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Iris No. 70 • March 2013 The Alberta Native Council Newsletter Plasmodial Slime in Alberta by Jim Posey

All Elements—the most likely place for a definitive list—and could not find any. Turning to the Web, I found several references to an article by Richardson and Currah, “Myxomycetes of Alberta,” and on the University of Alberta Libraries website I finally tracked down a link to it. It turns out that seventy- some have been collected here. It is likely that there are more, yet to be documented.

These Web resources stand out for the information they provide about these species:

• The Eumycetozoan Project at the University of Arkansas: http:// slimemold.uark.edu septica growing on forbs Photo D. & M. McIvor (Jan. 18, 2013)

Plasmodial slime molds sound lovely, demonstrated the ability to navigate • Lado, C. (2005-2013). An online don’t they? Bob MacDonald, on Quirks mazes or to find the shortest network nomenclatural information system and Quarks, characterized them as of paths connecting multiple points of Eumycetozoa. http://www. single-cell organisms the size of a efficiently, plasmodial slime might nomen.eumycetozoa.com Real pizza. That piqued my interest. If one never have made the news, although Jardín Botánico, CSIC. Madrid species, polycephalum, had not , or dog vomit slime , © 2005-2013. (Jan. 18, 2013) is popular on the Web and does occur in Alberta. • Observer species In this Issue . . . Interesting! list of Myxomycota: http:// mushroomobserver.org/species_ Whitehorse Wildland Park...... 6 I decided to ask how many Discovery of Impoverished Pinweed...... 8 list/show_species_list/58?_ Puzzling Pairs: Chickweeds...... 10 of these species occur js=on&_new=true (Jan. 18, 2013) Plant Study Groups...... 12 naturally here. I looked at [requires Javascript to be enabled] News and Events...... 13 the Alberta Conservation Annual Workshop Registration Info...... 14 Information Management System (ACIMS) List of See Slime Molds, page 2 Slime Molds, from page 1 Catalogue of Life, Global Biodiversity in size from a few millimetres to half Information Facility (GBIF), and a metre in diameter. A net of tubes • Discover Life, IDnature Encyclopedia of Life (EoL), but this arrayed something like veins in a leaf, guide to : http:// scheme is not used universally. Slime capable of passing through openings as www.discoverlife.org/ molds have traditionally been regarded small as a micrometre is a typical form. mp/20q?guide=Mycetozoa_ as fungi, but are now regarded as GSMNP (Jan. 18, 2013) . Within the group, visually The is motile and moves slowly observable features determine the through the environment engulfing • and not least: http://www. and the keys in common use. small particles of organic material cybertruffle.org.uk/cyberliber/ This may not reflect their . including decayed plant material, 59575/0037/0363.htm Never mind. You would not want a , and fungi. Some tubes fan (Jan. 18, 2013) where the first page phylogenetic key to use in the field. out in search of food, others retreat and links to subsequent pages of Higher taxonomic trees ending at where none is found, and larger tubes “Myxomycetes of Alberta” are to plasmodial slime molds include: efficiently exchange nutrients between be found. locations of concentrated food sources. • Natura/Mundus/Naturalia/Biota/ Species that occupy drier environments Not surprisingly, The “Myxomycetes Eukaryota//Myxomycota/ are sheathed in slime. of Alberta” article is not a field guide. Myxomycetes (SN. )/ Discover Life provides an interactive from Systema Naturae 2000 In some species at least, the identification guide that allows you leaves a chemical trace to select whatever characters you are • Protozoa/Fossil Amoebozoa/ of its passage (of slime or excreted sure about and then displays a list of /Incertae sedis/ waste) that the organism avoids, thus remaining possibilities with links to Incertae sedis/Myxomycetes avoiding retracing its steps. This is species pages that provide descriptions, Renault 1895, Myxomycetes how is said to references, distribution maps, and manginii Renault 1896, “remember” which paths have been (often) photographs. If it asked more Myxomycetes shigaphagus explored in a maze. Why does it questions, and did not produce such Salimbeni 1920, Myxomycites connect points efficiently? Since the long lists of possibilities when you’ve Mesch. 1898/ from Index streams back and forth answered all the questions, this might be Fungorum inside the cell, from one source of all you need if you have the specimen food to another, short paths conserve and access to the Web side by side, or if • Cellular organisms/Eukaryota/ energy, and it makes sense that all but you have noted the relevant features. Amoebozoa/Mycetozoa/ the shortest paths between points are Myxogastria/ from the US National abandoned. How it does this is another If you have a photograph, you can Center for Biotechnology question. See http://www.youtube. post it to Mushroom Observer with com/watch?v=mvBSkt6LhJE your identification where other • Protozoa/Mycetozo/Myxomycetes for an example of a users can concur or comment, thus from Species 2000 & ITIS exploring its environment, finding crowd-sourcing confirmation of your Catalogue of Life: May 2012 food, and optimizing connections, identification. or http://www.youtube.com/ There are others. If you’re going to watch?v=czk4xgdhdY4 for a slime For devotees of paper, Myxomycetes: A try to sort this out, you’ll be in good mold initially filling a maze, then Handbook of Slime Molds by Stephenson company. abandoning all but the shortest path & Stempen, provides keys, descriptions, between two food sources. and drawings of the species most likely Life as a Blob to be encountered in North America. Slime Sex It includes species that have not been When they are actively feeding and recorded in Alberta (which could be a growing, Myxomycetes can become The plasmodium can go into a sort of good thing—you might well find a new enormous single cells (plasmodia) with hibernation (called a sclerotium) from one), but does not include twenty-some thousands of nuclei. They start life which it can recover, or transform of those that have been recorded. small, as a with a single nucleus into one of a variety of -bearing that divides, and divides again as the structures by differentiating into walled Most resources use the taxonomy cell grows. Plasmodia are often buried of Lado, including Species 2000, in decaying vegetation, and can range See Slime Molds, page 3

2 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 Slime Molds, from page 2 cells, some of which form support structures and die, and others of which become Alberta Native Plant Council haploid that are released into the environment. Garneau P.O. 52099 Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5 When the spores germinate they produce cells of two types: -like and website: www.anpc.ab.ca flagellated. These haploid cells feed and divide, and can become cysts that can e-mail: [email protected] survive for extended periods. Or, they can fuse (this is where sex comes in) when President they encounter one another, amoeboid with amoeboid, and flagellated with Kelly Ostermann [email protected] flagellated, to produce diploid that become plasmodia within which the nuclei divide and increase in number as the cell gets bigger, bringing the cycle back Vice- President Leslie Monteleone to the beginning. Spores, sclerotia, and cysts are durable and ensure survival when [email protected] conditions are not favourable. Secretary Laurie Hamilton Myxomycetes are unusual among slime molds in that recognition is often possible [email protected] in the field, from their spore-bearing structures (fruiting bodies or frutifications), Treasurer plasmodia, and sclerotia. Other slime molds generally have to be cultured in the Amar Keshri lab and identified using a bright-field microscope when they have produced spores. [email protected] The frutifications often resemble , but because they’re generally Directors Marsha Hayward (Northern) 2 mm high, or less, appreciation of their structures requires a good hand lens, field [email protected] microscope, or digital camera with high-resolution macro capabilities. Tony Blake (Central) [email protected] Vacant (Southern) Where Slime Lives Chrissie Smith (Nature Alberta) [email protected] The most common substrata are moist rotten wood and bark of dead trees and Membership Secretary fallen logs, although a variety of other vegetation supports some species. Most Kelly Ostermann species are believed to be widespread, although some are tropical. A distribution [email protected] map usually says more about the distribution of observers and their favourite Volunteer Coordinator haunts, than about the distribution of a slime mold. Eastern and mid-western states Janine Lemire in the U.S. have been more extensively studied than Alberta. As with distribution, [email protected] not a lot is known about their . The collections we have provide less Conservation Action information about habitat and substrate than might be desired. “Wood” is the John Potter [email protected] most common substrate given, although logs of poplar, birch, pine, spruce, and (less often) fir are often mentioned, frequently “rotten,” “moist,” “shaded,” or Education and Information Mari Decker “decorticated.” Leaves and leaf litter also figure as substrata. Some species are [email protected] known to specialize, and most probably prefer a particular micro-habitat and Jim Posey [email protected] substrate. In Alberta two species, eremophila and Licea tenera, have been found only on cow dung. Another specialist, niveum, grows at the margins of Rare Leslie Monteleone alpine snowbanks as they retreat in spring and summer. [email protected] See Slime Molds, page 4 Norma Calvo [email protected]

Reclamation and Horticulture Kristyn Housman [email protected]

Webmaster Mark Mayner [email protected]

Newsletter Committee Dana Bush fragilis [email protected] on twigs Laurie Hamilton Photo D. & M. McIvor [email protected] Patricia McIsaac [email protected] Alfred Falk [email protected]

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 3 Slime Molds, from page 3 ► epidendrum (L.) Fr. If the Dog Vomit moves, don’t panic ►Lycogala flavofuscum (Ehrenb.) Rostaf. ►Reticularia splendens Morgan Slime molds appear to have little direct impact on ► ferruginosa (Batsch) J.F. Gmel. people. Ropin’ the Web says that is common in Alberta in turf, after prolonged wet Order: weather. Fuligo septica is sometimes seen on or in urban gardens, resulting in unwarranted canine visits to ►Diderma cinereum Morgan the vet. If it slowly moves from one location to another, ►Diderma crustaceum Peck don’t blame the dog. Elsewhere, species of Fuligo, ►Diderma globosum Pers. , Physarum, and have been reported ►Diderma niveum (Rostaf.) T. Macbr. on turf-grass. Chipped wood mulch will support ►Diderma radiatum (L.) Morgan slime molds, as will straw mulch around . Diderma simplex (J. Schröt.) G. Lister Outside their natural environments, slime molds can ►Diderma spumarioides (Fr.) Fr. be unsightly, but are harmless. Club root, ►Mucilago crustacea F.H. Wigg. brassicae, is not a slime mold. In the Mexican state of Veracruz, people traditionally collect, fry, and eat the plasmodia of Fuligo septica and fruiting bodies of ► affinis Rostaf. Enteridium . Badhamia cinerascens G.W. Martin Badhamia populina Lister & G. Lister ► (Bull.) Berk. Tentative Species List for Alberta ► leucocephalum (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) Ditmar ►Craterium minutum (Leers) Fr. The species listed here are all represented by collections Fuligo leviderma H. Neubert, Nowotny & K. Baumann (lodged in various herbaria) and, in a few cases, photos ►Fuligo septica (L.) F.H. Wigg. taken in Alberta. The species with ► to the left are ►Leocarpus fragilis (Dicks.) Rostaf. described in the book, Myxomycetes: A Handbook of Slime Physarum albescens Ellis ex T. Macbr. Molds. Physarum bethelii T. Macbr. ex G. Lister ►Physarum bivalve Pers. Order: Ceratiomyxales (or ) ►Physarum cinereum (Batsch) Pers. Ceratiomyxaceae ►Physarum compressum Alb. & Schwein. ► fruticulosa (Müll.) Mac. ►Physarum contextum (Pers.) Pers. ►Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Müll.) Mac. poroid form [syn. Physarum leucopus Link C. fruticulosa var. porioides (Alb. & Schwein.) Lister] ►Physarum luteolum Peck ►Physarum notabile T. Macbr. Order: Physarum nudum T. Macbr. Echinosteliaceae Physarum oblatum T. Macbr. ► minutum de Bary ►Physarum pusillum (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) G. Lister ►Physarum rubiginosum Fr. & Palmquist Order: ►Physarum serpula Morgan Cribrariaceae ►Physarum tenerum Rex ► argillacea (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) Pers. Physarum tessellatum G.W. Martin & M.L. Farr Cribraria cancellata (Batsch) Nann.-Bremek. ►Physarum viride (Bull.) Pers. Cribraria oregana H.C. Gilbert ►Cribraria purpurea Schrad. Order: Stemonitales ►Cribraria rufa (Roth) Rostaf. ►Lindbladia tubulina Fr. ► nigra (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) J. Schröt. ► papillatum (Pers.) Rostaf. Liceaceae ► arcyrioides (Sommerf.) Rostaf. Licea eremophila D. Wrigley, Lado & Estrada ►Lamproderma columbinum (Pers.) Rostaf. ►Licea tenera E. Jahn See Slime Molds, page 5

4 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 Slime Molds, from page 4

Paradiachea rispaudii (Hagelst.) Hertel ex H. Neubert, Nowotny & K. Baumann Paradiacheopsis acanthodes (Alexop.) Nann.-Bremek. irregularis (Rex) Nann.-Bremek., R. Sharma & Y. Yamam. ► (Bull.) T. Macbr. ► Roth ► Rostaf. aequalis (Peck) Y. Yamam. Stemonitopsis typhina (F.H. Wigg.) Nann.-Bremek.

Order: Arcyriaceae ► cinerea (Bull.) Pers. ►Arcyria denudata (L.) Wettst. Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa on very rotten wood in ►Arcyria ferruginea Saut. moist lodgepole/spruce woods ►Arcyria incarnata (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) Pers. Photo D. & M. McIvor Arcyria insignis Kalchbr. & Cooke Arcyria nigella Emoto Arcyria obvelata (Oeder) Onsberg ►Arcyria oerstedii Rostaf. ►Arcyria pomiformis (Leers) Rostaf.

Trichiaceae Physarum sp. ►Hemitrichia clavata (Pers.) Rostaf. on moss Photo D. & M. ►Metatrichia vesparia (Batsch) Nann.-Bremek McIvor ex G.W. Martin & Alexop ►Perichaena corticalis (Batsch) Rostaf. ► contorta (Ditmar) Rostaf. ► (Pers.) T. Macbr. ►Trichia favoginea (Batsch) Pers. ►Trichia scabra Rostaf. ►Trichia subfusca Rex ►Trichia varia (Pers. ex J.F. Gmel.) Pers.

Lycogala epidendrum – wolf’s milk Photo M. Wood Stemonitis axifera on dead aspen See page 13 Photo D. & M. McIvor Slime Molds,

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 5 Prospect Creek, Whitehorse Wildland

Park and Beyond by Alison Dinwoodie

Whitehorse Wildland Park (WWP) came a more regional basis rather than at A suggested solution to improve into being partly as mitigation for the individual trails on an ad hoc basis. the post-mining rehabilitation of proposed Cheviot Mine after extensive the Prospect–Cheviot Creek mine public environmental hearings. It Past experience in the area has shown disturbance is to: Designate the Grave surrounds Cardinal River Operations that OHV users ignore many signs Flats Road as the boundary between (CRO) Cheviot and Prospect Creek and Access Management conditions, non-motorized recreation on the pits on three sides, with the public particularly with illegal access on west side (i.e., hiking, horse riding, Grave Flats Road, south of Cadomin, Drummond ridge and the upper and hunting, as at present) and as the fourth side. The area, particularly alpine slopes of Prospect, Cheviot motorized traffic on the east side Prospect Creek, had been recognized and Thornton Creeks. Adequate of the road. This clearly recognizable early on as a very important ecologically enforcement is not possible when boundary would also result in better sensitive area with a wide diversity of the boundaries are indistinct and public understanding and compliance, wildlife and many unusual plants. staff is very limited. These unofficial as well as allow more practical trails create permanent damage enforcement of the regulations. A Active coal mining in Cheviot and and increasing erosion in a fragile subregional plan such as this would Prospect pits will be nearing completion environment, destroying sensitive slow- also be compatible with the long-term in the next two to three years. Off- growing vegetation, including a number Upper Athabasca Regional Plan. Highway Vehicle (OHV) users are of rare plants. Designated trails for already actively pushing for renewed OHV use also get progressively wider access to Prospect Creek. Premature and more impassable in wetter areas, arrangements for OHV access to this unless very extensive and expensive Please show your support for area would severely jeopardize the hardening is undertaken. this proposal by writing to your long-term viability of the WWP, both MLA, and to: for ecological and wildlife concerns. This cumulative and permanent damage Andy Van Imschoot, Regional In addition, it could also compromise is magnified by the marked increase in Director, West Central Region, CRO’s efforts at reclamation and the number of OHV users in recent Tourism Parks and Recreation, #1, 250 Diamond Avenue, mitigation for the impacts of their years (ten-fold at least in the Cardinal Spruce Grove, AB T7X 4C7 Headwaters, to several hundred per mine. email: [email protected] week). In addition to the damage these OHVs had previously been recognized vehicles cause to the terrain, they have a Sharad Karmacharya, Land as a potential problem in this area much wider range than non-motorized Management Planner, Environment & because of disturbance to wildlife users, thus extending their invasiveness Sustainable Resource Development, and incompatibility with other and disturbance of wildlife, including 3rd flr. Civic Centre, 131 Civic Centre non-motorized users. An Access increased possibilities for poaching. Road, Hinton, AB T7V 2E6 Management Plan (AMP) was These considerations also impact the email: [email protected] developed in 1994 to address this reclamation of the disturbed mine area Brent Schleppe, Area Manager, issue. This AMP pre-dated the mine and re-establishment of wildlife habitat, Foothills Area, Environment and which because of the very harsh sub- developments and, among other Sustainable Resource Development, restrictions, recognized a particular alpine climate, will take a long time to #107 Provincial Building, designated route to access Drummond recover. 111 - 54 Street, Edson, AB T7E 1T2 Ridge but limited going any further email: [email protected] along the ridge. Many other OHV trails exist in the Coal Branch area, so there are many Please also send a copy The situation, geographically and alternatives for that activity. OHV to me, Alison Dinwoodie, ecologically, has changed markedly since activities in the important biologically [email protected] the original AMP, so a revised access diverse Prospect Creek–WWP area are plan is required, looking at the area on clearly unsustainable in the future. See Whitehorse Wildland, page 7

6 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 Whitehorse Wildland, from page 6 Map showing proposed boundary along Grave Flats Road to separate motorized from non-motorized recreation.

Botany Alberta This year, we’re planning to explore August 3 – 5, 2013 the beauty of the mountainous Lake Louise Lake Louise area.

Accommodations will be at the beautiful and reasonably priced Lake Louise Hostel and the Lake Louise campground for those who prefer to tent.

We’re planning a number of hikes in the area that will include sightings of whitebark pine, limber pine, Photo K. McIsaac numerous other rare plants—including bryophytes and lichens—and . . . incredible mountain views. Botany BC will be held in nearby Golden and Revelstoke on the following weekend (August 8-11), so there’s an Stay tuned to the ANPC website opportunity to extend your trip or enjoy two botany for more details. www.anpc.ab.ca weekends in a row.

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 7 A Rich & Rare Discovery: Impoverished Pinweed

by Sonya Poller Reprinted with permission from Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. e-news. Issue 4, January 2013

Lechea intermedia var. depauperata, more commonly known as impoverished pinweed, was collected in 2012 for the first time in Alberta. Identification was made possible through the work of the ABMI and the Royal Alberta Museum. Photo Royal Alberta Museum

Many plant species are exceptionally in the province. Instead of keying it little is known about this taxon and its common in Alberta. So common out immediately, I decided to look at COSEWIC (Committee on the Status are species like aspen trees and information on species whose ranges of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) dandelions that it is difficult to go for are restricted to the Athabasca Sand designation remains “indeterminate.” It a 30-minute walk without seeing one. Dunes. Lechea stood out as a probable is also a very poorly studied species, and Other plants are exceptionally rare. identification.” there is a great deal more to learn about Impoverished pinweed (Lechea intermedia its distribution patterns. Tim also points var. depauperata) falls firmly into the After sending photos to a number to important questions that ABMI exceptionally rare category. Despite of other experts in Alberta, Tim was and RAM are pursuing with continued intermittent efforts by researchers to eventually directed to Dr. Vernon L. rigorous monitoring and specimen re-locate known populations, it has Harms, Emeritus Professor of Botany identification: “Why has impoverished been 32 years since this species was at the University of Saskatchewan, pinweed proven so elusive? What other last seen anywhere on the planet. who has done a great deal of work Lake Athabasca south shore species The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring investigating the status of this plant have yet to be found in Alberta?” Institute (ABMI) and the Royal Alberta in the region. He confirmed Tim’s Museum (RAM) are pleased to report suspicions. Tim said, “It was really Despite the remaining mysteries, the that we have found impoverished satisfying to be able to report a new ABMI’s finding represents quite a pinweed at one of our monitoring sites species for inclusion in the flora of significant range extension for the in the extreme northeastern region Alberta. The fact that so little is known species and adds a new member to the of the province near Lake Athabasca. about impoverished pinweed makes the known flora of Alberta. The specimen Tim Chipchar, the ABMI’s vascular story even more interesting.” will soon be submitted to the Royal plant specialist at the RAM confirmed Alberta Museum Herbarium where it this find, using a significant amount Our collection of the Lechea is the sixth will be mounted. It will also eventually of ecological detective work. “I ever (worldwide) for the variety, and it’s be accessible to researchers and the immediately recognized it as something been found only at four other sites, all public. unusual because I couldn’t place it located within Athabasca Sand Dunes See Pinweed, page 9 in one of the larger families found Provincial Park in Saskatchewan. Very

8 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 Pinweed, from page 8

In 2012, Lechea intermedia var. “It’s not really a looker, although the deep red colour of the flowers (seldom depauperata, also known as seen) is kind of nice. It looks like nothing else known in the province. It’s impoverished pinweed, was unusual and incredibly elusive; that’s probably its main appeal for me.” collected for the first time in Alberta Tim Chipchar, Vascular Plant Specialist, Royal Alberta Museum through the work of the ABMI and Royal Alberta Museum. Photo Royal Alberta Museum Profile: Impoverished Pinweed

Biodiversity Notes Scientific Name: Lechea intermedia var. seldom seen. It’s known to form dense depauperata local colonies and is believed to be The south shore of Lake Athabasca is largely self-fertilizing. a unique landscape. The region is home Family: Cistaceae, The Rockrose to one of the largest areas of active Family Alberta has a long history of botanical sand dunes in North America, formed exploration. In spite of this, every year from glacial deposits following the last Species Range: Populations of this new discoveries are made that broaden ice age. Living amongst the shifting variety appear significantly distinct from our understanding of the flora of sands is an equally unique gathering of all others within the species, occurring our environment. The collection of flora that includes ten vascular plants only along the south shore of Lake impoverished pinweed highlights the prevalent only in this area. These plants Athabasca. Its nearest known kin (var. fact that there is still much to learn, are uniquely adapted to survival in this intermedia) can be found in southeastern especially in the most remote regions of challenging ecosystem and are found Manitoba and the species ranges this province. nowhere else in the world. Of these rare through the Great Lakes region to the ten, one seems to stand out as being Atlantic coast. particularly elusive—the inconspicuous References: Lechea intermedia var. depauperata, also Habitat Preference: Disturbance known as impoverished pinweed. An air seems to be key for survival for this V.L. Harms. 1996. COSEWIC of mystery seems to surround this drab species, with other populations found Status Report on Impoverished little herb, which makes its collection at in moist sandy where recent fire or Pinweed (Lechea intermedia var. depauperata) in Canada. an ABMI site in the 2012 season all the flooding has occurred. However, little is The W. P. Fraser Herbarium, more interesting. known for certain about this species. Department of Crop Science and Plant Ecology, University of Description: Small (5–10 cm), tufted, Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. ♦ sparsely hairy perennial herb with non- showy flowers, their three reddish petals

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 9 Puzzling Pairs: Rare chickweed or simply common?

by C. Dana Bush

Short-stalk Mouse-ear Chickweed and Nodding Chickweed

In the dry prairie of southeastern Alberta, in sandy soils with moist swales, we find a small annual chickweed not listed in the Flora of Alberta – Cerastium brachypodum (short-stalk mouse-ear chickweed). In some places there may be several hundred plants, so although it is small, it cannot be ignored. This chickweed is also rare (S1)—another reason not to pass it by.

Cerastium brachypodum (Figure 2) looks similar to the common C. nutans (nodding chickweed) (Figure 1), but it appears almost umbellate with short compact cymes and short straight pedicels. Figure 1 It is usually smaller than C. nutans, although some specimens are Cerastium nutans nodding chickweed more elongate and looser, looking more like C. nutans. I prefer the Note the long hooked key from Gray’s Manual of Botany to distinguish the two: pedicels.

• Pedicels, at least the lower ones, 1–5.5 cm long, hooked at tip, much longer than the capsules – Cerastium nutans Figure 2 Cerastium brachypodum • Pedicels, 2–10 mm long, not hooked at tip, shorter than to short-stalk mouse-ear slightly longer than the capsules – Cerastium brachypodum chickweed Note the short straight, and umbellate pedicels. References: Fernand, M.L. 1970. Gray’s Manual of Botany, 8th edition, corrected printing 1970. D. Van Nostrand Company, New York. The Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. Edited by Ronald L. McGregor & T.M. Barkley. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. Morton, John K. Cerastium in Vol. 5 of Flora of North America North of Mexico.

The University of Lethbridge Wanted: Writers Herbarium Digitization Project Do you enjoy writing? is complete The Iris newsletter needs writers The collection currently includes over 20,000 specimens and we have ideas to of vascular plants and remains an important research get you started! tool for botanists, students, and the general public. http://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/cdm/landingpage/ Contact Dana at 403-282-3975 or collection/herbarium [email protected]

10 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 ANPC­ Board Positions Up For Re-election in 2013

The following Board Positions are up for re-election: • President • Secretary • Northern Director • Southern Director

We are now accepting nominations.

If you are interested in joining the ANPC Board, please send an email to Laurie Hamilton, ANPC Secretary, at [email protected] or phone at (403) 483-2476. Please include the position that you are interested in and your contact information.

The following lists the current slate of nominees for Board positions up for re-election: • Marsha Hayward for Northern Director

Voting will take place at the Annual General Meeting, which is being held in conjunction with ANPC’s 26th Annual Workshop on April 13, 2012, in Olds, AB. Visit the website (www.anpc. ab.ca) to check out workshop program updates and download the registration form.

Iris is published three times a year by ANPC. The Council aims to increase knowledge of Alberta’s wild Addenda flora and to preserve this diverse for the resource for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Rare Vascular If you have an announcement, article or other item, you are invited to submit Plants of it to the editor for publication. Items Alberta concerning native plants will be given are now highest priority.

available! Past issues of Iris The editors reserve the right to edit are now available submissions, but will review changes online at with the authors whenever possible. Disputes will be resolved in favour of For information, drawings, and www.anpc.ab.ca the audience. range maps of rare vascular plant Copyright remains with the authors species of Alberta not found in except where noted. Permission to the Rare Vascular Plants of Alberta reprint is generally granted, but please (Kershaw et al. 2001) please visit contact the editors for details. the Alberta Native Plant Council’s Submission deadline for the next website at www.anpc.ab.ca under issue: October 1, 2013 Publications. This is an ongoing project with plant species added as A subscription to Iris is included with the pages are completed. membership in the ANPC. To join, contact the secretary, or check our website, www.anpc.ab.ca.

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 11 Love plants? Want to rub shoulders with other botanists? Come to a Plant Study Group

Edmonton Plant Study Group

Location: J. Percy Page Centre, 11759 Groat Road, Edmonton, Room # 8, Enter via the back door of the Centre and sign in. The security guard will let you in. Time: 7:30 p.m. Free and open to all!

Monday, March 11th, 2013 Speaker: Angela Hobson, Ecological Planner, City of Edmonton’s Office of Biodiversity Title: Protecting and Managing Biodiversity in an Urban Centre: Challenges and Opportunities

Monday, April 15th, 2013 Speaker: Nicole Kimmel, Chair, Alberta Invasive Plant Council and Weed Specialist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Title: Politically correct xenophobia: invasive alien plants you should know and not tolerate!

Central Alberta Rare Plant Study Group

Location: University of Alberta Herbarium, Biological Sciences Building (east end), Room B-319 (3rd floor), or B-521 (5th floor), Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton Date: last Tuesday of the month, October to April inclusive Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Facilitator: V. Crisfield – [email protected] Comments: • Specifics will be emailed a week before the meeting • Volunteers welcome to give presentations, facilitate seminars, lead study sessions

Southern Alberta Rare Plant Study Group Join Our Volunteers Location: University of Calgary Herbarium, Biological Sciences Basement Are you looking to get first Saturday of the month; November to April inclusive Date: more involved with Time: noon to 4:00 p.m. the ANPC? Facilitator: H. Blakely – [email protected] Comments: topics and presentation details will be announced There are many positions available that suit a Medicine Hat Rare Plant Study Group variety of interests.

Location: Medicine Hat College Herbarium (L155) Please send an email to Date: third Saturday of the month; November to April inclusive, [email protected] except February or contact Janine at Time: noon to approximately 3:00 p.m. 403-478-2911 Facilitator: C. Linowski – [email protected] for further information. Comments: topics and presentation details will be announced

12 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 City of Calgary Biodiversity Foothills Restoration Forum Project Needs Volunteers Wins Environmental Award The Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) has Our involvement as a participant city of the ICLEI Local selected the Foothills Restoration Forum (FRF) as Action for Biodiversity (LAB) Project (Visit http://www. their recipient for this year’s ACR Environmental icleicanada.org/ for more information) is at the stage where Award for the Guidelines for Wind Energy Development we are currently preparing a list of native plant species and Reclamation on Grasslands. Marilyn Neville, FRF historically known to occur in Calgary. This data, which was coordinator, and Cheryl Bradley (ANPC rep) compiled using multiple sources, will be the baseline for facilitated the process to define the wind energy future monitoring comparisons. In effect, we will then be guidelines. Awards were presented at the ACR able to answer questions about the state of native species annual conference in Edmonton in February. (For and to take appropriate steps where necessary to ensure more information on the ACR, check their website their protection. Volunteers who choose to review the at www.acr-alberta.com.) spreadsheet can help by letting us know which species are rare or no longer known to occur in Calgary. Changes within government to address regulatory If you can help, contact: and policy gaps for wind energy development are proceeding slowly. The last input by FRF and PCF David Hayman, M.Sc. (Prairie Conservation Forum) to the Alberta Utility The City of Calgary | Parks | Natural Parkland Commission’s review of the wind power regulatory Management process was in late October 2012. T: 403-221-4686 | C: 403-899-6521 | F: 403-974-1936 E: [email protected] | www.calgary.ca/parks Cheryl Bradley and Laurie Hamilton represent the P.O. Box 2100, Stn M | Calgary, AB | T2P 2M5 | #75 ♦ ANPC on the Foothills Restoration Forum, and Cheryl Bradley and Tony Blake represent ANPC on the Prairie Conservation Forum. ♦ News on the New

Flora of Alberta Slime Molds, from page 5

Dr. John Packer and Dr. Joyce Gould continue to References: Bisby F., Roskov Y., Culham A., Orrell T., Nicolson work on the new Vascular Plants of Alberta. This D., Paglinawan L., Bailly N., Appeltans W., Kirk new flora will consist of three parts with the first, P., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds the Ferns, Fern Allies and Monocots, to be published (2012). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, by the University of Calgary Press in the next few 2012 Annual Checklist. Digital resource at http:// months. Work continues on the other two parts. www.catalogueoflife.org/col/. Species 2000: Reading, UK. Descriptions are being included only for those taxa Richardson, K.A. and Currah, R.S., “Myxomycetes of that are new to the province or for those that are Alberta” Mycotaxon Vol.37, pp 363-378, April-June new as a consequence of changes in classification. 1990. This was done not only because of the amount of Schnittler, Martin, “Ecology and Biogeography of Myxomycetes” Post-doctoral Thesis, Friedrich information already available, but to reduce book Schiller University, Jena, 2010.10.15. size for use in the field. Keys incorporate all known Stephenson, S.L. and Stempen, H. 1994. taxa, native and introduced, and general descriptions “Myxomycetes: A Handbook of Slime Molds”. of habitat and distribution are provided, as are Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, Inc. 183 p. ISBN synonyms where appropriate. Nomenclature closely 0-99192-439-3. Stephenson, S.L. “An Introduction to the Morphology follows the Flora of North America, and taxa are and Taxonomy and [sic] of Myxomycetes” [PDF] arranged alphabetically. Drs. Gould and Packer hope http://slimemold.uark.edu/pdfs/MORPHOTAX.pdf that this new flora will be of great use to all who have (accessed Jan 22, 2013). an interest in the vascular plants of our province. ♦ Swanson et al, “Taxonomy, slime molds, and the questions we ask”, Mycologia, 94(6), 2002, pp. 968-979. ♦

No. 70 • March 2013 Iris 13 Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC) 26th Workshop and Annual General Meeting The Role of Vegetation in Alberta’s Wetlands

Saturday, April 13, 2013 Olds College, Olds Alberta

After the workshop, the ANPC will hold its Annual General Meeting. Everyone is invited to attend. Learn about ANPC activities, consider a position on the Executive and/or volunteer for committee work.

For information on the workshop and registration please contact: Laurie Hamilton Phone: (403) 483-2476 E-mail: [email protected]

Please join us in Olds to explore the role of vegetation in Alberta’s wetlands. Potential topics include:

- Wetland indicator plants - Aquatic, submerged and emergent wetland plants - Non-vascular wetland plants - Rare wetland plants - Rare wetland ecological communities - Plants used in wetland restoration/construction - Using plants for monitoring wetlands - Wetland stewardship sites The daytime workshop, annual general The workshop program is currently being developed. meeting and banquet will take place at Please visit www.anpc.ab.ca for regular updates. the DMP 101 Lecture Theatre at: Olds College Workshop registration includes the one-day workshop, program handout, buffet lunch and coffee 8:00 am – Check-in and registration breaks.Adinner banquet is also planned after the 8:30 am – Workshop presentations begin AGM. Please indicate on the registration form if you 4:30 pm – Annual General Meeting will be attending the dinner banquet. 6:15 pm – Dinner banquet

14 Iris No. 70 • March 2013 Registration: Include a cheque or money order payable to: Fill out the following registration form and mail it to: Alberta Native Plant Council 2013 ANPC Workshop c/o Janine Lemire We cannot accept other forms of payment. 2404B 1st Ave. NW Calgary, AB T2N 0B9 Accommodations: Deadline: Early registration is up to and including March 15, 2013. Please note that due to the location of this year’s After that a late registration fee will be applied. workshop, we have not secured a block of hotel rooms for the delegates. Some hotel options in Olds can be found Registration Form half way down the page of the following link: http://www.oldscollege.ca/programs/ContinuingEducatio Name______n/hortweek/guest-information.htm Affiliation______Venue: Address______Olds College, 4500 – 50 Street, Olds, AB City______Province ______Postal Code______Phone______E-mail______Early Registration (tick one as applicable, enter amount on line below) Member (new or current) ...... $75.00  Non-Member ...... $90.00  Student ...... $35.00  Senior...... $35.00

Late Registration after March 15th, 2013 Member (new or current) ...... $90.00  Non-Member ...... $105.00  Student ...... $45.00  Senior...... $35.00

 Dinner Banquet ……….……………………$50.00 See the following page for an Olds College campus map Workshop Registration Total ...... $______

My diet is restricted (please describe below):

______

New Membership or Membership Renewal enclosed:  Individual.... $15.00  Family...... $25.00  Senior ...... $10.00  Student...... $10.00  Corporate.... $50.00  Life...... $500.00

Tax deductible donation...... $______ where needed  conservation action  educational programs

Total Enclosed ...... $______

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