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SENSORY EXPLORATION Desert—Southern California Artemisia

SENSORY EXPLORATION Desert—Southern California Artemisia

SENSORY EXPLORATION

Desert—Southern Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae, Great Basin Sagebrush) (, Southern Mountain Misery) Bed 10 Ephedra viridis (Ephedraceae , Mormon Tea) Opuntia littoral is (Cactaceae , Salmon—Flowered prickly Pear) filifera (, California Fan Palm)

Valley —Foothill Calycan thus occiden talis (Calycanthaceae , Western Spicebush) o Cercis occidental is (, Western Redbud)

Sierran (Pinaceae, White ) Bed 612 , 638 o Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey Pine) o Populus tremuloides ( Salicaceae , Quaking Aspen) Bed

623 , 621 , 617 , 619

• giganteum (Taxodiaceae, Giant ) Bed 650 , 649

• Torreya californica (Taxaceae, California Nutmeg) Bed 640 , 608, 609

Sea Bluff

• Armeria mari t ima (Plumbaginaceae, Sea-pink) • Calamagrostis nutkaensis (Poaceae, Nootka reedgrass)

• Dudleya farinosa (Crassulaceae, Powdery Dudleya) Redwood

• Acer macrophyllum (Aceraceae, Big-leaf Maple) • hookeri ssp. montana (, Tama 1pais Manzani ta )

• A. uva—ursi (Ericaceae, Bearberry) • Asarum caudatum (Aristolochiaceae, Wild Ginger) Ceanothus sonomensis (Rhamnaceae, Sonoma Ceanothus) C. thyrsiflorus repens (Rhamnaceae, Blueblossom) • Festuca californica (Poaceae, California Fescue)

• Myrica californica (Myricaceae, Wax Myrtle)

• Oxalis oregana (Oxalidaceae, Redwood Sorrel )

• Quercus wislizenii (Fagaceae, Interior Live Oak)

• Rhododendron occiden tale (Ericaceae, Western Azalea)

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• Vancouveria chrysan tha (Berberidaceae, Siskiyou Ins i de—Out F 1 ower ) SENSORY EXPLORATION pacific Rain Forest Adiantum aleuticum (Pteridaceae, Five—Finger Fern) Bed 505 Lysichi ton americanum (Araceae, Skunk Cabbage) Bed 506 , 503 Polystichum muni tum (Dryopteraceae, Western Sword Fern) Bed 509 o (, Western Red Cedar) Bed 5 02 • Woodwardia fimbriata (Blechnaceae, Giant Chain Fern) Bed 5 08

Santa Lucia Abies bracteata (Pinaceae, Santa Lucia Fir) Beds 208, 214 Arctostaphylos pajaroensis Paradise' (Ericaceae, paj aro ) Bed 209 A. refusioensis (Ericaceae, Refugio Manzanita) Bed 203 A. uva— ursi 'Point St. George' (Ericaceae, Trailing Barberry) Bed 225 Platanus racemosa (Platanaceae, Western Sycamore) Bed 218 Salvia leucophylla (Lamiaceae, Gray or Purple Sage) Bed 210

Channel Islands e Artemisia californica (Asteraceae, Coastal Sagebrush) Bed • Dudleya greenei (Crassulaceae, Green' s Dudleya) Bed o Lyonothamnus floriibundus spp. asp] enifolius (Rosaceae , Santa Cruz Island Ironwood) Bed Mal osma la urina (Anacardiaceae, Laurel Sumac) Bed

Franciscan Arctos taphylos imbricata (Ericaceae, San Bruno Mountain Manzanita) Bed 405 ' Calamagrostis nutkaensis (Poaceae, Pacific Reed Grass) Bed 406 Satureja douglasii (Lamiaceae, Yerba Buena) Bed 405 Tanacetum camphoratum (Asteraceae, Dune Tansy) Bed 410

Shasta—Klamath Adiantum pedatum (Pteridaceae, Five-Finger Fern) Bed 925

Calycan thus occidental is (Spice Bush) Bed 925 Polypodium glycyrrhiza (Polypodiaceae, Liquorice Fern) Bed 925 Selaginella wallacei (Selaginellaceae, Spike—Moss) Bed 925

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SER RAN SECTION

An important difference between Jeffrey and ponderosa pines is the chemical composition of their oleoresin, the pitch that oozes out when their tissues are lacerated. Oleoresin of ponderosa— and nearly all other pines— is made up of a class of chemicals called terpenes, the ingredient of turpentine. But Jeffrey pine oleoresin contains the hydrocarbon known as normal heptane. This is a highly explosive compound. During the Civil War, Union manufacturers of turpentine used ponderosa pitch to replace an unavailable product from the Confederate States; Jeffrey pine pitch would sometimes get into the vats and cause an explosion. Gray pine is the only other pine known to harbor normal heptane, making California's forests unique in one more way: the only place where both of the world's gasoline ' reside-

IV -Z-91 Nearer the coast are the giant forests of the redwoods, extending from near the line to Santa Cruz. Beneath the cool, deep shade of these majestic trees the ground is occupied by ferns, chiefly woodwm•dia and aspidiums, with only a few flowering —oxalis, trientali8, erythronium, fritillaria, gmilax, and other shadelovers. But all along the redwood belt there are sunny openings on hill- slopes looking to the south, where the giant trees stand back, and give the ground to the small sunflower8 and the bees. Around the lofty redwood wa118 of these little bee- acres there is usually a fringe of Chestnut Oak, Laurel, and Madrofio, the last of which is a surpassingly beautiful , and a great favorite with the bees. The trunks of the largest specimens are seven or eight feet thick, and about fifty feet high ; the bark red and chocolate colored, the leaves plain, large, and glossy, like those of Magnolia grandißora, while the flowérg are yellowish-white, and urn-shaped, in well- proportioned panicles, from five to ten inches long. When in full bloom, a single tree seems to be visited at times by a whole hive of bees at once, and the deep hum of such a multitude makes the listener guess that more than the ordinary work of honey-winning must be going on. How perfectly enchanting and care-obliterating are these withdrawn gardens of the woods—long vistas opening to the sea—sunshine sifting and pouring upon the flowery ground in a tremulous, shifting mosaic, as the light-ways in the leafy wall open and close with the swaying breeze—shining leaves and flowers, birds and bees, mingling to gether in springtime harmony, and soothing fragrance exhaling from a thousand thousand fountains! In these balmy, dissolving days, when the deep heart-beats of Nature are felt thrilling rocks and trees and everything alike, common business and friends are happily forgotten, and even the natural honey-work of bees, and the care of birds for their young, and mothers for their children, seem slightly out of place.

Sensory Exploration of the Pacific Rainforest Section

Good tools to bring on a Pacific Rainforest section sensory tour: magnifying glasses, spray bottle of water. PACIFIC RAINFOREST ENVIRONMENT

What do you think of when you hear the word "rainforest"? In California, rainforests are places that receive large amounts of rain in the winter (up to 100 inches per year in some areas) and lots of fog in the summer. Like the tropical jungles most of us picture when we think of rainforests, California's Pacific rainforests are moist year-round, but unlike the tropical rainforests, Pacific rainforests get their summer moisture from fog, not rain. Also unlike the tropical jungles, Pacific rainforests are relatively cool year-round. A fun and instructive way to enter the Rainforest section of the garden is from the Sea Bluff section. On warm, sunny days, the Rainforest feels cool and moist by contrast. On cold, windy days, the Rainforest is cold, too, but a bit protected from the wind. Entering the Pacific rainforest, feel the change in the temperature and humidity. Notice how your eyes must adjust to the darkness in the dense shade of the trees.

Where does all the water in the Pacific rainforest go after it soaks into the ground? Listen to the sound of water. There are often many creeks running through Pacific rainforests.

PACIFIC RAINFOREST PLANTS

Many trees in the Pacific rainforest grow very tall to reach the sunlight, like the WESTERN RED CEDAR (Thuja plicata, Cupressaceae, bed 502, available for use on tours year-round). Crush a sprig of the tiny leaves of this tree and smell the "woodsy" scent. Peel off a bit of bark and smell it. Substances in the wood and leaves protect them from rotting in their moist habitat. Notice how the branchlets of the western red cedar droop toward the ground. What happens to a raindrop that falls on a western red cedar branchlet? What happens when the branchlet is blanketed with fog? You can simulate one or both of these conditions with the spray bottle of water.

Other plants in the rainforest don't need much sunlight and grow in the shade of the big trees. They benefit from the moisture dripping off the trees. Many ferns like the cool, moist, shady

conditions of the Pacific rainforest.

FIVE-FINGER FERN (Adiantum aleuticum, Pteridaceae, bed 505, available for use on tours in the spring, summer, and fall): Notice how the fronds (leaves) of this fern are ananged at the top of the stem. How many fingers does each stem have? This arrangement of fronds is called palmate, like the fingers radiating from the palm of a hand. In the fall, you can see the sori (spore-containing structures) along the lobed or cut edge of the underside of each pinnule (leaflet).

-20 GIANT CHAIN FERN (Woodwardiafimbriata, Blechnaceae, bed 508, available for use on tours year-round): The name of this fern comes from the arrangement of its sori, which look like two rows of chain-stitching along the vein on the underside of each leaf division. You can see the sori in the fall, and they are visible from the top of the frond as well as from the bottom.

WESTERN SWORD FERN (Polystichum munitum, Dryopteraceae, bed 509, available for use on tours year-round): Look closely at each small leaflet and see if you can figure out why this is called a sword fern. In the fall, you can turn the frond upside down and examine the sori under the magnifying glass. How are they different from the other two ferns? These sori are round and follow all around the edges of each leaflet, including the hilt or handle of the sword. Sori are very different in size, shape, and arrangement on different kinds of ferns and are one way to tell ferns apart.

Another that may be found in the Pacific rainforest is SKUNK CABBAGE (Lysichiton americanum, Araceae, beds 506 and 503, available for use on tours in the spring and summer). This plant gets its name from its skunky-smelling, bright yellow flowers. No need to get close; if they are blooming and the day is warm, you can smell them from a few feet away.

The smallest plants we can easily see in the Pacific rainforest are MOSSES (Class Musci, all over the rocks lining the paths in this section, available for use on tours year-round): Feel the texture of the mosses growing on the rocks. With a magnifying glass, look at how they cling to the rocks (look at the edges of the moss). Mosses love water and shade. They are able to lose and take up water readily. Spray a patch of moss with the spray bottle. Look at it again in a few minutes and notice how much greener and fluffier it has become.

References

Hickman, James C. , ed. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1993.

Holland, VL and David J. Keil. California Vegetation. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt. 1995.

Lanner, Ronald M. ofCalifornia. Los Olivos, CA: Cachuma Press. 1999. Sensory Exploration of the Santa Lucia Section

USEFUL TOOLS FOR THIS TOUR: Discovery Scope (there are several Discovery Scopes for docent use in the cabinet in the Auditorium marked "Docent Supplies?') Plain paper and crayons for bark rubbings

The Santa Lucia section of the garden mainly includes plants that grow in areas of little summer rainfall. Many of them are adapted to these dry, often hot environments in ways that we can experience with our senses. Except in the groves of Santa Lucia , there is not a great deal of tall shade in this part of the garden. Notice that it's hard to get out of the sun in much of this section.

PLANTS TO EXPLORE:

Santa Lucia fir - Abies bracteata Beds 208 and 214

This tree is very rare. Even though it is a fir and firs need moisture, it grows in mountains that are hot and dry most of the summer. However, there are areas within the mountains where streams flow (some only underground) or where cooler conditions prevail and moisture is conserved, for example, on the north- facing slopes of steep canyons. These are the sites where the Santa Lucia fir stands occur.

Very carefully, feel the leaves of the Santa Lucia fir. They have very sharp points; so sharp, in fact, that they were used by the California Indians for tatoo needles. Notice the graceful form of the tree - everything swoops or droops downward. The leaves hang down from the branchlets and the branches swoop out and then down from the trunk.

Western sycamore - Platanus racemosa Bed 218

Notice the size of the leaves on this tree (or on the ground if it is fall). Have you ever seen a tree with bigger leaves? Also notice the sycamore's beautiful bark (this is especially wonderful when it is wet). How many different colors are in the bark? Notice the puzzle-like way in which pieces of the bark fit together. You can make a rubbing of the bark by placing a piece of paper against the bark and rubbing it gently with the side of a crayon (remove the crayon's label). Notice where this tree is growing in the garden. Do you think its roots have access to water in the summer? (Hint: notice the lawn and creek very nearby.)

Gray or purple sage - Salvia leucophylla Bed 210 This plant contains aromatic substances in its leaves. Pick a leaf and smell it. Although the leaves may smell pleasant to you, animals do not like such strong minty smells and won't eat the leaves. Notice the texture and color of the leaf, as well. What makes the leaf so soft and white? Looking at the leaf with the Discovery Scope should help answer this question. What is the real color of the leaf if you rub or scrape off the hairs on its surface?

Pajaro manzanita - Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Paradise' Bed 209 Refugio manzanita - Arctostaphylos refugioensis Bed 203 (The label for the Refugio can only be seen from the path below them, but you'll need to be on the flagstone path above to touch them.)

Compare the bark of these two tall manzanitas. Although all manzanitas shed their bark in peely strips each summer, the Pajaro manzanita's bark stays attached even after it peels away. Feel the smooth bark of the Refugio manzanita. Notice how cool the stems feel, always cooler than the air temperature around them. With such thin bark, these must have a special mechanism for staying so cool.

Trailing bearberry - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Point St. George' Bed 225 This diminutive manzanita can be depended upon to show its large red berries at all times of year. Manzanita means "little apple" in Spanish. Although these little fruits don't taste nearly as good as apples, they certainly do resemble them in appearance. Docent Nancy Smith calls them "Barbie apples.'

References

Hickman, James C., ed. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants ofCalifornia. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1993.

Lanner, Ronald M. Conifers of California. Los Olivos, CA: Cachuma Press. 1999. IV/ - 27

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