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No 37 L--_ _ .__-, ' '_Sp_.r_ing_2_0_00_-r-F-,-,,-h,-,-' e=-., -,-N"-"e=w-,-"s,,-,-le=t,,-,,,t=e-,---r .=o-,-f ~t, he AI berta Native Pla:ntCourlciI
In this issue ... Saying good-bye to Beryl Hallworth Beryl Hallworth ...... 1 Bonnie Smith Flowering dates on the University Prairie ...... 5 When is a rare plant report Beryl Hallworth, former Assistant Curator of not acceptable? ...... 7 the Herbarium, Department of Biological AGM 2000 ...... 8 Sciences, University of Calgary, passed away at Book review ...... 9 her residence on March 16 at the age of 89 Rare plant communities, years . Beryl was employed as Assistant Curator part 3: Limber pine ...... 10 from 1967, shortly after her arrival in Canada News and notes ...... 12 from the United Kingdom, until she retired in 1978. During her tenure Dr. Charles Bird was Curator of the Herbarium. Beryl spent these years identifying plants, arranging labs, encour aging students and developing intriguing displays. She continued her association with the University and was practically synonymous with the departmental herbarium up to the time of her passing. She is fondly remembered by numerous undergraduate and graduate students, as well as fellow staff as an always enthusiastic and friendly teacher and colleague. In total, she donated over 1600 specimens to the herbarium collection, mostly from western Cahada but also from locations as far afleld as England and Spain. Following her retirement she remained at the herbarium working on a project to catalogue Editor: Chris Manderson the approximately 6000-specimen Nonnan she published articles on Norman Sanson, Co-editor: Ksenija Vujnovic Sanson plant collection from the Banff Mu Marion Moodie and David Thompson, plus a Reader: seum. She received a monthly honorarium from booklet entitled 'Pioneer Naturalists of the the Department of Biological Sciences for this Rocky Mountains and the Selkirks' written Contributors: work and produced a catalogue of this collec with Monica Jackson. During the 1990s, Mrs. Lorna Allen tion over a period of four years. The Sanson Hallworth began a project to write a book on David Galbraith collection was of great historical value as it had the plants of Kananaskis Country. This book was Joyce Gould been collected during the late 1800s and early published in 1997 with Beryl Hallworth as Bonnie Smith 1900s mostly from Banff National Park w here senior author. Her publications will stand as Don Stiles Sanson worked as a park warden and meteor memorials to her dedication to botany and ologist. teaching.This remarkable woman continued to Still a tireless worker, Mrs. Hallworth contin work on projects right up to the last moment, The Alberta Native ued working on a variety of projects involving most recently a continuing study of the plants Plant Council safeguarding Nose Hill as a protected area, associated wi th the University prairie located Garneau P.O. 52099, identifying plant specimens in the herbarium behind her residence. She was very interested in Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5 and working on histories of the expeditions of pioneer naturalists to western Canada. In 1975 see Beryl, page 3 • Plant species at risk: COSEWIC list updated David K. Galbraith
On May 8,2000, COSEWIC, the Committee on the Alberta species on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, updated its list COSEWIClist ofspecies at risk ofextinction in Canada. The present Endangere~ changes to the list ofspecies at ri sk in Canada are the tinyCryptanthe Cryptantha results of the annual COSEWIC meeting, held in April. In minima all, the status of 141 species of plants and animals were Threate'ned reviewed at this year's meeting. Both the species specialist slender mouse-e-ar--cress Hal/molobos groups that review individual status reports and the actual virgata comm.ittee itself were particularly busy this year as they sand,verbena Abronia micrantha have reviewed the status of many species that have been WEstern blueflag Iris missouriens;s listed in the past. This activity is to ensure that the list is western sprderwort Tradescantia up-to-date when the federal Species at Risk legislation occidentalis hopefully becomes the Species at Risk Act later this year. Of Vulnerable the 18 species that were listed for the first time by Bolander's quillwort Isoetes bolander; COSEWIC in 2000, six are plants: Soapweed (Yucca glauca), a 'hare-footed locoweed Oxytropis/agdpus threatened species in Alberta. Status: Threatened smooth goosefoot Chenopodium tuberculed spike-rush Eleocharis tuberculosa (NS) subglabrum Status: Special Concern soapweed' Yucca glauco large-headed wooly yarrow Achillea millefolium var. megacepha la (SK) hldeterminate Turner's willow Salix turnol'ii (SK) .Kananaskis whitlow-cress Draba kananaskis felt-leaf willow Salix alaxetlsis (NU, SK) little barley Hordeum pusillum .. sand dune short-capsuled willow Salix brachycarpa (SK) flo ccose tansy Tanacetum huronense liar. jloccosum (SK)
Many plant species that have been previously listed by COSEWIC were reassessed. Most Extinct-a species that no longer ofthese reassessments did not result in any change to the listed status of the species exists anywhere involved. The status of ten plant species was changed by the reassessment: Extirpated-no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but still occurs elsewhere. Uplisted to Endangered Endangered-in imminent risk of apple moss Bartramia stricta (BC) extinction or extirpation. blunt-lobed woodsia Woodsia obtusa (ON, QC) Threatened-likely to become false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis (ON, QC) endangered if present limiting factors are few-flowered club rush Scirpus verecundus (ON) not reversed. goat's rue Tephrosia virginiana (ON) Special Concern-exhibits charac golden paintbrush Castilleja levisecta (BC) teristics that make it particularly sensitive Uplisted to threatened to human activities or natural events. phantom orchid Cephalanthera austiniae (BC) This item /.Vas originally posted on e-Inail soap weed Yucca glauca (AB) Canadian Botanical Conservation Network western silver-Ieaft aster Virgulus sericeus (ME, ON) discussion list cbcn-I, ilIld is reprinted with Downlisted to Threatened the permission qf the author. For more slender mouse-ear-cress H alimolobos vil~ata (AB, SK) information, visit the CBCN web page at
• Spring 2000 Beryl, from page 1 preserving this area in a natu ral state for her outstanding contributions to natural ; Ifirsf rnefS.eT}d HaHwprth in,197] the enj oym ent of all Calgarians. Beryl history in Alberta. At the time of her death Mfl\eli hwasfakiri g a'vascular plant Hallworth's dedication to teaching botany she was collaborating on a booklet about taxonpmy,course fromD r. Bob G.gilvie and natural history was exemplary. She another natural area, the University Reserve at the Univ€rsityofCa!gary. 1got to inspired many students to pursue their Lands, easily accessible fro m her residence. ·'k now ~ryl really weHwhen I start ed own interes ts and to continu e to strive Beryl Maybury Hallworth (nee Evans) 'wor krFlgon myMa~ter 's thesis under towards their goals. was born near J)'rJBird ih thefall of 1973. She was included in CardifI,Wales. She Over the ye.af slmade many visits to the Who's W ho of receive d her B.Se. 6eryl'shQme, eitherOformeetings of I first met Beryl Hallworth in the Canadian Women in H on. from Univer t he {fFNS] Natural Areas €ormmittee, 1988. fall of 1977, when I enrolled in the sity College, Or just to soda fizeHf i tw~ s summer, Beryl was always University of Calgary as a gradu Cardiff, U niversity land the weatherwas good; she .. busy, ever enthusias ate student, studying under Dr. ofWales, United ;frequently'Suggested awalk on the tic, and very produc Bird. We kept in touch regularly Kingdom in 1932 un iverSitygrassl~1I1d behind·fter home, tive yet she always followed by a after I graduated, and I was al lw hi chliery '~oon 'betam'e known 'a s had time for people, Diploma in lBeryl's PhHr ie~ ways impressed by her ever particularly students, Education in 1933 ~ SliieliferanY:knewevery plantthere. or for that matter, inquiring mind and wide range of as well as two First BerylseemedLto have ad aptitude for anyone with a interests. Knowing Beryl has Class Diplomas identifying problematic.weeds, ques ti on regarding shaped my life. I regarded her as (Royal H orticul ~articula rlo/ so rri e QttfIe nasty plants. Many times a role model and an inspiration tural Society) from J::henopods,'iI'nd Imadegoqd use of she could be seen Usk Agricultural on how to live.Thank you Beryl 'her-talents when I had the thance. talking away to a College, South Beryl Wa $ , a '~pi ri tedl womal"lf pleas the world needs more people like student or herb arium W;u es in 1934. She ,ant <)110 articulate, b.ut n Q;t afraid to visitor cli sc ussing, you. - Kathleen Wilkinson. married Herbert sp.eak' her mind..l f.aink the most with great enthusi Hallworth in 1942. ag itated.1ever sawher wa6 w hen asm, some interesting She taught Biology some:graduate,student$ made eight topic or another. She in grammar schools ;cups of tea from ; ~n e : tea bag.As far as was a natural teacher with a generoll s (p ublic and private) in the United K.ingdom ::Berylwas wncerned,'t hatwassimply spirit. ti-om 1935 to 1966. She chose to stay with theltloSth'ideol.Js thingth?t.youtonlci In 1972, Dr. Charlie Bird started the her teaching position in London even in eVeYdo totec!; : . ' . " ., .•.. ,.. " " ' ) C algary Natural Areas Group of the the most dangerous days of the Second I , didn't'se i~f as much 'of fferyl after I Calgary Field Naturalists' Society. Beryl World War, when bombs were falling every moved to Edmont{)n in1976,but we was a member from the beginning. She night on the city. She told me once that she exdhanged Christmas:card's everyyeaJ worked for many years asse mbling would sit in the field with her students and (even ·ifsome·ofhe rs'did n't arrive until information for 'Calgary's N atural Are as', hurry them to bom b shelter when they Vp l:e,ntiJie's Day) and herswere always , encouraging others with her quiet heard the air raid siren. She emigrated to upbe.;:tt;anq cheer-fuLl think one·o f her enthusiasm and constancy. In years to Canada in 1966 with her husband Herbert 'ha ppiest times in{ ecel'it 5iears,was follow; her persistence kept the natural who had taken a position with the Univer Whenthe,boo:1< on PJa n t~o f areas' group alive and ready to tackle the sity of Calgary. She taught Biology at ·Kanaoaskis'Co l;in,trYiNas f in.al lypLlo political issues necessary to preserve N ose Tweedsmui r Private School in C algary Hshed in 1997. Hill Park, a beautiful hill of fescue prairie during the 1966-67 school year. Beryl What I will rerrtemo.er rmClst,about and parkla nd that overl ooks the north Hallworth became a Canaclian citizen in Beryl is h ercheerful'disposition; her side of Calga ry. She made at least three 1972. dedication to her farm ifYiand her ,. submissions to city counciL It took a long After a twenty-year association with Mrs. cau~s , her w i.llin gness.to get involved ·' campaign to preserve the park and it has H allworth I fi nd it cliilicult to express my 'in isSUe$ i andto ; h~rp othcers.. only been through the effort of people se nse of personal and professional loss. She ~ J . D erE:!kJohnson ,.. like Beryl that Nose Hill Park now exists. shared her knowledge, enthusiasm and good In 1988 she edited Nose Hill:A popular cheer with all those aro und her. guide . She was prese nted with an honorary membership in the Calgary Field Natural Bonnie Smith works at the Department of ists' Society in 1989. In 1995, Mrs. Biological Sciences at the University of Plellse see the article Plants of the Higher Hallworth was presented with the Loran L. Calgary. Edu cation R ese rve, on page 5 jor lin Goulden M emorial Awa rd by the Federa eXll mple of one oj Be r)' f~ many con.tibulions 10 tion of Alberta N aturalists in recognition of the knowledge of the Alberta Flora - ed.
~) Iris " Weed seeds in wildflower seed mixes Scott Meers
Gardening season has fmally arrived and many homeowners find themselves with a part of their yard in which they would li ke to have fl owers that require low (or no) maintenance. The option usually suggested to them at the garden center is to use a "Wildflower Mix". The ingredi ents in a wildflower mix can vary greatly and in some cases the seeds contained in the package can be outright scary. The first concern is weeds. Depending on the species present in the mix this may or may not be a concern. O ne mix contained the following list on the package: Baby's Breath, Candytuft Fairy Mix, Bachelor's Buttons, Catchfly, Clarkia, Columbine, Coreopsis L.L.,Coreopsis Tinot., Cynoglossum (forget-me-nots) , Ozark Sundrop, Purple Coneflower, Shasta D aisy, Shirley Poppy, Sweet Williams Dbl, and Viola. This list of common and generic names does not give a very accurate description of the ac tual species. The comments below are based on what these plants are most likely Not just another pretty daisy ... to be according to the names given. Very few if any of the plants listed in in the previously described nU x is this wildflower mix are actually native to a few of w hich ca n be serious weeds. houndstongue or not, but potential Alberta. Of the plants in this list there are There are two weedy viola species in buyers should keep that possibility in some that have been shown to be a Europe that are very difficult to control. mind. concern as weeds. Baby's breath At least one of these species (wild One plant that is often found in the (Gypsopltila paniculata) and ox-eye daisy pansy-Viola arvensis) is ga ining a foot mixes (bu t not listed in the above nUx) is (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) have hold in Alberta. Weedy species of butter and eggs, also known as yellow become serious rangeland weeds in Catchfly include bladder campion (Siliel1e toadflax (Linaria vulgaris). Yellow toadflax various locations aro und the province. cucubalis) , night flowering catchily (Silcne is a serious and aggressive farmland and There are patches ofbaby's breath noctiflora) , white cockle (Lye/wis alba), and rangeland weed. throughout Alberta w hich in some cases cow cockle (vacca ria pyramidata ). Corn Sometimes the wildflower mixes do have become large scale infestations often cockle (Agroste l/lm a githago) and cone have a few species that are native to this invading native rangeland. Non-invasive catchfly (Silene coHoidea) are also serious area. The concern here is that the genetic shasta daisy (Chrysanthemum max in-nun) weeds in the United States but are not yet so urce may be from outside ofAlberta. and ox-eye daisy are virtually indistin established in Alberta. The catchfly listed This may lead to an outbreeding to local guishable except by microscope. Ox-eye in the aforementioned nux could be any natives causing a detrimental change in daisy is often passed off as shasta daisy. one of the weedy species or another non the gene pool. Of even more concern to Ox-eye daisy is a severe problem in the weedy one. the purchaser may be that these plants are foothills ofAlberta where it has become a Yet another concern is Cynoglossum possibly preadapted to different environ serious invasive weed in rangeland. which is the genus name for mental conditions and are unlikely to Catchfly and viola are a concern as houndstongue (C. officinalc) , a problematic thrive in Alberta. weeds in cultivated areas. Catchfly could rangeland plant in the foothills. So what should a buyer do? refer to a number of species, most of Houndstongue can cause poisoning in Avoid wildflower mixes that do not list which are weedy. Viola could also refer to cows and especially in horses. There is no the species it contains. Look for nUxes a number of different plant species, a few way of knowing if the CyY/oglossurn listed that list the flowers by latin name as well of which are good horticulture plants and • Spring 2000 Wildflowers, continued Flowering date phenology of some common plants at the University of (they do actually exist!). As you choose plants for your garden you should know Calgary's Higher Education Reserve what they are and understand the impacts (as much as possible) that those plants can h~eono ure=ironmeru.Theb~twouW 1974 to 1999 be to purchase native Alberta wildflowers from a credible source. If yo u waru true Don Stiles native wildflowers-check out the Alberta Native Plant Council Seed source guide at < www.anpc.ab.ca! downloads. htm> . If you have already planted seeds and ended up with weedy or poteruially weedy species then remove them imme diately to avoid future problems in your garden. Corurol them before they escape as it is very expensive to mount province wide cleanup programs such as the one currently underway for purple loosestrife (Ll'lhrum salical'ia) or the fairly successful program for spotted knapweed (Cenlaul'ea l11aculosa) . The Alberta Native Plaru Council is preparing a position statement on these wildflower seed mixes. We may also The Higher Education Reserve ('University Prairie'), looking east from the Paskapoo Slopes. The University prepare a resolution to send to both the campus and Nose Hill are in the background. Federal and Provincial governmerus. The Higher Education R eserve (also species. Median fmt and last flowering Right now there is a loophole in the called the University Prairie) is a large dates were determined for each species; Canada Seeds Act that allows the mixes to natural area inm1ediately west of the those with more than 8 years of data are be sold without complete and clear University of Calgary campus. From preserued in Table 1. Choosing a median labeling. The next time you are in a 1974-1995, Beryl Hallworth visited the rather than an average date minimised the garden center please pick up the reserve regularly, noting the flowering effect of any extremes in the database. wildflower mix and write down the dates of plants and other natur;ll history First dates appear to be more consistent following information: the name ofthe highlights. than last dates. This may partly be due to mix, the company selling the mix, who is Beryl visited the prairie an average of the observers being more keen at the selling it, where it was packaged and the nearly two times per week, adding up to a beginning of the flowering season, but list of plants in the package. Also note if total of 800 visits over 21 years. Even also because B eryl was the only one of the pa ckage lists germination, purity, or when yo u consider that she and her the two observers that noted last flower presence!absence of noxious weeds. husband took yearly summer holidays, ing dates. Please send your fmdings to Scott Meers Beryl amassed a tremendous record of the
April May June July Aug Sept Oct April May June July Aug Sept Oct
234 234 234 234123412341234 12341234123 L 123~ 123 123' 1234 Populus tremuloides ~ Hedysarum alpinum Anemone patens ~ Heuchera richardsonii Shepherdia canadensis D Achillea millefolium Populus balsamifera Astragalus fJexuosus .. Phlox hoodii Medicago sativa' Taraxacum officinale* Anemone cylindrica Potentilla concinna Galium boreale Salix bebbianalSalix sp,) Zigadenus elegans Viola adunca Trifolium hybridum* Thermopsis rhombifolia Rosa woodsii IR,arkansana Astragalus gilviflorus .. Elymus junceus Lesquerella arenosa Gaura coccinea Geum triflorum Gaillardia aristata Ribes oxyacanthoides Eriogonum flavum q Carex filifolia Sisymbrium altissimum*
Caragana arborescens* Melilotus officinalis* ;, ,''"1..
Astragalus crassicarpus ' ~!~~".".'''' Agoseris glauca .. Fragaria virginiana q Koeleria macrantha .. I , Lithospermum incisum m>' . , 'l: Potentilla arguta " ...... ;;.; '«, , , ~ Hierochloe odorata : Linaria dalmatica* Comandra umbellata Astragalus striatus ~ Anemone multifida Agopyron smithii • Smilacina stellata Bromus inermis ssp, inermis ~ Hedysarum boreale var mackenzii Potentilla pensylvanica 8Sifrilm Lithospermum ruderale Lepidium densiflorum' J, Amelanchier alnifolia .. Erucastrum gallicum* Oxytropis sericea Solidago missouriensis Penstemon nitidus Campanula rotundifolia Zizia aptera .. Melilotus alba" Thlaspi arvense* Epilobium angustifolium Potentilla anserina Symphoricarpos occidentalis Antennaria microphylla Agopyron pectiniforme*
Allium textile ~ Potentilla finitima Astragalus dasyglottis c Hordeum jubatum Lonicera tartarica* • Stipa comata ct Linum lewisii !ii. Monarda fistulosa Cotoneaster acutifolia* .. Cirsium flodmanii Elaeagnus commutata Heterotheca villosa Geranium viscosissimum Erigeron pumilis Senecio canus Petalostemon purpureum Vicia americana Oenothera biennis Sisyrinchium montanum Cirsium arvense* Potentilla fruticosa Gutierrezia sarothrae Tragopogon dubius* Aster laevis Anemone canadensis Carduus nutans* Erysimum inconspicuum Glycyrrhiza lepidota Festuca scabrella Sonchus arvensis* Erigeron caespitosus Bhli-' Allium cemuum Comus scolonifera Helianthus subrhomboideus Lappula squarrosa* Aster ericoides var pansus
~-. ~, ,- Chamaerhodos erecta ... Solidago gigantea ~ Clematis tangutica* ~ >~i li§K}§~~ ~~ Axyris amaranthoides* ~ Cynoglossum officinale'
., Spring 2000 When is a rare plant report not acceptable? Joyce Gould
lichens, plant coded with "blank". The code "yes" is communities, used onJy for records in which either a odonates and specimen or photograph of diagnostic vertebrates) .The characteristics has been taken, and the data in ANHIC material has been checked against are used for specimens in a well-maintained many purposes herbarium or the plant has been such as land use identified by an expert for that planning (for particular ta xon. A voucher specimen example, facility also needs to be deposited 111 a publicly placement or accessible herbarium. routing) and Because status determination is often assessment of base d on number of locations or sm all species status. population size, we need to ensure that Consequently, we count only those records for which data quality is of we are confident of the identification. paramou nt Therefore, only records with the importance to qualifier" yes" or "blank" are used in ensure that the this process.The same applies to land use information used planning.We do not consider records in these processes with questionable or incorrect is credible and identification.We encourage accurate. contributors to ANHIC to contact us Data are for assistance with identifications checked during whether it is to review difficult data entry to specimens against material at a capture mistakes herbarium or to provide a contact for in transc ription expert determination. and spelling. So, when is a rare plant report not However, of acceptable? For ANHIC, it IS when the fundamental report is not supported by sufficient importance is information, confirmed voucher whether the plant specimen or photograph, to confirm the has been identification. identified accurately.We Joyce Gould is a botanist with the Alberta When is a rare plant report not evaluate this through codes for Natural Heritage Information Centre acceptable? Recently, some problems Identifica tion of a particular record. For have arisen regarding the accuracy and example, if a plant is reported in the acceptability ofsome rare plant reports. literature and we subse quently get This note desc ribes why we must use a information that this is an erroneous high standard for identification of rare report or if the identification is plants and how we apply it. changed, we use the code " no". If a plant The Alberta Natural Heritage is reported without documentation Information Centre (affectionately (specimen or photog raph of diagnostic known as ANHIC) compiles characteristics) for a location that is an information on taxa and communities, unlikely habitat or considerably out of primarily those that are "rare". Data range we use the code "?". such as location, observer, date of Reports for plants within the known observation, population size, and threats range and appropriate habitat, and that are entered into the databases for all have been identifi ed usi ng sources such taxa and communities (elements) on as Flora ofAlberta, Flora of North America various provincial tracking lists (plants, or other taxonomic publications are _$ Iris • Albe'rta NativePlanfCouncil Mailillgaddress; Garneau P.O. 52099, Edmonton, ABT6G 2T5
website:
1999~2000 Board · President - vacant , Vice-president - vacant ...... (403)932-4216 ruthahnaj@hotmaiLcom Secretary - Lorna Allen...... (780) 436-8032 lorna:a Hen@gov,ah.ca • Treasurer- Mryka Hall-Beyer ...... (780).284-1,621 [email protected] , Northern Director -Pat Mcisaac ...... (780)-351-2432 [email protected] Centr,alDirector - Ed-Karpuk ...... (403) 347-5723 ekarpuk@env:gov:ab.ca · Southern Directors Steven Deugau ...... (403) 934-4249 knoxenl@teluspl<;lnet.net Dave Telfer ...... (403)949-3256 , FAN Director Elaine Gordon ...... ,...... (78Q)475-2565 [email protected] • ~onservation Action MerrittTuretsky ...... (780)'492-0047 t~retsky@ualberta .ca Education and Information ' . ElisabethBeaubien ..,...... (780) 438-1462 [email protected] Attendees of this year's ANPC AGM in Jim Posey ...... :...... (403) 560~2551 jpo@canti;ck.com Calgary on their way back from a field Rare Plants - Jane Lancaster ...... (403) 932-2269 [email protected] trip to look for signs of spring on Nose 'Reclamation an~ ,Horticulture Hill Park. Heather Gerling ...... ,,,...... (780)4~7-4658 heather;[email protected] The theme of this year's AGM was · Scott Meers ...... (403) 934,3355 scott,meers@agric:gov.ab.ca Restoration and Naturalisation Webmaster - Ken Sanderson ...... (403) 604-4415 ksariders@sandna r.rows;com inAlberta. Sessions covered Newsletter Editor naturalisation projects that ranged in Chris Manderson ...... ,...... (403) 283-8447 [email protected] scope from schoolyard garden projects to large-scale restoration of pipeline rights-of-way. More than 140 people attended, making this year's AGM an Iris i,spublished three tiines a yearby ' . 'fyou have'an ,announcement;artide outstanding success. the Alberta Native Plant CounCil.The or other item ofinterest to the ANPC Council's aim is to increase knowledge ~'embership,yotr are i~vited to submit of Alberta's wild f10ravand to preserve itto the editor for publication. Items this diverse resource for the enjoy conc:erning native plants will hegiveh ment of present and future genera" the highest priority. tions. A subscription to Iris is.included with membership in the,ANPC.. The editor res.erves the rightto edit submissions, butwill review changes Membership fees are: with the aLJthors whenever possible. . $15 Individual Disputes wi.1I be resolved in:favour of .$25 Family the·audience. $10 StudenVRetired $50CorporCjte $500 Lifetime
Contents copyright ©2000The Alberta Deadlines for Upc()injrigissues: Native plant Council,exteptwhere noted. Please contact the editor for Fall ect 15,2000 permission to reprint items from this Winter Jan 15,200'1 newsletter. Spr,ing May 15, 2001
printed .on reCYdedPaper® . • Spring 2000 Book Review: Wildflowers of Alberta A guide to common wildflowers and other herbaceous plants
Kathleen Wilkinson University ofAlberta Press and Lone Pine Press, Edmonton. $26.95
Reviewed by Lorna AI/en
With over 1700 plant species known to the main species. attach". Then provides a glossary, again occur in Alberta, a book with pictures of The line drawings by Joan Williams are with line drawings to illustrate some of the full flora would be large and un a fine addition to the book. Often a the points. wieldy. Kathleen Wilkinson's latest book, distinguishing feature, such as "lower Ms,Wilkinson has chosen to order "Wildflowers ofAlberta" is a good species by family. Once plant family compromise. With 246 species from 66 characteristi cs can be recognized, I think families described in detail, she has done naturalists f1l1d a plant book ordered by a fine job of choosing the cornmon family, such as this one, handier than one flowering plants that people are most ordered by color. But beginners may fwd likely to notice. The reader is provided themselves flipping through the entire with clear descriptions, plus discussions book, trying to identify the species of on other similar species and interesting interest. The author has tried to remedy information on uses. In addition, Ms. this by providing a species list ordered by Wilkinson has accessed the collections of colour, The intermediate naturalist will 20 photographers to provide generally find the keys included after the species high quality photos for most species. write-ups to be helpful in identifying The book begins with a concise review those pesky unknowns. Two sets of keys ofAlberta's natural regions, illustrated a're provided, first to the main families, with some lovely photographs. The then to species within each of the author then moves into species descrip families. tions. Species are grouped by family, with Overall , this is a fine book, and would discussion of the characteristics of many prove a useful addition to any plant of the plant families. I appreciated the enthusiast library. inclusion ofsome of the plants that people may have noticed and been curious about, such as club-moss (Lycopo dium), dwarf club-moss (Selaginella) and horsetails (Equisetum). Too often, these curiosities are left out of such books, in internode longer than corresponding favor ofshowier, but often better-known stem sheath" that separates the common specIes. horsetail (Equisetul11 arvense) from the very The species descriptions include a similar-looking meadow horsetail (E. discussion on habitat and range, £lowers prate/He), is made clear through the use of (or, in the case of the above ge nera, a drawing (see pg. 4). I also found the reproductive structures), leaves and drawings distinguishing the lip shapes of growth habit. I particularly like the the various twayblade orchids (Listera bolded text emphasizing those features species) to be very helpful. that are of the most help in identifying Although the author has avoided using the species. The description is followed technical terms, there are some cases by a sometimes-lengthy secti on on the where a simple term can replace a long meaning of the genus and species name, phrase. Going back to the earlier exam uses and often a discussion on other ple, she uses "internode" instead of"the species in the genera. Photos illustrate point between where leaves or branches ~ Iris • Rare plant communities ofAlberta no. 3 Limber pine
Lorna Allen woodland with ground Juniper and bea rberry (Pinus flexilis-Pseudotsuga mountain rough fescue (Pseudolsuga menz ies ii !Juniperus coml11unis-j. s(apularum menz iesii-Pinus Gnarled, wind-twisted limber pine (Pinus flexilis IJ uniperus flexilis) cling to barren, rocky outcrops in communis I Festu ca a windy landscape. How can they survive? campestris). It is SlIrprisingly, rocky soils have greater found at upper moisture than finer textured soils at the slopes and crests, but sa me elevation, resulting in more water on sites with enough available for tree growth. The rocks that soil development to look so dry channel water into deep support the grassy cracks, allowing moisture to infiltrate understory. deeply and reducing evaporation. Al • An open limber though there is likely only limited, poor pine woodland of soil in the cracks in the rocks, in semi rocky outcrops with arid climates, moisture, not soil fertility, a dwat{ shrub tends to be the factor that Iim.its tree understory of growth (Knight 1999). common bearberry Limber pine is an amazing, long-lived and ground juniper tree, with some individuals documented (Pinus flexilis I to be over 1500 years old. The species Arctostaphylos uva has the broadest elevational span among ursi-Juniperus conifers in North America, growing from horizontalis). June 870 m in Wyoming to 3810 m in Colo grass (Koeleria rado (Knight 1999). In Alberta, it grows macrantha) and at elevations from 980 m to 1900 m shrubby cinquefoil (Timoney 1999). Sometimes a compo (Potentilla frutico sa) nent of subalpine forests, it becomes are other species dominant on rocky outcrops. commonly found in There are likely several different limber this community. pine woodland community types in • A mixed , more Alberta, but their structure and composi closed conununity tion has not been well documented. type with subalpine Timoney (1999) has tentatively divided fir, limber pine and them into the following community aspen trees (Ab ies types: lasiocarpa- Pinus • A mixed Douglas fir, limber pine open flexilis-Populus Limber pine-an important component of barren, rocky outcrops trernuloides I Thalictrum venulosum) that may be transi I Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) (Achuff et al. tional to an Engelmann spruce-subalpine 1986). Table 1 lists the species that have fir forest. More information is needed to been documented in these woodlands. verify this type. The establishment oflimber pine Found from California, Arizona and woodlands shows the fine interdepend New M exico north, limber pine reaches ence of species. Limber pine has large the northern limit of its distribution in seeds that can supplement a bear's fall Alberta. Some of the most northerly diet. The seeds are also an extremely limber pine woodlands are found on the important food sourCe for birds such as so uth-facing ridges ofWindy Point, in Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) the Kootenay Plai ns Ecological Reserve, and Steller'sjay (Cyanocitta stelleri). The and west in Jaspe r National Park. These birds collect seeds, then fly off in search woodlands have been described as open of places where they may be able to limber pine with some Douglas fir, and retrieve the seeds in winter. These agent for limber pine an understory dominated by junipers and include south-facing slopes or windswept
., Spring 2000 + maps LillUIII/cwisii wild blue Oax Holland,WD. and GM, Coen, editors, Oxyrropis seneca early yellow locoweed 1983, Ecological (Biophysical) Land Rosa oriClA/aris prickly rose Classification ~f Banff al1d Ja sper Natiollal Scnco(l (aIlUS prairie groundsel Parks. Vol. II: Soil a11d Vegetation Re 7i-isetUlIl spicatulI1 spike rrisetum sources. Alberta Institute of Pedology, Bryoid Layer Pub No. M-83-2. 540 pp, BarllUla i(manophi/" screw moss Knight, D.H. 1999. Ponderosa and Limber Ellca/ypta rhaplOrarpa stri" te-fruited Pine Woodlands. C hapter 15 in extinguisher 111 055 Anderson, R .C,IS, Fralish &IM Pylaisid/a pa/yalllha Baskin (eds). Savannas, Banells, and 7(>rlula ruralis twisted moss Rock Outcrop Plant Communities ~f XaJl I/lOria elegatl., North America. 1999. Cambridge Epiphytes University Press, N ew York, 470 pp. Let/wria I'u/pin a 111" if lichell Timoney, K. P 1999. Lin/ver Piri e, Pannelia fllJil/nata T;f/hitevark Pine, Alpi11e H ea th and Pannclia suboliva fea Terricolous Alpirlc Lichen Vegetation USllea hi,.fCl old m;m's beard Alliances in Alverta. Alberta Environ ridges, which are coincidentally just the mental Protection. Edmonton, types of places where a limber pine Alberta, 196 pp, woodland might be able to survive. The Table 1 Limber pine - Douglas fir I juniper Alb~tra;~ limb et pine woodbn.u co~~ birds hide 1 to 5 seeds at a time, poking species - bearberry woodland species list munirie~ are aU conidered pial'l,t them 2 to 3 cm deep into cracks. Clark 's (Pinus flexilis - Pseudotsuga menziesii / cOl11munitiesof cOl'lservatlon cone rn nutcrackers have been observed to carry Juniperus communis - J. scopulorum / anqare" On die Prdimifiary Plant limber pine seeds up to 23 km (Knight Arctostaphylos uva-ursl) From Holland and 1999). Red squirrels will also help plant Coen 1983 G ornrnuruty Tracking List. You . caIi ge~ the seeds, but do not do as good a job at a copy oHhe.list at the ANlUC website dispersing them long distances . Tree Layer < v,';ww:goy"ab.ca/ env / parks / anhiC/ Limber pine woodlands are often small PillllsJlrxilis limber pine anhic.ht~>, 01' wri ti l~gt.O: Lorn,l.Alien in size, but their distinctive character and Pseurlo!sugo 1J1C'll.?: ies ii Douglas fir the importance of their se eds as a food Picpa glaurCi white spruce Alberta.NAural I-;luritag ' tnforrnariQJl .Centre . source make them significant. Clark's Shrub layer nutcrackers in particular depend on AlJ1riallchicr alll!/"Iia sasbtoon ,Parks and Protected Al:eas 2rtd.fL,'9820 - 106 St, limber and whitebark pine seeds as a j UlliperMs (oIII/I1Ulli., ground juniper primary food source, The interdepend JUlliperus s(opuio rul'll Rocky Mo untain BdrnQr.Uon,Albert3 CanaGiaIS.I< 2J6 ence of these species may mean that if the juniper jtd.: 780 '4'27- 6621 population of one drops, the decline of PillusJlcxi/is limber pine !fax: 780421-'5980 other's will follow. An introduced disease, POfelllillaFulirosa shrubby cinquefoil iEmail:
Iris *'" News and notes
NatureScape Alberta-Creating and Tra ils for the Twenty New Books caring for wildlife habitat at home First Century: Planning, Myrna Pearman and Ted Pike design, and Aboriginal plant use in Canada's Published by the Federation ofAlberta management manual northwest boreal forest N atu ralists for multi-Use trails, second edition Robin J. Marles Price: $24.95 Charles A. Flink, Kristine Olka, Robert UBC Press,Vancouver For more information, call (780) 427 M. Searns, and the Rails-to-Trails ISBN 0-7748-0737-7 8124 Conservancy Price: $75.00 Island Press, Box 7, Dept. 2NET. Covello, For more information, visit the UBC North American terrestrial vegetation. California, USA 95428 Press website at
Spring 2000