NPSO Bulletin May 05
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Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon Dedicated to the enjoyment, conservation and study of Oregon’s native plants and habitats VOLUME 38, NO. 5MAY 2005 Flowering in the Land of Umpqua by David McClurg, Emerald Chapter y son Erik found a solitary 2004. Kalmiopsis Volume 11). Ron in with Saxifraga integrifolia (swamp M Clarkia amoena (farewell-to- Hatt, chapter president, met me and saxifrage) and Lithophragma parviflo- spring) on top of Tire Mountain last over a dozen other flower hunters at I-5 rum (small-flowered woodland star). June and we thought that was special exit 103. Ron is fun to hang around Further up the canyon, we found Cro- because we had never seen one before. with—an amateur photographer with cidium multicaule (spring gold) and We used a 25 cent wildflower guide an ambitious field trip schedule who Nemophila menziesii (baby blue eyes). compiled by the Emerald Chapter likes to share what he knows and learns. Nearing the top of the canyon, among (Love R. et al. 2003. Spring and Sum- We followed Highway 39 to the rocks dotted with Lomatium utricula- mer Wildflower Displays). Hunting for tilted beds of marine conglomerate that tum (common lomatium), we squeezed flowers gives us something to do when form the north side of the Cow Creek through the boughs of a beautiful we’re not fishing. But I suppose the canyon where Beatty Creek comes madrone to enjoy the sweeping view of two things are not all that different. It down from the serpentine areas be- the canyon and creek below. takes somebody else to show you where yond. At the base of the slope, to the After the dry spell in February, the to look and then you’re hooked. left of the tick-infested trees and brush end of March felt wet and cold. Gail This year, on a surprisingly warm in Beatty Creek itself, the ground was Baker had missed the February trip so and blue-sky Saturday in late February covered with Plagiobothrys nothofulvus we scheduled another short trip on (26th), I drove down from Eugene and (rusty popcorn flower). Mary Carlson March 22. Ron was kind enough to joined the Umpqua chapter on a field identified it for me and told me to rub meet us again at the same exit. The trip to Beatty Creek RNA (Carter S. my finger on the leaf; it left an interest- base of the slope now had Dichelostem- ing rust colored dust. Carefully navi- ma capitatum (blue dicks) and gating Toxicodendron diversilobum (poi- Amsinckia lycopsoides (fiddleneck). The son oak), we found Olsynium douglasii Olsynium on the plateau above was In This Issue blooming on the plateau above mixed continued on page 44 Annual Meeting Update.....44 May 1-8 is Native Plant Appreciation Week! Chapter Calendar ..............45 ay 1-8, 2005 promises to be a memorable week for NPSO as we celebrate Bulletin Mailing M our first ever Native Plant Appreciation Week (NPAW). The list of planned Coordinator Needed ..........49 events is impressive, and includes wildflower shows, hikes, invasive species work parties, plant ID workshops, garden tours and more! I encourage you to visit our Other Events ....................50 newly updated website (www.NPSOregon.org) where you can learn more about the purpose of NPAW, find a comprehensive list of events happening across the Deserts Alive! ..................52 state, and admire the official proclamation from Governor Kulongoski. I hope you are all able to participate in at least one of the many events planned for this week. NPSO Contacts..................53 Please take the time to share your enthusiasm for native plants with others and encourage participation by people outside of the established NPSO circle. Happy NPSO Items for Sale..........54 botanizing! Please contact Matt Blakeley-Smith if you have any questions: [email protected] , 541-752-1091. May 2005 43 Update on Annual Meeting in Roseburg OCIE T S TY N O A F L This year’s NPSO annual meeting will take place in Roseburg and will be host- P O R E ed by the Umpqua Valley Chapter. Information on lodging, hikes and registration E V G I were included in the March Bulletin. Be sure to save June 24-26 for a terrific week- O T A N N end of botanizing. Optional field trips for Friday afternoon have not yet been scheduled. Friday evening the Phoenix School will be open at 4pm for those who are setting up dis- Fo 1 plays about their chapter or setting up to sell items that are pertinent to the native und 196 ed plant theme. Registration will begin at 5pm. Appetizers will be served at 6pm along with a presentation that has not been yet determined. Native Plant Saturday field trips will begin at 8:30am. Coffee and doughnuts will be available at the school and box lunches can be picked up around 8am. Saturday’s Society of Oregon banquet will begin at 7pm. Business meeting and program follow dinner. Sunday morning times for the board meeting and optional field trips will be World Wide Web announced. http://www.NPSOregon.org The T-shirts for the annual meeting will be available at registration for those who pre-ordered the shirts. For those wishing to purchase a T-shirt, orders will be E-mail Discussion List taken during the weekend and the cost of postage added to the cost of the shirts. To join send a message to [email protected], with the Flowering in the Land of Umpqua following in the body of the message: continued from 43 subscribe npso replaced with a large population of Dodecatheon hendersonii (shooting star). At General Business Address times, where it got steep, we had to walk carefully on the wet fragile soils. Back P.O. Box 902 along Highway 39, we made side trips to see Calypso bulbosa and Erythronium Eugene, OR 97440 oregonum (fawn lily) at Island Creek picnic area and a lovely little Mimulus doug- or correspond directly with Officers lasii (mouse ears) in a serpentine area across the railroad tracks from Byer’s flat. and Committee Chairs listed on the M. douglasii seemed to prefer the disturbed soils. inside of the back page. I still dream about the creeks and rocks and cliffs in Douglas county. I returned for two more field trips, once with my whole family, to see the red-backed petals of Membership Inquiries Only Ranunculus austro-oreganus (southern oregon butter- Clayton Gautier cup), a whole field turned 3927 Shasta View St. pink by Thysanocarpus ra- Eugene, OR 97405-4442 dians (large fringpod), the delicate petals of Coptis Bulletin of the Native Plant lancinata (Fern-leaved Society of Oregon goldthread), dazzling Silene Editor: Tanya Harvey hookeri (Indian pink), and Viola hallii blooming. I re- ISSN 0884-599. Published 11 times ally appreciate the Umpqua per year. Subscription price $18/year. chapter letting me come Date and issue number on page 1. along on their field trips. The submission date is the 10th of They have all been very each month for the following month’s warm and friendly to me. issue except for the Aug./Sept. issue I’m looking forward to the which is July 24. Send submissions by 2005 NPSO annual sum- e-mail to [email protected]. mer meeting in Roseburg. They are going to share Opinions expressed in this publica- some of their best wild- HARVEY ANYA T tion are those of the authors of the flower sites (see the field articles. They do not represent the The red-violet upper petals of Viola hallii contrast beautifully trip schedule March Bul- with its white lower petals, each of which has a bright yellow opinions of the Native Plant Society letin). And then I can share of Oregon, unless so stated. blotch and red-violet veins. It is found in open forests, grassy them too. hills, serpentine and gravelly soils of southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. 44 NPSO Bulletin NPSO CALENDAR State *Special Native Plant relationships and the important role Appreciation Week Event these hidden interactions play in our June 24-26, Friday - Sunday native habitats. Dr. Southworth will Annual Meeting: The Umpqua Valley focus on the ‘fungal life below ground’ chapter will host the Annual Meeting Williams 503- 538-1865 or helgesu- that is associated with the Oregon at the Phoenix School on Diamond [email protected]. white oaks and other natives. Carnegie Room, McMinnville Library, 225 NW Lake Blvd. in Roseburg. More informa- May 26, Thursday, 7 pm tion and registration materials were Adams St., McMinnville. For more included in March issue of the Bulletin. Meeting: The Hidden Life of Native info contact Susan Williams 503-538- Plants—Mycorrhizae and Plant 1865 or [email protected]. Roots. Darlene Southworth, who Blue Mountain taught biology at Southern Oregon University for 22 years and is currently Corvallis For information on the Blue Mountain NPSO’s West side conservation chair, Chapter call Jerry Baker at 541-566- will explain the nature of mycorrhizal May 1, Sunday, 11am-5pm* 2244. Spring Garden Sale and Native Plant Appreciation Week Kickoff. Come start Native Plant Appreciation week Cheahmill off right! The Corvallis Chapter will IMPORTANT NOTE TO May 1, Sunday, 11 am – 2 pm* have a booth at the spring garden sale, FIELD TRIP PARTICIPANTS along with numerous other garden sup- Event: Open Garden at the McMinn- Field trips take place rain or shine, ply and garden craft vendors, in front ville Library Native Plant Garden. so proper dress and footwear are of the Corvallis Art Center, across from To celebrate Oregon’s Native Plant essential.