Yerba Buena Chapter – CNPS
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PROGRAMS Everyone is welcome to attend membership meetings in the Recreation Room of the San Francisco YERBA County Fair Building (SFCFB) at 9 th Avenue and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park. The #71 and #44 buses stop at the building. The N-Judah, #6, #43, and #66 lines stop within 2 blocks. Before our BUENA programs, we take our speakers to dinner at Chang’s Kitchen, 1030 Irving Street, between 11 th and 12 th Avenues. Join us for good Chinese food and interesting conversation. Meet at the restaurant at 5:30 pm. RSVP appreciated but not required - call Jake Sigg at 415-731-3028 if you wish to notify. June 6, THURSDAY, 7:30 pm Mosses are from Mars, Vascular Plants are from Venus Speaker: Brent D. Mishler The bryophytes are the most diverse set of land plants aside from the flowering plants. NEW S The group includes three quite distinct lineages: mosses, hornworts, and liverworts; some familiar species are frequently encountered in mesic forests and THE YERBA BUENA along streams, while a number of less familiar species are in tropical rain forests, arctic tundra, and desert CHAPTER OF THE boulders. The bryophytes have an ancient history CALIFORNIA —they are remnant lineages surviving today from NATIVE PLANT the spectacular radiation of the land plants in the SOCIETY FOR Devonian Period, some 400-450 million years ago. Yet Lycopodium clavatum despite their diversity, phylogenetic importance, and key by Margaret Kemp SAN FRANCISCO roles in the ecosystems of the world, study of many aspects of AND NORTHERN the biology of bryophytes has lagged behind that of the larger SAN MATEO COUNTY land plants, perhaps because of their small size and how few scientists specialize in them. In this talk, you will hear a summary Vol. 33 No.2 June 2019 of what we do know about their biology, as an encouragement for you to get to know them better. CONTENTS Two questions to intrigue you: Are bryophytes biologically like their Programs – page 1 larger cousins, just smaller versions? If not, in what ways does Field Trips – page 2 bryophyte biology differ from that of the larger vascular plants? Activities – pages 2,3 The short answers: No, and, in almost every way possible! The groups didn't evolve on different planets, Volunteer Spotlight – page 3 but their differences could almost make you think they did. They certainly adopted very different Mountain Journal – page 4 approaches to being land plants on this planet. Many aspects need much more study, but what is known Native Gardening – page 5 about bryophyte biology suggests that in general the bryophytes differ in most ways in their genetics, Volunteers Needed – page 6 physiology, ecology, and evolution from vascular plants. Habitat Restoration – page 6 Chapter News – page 7 Brent D. Mishler is Director of the Jepson Herbaria at UC Berkeley, as well as Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, where he teaches phylogenetic systematics, plant diversity, and island biology. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 1984, then was on the faculty at Duke University for nine years before moving to UC Berkeley in 1993. His research interests are in the systematics, evolution, and ecology of bryophytes, especially the diverse moss genus Syntrichia , as well as in the phylogeny of green plants. He is also interested in more general topics involving the theoretical basis of systematic and evolutionary biology, such as phylogenetic methods and the nature of species. He has been involved in developing electronic resources to present plant taxonomic and distributional information to the public, and for research applications of these data, including to the California flora. He is one of the founders of, and incoming President Elect for, the CNPS Bryophyte Chapter. NO PROGRAM in July August 1, THURSDAY, 7:30 pm Insect Apocalypse? Is insect biodiversity and biomass declining? What do the recent studies mean? Speaker: Dr. Leslie Saul-Gershenz Dr. Leslie Saul-Gershenz is Associate Director of Research, Wild Energy Initiative of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis where she researches native solitary bees and their nest parasites. She will discuss several recent studies that have documented a large decline in insect abundance, biodiversity, and biomass in Europe, Puerto Rico, and California, looking at changes in insect populations over a 30- year period. Each study used different methodologies and pointed to different causes of declines. She will also speak about her current bee study to understand the impact of utility-scale solar energy development in California’s deserts, and look at how activities outside protected areas affect protected areas, such as national parks and reserves. Insects, plants, and underground resources are inseparable within their ecosystems; conservation management policies need to reflect these complex relationships. Leslie studies the chemical ecology, pollination ecology, and complex parasite-host interactions of solitary native bees and their nest parasites across the western US, including the Mojave Desert, the coastal sand dunes of Oregon, and eastern Washington. She has also collaborated on a bee inventory in the Mojave Desert, providing evidence that this amazing ecosystem is a biological hotspot for both native bees and plants; they found at least 170 species of bees in the intersection between the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. FUTURE PROGRAM September 5 —Plants of the Farallon Islands Speaker : Peter Pyle FIELD TRIPS June 22, SATURDAY, 10am-Noon Native Plant Gardens of the Baker Beach Apartments Members and non-members are encouraged to attend these Leader: Lewis Stringer FREE walks. Signups generally not required—just meet at the Can coastal native landscaping provide aesthetic beauty for residents specified place and time. If rain or high wind is forecast, we while providing ecological benefits for wildlife? Join Presidio Trust recommend checking with the contact (listed at the end of the restoration ecologist Lewis Stringer on a walking tour of the former trip description) a couple of hours before the trip. military housing complex that is enveloped with a diverse community of central coast dune scrub plants. Throughout the hike, restoration June 8, SATURDAY, 10am-Noon goals, techniques, and the site’s history will be discussed. The hike The Daly City Dunes, San Bruno Mountain should take approximately 2 hours or less and will involve some slightly Leader: Doug Allshouse hilly terrain. We will begin near 1599 Pershing Drive where street parking is available. The area is also accessible via the Muni #29 bus. Imagine a 300-foot deep sand dune system that dates back about 125,000 years when San Bruno Mountain was almost an island, and it’s 2 miles from the ocean! Located at the mouth of lower Colma July 14, SUNDAY, 8am-10am Canyon, the dunes are a remnant of the Ancient Colma Dune Formation Late Bloomers and Birds of Devil’s Slide (RSVP required) that once stretched from Colma to the Presidio, but now is fragmented Leaders: Eddie Bartley, Bob Hall by development in western San Francisco and Daly City. A piece of this site is relatively intact and supports a specific ecosystem not usually Join CNPS Yerba Buena board members on a foggy walk to see one found at such a distance from the coast. Of great interest is the presence of the most dramatic stretches of coast anywhere. Devil’s Slide Trail of San Francisco lessingia ( Lessingia germanorum ) an endangered dune in Pacifica is a 2.6-mile out-and-back walk along a former segment plant now found only in the Presidio and the Dunes, its only known of Highway 1 that offers flora and fauna such as Wight’s paintbrush, population in San Mateo County. Also present at the dunes is San coast angelica, peregrine falcon, and rock wren (plant list from Pedro Francisco spineflower ( Chorizanthe cuspidata ), dune suncup ( Camissonia Point Headlands: http://www.pauldonahue.net/plant_list.html ). strigulosa ), contorted suncup ( Camissonia contorta ), miniature suncup We will meet in the SOUTH parking lot on the Montara side. Parking (Camissoniopsis micrantha ), California suncup ( Camissoniopsis bistorta ), is extremely difficult. Car-pooling is advised. At this time, the only and blue beach lupine ( Lupinus chamissonis ). There should be a great public transportation service available is provided by SamTrans, Route bloom of farewell-to-spring ( Clarkia rubicunda ) on the backside and a 17 on Highway 1. This trip will be limited to 20 people. RSVP at population of California pipe vine nearby ( Aristolochia californica ), [email protected] which means the sighting of beautiful Pipe Vine Swallowtails ( Batus philenor ) and their larvae is a distinct possibility. Wear sturdy shoes suitable for sand. Thiers Street intersects Hillside Boulevard about halfway between the Mission Street/John Daly Blvd intersection and East Market Street. Turn onto Thiers Street and meet at the Hilldale o o o School at the junction of Thiers and Florence Streets. Contact Doug at [email protected], text or call 415-269-9967 if you have questions or need directions. ACTIVITIES PLANT ID WORKSHOPS ON SUMMER BREAK There are no workshops at SFSU during the summer months of June, July, and August. The workshops will resume in September and continue through the fall semester. Check the September newsletter for dates and times. THANK YOU SFSU BOTANY GRAD STUDENTS! Once a month, eight times per year, three botany graduate students at San Francisco State University lead a Plant ID Workshop for CNPS Yerba Buena members. For an hour and a half the grad students help (clockwise from upper left) Tito Abbo, interested members key and identify native plants. Our members Richard Graham- enjoy learning to identify native plants; the grad students all enjoy Bruno, Morgan sharing their love and knowledge of botany and watching the Stickrod collaborative energy that ensues from people learning together; and everyone has a great time.