Smooth As a Daisy, Pretty As an Aster, and Still Here: Erigeron Glabellus in Salt Lake and Davis Counties

Home , Aster (genus), Erigeron, Erigeron glabellus

Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1)

January 2010 Vol. 33, No. 1

In this issue:

Smooth as a Daisy, Pretty as an Aster, and Still Here: Erigeron glabellus in Salt Lake and Davis Counties ...... 1 Chapter News ...... 2 Bulletin Board...... 3 Every Species Counts: The Deer Creek Bio-blitz ...... 6 The Real Sages: Salvia ...... 11

Left: Smooth fleabane (Erigeron glabellus) by Tony Frates

Smooth as a Daisy, Pretty as an Aster, and Still Here: Erigeron glabellus in Salt Lake and Davis Counties

By Tony Frates

When authors of printed floras, with their highly limited space, dangle tantalizing tidbits relating to the rarity or lack of current information about a given native plant species, the antenna of interested readers begin to twitch. In the Flora of the Central Wasatch Front (an account of specimens housed at the Garrett Herbarium on the Uni- versity of Utah campus and further restricted to collections in mainly Salt Lake and Davis counties) by Lois Arnow, Beverly Albee, and Ann Wyckoff, such a comment was made about Smooth fleabane (or daisy), Erigeron glabellus Nuttall. That offering was: “Not reported from higher elevations in our area and not collected since 1946.” Such highly appreciated comments have been known to cause madness in certain native plant obsessed individuals. On Saturday, June 6, 2009, such an individual decided that instead of working in front of a [continued on page 4]

Education: Ty Harrison Sego Lily Editor: Walter Fertig Horticulture: Maggie Wolf ([email protected]). The deadline for Invasive Weeds: Susan Fitts the March 2010 Sego Lily is 15 Febru- Rare Plants: Walter Fertig ary 2010. Scholarship: Bill Gray Copyright 2009 Utah Native Plant Chapters and Chapter Presidents Society. All Rights Reserved Cache: Amy Croft and Michael Piep Cedar City: Marguerite Smith The Sego Lily is a publication of the Officers Escalante: Harriet Priska Utah Native Plant Society, a 501(c)(3) President: Walter Fertig (Kane Co) Fremont: Maria Ulloa not-for-profit organization dedicated Vice President: Kipp Lee (Salt Lake Co) Manzanita: Walter Fertig to conserving and promoting steward- Treasurer: Charlene Homan (Salt Lake Mountain: Mindy Wheeler ship of our native plants. Use of con- Co) Price: Mike Hubbard tent material is encouraged but re- Secretary: Mindy Wheeler (Summit Salt Lake: Marni Ambrose quires permission (except where ex- Co) Southwestern/Bearclaw poppy: Mar- empted by statute) and must be cor- Board Co-Chairs: Bill King (Salt Lake garet Malm rectly credited and cited. Articles, Co) and Dave Wallace (Cache Co) Utah Valley: Celeste Kennard photographs and illustrations submitted to us remain the property of the UNPS Board: Loreen Allphin (Utah Website: For late-breaking news, the submitting individuals or organiza- Co), Robert Fitts (Utah Co), Susan Fitts UNPS store, the Sego Lily archives, tions. Submit permission requests to (Utah Co), Ty Harrison (Salt Lake Co), Chapter events, links to other websites [email protected]. We encourage read- Celeste Kennard (Utah Co), Margaret (including sources of native plants and ers to submit articles for potential Malm (Washington Co), Larry Meyer the digital Utah Rare Plant Field publication. By submitting an article, (Salt Lake Co), Therese Meyer (Salt Guide), and more, go to unps.org. an implicit license is granted to print Lake Co), Leila Shultz (Cache Co), Many thanks to Xmission for the article in the newsletter or other Maggie Wolf (Salt Lake Co). sponsoring our website. UNPS publications for reprint without For more information on UNPS: permission (in print and electronic Committees Contact Bill King (582-0432) or Susan media). When submitting an article, Communications: Larry Meyer Fitts (801-756-6177), or write to please indicate whether it has been Conservation: Bill King and Tony UNPS, PO Box 520041, Salt Lake City, previously published or submitted for Frates UT, 84152-0041 or email consideration to other publications. [email protected]

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Chapter News ing effects of range management activities on soil properties. The Escalante: On December 8, the meeting will be held at 7 PM at the chapter held its annual Christmas new Southwest Applied Technology party at the Priska’s new home. College at 733 South Cowboy Way Members braved 8 inches of fresh (across from the Kanab Middle snow to attend and donated over 65 School and behind the high school). food items for the Care and Share Please note this is a different loca- program. tion than usual. We have a full slate of meetings Wade Parsons from the Grand planned for early 2010. On Tues- Staircase Escalante Partners group day, January 12th, Deborah spoke to our group in November on McLaughlin, USU extension secre- a project involving the Grand Stair- tary, will discuss extending the case and Kanab High School stu- growing season using greenhouses, dents in growing native plants for cold frames, and raised beds. On restoration in the high school green- Tuesday, February 9th, Alan Titus, house. This was followed by a short paleontologist with the Grand Stair- presentation that I gave on the Deer Creek bio-blitz project (discussed in case-Escalante National Monument Biological Resources Division, will will talk about “Plants the Dinosaurs even more detail in the article start- speak about a number of research ing on page 6 of this issue).—W. Ate”. Both meetings will be held at projects the USGS is doing in the BLM-Interagency Visitor Center Fertig southern Utah. These include at the west end of town at 7 PM.— monitoring of the endangered Harriet Priska Southwestern: Monday, January Shivwits milkvetch, tracking inva- 4, 2010, Rick Heflebower, USU Ex- sive weeds in Washington County, Manzanita (Kane County): tension Horticulture and Natural studying impacts of fire on soils in Resources specialist, is presenting a Monday, January 11: Dr. Mark the Milford Flats area, and analyz- Miller of the US Geological Survey program designed to answer those 2 Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1) mid-winter questions about water- ing, pruning, mulching, and more. Bulletin Board

He also will inspire us with ways to get a start on those early spring Fremont Chapter Publishes 2010 Wildflower Calendar chores: seed planting, preparing gardens, and insect control. The Fremont Chapter 2010 calen- Monday, February 1, 2010: Dr. dar is ready to order just in time for Larry Higgins, Dixie State Professor holiday giving. Celebrate the Wild of Botany, will share his extensive calendar is a unique gift that the wa- knowledge of Utah’s native plants, ter wise gardener and native plant focusing on our southern area. enthusiast will enjoy all year long. Both programs will be at 7 PM at the (See the sample page below to Springdale Canyon Community Cen- arouse your curiosity and nudge you ter.—Barbara Farnsworth to purchase a calendar and see just how marvelous the other 11 months Utah Valley: Our next member are!) The price is the same as last meeting will be on Friday, January year- $10.00 each or $8.00 for 10 or more; plus shipping $1.75 for each 22 at 7 PM at Celeste Kennard’s calendar. house located at 160 N 400 E, in We would like to thank all of the gardeners who contributed photos of Provo. We have lots of ideas for their gardens and their special native plants. The goal of producing the next year. Do you like to go on plant calendar is to promote and support native plants and water wise garden- hikes? Or like to garden with na- ing throughout the Intermountain West. tives? Or have a canyon you have To order your calendar, please send a check or money order to: adopted or a plant you are especially Fremont Chapter UNPS, c/o Janet Nielson, PO Box 104, Elsinore, UT concerned about? Maybe you want 84724. Or email [email protected], phone: 435-527-4866, or email to learn more about Utah’s native [email protected], phone: 435-527-1234 or 801-599-9055 plants or our Heritage Garden pro- -Fremont Chapter Calendar Committee gram? Come to this evening program and enjoy a look at what we have done in the past year and help us plan this year’s activities. Call Celeste for more information (377- 5918) or email [email protected]. If you have not seen it yet, we will have a copy of the new book Land- scaping on the New Frontier— Waterwise Design for the Inter- mountain West at the meeting. Robert Fitts and Susan Garvin Fitts have been working in the Uinta Basin for the last 3 years and will be sharing some of their research with us. Robert will present a talk enti- tled “Two rare Penstemons on oil shale land” on Friday, February 5th at the Monte L Bean Life Science Museum on the BYU campus (645 East 1430 North in Provo). We will meet for a potluck dinner at 6 PM at the museum and the presentation will begin at 6:45 PM. We will also be starting up our Plants and Preschoolers hikes again this spring, once the flower-producing weather returns. April Jensen has compiled a great list of hikes for the Utah County area complete with directions and what plants you are likely to encounter. Make sure to email me if you want to be included in our weekly hike bulletin.—Celeste Kennard 3 Utah Native Plant Society Smooth as a Daisy, Pretty as an Aster, and Still Here: Erigeron glabellus in Salt Lake and Davis Counties [continued from page 1]

computer screen that instead a wild- fleabane (E. divergens), another Above: Smooth fleabane (Erigeron flower hunt of some/any kind would native that occasionally turns up glabellus). Photo by Tony Frates. be highly preferable. After checking along ignored Salt Lake County on several locations for the status of sidewalk strips and abandoned Opuntia fragilis blossoms and of, lots, was growing with it. Also Co.). The global distribution of the well, anything in bloom, I decided to growing nearby was the noxious species is also curious. The species check on the status of known O. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula, a does not occur west of Utah or east- fragilis occurrences at Crestwood Utah state designated noxious ern-central Idaho. Instead it occurs Park in the Cottonwood Heights weed which needs management from New Mexico to Montana, Ne- area which I had not visited for sev- attention by SL County Parks & braska, the Dakotas, Michigan, Wis- eral years, and which I had only Recreation) and Melilotus offici- consin, and in mainly western- seen previously in the fall. Crest- nalis (Yellow sweet-clover, which central Canada to Alaska. Two va- wood is a multi-use park which bor- should be designated a noxious rieties are recognized, var. pubes- ders a short remnant section of Lit- weed, and which also had a banner cens (does not occur in Utah) and tle Cottonwood Creek in the Salt year). var. glabellus (ours). Lake valley and is enclosed by hu- While Smooth fleabane most So, this species is not globally manity. Thankfully at least some often occurs near streams (one of rare nor is it “Utah rare.” It is, how- natural space has been preserved its common names being Stream- ever, among the vanishing native here. side fleabane) or in meadows, it flora that once occurred in the val- I had no particular thoughts of occurs in a number of different leys and foothills of the increasingly daisies as I ventured into the park types of habitats and elevations. populated Wasatch Front in north- but almost immediately I noticed a In Utah, its distribution seems to ern Utah. If our Salt Lake chapter plant that looked Aster-ish. Yet, it be concentrated along the Wasatch were to maintain a list of “Salt Lake was early June which here is not Front from Utah Co. to Cache Co. County Rare Plants” (which it Aster-time. A closer looked indi- with some outlying occurrences in should), this species would be on the cated that it was an Erigeron. At the the Uinta Basin and eastern Bea- list. initial location, the scattered plants ver Co. (the Digital Atlas also re- While it does occur at high eleva- were growing in fairly dry soil as ports an occurrence in San Juan tions elsewhere (in Utah as least as evidenced by the fact that Spreading high as 8,050 feet based on a 1995

4 Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1)

Sherel Goodrich collection from Uintah Co.), it has not been found at higher elevations in the central Wa- satch Front. As I continued on my Saturday semi-nature walk, I encountered E. glabellus plants with several inac- tive bees appearing to be sleeping off a late-night nectar party. Retired bee expert Dr. Vincent Tepedino reviewed some pictures of these bees and initially indicated that crab spiders are common on fleabanes and that they commonly catch and kill . . . . bees. So perhaps these bees were not as happy as I might have thought (although I did not observe any spiders, so I would like to think that these bees arose from their slumber and happily continued on with their tragically short lives). Dr. Tepedino further advised that these are anthophorid bees and are probably Anthophora or, perhaps Diadasia (which he explained are on Garrett Herbarium specimens, Above: Bee pollinating the disk flowers normally globemallow specialists appears to be the 1925 City Creek of Erigeron glabellus. Photo by Tony and not usually found on fleabanes). Canyon specimen (which also re- Frates. As I continued to look for the ex- fers to “Pleasant Valley” no doubt tent of these daisies at this unusual referring to the area in the vicinity remnant occurrence, ultimately I of the Pleasant Valley Reservoir plants that remind us of a heritage came across more ideal habitat with- which was closed in the 1950's). In which has been largely lost. We are out as many noxious weeds where addition to Garrett Herbarium's indebted to those who have pains- Smooth fleabane was growing with namesake and one of our true pio- takingly documented at least some verdant grasses under river birch, a neer collectors, this list includes of this heritage, much of which will picture perfect spot suitable for moss expert and botanical illustra- never be seen again, and for those framing. The plants under the birch tor without peer, Dr. Seville Flow- who continue to work to store, pro- canopy grow even taller, up to a ers, and one of our earliest botani- tect and preserve the knowledge of height of roughly 20 inches. cal educators who made numerous this heritage in special libraries of Collections of Erigeron glabellus important local collections in the highly organized and processed from Salt Lake and Davis Co. at early 1880's (yet he seems to be specimens of pressed, dried plants Garrett Herbarium are shown in almost lost to obscurity and who (i.e. herbaria). Our generation must Table 1. needs to be remembered as much continue to work to save these few So, the 1946 collection date men- more than just the first University remaining open natural spaces with tioned by Lois Arnow in her classic of Utah Alumni Association presi- their valuable storehouse of ecologi- work refers to the Albert O. Garrett dent), Dr. Orson Howard. cal information that will very likely collection above from Davis Co. The We are fortunate to still have a be highly desirable, if not essential, last Salt Lake Co. collection, based few remnant patches of native assets of the next generation.

Table 1. Collections of Erigeron glabellus from the Garrett Herbarium

Collector # Date Ecology/elev if any County A.O. Garrett 9373 May 13, 1946 Swampy meadow Davis A.O. Garrett 6284 June 23, 1933 Meadow, 4300 ft. Davis S. Flowers 200 June 15, 1929 Moist meadows, 4400 ft Davis Unknown ------June 12, 1925 City Creek Canyon Salt Lake A.O. Garrett 2683 June 8, 1912 West SLC, 4300 ft. Salt Lake Irvin Fisher ------June 7, 1888 Meadow west of SLC Salt Lake O. Howard ------July 15, 1880 In flower Salt Lake

5 Utah Native Plant Society Every Species Counts: The Deer Creek Bio-Blitz

By Walter Fertig task of our botany team that weekend was to identify as many vascular It was nearing mid-day as my plant species as possible in the mid- team of intrepid botanical explorers dle reach of the watershed. Simulta- climbed out of Nazer Draw towards neously, other teams of entomolo- the pencil-thin shadow of a slot can- gists, wildlife biologists, ornitholo- yon in the Navajo Sandstone cliffs gists, bryologists, and ecologists ahead. We were already flushed were cataloging other components with some success that early May of biodiversity. morning, having documented sev- Bio-blitzes started in the early eral new plant species for the Deer 1990s as a fun way to bring experts Creek watershed checklist. Mo- on plant and animal identification ments before, we had checked off together with interested members of Hood’s phlox (Phlox hoodii) and the public to learn as much as possi- Smallhead sunflower (Helianthella ble about the biodiversity of a spe- microcephala) on a slickrock ledge. cific area in a 24-48 hour period. Neither species had been previously The idea grew out of the Rapid As- reported during our weekend of sessment Program (or RAP) devel- botanizing in this picturesque can- oped by several international con- yon, located just 2 air miles north- servation groups in the 1980s to east of Boulder, Utah. Our immedi- quickly identify and quantify species ate goal was the grove of Ponderosa richness in vulnerable areas of the pine and Gambel oak at the mouth tropics. Bio-blitzes are less formal of the little slot canyon where we Above: Neese’s pepperwort (Lepidium and have a stronger public educa- montanum var. neeseae) . Illustration would find some welcome shade for by Kaye Thorne. tion component than traditional lunch. RAPs, but can be just as useful a tool As we approached the canyon our for identifying lands that may be of path bisected a parallel row of neatly Navajo sandstone outcrops with conservation significance and for stacked black volcanic rocks mark- Ponderosa pine or spruce-fir at creating local enthusiasm about na- ing the route of the Long Neck pack 7000-9000 feet. Neese’s pepper- tive biological diversity. trail. This path might be more obvi- wort is known from less than a Deer Creek originates at nearly ous farther up the south flanks of dozen sites, all in Garfield County, 10,400 feet on the south flank of Boulder Mountain, but here, it was and mostly along the flanks of Boulder Mountain in Dixie National largely invisible among the bare Boulder Mountain. It is one of Forest. It meanders through steep white slickrock. Just beyond the several locally endemic varieties of Navajo Sandstone cliffs (some trail were less orderly jumbles of this polymorphic species, distin- nearly 1000 feet thick) for about 17 black boulders amid deep pockets of guished from all others by its short miles before joining Boulder Creek white sand and scattered Pondero- stature, perennial habit, entire or at 5,400 feet in Grand Staircase- sas, Utah serviceberry, and Green- 3-5 lobed leaves, glabrous foliage, Escalante National Monument. leaf manzanita. A chocolate-colored and purplish sepals. I had never Deer Creek and its major tributary, leopard-lily (Fritillaria atropur- seen it before, yet here it was, right Nazer Draw, are bordered by ripar- purea) caught our attention, and I in front of us. I began taking notes ian bottomland forests of Lanceleaf, checked our plant list to see if it had and photos, as well as a sample to Narrowleaf, and Fremont cotton- already been documented (it had voucher the new location. Lunch woods, Water birch, and Silver buf- not). We paused briefly to inspect would have to wait a little longer. faloberry. These woods are inter- the flower and its odd, square fruits My colleagues, Linda Whitham spersed by wet meadows of Ne- when something even more interest- of The Nature Conservancy’s braska sedge, Baltic rush, and Yel- ing caught my eye: a dwarf pepper- (TNC) Utah Field Office, Deer low and Coyote willows. Surround- wort mustard no more than six Creek property owner Tom Hoyt, ing uplands are dominated by Na- inches tall with a ball-like head of and Boulder organic farmer (and vajo slickrock, scattered patches of white flowers. classically-trained paleobotanist) Ponderosa pine, and more extensive I knew of Neese’s pepperwort Eric Feiler, and I were exploring woodlands of Utah juniper and Two- (Lepidium montanum var. neeseae) the slickrock country that fine day needle pinyon. Areas of deep sand from doing some background re- in early May 2008 as part of the support Basin big sagebrush and search on the flora of the Boulder second Deer Creek Bio-blitz. The Fourwing saltbush. area. It is a narrow endemic of 6 Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1)

The middle reach of the creek Over the two full days of the event, covery of Utah knotweed (Poly- flows through private property we climbed sandstone slickrock gonum douglasii var. utahense) on a bordered on two or three sides by cliffs, explored Utah juniper/two- sandy spit bordering the marly wet- public lands. As a perennial stream needle pinyon woodlands, slogged lands of Nazer Wash. Utah knot- in a desert landscape, Deer Creek is through riparian meadows and weed occurs only in southern Utah a magnet for resident and migratory dense streamside forests, and in- and was first described by Brenkle wildlife and is under increasing de- vestigated roadside sagebrush and and Cottam from a collection near velopment pressure as people are disturbed meadow communities Escalante in the mid 1930s. This drawn to the Boulder area. Property en route to tallying 256 different slender annual in the buckwheat owner Tom Hoyt and his wife Caro- species and varieties of vascular family can be recognized by its tiny line were interested in seeing the plants. white flowers (related knotweeds private lands in the Deer Creek wa- The insect team performed val- tend to be pink) that are widely tershed protected, and first ap- iantly, attracting hundreds of bugs flared at the tips and its slender, proached TNC to create a conserva- to white sheets hung near bug almost grass-like leaves. Utah knot- tion easement in 2004. lights and catching insects with weed is usually found in dry, upland Preliminary studies in the Deer butterfly nets and pitfall traps. sites with deep sand and scattered Creek drainage and vicinity amply Alas, they came in a distant second pinyon or juniper, so the small demonstrated the great potential of with just 42 species identified population at Deer Creek is unusual. the site as a hotspot of native bio- (mostly to family or morpho- The species is probably more abun- logical diversity. Tom Hoyt, a Colo- species). Birds were third with 40 dant on the surrounding mesa tops rado businessman and consultant, species, followed by mammals and the Nazer Wash patch may be wanted to convince his neighbors with 18 and reptiles/amphibians ephemeral. that they should also help conserve with 10. All told, 366 animal and Another important find was the the watershed. Linda Whitham sug- plant species were identified over recognition of a new vegetation type gested that a bio-blitz might be a the weekend. that may be restricted to the Boul- good way to bring interested mem- Among the botanical highlights der/Escalante area. The uppermost bers of the Boulder community to- of the July bio-blitz was the dis- slopes of Navajo Sandstone mesas gether and gather a lot of useful information on the proposed easement. I was brought on board to coordinate the botanical part of the effort and to help persuade some zoologists and ecologists to lend their expertise. It did not take a lot of persua- sion. With the Hoyt’s and TNC sponsoring the event, more than a Left: Utah knotweed dozen professional and amateur bi- (Polygonum douglasii var. ologists descended on the Boulder utahense), a Utah endemic originally described from area on the weekend of July 20-22 the Escalante area and dis- 2007 for the first Deer Creek Bio- covered at Deer Creek in blitz. Participants included Chris 2007. Illustration by W. Pague of TNC; Keith Schulz, ecolo- Fertig gist with NatureServe; Kevin Wheeler, biologist from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Eve- lyn Cheng, entomologist with the US Geological Survey in Moab; Jim Cat- lin of the Wild Utah Project; Mary O’Brien and David Smuin of the Grand Canyon Trust; and numerous other neighbors and friends of the Hoyts. The botany team, consisting of myself, Linda Whitham, Tom Hoyt, Mary O’Brien, and Sedona landscape architect and wildflower photographer Max Licher set out to explore representative examples of the major vegetation types found in the middle-reach of the Deer Creek drainage (an area of 4000 acres).

7 Utah Native Plant Society

Left: volcanic boulders overly- ing Navajo Sandstone slickrock cliffs provide habitat for the Bigelow sagebrush-Blue grama vegetation type, which may be restricted to the vicinity of Boulder and Escalante in south-central Utah. Photo by W. Fertig

bordering Deer Creek are covered by community type has not been when Neese’s pepperwort was dis- black volcanic boulders, similar to documented there. covered. We explored more sandy the ones we encountered at the Building on the success of the areas in the vicinity and located a Neese’s pepperwort site. These ig- 2007 effort, TNC and the Hoyts second small colony of this rare neous rocks are vivid reminders that decided to conduct a second bio- plant. All told, we documented Boulder Mountain has a volcanic blitz for the following year. In or- about 150 individuals and mapped past. The rocks were emplaced in der to find a wider array of species, out the population so that other re- their present location by ancient we decided to hold the 2008 event searchers might relocate the plants rivers and streams draining the in early May and to invite some in the future. Aquarius Plateau. Today, these additional species experts. Joining By the end of the weekend the boulders and smaller volcanic rocks the team in 2008 would be Dr. botany group had observed 21 vas- trap wind-borne sand to create a John Spence of Glen Canyon Na- cular plant taxa not previously re- shallow layer of soil directly over the tional Recreation Area, a noted ported for the middle reach of the slickrock. Such sites support an un- authority on bryophytes, but also Deer Creek watershed. Combined usual plant community dominated skilled with lichens and birds; Dr. with the results from 2007 and pre- locally by Bigelow sagebrush (Art- Larry Stevens and Jeri Ledbetter vious surveys done on the Grand emisia bigelovii) and Blue grama to focus on aquatic biology and Staircase-Escalante National Monu- (Bouteloua gracilis) or, less often, insects; Dr. Tim Graham of the ment, the known vascular flora of Black grama (B. eriopoda). From a USGS for reptiles, amphibians, the study area now stood at 356 spe- distance, the Bigelow sagebrush- and invertebrates; Neil Perry and cies. Of these, at least 10 were rare grassland can be easily recognized Rhett Boswell of the Utah Division plants considered species of concern by the grayish-brown color of the of Wildlife Resources to study by the Utah Conservation Data Cen- rock and vegetation, which contrasts birds and small mammals; Dr. Jim ter. Alas, one of the rarest of these with the stark whiteness of the Na- Catlin and Allison Jones of the species, the federally Threatened vajo sandstone slickrock. Keith Wild Utah Project to assess ripar- Ute ladies’-tresses orchid, continued Shulz notes that the only other Bige- ian systems; and an assortment of to elude us on the private lands in low sagebrush-Blue grama vegeta- local Boulder property owners and Deer Creek, though several areas of tion reported in the literature occurs interested parties. suitable habitat were present (the on gray shales in New Mexico and In 2oo8 the botany team fo- species is known from monument otherwise differs significantly in as- cused on new areas that were not lands just downstream). sociated plant species. Volcanic visited the previous year, which is John Spence’s moss, liverwort, rocks are also associated with Na- why we were exploring the slick- and lichen team (consisting essen- vajo sandstone in the Kolob area of rock of the southern Dixie Na- tially of Spence himself, with some Zion National Park, but this unusual tional Forest on the fateful day specimens provided by the aquatic

8 Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1) specialists) found 35 bryophyte spe- ratio of 10:1, suggesting that the higher. As mentioned earlier, in- cies and 16 lichens. Among the number of insects in the Deer sect, bryophyte, and lichen diversity more notable finds was a first record Creek area might exceed 4,000 are probably higher than currently for the state of Utah of the moss species. More insects probably recognized, but even vertebrates and Anomobryum julaceum var. mexi- could have been found had more vascular plants may be under- canum in a small hanging garden pitfall traps, nets, or warm bodies counted based on additional species and an observation of Crumia latifo- been available. Recording insect known from the vicinity (as many as lia (a rare moss) on basalt boulders diversity is also inhibited by diffi- 200 additional plant and animals in Deer Creek. According to Spence, culties in specimen identification are known from the adjacent Grand the variety of habitats present at (in some cases collections might Staircase-Escalante National Monu- Deer Creek may support as many as need to be sent to taxonomic ex- ment). Several important taxo- 25 more bryophyte species and more perts for identification). Many nomic groups have also not been than 100 additional lichen taxa. insects also remain undescribed. studied yet in the Deer Creek water- The vertebrate teams also en- Indeed, Tim Graham reports that shed, including fungi and inverte- joyed success in the 2008 bio-blitz. he may have discovered a new and brates other than insects. The number of bird species for the unnamed species of sand treader As the yearly results of our bio- area increased from 40 to 58 (with cricket (genus Ammobaenates) at blitz show, the entire species diver- another 30 reported by local natu- Deer Creek. sity of an area cannot be readily ralists, mostly based on fall and win- Collectively, the bio-blitz teams documented during any single week- ter sightings). Noteworthy among documented 388 species of plants end. Only 54-57% of all the known the bird species are five considered and animals in May 2008. This species were detected in each of our priority species by Utah Partners in figure is only about 5% higher than two bio-blitzes, though cumula- Flight, a conservation group focus- the total sum of species found the tively, our teams found over 80% of ing on rare birds that migrate to year before. But of these new spe- the known species of plants and ver- Central and South America for the cies, 191 (or nearly 50%) were new tebrates. The number of species winter and other avian taxa at risk. to the area. Between the two present at any site will always vary The mammal team set up a series of years, bio-blitzers documented 558 from year to year and season to live traps each night to catch (and taxa in the Deer Creek study area. later release, unharmed) rodents Coupled with additional species and small mammals that are too reported for the area (but not ob- Below: Allison Jones holds a pocket secretive to be readily seen in the served in the 2007 or 2008 bio- mouse while Neil Perry looks on to daytime. Among their discoveries blitzes), the total flora and fauna of make the identification. The little ro- were new distribution records for Deer Creek stands at 675 species. dent turned out to be a new species for the Deer Creek area. It was later re- the Long-tailed pocket mouse and The actual number of species in leased unharmed. Photo by Linda Little pocket mouse. Perhaps the the watershed is undoubtedly Whitham. most celebrated discovery, however, was finding evidence of beaver natu- rally recolonizing Nazer Draw (teams observed a small dam and several recently gnawed trees). The Forest Service, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and private conservation groups had been discuss- ing releasing beaver into the drainage, but nature apparently had beaten them to the punch. Larry Stevens, Tim Graham, and the invertebrate team collected at least 88 different species of insects from 51 families. The 2008 samples more than doubled the number of known insect species in the Deer Creek watershed, bringing the total to 122. Insect species richness is higher than any other taxonomic group in the study area except for vascular plants. In reality, the number of insect species in the area is probably much greater than currently known. Several studies have shown that insect diversity typically exceeds vascular plant diversity by a 9 Utah Native Plant Society season depending on climatic condi- tions, germination response, or ran- dom events. If we were to conduct a third bio-blitz at Deer Creek, a suitable time might be a fall weekend to better capture migrating songbirds and insects attracted to autumn- blooming shrubs. The data collected during the two bio-blitzes has been extremely useful to The Nature Conservancy in quantifying the significance of the Deer Creek watershed as a hotspot of biological diversity. The enthusiasm generated by the Hoyts has spread to several of their neighbors, who are now also pursuing conservation easements to preserve their properties. Many residents of Boul- der are now much more aware and appreciative of the biological impor- tance of their corner of the world. The bio-blitz was also a great way for scientists from different disci- Above: Boulder Mountain looms in the plines to meet, collaborate, eat good the identity of those cogs and food, and have fun doing what they distance above the middle reach of Deer wheels is critical for identifying Creek (foreground), surrounded by love to do most—tromp around in and prioritizing important conser- steep canyon walls of white and reddish the great outdoors identifying birds, vation lands. Bio-blitzes are a Navajo Sandstone. Photo by W. Fertig. bugs, and plants. relatively low cost and fun way to Aldo Leopold wrote in A Sand catalog the various cogs and Below: Statistical summary of the 2007 County Almanac that “to keep every wheels that make the natural and 2008 Deer Creek bio-blitzes. Note that Cumulative Total column is the cog and wheel is the first precaution world go round. of intelligent tinkering”. Knowing total number of species found over both years (about 50% of species were found in only one of the two years).

Taxonomic # of Taxa found during 2007-2008 Bio-Blitz # of Taxa Potential # of Group known from taxa in Deer 2007 2008 Cumulative Deer Creek Creek Water- Total Watershed shed Lichens 0 16 16 16 130 Bryophytes 0 35 35 35 60 Vascular Plants 256 159 290 356 400-500 Insects 42 88 122 122 4000-5000 Fish 0 1 1 5 20 Amphibians 3 1 3 4 10 Reptiles 7 6 9 12 20 Birds 40 58 58 88 150-190 Mammals 18 24 24 37 50 TOTAL 366 388 558 675 4840-5980

10 Sego Lily January 2010 33 (1)

The Real Sages: Salvia

By Walter Fertig

Mention sage and most western- ers automatically think of the ubiq- uitous sagebrush (Artemisia triden- tata) and its relatives in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). True sages, however, actually belong to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and are represented by just a handful of species. Purple sage (Poliomintha in- cana) is a shrubby mint with aromatic flowers and foliage, but it too, is not technically a sage. Only members of the genus Salvia can claim the distinction of being authentic sages. Botanists recognize nearly 900 species of Salvia, making it the larg- est genus in the mint family. The vast majority of these species occur in the New World tropics, Himala- yas, and southwest Asia (especially Above: Dorr’s sage (Salvia dorrii) and has distinctive pinnately Turkey). Perhaps the best known blooming in Snow Canyon State Park, toothed and lobed leaves. Most species is the edible Garden sage Washington County, UT. Photo by plants have blue or purple flowers, (Salvia officinalis). Others are culti- Steve Dahl. but populations associated with vated for their oils used to scent Chinle badlands are often white- soap and candles (S. sclarea) or as flowered and have been named as a ornamentals (S. azurea, S. greggii, pollen off the back of the next bee, separate variety (argillacea) that is S. splendens, and others). Relatively to arrive (assuming the bee has apparently endemic to Utah. few are native to the intermountain just encountered the swinging sta- The most widespread and showy west, but at least one has great po- mens of a different Salvia flower). native Salvia in the state is Dorr’s tential as a garden species. The ingenious pollination strategy sage (S. dorrii). This low-growing Besides their characteristic of Salvia ensures cross-pollination woody shrub occurs in creosote aroma, true sages share an unusual and greater genetic variability in bush, blackbrush, sagebrush, and floral feature that enhances their the plant’s progeny, which in turn pinyon-juniper communities of the pollination. Salvias have just two may help account for the unusually southern Great Basin, Mohave De- stamens (nearly all other mints have high species diversity in the genus. sert, and Colorado Plateau areas of four), each consisting of a pair of Utah has just three native Sal- southwestern Utah. Dorr’s sage has long-stalked anthers attached to a via species. Annual sage (S. re- a series of ball-like royal blue (or central filament like the two ends of flexa) has tiny blue or whitish rarely white) flowers surrounded by a teeter-totter. Often only the upper flowers and entire to slightly purple bracts that stand out against anther is functional and produces toothed narrow leaves and occurs the gray-green foliage. Like all true pollen. When a bumblebee lands on in sagebrush or pinyon-juniper sages, it is pleasantly aromatic and the lower lip of the Salvia flower it habitats in widely scattered loca- attracts many pollinators. This spe- bumps into the lower arm of the sta- tions across central and southern cies can be grown from seed sown in men, causing the upper arm to Utah. It is more widespread in the the fall or from cuttings and is hardy swing downward and deposit a load Great Plains of North America and over much of western and southern of sticky pollen on the bee’s back. At may actually have spread west- Utah. It thrives best if grown in this stage the flower is functionally ward into Utah during historical well-drained, dry areas with full sun. “male” or staminate and the pollen- times. According to Susan Meyer, Dorr’s receptive stigma (tip of the “female” Another annual is Chia (S. sage also makes a good host plant part of the flower) is not mature. In columbariae), a primarily Mohave for gardener’s interested in growing a day or so the style of the flower Desert species of Washington and Indian paintbrushes (Castilleja will elongate and the now ripe Kane counties. Chia has a ball-like spp.). Dorr’s sage is an outstanding stigma will be in a position to accept head of small flowers subtended by accent or specimen plant for the wa- round, sharp-tipped leafy bracts ter-wise garden. 11 Utah Native Plant Society

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