Press The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

www.mnnps.org Volume 31 Number 4 Fall 2012 Monthly meetings Thompson Park Center/Dakota Leaders give continuity Lodge Thompson County Park to Native Plant Society 1200 Stassen Lane by Scott Milburn, president simplistic task, especially when the West St. Paul, MN 55118 Continuity has been critical to editor is constantly dealing with a maintaining our Society as our president’s late column. Programs organization moves into our fourth The Minnesota Native Plant decade. We held officer elections at In the near future, we will need Society meets the first Thursday our Sept. 9 board meeting and re- someone to step forward to take in October, November, December, elected all four officers from the last over as editor of the Plant Press. February, March, April, May, and term. This will entail overseeing the June. Check at www.mnnps.org for content and format of the newsletter. more program information. I would like to point out that this It would be preferable for someone 6 p.m. — Social period will be Ron and Cathy Hubers’ to initially work with Gerry in order 7 – 9 p.m. — Program, Society eighth year as treasurer, Shirley to provide that needed continuity. I business. Mah Kooyman’s seventh year as encourage those that are interested Nov. 1: Climate Change and the vice president, my seventh year as to contact both Gerry and me. Temperate-Boreal Forest Ecotone, president, and Andrés Morantes’ by Dr. Lee Frelich, professor, fourth year as secretary. Other Issues facing Society Department of Forest Resources, positions within the organization In looking forward to this next University of Minnesota. Plant- have been held for multiple years, year and beyond, it is important of-the-Month: Pennsylvania sedge and in my view, that’s a great thing. to keep evaluating our trajectory. (Carex pensylvanica), also by Dr. We will be discussing this more at Frelich. Seed exchange. (See article New editor is needed future board meetings, but I invite on page 2.) As I learn more about other non- the membership to speak up. In my profit organizations, I am extremely last column, I mentioned the topics Dec. 6: “The eastern larch beetle: impressed by the workhorses in our of School Trust Lands and cattle Historical perspectives and current group, from Ken Arndt and field grazing on intact prairie. We need to significance to forest health in trips, to Elizabeth Heck and the continue exploring these issues and Minnesota,” by Fraser McKee, Ph.D. website. student, Department of Entomology, Continued on page 6 University of Minnesota. POM: Someone who really deserves Tamarack (Larix laricina), also by appreciation is Gerry Drewry for Mr. McKee. her contribution as editor of the In this issue Plant Press. Did anyone realize that Society news ...... 2 Feb. 7: Program to be announced. she has been in her current role since New members ...... 2 Check the website (www.mnnps. 1999? How Putty-root is pollinated ....3 org) for details. Iron Horse SNA field trip ...... 4 MNNPS questions? Gerry has already been recognized Prairie Plan update ...... 5 by the Society with a lifetime Aquatic book review ....6 Go to www.mnnps.org to see the honorary membership, but she Is that plant native? ...... 6 Society blog, news about field trips, deserves much more. Putting Taxa notes: Trees are ‘girls’ ...7 meetings, and committees, and all together a newsletter is not a Plant Lore: Swamp lousewort ..7 issues of this newsletter since 1982. Seed exchange Treasurers’ MNNPS Board will be Nov. 1 report for third Members are encouraged to of Directors collect seeds from Minnesota native quarter of year President: Scott Milburn, board member, [email protected] plants that are growing on their own Treasurers Ron and Cathy Huber property and bring the seeds to the report that income for the first nine Vice President: Shirley Mah tables just inside the lodge before months of the year totaled $14,018 Kooyman, shirley.mah.kooyman@ the Nov. 1 meeting. and expenses totaled $12,420. This mnnps.org Seeds must be packaged in was a net gain of $1,598. Secretary, program coordinator: envelopes or small containers and Andrés Morantes, andres. labeled with the plant’s name, Assets include $17,819 in the [email protected] scientific name (if known), habitat checking account, $8,990 in type, location of source, and name certificates of deposit, and $55 Treasurers, membership data of donor. No bulk seeds will be cash, for a total of $26,864. base: Ron and Cathy Huber, ron. accepted. [email protected] Expenses included seven- Ken Arndt is in charge of the months’ rent, $2,078, for Dakota Ken Arndt: board member, field exchange. He needs volunteers Lodge. Communication printing trip chair, [email protected] to receive the seeds, help arrange costs, including the newsletter, John Arthur: board member, john. them, answer questions, and take membership directory, meeting [email protected] down the tables. postcards, and new member packets totaled $785. Postage was $375. Steve Eggers: board member, steve. MNNPS welcomes Total communication costs were [email protected] $1,191. Otto Gockman: board member, new members [email protected] The Society gives a warm welcome The Hubers anticipate fourth- to two new members who joined quarter expenses of $2,218. Daniel Jones: board member,daniel. during the third quarter of 2012. These include $1,000 for the [email protected] Listed alphabetically, they are: Bud Markhardt memorium, Peter Jordan: board member, peter. Kaija Hermetag, Minneapolis; $505 for insurance, $344 for [email protected] Matthew Jahnke, Duluth; communications, and $265 for the Emily Peters, Minneapolis. website. Mike Lynch: board member, mike. [email protected] Stephen G. Saupe: board member, Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose [email protected] (Abbreviated from the bylaws) This organization is exclusively organized and operated for Memberships: memberships. [email protected] educational and scientific purposes, including the following. 1. Conservation of all native plants. Field Trips: fieldtrips.mnnps@ 2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences. mnnps.org 3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant Historian-Archives: Roy Robison, life. historian-archives.mnnps@mnnps. 4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to org Minnesota. Technical or membership 5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation, ecosytems. inquiries: contact.mnnps@mnnps. 6. Preservation of native plants, plant communities, and scientific and org natural areas. 7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural Webmaster: Elizabeth Heck, [email protected] resources and scenic features. 8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through Minnesota Plant Press editor: meetings, lectures, workshops, and field trips. Gerry Drewry, 651-463-8006; [email protected] 2 availability between the blooming Pollination Biology of period for A. hyemale and the earlier Aplectrum hyemale (Putty-root blooming spring ephemerals. or Adam and Eve orchid) Freshly placed pollen from another flower was never observed by Charles L. Argue, Ph.D., on the stigma. In fact, 26 hours of research associate, Department observation over four days revealed of Plant Biology, University of only about 12 individuals of the Minnesota, and MNNPS member. short-tongued bee, Lasioglossum This article is modified from his oblongum (Lovell) visiting the book, The Pollination Biology of flowers. Most merely landed on the North American Orchids, vol. 2. inflorescences, remaining for up to Springer, New York (2012). one-half minute. Only five entered Aplectrum hyemale (Muhl. ex flowers. Each entered only one and Willd.) Nutt. is chiefly an orchid remained about five seconds. None of moist, shady deciduous forests were observed bearing pollen either dominated by sugar maple, before or after the flower visit. basswood, beech, and red oak. It In one case, a bee dislodged the often occurs scattered in dense anther-cap, and although no pollen aggregations and shows a preference was removed, two pollen masses for rich, fine-textured, loamy and were observed to be in contact slightly alkaline soils. with the stigma following the bee’s Capable of withstanding a wide Aplectrum hyemale (Putty- departure. Thus, insect-facilitated variety of climatic conditions, it root) inflorescence. Photo self-pollination could be a factor. ranges from Minnesota, southern by David G. Smith (www. Although gene flow through pollen and delawarewildflowers.org/), may occur, the available data do to Oklahoma and Georgia; in used with permission. not confirm any actual transfer Minnesota it is restricted to the of pollen between plants, and in southeastern quadrant of the state. with no loss in seed production or Hogan’s opinion, A. hyemale is The present account provides viability (no inbreeding depression). routinely autogamous and perhaps, summary information on the agamospermous. The very limited genetic compatibility, breeding Although fruit set occurred in pollinator visitation rates in this system, pollination mechanisms, over 80 percent of flowers that may have favored selection and fruiting success of this orchid. were left to be pollinated naturally for autogamy. Another worker, Paul (open pollinated), pollinators were Catling, has also reported autogamy Leaf measurements suggest that rarely seen. Only about one out of in Illinois and Canadian populations plants must attain some minimum 50 flowers was visited during a five- of this orchid. size before flowering, and only one day flowering period. The frequency or two individuals from aggregates of insect visits to A. hymeale was The usual sequence of events of 100 or more may flower in a only about 1/4000th of what other leading to pollination was the same given year. In a pioneering two- scientists recorded at the same in open-pollinated inflorescences year study in east central Illinois, site for earlier blooming spring and inflorescences enclosed to Kevin Hogan, from the University ephemerals. The difference cannot exclude pollinators. The pollen sacs of Illinois, Urbana, found that be accounted for by the fact that were covered by the anther-cap in Aplectrum is fully self-compatible the flowers of A. hyemale produce newly opened flowers. On the first at the level of fruit production and no nectar — the visitation rates or second day the cap dropped off, that the flowers can self-pollinate among nectarless spring ephemerals laying bare the pollen. (autogamy) and possibly, produce were much higher. It may relate, seed asexually (agamospermy) however, to a decrease in pollinator Continued on page 5 3 Participants interested in primers on grasses and goldenrods were Iron Horse Prairie not disappointed. Six species of goldenrods were in bloom: SNA Field Trip Riddell’s (Solidago riddellii), stiff by Steve Eggers, U.S. Army Corps wild quinine (Parthenium (S. rigida), gray (S. nemoralis), of Engineers. integrifolium) [E], rattlesnake giant (S. gigantea), Canada On Aug. 25, 19 botany enthusiasts master (Eryngium yuccifolium) (S. canadensis) and grass- met at what the Minnesota DNR [SC], tuberous Indian-plantain leaved (Euthamia graminifolia). website describes as the largest (Arnoglossum plantagineum) Grasses included big bluestem contiguous example of mesic tall- [T], common valerian (Valeriana (Andropogon gerardii), Indian grass grass prairie remaining in Southeast edulis var. ciliata) [T], Sullivant’s (Sorghastrum nutans), Canada wild- Minnesota. A prairie saved, by milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii) rye (Elymus canadensis), prairie happenstance, where two 19th [T] and small white lady’s-slipper cord-grass (Spartina pectinata), century railroad tracks met and (Cypripedium candidum) [SC]. prairie dropseed (Sporobolus created a 35-acre triangle south of heterolepis), Canada blue-joint I led a MNNPS field trip to Iron Hayfield in Dodge County. grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), Horse SNA in the 1990s during the narrow reedgrass (Calamagrostis Because it was railroad land, the same time period. Temperatures stricta), Kentucky blue-grass acreage was never plowed and were around 100 degrees F. and, (Poa pratensis), reed canary grass was basically forgotten until a being a prairie, there was no shade. (Phalaris arundinacea) and redtop Minnesota DNR prairie inventory Heat exhaustion was a constant (Agrostis gigantea). of railroad rights-of-way discovered concern with determining how long this gem long after the tracks had to keep the group out. This year it Also encountered was the been abandoned. was a pleasant 70 degrees F. with opportunity to distinguish the light overcast. For photography, common milkweed (Asclepias Now purchased and managed light overcast is preferred over syriaca) from the threatened as a Scientific and Natural Area, bright, mid-day sun as harsh Sullivant’s milkweed. The former is it is a jewel for prairie enthusiasts shadows are avoided. And, this being a hairy plant with very warty seed and supports populations of an a botanically-oriented excursion, pods, while the latter is a waxy impressive number of threatened there were plenty of photographers. smooth plant including the seed [T], endangered [E], and special A good time was had by all, to my pods, except for a few warts. Two concern plant species [SC]: knowledge. gentians were in bloom, adding deep blue and lavender colors to the prairie patina — bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) and stiff gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia). Some of the large forbs had flowered poorly, perhaps due to the dry conditions and high temperatures preceding this point in the growing season. Nonetheless, we found a few good examples of wild quinine and rattlesnake master in bloom. It was a treat to see state-listed species growing side-by-side, such as tuberous Indian-plantain and Steve Eggers taking photo of common valerian. Common valerian Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias was abundant, even dominant, Sullivant’s milkweed, photo by sullivantii). Photo taken by growing across the moisture gradient Steve Eggers. Arlene Kjar on field trip. from wet-mesic to mesic prairie. Its 4 range in Minnesota is limited to the southeastern portion of the state, Implement new prairie plan from the lower Minnesota River Valley to the Iowa border. Is the Iron now, state leaders say Horse SNA population of common Tom Landwehr, commissioner, valerian the largest in Minnesota? Minnesota Department of Natural Pollination biology Resources, and John Jaschke, Continued from page 3 At the time of our visit, knee- executive director, Minnesota Board high to waist-high aspen (Populus On the third or fourth day, the of Water and Soil Resources, are pollen was displaced, and fleshy, tremuloides) shoots were present urging immediate implementation in a good portion of the prairie. white lobes covered the stigma. of the new Minnesota Prairie The generation of these lobes was Prescribed burns are an essential Conservation Plan. (This plan was the result of contact between the component of managing Iron Horse described in the Summer 2012 issue stigmatic surface and the displaced SNA to prevent aspen and other of Minnesota Plant Press.) pollen. Catling, indeed, described woody species from taking over. a 270-degree rotation of the pollen The next prescribed burn will set The plan, which was finalized this past summer, identifies sacs onto the stigma following back the aspen, and the competition degeneration of the anther cap. between prairie grasses/forbs and common goals among conservation woody plants will march inexorably organizations. It will serve as a road map for protecting, restoring and Patches of this orchid are said on. enhancing prairies for the state’s to be clonal. If so, the genetic Thanks to the Minnesota DNR, primary conservation organizations. variability resulting from autogamy and the inadvertent preservation by It is designed to achieve these (or agamospermy) would the railroad system, we have this conservation goals by: approximately equal that resulting spectacular prairie to enjoy today. from pollen transfer within • Permanent protection of populations, and fruit-set could grasslands via easements and be increased with no additional acquisition of critical lands from reduction in genetic diversity. At willing sellers; the same time, the limited genetic • Restorations, including buffer variability reported for A. hyemale strips, native plant seeding, by several authors is not surprising wetland restoration and water-level in a species with a breeding management; and system based on clonal growth and • Enhancement of prairies and autogamy rather than outcrossing. grasslands through prescribed fire, Limited variability would, in turn, conservation grazing and invasive be consistent with the absence of species control. any significant diversification in Bottle gentian (Gentiana In addition, Landwehr and Jaschke this monospecific . andrewsii), photo by Steve said, “we need to seek opportunities Eggers. to incorporate conservation into Master Naturalist ‘working lands’ — like grazing lands program honored — so conservation can contribute The Minnesota Master Naturalist directly to local economies and program was named “Program of agricultural lands. … Let us act the Year” recently by The Alliance now for a future where we can visit for Natural Resource Outreach and the Prairie Region and be proud to Service Programs. have saved our grassland legacy — and the economic and conservation The Minnesota DNR and benefits it supports — for many the University of Minnesota future generations.” Extension Service jointly sponsor this program. To date, more Seed pod of wood lily (Lilium View the plan on the Minnesota than 1,000 volunteers have been philadelphicum), photo by DNR website: www.dnr.state. trained. To learn more, visit www. Arlene Kjar. mn.us/prairierestoration/index.html minnesotamasternaturalist.org 5 Book Review (not just Europe), a result of global New Upper Midwest aquatic trade and travel. It is sometimes necessary to plant guide is published determine those species that are Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest: a photographic field guide to our native to a region and those that are underwater forests, by Paul M. Skawinski. The guide can be purchased from non-native. This is vitally important Paul Skawinsk at [email protected]; Amazon.com; or the University when deciding which species will of Wisconsin Lakes Program: www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/publications have conservation efforts applied Review by Scott Milburn. to them. It is also important when very useful in showing the various In Minnesota, we are reliant sites are to be planted. Using native diagnostic features and usually upon focused texts like Trees species helps insure plants will not include a nickel to indicate scale. and Shrubs of Minnesota and the be invasive at a site, although this is recently published Native Orchids The initiative required to produce not a guarantee. of Minnesota or the standard this self-published guide is Native is frequently defined as dichotomous keys. Often, exposure astounding, and I am very impressed those species that were present is essential to learning the flora, and with Paul’s knowledge on the prior to European settlement. This sometimes it is nice to have some subject. As with most other botanical definition has many difficulties, type of field guide that points the texts and field guides, modifications including the fact no comprehensive user in the right direction. Botanical and updates are inevitable. Perhaps surveys were performed before this field guides can be a great way for the future edition can include readers to introduce themselves to a distribution maps for all three states time. Further, it can be difficult to specific group of plants or even to a and additional keys. use on a state level because it offers new region where the most common no guidelines for how to deal with plants are unfamiliar to the user. movements of species that have Is that plant long grown in North America (it is Aquatic species in particular can much better applied to continents as be difficult to learn, due to the a whole). habitat itself and inability to see the native? plants in hand. It is not often that by Arthur Haines, research botanist. I find myself with a net or a rake This is the introductory section President’s column that allows the collection of aquatic of his article in the Spring 2012 Continued from page 1 material, plus my tendency is to issue of New England WILD, the other potential issues that conflict focus on terrestrial plants and dry magazine of the New England Wild with our mission. feet. There are such technical keys Flower Society, and is published as the Aquatic and Wetland Plants here with their permission. It is my goal as president to of Northeastern North America, but educate and bring about awareness this is not likely something to pack The flora of New England can of critical issues. We do not need to away in a backpack. be defined as a list of plant species have balanced discussions — only that grow in the region outside Paul Skawinski, a Wisconsin fair and accurate. It is also essential of cultivation. This list of wild to continue with the science and botanist, has released a second plants is dynamic. Changes to the publication on aquatic plants titled natural history focus that the list of species found in the region membership enjoys. Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest. are the result of many factors, This is a 174-page field guide that including climate, intentional and Archive programs covers Minnesota, Wisconsin, and unintentional introductions, species We have had great programming Michigan. The guide is organized interaction, and site alterations, over the years, and it will continue. by morphological groupings, which among many others. Since the We are also looking at how to makes it easy to narrow one’s focus. archive all of these great programs. As with the author’s previous settlement of this continent by publication, Aquatic Plants of Europeans, a large number of plants That has become an issue for our Wisconsin, the guide includes a have been added to the regional members that are outside of the brief description of each species flora. It is estimated that one-sixth Twin Cities. We have the financial and color photographs. The layout of the North American flora is non- resources to develop this, and the and all of the photographs were native. Interestingly, the additions board will have to determine how done by Paul. The photographs are have hailed from several continents best to do this. 6 Plant Lore by Thor Kommedahl notes What is swamp lousewort? Why tree names are ‘girls’ Lousewort is Pedicularis by Shirley Mah Kooyman, botanist lanceolata in the snapdragon family. and MNNPS vice president. Because lousewort is hemiparasitic In botanical Latin, plant names on species in the aster family, native consist of a genus and a species grasses, and more, some have epithet. The specific epithet, an classified lousewort in the broom- adjective describing the genus, has rape family (root parasitic herbs). to match in gender with the genus, a noun. The concept of matching How did it get its names? genders exists in languages such Lousewort refers to lice, and the as Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch genus name for lice is Pediculus. and others. However, in English Pedicularia means “of lice.” It was it doesn’t exist, so it is a foreign once believed that cattle grazing concept to grasp. on this plant became covered with lice. Wort implies that this plant was Swamp lousewort (Pedicularis Once that is understood, botanical once used in medicine. Lanceolatus lanceolata), photo by Peter Latin becomes a very useful tool means leaves are narrow and tapered Dziuk. for plant names. As in Latin, the at both ends. general rule is: male = “us,” neuter = “um,” female = “a” (examples: What does the plant look like? Field trips are Elymus virginicus, Allium stellatum, Petals are yellow with short upper Hepatica acutiloba). lips, and flowers bloom August to being planned Ken Arndt, field trip chairman, But you’ll notice that generic October. The narrow leaves are smooth and often opposite. Stems is planning a fall field trip. Details names of trees don’t seem to follow were not complete at press time. those rules. The genera (plural of are somewhat four-angled and hollow. The fruit is a capsule. For current information, check genus) don’t match in gender with “Field Trips” on the website: www. their specific epithets (examples: mnnps.org Fraxinus americana, Morus rubra). Where does it grow? So the question is: Why is that? This native perennial grows in wet, Ken is considering several calcareous meadows, swamps, and suggested field trips for next In Latin the rules are: Names of shores. Its distribution in Minnesota spring and summer. The most most rivers and mountains (unless is in east-central counties. ambitious idea is to take a small they end in “a” or “e”) are masculine. group to the Patterned Peatlands Most countries, islands, cities and Is it edible or medicinal? in northern Minnesota. The mile- trees are feminine. Here’s a little The Iroquois Indians ate leaves long boardwalk in the Big Bog rhyme to aid with remembering cooked like spinach. There is no State Recreation Area might be that: known medicinal use of swamp incorporated into this trip. Lodging A woman, island, country, tree lousewort; however, plants contain could be in Waskish. digitalis-like alkaloids and are and city feminine we see: Timing would be when the potentially dangerous for animals. Penelope, Cyprus, Germania, maximum number of orchids are Lousewort in forests (P. canadensis) laurus, Athenae. blooming. The bog has long been was used by Potawatomi Indians as a source of medicinal plants for the a physic. It turns out that Carl Linnaeus Ojibwe Indians. Rare plants include (creator of the binomial system) yellow-eyed grass, bog rush and kept some of the classical tree Does it have any economic or two kinds of sundews, genera instead of creating new ecologic uses? ones, even though they ended in It can be planted in bog gardens. Would you be interested in this “us.” Remember that trees in Latin Because of its selective parasitism, field trip? Do you have suggestions are feminine, regardless if the genus it can reduce populations of sedges for other trips? Let Ken know. has a masculine ending. This is the (Carex) and some grasses to foster Contact him at ken.arndt@mnnps. reason why tree names are “girls.” diversity within habitats. org 7 Minnesota Native Plant Society P.O. Box 20401 Bloomington, MN 55420

Fall 2012

Dakota Lodge, Thompson County Park 1200 Stassen Lane, West St. Paul, MN 55113

Directions: Take Highway 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul. Go west on Butler 0.2 mile to Stassen Lane. Go south on Stassen Lane to Thompson County Park.