DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATIVE FLORA

Volume 18 No. 3 May 1998

NEXT CHAPTER MEETING

Wednesday, May 27, 7:00 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Independence which is on the corner of Washington and Center streets, one block west of the courthouse. John Karlick, from the Kern County Agricultural Extension Service will talk about “Principles of Xeriscape landscaping”. John has done a case study on typical mesic landscape plantings and “xeriscapes” for arid climates, and will discuss the principles and advantages of xeriscaping in our eastern Sierra climate.

NEXT CHAPTER BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Doris Fredendall’s residence in Big Pine. All chairpersons are welcome and encouraged to attend.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

As our president is busy surveying desert tortoise habitat, he has requested that everyone continue to enjoy the floristic wonders of this year and make sure to attend our annual Spring Sojourn event (May 15-17th). Other upcoming chapter events to keep in mind are the July Banquet on July 29th , and our annual native sale on September 12th . Also, if anyone is interested in leading a July field trip please contact field trip chairperson Mark Bagley with your ideas - we could use an extra trip that month. Thanks!

……..Anne Halford for El Presidente 2

UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS Bristlecone Chapter Plant Sale - Saturday, September 12th Sierra Spring Sojourn: May 15-17th. A weekend of field trips, camaraderie and The natives are restless - surging forth with eastern Sierra wonder. Evening programs all their vigorous growth. It should be a include the following highlights: Friday. banner sale with many native plant species Carla Scheidlinger, botanist and twelve year to choose from - so mark your calendars resident of the Owens Valley will give a NOW! But we need your help to make this presentation on Owens Valley water issues sale another success. Things people can with reference to the Ownes Dry Lake dust help with include; cashier, book/t-shirt sales, abatement controversy and the recently setting up, making plant labels, potting-up approved Inyo County-Los Angeles the , etc. No greenthumb required - Department of Water and Power water just your smile and enthusiasm. Please call agreement. Saturday. “California Public Karen Ferrell at 387-2913 to find out how Lands: Wild and Beautiful”, presented by you can help make this another great chapter Dr. Allen Schoenherr, Professor of Ecology event! at Fullerton College and author of “A Natural History of California (UC Press, 1982). CNPS Bristlecone Spring and Summer Chapter Field Trips Our Summer Banquet will be on th Wednesday, July 29 at Whiskey Creek in May 30, Saturday. Owens Valley Alkali Bishop. There will be a social gathering Meadows. Leader: Sally Manning. Meet with no-host bar at 5:30 p.m., and dinner at at 9:00 am at the Glacier View Campground, 6:30. This year's speaker is Dr. Dean Taylor, at the junction of Hwy. 395 and 168, just who is on the research staff at the Jepson north of Big Pine. Alkali meadows are fairly Herbarium. Dr. Taylor will give a diverse plant communities and relatively presentation entitled: uncommon habitats in the desert. The Owens Valley has a high proportion of Plant Exploration in California: The alkali meadows compared to many other Frontier is Still Here desert areas. Some of the unique plant species inhabiting these meadows should be Dr. Taylor will inspire us all to continue our in full bloom. We will visit several different botanical endeavors that may lead to new meadows in the northern Owens Valley. A discoveries! According to Dr. Taylor, high clearance vehicle is recommended. California botanists continue to discover Easy walking. new species at the same pace as in the Gold Rush and he will emphasize that contrary to June 13, Saturday. Lower Rock Creek expectations, the flora of California is as Gorge Area. Leaders: Steve Ingram and poorly documented as some tropical regions. Karen Ferrell. Meet at 9:00 am at the Dean feels the most exciting time in Paradise Restaurant. We will drive from California botany is not the horse and buggy Paradise up Lower Rock Creek road and days... IT IS NOW! walk around between the road and Lower Rock Creek Gorge. The area we'll explore is a diverse community of shrubs on Bishop Tuff with fantastic views all around. We

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should see 8 or 9 species of buckwheats hydroelectric power, but over the last few (Eriogonum spp.), purple sage (Salvia years regular flows have returned. In dorrii), desert paintbrush (Castilleja addition to looking at the diversity of plants angustifolia), and golden forget-me-not in these two habitats, we'll be looking at (Cryptantha confertiflora), among others. how the riparian area is recovering. High Easy walking. This half-day trip will clearance vehicles only. Moderate walking, disperse after lunch. crosscountry (no trails).

June 20-21, Sat.-Sun. Argus and Coso August 15-16, Sat.-Sun. Baboon Lakes, Mountains, Naval Air Warfare Station, . Leader: Anne Halford. China Lake. Leader: Dave Silverman. This will be an overnight trip to these alpine Meet at 9:30 am at China Lake. Take lakes above South Lake. The hiking will be advantage of this rare opportunity to visit moderate to strenuous and will traverse portions of the Argus and Coso ranges through wonderful flower-laden granite normally off-limits to the general public. benches. The overnight group size is limited We'll visit blackbush scrub, sagebrush scrub, so please contact Anne as soon as possible if Joshua tree woodland, and pinyon-juniper you are interested in participating (873- woodland habitats. The bloom should be 6714). More details will appear in the July great this year and we hope to find several newsletter. rare plants, including Astragalus atratus var. mensanus, Cordylanthus eremicus ssp. September 12, Saturday. Indigenous eremicus, Lupinus magnificus var. Utility Plants of the Owens Valley. glarecola, and Sclerocactus polyancistrus. Leader: Richard Stewart. Meet at 9:00 All participants must camp together at am at Mendenhall Park, Big Pine. A look at Birchum Springs on Saturday night, bring the plants that have provided food, all your water to this dry camp. For those medicine, fiber and other uses for the returning northward on Sunday, you will be indigenous peoples of the Owens Valley. able to exit the base near Darwin instead of Trip will focus on the Big Pine area, mostly driving back to China Lake. High clearance near the river. Easy walking. For more vehicles only. Advance reservations are information call Richard at 760-938-2684 or required by June 5th, limited to about 15 e-mail: [email protected]. people. Get more information or sign-up with Dave Silverman by calling 760-375- October 10, Saturday. Aspen Color and 4043 or e-mail: [email protected]. Carvings. Leader: Richard Potashin. Trip is subject to NAWS testing Look for details in the July newsletter. interruption. For all field trips, be sure to bring plenty of July 15, Wednesday. Birch Creek, west water, lunch, good walking shoes or boots, of the Buttermilks. Leader: Scott and appropriate clothing for hot sun or Hetzler. Meet at 9:00 am in the old Smart inclement weather. Also useful would be a and Final parking lot in Bishop (just behind, hand lens, binoculars, camera, floras, and ie. west of, Joseph's Market). Birch Creek plant lists. Trips will leave at the time has a Jeffery pine-willow-birch riparian announced, so please arrive at the meeting community surrounded by sagebrush scrub sites a few minutes early. Unless indicated, on the higher ground. In the past, the creek the average car should do fine. Car pooling was impacted by water diversions for is encouraged. Everyone is welcome, but

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please no pets. If you need more information afternoon shadows giving us another distinct contact Field Trip Chairperson Mark Bagley habitat rich in California primrose at 760-873-5326 or e-mail: (Oenothera californica ssp. avita) and lush [email protected]. bunches of Indian rice grass (Achnatherum hymenoides). Check out those unpretentious canyons wherever you go. There are FIELD TRIP REPORTS surprises awaiting the seeker!

Short Canyon Wildflower Show . . . . . Kathy Duvall

The sometimes forgotten Southern Sierra Panamint Mountains canyons west of Ridgecrest are alive and well this spring with a plethora of blooms. April 4-5, 1998 Joint trip with the Eastern On March 21st, plant enthusiasts from Sierra Audubon (see their newsletter for Bishop and Ridgecrest, led by Mark Bagley, birds). Led by Mark Bagley and Kathy could not stop marveling at the diversity, Duvall. colors and numbers of flowers flowing down the dry decomposed granite slopes of Short A vision of riches-beyond-belief has lured Canyon. treasure seekers to the for over a century. The 20 or so of us who Before arriving in the canyon, we stopped gathered the morning of April 4th were no for prolific hillside blooms of fern phacelia exception. The treasures we sought, (Phacelia distans) peppered with splashes of however, were not mineral, but biological California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) (and spiritual!). Surrounded by western and chia (Salvia columbariae). Hiking up history and an evocative landscape that the canyon, photo after photo captured beckoned the explorer in us all, we ventured natural gardens of Bigelow's into the westside canyons. (Coreopsis bigelovii), California poppy, popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys arizonicus), Our first stop was at Warm Sulfur Spring. bajada lupine (Lupinus concinnus), brown- This large BLM wetland, located, eyed evening primrose (Camissonia predictably, at the toe of the alluvial fan, claviformis) and desert paintbrush featured thick cushions of saltgrass (Castilljea angustifolia). (Distichlis spicata), Allenrolfea occidentalis, aromatic Anemopsis Other treats along the trail included blue californica, and honey and screw bean dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), pygmy mesquite (Prosopis stonecrop (Crassula erecta), evening snow glandulosa var. torreyana and P. pubescens, (Linanthus dichotomus), paperbag bush respectively). Some had mistletoe (Salazaria mexicana), and sandpaper plant (Phoradendron californicum). Red-eyed (Petalonyx thurberi). The species that stole Phainopeplas watched us from a safe our hearts, though, was the incredibly distance. beautiful deep blue Charlotte's phacelia (Phacelia nashiana) as it cascaded down From there we 4-wheeled up a canyon, then shallow drainages amid brilliant yellow hiked up the wash to Jackpot Springs. The coreopsis and golden California poppies. A canyon was ablaze with annuals. Aside last stop was made at a dune area with late from the boisterous Geraea canescens

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(desert gold), Eremalche rotundifolia (desert fivespot), and Phacelia calthafolia, CONSERVATION Mark pointed out some of the more reticent plants: Chaenactis carphoclinia, Eriogonum For those who care about the Eureka Valley trichopes, E. thomasii, Camissonia refracta, dunes you now have an opportunity to help Phacelia pachyphylla, and P. pedicellata. protect them and the three endemic plant Exotics at the mine claim included fig species which occur there. You may recall (Ficus carica) and pomegranate (Punica CNPS's efforts led by Mary DeDecker to granatum). protect these plants and the dunes from ORV activity several years ago and wonder We next ventured into the area south of why more work is needed. The reason is Happy Canyon. There, we saw Panamint that the dunes have changed jurisdiction. daisy ( covillei) scattered widely Under the California Desert Protection Act but consistently on the same soil type. This the dunes were transferred from BLM to population had been located when the area Death Valley National Park. The Park was being scouted for possible gold mine Service is currently attempting to develop a development. The group camped at Ballarat, management plan, in consultation with the where $1 buys you acres of flat open tent US Fish and Wildlife Service. sites near a wild-west cemetery. On Sunday morning, we drove to the wilderness One point of contention concerns activities boundary then hiked up Happy Canyon. to be allowed at the dunes. The Park Bird sightings included a B-2 (stealth) Service proposes to allow horseback riding bomber (a life-lister for many of us, but not and the (nascent) sport of sand-boarding. infrequent in the vicinity). The canyon While sand-boarding may seem like an idea seemed luxuriously wet and green for a low- whose time will never come, the same thing elevation desert canyon (blame El Nino). was said about snow-boarding until very We saw repeats from the previous day as recently, and the Eureka dunes are currently well as numerous barrel cactus (Ferocactus listed at a sand-boarding web site as one of cylidraceus), occasional Pleurocoronis the best places to practice the sport. Letters pluriseta (used to be Hofmeisteria), bright to the Park Superintendent urging him to be Camissonia cardiophylla (we think!), pro-active and prevent these activities cryptic Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. BEFORE plants are lost could have a big bipinnatifida, and one Salix laevigata (red impact. willow) occupied by a Ruby Crowned Kinglet under which we ate lunch. The fact that the Superintendent recently allowed known habitat in the park for a Indeed, our rugged neighbors, the Panamint federally listed bird species (Bell's vireo) to Mountains, contain riches. Perhaps the be destroyed further suggests that he needs Desert Protection Act now insures that the to be reminded of his obligation to "preserve treasures will remain in place for future and protect" the park's priceless resources. generations to experience. For more information about the Bell's vireo incident see the March-April 1998 issue of ……..Sally Manning the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society Newsletter and/or visit their ESA website at

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http://users.aol.com/ESASociety/2newsltr/w v16_4.htm Here is a list of topics to discuss regarding the project: Please send letters to: Mr. Richard Martin Superintendent, Death Valley National Park Impacts: Death Valley, CA 92328 • The Round Valley Mule Deer Herd - ……..Daniel Pritchett critical mule deer winter range. • The Big Horn Sheep project up in Pine Letters Needed for Development Issues in Creek Canyon and along Wheeler Crest. Inyo and Mono Counties • Effects on the Riparian Environmental Resource Area (listed in the General Pine Creek - Pacifica Development Corp. Plan). (Inyo County). Pacifica Development • Mountain Lion Habitat. from Costa Mesa is planning to build 362 • Cultural Resources. houses on 260 acres from Rovanna almost • Increased off-road vehicle use on public down to the Round Valley School. This lands adjacent to the project area that are project will significantly impact critical recovering from the 5,000 acre burn. mule deer winter range on a bitterbrush/sagebrush dominated site that is Alternatives a remnant fraction of their former habitat. A large portion of the Round Valley mule • Put limits on the number of houses to be deer herds’ habitat was destroyed by an built. Reduce the density and leave extensive burn in 1995 on the alluvial fans islands of native vegetation between of Mt. Tom. Where Pacifica plans to houses. develop is right along the lateral moraine • Provide ample and scientifically where the vegetation is still intact and deer developed wildlife migration corridors. are seen weekly here in the winter and early • Put limits on the location of where the spring. houses can be built. • No project. Not only will there be 362 houses but • Rezoning. Pacifica also plans on developing ranches, commercial development and highway Bodie RV Park (Mono County). Desert commercial and tourist services. The Inyo Survivors are urging CNPS members to County Planning Department and the address a proposed RV Park at the entrance County Commissioners need to hear our to the Bodie Hills, along Clearwater Ck. An opinions about this proposed development in Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has our rural open space. been prepared, but many feel the EIR does not adequately address impacts caused by Call the Planning Department and request a the project, especially with regard to copy of The Pine Creek Communities potential impacts to the stream channel and Development Project. The phone number is associated riparian habitat. Desert Survivors 872-2706. There is also a copy of the plan are considering an appeal of the Mono in the Bishop Library. Comments are due County EIR and are urging members to by May 11th. write letters to the county supervisors to

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either oppose the project, or ensure that it where our new memberships will be sent. will not impact Clearwater creek. Please note the new address which is P.O. Address letters to: Mono County Board of Box Drawer 989, Lone Pine, CA. 93526. Supervisors, POB 715, Bridgeport, CA This is the address of our Membership 93517 Chair. K.C. Wiley. Again, sorry if this has inconvenienced you. Thanks for your …….Betty Gilchrist, Kathy Duvall and patience. Anne Halford

Plant Riddle

In Fond Remembrance Arnie Peterson, acting botanist for Death Valley National Park sent me a request to Bristlecone Chapter Member Mary Alice try and identify a plant from a description in Hamilton died February 26th in San Diego of a book by John Southworth titled Death natural causes. Mrs. Hamilton was an avid Valley in 1948. In this book a plant was member of our chapter as well as the found near Indian Pass in the Funeral Eastern Sierra Audubon Society and the Mountains near a seep. Southworth noted Range of Light Chapter of the Sierra Club. that the “flower was 18 inches tall with 4 large rough leaves at the base, with a bare stem going straight up, then arching over, New Members with a tiara of tightly closed tulip shaped blossoms chocolate-burgundy in color. The Bristlecone Chapter Warmly Welcomes Below is an illustration the author made. If the Following New Members anyone knows what this plant is please let Arnie know by calling him at (760-786- Charlotte Goodson 3233 or e-mail:[email protected]. Ridgecrest

Kate Kindler Big Pine

Norma Kryder Bishop

Desi and Karen Zamudio Sparks, NV

Mailing Address Change for New Memberships

We offer our apologies to those new members who had not been receiving newsletters, etc. We have been in a bit of a transition here and have decided to change

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Next Newsletter Deadline: Friday, June 26th

THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY - Membership Application

The California Native Plant Society is an organization of lay persons and professionals united by an interest in the plants of California. It is open to all. The society, working through its local chapters, seeks to increase the understanding of California's native flora and to preserve this rich resource for future generations. Varied interests are represented.

Name P.O. Box or Street City State Zip Code Phone I wish to be affiliated with the Bristlecone Chapter . Other .

Membership Category Student/Retired/Limited Income $20.00 Individual or Library $35.00 International $35.00 Family or Group $45.00 Supporting $75.00 Plant Lover $100.00 Patron $250.00 Life $500.00 Benefactor $1,000.00 Corporate $1,000.00

Please make check payable to: The California Native Plant Society. Mail to: Bristlecone Chapter, CNPS. P.O. Box Drawer 989, Lone Pine, CA 93526.

Gift Contribution: Where most needed . Conservation .

THE BRISTLECONE CHAPTER NEWSLETTER comes out bimonthly. It is mailed free to members of the Bristlecone Chapter, CNPS. The subscription is $5.00 per year for others. Editor: Anne Halford.

California Native Plant Society Non-Profit Org. Bristlecone Chapter U.S. Postage P.O. Box Drawer 989 INDEPENDENCE Lone Pine, CA CALIF. 93526 93545 PERMIT NO. 7

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