Flora of the Whipple Mountains

Home , Aloysia wrightii, Androstephium, Berberis harrisoniana, Bouteloua trifida, Calamovilfa gigantea, Castela

$5.00 (Free to Members)

VOL. 35, NO. 1 • WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

FLORA OF THE WHIPPLE MOUNTAINS— THE “NOSE” OF CALIFORNIA INVASIVEINVASIVE PLANTSPLANTS IMPACTIMPACT TRADITIONALTRADITIONAL BASKETRY PLANTS NATIVE GRASSES IN THE GARDEN REMEMBERING GRADY WEBSTER

BUCKEYEVOLUME 35:1, AS WINTERBONSAI 2007 AN ORCHID IN SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FREMONTIA CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Phone: (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 VOL. 35, NO. 1, WINTER 2007 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2007 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Bart O’Brien, Editor Bob Hass, Copy Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,500 Family or Group ...... $75 Benefactor ...... $600 International ...... $75 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $300 Individual or Library ...... $45 Brad Jenkins, Jake Sigg, and Carol Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Witham, Proofreaders STAFF CHAPTER COUNCIL CALIFORNIA NATIVE Sacramento Office: Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart PLANT SOCIETY Executive Director . Amanda Jorgenson Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Sherryl Taylor Development Director/Finance Channel Islands ...... Lynne Kada Dedicated to the Preservation of Manager ...... Cari Porter the California Native Flora Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ Membership Assistant . . . . Christina Sonoma Coast) . . . . . Lori Hubbart The California Native Plant Society Neifer East Bay ...... Elaine P. Jackson (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman zation dedicated to increasing the un- At Large: Kern County ...... Lucy Clark derstanding and appreciation of Califor- Fremontia Editor . . . . . Bart O’Brien Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . nia’s native plants, and to preserving Betsey Landis them and their natural habitats for fu- Senior Conservation Botanist ...... Marin County ...... Bob Soost ture generations. position open Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . CNPS carries out its mission through Liz Parsons Rare Plant Botanist . . . . Kristi Lazar science, conservation advocacy, educa- Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas tion, and horticulture at the local, state, Senior Vegetation Ecologist . . . Julie Monterey Bay . . . . Rosemary Foster Mount Lassen ...... Catie Bishop and federal levels. It monitors rare and Evens endangered plants and habitats; acts to Napa Valley ...... Marcie Danner save endangered areas through public- Vegetation Ecologist . . . . Anne Klein North Coast ...... Larry Levine ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . North San Joaquin . . James Brugger action; provides expert testimony to Orange County ...... Sarah Jayne Lech Naumovich government bodies; supports the estab- Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . . . . lishment of native plant preserves; spon- Legislative Advocate . Vern Goehring Marie Bain Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . sors workdays to remove invasive plants; Legal Advisor ...... Sandy McCoy and offers a range of educational activi- Katie Barrows Sacramento Valley . . Diana Hickson ties including speaker programs, field Website Coordinator . . Mark Naftzger San Diego ...... Dave Flietner trips, native plant sales, horticultural CNPS Bulletin Editor ...... Bob Hass San Gabriel Mtns . . . Gabi McLean workshops, and demonstration gardens. San Luis Obispo . . . Lauren Brown Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sanhedrin (Ukiah) ...... Vishnu tional strength of CNPS has been its Santa Clara Valley . . . Judy Fenerty Brad Jenkins (President), Sue Britting dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities Santa Cruz County . . . . Brett Hall are organized at the local chapter level (Vice President), Steve Hartman (Trea- Sequoia (Fresno) . . . . . Peggy Jones where members’ varied interests influ- surer), Lynn Houser (Secretary). At Shasta . . . . . Susan Libonati-Barnes ence what is done. Volunteers from the Large: Charli Danielsen, Dave Flietner, Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute Diana Hickson, Arvind Kumar, David veras, Mariposa) . . . Patrick Stone in excess of 87,000 hours (equivalent South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... Magney, Spence McIntyre to 42 full-time employees). Barbara Sattler CNPS membership is open to all. Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan PROGRAM DIRECTORS Members receive the quarterly journal, Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- CNPS Press ...... Holly Forbes position open letin, and newsletters from their local and Gail Milliken Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . CNPS chapter. Mark Heath Conservation ...... position open Horticulture ...... Peigi Duvall MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by authors published Posters ...... Bertha McKinley CNPS members and others are wel- in this journal do not necessarily reflect and Wilma Follette come to contribute materials for publi- established policy or procedure of CNPS, cation in Fremontia. See the inside back Rare Plants ...... position open and their publication in this journal should cover for manuscript submission in- not be interpreted as an organizational Vegetation ...... Todd Keeler-Wolf structions. endorsement—in part or in whole—of their ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz

FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 CONTENTS

THE “NOSE” OF CALIFORNIA: AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STATE’S PLANT DIVERSITY by Sarah J. De Groot...... 3 The Whipple Mountains are the easternmost part of California. Surprisingly, this distinc- tive mountain range had not been the subject of a thorough botanical inventory until Sarah De Groot undertook the project for her recent Master’s thesis. In this article she shares some of her discoveries about unusual plants from the “nose” of California.

INVASIVE PLANTS IMPACT CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS USED IN TRADI- TIONAL BASKETRY by Jeanine M. Pfeiffer & Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz ...... 7 This innovative article connects the biological issue of invasive species to the cultural concerns of traditional basketry. Invasive plants are causing many problems affecting both production and producers of traditional baskets—from elimination of habitat for desirable plants to health problems for artisans caused by chemicals used to control weedy species.

NATIVE GRASSES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GARDENS by Barbara Eisenstein ...... 14 Interest in gardening with perennial grasses continues unabated. These grasses can and should be a part of all gardens as they bring movement, form, and texture to the landscape. The author-photographer of this issue’s photo-essay demonstrates the beauty and dynamic nature of these easily grown and essential components of Southern California gardens.

GRADY LINDER WEBSTER: 1927-2005 by Marcel Rejmánek ...... 16 Grady Webster was a prominent botanist at the University of California, Davis, for 39 years. He is widely known and published in botanical circles, particularly for his work with the Euphorbiaceae (including a highly regarded monograph of the genus Phyllanthus, and a realignment of the family into five subfamilies). Grady also inspired many students with his field-based California Floristics class.

GROWING NATIVES: CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE AS BONSAI by Elmer Grossman ...... 19 One might not expect that California buckeye would be a satisfactory bonsai subject, but the author shares his 40 years of experience with such a specimen. This discussion of such an unusual horticultural use of one of our native plants may lead others to further sharing and experimentation.

RE-VISITING THE “SPARKLERS” OF CORTE MADERA by Lucy A. Dueck ...20 The 1980 discovery of a disjunct population of Spiranthes porrifolia in San Diego County leads the author on a hunt to find these plants.

BOOKS BRIEFLY: WEEDS IN CALIFORNIA ...... 22 BOOK REVIEW ...... 23

THE COVER: A California barrel cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus) blooms brightly in front of the dark volcanic Savahia Peak, on the outwash plain southwest of the Whipple Mountains. Photograph by S. De Groot.

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 1 THE “NOSE” OF CALIFORNIA: AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STATE’S PLANT DIVERSITY by Sarah J. De Groot

ocated in southeast San Bernar- by steamboat, wrote, “Among the Mojave and Arizona Sonoran flo- dino County, on the eastern- group of fantastic peaks that sur- ristic regions, it is no surprise that most portion (“the nose”) of mount the chain is a slender and plants from all three floristic ele- California, the Whipple Moun- perfectly symmetrical spire that fur- ments are represented. In spite of Ltains are home to California’s larg- nishes a striking landmark, as it can this interesting biogeographic situ- est population of saguaro cactus be seen from a great way down the ation, few botanical collections had (Carnegiea gigantea; Brum 1973) and river in beautiful relief against the been made beyond roadside col- many other interesting plants (see sky” (Ives 1861, 55). This spire is lecting. Figure 1). The mountains range from presently called Monument Peak From this study, 383 different 102 to 1,259 meters (335 to 4,131 (see Figure 3). kinds of plants were recorded from feet) in elevation, and habitats in- The study area for this floristic the mountains. This included five clude windy ridges, washes, volca- project encompassed about 129,500 natural hybrids. Non-native plants nic bluffs, creosote bajadas or plains hectares (500 square miles), and comprised 11.5% of the total (44 (see Figure 2), and rocky canyons. included the main part of the range taxa), which reflects a number of Metamorphic, volcanic, and sedi- as well as plains around the moun- plants that have naturalized from mentary rocks of varying ages all tains. The range is situated in the the many human developments may be found in and around the northeastern corner of the Califor- along the river. The Whipple Moun- mountains. nia side of the Sonoran Desert flo- tains share many species with Lieutenant Amiel Weeks ristic region, with Mojave Desert Joshua Tree National Park (Steve Whipple, the mountains’ namesake, just north of the mountains and McLaughlin, personal communica- described the range as “a pile of Arizona Sonoran Desert right across tion). This is expected, since Joshua black mountains” (Whipple 1856, the Colorado River to the east Tree also spans the transition zone 109). Lt. Joseph Christmas Ives, (Shreve 1964; McLaughlin 1989, between the Sonoran and Mojave while exploring the Colorado River 1995). Given the proximity of the deserts in California. So why is the “nose” important Whipple Wash showing typical woody shrubs found in these deeper soils with slightly to the state’s plant diversity? Not more moisture. All photographs by the author. only are Mojave and Sonoran plants represented, but also some Arizona plants at the western edges of their ranges. Shreve (1964) noted that plant species differ between the east and west portions of the Sonoran Desert, primarily due to patterns of summer rainfall. Basically, some common Arizona plants don’t occur west of the Colorado River, except where California juts into Arizona (at “the nose”). The saguaro cactus is a good example—its California localities are in the Whipple Moun- tains and above Laguna Dam in Im- perial County, on another bulge into Arizona (perhaps California’s chin?). It is listed on the California Native Plant Society’s List 2, as are many other Arizona plants that just reach the eastern edge of California (Tibor 2001).

2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Mountains, it is restricted to washes and small drainages at higher elevations, generally above 914 meters (3,000 feet).

Androstephium breviflorum (Alliaceae, or Liliaceae sensu lato). Small-flowered androstephium. List 2. RED 3- 1-1. This plant is perennial from a bulb. It appears to be widespread, but infrequently encountered, and its distribution in California is known only from a few specimens (White et al. 1996). Only one collection was made in the Whipple Mountains CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Fig. 1. The location of the Whipple Mountains in southeastern California. • Fig. 3. Monument Peak. • Fig. 2. Creosote bush scrub on a bajada, with the Whipple Mountain range area, in the Copper Basin in the background. Dunes Off-Highway Ve- hicle Area in 2003. It was RARE SPECIES fornia. List 3 plants are ones about not rediscovered there in 2004 or which we need more information. 2005. The following is an alphabetical List 4 plants have limited distri- listing by genus of the 17 rare plants bution—we want to keep an eye on Bouteloua trifida (Poaceae). Red documented in the Whipple Moun- them (Tibor 2001). Higher RED grama. List 2. RED 3-1-1. A peren- tains, with some additional notes (rarity-endangerment-distribution) nial herb, occurring infrequently in about their distributions and habi- numbers indicate greater endanger- the eastern desert mountain ranges tats. Common names are those given ment or more restricted distribu- in California, but more common in the CNPS Inventory of Rare and tions. For a full description of RED in Arizona, Nevada, and Sonora, Endangered Plants in California numbers, refer to Tibor (2001). Mexico. Occasionally it may be en- (Tibor 2001). CNPS List 2 plants countered in large washes in the are rare, threatened, or endangered Aloysia wrightii (Verbenaceae). Whipples, although it is not abun- in California, but more common Oreganillo. List 4. RED 1-1-1. This dant where it occurs. elsewhere. These likely would have shrub is fairly widely distributed in- been federally or state listed if they side and outside of California, and Carnegiea gigantea (Cactaceae). did not also occur outside of Cali- is not endangered. In the Whipple Saguaro. List 2. RED 3-2-1. A com-

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 3 1. This shrub has tiny de- Cryptantha holoptera (Boragi- ciduous leaves and stiff, naceae). Winged cryptantha. List 4. thorn-tipped branches. It RED 1-1-2. Usually an annual herb has limited occurrences though sometimes a biennial or short- in California, but is fairly lived perennial, this cryptantha is dis- widespread outside the tributed throughout the southwest, state. Two small clumps but appears to be infrequent. It was (one with 11 plants) were rarely encountered in the Whipple noted in the Whipple Mountains, with three collections Mountains area, both in made entirely on the eastern side of open creosote flats along the range. One of these plants was Chemehuevi Wash, markedly woody at the base. north of the main part of the range (see Figure 5). Ditaxis clariana (Euphorbiaceae). Glandular ditaxis. List 2. RED 3-2- Cercidium microphyllum 1. A short-lived perennial herb, it is (Fabaceae). Little-leaved, restricted in its distribution in Cali- foothill, or yellow palo fornia, but more common elsewhere. verde. List 4. RED 1-1-1. Known from the Whipple Mountains A deciduous shrub or by a single collection made in 1980, small tree that is fairly in a wash near the Colorado River widely distributed out- on the southeast side of the range. side of California, within California it is found only Matelea parviflora (Apocynaceae along the Colorado River. sensu lato, or Asclepiadaceae). In the Whipple Moun- Spearleaf. List 2. RED 3-1-1. A twin- tains, it occurs only on ing perennial herb, rare in Califor- the eastern side of the nia, but common in other south- range, on foothill slopes western states. A single collection of or small washes (see Fig- it was made in the Whipple Moun- ure 4). Recently this spe- tains, on a steep north-facing slope cies was transferred to around 793 meters (2600 feet) eleva- Parkinsonia microphylla tion, where it was twining through (Haston et al. 2005). an Ephedra shrub. mon columnar cactus in Arizona and Sonora, but restricted to two verified localities in California, the Whipple Mountains and the Laguna Dam area of Imperial County. C.B. Wolf noted about 40 cacti five miles above Laguna Dam in 1931, while Brum (1973) counted over 100 in six square miles in the Whipple Mountains. The cactus is restricted to the eastern slopes of the Whipple range (see Figure 4).

Castela emoryi (Simaroubaceae). Crucifixion thorn. List 2. RED 2-1-

Fig. 4 (ABOVE). Saguaro and foothill palo verde association in the eastern foothills of the Whipple Mountains. • Fig. 5 (RIGHT). Crucifixion thorn colony in Chemehuevi Wash.

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Opuntia wigginsii (Cactaceae). Shrub live oak. List 4. RED 1-1-1. Wiggins’s cholla. List 3. RED 3-1-2. Although the CNPS Inventory states Rarely reported in California, this that this evergreen shrub is “known succulent may be a sporadic hybrid in California only from the New York between Opuntia ramosissima and Mountains” (Tibor 2001:261), it was Opuntia echinocarpa. The collections also collected in the Whipple Moun- from the Whipples are all juvenile tains during this study. It is fairly plants, with features intermediate common in the southwest U.S., but between these two species. However, is restricted to higher elevations of in the recent treatment for the Flora desert mountains. In the Whipples, of North America, Pinkava (2004) it is found only on north-facing says that O. wigginsii is simply a slopes above 914 meters (3,000 feet), dwarf form of O. echinocarpa. Chol- and generally in rocky chutes. las are now treated as Cylindropuntia (Pinkava 2004). Senna covesii (Fabaceae). Coues’ senna. List 2. RED 2-2-1. This pe- Pholistoma auritum var. arizonicum rennial herb (or subshrub) has lim- (Hydrophyllaceae). Arizona pholi- ited occurrences in California, but stoma. List 2. RED 3-1-1. The only is more common in Arizona, Ne- documented California location of vada, and Baja California. In the this annual herb is the Whipple Whipple Mountains, it occurs in Mountains (Tibor 2001), although patches on ridges and along washes it also occurs in Arizona, Baja Cali- at higher elevations, generally above fornia, and Sonora, Mexico. It is scat- 914 meters (3,000 feet). Seeds do tered throughout the mountains, wash downstream, however, and generally in washes, but occurs in- waif plants have been found at lower frequently. elevations. This plant was named for Dr. Elliot Coues (Gray 1897, Proboscidea althaefolia (Martyn- 399); common names including the iaceae). Desert unicorn-plant. List word “Coves” are in error. 4. RED 1-1-1. This perennial herb is not particularly restricted or rare, Tetracoccus hallii (Euphorbiaceae). but simply infrequently encoun- Hall’s tetracoccus. List 4. RED 1-1- tered. It occurs in most southwest- 1. A fairly widespread deciduous ern states and northwest Mexico. In shrub, but in the Whipple Moun- the Whipples, a few plants were tains it occurs in patches of just a found in Chemehuevi Wash. few individuals. Usually they are encountered in rocky washes where Psorothamnus fremontii var. atten- the bajada meets the mountains. uatus (Fabaceae). Narrow-leaved psorothamnus. List 2. RED 2-1-1. Teucrium glandulosum (Lamiaceae). Although this shrub is also found in Sticky germander. List 2. RED 3-1- Arizona and Nevada, it is known in 1. Although also encountered in Ari- California only from the Whipple zona and Baja California, the Cali- Mountains (Tibor 2001). Farther fornia distribution of this stolonif- Fig. 6 (TOP). Kofa Mountain barberry west, it is replaced by var. fremontii. erous perennial herb (or subshrub) (Berberis harrisoniana), with immature It is scattered around the mountains, is restricted to the Whipple Moun- fruit. • Fig. 7 (BOTTOM). Barestem larkspur and generally occurs in small patches tains (Tibor 2001). It was recorded (Delphinium scaposum). on slopes or benches above washes. only from the eastern portion of the The fruit is foul-smelling and with- range in steep, rocky drainages gen- tains may warrant particular con- out large prominent glands, like P. erally above 305 meters (1,000 feet) servation attention—Chemehuevi fremontii var. fremontii (Jim Adams, elevation. Wash, for example, was the only personal communication). Whipple Mountains location of two Based on ranges given above, CNPS listed taxa (Castela, Probo- Quercus turbinella (Fagaceae). certain places in the Whipple Moun- scidea). Copper Basin Dunes OHV

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 5 area was the only collection locality Groot 2005). In the Whipples, it is ogy and establishment in marginal of Androstephium breviflorum, whose often associated with silver worm- populations. Madroño 22:195–204. distribution in California is known wood (Artemisia ludoviciana). De Groot, S.J. 2005. Noteworthy col- from just a few specimens (White et lection–California. Madroño 52:125– al. 1996). All collections of these The Whipple Mountains have a 126. Gray, A. 1867. Characters of new plants were reported to the Califor- unique flora, with elements from plants of California and elsewhere, nia Natural Diversity Database. both the Sonoran and Mojave principally those collected by H.N. Deserts, and a number of Arizona Bolander in the state geological sur- NEW TO CALIFORNIA plants at the edges of their ranges. vey. Proceedings of the American The 383 taxa documented in this Academy of Arts and Sciences 7: Three species previously unre- study show that A.W. Whipple’s 327–401. ported in California were docu- “pile of black mountains” (Whipple Haston, E.M., G.P. Lewis, and J.A. mented in the Whipple Mountains 1856,109) is not just a bare pile of Hawkins. 2005. A phylogenetic re- during this study. The discovery of rock. This “nose” is the only Cali- appraisal of the Peltophorum group these species amply demonstrates fornia location of some interesting (Caesalpinieae: Leguminosae) based the need and value of continued bo- Sonoran desert plants, and makes on the chloroplast trnL-F, rbcL and rps16 sequence data. American Jour- tanical exploration: an important contribution to the nal of Botany 92:1359–1371. state’s plant diversity. Ives, J.C. 1861. Report upon the Colo- Berberis harrisoniana (Berberida- rado River of the West. Government ceae). Kofa Mountain barberry. Re- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Printing Office, Washington, DC. cently added to List 1B. This shrub McLaughlin, S.P. 1989. Natural floris- was collected from one locality in Thanks to J. Mark Porter, Clem- tic areas of the western United States. the northeast part of the range. This ent W. Hamilton, J. Travis Colum- Journal of Biogeography 16:239–248. plant was thought endemic to Ari- bus, Steve Boyd, and Gary Wallace _____. 1995. Floristic relationships of zona until it was discovered in the for helpful advice and discussion. the eastern Mojave Desert: A quan- Whipple Mountains in 2001 (Ander- Permission to collect plants in the titative analysis of local floras. son and De Groot 2004). It is found area was granted by the Bureau of Crossosoma 21:57–74. Pinkava, D.J. 2004. Cylindropuntia, pp. only in narrow canyons and rocky Land Management, San Bernardino 103–118 in FNA Editorial Commit- north-facing chutes, where it re- County USDA, Metropolitan Water tee (eds.), Flora of North America ceives very little direct sunlight (see District of Southern California, North of Mexico, Vol. 4. Oxford Uni- Figure 6). Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, and Colo- versity Press, New York. rado River Indian Tribes. I am grate- Shreve, F. 1964. Vegetation of the Delphinium scaposum (Ranuncula- ful to many others who provided field Sonoran Desert, pp. 1–186 in F. ceae). Barestem larkspur. Recently assistance during the study, and to Shreve and I.L. Wiggins (eds.), Veg- added to List 2. This herbaceous the curators and staff at the follow- etation and flora of the Sonoran Desert, perennial had not been reported ing herbaria: University of California Vol. 1. Stanford University Press, from California, although it is wide- Berkeley (UC/JEPS), California Acad- Stanford, CA. spread in Arizona, Colorado, Ne- emy of Sciences (CAS), University of Tibor, D.P., ed. 2001. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, vada, New Mexico, Utah, and California Riverside (UCR), Univer- 6th ed. California Native Plant Soci- Sonora, Mexico. It is sparsely dis- sity of Arizona Tucson (ARIZ), and ety, Sacramento, CA. tributed throughout the mountains, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Whipple, A.W. 1856. Part 1: Itinerary, and not found in large numbers (De (RSA/POM). Funding was provided pp. 1–136 in Report of explorations Groot 2005). Typically, it grows on by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gar- for a railway route, near the thirty- slopes and banks at the edges of den, the Southern California Bota- fifth parallel of north latitude, from rocky washes (see Figure 7). nists, and the California Native Plant the Mississippi River to the Pacific Society. A full report of the flora of Ocean. Pacific Railroad Reports, Vol. Erigeron oxyphyllus (Asteraceae). the Whipple Mountains has been sub- 3. A.O.P. Nicholson, Washington, Wand fleabane. Recently added to mitted to the journal Aliso. DC. List 2. Scattered on rocky hillsides White, S., A. Sanders, and M. Wilcox. 1996. Noteworthy collection. Ma- and in washes, generally above 914 REFERENCES droño 43(2):334–335. meters (3,000 feet), this unusual Anderson, J., and S.J. De Groot. 2004. fleabane was also newly found in Noteworthy collection–California. Sarah J. De Groot, Rancho Santa Ana California. Previously it had been Madroño 51:395. Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Avenue, collected sporadically in southwest Brum, G.D. 1973. Ecology of the sa- Claremont, California 91711. sarah. Arizona and Sonora, Mexico (De guaro (Carnegiea gigantea): Phenol- [email protected]

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Fig. 1. Traditional woven fish traps along riverbank invaded by Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus). Photograph by K. Noorgard. INVASIVE PLANTS IMPACT CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL BASKETRY by Jeanine M. Pfeiffer & Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz

alifornia’s enormous bio- cal diversity and its indigenous cul- sacred landscapes, displacing native logical and cultural diver- tural diversity of nature-based tradi- plants in traditional gathering sites, sity is represented by a tional knowledge and practices. Most and stunting or reducing native plant wide range of ecoregions studies of invasive plant species fo- growth or development. For ex- Ccontaining over 5,000 native plant cus on the biological, genetic, physi- ample, the spread of introduced species, and by hundreds of Native ological, or ecological impacts on tamarisks, or salt cedars (Tamarix American groups with living cul- native species. This study links bio- spp.)—plants with a strong ability tural traditions involving native logical impacts with cultural impacts to uptake large quantities of ground biota. During the past century, by looking at how invasive plants water in arid habitats of the South- California’s biocultural diversity has affect culturally important native western United States—has caused been severely threatened as native plants, and the Native traditions significant losses of culturally im- ecosystems—homes to native spe- associated with those plants. portant native plants, including cot- cies and Native peoples—have been tonwoods (Populus fremontii) and subjected to agricultural and urban THREATS TO CULTURALLY willows (Salix spp.) through water development, habitat destruction, IMPORTANT NATIVES deprivation. On Hopi lands, tama- and biological invasions. risk invasions are such a serious Invasive plant species permeate Invasive plants reduce the abun- threat to species of cultural and both ecological and cultural land- dance and health of culturally im- ceremonial importance that elders scapes, affecting California’s biologi- portant native plants by invading are supervising the uprooting and

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 7 In current times, expressions of Native cultural diversity linked to native plants include specialized linguistic terminology, historical methods of food collection and preparation, festivals for wild-harvested plants, and storytelling, dances, ceremonial regalia, healing rituals, and traditional handicrafts based on native flora. Perhaps the most well-known use of plants by the First Peoples of California are traditional twined and coiled baskets (see Figure 2), made from the shoots, stems, bark, fibers, and roots of native plants such as cottonwoods, willows, sedges (Carex spp.), red- Diagram showing the connections between biological diversity (native plants) and cultural buds (Cercis occidentalis), deer- diversity (plant-based basketry traditions). grasses (Muhlenbergia rigens), tules (Scirpus spp.), hazelnuts (Corylus replanting of plants such as sand tices are not passed on to younger cornuta var. californica), and cattails reed (Calamovilfa gigantea), willow, generations. In California, tradi- (Typha spp.), along with many other and yucca closer to reservation lands tional basketry using native plants grasses, herbs, ferns, rushes, shrubs, where they can be better conserved is one of the most prominent con- and trees. In addition, dozens of (Salmon 2003). served Native cultural practices. plant species are used to weave and Invasive plants restrict human Basketweavers explicitly use native dye Native baskets (Moser 1989, access to native plants by creating a plant materials and ancestral tech- Strike 1994, Bibby 1996, Moerman physical barrier of thorns or stinging niques in traditional basketry in an 1998, Dalrymple 2000). spines, or a chemical barrier from integrated approach to conserving In honor of their ancestors, and herbicides used in invasive species their history and culture. Yet the cognizant of their responsibility to control programs. The widespread preservation, revitalization, and ex- carry on family and tribal traditions, use of herbicides against invasive spe- pansion of basketweaving amongst today’s California Native basket- cies on public and private lands in California’s indigenous groups has weavers closely replicate the native California, and the spread of herbi- been subject to many stressors, in- plant materials, ancestral patterns, cide residue to native species used as cluding the basic need to obtain the and natural dyes used historically in food, animal feed, fiber, medicine, requisite raw materials for weaving. baskets woven for gathering, stor- and in rituals, also restricts human As Bibby (1996) notes, “Several com- age, sifting, cooking, carrying wa- access to native plants and disrupts munity weaving traditions may have ter, cradling infants, and ceremo- cultural practices (O’Malley 2002, been lost due to difficulty in obtain- nial purposes. Following the inva- CIBA 2004). For example, on Yurok ing weaving materials.” In this study, sions of Spanish, Russian, and Euro- and Karuk lands in the Klamath For- we discuss how invasive plants are American explorers, missionaries, est, herbicide use by the US Forest directly and indirectly connected to and settlers in California, Native Service has led to numerous serious stressors impacting biological diver- tribes incorporated introduced non- health concerns, threatening tradi- sity (native plants) and cultural di- native, invasive plants such as oats tional gathering of native plants versity (plant-based traditions) in (Avena fatua), ripgut brome (Bromus (Peña 2002, MacKenzie 2003). California. diandrus), and Himalayan blackberry When native people have a hard (Rubus armeniacus)1 into their food time accessing and collecting cul- NATIVE PLANTS’ and medicinal practices (see Figure turally important plants, the chal- CONNECTION TO 3), but generally not into basketry lenges they face in maintaining their CULTURAL DIVERSITY traditions (Strike 1994, Moerman traditions are multiplied. Loss of cultural diversity occurs when impor- California’s Native communities 1 The Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeni- tant family traditions, such as bas- are renowned for their extensive acus) is non-native and invasive. The edible ket weaving, traditional knowledge knowledge of native plants (Heizer California native blackberry (Rubus ursinus) of local plants, and land care prac- and Elsasser 1980, Anderson 2005). is used both medicinally and as food.

8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 1998). Non-native materials are re- ketry is part of our life, it’s our his- tional plant materials? Our results— stricted to “fancy” baskets for per- tory. After we’re gone, it’s going to based on a pilot study among a small sonal decoration and gifts, commer- be here for our future generations” group of basketweavers—represent cial sale, or medicinal ceremonies (CIBA 2002b). a first step in understanding how where beads and bird feathers are invasive plants affect native tradi- used. FOCUS OF PILOT STUDY tions, rather than an extensive in- Native basketry begins with pro- ventory of invasive plant distribu- tecting and tending one’s gathering Our study investigated the fol- tion and cultural impacts through- sites, and extends through to the lowing questions: Which native out the State of California. weaving, coloring, and patterning plants used in basketry are impacted Our study involved a three-part of each basket. Following the estab- by invasive species? What types of survey, containing multiple-choice, lishment of the California Indian impacts do invasive plants have on fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended Basketweavers Association (CIBA) native plants and gathering sites? questions, administered in 30–60 in 1992, there has been an increase What are the major problems faced minute interviews during March in basketry apprenticeships, classes, by basketweavers in gathering tradi- and June 2004. Survey respondents conferences, and museum exhibits were randomly chosen from bas- throughout the State. Native basketweavers attending ethnobiology ketry is a sophisticated combina- and basketry conferences in north- tion of ancestral traditions and ex- ern California. The 23 respondents pert knowledge of plant biology, (21 women and 2 men) were from landscape ecology, tribal history, 14 of the 58 Californian counties and the arts, and plays a key role in and 16 tribes. They represented a maintaining California tribal cul- range of ages, basketry apprentice- ture. According to Jane Dumas, a ship training, levels of basketry Kumeyaay basketweaver, “. . . bas- expertise, years of basket weaving

Fig. 2. Tule basket (ABOVE). Photograph by J.M. Pfeiffer. • Fig. 3. Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) invading ceremonial site (BELOW). Photograph by K. Noorgard.

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 9 sites maintained by the basketweavers’ ancestors for centuries (Ortiz 1993a, Fulkerson 1995). Gathering sites are man- aged through burning, weeding, tilling, and de- bris removal. This en- ables basketweavers to return to the same sites year after year to gather sufficient amounts of high-quality weaving material (Anderson 2005). Basketweavers search for material that is healthy (free from pests, disease, and herbicide residues), strong, straight, supple, and of the right shade or color. Many plant types gathered by basket- Fig. 4. Starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) invading oak woodland and grassland habitats. Photograph by weavers require contin- J. DiTomaso. ued onsite care (pruning, burning, thinning, experience, mobility, occupations, ference proceedings.2 Our review selection) to produce the desired and geographic residences. covered Native basketry, culturally quality of plant material. This is true The basketweavers we inter- important native plants, invasive for willow, hazelnut, and redbud, viewed also differed by the types of plants, and invasive species control where pruning and coppicing (cut- habitats they visited to collect plants, efforts in order to provide a broad ting stems close to the ground) en- the types of plant materials they context for our findings.3 We dis- courages long, straight shoots; for used, and the types of baskets they covered widespread tribal concern deergrass and deerbrush (Ceanothus wove. Included in the survey were about invasive species, and substan- spp.) that are burned to produce tall, some of the most respected and ex- tive interagency efforts to combat supple new shoots; for white root pert basketweavers in California, invasive plants on tribal lands and (Carex barbarae) that is thinned to who travel far and wide to collect gathering sites throughout northern yield longer, straighter roots; and their material. and southern California and the for other sedges that are selected for Our data analysis was accompa- American Southwest. longer lengths between root nodes nied by an extensive literature re- (Ortiz 1993a, Strike 1994, Stevens view of scientific articles, books, LAND MANAGEMENT ON 1999, Anderson 2005). video recordings, and unpublished GATHERING SITES Most plant material used in bas- literature, including government ketry is processed by stripping, de- documents, society reports, tribal Traditional basketry is a physi- barking, soaking, drying, dyeing, or newsletters, Native American news- cal, cultural, and spiritual practice. division before it can be woven magazines, government documents, Plant material is gathered carefully, (Moser 1989). Because the act of local county newspapers, conserva- thankfully, and reverently at spe- preparing basketry materials is also tion organization reports, and con- cific times of the year, often from a culturally important tradition, Native basketweavers use their mouths and hands to process the 2 Due to editorial restrictions, only a small portion of our literary references are contained in this plant material, instead of relying on article. For a more comprehensive listing of relevant texts, contact the first author directly. automated or chemical methods. 3 We reviewed texts located through University of California electronic databases (MELVYL, While building the basket, weavers BIOSIS, Web of Science, JSTOR, and Pro-Cite, among others), Internet searches (Google), and keep in mind not only the intended collegial recommendations during February 2002–November 2004. use, but also their own spiritual and

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 emotional input while weaving, and rattles, infant cradleboards, and are careful to avoid weaving during medicine baskets. periods of physical or emotional in- Starthistle and Scotch broom tensity, illness, or pain. Traditional were the most frequently mentioned or historical baskets are cherished, invasive plants by the basketweavers and are considered to have a physi- interviewed in our survey, primarily cal and spiritual connection with affecting redbud and deergrass. the people who make them and the Starthistle invasions were reported people who receive them (Ortiz in gathering sites throughout north- 1993a). ern California, especially at lower elevations. The sharp spines on its DAMAGE CAUSED BY main flowerhead and side stems of INVASIVE PLANTS starthistle (see Figures 5 and 6) make it an effective barrier to gathering Invasive plants affect native bas- basketry plants. Knapweed (Centau- ketry plants and traditions in six rea repens) and Himalayan black- major ways: 1) invasive species such berry, plants that thrive in wetter as starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) environments, were reported as and Scotch broom (Cytisus scopar- having the highest ius) displace native basketry plants impact on riverside such as redbud and deergrass at gath- species such as willow ering sites; 2) invasive plants with and giant chain fern spines and thorns (such as star- (Woodwardia fimbri- thistle, cocklebur (Xanthium stru- ata), according to bas- marium), and stinging nettle (Urtica ketweavers from tribes dioica ssp. gracilis)) present a physi- living in heavily for- cal barrier to collecting native bas- ested and well-watered ketry plants—a serious concern as areas such as the Kla- most expert basketweavers are 60– math, Sierra, and 90 years old; 3) large populations of Yosemite regions. invasive plants change plant com- Overgrown blackberry munity composition, affecting en- patches block access to tire habitats or landscapes by alter- creeks, and the US ing the character of sacred sites (see Forest Service practice Figure 4); 4) herbicide spread to of using aerial herbi- native plants negatively affects the cide sprays to control Fig. 5. Starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) head showing spines quality of basketry materials by knapweed has made (TOP). • Fig. 6. An entire plant of starthistle (Centaurea sol- stunting native plant growth and basketweavers collect- stitialis). Photographs by J. DiTomaso. causing physical deformities; 5) her- ing in northern Cali- bicide spread (from chemicals used fornia forests wary of sites exposed respondents included: 1) health is- to control invasive plants) onto na- to herbicides. Perennial pepper- sues related to herbicide exposure tive plants leads to chronic expo- grass (Lepidium latifolium) is also and difficulties in obtaining accu- sure to toxic substances by basket- invading riparian habitat where rate information in order to avoid weavers collecting in sprayed areas; sedge beds are established, and sting- collecting in sprayed sites; 2) in- and 6) uncertainty about the health ing nettle and Bermuda grass (Cy- creased scarcity of basketry plant of native plants growing in areas nodon dactylon) were also reported material; 3) communication and bu- invaded by non-native plants (which as having invaded sedge collecting reaucratic barriers to gaining per- may have been sprayed with herbi- areas. mission to collect basketry materi- cides) is a deterrent to collection by Basketweavers working to prac- als on public and private lands; and basketweavers concerned for their tice, disseminate, and maintain cul- 4) frustration in their inability to personal health or for the health of tural traditions face a wide range of practice traditional plant and land the persons using their woven cre- obstacles beyond the presence of in- management traditions to improve ations. This is especially true of crafts vasive species. Larger issues faced the density, abundance, growth pat- intended for potentially vulnerable by Native basketweavers that were terns, and quality of basketry plants recipients, such as woven baby repeatedly mentioned by our survey in gathering areas.

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 11 HARMFUL EFFECTS OF especially on aquatic species in ar- sites, decrease pesticide use (or at HERBICIDE USE eas exposed to herbicide residue the very least, consistently inform and run-off (Ortiz 1993b, O’Malley basketweavers of pesticide use in Of the invasive species impact- 2002). “[Basketweavers] viewed the the area), and promote traditional ing native basketry plants, unregulated herbicide contamina- land management practices in starthistle is perhaps the most per- tion of culturally important plants Humboldt, Plumas, Sacramento, nicious. A highly invasive and de- and wildlife as a distinct threat to Tehama, and Tulare counties. structive weed—recorded as caus- Native American gatherers and the After decades of eliminating or ing over $30 million in damages to continued productive use of the suppressing Native American tra- California agriculture (Dudley materials and wildlife…” (Indian ditional land management practices 2000)—it is one of the most tar- Country Communications 1995). that promoted culturally important geted species by state and federal Herbicide residues have been found species such as fire—which was noxious weed control such as the on basketry plants for up to 80 used to enhance the growth of many US Forest Service and National weeks following spraying (Califor- native plant species (Anderson Parks Service (Cal-IPC 2004). Gov- nia EPA-DPR 1999). Nearby in Ne- 2005)—state agencies are now ex- ernment agencies’ reliance on her- vada, Washoe, Shoshone, and perimenting with restoring tradi- bicides to control invasive plant spe- Paiute basketweavers report that tional burning regimes. Fire sup- cies such as starthistle and knap- basketry plants exposed to herbi- pression has contributed to the weed present on public lands re- cides are killed off, or if partially invasion of non-native species in sults in spraying sites frequently killed, remain deformed and brittle, California grasslands (such as the overlapping with gathering sites. As and with twisted shoots and rotten rapid takeover by starthistle). How- many basketweavers rely on gath- pith. These weavers report that her- ever, burning can simultaneously ering materials wherever they can bicides contribute to increased scar- control invasive plants and promote find them (in primary and second- city of plants such as willow the growth of native plants while ary forests, riparian corridors, chap- (Fulkerson 1995, Dalrymple 2000), helping to conserve associated cul- arrals, grasslands, and often along a concern echoed by our survey tural traditions (DiTomaso et al. roadsides), the possibility that those respondents. 1999). sites have been recently sprayed Californian government agencies with toxic herbicides is of great con- ALTERNATIVE LAND from Six Rivers National Forest, Si- cern, and an impediment to gather- MANAGEMENT REGIMES erra National Forest, Tahoe National ing native plant material. Forest, and Shasta-Trinity National The use of toxic herbicides on Most basketweavers advocate a Forest (among others) are involved invasive plants is vigorously opposed more proactive, preventative, and in collaborative restoration and in- by traditional basketweavers for sev- integrated stance towards invasive vasive plant control programs with eral reasons. First, basketweavers plant control. They recommend local tribes. These cooperative ef- can be exposed to herbicide residue maintaining intact, healthy ecosys- forts involve a combination of strat- over years or decades while repeat- tems to protect gathering sites from egies including burning, propaga- edly gathering or processing plant invasion, reintroducing natural his- tion, and replanting to promote na- materials with their mouths and torical disturbance regimes, restor- tive plants used in basketry, includ- hands. Many basketweavers have ing native plant populations, pro- ing beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax), experienced symptoms of both acute tecting native plant competitors of deergrass, and hazelnut. Resource and chronic exposure to herbicides, invasive species, and using mechani- managers in Redwood National Park including headaches, weakness, nau- cal (instead of chemical) means to are reintroducing historical burning sea, numbness, oral lesions, and control invasive species (CIBA regimes to “improve native plant es- mouth cancer. Second, spraying her- 2002a).4 Basketweavers in our study tablishment and diversification” and bicides on gathering sites that Na- cited positive examples of collabo- avoid “the loss of significant cul- tive people view as sacred, ceremo- rative efforts with the US Forest Ser- tural resources” (Underwood et al. nial, or of sentimental importance vice to increase access to collection 2003). In the Klamath region, the is considered comparable to dump- ing hazardous wastes on church grounds. 4 CIBA’s policy statement on the control of non-native invasive plants as part of their resource Third, basketweavers are con- protection program includes a call to “halt the use of pesticides on public lands and in other areas where they affect native basketweavers and gatherers; advocate for alternatives to cerned about the long-term effects pesticides; protect and enhance plant and animal resources used by basketweavers and of herbicide contamination on hu- gatherers; [and] preserve and expand free unrestricted access to, and stewardship of, gathering mans, soils, plants, and wildlife, and sites by basketweavers (CIBA 2002a).

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Salmon River Restoration Council REFERENCES Moerman, D.E. 1998. Native American (SRRC) has worked collaboratively Ethnobotany. Portland, OR: Timber with local tribal residents and other Anderson, M.K. 2005. Tending the Wild. Press. resource users for over a decade to University of California Press, Ber- Moser, C.L. 1989. American Indian Bas- remove invasive plants in the Salmon keley. ketry of Northern California. River- Bibby, B. 1996. The Fine Art of Cali- River watershed using non-toxic side, CA: Riverside Museum Press. fornian Basketry. Sacramento, CA: O’Malley, M. 2002. Recognizing illnesses methods, and has succeeded in sig- Crocker Art Museum. nificantly reducing knapweed popu- related to forestry herbicides. Sacra- California EPA-DPR. 1999. Residues of mento, CA: California Department lations and maintaining them at low forestry herbicides in plants of inter- of Herbicide Regulation. levels (SRRC 2006). est to California tribes. California En- Ortiz, B. 1993a. Contemporary Cali- Biological invasions can drasti- vironmental Protection Agency, De- fornia Indian basketweavers and cally and irrevocably alter natural partment of Herbicide Regulation, the environment. In Before the Wil- and cultural landscapes. Conserva- Environmental Monitoring and Pest derness: Environmental Manage- tion programs that replicate Native Management Branch, Sacramento, ment by Native Californians, eds. land management practices in col- CA. T.C. Blackburn and K. Anderson, laboration with tribal communities Cal-IPC. 2004. The Cal-IPC list: Exotic 195–211. Menlo Park, CA: Ballena pest plants of greatest ecological con- can protect both biological and cul- Press. cern in California. Berkeley, CA: Cali- Ortiz, B. 1993b. Herbicides and Bas- tural diversity by decreasing inva- fornia Invasive Plant Council. Ac- sive species and increasing total plant ketry. News from Native California cessed at: http://www.cal-ipc.org. 7(3):7–10. diversity, while simultaneously sup- CIBA. 2002a. CIBA Policy on control of Peña, L. 2002. Chemical forestry porting traditional cultural practices. non-native invasive plants. Policy Pa- threatens tradition and health on the Understanding the cultural context per, April 2002. Grass Valley, CA: Yurok reservation. News from Native of invasive plant impacts, and spe- California Indian Basketweavers California 16(1):16–18. cifically how the introduction, Association. Salmon, E. 2003. Bringing the clouds spread, and attempts at control of CIBA. 2002b. 2002 CIBA Gathering home: The Hopi plant redistribution invasive plants affect culturally im- opening circle comments. Roots and project. Presentation at the 26th So- portant native plants, habitats, land- Shoots Newsletter 39:7. ciety of Ethnobiology Conference, CIBA. 2004. Statewide herbicide use scapes, and the traditional gather- March 26–29, 2003, University of report. Roots and Shoots Newsletter Washington, Seattle. ers and caretakers of this native 42:10. biodiversity, can help us develop Salmon River Restoration Council Dalrymple, L. 2000. Indian Basketmak- (SRRC). 2006. Noxious weed man- better integrated ways of dealing ers of California and the Great Basin. agement program. Accessed at http:/ with invasive species. The achieve- Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico /www.srrc.org/ ments of community-based, inter- Press. Stevens, M. 1999. The ethnoecology agency programs such as the ones DiTomaso, J.M., G.B. Kyser, and M.S. and autecology of white root (Carex described in this article serve as a Hastings. 1999. Prescribed burning barbarae Dewey): Implications for reminder of our collective responsi- for control of yellow starthistle (Cen- restoration. Unpublished Ph.D. dis- bility and power to conserve bio- taurea solstitialis) and enhanced na- sertation, University of California, tive plant diversity. Weed Science 47: cultural diversity. Davis. 233–242. Strike, S.S. 1994. Ethnobotany of the Dudley, D.R. 2000. Wicked weed of the California Indians. Volume 2: Aborigi- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS west. California Wildlife 53(4):32–35. nal Uses of California’s Indigenous Fulkerson, M.L. 1995. Weavers of Tra- Plants. Champaign, IL: Koeltz Scien- This study was funded by the dition and Beauty: Basketmakers of the tific Books. UC Davis NSF Biological Invasions Great Basin. Reno: University of Ne- Underwood, S., L. Arguello, and N. IGERT, the UC Davis McNair Schol- vada Press. Siefkin. 2003. Restoring ethno- ars Program, and private donors. We Heizer, R.F. and A.B. Elsasser. 1980. The graphic landscapes and natural ele- are grateful to the expert basket- Natural World of the California Indi- ments in Redwood National Park. weavers who graciously and gener- ans. Berkeley, CA: University of Cali- Ecological Restoration 21(4):278– ously gave their time and input to fornia Press. 283. the survey. We thank Ellen Dean, Indian Country Communications. 1995. Native group ask EPA protec- Joe DiTomaso, Don Hankins, Bob Jeanine M. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., Science and tion of traditional crops. News from Hass, John Turner, Linda Ann Indian Country IX(2):4 (January Society Program and Elizabeth Huerta Vorobik, and Bart O’Brien for their 30). Ortiz, Department of Plant Biology, Uni- editorial comments, and to Joe MacKenzie, A. 2003. Forest herbicide versity of California, One Shields Ave- DiTomaso and Kari Noorgard for plan threatens basketweavers. Ter- nue, Davis, CA 95616. jmpfeiffer@mind permission to use their photos. rain Summer 2003:16. spring.com; [email protected]

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 13 NATIVE GRASSES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GARDENS 1 by Barbara Eisenstein

or six months or longer each swaying gracefully, look right at year, we have virtually no rain. home. In spite of their adaptation Before the rains begin Santa Ana to our unusual weather pattern, na- winds blow through South- tive grasses are rarely used in our Fern California, reducing the relative gardens. Inspired by chaparral open- humidity to ten percent and below. space, many have discovered the Yet tawny native bunch grasses, delights of shrubs like California lilac and manzanita. Unfortunately most of California’s native grasslands have been lost to development or overwhelmed by invasive, exotic annual grasses. Hence, the unique beauty of our native grasses is not well known and they remain under- 4 utilized. Gardeners, though, are familiar with bunch grasses, most non- native, some highly invasive. The following images are of Southern California gardens that feature perennial native grasses in grassland design settings.

Barbara Eisenstein, Horticulture Out- reach Coordinator, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711. barbara.eisenstein @cgu.edu

2 1

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 11

Subdued tawny look of grasses in author’s parkway garden in October is followed by a vibrant display of wild flowers each spring (OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP). • Flower spikes of deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) catch 8 the light at dusk (TOP). • California fescue (Festuca californica) in a garden in Sunland (FAR LEFT). • Boulders are a natural companion to grasses in this South Pasadena garden (OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM) featuring needle grasses (Nassella spp.). • Purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea) in author’s garden (LEFT). • California melic (Melica imper- fecta) growing in partial shade in a woodland garden (BOTTOM LEFT). • The grassland bed at the Maloof Garden (RIGHT) includes deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), intermingled 5 with rush (Juncus sp.) and mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana). All photo- 9 graphs by the author.

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 15 GRADY LINDER WEBSTER: 1927-2005 by Marcel Rejmánek

or almost 40 years, botany at the University of California at Davis was unimaginable without Grady Webster. His teach- Fing, research, and publications helped boost UCD’s botany/plant biology program to the one of the top three in the nation for the past 30 years. He was a truly legendary “walking botanical encyclopedia,” superb plant taxonomist, tropical botanist, teacher, and irreplaceable friend to those of us for whom plants are a life-long passion. He represented a constant: whenever he was not on one of his field expeditions, he was always in the herbarium, working hard, but always ready to help his less knowledgeable col- Grady Webster at a stop in Ecuador on an expedition in 1992. Photograph by G.F. Hrusa. leagues and students. Regrettably, Grady passed away without warn- publication was a poem “The Wrens In addition to his monographic ing on October 27, 2005, as a result Build a Nest.” It appeared in Mickey works, Grady made more than 25 of a massive stroke. He is survived Mouse Magazine when he was six major botanical expeditions to over by his wife, Barbara Donahue years old, and he won a prize of six 20 countries, collected over 30,000 Webster, Professor Emerita at UCD, dollars. After receiving both his herbarium specimens, and par- by their daughter Susan Verdi bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ticipated in several major floras Webster, Professor in Art History at the University of Texas, he published (Dominica, Galapagos, Nicaragua, St. Thomas University in St. Paul, his first professional publication on and Panama). He was a keen collec- and by generations of botany stu- the plant communities and flora of tor of botanical literature and wrote dents who became his spiritual chil- the Stockton Plateau in Texas (1950, more than 70 reviews on books in dren and colleagues. Texas J. Sci. 2:234–242). He subse- many fields of botany. Through his Grady was born in Ada, Okla- quently published over 120 papers many donations of specimens and homa, on April 14, 1927. His first and monographs on plant taxonomy, books, he was largely responsible biogeography, and, in particular, the for building the collections housed Grady in the Botany Herbarium in Robbins systematics of his favorite family, at the herbarium at UCD to their Hall in 1995. Photograph by E. Dean. the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). current size and scope. His major contributions were volu- Grady arrived at UCD as Profes- minous studies of the Euphorbiaceae sor of Botany and Director of the genera Croton, Dalechampia, Flug- Arboretum in 1966. Until his retire- gea, Jatropha, and, most importantly, ment in 1993, Grady taught courses Phyllanthus, a genus of approxi- in plant systematics, biogeography, mately 600 species. His vast knowl- and pollination ecology. However, edge of the Euphorbiaceae resulted his major impact at UCD was his in a break-through realignment of class “California Floristics” (Botany this family into five subfamilies 102). Field trips to Bear Valley, (1994, Annals of the Missouri Botani- Walker Ridge, Table Mountain, But- cal Garden 8:1–144). This treatment terfly Valley, and other parts of Cali- has substantially stood the test of fornia are recalled with nostalgia by time, including the revolution hundreds of botany-inspired stu- brought by molecular data. dents. He was tireless in those days.

16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 You could see him, even in the late was the attention he gave evening hours, walking fast between to everyone who came to his book-packed office and the her- the herbarium. Even be- barium. I still remember long eve- fore his retirement, it al- nings when Grady stayed up with us ways seemed as though until midnight, revising our identi- he had endless time just fications of more than 150 jarred for us. We tried not to native wildflower samples for the misuse his kindness. next day’s UCD Picnic Day exhibi- When my student, Steve tions. Over the years, he worked Brewer, and I started to alongside dozens of teaching and analyze our permanent herbarium assistants, many of whom plots in the forests of have gone on to make their own southern Belize, we al- contributions to the understanding ways struggled to identify of the California flora through field our specimens ourselves work, plant collecting, publications, first, and only when we and teaching. were completely lost (of- Grady in the field in Ecuador—Grady is pictured with Despite his major contributions ten not even able to tell unknown participants of a plant collecting expedition to the field of botany, Grady was not the family), we said that in Reserva Maquipucuna, Ecuador in 1992. Photograph just a botanist—he was a renais- we would have to do by G.F. Hrusa. sance man. His knowledge of his- “Grading.” This meant tory, geography, music, and poetry that we went to the herbarium and come—always that friendly smile, was very unusual, to say the least. asked Grady for advice. In fact, we full of understanding. He looked at He was also a very modest man, had to do that quite often, especially our specimens, and then he moved always humble about his accom- with sterile material. Even unan- swiftly from case to case, and soon plishments. What amazed me most nounced, we were always wel- he would find the right species or, at

GRADY L. WEBSTER, AN ACCOMPLISHED BOTANICAL CAREER rady obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, where he was one of the first graduate students G of Rogers McVaugh. He was then awarded one of the first NSF postdoctoral fellowships to work at Harvard University with Professor I.W. Bailey. In 1958, he became an Assistant Professor at Purdue University, and in 1966, he arrived at UC Davis. NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS: Approximately 200, including books, book chapters, essays, journal articles, book reviews, and contributions to floras. NUMBER OF PLANT COLLECTIONS: 34,515—Grady’s last plant collection was a cudweed from Pine Grove, Texas made on October 13, 2005. PLANT COLLECTING EXPEDITIONS: Over 25 expeditions, including multiple trips to Cuba, Jamaica and many other parts of the Caribbean; multiple trips to Mexico and Baja California; Central America, especially Panama and Costa Rica; multiple trips to South America, especially Surinam, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru; multiple trips throughout California, Texas and other western states; multiple trips to the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Fiji, Tasmania, and Norfolk Island; Australia; Kenya; and Pakistan. BOOKS: Flora of Maquipucuna (with Robert Rhode), Changing Plant Life of La Frontera (with Conrad Bahre). PRESIDENCIES: Botanical Society of America; Association of Plant Taxonomists; California Botanical Society. AWARDS: Rackham Fellowship (University of Michigan—1952); NSF Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Harvard University—1953–1955); Guggenheim Fellowship (University of Utrecht—1964–1965); Smithsonian Senior Fellowship (1988); Merit Award (Botanical Society of America—1997); Engler Medal (International Society for Plant Taxonomy—1996); Asa Gray Award (American Society of Plant Taxonomists—2006).

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 17 menting about the brevity of our lives and proved that “life is long, if you know how to use it.” (Seneca: De brevitate vitae 2,1). Just a few months before his death, Grady received the Asa Gray Award from the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. Bruce Baldwin, one of the many graduate students to pass through the UCD herbarium, wrote in support of the nomination “Grady has truly dedicated his life to systematic botany and made the best of it, by any mea- sure. Our field is much richer as a result of these continuing efforts, which have been an inspiration and foundation for many active young researchers who are carrying Grady’s work in exciting new directions. Grady Webster botanizing with a horse in Reserva Maquipucuna, Ecuador in August From my perspective, no other liv- 2001. Photo by L. Huiet. ing botanist is more deserving of the Asa Gray Award.” Remembering least, the right genus or family. Gone are carrying on infinite discussions him, I would say, together with the are those happy, easy days. on island biogeography, peculiar Greek playwright Menander: “Man Some 20 years ago, when I came pollinators, endemism, soils, plant is something beautiful, if he is a to Davis and joined the faculty of communities, speciation, and all as- man.” the UCD Botany Department, there pects of life here and there. I hope was one other botanist like Grady that this is true. But if it is not, then, Marcel Rejmánek, Professor of Ecology, there—Professor Jack Major. Al- at least, I am sure that both of them Section of Evolution and Ecology, Univer- though Jack was already retired at with their fulfilled lives on this earth sity of California, Davis, CA 95616. that time (Fremontia 30(1):20–23.), seriously challenged Hippocrates’ la- [email protected] field botany was still his passion, and he also had Students from UC Davis’s course Botany 102: California Floristics are shown on a class field trip near a huge library. He was also Ione, Amador County, April 15, 1973. Photograph by Grady Webster, courtesy of the UC Davis Center a very kind and modest for Plant Diversity Archives. man. Grady and Jack are both gone now, and I am sure that if there is a botanical heaven, both of them are there. They work in an enormous herbarium with specimens of all described and many, many still undescribed plant species. They have immediate access to a library with all the botanical books ever published and, maybe, even with many books that have not been published yet. They are botanizing in the most beautiful mountains, forests, and islands. And they

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 GROWING NATIVES: CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE AS BONSAI by Elmer Grossman

lenn Keator’s (2005) ar- spaces. Large, floppy leaves, sparsely pruning at the time of transplant- ticle on growing Califor- placed on a small bonsai look ri- ing; this is especially necessary when nia buckeye (Aesculus diculous, so one must tip pinch new relocating a tree to a shallower con- californica) prompted growth before a long internodal tainer. Some authors also insist on Gme to write about an unusual use of space can develop. Without frequent routine root pruning to keep the this tree—as a bonsai. Be- plant healthy. However, cause bonsai is a Japanese bonsai authorities disagree horticultural practice, the about the proportion of old trees and shrubs used both roots to be removed and in Japan and here in the about the frequency with United States are generally which this should be done, of Japanese origin. Books on suggesting that this is a mat- bonsai rarely mention plants ter of art rather than horti- not native there, so guid- cultural science. ance in growing this Cali- Once established, the fornia species as a dwarf is culture of dwarf buckeyes unavailable. About 40 years is no different from that of ago when my children were other deciduous bonsai. young, we would collect They will wilt temporarily buckeye seeds to make into in very hot weather but re- rotating toys on a doubled cover rapidly. For those un- string. An excess of seeds familiar with the species, led me to begin experiment- their habit of leafing out in ing with bonsai; I can re- December or January and port that a less likely candi- losing their leaves in sum- date for dwarf culture can mer may be somewhat sur- hardly be imagined. prising. In my experience, The seeds of buckeyes the only significant pests are easily found in early to are deer which come on- mid-autumn, on or under to our deck and eat new the trees. In nature the large growth down to the trunk. seeds (2–5 cm in diameter) The buckeye in the illustra- manage to root from on top tion (see Figure 1) was over of or barely under the sur- 40 years old when it was face of the ground. My prac- 40 year old bonsai of California buckeye. Photo by the author. “pruned” by one of our lo- tice has been to place newly cal black-tailed deer four gathered seeds in small depressions tip pinching, a leggy plant form de- years ago. The tooth marks on the in pots with loose soil and let them velops within the first year. Should trunk are still evident. alone. They germinate without any this occur, prune back the plant to special attention. the first leaves or start again next REFERENCE The characteristics of plants best season. suited for dwarf culture include In order to slow growth and in- Keator, Glenn. 2005. Growing Natives: small leaves, short petioles, and a hibit the development of normal- California Buckeye. Fremontia 33(1): short distance between leaf nodes. sized leaves, give bonsai as meager a 29. Unfortunately for our purposes, diet of nutrients as possible. A prop- California buckeyes have large leaves erly underfed buckeye will have Elmer R. Grossman, 899 Euclid Avenue, (6–17 cm), variable but usually long leaves less than 7 cm in diameter. Berkeley, CA 94708-1305. elmer@gross petioles, and generous internodal Bonsai books typically advise root manfamily.com

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 19 RE-VISITING THE “SPARKLERS” OF CORTE MADERA by Lucy A. Dueck

n the Fourth of July, The identity of both specimens had ing of the Native Orchid Confer- 1980, a botanist from been verified by Spiranthes expert ence (NOC) was held in southwest- the Missouri Botanical Dr. Charles Sheviak of the New York ern Oregon, so I attended and hunted Garden discovered a State Museum. for S. porrifolia myself in the area. I Oreal treasure up in the hills outside Surprisingly, genetic analysis of was especially interested in re-sam- of San Diego—the orchid Spiranthes the only two segments that worked, pling the population sources for the porrifolia. In full bloom, it could chloroplast DNA segments trns-fM two herbarium specimens. Through even be likened to the sparkling and the trnL intron, yielded strik- the help of friends, I did obtain fresh spike of children’s fireworks. His find ingly different results between the leaves from the Oregon site, but the was important because this popula- two “S. porrifolia” herbarium sam- San Diego site was out of range. tion of creamy ladies’-tresses, at the ples. The Oregon specimen matched I was determined to complete my southernmost fringe of its range, was a rare endemic species found in Ne- double-check on the two herbarium the only one documented for this vada—S. infernalis, while the San samples, however. A graduate stu- species and this genus in San Diego Diego specimen matched a much dent in our lab, Nick Crawford, was County. It was also the only recently more widespread northern species— returning to school in San Diego, so documented find of this taxon in S. romanzoffiana; i.e., they didn’t have I sent along some bags of desiccant Southern California since collection a singular species identity, at least so in the unlikely event he could do in 1891-92 from the San Bernadino far. I had to find out what was going some collecting. Meanwhile, I also Mountains, according to the Con- on—misidentification, hybridization, enlisted advice from an NOC mem- sortium of California Herbaria. So or something else! ber in the Bay area, Brad Kelley. He he collected a sample to validate its Coincidentally, the 2006 meet- suggested I contact the San Diego existence for the San Diego chapter of the California Na- Natural History Museum her- tive Plant Society for help. Kay barium (see Figure 1). Stewart there quickly emailed A piece of that dried sample another CNPS member, Dale ended up in my test tube as a Clark, whose family was part- ‘consolation prize’ in a quest owner of the Corte Madera for fresh samples of this spe- Ranch, site of the original her- cies. I’d undertaken a huge barium collection. Dale not only project—putting together the gave permission to collect on “family tree” of the genus Spi- her property, but also contacted ranthes, using four segments of two other pivotal people—her DNA from the three plant ge- brother-in-law Henk van der nomes. But the first challenge Werff (the botanist who made was obtaining samples of all 26 the original collection in 1980) taxa found in the U.S. Unfortu- for exact directions, and the nately, S. porrifolia had evaded ranch foreman’s wife Sharon my volunteer collectors over its Paulin, who knew the land and narrow range along the West flora. The botanists at the San Coast. So I had to resort to her- Diego Natural History Museum barium specimens, which do were alerted about my inquiry not dependably provide good and willing to help, too. DNA. Karen Rich of the her- Time was running out, barium at the San Diego Natu- though. It was just after July ral History Museum graciously 4th and the orchids could have sent me that piece of dried leaf bloomed already and thus to test against another sample would be difficult to find. But Fig. 1. Spiranthes porrifolia herbarium specimen collected of S. porrifolia from southwest- July 4, 1980, by Henk van der Werff. Digital scan from on July 12th, Nick and Margie ern Oregon, obtained from the the San Diego Synoptic Collection (SD), courtesy of the Mulligan, a botanist from the University of Idaho herbarium. San Diego Natural History Museum. museum, joined up with

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Sharon at the ranch. I waited in an- These fresh samples of S. porri- ticipation all day to hear if they were folia from San Diego, together with successful. That night Nick sent me several others from central Califor- an email with a link to his website nia and southwest Oregon, are now displaying photos of almost-finished being processed, sequenced, and blooms of the ‘sparklers’ (see Figure compared with other Spiranthes to 2) and the simple comment, “nuff determine their identity and relat- said.” They had found the same edness. This collection story is one population of S. porrifolia as the of many from my project, made pos- original herbarium specimen, now sible only by the willingness and consisting of 12 healthy plants. Nick cooperation of dedicated volunteers. collected leaf samples for me, and The final results on the molecular Margie obtained a new voucher phylogeny of Spiranthes will be sub- specimen for the museum. As Sharon mitted to a scientific journal for pub- said, they were quite a team! lication.

Fig. 2. Spiranthes porrifolia, collected July Lucy A. Dueck, Savannah River Ecology 12, 2006, at Corte Madera Ranch near San Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802. Diego. Photograph by N.G. Crawford. [email protected]

The California Native Plant Society Needs You!

Bequests are an important part of CNPS fundraising efforts. Generous donors from all regions of the state and from all walks of life have helped CNPS achieve its goals and have helped fund important CNPS programs.

In addition to naming CNPS in your will or living trust, you can also name CNPS as a beneficiary of a life insur- ance policy or retirement plan. There are also planned giving options that can pay you an income during your life while benefiting the future of CNPS.

To find out more on these giving opportunities, contact:

Amanda Jorgenson, or Cari Porter, Executive Director of CNPS Development Director of CNPS phone: (916) 447-2677 x 12 phone: (916) 447-2677 x 15 fax: (916) 447-2727 fax: (916) 447-2727 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 21 BOOKS BRIEFLY: WEEDS IN CALIFORNIA

eeting up with weeds in spread, and distribution of more than whole plants, flowers, seedlings, and California is inevitable. 200 non-native plants that invade wild- seeds. Includes a CD with all the pho- A staggering 1800 exotic lands in California. Complemented by tographs in the book—copyright-free weed species are now an an online database with detailed in- for educational use. Munfortunate component of our state’s formation. Revision to be published flora. The following new and recent 2007. Aquatic and Riparian Weeds of the publications and CD-ROMs will help West. the reader identify and manage these Weeds of California and Other West- Joseph M. DiTomaso and Evelyn A. unwanted invaders. ern States. (2 volumes) Healy. Joseph M. DiTomaso and Evelyn A. 2003. 442 Pages. California Invasive Plant Inventory. Healy. $40.00 soft cover. California Invasive Plant Council. 2007. 1760 Pages. University of California, Division of 2006. 39 Pages. University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. California Invasive Plant Council, Ber- Agriculture and Natural Resources. Outstanding reference for 170 spe- keley, CA. $100.00 soft cover. cies of submerged, floating leaf, and Currently available only as a free online Comprehensive weed identifica- emergent aquatic weeds with over 550 pdf at www.cal-ipc.org. tion book for over 800 species with color photos. Summarizes impacts, potential for 3000 color photographs of infestations, The Use of Fire as a Tool for Control- ling Invasive Plants. Joseph M. DiTomaso and Douglas W. Johnson (eds.). 2006. 56 Pages. California Invasive Plant Council, Ber- keley, CA. A n $5.00 soft cover. Also available as a dvertise i free online pdf at www.cal-ipc.org. Captures the current state of knowledge on the use of fire as a tool Fremontia! to manage wildlands. Journal of the California Native Plant Society Yellow Starthistle Management Guide. Joseph M. DiTomaso, Guy B. Kyser, January 1, 2007 Advertising Rates and Michael J. Pitcairn. 2006. 78 Pages. Full Page $900 1/3 Page $350 California Invasive Plant Council, Ber- Half Page $500 Quarter Page $300 keley, CA. 1/8 Page $150 $5.00 soft cover. Also available as a free online pdf at www.cal-ipc.org. For Sales and Information Contact: Describes advantages and disad- vantages of techniques to control yel- Fremontia Editor: [email protected] low starthistle, including mechanical OR tools, cultural tools, biological agents, and chemical treatments. California Native Plant Society Attn: Fremontia Advertising The Weed Workers’ Handbook: A 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Guide to Techniques for Removing Sacramento, CA 95816 Bay Area Invasive Plants. (916) 447-2677 The Watershed Project and California (916) 447-2727 fax Invasive Plant Council. 2004. 120 Pages. For actual ad sizes, see: The Watershed Project and California http://www.cnps.org/cnps/publications/pdf/ Invasive Plant Council, Berkeley, CA. FREMONTIA_0901_AD_SIZES.PDF $13.00 soft cover. Also available as a free online pdf at www.cal-ipc.org. Provides information on identifi-

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 cation and control methods for 27 in- Grass and Grass-Like Weeds of Cali- tor” that allows the user to reach the vasive plants. Also contains a chapter fornia. correct identification even when mak- on tools used in weed work and how Joseph M. DiTomaso. ing a couple of mistakes while keying to organize volunteers. 2005. CD-ROM—PC format only. out the species. The grass CD covers University of California, Davis and the 230 species and the broadleaved CD Broadleaf Weeds of California. Weed Research and Information Cen- covers 722 species; both include pho- Joseph M. DiTomaso. ter. tos, descriptions, and life histories. 2006. CD-ROM—PC format only. $32.00. Both CDs may be ordered from the University of California, Davis and the These two CD-ROMs for Windows California Invasive Plant Council for Weed Research and Information Cen- provide interactive keys for identify- $60.00 (a savings of $12.00). ter. ing weeds using parts visible to the —Elizabeth Brusati, Ph.D. $40.00. naked eye. Includes a “forgiveness fac- and Bart O’Brien

BOOK REVIEW

Introduction to California Chaparral have been bulldozed. These morpho- Ronald D. Quinn and Sterling C. logical features will begin to make Keeley. sense when you return a few weeks University of California Press, 2006. later and observe the newly sprouted 344 Pages, 79 color illustrations, 56 shoots, growing from these energy- line illustrations, 3 maps. $50.00 hard storing structures, which are acceler- cover. $19.95 soft cover. ating the recovery process of these pres- Californians are no strangers to ently exposed sites. chaparral but I suspect that many know By all means come back again after nothing more than what they see from the rains and botanize, with book in their automobile windows. These Cali- hand, among the fire-following wild- fornians would learn so much from flowers which have germinated and just reading the first chapter alone. are most likely not familiar to you. I am struck by how well this book They will soon be replaced with sub- pulls together a variety of insights into shrubs and the resprouting replace- an easy-to-read single source. This may ment stand of chaparral shrubs. They be because both authors joined forces won’t be seen again until germinating only after discovering they were inde- years later, after the next burn. pendently working on similar books. And so the cycle goes and can be For me, chaparral fires have been observed on subsequent field trips to so much in the news lately that I turned visit old, and older, burn sites culmi- first to that chapter. It struck me that nating in a visit to a mature site on the it is a perfect syllabus for a series of verge of its next burn. The words “fire field trips that could be organized regime” will take on new meaning. Chaparral. The information here is not around the chaparral fire cycle. Within Your group will now have greater in- new but it is presented in a coherent easy field trip distance, especially in terest in watching the years go by at manner. I think news reporters would Southern California, are newly-burned the original site you visited on the first also benefit. sites as well as those of varying ages field trip, and the views from your All in all, as interesting as this book which provide a spectrum to demon- automobile windows will take on new is to a botanist, its value extends to strate the recovery process. meaning. The young people may even other fields of biology too. As your The first field trip should be at have the opportunity someday, at the field trips follow the sequence of re- “time-zero” in the fire cycle to see the original field trip site, to observe the covery, this book will guide you to “. . . exposed hillsides with blackened full cycle back to time-zero at a future even finer insights. Although you may skeletons of shrubs protruding here point in their lives. But please, don’t not have seen the charcoal beetles, and there, and with ash and charcoal be the source of ignition. this book refers to them as fire beetles on the surface of the soil.” The branch- I can’t help but think how useful (Melanophila spp.), mating on a smol- ing structure of the various woody spe- these observations and this series of dering branch; keep your eyes peeled cies can be seen and contemplated field trips might be for information- for the diametrically opposite mating along with the ecologically important challenged public policy makers and of the rain beetles (Pleocoma spp.).1 burls that are so much a part of the newly arrived residents. These sub- The authors describe them as insects story. Maybe some root structures can groups might be especially interested superbly keyed to chaparral peculiari- be observed in places where fire-lines in reading the final chapter, Living with ties. And watch for the lizards that

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA 23 shoot blood from their eyes when that “carry water or take it away.” This I missed a discussion on the differ- threatened (coast horned lizard, Phry- brings us of course to the Santa Ana ing types of chaparral. But that is sub- nosoma coronatum). winds and their northern California stance for a yet-to-be-written book de- Surely you will notice the passing counterpart, the Diablo winds.4 Include rived from the CNPS Vegetation Pro- sequence of animals changing along a climatologist with your field trip gram, a project highly dependent on with the vegetation . . . lizards (Phryno- group and the trip takes on new in- input from CNPS chapters like yours. soma spp., Cnemidophorus tigris, sight. How about including a TV This project recognizes nine different Sceloporus occidentalis, et al.) through weathercaster? Their new insights will “series” types of chamise chaparral a sequence of rodents2 . . . brush mice enrich the weather reports with occa- alone, so you can see what a compli- (Peromyscus spp. et al.) to bush rab- sional natural history tidbits. cated vegetation type chaparral is. bits (Sylvilagus spp.). All of these crea- What we call chaparral is, of course, Maybe this current book is as deep as tures are good reasons to include a nature’s manifestation of life’s survival you and I might want to go. zoologist on your field trips. tactics to this climatic regime. Whereas The next time you see the famous When the wood rats (Neotoma you and your chaparral neighbors “Hollywood” sign, think again of chap- spp.) return to dominance, start watch- might install air conditioning and arral because that name was inspired ing for news for the next fire in that swimming pools, chaparral plants de- by the chaparral species toyon, or Cali- location. Amaze your friends by pre- pend on such things as vertical-ori- fornia holly (Heteromeles arbutifolia). dicting where they will occur. Again, ented, evergreen, sclerophyllous leaves, Toyon and four other chaparral spe- please don’t be the source of ignition. which are adaptations to summer dry- cies specifically discussed in this book California, of course, is not alone ness and high temperatures. Other tac- are members of the rose family. This in displaying chaparral phenomena. tics include the previously mentioned revelation brought a new thought to Our state is a full-fledged participant burls and deep rooting systems. my mind. Could chaparral be consid- in the world’s Mediterranean climate.3 For CNPSers, the book has an ered a rose garden? In any case, the This climate occurs elsewhere in the abundance of information on plants. discussion of chamise (Adenostoma fas- temperate latitudes, both north and Shrubs are the most characteristic fea- ciculatum) gave me new perspective. south. (Cool! Start planning your next tures of chaparral but Chapter 4 clearly You will see me this spring hanging field trip to western or south-east Aus- explains the role of non-shrubby plants out, with camera in hand, at the tralia or the Cape Province of South and their place in the fire cycle as well. chamise stand within walking distance Africa. How about central Chile, South My attention was drawn to the concept of my home in an effort to document America? [See Fremontia 2(3):8-13. of “habitat fidelity” among chaparral its annual changes from vegetative 1974. A California botanist in Chile, plants. They are “ . . . uniquely adapted growth, to flowering, to bud-set, to by G. Ledyard Stebbins.]) This climate to this habitat, whether their periods over-wintering condition, to the next type involves less than 3% of the of abundance is during the long fire- growth season.6 This stand happens to world’s land surface and California free periods when shrubs dominate, or be an over-mature condition and I may claims only 10% of that. You may not confined to the period immediately af- soon be able to photograph it at time- realize it but many Californians are ter fire when the shrubs are no longer zero. And, no, I will not be the source living in a rare climatic zone. present.” For the most part, you won’t of ignition. Mediterranean climate occurs in find these plants in other vegetation As I read this book I frequently places where a cold, ocean air mass types, only in chaparral. found myself saying, “How cool! I interacts with a warm, large continen- Incidentally, if you are a fast driver, never thought of it that way before.” tal high-pressure air mass extending don’t confuse interior, and coastal, sage The view out the car window during from the land-ocean interface across scrub5 with chaparral. Although near- that long drive to Las Vegas may be the land mass of the adjacent conti- by, sage scrub has a different set of boring but your field trip experiences nent. Interacting weather modifiers life-preserving strategies, and is also with California’s chaparral and read- combine to create alternating cool, wet well adapted to the Mediterranean cli- ing this book will be invigorating. winters and hot, dry summers. It is as mate. This would make an interesting —Norden H. (Dan) Cheatham if the chaparral zone is caught between set of companion field trips. East Bay Chapter the two air masses as they rub together as you would rub your palms together on a cold day. 1 California’s Mediterranean climate See California Natural History Guide No. 88. Field Guide to Beetles of California. involves the continental “Pacific High” 2 See California Natural History Guide No. 66. Mammals of California. air mass centered in the Nevada/New 3 Mexico/Arizona region and its inter- See Dallman, Peter. 1998. Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates. Published by action with California’s ocean-based CNPS/UC Press. low pressure area. This interaction is 4 See California Natural History Guide #87. Introduction to Air in California. modified by cyclical variations of winds 5 See California Natural History Guide #85. Introduction to Plant Life of Southern California: and ocean currents. These in turn are Coast to Foothills. tied in with the annual movement of the sun. All of this adds up to winds 6 See California Natural History Guide # 69. Introduction to California Plant Life.

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 Please Join Today! CNPS member gifts allow us to promote and protect California’s native plants and their habitats. Gifts are tax-deductible minus the $12 of the total gift which goes toward publication of Fremontia and the CNPS Bulletin.

❏ $1,500 Mariposa Lily ❏ $600 Benefactor ❏ $300 Patron ❏ $100 Plant Lover ❏ $75 Family or Group ❏ $75 International ❏ $45 Individual or Library ❏ $25 Limited Income

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

❏ Enclosed is a check made payable to CNPS Membership gift: ❏ Charge my gift to ❏ Mastercard ❏ Visa Added donation of:

Card Number TOTAL ENCLOSED: Exp. date Signature ❏ Enclosed is a matching gift form provided by my employer Phone ❏ I would like information on planned giving Email Please make your check payable to “CNPS” and send to: California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite 1, Sacra- mento, CA 95816-5113. Phone: (916) 447-2677; Fax: (916) 447-2727; Web site: www.cnps.org.; Email: [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION Nicholas G. Crawford is a Masters student at San Diego State University, where he is studying lizard evolution. He assisted Lucy Dueck in finding a lost popula- Members and others are invited tion of Spiranthes porrifolia with the help of Margaret Mulligan (San Diego Natu- to submit material for publica- ral History Museum) and Sharon Paulin (Corta Madera Ranch). tion in Fremontia. Instructions Ellen Dean is Curator at the UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity. The Center for contributors can be found houses thousands of Grady Webster’s herbarium collections from all over the world. on the CNPS website, www.cnps. Joe DiTomaso is a weed ecologist in the UC Davis Weed Science Program, who has org, or can be requested from worked at the forefront of invasive plant species in California for over a decade. Fremontia Editor, Bart O’Brien at [email protected] or c/o Barbara Eisenstein, both author and photographer, is the Native Plant Outreach Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gar- and Education Coordinator at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. She fields native plant gardening questions from novice to expert gardeners on the Garden den, 1500 N. College Ave., Hotline. Relying on the expertise of co-workers and her own experience with Claremont, CA 91711. native plants, she develops materials, gives talks and does whatever she can to encourage the use of native plants in gardens and landscapes. FREMONTIA EDITORIAL G. Frederic Hrusa, Ph.D., is a Senor Botanist at the California Department of Food and Agriculture. He received his Ph.D. from UC, Davis, and travelled with ADVISORY BOARD AND Grady Webster on many field trips, including to Ecuador. REVIEWERS Layne Huiet, Ph.D., is a volunteer botanist specializing in pteridophytes, associ- Susan D’Alcamo, Ellen Dean, ated with UC, Berkeley, and UC, Davis, who travelled to Ecuador on a field trip Kathleen Dickey, Phyllis M. organized by Dr. Alan Smith and Grady Webster. Faber, Holly Forbes, Robert Kari Noorgard is a sociologist at Whitman College who has studied environmen- Lauri, Pam Muick, John Sawyer, tal justice issues associated with Native American groups in the Pacific North- Jim Shevock, M. Nevin Smith, west, including the impact of herbicide use and the decline of wild salmon popu- Linda Ann Vorobik, Carol W. lations on tribal health. Witham

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007 FREMONTIA FROM THE EDITOR

ith this issue, you may note Beth Hansen-Winter is Fremontia’s name as the editor of the CNPS Bulle- a few minor tweaks to Fre- third officially designated designer and tin. The Bulletin again appears as an Wmontia. Since we are a quar- also serves as our de facto art director. insert in Fremontia to help CNPS save terly journal focused on the plants of She has continuously produced the mailing costs in order to accomplish California, it makes sense that rather visually appealing work that we have more programmatic work in science, than arbitrary months of publication all enjoyed since her first issue, Fre- conservation, and education. we should recognize the seasons. Read- montia 14(1), April 1986. She was I wish to convey my personal ers can still expect Fremontia on the preceded in this capacity by Marie thanks and appreciation to Beth and same schedule: January, April, July, and Carluccio who designed five issues of Bob for continuing to provide their October—but the issues will be titled Fremontia from January 1985 to Janu- professional services to Fremontia, and Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. ary 1986. Michael Zipkin was Fre- to express my gratitude to their pre- In the previous Fremontia edito- montia’s first named designer. He de- decessors for providing their expert rial, I paid homage to former Fremontia signed the first three issues of Volume services for the foundation of today’s editors. Further acknowledgments are 12 in 1984. Fremontia. warranted for two ongoing contribu- Bob Hass is Fremontia’s first desig- My next editorial will cover Bob tors to our reader’s Fremontia experi- nated copy editor. He began this work Ornduff’s and Laurence Hyman’s con- ence: Beth Hansen-Winter, designer, with Fremontia 29(1), January 2001. tributions to Fremontia. and Bob Hass, copy editor. Many readers will also recognize his Bart O’Brien

CONTRIBUTORS

Sarah J. De Groot is a Ph.D. candidate at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, where she is currently working on the sys-

tematics of the genus Eriastrum. She is a native Southern

Address Service Requested Service Address

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento, 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707 Californian from the Escondido area, and has always had a Society Plant Native California strong interest in plants. Lucy Dueck, M.Sc., works as a research professional in molecular ecology at Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, a field station for the University of Georgia. Her Spiranthes project was partially funded by a grant from the American Orchid Society. Elmer R. Grossman, author and photographer, formerly practiced and taught pediatrics in the Bay Area. He is now peacefully retired, watching over his bonsai and garden in Berkeley. Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz is a science educator working at the outdoor school at Rancho Alegre in Santa Barbara. She has a plant biology degree from UC Davis and is currently working toward a Ph.D. in science education. Her botanical research includes the investigation of the morphology and leaf development in Marsileaceae, and the effects of a plant patho- gen on different grass species near Bodega Bay. Jeanine M. Pfeiffer is an ethnoecologist at UC Davis whose work focuses on the global connections between biological and cultural diversity and the role of indigenous knowledge and management practices in conserving biocultural diver-

sity. As executive director of the non-profit conservation or-

U.S. Postage U.S. Nonprofit Org. Nonprofit

ganization ECO-SEA (http://www.ecosea.org), she works on 3729 # Permit Oakland, CA Oakland, applied research programs in gender and biodiversity, wild- harvested foods, and community-based ecotourism. PAID Marcel Rejmánek is a Professor of Ecology at University of California, Davis. His research and teaching focus on biological invasions, regeneration of tropical forests, and plant community ecology.

VOLUME 35:1, WINTER 2007