Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4)

July 2009 Vol. 32, No. 4

In this issue: Chapter News ...... 2 UNPS Annual Summer Outing . . 3 Bulletin Board ...... 4 Spurge Purged at Bonneville CWMA Event Dalmatian Toadflax Added to State Noxious Weed List White Dome Preserve Completed Attention Photographers: Photos Needed for Woody Guide . 5 Ten Things You Might Not Know About Grasses (But Wish You Did) ...... 6 Botanist‘s Bookshelf: Summer Reading Edition ...... 10 Landscaping on the New Frontier Manual of Grasses for National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to of North America Edible: An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Food

Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica), above, is known as the ―gentle herb‖ in Spanish and is renowned for its many medicinal uses. Native Americans used the aromatic roots and in a variety of teas, infusions, and poul- tices to treat colds, stomach ache, malaria, dysentery, diabetes, and sore throats. Modern research has corroborated the anti-inflammatory properties of chemicals in the plant‘s roots. In , Yerba mansa is found primarily on moist, saline soils associated with seeps, streambanks, and hanging gardens in the Virgin River watershed of County and in Utah County. Yerba mansa can be recognized by its elongated, cone-like of numerous , each with a small, white bract. The whole inflorescence itself is surrounded by a whorl of white petal-like bracts that are often spotted or suffused with red. Superficially, the cluster resembles that of the Wind-flower (Anemone), which accounts for its scientific name Anemopsis or ―Anemone-like‖. Anemopsis californica is the only native species in the lizard-tail family (Saururaceae) in Utah. Taxonomists consider the Saururaceae to be one of the more primitive and ancient of the families of flowering plants. Illustration by Walter Fertig.

Copyright 2009 Utah Native Plant Society. All Rights Reserved. Utah Native Plant Society

Education: Ty Harrison Sego Lily Editor: Walter Fertig Horticulture: Maggie Wolf ([email protected]). The deadline for Invasive Weeds: Susan Fitts the September 2009 Sego Lily is 15 Rare Plants: Walter Fertig August 2009. 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 (Garfield Co): Harriet Utah Native Plant Society, a 501(c)(3) President: Bill King (Salt Lake Co) Priska not-for-profit organization dedicated Vice President: Walter Fertig (Kane Co) Fremont (Richfield area): Maria Ulloa to conserving and promoting steward- Treasurer: Charlene Homan (Salt Lake Manzanita (Kane Co): Walter Fertig ship of our native plants. Use of con- Co) Mountain (Summit Co): Mindy tent material is encouraged but re- Secretary: Mindy Wheeler (Summit Wheeler quires permission (except where ex- Co) Price (Carbon Co): Mike Hubbard empted by statute) and must be cor- Board Chair: Dave Wallace (Cache Co) Salt Lake: Kipp Lee rectly credited and cited. Articles, Southwestern/Bearclaw poppy (Wash- photographs and illustrations submit- UNPS Board: Loreen Allphin (Utah ington Co): Margaret Malm ted to us remain the property of the Co), Robert Fitts (Utah Co), Susan Fitts Utah Valley (Utah Co): Celeste Ken- submitting individuals or organiza- (Utah Co), Bill Gray (Salt Lake Co), nard tions. Submit permission requests to Marie Griffiths (Salt Lake Co), Ty Harri- [email protected]. We encourage read- son (Salt Lake Co), Celeste Kennard Website: For late-breaking news, the ers to submit articles for potential (Utah Co), Kipp Lee (Salt Lake Co), UNPS store, the Sego Lily archives, publication. By submitting an article, Margaret Malm (Washington Co), Larry Chapter events, links to other websites an implicit license is granted to print Meyer (Salt Lake Co), Therese Meyer (including sources of native plants and the article in the newsletter or other (Salt Lake Co), Jeff Mitchell (Utah Co), the digital Utah Rare Plant Field UNPS publications for reprint without Leila Shultz (Cache Co), Maggie Wolf Guide), and more, go to unps.org. permission (in print and electronic (Salt Lake Co). Many thanks to Xmission for media). When submitting an article, sponsoring our website. please indicate whether it has been Committees For more information on UNPS: previously published or submitted for Communications: Larry Meyer Contact Bill King (582-0432) or Susan consideration to other publications. Conservation: Bill King and Tony Fitts (356-5108), or write to UNPS, PO Frates Box 520041, Salt Lake City, UT, 84152

______Chapter News

Cache: July 11 (Sat) White Pine Lake Wildflower Walk. Time: 9 AM. Place: First Dam Parking lot. Cost: Free. Join us for a walk from Tony Grove Lake to White Pine Lake. Along the way view spec- tacular wildflowers at one of the jewels of Northern Utah. There will be a number of local botanists on hand to discuss the flowers and plants. Parking at Tony Grove is very limited (and is a fee area) so we will be meeting and car pooling from the First Dam parking lot. July 11 (Sat) Alternascapes Tour. Time: 10-3 PM. Place: SW portion of Cache Valley (Mendon, Wellsville, Young Ward). Cost: $5 Purchase tickets at the Cache deners and Cache UNPS members Cedar City: The Cedar Chapter is County USU Extension Office. will be on hand to answer ques- at a cross roads. For a chapter that Tour 5-10 yards featuring natives tions. This tour has become a is only 5 months old we were sad- or water-wise landscaping, ask popular feature of the summer dened to hear our mentor and friend questions, and get great ideas for season in Cache Valley and tickets Winnie Washburn will be leaving. your home landscape. Master Gar- sell out fast. - Michael Piep Winnie will be moving to Pasadena,

2 Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4)

UNPS Annual Summer Out- ing and Board Meeting: Wildflowers of Cedar Breaks, Saturday, 18 July 2009

The southernmost chapters of the Utah Native Plant Society (Cedar City, Escalante, Fremont, Manzanita-Kane, and Southwestern -Bearclaw poppy) will be hosting a wildflower hike in Cedar Breaks National Monument on Saturday, 18 July. The event will be held in conjunction with the 4th Annual Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival (running from July 3-19). Kane County chapter President Walter Fertig will be leading hikes to see some of the monument‘s more showy wildflowers (such as Colo- rado blue columbine and Parry‘s primrose) as well as many of the rare and unusual plants restricted to the orange and white Claron , where she will undoubt- Above: Winnie Washburn, founder limestone beds. The outing will edly start another native plant chap- of UNPS chapters in Escalante and commence at 9 AM in the visitor ter (of course for California). Win- Cedar City, on Mother’s Day, 2009. center parking lot at Cedar Breaks nie has been invaluable to our club We all wish Winnie well on her lat- (there is a nominal entrance fee, in establishing this chapter. The est adventure in California. Photo collected on the honor system). Be by Harriet Priska. chapter now enjoys a membership of sure to bring water, lunch, good

70 people. We will always value her hiking shoes, and rain and warm advice and friendship and wish her about what you can donate for weather gear (at 10000 feet, Cedar well in her new adventure. She will Breaks can be cool and often has fundraising for the chapter and be missed! afternoon thunderstorms in mid- the Main Street garden funds We held our first native plant sale (proceeds will be split between summer). In the afternoon, the in May with four vendors. Our com- UNPS state board will be holding a the two). Volunteers are needed munity showed enthusiastic support business meeting at the picnic area to set up and be at the tables for and the vendors enjoyed good sales. a couple of hours at a time.— or in the park housing area —Marguerite Smith (depending on weather conditions). Harriet Priska Members are invited to sit in if they

Escalante: Summer Schedule: wish, or spend the afternoon in fur- Utah Valley: Plants and Pre- 4th of July BBQ Potluck at the Del- schoolers hikes are being held ther botanical pursuits. –W. Fertig thony's. Please bring an item to every Thursday at 10 AM. So far grill, your own beverage, and a dish the hikes have been great this to share. Social time starts at 4 PM year. The rainy weather has been this summer. We love to try new and cooking at 5 PM. good for the plant life and the places so give us a call and show us Saturday, July 18th 9 AM Wild nice temperatures great for hik- your favorite spot. If you are inter- Flower field trip to Cedar Breaks ing. The hikes are short dis- ested in joining us call Celeste Ken- and Picnic luncheon. Please sign up tances and everyone is welcome nard at 801-377-5918 or email with me and indicate if you want to to explore as we go. This sum- [email protected] carpool. mer we are likely return to Hob- Join us as we team up with the collecting field trip with ble Creek, Cascade Springs, the folks at CUWCD Central Utah Water Maria Ulloa of the Richfield BLM Grotto in Payson Canyon, and Conservancy District 355 W. Univer- office has been changed to Saturday, the falls hike in Pleasant Grove, sity Parkway Orem, Utah 84058 on August 22nd. Further details TBA CUWCD garden, and several sec- Thursday, July 2 @ 6:30 p.m. for Mushroom field trip on Boulder tions of the Bonneville and Utah Native Plants (Principle 3) Mountain September. Date TBA as Shoreline trails. We also hope to with Kent Miller of Perennial Favor- Sage Sorensen deems when they are visit Ann Kelsey at the Natural ites. Kent will review several native best to be seen. History Museum in Salt Lake species that are excellent for use in Escalante Art Festival - Septem- the home landscape. – Celeste Ken- ber 25 & 26: Please be thinking nard 3 Utah Native Plant Society Bulletin Board Spurge Purged at Bonneville CWMA Event Left: Dalmatian toadflax On May 9th, 2009, the Salt Lake (Linaria dalmatica or L. genisti- County Weed Program, Utah Asso- folia ssp. dalmatica) has showy, ciation of Conservation Districts, yellow snapdragon-like flowers Salt Lake Soil Conservation District and would be a fine garden and Utah Native Plant society, spon- plant if it would only behave sored the 3rd Annual ―Purge your and not spread into foothills Spurge‖, myrtle spurge/ native plant grasslands and agricultural areas. Native to southern exchange. The weed exchange was Europe (Dalmatia is on the hosted at the Salt Lake REI and was Adriatic coast of the former wildly successful with over 4, 240 Yugoslavia) and central Asia, pounds of myrtle spurge removed. Dalmatian toadflax first be- That‘s over 2 tons! Over 126 partici- came established in Provo Can- pants dug up the noxious weed and yon in the 1930s before spread- brought it to REI, where volunteers ing across much of the state. were able to hand out over 1,000 Photo by Tony Frates. native plants in exchange. Partici- pants donated a total of 229 hours for collection and restoration, some spending as much as 25 hours re- moving spurge from their yards. In addition to the Myrtle Spurge Dalmatian Toadflax White Dome Preserve Exchange, the Salt Lake Conserva- Added to State Noxious Completed tion District held its First Annual Native Plant Sale. Even with a bit a Weed List The Nature Conservancy recently chaos at times, over 150 residents received a grant of $910,500 to fi- took advantage of the large offering In April 2009, Dalmatian toad- of native plants and approximately flax (Linaria dalmatica) became nalize the purchase of the 800 acre White Dome Nature Preserve south 2500 native plants were sold the latest species to be officially of St. George, Utah. White Dome throughout the day. We are de- listed as a Noxious weed by the lighted to know that more Utah na- state of Utah. Under the Utah contains approximately 20% of the tive plants will fill Salt Lake County Noxious Weed Act, ―… it is the remaining population of the feder- ally Endangered Dwarf bearclaw gardens to benefit wildlife and pro- duty of every property owner to mote biodiversity. control and prevent the spread of poppy (Arctomecon humilis) and In the end, the Native Plant Sale noxious weeds on any land in his also preserves habitat for the Threatened Siler pincushion cactus surpassed its fundraiser goals and possession, or under his control …‖ brought in over 3500 dollars. All Dalmatian toadflax is native from (Pediocactus sileri) and numerous proceeds of the sale will sponsor southern Europe to central Asia other uncommon Mohave Desert plant and animal species. The natural resource conservation pro- and was originally brought to White Dome area had been highly jects within Salt Lake County, in- North America as a garden plant in cluding the successful Myrtle Spurge the late 1800s. It escaped from threatened by rampant urban growth in the St. George area and by Exchange. We‘d like to give a special cultivation and rapidly spread increased impacts from off-highway thanks to all the volunteers that across much of the western United made the sale possible as well as the States and , especially in vehicle recreation and noxious weeds. Many individuals and or- generous and patient plant buyers roadsides, fallow pastures, and ganizations have helped make the who worked with us through some rangelands. In Utah, Dalmatian unexpected plant substitutions. - toadflax occurs most commonly in White Dome preserve a reality, in- Sage Fitch, Salt Lake County Weed the foothills of the Wasatch Front, cluding Elaine York of TNC, the State of Utah School and Institu- Specialist though sporadic populations occur as far south as Kane County. Be- tional Trust Lands, state of Utah, cause of the waxy coating on its Renee Van Buren, Bob Douglas, Kim leaves and stems Dalmatian toad- Harper, Tony Frates, Larry England, flax is difficult to control with her- and the US Fish and Wildlife Ser- bicides. Several Eurasian beetles vice. - Heather Barnes and moths are being used as bio- control agents in the west. - W. Fertig 4 Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4) Attention Photographers: Photos Needed for Woody Plant Guide

Ericameria nauseosa var. iridis Vaccinium myrtillus Myrtle blueberry (C. nauseosus var. iridis) Gypsum Psorothamnus arborescens var. pubes- Renee Van Buren of Utah Val- rubber rabbitbrush cens Beauty indigo-bush ley University needs your help. nauseosa var. nitida (C. Psorothamnus nummularius Jones‘ Renee and co-authors Kimball nauseosus var. nitidus) Shining rub- indigo-bush Harper and Janet Cooper are ber rabbitbrush Psorothamnus thompsoniae var. whit- nearing completion of their book var. psilocarpa ingii Whiting‘s indigo-bush The Woody Plants of Utah: A (C. nauseosus var. psilocarpus) Ribes laxiflorum Western black currant Huntington rubber rabbitbrush Ribes oxyacanthoides Missouri goose- Field Guide and Identification Gutierrezia petradoria Goldenrod berry Key to Trees, , and Vines snakeweed Jamesia tetrapetala Basin jamesia Native or Naturalized in Utah Gutierrezia pomariensis Orchard scabra Rough menodora and are missing photos of several snakeweed Menodora spinescens Spiny menodora uncommon woody species. If you Lepidospartum latisquamum Eriogonum ammophilum (E. nummu- have images of these species in broomshrub lare var. ammophila) Ibex buckwheat your digital photo or slide collec- baileyi (Chryso- Eriogonum bicolor Pretty buckwheat tion and are willing to share (and thamnus pulchellus var. baileyi) Eriogonum corymbosum var. aureum attain some botanical fame), Pretty rabbitbrush Golden buckwheat Porophyllum gracile Odora Eriogonum corymbosum var. heilii please contact Dr. Van Buren at Xylorhiza cronquistii Cronquist Heil‘s buckwheat [email protected]. Photos woodyaster Eriogonum corymbosum var. reveal- in the book will be resized to 4 x 4 Xylorhiza glabriuscula Smooth ianum Reveal‘s buckwheat inches and need to have a resolu- woodyaster Eriogonum corymbosum var. velutinum tion of at least 300 dpi. Images Berberis fendleri Fendler barberry Velvety buckwheat should also be sent as tiff files. huberi Huber‘s pepperplant Eriogonum heermanii var. subspinosum Information on where the photos Lepidium moabense Moab pepper- Tabeau Peak buckwheat were taken would be helpful. The plant Eriogonum hylophilum (E. corymb- authors are trying to get the book Lepidium montanum var. neeseae osum var. hylophilum) Gate Canyon Garfield County peppergrass buckwheat ready for the printers this summer Coryphantha chlorantha (C. vivipara Eriogonum lancifolium Lanceleaf buck- and would like to get as many pho- var. deserti) Desert beehive cactus wheat tos as possible by mid July. Coryphantha missouriensis Eriogonum leptocladon var. papiliun- Plateau beehive cactus culi Butterfly buckwheat Photo Wish List Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. Eriogonum leptocladon var. ramosis- Yucca angustissima var. toftiae coloradensis (Opuntia acantho- simum San Juan buckwheat (Y. toftiae) Toft‘s yucca carpa) Buckhorn cholla Eriogonum leptophyllum Slenderleaf Artemisia arbuscula var. arbuscula Grusonia pulchella (Opuntia pul- buckwheat Low sagebrush chella) Sand cholla Eriogonum lonchophyllum Longleaf Artemisia arbuscula var. longiloba Opuntia aurea (O. erinacea var. buckwheat Longlobe sagebrush aurea) Pipe Spring cactus Eriogonum microthecum var. lapidicola Artemisia arbuscula var. thermopola Opuntia engelmannii var. engelman- Pahute Mesa buckwheat Hot Springs sagebrush nii (O. phaeacantha var. discata) Eriogonum microthecum var. Artemisia tridentata var. parishii Frying pan prickly pear phoeniceum Scarlet buckwheat Mojave sagebrush Opuntia pinkavae (O. basilaris var. Eriogonum nummulare Coin buckwheat wrightii Upland baccharis woodburyi, O. macrorhiza) Pinkava‘s Eriogonum smithii (E. corymbosum var. microphylla var. micro- cactus smithii) Flat top buckwheat phylla (including var. watsonii) Pediocactus winkleri Winkler‘s cactus Eriogonum umbellatum var. junipori- Rough brickellbush Sclerocactus blainei Blaine‘s fishhook num Juniper sulphur buckwheat viscidiflorus var. cactus Eriogonum wrightii var. wrightii axillaris Inyo rabbitbrush Sclerocactus brevispinus Pariette fish- Wright‘s buckwheat Encelia farinosa Brittlebush hook cactus Chimaphila menziesii Menzies‘ chim- (Chrysothamnus Sclerocactus wetlandicus Uinta Basin aphila albidus) Whiteflower rabbitbrush fishhook cactus Ceanothus greggii var. franklinii Frank- Ericameria cervina ( Sclerocactus wrightiae Wright‘s fish- lin‘s ceanothus cervinus) Antelope goldenbush hook cactus Rhamnus alnifolia Alder buckthorn (H. crispus) Pine Linnaea borealis Twinflower Crataegus chrysocarpa Yellow haw- Valley goldenbush Symphoricarpos occidentalis Western thorn Ericameria lignumviridis (H. lignum- snowberry Crataegus erythropoda Rocky Moun- viridis) Greenwood‘s goldenbush Atriplex gardneri var. gardneri Gard- tain hawthorn (Haplopappus na- ner‘s saltbush Prunus emarginata Bittercherry nus) Low goldenbush Atriplex gardneri var. utahensis Rubus neomexicanus New Ericameria nauseosa var. bigelovii Three-tipped saltbush thimbleberry (Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. Zuckia brandegeei var. arizonica Ptelea trifoliata ssp. pallida Hoptree bigelovii) Bigelow‘s rubber rabbit- zuckia Salix cascadensis Cascades willow brush commutata Silverberry Salix melanopsis Dusky willow Parthenocissus vitacea Thicket creeper

5 Utah Native Plant Society

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Grasses (But Wish You Did)

By Walter Fertig

Grasses are nearly ubiquitous, but like many familiar things they are often taken for granted. The following collection of factoids ex- plores some of the basics of grass morphology, ecology, and natural history. Use these kernels of agros- tology (a.k.a. the study of grasses) to impress your friends, co-workers, and loved ones. 1. They may not look like much, but grasses have flowers. Grass flowers do not have showy petals to attract visually-oriented animal pol- linators, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Each flower consists of a minute pair of sepals (called lodicules), 3 , and an ovary derived from 2 fused carpels. Furthermore, the grass flower is wrapped in a series of green or straw -colored scales or bracts (actually modified leaves). A single grass flower, called a floret, is enclosed by two bracts: a large (relatively speak- ing), many-veined lemma and a smaller, 2-veined palea. Each floret is further enclosed by a pair of larger scales called glumes. A set of one or dangle on thin stalks, allowing Above, left: Spikelet of Alpine bluegrass more florets and their associated them to dance about in the slight- (Poa alpina), consisting of two glumes pair of glumes is called a spikelet. est breeze and shake their pollen (lowest pair of bracts) and 5 florets. Grass spikelets vary in size, number loose. Wind-borne pollen grains Above, right: a single floret with 3 sta- mens, a membranous palea, and a of florets, presence of long, spine- tend to be very small and light- large lemma. Illustration by W. Fertig. like extensions (awns), degree of weight, so as to better float venation, presence of hairs, size of through the air. The odds of any glumes, etc., but all are built on the single pollen grain reaching the mine and other chemicals to fight off same fundamental design. Once receptive stigma of another flower the invaders. These compounds this basic pattern is learned, grass of the same species are quite low, cause the symptoms of hay fever – identification becomes a lot simpler. so wind-pollinated (or anemophi- itching, sneezing, congestion, and Spikelet characteristics provide the lous) plants must produce excep- fatigue. best means for identifying grasses to tionally large numbers of pollen to 3. Vegetatively, grasses all kind or species. saturate the market. of look alike, but there are some 2. Grass flowers are pollinated One in fourteen Americans suf- good (though subtle) characters for via the wind - which is why many fer from hay-fever, and many are identification. Grass leaves are typi- people suffer from hay fever. allergic to grass pollen. Hay-fever cally long and linear and attached to Grasses, many trees and shrubs, and results from the body‘s own im- the stem (called the culm in techni- some weedy plants are pollinated by mune system over-reacting to the cal botanical jargon) at a knob-like, the wind, rather than animals, and presence of proteins on the surface swollen node. The blade or lamina so do not need to advertise them- of pollen grains that have floated of the wraps around the culm to selves with large, colorful petals on the wind into the nasal pas- form a long sheath which may be (indeed, these would interfere with sages. Specialized cells in the im- fused below the base (forming a V, the dispersal and capture of pollen). mune system respond to the for- like a V-necked sweater), open the At maturity, grass spikelets often eign proteins by releasing hista- entire length, or overlapping. Most 6 Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4) grass plants have a membranous vascular plants. The majority of 8. Grasses have a lot of tricks up structure called a ligule, inserted at our most important food crops their sheaths for avoiding herbivory the juncture of the leaf blade and belong to the grass family. These and for dispersal. Most plants try to culm. The size, shape, and form of include: Corn or maize (Zea), avoid being grazed by producing bad the ligule (especially whether the tip Wheat (Triticum), Rice (Oryza), -tasting or poisonous chemical com- is squared off, pointed, lacerated, or Oats (Avena), Barley (Hordeum), pounds, growing low to the ground split into numerous hairs) is useful Rye (Secale), Sorghum (Sorghum), (too low for many grazers to reach), for identifying grass species in the and Sugar cane (Saccharum). Sev- or having sharp spines. Grasses absence of flowers. The presence of eral alcoholic beverages are de- typically lack all of these defenses a ligule is a unique feature of the rived from fermentation of malted and instead choose to simply grow grass family. Some grasses also grasses, as well as grain alcohol faster than herbivores can eat them. have ear-like flaps of tissue at the (an additive in gasoline). The Grass leaves are unusual in that they top of the leaf sheath, which can be grass family also provides forage can continue to grow after they ma- helpful for identification. for the majority of our domestic ture. In most plants, all the cells of 4. Not all grass-like plants are livestock – either on native range- a leaf are produced in the embryonic true grasses. Sedges (family Cyper- lands or as hay or grain in feedlots. bud and growth is simply a matter of aceae) are close relatives of grasses Bamboos are woody grasses of these cells expanding to their ma- with flowers enclosed by bracts and tropical areas and the Old World ture size. Any damage to such a leaf a grass-like appearance, but differ in (poorly represented in North is usually permanent. By contrast, having 3-sided stems, leaves in 3 America) that are an important the active growing center of a grass ranks, no ligules, flowers being en- source of construction materials leaf (called the meristem) is located closed by a single bract, and (pipes, scaffolding, flooring, furni- near the base of the blade and con- being 1-seed achenes rather than ture) and also food (bamboo tinues producing new cells, even as caryopses. Rushes (family Junca- shoots). Native Americans used the upper parts of the blade might ceae) have brown or greenish petals pliable grass stems and leaves for be damaged or lost to grazers. So and sepals and -like fruits basketry. Cultivated grasses are long as an herbivore does not pull with numerous, tiny . Despite grown widely for lawns, parks, out the entire grass plant or eat their appearance, they are not espe- playing fields, and landscaping. down below the meristem, a grass cially closely related to grasses. A There is increasing interest in can continue to grow under grazing number of other species have the using cultivated corn and native pressure. This ability also explains word ―grass‖ in their name (blue- grasses (especially switchgrass, why a mowed lawn quickly grows eyed grass, grass of Parnassus, ar- Panicum virgatum) as biofuels to back. Grass leaves actually grow in rowgrass, cottongrass, beargrass), augment dwindling petroleum re- much the same way as our hair – but none are in the grass family serves and potentially reduce thus it would be more correct to say (Poaceae or Gramineae). greenhouse gas emissions. This is someone has grassy rather than 5. The grass family is one of the not without controversy, as culti- bushy hair if they are overdue for most species-rich groups of plants. vation of these crops is less effi- the barbershop. Worldwide, the Poaceae is the cient than often touted. A recent While grass leaves are edible they fourth largest family of vascular study suggests that 35% of the sur- are tough on the teeth of grazing plants. Grass specialists (agro- face area of the animals. This is due to the presence stologists) recognize 650-700 gen- would need to be devoted exclu- of specialized cells in the leaf epider- era in the Poaceae and 10,000- sively to raising biofuel crops to mis called phytoliths (literally ‗leaf 11,000 species* in the world. Only meet the country‘s energy needs. stones‘) that are rich in silicon diox- the orchid (Orchidaceae), sunflower 7. Ecologically, grasses are ide, the main ingredient in sand. ( or Compositae), and pea among the most important species Chewing grass leaves all day is not (Fabaceae or Leguminosae) families in many native ecosystems. unlike nibbling on sand and long- have more species. In North Amer- Grasses are often the dominant term exposure can result in a lot of ica and Utah, grasses are second vegetation in the world‘s prairie abrasion to tooth enamel. Many only to the sunflowers in species and grassland habitats and a sig- grazing animals have evolved high- richness. The 4th edition of A Utah nificant component of arctic and crowned teeth that continue to grow Flora includes 286 native and intro- alpine tundra, wetlands, savanna, from their base as they get progres- duced grass species. By comparison forest, and desert habitats. Mem- sively worn at the tips (not unlike there are 671 species in the sun- bers of the grass family are an im- the grass leaves themselves with flower family in Utah. portant source of food for numer- their basal meristems). 6. Economically, the grass family ous grazing animals, ranging from Grasses have several strategies is the most valuable of any group of insects to rodents, rabbits, and for reproduction and dissemination. hoofed animals. These in turn are While most grasses reproduce by food for carnivores. Grasses are seeds, a few species have replaced *Grass experts don‘t agree on the num- significant for reducing soil ero- their ordinary florets with asexually- ber of genera and species and lots of sion and providing material for produced bulb-like structures called other things. Best to only invite one to a nesting animals. party. 7 Utah Native Plant Society

Contracted Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum contractum or Oryzopsis contracta) is a na- tive, perennial bunchgrass found primarily in , but also ex- tending into southwestern and northern Colorado. In July 1995, Charmaine Refsdal Delmat- ier, then a graduate student from the University of Wyoming, discov- ered Contracted Indian ricegrass at two sites in the vicinity of Manila (Daggett County) in northeastern Utah. This species breeds true but is believed to have originated as a hybrid between Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum, Oryzopsis, or Stipa hymenoides) and Littleseed rice- grass (Piptatherum micranthum or Oryzopsis micrantha). Morpho- logically, Contracted Indian rice- grass closely resembles its ubiqui- tous parent, Indian ricegrass, in having large, pearly spikelets, short and deciduous awns, and pubescent lemmas. Contracta differs from hymenoides in having much shorter lemma hairs, more slender spikelets, and more stiffly branched pedicels. The lemma hairs of hy- menoides are much longer than the lemma itself and emerge out of the glumes in a thick tuft, much like the Mohawk hair style popularized by 80‘s television personality Mr. T. By contrast, the short hairs of con- tracta barely exceed the lemma and look much like the crewcut of Johnny Unitas. Some keys empha- size the contracted nature of the panicle of Achnatherum contrac- tum (the branches are all appressed rather than widely spreading), but this feature is often only evident on young that have not fully expanded from the boot stage. Contracted Indian ricegrass was formerly a Category 2 candidate under study for potential protection under the US Endangered Species Act. Surveys in the 1990s found this species to be sufficiently wide- spread in Wyoming to be dropped from consideration. Additional populations should be sought in Achnatherum contractum. Refsdal # 5448 (RM). UT: Daggett Co., ca 5.5 Utah, especially in the Uinta Basin, air miles W of Manila, ca 0.2 miles W of Utah Highway 44. T3N R18E S24 the north flanks of the Uinta Moun- SE4. Elev 7320-7440 ft. tains, and the Cache Valley. —W.

Fertig Above: Contracted Indian ricegrass by Isobel Nichols, from Wyoming Rare

Plant Field Guide (1994).

8 Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4)

bulbils or bulblets. These look like adapted for survival in hot, arid cli- miniature plants (which in a sense mates than their C3 cousins. C4 they are) and can immediately grasses are often called warm season sprout into new individuals when grasses because they tend to repro- they reach the ground, bypassing duce and do most of their growth the seed stage. Being asexual, the during the warmest seasons of the new plants are genetically identical year (as opposed to C3 or cool sea- to their parent. Grasses can also son grasses, which reproduce and spread clonally by above-ground flourish in the spring when soil wa- A grass can be “glumey” stem-like stolons or below-ground ter is not limiting). in more ways than one, rhizomes. Rhizomatous grasses 10. The composition and abun- when its identification remains to often grow in lines or form dense dance of grasses in the environment be done. You pull off the parts, and turfs, making them well-suited for is changing. While nothing stays the soon feel your age chasing them our lawn. Bunchgrasses do not same forever, our native grassland over the microscope stage. You spread widely by rhizomes but in- communities are undergoing a num- peer through the lenses at all of the stead form dense tussocks. Annual ber of changes, many of which are bracts and hope your decisions grasses do not form large clumps not desirable. Many grasslands, agree with the facts. While your or spread by rhizomes, but instead such as those of the , oculist chortles with avid delight as put all their reproductive energy Washington‘s Palouse Prairie, and you strain both your eyes in the dim into producing large quantities of California‘s Central Valley, occur on table light. You are left on the seed during their short life span rich soils that are well suited for ag- horns of quite a dilemma when you (just a few months). Annuals are riculture (especially the culture of count the nerves on the back of the designed to withstand periods of edible grasses like wheat and corn). lemma. Then you really get snoopy drought, fire, or other extreme Few areas of native prairie remain in and turn each one turtle to see if the events by living underground as these regions. In the more arid flower is sterile or fertile. And then seeds until conditions improve parts of the west, grass communities the compression – no problem is again. have been historically used as range- meaner- is it flat like your wallet or 9. Grasses have invented two lands for domestic livestock. Too round like a wiener? ―How simple‖ forms of photosynthesis – one often these lands have been sub- you think ―for a mind that is keen.‖ form specially adapted for desert jected to prolonged grazing with But what do you do when it‘s half- environments. Photosynthesis is inadequate rest or rotation, grazed way between? You probe and you the chemical process by which in inappropriate seasons (such as guess how the florets will shatter green plants, algae, and certain the critical window in spring when for you know later on it‘s certain to bacteria and cyanobacteria convert perennial grasses produce flowers matter. You long for the calmness solar energy into food. Most plant and seed), been grazed by too many of labor that‘s manual when the species (including a majority of animals, or been converted from question arises: ―perennial or an- grasses) utilize the C3 pathway of native grasslands to short-lived nual?‖ And that terrible texture, photosynthesis, so-named because seedings of exotic species prone to the meanest of all, is one of the pit- the first stable product produced failure in periods of extended falls in which you may fall. during the process is a sugar with drought. The consequences of such ―Cartilaginous‖ maybe – or is it 3 carbon atoms. Some desert management are rangelands with ―chartaceous‖ – has even the ex- grasses utilize the C4 photosyn- decreased grass cover, accelerated perts exclaiming ―good gracious!‖ thetic pathway, named for the soil erosion, replacement of edible Then you wail as you wade through four-carbon sugar created in the cool season perennial bunchgrasses the long tribal key ―Oh why must first step. More significantly, C4 with less palatable warm season or this awful thing happen to me?‖ species are able to efficiently store annual species, or shifts in abun- ―Grasses are easy‖ our teacher de- carbon in their cells to always keep dance of native grasses towards less clares as he mops off a brow that is the concentration of CO2 gas low edible shrubby species. Predicted crowned with gray hairs! – H.D. in the internal air spaces of the climate changes (more drought, Harrington, author of Manual of leaf, allowing CO2 to be more higher temperatures) will likely ex- the Plants of Colorado and Edible readily taken up from the atmos- acerbate the trends towards woodier Native Plants of the Rocky Moun- phere. By being more efficient at vegetation and annual grasslands tains. carbon uptake (CO2, water, and that are more prone to wildfire and sunlight are the raw materials in less productive. While few grass making simple sugars in photosyn- species are in danger of extinction, thesis), C4 grasses are able to close major shifts in the abundance and the pores in their leaves (called distribution of important grasses stomates) during the hottest parts can significantly diminish the value of the day, thereby reducing loss of of rangelands for commercial use water via transpiration and evapo- and as habitat for wildlife. ration. Thus C4 grasses are better

9 Utah Native Plant Society Botanist’s Bookshelf: Summer Reading Edition

Landscaping on the New Frontier Waterwise Design for the Intermountain West

Landscaping on the New Fron- tier: Waterwise Design for the Intermountain West. By Susan E. Meyer, Roger K. Kjelgren, Darrel G. Morrison, and William A. Varga. Illustrations by Bettina Schultz. 2009. Utah State Uni- versity Press, Logan , UT. 241 pp.

By now we all know that water is a limited resource in the arid por- tions of the . Gardeners need to do their part to conserve water, if not out of civic duty then to save money on monthly water bills. A number of native landscaping books have appeared over the past few years beating the drum of water-wise gardening - so many in fact that the message is be- Above: Dorr’s sage (Salvia dorrii) is a coming trite, not unlike admonitions native well-adapted to aridic to eat one‘s vegetables and drink tral Washington to the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona and parts of the Intermountain West. Photo one‘s milk. by Steve Dahl. The new book Landscaping on . This section pro- the New Frontier approaches water- vides a number of basic ecological Much of the remainder of the wise gardening from a fresh ap- lessons in how elevation, topogra- book covers specific steps needed to proach. The water conservation phy, soils, and climate affect how convert the landscaping plan into message is still there for sure, and different plant species are arrayed reality. Here the authors provide the book devotes significant por- across the landscape from lowland useful advice on removing existing tions of three chapters to tips on deserts to alpine mountain tops. vegetation, dealing with weeds, in- harvesting rain water, designing and Understanding that different stalling stone walls and walkways, installing drip irrigation systems, plants have different needs is criti- implementing irrigation systems, and taking advantage of natural ter- cal for guiding the selection, place- planting, mulching, and the many rain features to improve water dis- ment, and care of native species in other steps needed to create a func- tribution. But the core message of garden settings. tioning garden. the book is that western gardeners One of the strengths of Land- Perhaps the most informative should use plants adapted to the scaping on the New Frontier is part of Landscaping on the New local area because these plants are how the authors translate the les- Frontier is a series of short case beautiful, as are their native habi- sons from ecology into the design- studies written by ―native landscape tats. There is no need to slavishly ing of natural landscapes. In na- pioneers‖. These brave souls relay follow convention and try to recreate ture plants are rarely distributed at stories of their successes (and fail- English-style gardens (or their mod- random (or in regular rows), but ures) in creating native landscapes ern suburban equivalents) in a land instead form clumps or occur in from scratch (at a newly excavated with so many beautiful flowering complicated mixtures with other homesite) or from the wreckage of species already present. Saving wa- species. These same patterns cre- suburban Kentucky bluegrass or ter just happens to be a side benefit ate interesting and visually pleas- weed monocultures. These exam- of landscaping with native plants. ing designs in the garden setting. ples should provide neophyte native Landscaping on the New Fron- Aside from aesthetics, knowing plant gardeners with the courage tier opens with a succinct descrip- where to place native plants ac- and wisdom to boldly march ahead. tion of the major natural plant com- cording to their soil, light, and The book concludes with brief munities of the Intermountain west drainage preferences increases the summaries of 100 native wildflow- – that mostly arid region stretching likelihood of success and reduces ers, grasses, trees, and shrubs rec- from the Columbia Plateau of cen- time and expense in upkeep. ommended by the authors for use in 10 Sego Lily July 2009 32 (4) the Intermountain area. Each ac- ogy (no glossary is included) and the key characteristics needed for count includes a color photo high- experience with keys. The new identification. The photos are sup- lighting the plant‘s charms (the pho- book is essentially a condensed plemented by unique range maps tos alone are worth the purchase version of volumes 24 and 25 of that depict where species are most price), as well as descriptions of soil, the Flora of North America, commonly found across North water, and shade requirements, though considerably smaller (at America in one color and where they flowering period, growth rate, nearly 1900 pages the FNA vol- are less frequent in another. The height, and cultivation tips. umes are too hefty for practical use descriptions are succinct but read- UNPS members will recognize the in the field). Just a handful of new able and the authors do a good job name of the lead author, Susan species and taxonomic combina- of highlighting differences between Meyer, from her many years of ser- tions have been made in the Man- each species and their look-alikes. A vice to the society (most notably in ual, reflecting new discoveries fair amount of natural history lore is helping organize the popular propa- since the FNA volumes were com- also included, making this one of the gation workshops around the state). pleted in early 2007. Many ge- few field guides that offers more The other authors include current neric names may be unfamiliar, than just basic identification tips. and former faculty members at Utah however, especially among the Comparison tables are also provided State University who bring many wheatgrasses (Elymus and related for some of the more species-rich or years of experience in landscape taxa) and ricegrasses (Stipa, Ory- tricky groups. Although not espe- design and low-water horticulture. zopsis, and relatives), but reflect cially compact (one would be hard Bitsy Schultz, also well-known to recent advances in taxonomic pressed to fit this chunky book in Sego Lily readers for her artwork, knowledge. The book includes all their back pocket), this is a great all- provided the illustrations. Thanks the line drawings (one for each around guide and useful desktop are extended to all of the authors for taxon and all of high quality) and reference. making such a worthy contribution range maps found in the two vol- to the native plant gardening and ume FNA work, though all are Edible: An Illustrated Guide to landscaping literature of our area. greatly reduced in size. The man- the World’s Food Plants. Edited ual also has eliminated the de- by Josephine Bacon, et al. 2008. Other Recent Botanical scriptions of each species and the National Geographic Society, Titles: citations. True grass aficionados may be better served by the FNA Washington, DC. 360 pp. Scientists estimate that nearly Manual of Grasses for North volumes, but for a relatively port- able, one-volume treatment, the half of all the energy and protein America. Edited by Mary E. new Manual is a worthy additon to humans derive from food comes Barkworth, Laurel K. Anderton, the library. from just three plants: wheat, rice, Kathleen M. Capels, Sandy Long, and corn (maize). Yet perhaps and Michael Piep. 2007. Inter- National Wildlife Federation 80,000 of the 350,000 plant species estimated to occur worldwide are mountain Herbarium and Utah Field Guide to Trees of North State University Press, Logan, thought to be edible and nearly America. 2008. By Bruce 3000 species are regularly used by UT. 628 pp. Kershner, Daniel Mathews, Gil people across the globe. The new The grass family is one of the Nelson, and Richard Spellen- book Edible focuses on 450 of the most economically important and berg. Sterling Publishing Co., world‘s consumable fruits, nuts, species-rich plant families in North New York. 528 pp. grains, vegetables, spices, herbs, and America. Identifying the nearly The number, quality, and heft of beverage plants. Many are exotic 1400 native and introduced species popular field guides to natural his- species that will be unfamiliar to found on the continent can present a tory subjects has mushroomed in many American consumers (or at real challenge, as the diagnostic fea- the past 20 years (a welcome de- least won‘t show up at a generic su- tures of grass flowers and leaves are velopment to this confirmed bib- permarket with the iceberg lettuce often small or obscure and the ter- liophile). This new guide is similar and hard, pink squares marketed as minology used to describe them un- to the Peterson series in organizing ‗tomatoes‘). Each encyclopedia-like familiar and confusing. Manual of species by leaf shape and type entry addresses the historical ori- Grasses for North America, edited (rather than phylogenetically), but gins of the species as a food plant, by grass expert Mary Barkworth and differs in using color photographs how it can be prepared, and basic colleagues from the Intermountain of leaves, bark, flowers, and fruits botanical facts and lore and most Herbarium of Utah State University, rather than paintings or line draw- include an artful photograph. With is the most complete one-volume ings. The print quality of the pho- so many species to cover the individ- guide to this important group. Make tos is of high quality (better than ual entries are a little thin, but over- no mistake, the Manual is intended the comparable Audubon Society all the book attains its goal of as a technical treatment and is tree guides from the late 1970s) broadly describing the amazing di- geared for professional taxonomists and do an outstanding job of high- versity of plant life that feeds a hun- and advanced students with a work- lighting gry world. -Walter Fertig ing familiarity of botanical terminol-

11 Utah Native Plant Society

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