CHINQUAPIN the Newsletter of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
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CHINQUAPIN The Newsletter of the Southern appalachian Botanical Society Volume 24 (1) Spring 2016 Edible Wild Plants: The Wonderful Walnut By Lytton John Musselman, Old Dominion University [Editor’s Note: This is the inaugural installment in Lytton Musselman’s new series on edible wild plants, which was described in our previous issue. Bon appétit!] Of all the commonly-eaten nuts that are native to the eastern United States, black walnut (Juglans nigra) is the most widespread. The related pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is more restricted and southern in its native distribution but widely planted throughout the south. Our native chestnut (Castanea dentata) has gone the way of rational political discourse and typewriters. Black walnut is a well-known resource for wood, nuts, and stain, and lesser-known products including syrup, cordials—even a dentifrice. Nuts and Fruits Tryma. More than botany babble, tryma is the technical term for A Syrian Treat the specialized fruit of the walnut –so technical that I have never I worked as a botanist in Aleppo, Syria in happier days. It was heard a botanist actually use it for the round, green fruits borne in a gourmand’s paradise. One of the Aleppan delicacies is candied late fall. The unique term—when used—signifies the origin of the green walnuts made from the Persian walnut (which we call English “husk” of the fruit because the husk is not derived from the flower; walnut), Juglans regia. In the middle of the summer, before the it is from bracts and associated structures at the base of the female stony wall of the nut hardens, the young green fruits are harvested flower. and boiled in sugar syrup with cloves. These are traditionally served It is easy to collect bushels of the fruits. However, removing the as a dessert or with coffee. To my knowledge, black walnut has not husk is tedious and staining. As a boy in southern Wisconsin, I been used for this purpose but preparation should be similar. collected nuts with my family. Unlike many trees, most walnuts seem to produce a suitable crop each year. After drying and turning Waffles and Walnut Syrup? jet black we put them in a gunny sack, placed the sack on our An acquaintance in Syracuse, New York (known as the salt city driveway, and my dad would drive over them several times with his because of the once dominant industry of salt mining) produces Studebaker. The hard nuts were then easily separated from the chaff syrup from several native trees including black walnut. In general of the husk. Long Wisconsin winter nights were a good time to appearance and taste, I would have a hard time distinguishing the retrieve the delicious meat from the ironclad nuts. black walnut syrup from maple syrup though I think I detect a hint Black walnut is my favorite nut because of its rich taste, the of black walnut in the finish. You can contact Salt City Syrup at reason it is valued in cooking and snacking. One way I enjoy them [email protected] is by making black walnut chips. This involves coating a leaf with walnut paste. Utilizing wild plants, I use young basswood leaves A Walnut Toast when they are less than two inches long. Take one cup of walnut That’s right, a walnut toast-- not toasted walnuts. Peter Schafran meats, water, salt to taste. Blend until the consistency of hummus. and I are making aperitifs and cordials from as many of the native Coat leaves with paste. Dry in a food dehydrator for 12 or more plants of the Eastern United States as possible. Fortunately, we tried hours. I have also used sour dock (Rumex acetosella) leaves-they add black walnut. The cordial is made from the immature fruits, not a nice tang. from the seeds. This unusual drink is easy to prepare. Edible Plants continued on Page 3 2 Chinquapin 24 (1) The Newsletter of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society SABS Officers and Executive Council From The Editor’s Desk: Richard and Minnie Windler Award For full addresses, see http://sabs.appstate.edu/about/officers Joe Pollard, Newsletter Editor Two awards are presented annually; first to the author or authors of the best system- Charles N. Horn Here’s the belated spring issue. Ideally it atic botany paper and second for the best President (2016-2018) would have reached you before the SABS/ Newberry College ASB Annual Meeting, but I was delayed for ecology or floristic paper, both published (803) 321-5257, fax (803) 321-5636 several reasons, and the meeting has come in Castanea during the previous year. Each [email protected] and gone. SABS news items from the meet- award comes with a check for $500. ing are listed below. Financial reports and Systematics – Jessica Allen and James Kathy Gould Mathews minutes will be included with the summer Lendemer. “Japewiella dollypartoniana, a Past President (2016-2017) issue, as usual. Hopefully you won’t have New Widespread Lichen in the Appalachian Western Carolina University Mountains of Eastern North America” Cas- (828) 227-3659 too long to wait for it. Enjoy the spring weather! tanea 80(1): 59-65. [email protected] Ecology – Lauren Howard. “A Quar- ter-Century of Change Without Fire: The Kunsiri “Pum” Grubbs NEWS FROM THE ANNUAL High-Elevation Pitch Pine Community on Treasurer (2016-2019) MEETING Winthrop University Panther Knob, Pendleton County, West 803-323-2111 x6437, fax (803) 323-3448 Virginia” Castanea 80(3) 193-210. [email protected] Student Presentation Awards For 2015, awards were presented for the Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew Award Michael E. Held best student poster presentation and for best The society annually presents the award Membership Secretary (2015-2018) oral presentation. The award includes an in memory of Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew’s Saint Peter's University honorarium of $500. (201) 761-6432 untiring service to the public, to plant [email protected] systematics, and to the organization. The Outstanding Student Oral Paper Award award is presented to individuals who have Peter Schafran (Old Dominion University), Jay Bolin also distinguished themselves in professional Recording Secretary (2016-2019) Towards a Phylogeny of Isoetes in the South- and public service that advances our knowl- Catawba College eastern United States edge and appreciation of the world of plants (704) 637-4450 and their scientific, cultural, and aesthetic [email protected] Outstanding Student Poster Award values, or exceptional service to the society. Nikolai Hay (Appalachian State University), The recipient of the 2016 Elizabeth Ann Jennifer Boyd Preliminary Analysis of Genetic Diversity Bartholemew Award is Dr. Lytton John Member at Large (2015-2017) in Geum radiatum Suggests Inter-Popula- Musselman of Old Dominion University. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga tion Diversity (423) 425-5638 [email protected] Election Results Core Student Research Award The SABS Council will be joined by This year two proposals were funded, Lisa Wallace the following newly-elected officers and each for $500. Member at Large (2016-2018) members: Eranga Wettewa (Mississippi State Uni- Mississippi State University Treasurer: Kunsiri “Pum” Grubbs (662) 325-7575 versity) for her proposal “EPIC markers for Recording Secretary: Jay Bolin [email protected] understanding evolutionary diversification Me mbers-at-large to Council: in Platanthera (Orchidaceae).” Her advisor Lisa Wallace and Steph Jeffries Stephanie Jeffries is Dr. Lisa Wallace. Member at Large (2016-2018) M. Taylor Perkins (University of North Carolina State University Tennessee - Chattanooga) for his proposal (919) 515-7994 [email protected] “Phylogeographic examination of Castanea “The comparison of a grass and a Mill. (Fagaceae) morphotypes in the eastern tree, of a meadow and a forest, is a Christopher P. Randle United States.” His advisor is Dr. Hill sterile exercise until it is remembered Editor-in-Chief of Castanea (2014-2017) Craddock. Sam Houston State University that a tree, as a seedling, is also a (936) 294-1401 Student Conference Support Awards small plant. Then the herbaceous [email protected] In a new program this year, students were plant is perceived as the incipient invited to apply for funds to offset the cost Joe Pollard stage of a larger and woody plant Editor of Chinquapin of attending the annual meeting. Awardees (2015-2018) were: Sean Binninger, Cameron Byrd, induced to flower precociously.” Furman University Thom Green, Ashley Hawk, Cassandra (864) 294-3244 Karlsson, and Adam Ramsey E.J.H Corner, 1964, The Life of Plants, [email protected] University of Chicago Press, p. 269. On the web at sabs.appstate.edu Chinquapin 24 (1) 3 “Caroliniana”? – not so fast… By Alan Weakley, University of North Carolina Herbarium But all of these kinds of evidence sometimes fail. Epithets can be (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden misnomers, because of confusion by the naming scientist. Eastern North American natives Hemlock-parsley (Conioselinum chinense; Some years ago I was leading a field trip in North Carolina for a Apiaceae) and Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca; Apocynaceae) dozen plant ecologists from other parts of North America, and we are not natives of China or Syria; Conioselinum chinense missed be- happened upon Atamasco Lily (Zephyranthes atamasco; Amarylli- ing placed on North Carolina’s Rare Plant List for decades because daceae) in flower. Initially, everyone exclaimed excitedly about the none of the southern botanists in the state recognized that its single striking white flower, until a (dis)quiet set in, and then the question population in the state was native and a notable disjunction from – “wait a minute, is this NATIVE?” Once reassured that it was, the its northeastern North American distribution! Allegheny Barberry delight and acclaim started over with new enthusiasm. (Berberis canadensis) is native to eastern North America, but never As botanists, conservationists, land managers, and gardeners, one ranged north to Canada.