THE PRESS

Volume V, No. 4 Newsletter of the Friends of the Herbarium Autumn 2001 —Beautiful Components of Our Fall Flora

he almost unnaturally brilliant red of the cardinal in The three mentioned so far are among those most wetlands in late summer draws attention to their , widely distributed in Tennessee and in the eastern half and mid- T . The lobelias are in the or bellflower western regions of country as a whole, the others being pale-spike family, a rather small family whose , ironically, are mostly lobelia (Lobelia spicata Lam.) and downy lobelia (Lobelia puberula blue, the cardinal flower ( L.) being an exception. Michaux). (The first three must have been known in Europe early The other two genera in the family that are commonly found in in the history of plant classification, as the “L.” in their names gives our region are Campanula, the bellflowers, and Tr iodanis Linnaeus, the father of scientific classification, as the authority for (formerly called Specularia), the Venus’ looking-glass, a those names.) There are numerous other species, of course—in somewhat weedy winter annual familiar in lawns and North America, there is at least one species of lobelia present in gardens. At first glance, neither of these looks much every state and almost all the provinces of Canada, and like the lobelias in flower, and in fact the family is many more species occur in Latin America. The south- divided into two subfamilies, the bluebells or bellflow- ern states have the greatest diversity of species. Very ers (not the same as Virginia bluebells) and the lobelias. few species in North America are exotics (non-native), The lobelias have a tubed, two-lipped flower, with two but a surprising number are endemic to a single state narrower lobes or “ears” above and three wider lobes (i.e. are found nowhere else), particularly Hawaii. below. A closer look will reveal an interesting struc- Look for the cardinal flower and the great blue lobelia ture: there is a split in the corolla tube through in low woods and wet meadows and along stream which emerges a tube formed by the banks. The color of the cardinal flower, united (male flower parts). In the named for the similarity to the color of cardinal flower and some other species, the robes of a Roman Catholic cardinal, this tube has a tuft of white hairs at the tip. is unmistakable. The great blue lobelia is the After the pollen is shed, the style and the largest blue species, and the flower is striped (female flower parts), with its branches folded with white on the lower lobes. The downy and pale- together, emerge through this tube. spike lobelias are found in drier meadows and woodlands. The genus is named for Mathias de l’Obel (1538- Indian-tobacco is the commonest lobelia, occurring in fields, 1616), Flemish botanist and physician to James I of England roadsides, gardens, and other open areas. The inflated flower during a period in history when botany and medicine were closely base, which develops into a swollen seedpod, is conspicuous. connected through the medicinal uses of . Lobelias have an —Yolande Gottfried acrid milky or yellow-milky sap, and many of them are toxic and/or References: have medicinal uses. For example, great blue lobelia (Lobelia • Chester, Edward W., B Eugene Wofford, and Robert Kral. 1997. Atlas of Tennessee Vascular Plants. siphilitica L.) is given its scientific name for its supposedly curative Misc. Publ. No. 13, The Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. • Godfrey, Robert K. and Jean W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United properties in that disease. Indian-tobacco ( L.) States: Dicotyledons. The University of Georgia Press, Athens. • Kartesz, John T. 1999. Synthesis of the North American Flora [computer file]. North Carolina Botanical contains sulfate, which has been used in anti-tobacco Garden, Chapel Hill. therapy, and the plant also has been used as a stimulant, • Krochmal, Arnold, Russell S. Walters, and Richard M. Doughty. 1969. A Guide to Medicinal Plants of antiasthmatic, and expectorant in cases of bronchitis. Appalachia. USDA Forest Service Research Paper NE-138. • Midgley, Jan W. 1999. Southeastern Wildflowers. Crane Hill Publishers. All species of lobelia have been used historically for multiple •Peterson, Roger Tory and Margaret McKinney. 1968. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeast and disorders by Native Americans and in folk and . North Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. • Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. 1968. Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. The But they can be toxic and even deadly—widespread use of Indian- University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. tobacco in the 1800’s, for example, resulted in numerous deaths. • Rickett, H.W. and Farrell Grehan. 1964. The Odyssey Book of American Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. Its other common names—gagroot and pukeweed—make it easy • Smith, A.W. 1997. A Gardener’s Book of Plant Names, their Meanings and Origins. Dover to follow the advice of herbalists today who discourage the use of Publications, Inc., Mineola, N.Y. this and all other lobelias. Illustration: Cardinal flower The Sewanee Herbarium: Education — Research — Conservation THE PLANT PRESS From the Editor The Sewanee Herbarium Biology Department e have a special treat coming up treating skin problems, cuts, poison The University of the South this fall. Kathryn Ramseur-Riley, ivy, etc. The seed husks of Plantago 735 University Avenue W artist and daughter of our is psyllium and is used in Metamusil Sewanee, TN 37383 Director Emeritus George Ramseur, is and other products for constipation. creating a drawing for us to use as the The root is a Chinese herb and is WEB SITE “logo” for the Herbarium’s Search for the used in formulas to “drain damp- http://www.sewanee.edu/ Big Trees project. The drawing will be ness”. All in all, not a bad weed, I biology/herbarium unveiled at our open house during would say.” EDITOR Sewanee’s Homecoming Weekend, The second e-mail was from Vicki Mary Priestley October 19. The Ramseur clan has made Funk, Research Scientist and Curator of (931) 598-1997 a generous monetary donation to the the National Herbarium of the [email protected] Herbarium in George’s honor to support Smithsonian Institution. She had heard of CONTRIBUTORS the Big Trees project. The Search has this newsletter and wrote to say that they, garnered a great deal of too, have a quarterly newsletter titled Jon Evans (931) 598-1304 interest locally, including a The Plant Press. She put us on their [email protected] wonderful write-up in the mailing list and asked us to do the Chattanooga Times Free same for them. George Ramseur Press. George and Sandy Baird have Vicki heard about us as a [email protected] done a tremendous job in raising aware- result of a meeting of Yolande Gottfried ness of these monarchs in our midst. herbarium curators at the [email protected] We received two interesting letters Association of Southeastern COMPOSITOR recently. The first is from Friend of the Biologists’ April meeting in New Tammy Scissom Herbarium and Sewanee alumnus Dr. Orleans. Botanist Zack Murrell Jim Scheller who e-mailed in June from of Appalachian State University Larkspur, California: had organized a symposium, at Exotic Pest “I enjoyed the recent Plant Press which Vicki gave an invited talk newsletter, and especially the on Herbaria of the Southeast. Plant Council articles about the Great Tree hunt. The latest issue of that “other” Symposium What a neat idea. A book I think Plant Press (Vol. 4, No. 3) arrived you might like is, The Attentive late this summer. A page-one article The 2002 Southeast Exotic Heart: Conversations with Trees, mentioned former National Pest Plant Council Symposium by Stephanie Kaza, Shambhala Herbarium fern curator, William will be held in Nashville, Publications, 1993, ISBN 1- Maxon. We have records of Dr. Tennessee, Wednesday, April 3, 57062-251-5. It is a lovely Maxon’s visiting our local Marion through Friday, April 5, 2002, at the written book about a woman County, TN, population of the rare Renaissance Hotel. Objectives of this who communes with different trees hart’s-tongue fern around the year interdisciplinary conference are to: and finds out what messages they 1900. Small world! 1) exchange information and technol- have to give us. Our two publications are quite similar, ogy leading to cost-efficient manage- ment of invasive exotic species in “I was interested in Collection with articles on plant groups, conserva- natural areas; 2) provide a forum for Highlights, part II. Record number tion, and staff activities. Of course their participants to develop networks of 1000, Plantago lanceolata (also research interest is worldwide, whereas mutual assistance; and 3) facilitate known as Whiteman’s Footprints by we concentrate on the South Cumberland interdisciplinary dialog between policy the Native Americans because it Plateau and Eastern Highland Rim of makers, land managers, and research- likes disturbed ground-where the Tennessee. The National Herbarium’s ers. Updates on the symposium, a whiteman has walked), although Plant Press is provided free of charge by registration form, a call for papers, and considered a “weed” and an contacting Shirley Maina at an agenda will be posted at the SE- undersirable lawn plant is actually a [email protected]. EPPC web site, www.se-eppc.org. useful medicinal plant. The , —Mary Priestley when mixed with saliva, are good for Illustration: Great blue lobelia Autumn Calendar of Events

Lake Cheston Meet at the flagpole in front of Thompson Domain, featuring Sun., Sept. 23, 1:30 p.m. Yolande Gottfried Union for a one-mile easy walk. poison sumac, bottle Investigate the abundant and varied flora gentian, turtlehead, in and around one of the lakes on the Abbo’s Alley cowbane, and Domain. Expect to see lobelias, asters, Sat., Oct. 6, 8:00 a.m. Mary Priestley numerous ferns. Joe-Pye-weed, and possibly turtlehead Early-birds are invited to this Parents’ Meet at the SCSRA and ladies’ tresses orchids. Meet at the Weekend stroll. The Alley (Abbott Cotten Visitors Center on TN pavilion. Easy. Martin Ravine Garden) is always a treat, Highway 56 between and its story involves much of Sewanee’s Monteagle and Tracy Shakerag Hollow history. Meet on the Quadrangle. One City. Easy. Sat., Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m. George Ramseur mile, easy. The two-mile Shakerag Hollow trail Homecoming descends through a cove hardwood Field and Forest Ramblings Open House forest known for its high diversity of plant Sat., Oct. 6, 10 a.m. Yolande Gottfried, Fri., Oct. 19, species. Termed “mixed mesophytic” by Mary Priestley 4–5 p.m. botanists, this forest type boasts an The Herbarium is teaming up with the Join us to celebrate unusually diverse group of trees. Meet at Tennessee Native Plant Society and Sewanee’s Big Indian-tobacco Green’s View. Two miles, moderate. South Cumberland State Recreation Trees. We will be Area to sponsor this day of wildflower unveiling the drawing that artist Kathryn Invasive Exotic Pest Plants walks. A morning walk is scheduled for Ramseur-Riley has created for our Sun., Sept. 30, 1:30 p.m. Mary Priestley the Meadow Trail behind the Visitors Search for the Big Trees project. The Some imported plants, whether brought Center at SCSRA. Here, a native plant Herbarium is located on the ground floor here purposefully or incidentally, have meadow is being developed from a of Woods Labs science building, near the become a real nuisance and threat to our former golf course. After lunch at a greenhouse. natural heritage. Learn about them, their restaurant in Monteagle, we plan to have habits and how people are fighting back. an afternoon of bog-trotting on the

For information on these and other events, telephone: Sewanee Herbarium (931) 598-3346 • South Cumberland State Recreation Area (931) 924-2956 Picking flowers and digging plants are prohibited in all of the above-mentioned natural areas.

✄ Membership Application/Renewal The Friends of the Sewanee Herbarium support the work of the Herbarium: education, research, and conservation. A $10.00 annual contribution would be very much appreciated. The date of your most recent contribution is printed on your address label.

Name and Address (if different from that on the mailing label on the back): ______Amount Enclosed: ❏ $10.00 ❏ Other: $ ______Please make check payable to The University of the South. Gifts are fully tax deductible. Send to: Sewanee Herbarium c/o Mary Priestley 735 University Avenue Sewanee, TN 37383 Others who might like to receive The Plant Press: ______A New Plant Community on the Domain niversity Forester Scott Torreano South Cumberland Plateau and the David’s job involves numerous trips like has found an interesting plant adjacent Eastern Highland Rim. He was this and conversations with people like us U community on the side of the delighted to hear about this find and about the methods that TVA employs to plateau in a TVA utility corridor just barely anxious to have a look. maintain the corridors. While going about on the University Domain. This thin- So, Associate Curator Yolande fulfilling their primary task of supplying soiled, limestone-based grassy commu- Gottfried, Assistant University Forester electricity to homes and businesses, they nity is similar to the “barrens” that are Joe Burckle, David, and I hiked down to consider a number of factors, including scattered farther out on the Eastern the spot, armed with gps units, digital plants, wildlife, and aesthetics. Highland Rim. A trip down there this fall cameras, and rattlesnake chaps. The From our perspective as botanists, the resulted in the discovery of several plants flora did not disappoint us. The rare preservation of biodiversity is a primary heretofore unknown to the Domain, plants were growing together in thin, concern. TVA’s current mode of maintain- including two species listed as threatened bare, gravelly soil, along with whorled ing this utility corridor by mechanical in the state of Tennessee: compass plant milkweed (Asclepias verticillata L.), gray- means seems to be the best course of (Silphium laciniatum L.) and a blazing headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata action. Woody species are cut back, and star (Liatris cylindracea Michx.). (Vent.) Barnhart), rose pink (Sabatia wildflowers are allowed to thrive. They A telephone call to alert TVA to the rare angularis (L.) Pursh), and tall-grass attract butterflies and other insects, and plant populations brought a response grasses that included big bluestem the insects attract birds. In this particular from David Boyd, Sewanee graduate of ( gerardii Vitman) and Indian locale, very few invasive plants are in the class of ’75. David serves as this grass ( nutans (L.) Nash). evidence, and the threatened plants region’s TVA right-of-way specialist, in Altogether, we found 14 plant species appear to be doing well. charge of maintenance of the utility new to the Domain. —Mary Priestley corridors criss-crossing much of the Printed on Recycled Paper

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Compass plant