with flowering off the chill. Once the company had a fen and a bog is that water flows trees. We stopped at the foot of a assembled, we introduced ourselves through a fen, whereas a bog has giant Beech growing on a huge rock and formulated a plan on how to standing water. Typical here were covered with ferns and Herb Robert. reach our sites each day: we would Red Pitcher Plants, Sundews, Shrubby The forest beyond consisted of Sugar carpool in five vehicles, alternating Cinquefoil, Tall Meadow Rue, Maple, Basswood, Red Elderberry, drivers every couple of days. Primroses, and Tamaracks. There was New England Serviceberry, Beech, The next morning the wind was little in bloom, except for some lovely and Hop-hornbeam. Underneath this still blowing as we explored Walker pale, nearly white Primroses and lush forest several species of violets, ground-hugging ferns, Trout Lilies, Blue Cohosh, Sand Cherries. Ramps, Dolls’-eyes, Large-flowered A few yellow- Trillium, and Downy Solomon’s Seal green leaves g rew. of Butterwort We took the Edmonston side peeked from the trail that ran along the edge of the watery ground. A Niagrara Escarpment—an amazing strip by the road garden in the wilderness. There contained Bastard we found rare Hart’s Tongue Fern Toadflax, Grass- and Holly Fern, Long-spurred of-Parnassus and Canada Violets, Foamflower, leaves, and Miterwort, Ebony Spleenwort, and Silverweed. my favorite—a gorgeous clump of Society members explore Bruce’s Cave in Canada. The climate Yellow Lady’s-slipper orchids! The Sempervirens, Summer 2019 9 site was so absorbing I didn’t notice unusual plant that it had started to rain until I saw communities. others putting on their rain gear. As These unique we were leaving the woods, we came geological form- across a few morels, and I collected ations are found three to enjoy my first taste. The chef in only a few at Evergreen later cooked these for places of the me—delicious! The sighting of a loon globe, primarily in breeding plumage enlivened our in Scandinavia. lunch at a picnic area, another first for Here we saw me. A plaque at the trailhead to Bruce Jack Pines, with Caves tells the story of eccentric tiny Maidenhair Canada’s Bruce Peninsula, on Lake Huron, is seen here in red. Robert Bruce, the original landowner Spleenwort after whom the peninsula is named. growing in the shelter of the grykes. warmed, and we stopped at Crane The woods here were similar, but In places the Yellow Lady’s-slippers River Park to see a patch of Nodding as we were hiking toward the cave were so thick, we had to be careful Trilliums growing among Tall we came across some new plants: not to step on their buds. At Bruce Meadowrue and Ostrich Ferns, before Large-flowered Bellwort, Rose Moss, Alvar Nature Preserve we found driving to Singing Sands at Dorcas Sharp-lobed Hepatica, Mountain another rare endemic, the Lakeside Bay. Here we spotted another rare Maple, Wild Ginger, and Walking Daisy, a low-growing member of the native: the Ram’s Head Orchid. A Fern. Bruce’s cave was quite large— aster family with deep yellow flowers. few of these exquisite flowers were carved by the lake waters eons ago, its On Thursday we boarded the open, hiding among the low-growing entrance divided by a large pillar—it’s Blue Heron VIII at the village of junipers and cedars. Their maroon- amazing that he could have survived Tobermory, on the northern tip of the marked slippers come to a point in this rocky shelter for several years. peninsula, for a tour of Tub Harbor, in front, which could be said to The following day we explored where one of the many wrecks of resemble a beard, giving the flower’s the alvars, flat expanses of Fathom Five National Park can be seen profile the look of a tiny goat’s head. calcareous dolostone formations through the crystal-clear water. During On the drive back, the Yellow Lady’s- broken by cracks called grykes, the chilly morning ride we passed slipper blooms dotted the roadsides, where soil collects and can support several small islands before sighting glowing among patches of bright red our destination: Flowerpot Island. Indian Paintbrush. The resemblance of two oddly-shaped On our last morning, we rock formations to actual flowerpots visited a lake behind Sauble Beach lends the island its name. Recreation Center where Red-osier Only two flowers of the Calypso Dogwood, Horsetails, Boneset, Water Orchid were spotted in the woods—I Horehound, and Tufted Loosestrife had not expected it to be so tiny, no abound. Cattails and waterlilies larger than a violet—the sepals and were growing on the shores. In the petals were a delicate mauve shade, afternoon we visited Petrel Point, with a bright yellow fringed spot on where we found many of the same the white lip of its slipper that makes plants as at Oliphant Fen. The it look like a fisherman’s fly. Another following morning we bid farewell to orchid, Striped Coralroot, showed a The Bruce, hoping for a next time. few blooming spikes; the leaves of the —Elena Maza Borkland is a Western Rattlesnake Plantain were botanical artist and illustrator. For a visible with other rare natives such as more detailed account of The Bruce Naked Miterwort, and Gold Thread, and photos, visit her blog: https:// named for the yellow color of its mazastudio.blogspot.com, and her stringy roots. Yellow Lady’s-slippers were abundant at website: https://elenamaza.com. The Bruce. By Friday the weather had 10 Sempervirens, Summer 2019 Texas Hill Country wildflowers wow visitors Article by Cathy Mayes, Director at Large; photos by Nancy Vehrs, President wenty lucky Society members Ttraveled the Texas Hill Country in late March and saw spring wildflowers galore. The trip, arranged by former Texans Janet Pawlukiewicz and Peggy Troyer, was stunning from the beginning, starting with the taxi ride from the airport along highways lined with wildflowers. Besides wildflowers, there was an unusual tree blooming along the highways, called Huisache (Fabaceae: Acacia farnesiana). It is a lovely, fragrant, vase-shaped tree whose many Posing in a field of bluebonnets at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower flowers are small, bright gold balls. Center are, left to right, Arlene FitzGerald, Karen Lee, Roger Holtman, Texas has 10 ecoregions. The Joanne Hutton, Ben FitzGerald, Paula Boundy, Powell Hutton, Sally region we toured is the Edwards Lindfors, and David Keegan. Nancy Vehrs and Cathy Mayes are kneeling. Plateau. This is the temperate part of website, at wildflower.org, has photos and a nice mix of gardens, preserves, the state, most like our Virginia home of all the most common wildflowers and areas undergoing restoration. in terms of topography and climate. in Texas, so this article doesn’t need One amusing fact is that the state North and west of the Edwards to recite the dozens we saw.) It was the flower of Texas, the Bluebonnet, is Plateau, it is much drier; east of there perfect place to learn the plants we actually a composite of different is it warmer and wetter. were going to see. We then traveled species. Because of the wide range of Our first destination was the Lady sites around Fredericksburg, a town ecoregions in Texas, no one specie is Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in that is reminiscent of 1950s America, present statewide. We saw two species Austin. Lady Bird was everything to and finally to sites in the San Antonio on our visit, the more common Texas wildflowers in Texas. (The center’s area. We enjoyed eight guided walks Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis), and the delicate Sandyland Bluebonnet (L. subcarnosis) mostly found further west. Initially, the Texas legislature named the Sandyland Bluebonnet the state flower, which annoyed people who live in parts of the state with different species (there are five different bluebonnet species). So, it lumped all the species together and designated a generic bluebonnet, an imaginary plant, as the state flower. A large number of the wildflowers were sort of like, but not exactly like, flowers we see in Virginia— primroses, yellow daisies, ragwort, even dandelions. But there were many fascinating flowers that are nothing like what we see here. A list of the plants A massive Live Oak at the Alamo in San Antonio. we saw blooming would be pages Sempervirens, Summer 2019 11

Native plants seen on the Texas trip included the Texas Bluebonnet, left, and a massive prickly pear, Opuntia sp. long. The one rare plant we saw was near the town of Round Mountain. colonies of ants like we never see, Soft-hair Marbleseed (Onosmodium We walked through hundreds of the black-and-white Ironclad Beetle bejariense) that was blooming at the thousands of years of geologic (Zopherus nodulosus), and new Friedrich Wilderness Park, outside San formations as we hiked to the bottom moths and butterflies. Antonio. Friedrich Park is best known of the canyon. And at the head of Our final stop was the San Antonio as a breeding area for the rare Golden- our canyon is a lush, wet grotto. Botanical Garden, an extremely cheeked Warbler. We were too early to The canyon is lined with absolutely ambitious garden. Not only did we see or hear the bird, but we saw many enormous cypress trees. These were see native plants, but we also walked mature Ashe Junipers (Juniperus ashei), Montezuma Baldcypress (Taxodium through representative habitats of the tree whose stringy bark is used for mucronatum), a cypress tree without each of the state’s ecoregions, the warbler nest building. Our guides knees. The grotto itself was overhung establishment of which of course called this tree Texas cedar like we with a huge stand of Maidenhair Fern meant hauling in soils from other call J. virginiana red cedar. (Adiantum capillus-veneris). parts of the state and constructing The wildest site we visited was the As on any wildflower outing, there elaborate water management systems. Westcave Preserve in Travis County were also a host of weird bugs— We also listened to squeals of delight from the popular children’s garden. v

Society members explore geologic wonders at Westcave Preserve. 12 Sempervirens, Summer 2019 Galls! ecently a row of Staghorn the casual observer it looked like the RSumac () in the had produced some sort of fruit, upper Shenandoah Valley provided but in reality the bulbous protrusions an interesting glimpse into the weird were galls caused by the tiny Staghorn world of insect-plant relationships. To Sumac (Melaphis rhois). The galls are the result of a female aphid laying a single egg on the underside of the sumac leaf. The leaf then forms a sac over the egg to protect it. Inside the gall, a process called parthenogenesis is occurring. This is an asexual type of reproduction that results in there being many inside that gall all from that single egg. Eventually winged female aphids leave the gall in late summer and fly to moss where they establish asexually reproducing colonies. These fall colonies produce males and sexual females who can recolonize the sumac the next spring. The formation of galls does Sumac galls hang like fruit underneath the not harm the sumacs. leaves of Staghorn Sumacs (Rhus typhina). (Nancy Sorrells)

—Nancy Sorrells, Editor

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