Oak News & Notes The Newsletter of the International Oak Society, Volume 20, No. 1, 2016

IOS Returns to the Morton for 8th Conference he 8th Conference of the Interna- T tional Oak Society was a delight- ful event. In honor of the organiza- tion’s 21st year, the Conference was held in Lisle, Illinois, at The Morton Arboretum – the host site of the first Conference in 1994. A total of 188 people were in attendance, represent- ing 15 different countries. The event was graciously hosted by Dr. Gerard Donnelly, President and CEO of The Morton Arboretum, and Dr. Andrew Hipp, Senior Scientist in Systematics and Herbarium Curator of The Morton Arboretum. This year’s Conference boasted an im- pressive 26 presentations and 8 work- shops on a myriad of topics, as well as The Conference Committee (clockwise from top left): Henry “Weeds” Eilers, Nick Stoynoff, Andrew Hipp, Megan Dunning, Guy Sternberg, Jim Hitz, Nicole Cavender, Murphy Westwood, Alana McKean, Joe Roth- 9 poster sessions. Presenters highlight- leutner (not in photo: Matt Lobdell). Thank you all for a great job! Photo: ©Guy Sternberg. ed species from North America, Mexi- co, and China – discussing topics from Specialist Group. Addressing the issue ent oaks species to help update the da- phylogeny and genomics to evolution of conservation, Sara’s inspirational tabase. Future partnerships between and maintenance. Horticultural re- presentation echoed the sentiments of the IUCN, The Morton Arboretum, searchers shared the latest in breeding, the International Oak Society’s mis- and the IOS are anticipated. clonal reproduction, and cultivation sion of preservation. The IUCN, or techniques. The program also included The following morning, proceedings International Union for Conservation presentations on the cultural and his- began at Thornhill Education Center of Nature, is an organization dedicated torical significance of oaks such as the with opening remarks from Dr. Don- legacy of Pathfinder (a sentinel oak), to global conservation. The group is nelly and Béatrice Chassé, outgoing the art of oak-rod basketry, and an in- especially known for the creation of IOS President, followed by the first quiry into the consumption of acorns the Red List, which details the endan- round of presentations. In between the by early humans. germent status for known species. Ear- intellectual morsels of talks on cutting- lier that morning, Sara and Dr. Murphy edge developments in our knowledge The Conference officially opened on Westwood led a workshop to discuss about oaks, attendees were treated to Sunday, October 18 with an address and update the Red List status for oak an excellent lunch buffet. Refresh- from keynote speaker Sara Oldfield, species. Many IOS members attended ments were also served in the Found- co-chair of the IUCN/SSN Global Tree to contribute their knowledge of differ- er’s Room, surrounded by a surfeit of 1 Oak News & Notes Arboretum staff guided and non-oak seeds as a parting gift. groups through each A special thank you goes out to the area, giving an over- Conference Committee of 2015, The view of the hard work Morton Arboretum, the individual and and dedication that has corporate conference sponsors (Diana been the legacy of The Gardner, David Gooder, Michael Morton Arboretum. Heathcoat Amory, Bartlett Tree Ex- True to the season, perts, and an anonymous donor), and many oak species were all who were involved in making the awash in bright saffron, Conference a big success. This year’s deep burgundy, and Conference glowed with the same pas- brilliant crimson. Tall sion for research and conservation that grasses from the prairie, united our group over 20 years ago. Quercus acerifolia in The Morton Arboretum. Photo: ©Charles Snyers. although not in bloom, May the spirit of brotherhood continue towered overhead as a to carry the IOS into the future. Here’s oak souvenirs displayed for the silent foretaste of the coming beauty of to our next reunion at the 9th Triennial auction. Additional information on the spring. Conference in 2018, at the UC Davis silent auction can be found on page 5 That evening, attendees gathered for a Arboretum! of this issue. Gala Banquet at the Ginkgo Restaurant Presentations continued into the after- at the Arboretum’s Visitor Center. Rebecca Dellinger-Johnston noon, followed by a series of open Overlooking the gardens, guests ad- Note: The Conference’s 26 presentations, workshops. These workshops included mired the landscape lit with the cheery the Keynote Address and the Gala Banquet a tour of the herbarium, a lecture and neon glow of festive autumn lights. Address can be viewed on The Morton Arboretum’s YouTube channel, in the Lec- demonstration on grafting techniques, After a round of drinks and light re- tures and Symposia feed. discussion of oak diseases, and even a freshments the main course was botanical sketching class. In addition, a served. During the meal, guest speaker Touring Illinois with the IOS special video, Quercophiles Abroad, Joel Greenburg delivered the somber The Pre-Conference Tour was shown. Created by Dan Keiser, but inspirational tale of the extinct pas- this nostalgic film chronicled the ad- senger pigeon. Immediately following he 2015 IOS Pre-Conference Tour ventures of the International Oak Soci- was the IOS Service Awards ceremo- T highlighted an amazing diversity ety, reminding members of joyous ny, which honored this year’s recipi- of trees and biomes across Southern times shared together. The day closed ents with plaques made from the his- and Central Illinois. Our wonderful with a reception back in the Founder’s toric Pathfinder oak. More details on tour guides, Guy Sternberg and Alana Room where a series of poster sessions the IOS Awards are on page 5. McKean, went out of their way to were set out. Nine presenters were on make this whirlwind trip awesome. The final day of the Conference hand next to their posters to explain The first day started out with some presentations concluded with a special their research and answer questions word from Murphy Westwood about about diverse oak-related topics, such The Morton Arboretum’s campaign to as acorns in traditional food in Korea complete the Quercus entry for the and tissue culture propagation of Quer- IUCN Red List and to promote future cus, among others. research in oak conservation through On the second day, after another the Global Oak Conservation Initia- schedule of provocative presentations, tive. Following the IOS business meet- guests were treated to a much-antici- ing and introduction of the slate of pated tour of the Arboretum itself. Officers and Board Members for the Shuttle buses and trams took groups to coming term, the Conference conclud- tour the Schulenberg Prairie, the Oak ed in traditional fashion with a polite Collection, the East Woods oak wood- frenzy of exchanging acorns. Atten- Warren Chatwin poses next to a skull-like burl on lands, and oak forest restoration re- dees swarmed a small tent outside of National Champion Quercus shumardii in Ellis Farm. search sites. With warmth and humor, the conference hall, gathering both oak Below left, Anna Forester chats with owner Mrs. Ellis. Photo: ©Warren Chatwin. 2 Oak News & Notes amazing views off the sandstone “Weeds” Eilers could lead us on a tour escarpments at Cliff View Park in Alto around the Shoal Creek Conservation Pass, followed by a visit to the gigantic Area. After a delicious lunch, we drove National Champion Quercus shumardii to see the ortet tree of Q. ×deamii at Ellis Farm. If you look closely at the ‘Champion Seedless’, then visited a large burl in the photo, you can see cool gnarled Catalpa speciosa standing that it resembles a skull! Later that outside the homestead Power Farm. evening we enjoyed a stroll through Not far from the tree we saw a court- the Pine Hills in Shawnee National house built in 1829, where a young Forest and watched a gorgeous sunset Abraham Lincoln pleaded his first from the top of a cliff. That evening case. Later we experienced a beautiful we were treated to a delicious Southern evening tour of the restored New Sa- -style dinner at the rustic Giant City lem Historic Village, where Abraham Lodge in Giant City State Park. Lincoln lived during his formative A probable specimen of Quercus prinoides found young adult years. The next morning we hiked through during the Pre-Tour in Sand Prairie-Scrub Oak Na- the lush, beautiful Rocky Hollow at We spent our last two days around Pe- ture Preserve. Photo: ©Roderick Cameron. Ferne Clyffe State Park filled with tersburg, IL, soaking in all the beauti- rocky outcrops, beautiful fall colors, ful things we had seen as the Tour Into Indiana with Jim Hitz and lots of ferns (my favorite hike of came to a close. Most of our group The Post-Conference Tour the trip). Deciding to branch out and stayed at the Riverbank Lodge, which fter assisting with the planning look at something other than oaks, we has two oak trees growing through A and organization for the Pre- enjoyed a change of scenery at the (planned) holes in the roof! Our guide Conference Tour, I was certainly look- northernmost ancient Taxodium Guy Sternberg took us to see Abraham ing forward to kicking back on the swamp at Heron Pond. Walking the Lincoln’s Tomb at Oak Ridge Ceme- Post-Conference Tour with our knowl- boardwalks through the quiet swamp tery, and then showed us around the edgeable guide Jim Hitz at the helm! was a stark change from the cushioned beautiful and diverse collection outside leaf-littered paths we had followed that his home at Starhill Forest Arboretum. Setting off from the Conference hotel morning. We eventually made our way On the last day of our trip, we made an near The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, back to the forests and visited the Illi- exciting discovery while hiking around we traveled east along Lake Michi- nois State Champion Q. pagoda. Later the Sand Prairie-Scrub Oak Nature gan’s southern shore, trading busy city that night we had a delicious dinner Preserve: maybe the first known speci- streets for views of the spectacular fall hosted by our friends at Longshadow mens of Q. prinoides in Illinois! We colors and varied landscapes of the Gardens. They led us on a tour around enjoyed our final meal of the Tour un- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. their spectacular facilities and their der the branches of a massive Q. mac- Given the diversity of habitats here, beautiful property. rocarpa in Bloomington, IL and made including dunes, oak savannas, our way to The Morton Arboretum for swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, Our third day began with a shuttle ride the start of the 8th IOS Conference. It rivers, and forest, the park ranks fourth across Lake Lou Yaeger so Henry was an exhilarating in plant diversity out of all National trip with many Park sites in the U.S. with over 1,100 beautiful sights. We different documented species. The first look forward to the stop of the day was Cowles Bog, one next one in 2018! portion of the 15,000-acre unit. This bog, technically classified as a fen, Warren featured an abundance of colorful red Chatwin maples (Acer rubrum), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), and paper Note: a detailed re- birch (Betula papyrifera), as well as port of the Pre-Tour will be published in shrubs such as buttonbush (Cepha- the next issue of lanthus occidentalis), spice bush International Oaks. (Lindera benzoin), poison sumac Lunch with a view: Pre-Tourists admiring the Bloomington Bur Oak. (Toxicodendron vernix), witch-hazel Photo: ©Roderick Cameron. 3 Oak News & Notes (Hamamelis virginiana), and winter- Day two brought us to War- berry (Ilex verticillata). Henry ren Woods, the sole surviv- “Weeds” Eilers pointed out a great ing old growth beech-maple number of unusual ferns and other her- forest in Michigan. IOS baceous plants to the tree-centric member Doug Bidlack, who crowd. We hiked up and out of the fen has spent extensive time through the rolling terrain of a wood- studying the woods and tak- land on the dunes. As someone who ing measurements of some spends a lot of time fighting invasive of the most impressive species, I was impressed with the con- specimens of Fagus grandi- dition of this forest, where fire and folia, Quercus rubra, and other techniques were obviously used Liriodendron tulipifera, led to maintain a fairly open understory us on a hike. He took us The St. Joseph River at Fernwood Gardens, a highlight of the and keep the intruders at bay. Eventu- past some ancient giants, Post-Conference Tour. Photo: ©Guy Sternberg. ally, the forest gave way to the views through flood plain valleys, of the lake, stretching out to the hori- and across the placid creek that reflect- characteristic bark and dazzling foli- zon. ed the warm gold tones of the maples age. We ended the day with a visit to a all around. much debated large hybrid oak, most In the afternoon, at Pinhook Bog in a likely Q. ×bebbiana, a bit of entertain- another section of the Lakeshore, park The afternoon was spent exploring ment from our host (Jim is quite the rangers led us into a gated area to see Fernwood Botanical Garden and Na- talented musician!), and an evening out the rare purple pitcher plant ture Preserve. A stroll along a hillside in Valparaiso, Indiana. (Sarracenia purpurea) growing in the stream, dotted with a variety of ferns sphagnum, surrounded by tamarack and other plants tucked in with the na- The final day was bittersweet, exhaust- (Larix laricina) and a handful of white tive flora, led down to a scenic view of ed as we were after our travels and sad pines (Pinus strobus) and red oaks the St. Joseph River, reflecting the sur- to know that shortly we would be say- (Quercus rubra) that manage to with- rounding fall foliage. Many cultivated ing our goodbyes for another three stand the extreme acidity. We ended plants in the garden were at their au- years or maybe more. We headed off the day in New Buffalo, Michigan tumn peak during our visit. I recall a under cloudy skies, to walk the unique where we enjoyed a walk on the beach, particularly nice specimen of Stewartia pin oak (Q. palustris) flats of Jasper- a fabulous meal, and luxurious accom- pseudocamellia attracted much atten- Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area and to modations overlooking the harbor. tion as Tour members remarked on the observe large numbers of migrating sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) nearby. From there, it was time for the Central Illinois contingent (myself in- cluded), to head for home, but the Tour went on to visit Taltree Arboretum’s expanding oak collection as well as their ever-popular Japanese gardens and model railroad exhibits. Now, reminiscing months later, look- ing through agendas and photos, remembering the trees and the land- scapes, the hospitality and the com- pany— it leaves me looking forward to our next gathering in 2018. Hope to see you all in California!

Alana McKean Note: a detailed report of the Post-Tour will be published in next issue of International Oaks. Post-Tourists by a putativeQuercus ×bebbiana at the residence of Art Davis. Photo: ©Guy Sternberg. 4 Oak News & Notes 2015 IOS Service Awards The proceeds from the silent auction tersen of Concordia, Missouri. Concor- At the Gala Dinner during the Confer- will go towards scholarships to attend dia is the town where the hybrid was ence at The Morton Arboretum, as is the next Conference in 2018. I would originally found, so it was a promising like to thank those who donated, bid on lead. I met with Jon and his brother tradition, IOS Service Awards were pre- items, and would like to extend a spe- Mark on their family farm just outside sented to persons who have devoted cial thanks to Tammie and Bonnie Jean of Concordia. They showed me two significant efforts to the genus Quercus who helped set up and kept an eye on trees growing together alongside the and/or the advancement of the goals of items throughout the auction. A big road that were planted by their father, the IOS. The Lifetime Service Award is thanks also goes to The Morton Arbo- Marvin, about 30 years prior. The for individuals retired from professional retum staff, especially Megan Dun- brothers told me the story of their fa- life and the Special Service Award is for ning, for helping to organize the event ther, who worked at the Concordia rest those who are not. These were the re- and keeping the proceeds in order. stop where the trees were found. They cipients of the 2015 Awards. A full ac- told me that their dad dug these trees Corporate donors count of the Awards ceremony, includ- as seedlings from among the hybrid Heritage Seedlings (Mark Krautmann) ing a description of the services that - Forrest Keeling Nursery (Kim Love- merited each Award, can be viewed on lace) - Nativ Nurseries (Dudley the IOS website. Phelps) - Starhill Forest Arboretum Special Service Award (Guy Sternberg) - Woodlanders (Bob Allen Coombes (UK) McCartney) Antoine Kremer (France) Private donors Dirk Benoit (Belgium) Emily Griswold - Ryan Russell - Marcie Mayer (Greece) Ryder Russell - Bill Spradley - Kyle Bob McCartney (USA) Spradley - Diana Gardner - Wendy Lifetime Service Award Brockman - Keiko Tokunaga - Michel Duhart (France) Christine Battle - Dave Leonard - Beth Moon Francisco Garin (Spain) Diana Gardener (USA) Leaves of putative Quercus ×introgressa. Ryan Russell Photo: ©Ryan Russell. swarm. These were the first trees I had Silent Auction at the Morton Unraveling the laid eyes on that had direct ties to the he first silent auction held at a Mystery of Quercus original site. Looking these trees over, T Triennial Conference of the IOS ×introgressa - Part 2 it was apparent that both had an affini- was a great success. There were over ty towards Q. bicolor, but neither fit 50 items to bid on and the selection n the last issue of Oak News & within the morphological range of pure included artwork, books, jewelry, and I Notes, I wrote of my crusade to find Q. bicolor. I collected herbarium spec- oak seedlings. The highlight of the and preserve Q. ×introgressa. A quick imens from each tree, cupules, and a auction was a first edition print of In- recap: this hybrid was described from a few remaining acorns. ternational Oaks Issue No. 1, 1992. single location in Missouri and soon Mark mentioned that there was another after was destroyed for a building pro- one of these trees planted by their fa- ject. I suppose I felt the need to track ther on the property, and when Paul this plant down as it was originally Thomson visited a couple of years ago, found only an hour away from my he thought that this tree was the most home, and the thought of losing it en- like the hybrid he described in the tirely was not something I could stand. 1970s. We drove to that tree and it Nearly five years of searching had led again showed an obvious affinity with to only one questionable grafted tree Q. bicolor, but its leaves were smaller, and a score of undocumented seedlings and a bit narrower; more like the that looked spot-on for Q. bicolor. leaves Thomson showed on the plate in Following a tip from Phil Stark of his original publication. I collected Seedlings lined up to be silently auctioned. herbarium specimens from this tree Photo: ©Ryan Russell. Kansas, I made a phone call to Jon Pe- 5 Oak News & Notes found trees that I could tie directly to oak), Q. boyntonii (Boynton sand post the original collection site, there was oak), Q. georgiana (Georgia oak), and no way to positively tell if the trees I Q. oglethorpensis (Oglethorpe oak). It had found were actually the three-way was therefore a region of interest for hybrid that Thomson named Q. the newly reformed Plant Collecting ×introgressa. As I was leaving, Mark Collaborative (PCC), a group of made an off-hand comment that his United States Botanical Garden Profes- dad had also planted a chinkapin oak sionals. (Q. muehlenbergii) near the lake and Following the 2015 IOS Conference, wondered if I’d like to see it. It was on the PCC traveled to the Southeastern the way out so I said yes. As I casually United States on a seed collection ex- looked at this “chinkapin” oak, it pedition with a goal of collecting as dawned on me that I was looking at a many Quercus taxa as possible, partic- putative Q. prinoides × muehlenbergii ularly focusing on species of conserva- hybrid, and better yet, the brothers tion concern. This was the first PCC think that their father took this tree expedition to occur in the last five from the original site. Admittedly, I am years and was led by Matt Lobdell inferring some of this information as A view up the trunk of a putative Quercus (Head of Collections and Curator, The Marvin passed away in 2007 and I can- ×introgressa. Photo: ©Ryan Russell. Morton Arboretum), with other partici- not ask him more specific details. pants at varying stages of the trip in- and found a few cupules and one re- However, if my suspicions check out, I cluding Andrew Bunting (Chicago maining acorn. The Petersen brothers believe it can be concluded with a cer- Botanic Garden), Ethan Kauffman have collected acorns from these trees tain amount of confidence that the (Moore Farms Botanical Garden), for several years and sent them to the three trees suspected as being Q. Greg Paige (Bartlett Tree Research Missouri Department of Conserva- ×introgressa on the Petersen property Laboratories and Arboretum), Tim tion’s State Nursery in Licking, MO to are the real deal. I will await confirma- Boland (The Polly Hill Arboretum), raise and sell to Missouri landowners. tion from real experts before I call this Amy Highland, and Cat Meholic (both Unfortunately, this trip was too late in hunt a success. Andrew Hipp from The from Mt. Cuba Center). the season to find acorns still on the Morton Arboretum has agreed to ana- trees, and while the Petersens had lyze DNA of these specimens and re- The group began their journey near the picked up several gallons of acorns port his findings. Perhaps this story city of Orange Beach, Alabama on the from these trees, I didn’t take any as it will have a happy ending after all. coast of the Gulf of Mexico, where would have been impossible to deter- they were guided by Patrick Thompson mine which tree they came from. I col- Ryan Russell (Davis Arboretum of Auburn Univer- Note: you can view more photos in the sity) and local landscape architect lected scion wood from each tree and online version of this article on the IOS plan to graft a number of each of these website. Daniel Neil. Despite high winds and so I can grow them much closer to rain in the aftermath of Hurricane Pa- home to evaluate them more easily. Plant Collecting Collabora- The most exciting part of this trip was- tive Expedition to the n’t finding these trees, which may Southeastern United States sound odd. Of course, this was very he Southeastern United States was exciting, but it was the tree that I al- T largely spared from glaciation, most didn’t see that was the best part. explaining in part the much greater Many people have expressed a certain level of plant diversity of the region amount of doubt (myself included) compared to the Northeastern and about Thomson’s theory that one half Midwest regions. For example, the of this hybrid was a hybrid itself (Q. state of Alabama boasts 40 native prinoides × muehlenbergii). These two Quercus species alone, and the region species can be difficult enough to tell overall is home to 5 rare oaks of con- apart and nearly impossible in a three- Quercus arkansana in Gulf State Park, one of the servation concern: Q. acerifolia (maple southernmost populations of this species. way hybrid. So, even though I had -leaf oak), Q. arkansana (Arkansas Photo: ©Matt Lobdell. 6 Oak News & Notes tricia, the group was able to collect dens) had previously noticed acorns of Q. geminata, Q. hemi- several plants he suspected to sphaerica, Q. laevis, Q. minima, and be Q. boyntonii. Further inves- Q. virginiana. A small population of Q. tigation confirmed his suspi- arkansana in Gulf State Park (one of cions and seed collections were the southernmost populations of the made from four fruiting plants. species) was also visited, though it was After these forays in residential not bearing fruit. and industrial contexts, the Next, the group traveled to central Ala- group collected in a truly natu- bama (mainly the Birmingham area) in ral setting, the Moss Rock Pre- hopes of collecting seed from several serve. Though evidence of hu- Brian Keener leading the group through the Bibb County populations of Q. boyntonii and one of man encroachment was still Glades. From left to right: Amy Highland, Wayne K. Webb, Q. georgiana. Led by Fred Spicer visible given spontaneous seed- Greg Paige, Ethan Kauffman, Brian Keener. (Birmingham Botanical Gardens), the lings of Camellia sasanqua and Photo: ©Matt Lobdell. first stop was a residential neighbor- Nandina domestica, the lands mardii in Oconee National Forest un- hood in the city of Mountain Brook, were of much greater quality the fur- der the guidance of John Jensen and where Mr. Spicer had previously ob- ther the group hiked. One collection of Tom Patrick (Georgia Department of served two large Q. boyntonii pre- Q. boyntonii was made, but none of the Natural Resources). We then traveled served in the lawns of residential prop- observed Q. georgiana in the shady south to the Fall Line Sandhills Wild- erties. As Birmingham is a post- area was fruiting. Finally, upon reach- life Management Area where an addi- Reconstruction city dating from 1871 ing an open, flat rock habitat, one soli- tional four species were collected: Q. and Mountain Brook itself was devel- tary Q. georgiana revealed itself with a hemisphaerica, Q. incana, Q. laevis, oped as a residential community begin- significant quantity of fruit for collec- and Q. margarettae. Finally, the last ning in the 1920s, commercial availa- tion. Other Quercus taxa of interest stop was made in western South Caro- bility of Q. boyntonii during the area’s collected here included Q. lina, where one more collection of Q. development, if any, would have been coccinea and Q. montana. oglethorpensis was made in McCor- quite limited. Consequently, these trees Western Alabama was the next area of mick County along with collections of are thought to be remnants of a previ- exploration, where two days were Q. coccinea and Q. marilandica. ously existing, more extensive popula- spent under the guidance of Dr. Brian tion. Though one of the two trees ap- The expedition was by most acccounts Keener (University of West Alabama) peared in poor condition, the other was a success, with the collections of Q. and Wayne K. Webb (Superior Trees). performing better and produced a boyntonii in both St. Clair and Jeffer- The group visited a variety of sites quantity of acorns suitable for collec- son Counties, Alabama, representing from the chalky outcrops of the tion. germplasm not currently in ex situ con- Tombigbee River, the Swann Covered servation in North American botanical The next stop was the parking lot of an Bridge over the Locust Fork of the gardens and arboreta, likely the most industrial facility, where Howard Black Warrior River, to the botanically valuable. However, not all was good Hughes (Birmingham Botanical Gar- famous Bibb County Glades. High- news: Mike Gibson (Huntsville Botan- lights included two col- ical Garden) guided an effort to locate lections of Q. arkansana a disjunct population of Q. georgiana in Sumter County and a in Limestone County (northern Ala- collection of Q. boyntonii bama), only to find the site had been in St. Clair County. recently logged. Similarly, efforts to Before the journey was locate documented populations of the done, two more states species in Chambers and Randolph were visited. First was Counties, Alabama (near the Georgia Georgia, where the group Border) were unsuccessful, though was able to observe and they could hopefully still be located collect from a large pop- given a more concerted scouting effort. From left to right: Cat Meholic, Greg Paige, Tim Boland, Tom Patrick ulation of Q. ogle- Still, seed from the 28 collections of collecting Quercus oglethorpensis in Oconee National Forest. thorpensis and Q. shu- Photo: ©Matt Lobdell. Quercus species are currently in pro- 7 Oak News & Notes duction at The Morton Arboretum, dividuals for their help Chicago Botanic Garden, and several so far, and look for- other institutions nationwide where the ward to further input plants will be utilized for ex situ con- from IOS members as servation, research purposes, and gen- we continue to pursue eral appreciation by the oak enthusiast. our goal.

Matt Lobdell At this time, we would like to announce a new Oak Red Listing Project milestone in our pro- Update ject—the completion of a final list of the oaks n January 2015 The Morton Arbore- of the Americas that I tum launched a project in collabora- will be used as the ba- tion with BGCI and the IUCN/SSC sis for our IUCN Red Global Tree Specialist Group, which List assessments! (The aims to complete IUCN Red List threat list can be downloaded assessments for all of the world's oak on the IOS website.) Young leaves on a Quercus crassifolia in Chevithorne Barton, Devon, UK. species. Many oak species are known Since there is no single Photo: ©James MacEwen. to be facing habitat destruction, cli- agreed upon global Species Spotlight mate change, invasive pests and patho- checklist for oak species, we have re- gens, and competition from invasive viewed many sources and collaborated Quercus crassifolia Bonpl. plants. Therefore, it is important to with a variety of experts to create a Quercus crassifolia is a tree ranging in have an up-to-date understanding of conservation-focused species list. We height from 4 to 15 meters, and is usu- the threats facing this globally im- will be completing a final species list ally easily recognized by its leaves: portant tree genus. for the Old World oaks within the stiff and leathery, glossy blackish To complete the Red List assessments, coming months. green above, covered with a layer of we have been gathering extensive data For a year-end update on our assess- pale brown hairs beneath, and with on oak distributions, threats, popula- ment progress, 65 assessments were bristle-tipped teeth above the widest tion trends, and human uses. Develop- accepted by IUCN in 2015, 52 of part of the leaf. It was first collected by ment of relationships with the global which have been published on the Red Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé network of oak experts is a key step, List and are available to the public Bonpland on their famous five-year and the International Oak Society net- (www.iucnredlist.org). The next up- journey to Latin America at the cusp of work has been, and continues to be, a date to the Red List will be in summer the 18th and 19th centuries; the name valuable resource for the oak red list- 2016. was published by Bonpland in 1809, ing project. We thank all involved in- thus making this species one of the Please don’t hesitate to share with us first Mexican oaks to be described your new or changing insights regard- (several species were described by ing oak taxonomy or conservation is- Luis Née in 1801). Amongst its numer- sues. For further information on the ous common names in Spanish, per- oak red listing project or to contribute haps the most distinctive is Encino data, please contact Dr. Murphy West- chicharrón, based on the similarity wood, Tree Conservation Specialist at between the leaves and the fried pork The Morton Arboretum: rinds popular in Mexican cuisine and [email protected] known as chicharrones (encino is one Emily Beckman and of the generic terms for Quercus in Mexican Spanish). The epithet crassi- Murphy Westwood folia derives from the Latin crassus, meaning solid, thick, or coarse (it is Quercus oglethorpensis, listed as endangered on the the origin of the English word “crass”), IUCN Red List, in Jasper County, Georgia, photo- and refers to the thickness of the graphed by Andrew Bunting on the PCC seed col- lecting trip. ©Andrew Bunting. leaves. 8 Oak News & Notes The species is widely distributed in deciduous or semi-evergreen in the Hybrid Highlight Central and Southern Mexico and in wild, losing its leaves just before the Ware Oak Guatemala, and is found in oak and new ones are produced, but in cultiva- uercus ×warei T.L. Green & W.J. pine-juniper forests at an elevation of tion it appears to be evergreen. It flow- Q Hess is a hybrid between an Old 1,300 to 2,900 m in Mexico and at ers in April and the acorns ripen in world and a New World species (Q. lower elevations in Guatemala. It is May to November, in the first or sec- robur and Q. bicolor), which has oc- commonly associated with species ond year. The acorns are ovoid and 1-2 curred several times in the United such as Pinus patula, P. leiophylla, Q. cm long and about 1 cm in diameter, States. In most cases the female parent rugosa, Q. laurina, Q. affinis, and Q. light brown, glabrous, striated, and is Q. robur crassipes. It is in the category of Least enclosed by a hemispherical cupule to Fastigiata Concern in the Red List of Threatened about one third of their length. The Group and Species, and its wood is used for the interior of the acorn cup is wooly. The the result is manufacture of agricultural imple- bark is smooth and grey on young trees usually a ments and tool handles, as structural and becomes dark and deeply fissured fast- posts in house building, and for fire- with rectangular scales and numerous growing, wood. Charcoal obtained from this lenticels about 3 mm long. columnar, species is long lasting and has good Q. crassifolia hybridizes with several hardy oak. other Section Lobatae species in the The hybrid wild, especially Q. crassipes to form was named Q. ×dysophylla (this hybrid was origi- by Bill

nally regarded as a species and some Hess and Quercus ×warei ‘Long’ (Regal authors still maintain that status). Oth- Tom Green Prince™). er less frequent hybrids are found with in honor of Photo: ©Ryan Russell. Q. affinis, Q. candicans, and Q. lauri- George na. Ware, the former research director at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. It was introduced to Europe in 1939 by Mr. Ware was particularly interested in G.B. Hinton and one of the original hardy oaks and selected this hardier trees survives at Caerhays Estate in the form of the columnar Q. robur for United Kingdom. Q. crassifolia is also landscaping purposes. Q. ×warei is represented at Chevithorne Barton, usually a tree that can thrive in a much Jardín Botánico de Iturraran, Arbore- wider range of conditions than its par- tum des Pouyouleix, and some of the ent species and tolerates drought, best trees in cultivation are found at Quercus crassifolia leaves and acorns. flooding, poor soils, and annual ex- Photo: ©James MacEwen. Hackfalls Arboretum in New Zealand, treme temperatures as low as -34 °C. It which also holds a number of its hy- is also particularly resistant to powdery weight. According to Romero et al.1, brids, all collected by Bob Berry in mildew (a common problem for Q. the saplings are edible, after being several localities in Mexico. robur). Many individuals of this hybrid cooked, ground, and mixed with corn; 1 S. Romero Rangel, E.C. Rojas Zenteno, L.E. Rubio have dark green leaves with brilliant they are also an ingredient in a potion Licona, Encinos de México (Quercus, Fagaceae) 100 silvery undersides that resemble the Q. administered to women after giving especies. Mexico City: Universidad Nacional Autóno- bicolor parent. Both parents’ influence birth. The bark is used to alleviate in- ma de México, 2015 is often seen in the numerous acorns flamed gums, to tan leather, and in the This text is based on the entry for Quercus suspended on unusually long pedun- preparation of agave-based beverages. crassifolia in the book Encinos de Mexico cles, though as with all hybrids, these by Silvia Romero Rangel, Ezequiel Carlos One of the attractive features of this Rojas Zenteno and Liliana Elizabeth Rubio characteristics are variable. The attrac- oak it its young leaves, which emerge Licona, as well as other sources. A com- tive form and environmental resilience densely covered in velvety red hairs plete list of articles and books consulted of Q. ×warei make it extremely popu- and are silvery and tomentose beneath. can be found in the online version of this lar and versatile as a landscape tree. As they mature they turn a glossy dark article on the IOS website. The two most readily available culti- green, becoming coriaceous and ru- Roderick Cameron vars of Quercus ×warei are gose with impressed veins. The tree is 9 Oak News & Notes ‘Long’ (Regal Prince™) and are not strictly ‘Nadler’ (Kindred Spirit™). These speaking Q. ×warei were selected by Earl Cully as F1 hy- as they were natu- brids from over 1,000 seedlings of a Q. rally outcrossed robur Fastigiata Group pollinated by with Q. alba, which an unnamed Quercus bicolor in Co- increased spring and lumbia, MO. These two cultivars are fall color. ‘Chimney fairly similar, but ‘Long’ (Regal Fire’ has a more Prince™) has a broader crown of ~ 4 uniform crown than m at 21 years whereas ‘Windcandle’ and ‘Nadler’ (Kindred Spirit™) has a its foliage emerges "Team Mighty Wild!" with the Texas A&M Forest Service and a newly plant- crown spread of ~ 2 m at 30 years. with a red color in ed cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia) at the RETREET event in Wimberley, Texas. spring and turns rus- Another cultivar, ‘Windcandle’, was Chinkapin oaks (Quercus muehlenbergii) were planted at other sites. set to maroon in late Photo: ©Mimi Brown. selected by Guy Sternberg of Starhill fall. ‘Birthday Can- Forest from the offspring of a putative dle’ is a little narrower and generally read more about Mighty Wild on their F- Q. ×warei growing in Petersburg, 1 presents two-toned fall color, with col- website: www.mightywild.com. IL (a selection soon to be registered as ored (younger) and green (older) ‘Riverbank’). ‘Windcandle’, named On Sunday, January 17, Mighty Wild leaves occurring together at the same after Elton John’s musical tribute to partnered with the Arbor Day Founda- time. Unlike ‘Windcandle,’ both tion, the Texas A&M Forest Service, ‘Chimney Fire’ and ‘Birthday Candle’ and RETREET to plant over 200 trees tend to be marcescent (they hold on to along the Blanco River in Wimberley, their leaves during the winter). Over- Texas. Planters and supporters saw all, there is a beautiful diversity of re- firsthand the devastation of the Memo- silient Q. ×warei cultivars that make it rial Day weekend floods eight months a great tree to consider for your land- prior, which turned into a night of trag- scape. edy when the swollen Blanco River ripped through the Wimberley banks, A complete list of Q. ×warei cultivars carrying away trees, bridges, and can be found in oaknames.org. homes. These floods caused 12 deaths, Warren Chatwin led to over 200 emergency rescues, and put an estimated 350 homes under- Acorns - Eat Some, water. Mighty Wild’s founder, Mimi Brown, personally knew several of the Plant Some Wimberley flood victims, including ighty Wild Provides Funding her seventh-grade teacher, Michelle M for Planting Trees to Restore Carey-Charba. Blanco River After Devastating Floods Although the human tragedy of the in Wimberley, Texas. Blanco River flood must never be for- If you look at a box of Mighty Wild gotten, the tree-planting will provide a Acorn Crackers, you will see “Acorns sense of healing for residents of Wim- – Eat Some, Plant Some” emblazoned berley. These trees also will help miti- Two specimens of Quercus ×warei × alba ‘Birthday gate the destruction caused by future Candle’. Photo: Ryan Russell. across the top, showing the company’s Inset: Quercus ×warei leaves and acorns. commitment to donating a portion of floods. Photo: ©Warren Chatwin. product sales to planting trees – oak Mighty Wild plans to plant more trees trees. Fellow IOS member Mimi Princess Diana, is an F2 hybrid with in Bastrop, Texas in the fall of 2016 as typical Q. ×warei characteristics and is Brown started the company with a mis- part of a reforestation initiative after sion-based philosophy. She not only believed to be a self-pollinated seed- wildfires struck the area. wanted to challenge the way people ling of ‘Riverbank’. A further two cul- think about food but also sought to Roderick Cameron tivars selected from the same source, make food with a purpose. You can ‘Chimney Fire’ and ‘Birthday Candle’, 10 Oak News & Notes Griswold as Membership Director (see you can renew online. Our online payment Society News more about Robert infra). I welcome Rob- system is PayPal which allows payment ert and thank him for volunteering for this through a PayPal account or by credit card. critical task. From the Board I leave it at this for now. I wish you an Incidentally, at its first meeting in Lisle, excellent year 2016. You can always con- his is the first issue of Oak News & the new Board elected its Officers for the tact me to make comments or ask ques- T Notes since our 2015 Conference at 2015-2018 term. Gert Fortgens was tions by writing to The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. The reelected as Secretary and Jim Hitz as [email protected]. Conference was a great success. You can Treasurer. Shaun Haddock was elected Charles Snyers read about it in the cover article of this Vice-President and I was elected President. newsletter and you can look forward to the Further details on our current organization full Proceedings in the upcoming issue of can be viewed on the next page. International Oaks, the Journal of the IOS. But let us get back to membership man- Board meetings and a general meeting of agement. We also held our triennial Meet- the members also took place at the Confer- ing of Members on the last day of the Con- ence. Two board members had not wished ference. The assembly approved an in- to run for re-election. Allen Coombes did crease in membership fees and the Board indeed leave the board on which he had voted it a month later. These new fees are served since 1994, including as President applicable starting January 10. The new of the Society. Emily Griswold is also membership categories and associated leaving the Board after one term during dues are described below. (I sent a bulk e- New IOS Membership Director with a juvenile alli- which she had taken responsibility of a key mail to all of our members detailing the gator (Alligator mississippiensis) he is training up to activity of our board: membership man- reasons for this increase. For about 5% of let loose on members who fail to renew on time. Photo: ©Robert Routon. agement. Allen remains a member of the our membership, however, we do not have Taxonomy Committee and co-editor of an e-mail address on file. Further, some From Our New International Oaks. Emily took on the role SPAM filters also block our mails, notably of Conference organizer for the 2018 Con- AT&T that blocks e-mails sent to their Board Member ference in California. I thank them both customers or customers of some of the s your new Membership Director, I heartily for the work they have done for Baby Bells. If you have not received that wanted to briefly introduce myself the Society and the work they will contin- A email dated December 19, please get back and wish everyone a fruitful 2016. I also ue to do in other capacities. to us by writing to wanted to thank each of you for all of the I remind you that the management of the [email protected]). interaction and support during the current Society is entirely conducted by volunteers Members who need to renew their mem- membership renewal period. Emily Gris- from our membership and that we have a bership now will find a membership form wold and Charles Snyers have been very chronic lack of candidates to fill Board or with this issue of Oak News & Notes. You patient with me and extremely helpful as I Committee positions. Therefore, we have can use that paper form to renew by send- learn the ropes. only one new Board Member joining for ing it back to our treasurer, Jim Hitz, or I studied forestry and environmental engi- this term: Robert Routon succeeded Emily neering at Louisiana Tech University. I am New Membership Types New Membership Fees currently employed by the State of Louisi- Standard membership (1-2 persons in the same ana with the Coastal Protection and Resto- household): 1 issue of International Oaks, 2 issues of Membership Category Fee (USD) ration Authority where I manage large Oak News and Notes (print or email), access to Standard—One Year 40 civil works projects designed to restore “members only” resources on website, ability to ecosystems from coastal land loss and pro- attend triennial conferences and seed exchanges Standard—Two Years 75 tect areas from hurricane and flooding im- Student Membership: full standard membership pacts. During my career, I have been ac- Standard—Three Years 110 benefits for 1 year (ON&N by email only). tive in several professional organizations Life Membership (1-2 persons in same household): Supporting—One Year 80 and involved with multiple administrative full standard membership benefits for life committees. My interests have always re- Supporting Membership (1-2 persons in the same Supporting—Two Years 150 volved around various forms of horticul- household): full standard membership benefits, recognition in our Journal International Oaks (with Supporting—Three Years 220 ture, and I have devoted much of my free possible opt-out) time to restoring private sections of agri- Institutional Membership (3-year membership): full Student—One Year 20 cultural land and pastureland back to hard- standard membership benefits for three years, un- wood forest. I continue to enjoy learning Institutional—Three Years 500 limited number of staff members of the institution about the many different aspects of oak can attend IOS events, recognition in International Life Membership (valid for 1-2 pers.) 1,200 species and the keys to their field identifi- Oaks. cation. 11 Oak News & Notes will cover southwest New Mexico and Sunday, July 17 with a visit to the young Board of Directors 2015—2018 southeast Arizona. I can’t do any better collection of David Gooder at Atherstone Officers than to quote Mike regarding the 2016 near Coventry. David has amassed a most President: Charles Snyers d’Attenhoven tour: interesting collection from many sources Vice-President: Shaun Haddock “Trees that we could see on the 2016 trip including sponsorship of collectors in the Secretary: Gert Fortgens would be… the large single-stem speci- wild, and I hope this will be the first of Treasurer: James Hitz mens of Q. gambelii of the Sacramento many visits. The following day, July 18, is Functions Mountains, Acer saccharum sub. grandi- also a chance not to be missed to visit the dentatum of the high elevation White important tree collection of Lord Heseltine Membership Director: Robert Routon Mountains, and Q. vaseyana, Q. pungens, on the 70-acre estate at Thenford House in Editor International Oaks: Béatrice Chassé Q. mohriana, and Q. muehlenbergii of the Northamptonshire. Rarely open to the pub- Co-Editor International Oaks: Guadalupe Mountains. We could climb lic, over 3,500 species have been planted, Allen Coombes Guadalupe Peak, highest point in Texas, many collected in the wild, including a Tour Director: Shaun Haddock and see the isolated Q. mohriana and Q. notable collection of oaks. In addition to Editor Oak News & Notes: gravesii on the Glass Mountains where the botanical interest, the estate is excep- Roderick Cameron they cannot hybridize with anything tionally beautiful, containing three large Co-Editor Oak News & Notes: Ryan Russell else. On the return trip back to the Albu- lakes, many sculptures, and a formal gar- Website Editor: Roderick Cameron querque metropolitan area, we could stop den. Lord Heseltine will be there to wel- Website Administrator: Charles Snyers and see La Sierra de los Organos, the come us personally. Please register your d’Attenhoven Mountains of Solitude in Southern New interest for either or both days via Mexico. Also known as the Organ Moun- [email protected]. In ad- As many of you are aware, our member- tains, they have more taxa than any other dition we are planning to hold an arbore- ship rate structure has recently been updat- mountain range in the Southwest and they tum visit in Belgium, most probably in ed to better serve our organization and climb 5,000 feet above the surrounding August. members (see previous page). If you have desert floor. Here we can see pure Q. ari- Finally, we have been invited to view the any questions on this or any other issue zonica and good examples of Q. turbinella collections of two of our members in Ire- involving membership, please feel free to and once again Q. gambelii. This mountain land: that of Sir Brendan Parsons, the Earl contact me at can give us a beautiful and doable four- of Rosse, at Birr Castle; and that of Johnny [email protected] mile mountain hike from the desert up into Couchman near Carlow. I would envisage and I will be more than happy to get the the ponderosa pines, many oaks and huge that this tour would take place in May or answers. Of course, we can also talk about Juniperus deppeana can also be seen…” June 2017 before the tourist season is fully oaks! These tours will be unmissable: those in swing, and that these visits would form Robert Routon lucky members who participated in Mike’s part of a longer tour: there are many splen- Membership Director first IOS tour in 2001 have been clamour- did gardens and collections to visit, includ- ing to return ever since! ing Abbeyleix, Powerscourt, Mount Usher, Mount Congreve, and the National Botanic 2016 Tours and OODs Remaining on the same side of the Atlan- Garden at Glasnevin and Kilmacurragh. If tic, Roderick Cameron is organizing a two- xcept for the UK, 2015 was a low-key you would be interested in participating day Oak Open Day (OOD) event on April E year for the Tour Committee in order please contact not to detract from the Conference and its 22-23, 2016 to visit Argentina’s two most [email protected], as I excellent associated tours. Now in 2016 we notable oak arboreta: Grigadale, planted by would like to ascertain if we could run this are organizing a fuller program, outlined his late father Duncan but continually add- below. A “Tours” e-mail will be sent out as a low-cost car-sharing tour or whether ed to by Roderick; and well-known IOS once dates and contacts become firm, and we would need to make other transport member Peter Laharrague’s Estancia San please also keep an eye on the IOS website arrangements. for the latest information. Miguel, a large and comprehensive arbore- To deal with the USA first, staunch IOS tum containing the largest oak collection in Shaun Haddock member Mike Meléndrez is willing to Argentina. Whilst designed to attract local Tour Director share his encyclopaedic knowledge of the participants, Roderick is hoping that some oaks of the Southwest with a double bill of members may be able to travel from Points of Contact abroad: if you would like to attend, please tours, in both 2016 and 2017. In the last Submissions for the Newsletter two weeks of October 2016 a tour will contact the organizers at Roderick Cameron - Ryan Russell cover the Capitan, Guadelupe and Sacra- [email protected] as mento Mountains of southeast New Mexi- soon as possible so they can arrange addi- [email protected] co, and then the Glass, Davis, and Chisos tional attractions to make the trip even Submissions for the Journal mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas. In late more worthwhile. Béatrice Chassé - Allen Coombes September and early October 2017, Mike This year’s UK OOD event commences on [email protected]

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