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VOL. 36, NO. 4 • FALL 2008 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FREMONTIA CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Phone: (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 VOL. 36, NO. 4, FALL 2008 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2009 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Bart O’Brien, Editor Bob Hass, Copy Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,500 Family or Group ...... $75 Benefactor ...... $600 International or Library ...... $75 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $300 Individual ...... $45 Kathryn Blassey, Editorial Assistant Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Brad Jenkins and Jake Sigg, Proofreaders STAFF (SACRAMENTO) CHAPTER COUNCIL Executive Director . . . . . Tara Hansen Kevin Bryant (Chair); Larry Levine CALIFORNIA NATIVE Finance & Administration Manager . (Vice Chair); Laura Camp (Secretary); PLANT SOCIETY Cari Porter Board of Directors Representatives: Development Director . . . Jack Tracey Lauren Brown, Brian LeNeve Dedicated to the Preservation of Membership & Sales Coordinator . . . Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart the California Native Flora Stacey Flowerdew Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Conservation Program Director . . . . . Steve McLaughlin The California Native Plant Society Greg Suba Channel Islands . . . . David Magney (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- Rare Plant Botanist . . . . Nick Jensen Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ zation dedicated to increasing the un- Vegetation Program Director . . . Julie Sonoma Coast) . . . . . Lori Hubbart derstanding and appreciation of Califor- Evens East Bay ...... Delia Taylor nia’s native plants, and to preserving Vegetation Ecologists . Jennifer Buck, El Dorado ...... Cindy Podsiadlo them and their natural habitats for fu- Kendra Sikes Kern County ...... Laura Stockton ture generations. Education Program Director . . . . Josie Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . . CNPS carries out its mission through Crawford Betsey Landis science, conservation advocacy, educa- Administrative Assistant . . . . . Anna Marin County . . Carolyn Longstreth tion, and horticulture at the local, state, Ostrowercha and federal levels. It monitors rare and Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . Liz Parsons endangered plants and habitats; acts to STAFF (AT LARGE) save endangered areas through public- Fremontia Editor ...... Bart O’Brien Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal CNPS Bulletin Editor . . . . . Bob Hass Monterey Bay . . . . Rosemary Foster action; provides expert testimony to Legislative Consultant .Vern Goehring Mount Lassen ...... Catie Bishop government bodies; supports the estab- East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . Napa Valley ...... John Pitt lishment of native plant preserves; spon- Lech Naumovich North Coast ...... Larry Levine sors workdays to remove invasive plants; Website Coordinator . . Mark Naftzger North San Joaquin . . . . Alan Miller Orange County . . . . . Nancy Heuler and offers a range of educational activi- PROGRAM ADVISORS ties including speaker programs, field Redbud (Grass Valley /Auburn) . . . . trips, native plant sales, horticultural Rare Plant Program Senior Advisor . . . Brad Carter Jim Andre workshops, and demonstration gardens. Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- Vegetation Program Senior Advisor . . Katie Barrows tional strength of CNPS has been its Todd Keeler-Wolf Sacramento Valley . . . Hazel Gordon, Horticulture Committee Chair ...... dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities Kristie Haydu are organized at the local chapter level Christina Lewis San Diego ...... Marty Foltyn where members’ varied interests influ- CNPS Press Co-Directors . . . . . Holly San Gabriel Mtns . . . Gabi McLean ence what is done. Volunteers from the Forbes, Dore Brown San Luis Obispo . . . Lauren Brown Poster Program . . . Bertha McKinley, 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute Sanhedrin (Ukiah) ...... Geri in excess of 97,000 hours (equivalent Wilma Follette Hulse-Stephens to 46.5 full-time employees). BOARD OF DIRECTORS Santa Clara Valley . . . Kevin Bryant CNPS membership is open to all. Brett Hall (President); Carol Witham Santa Cruz County . . . . Brett Hall Members receive the quarterly journal, (Vice President); Brad Jenkins (Trea- Sequoia (Fresno) . . . . Paul Mitchell Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- surer); Lynn Houser (Secretary); At Shasta . . . . . Susan Libonati-Barnes letin, and newsletters from their local Large: Lauren Brown, Ellen Dean, Jane Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- CNPS chapter. Hicks, Arvind Kumar, Brian LeNeve, veras, Mariposa) . . Robert W. Brown Vince Scheidt, Alison Shilling South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... Barbara Sattler, David Sundstrom Disclaimer: MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan The views expressed by authors published in this journal do not necessarily reflect CNPS members and others are wel- Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... established policy or procedure of CNPS, come to contribute materials for publi- Mary Frances Kelly Poh and their publication in this journal should cation in Fremontia. See the inside back Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . not be interpreted as an organizational cover for submission instructions. Linda J. Shaffer endorsement—in part or in whole—of their ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz

FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 CONTENTS

THE THREATENED BIOLOGICAL RICHES OF BAJA CALIFORNIA’S COLONET MESA by Kevin B. Clark, Mark Dodero, Andreas Chavez, and Jonathan Snapp-Cook . 3 Colonet Mesa is a little known peninsula halfway between Ensenada and San Quintin that supports some of the most robust populations of endangered species and habitats within the California Floristic Province. Over one hundred vernal pools are scattered within a matrix of Mártirian sage scrub, maritime chaparral, and coastal dune vegetation communities. While Colonet Mesa has long been a hidden gem for botanists, it is now threatened by a mega-port project that would transform the entire region.

THE CORYPHANTHAS OF CALIFORNIA by Stephen Ingram ...... 11 California’s three species of Coryphantha, the pincushion cacti, are beautiful but easy to overlook, and all are listed by CNPS. Based on three species profiles from the recent book, Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of California and Nevada, author-photographer Stephen Ingram shares some of the human and natural history associated with these small cacti.

MEET HARWOOD’S WOOLLY-STAR (ERIASTRUM HARWOODII) by Sarah J. De Groot ...... 15 How do new species get recognized? The author tells the story of one such plant that didn’t fit into the existing botanical hierarchy. Eriastrum harwoodii is currently recognized as a rare endemic species of California.

PROPAGATION OF MATILIJA POPPY (ROMNEYA COULTERI) by Kathleen Navarez ...... 18 It has long been part of horticultural dogma that our beautiful Matilija poppy cannot be propagated from vegetative stem cuttings. This resourceful author describes her new successful method to reliably propagate this plant from an unusual type of stem cutting known as a mallet cutting. Follow these step-by-step instructions and clonally grow more of your favorite selection.

NEW CNPS FELLOW—KEN HIMES by the Santa Clara Valley Chapter Board of CNPS...... 20 From his first participation at a “member’s night” slide show meeting in 1983, Ken Himes has been a most welcome fixture of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS. Over the years he has shared his extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for California native plants far and wide.

BOOK REVIEWS ...... 23 UPDATE...... 25 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ...... 26

THE COVER: A rosy day dawns over Punta Colonet in Baja California, Mexico. This view, taken from the south, is from what would be the center of the proposed new mega-port facility that would severely impact this unique coastal outpost of California flora. Photograph by Alan Harper.

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 1 2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 Flowers at dawn, Punta Colonet. The abundant cream-colored flowers of tidy-tips (Layia platyglossa) carpet the land, with the sun still below the horizon behind the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir. Photograph by Alan Harper. THE THREATENED BIOLOGICAL RICHES OF BAJA CALIFORNIA’S COLONET MESA by Kevin B. Clark, Mark Dodero, Andreas Chavez, and Jonathan Snapp-Cook

n the Pacific coast of Baja the small village of Colonet. While mesa harboring one of the most California, about 65 the town itself is nondescript, just biodiverse sites on the west coast of miles south of the port beyond it lies a point named Punta North America. For years, the unin- Ocity of Ensenada, lies Colonet that contains a little known habited Colonet mesa has been ex- VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 3 rival the ports at Los tion as all the remaining pools in Angeles and Long southern California combined, these Beach, would include a pools are truly a wonder to behold. breakwater, 10 to 20 The number of pools likely totals berths, roads, housing, over 100, and two of the vernal pools public buildings, and are over half a mile in diameter, infrastructure such as while another approaches eight- power generating tenths of a mile. Many of the pools plants. have yet to be explored, but those The government that have been have revealed an also proposes a 180- amazing diversity of endemic and mile rail line to the bor- rare taxa, including several on the der, and an airport spe- U.S. list of endangered species. cializing in cargo ser- The mesa supports the largest vice. To support the known population of endangered project, a new port city San Diego button-celery (Eryngium will be home to 250,000 aristulatum var. parishii [Apiaceae]). residents by 2025. The The pools also support the largest exact footprint of the known population of the endangered proposal has not been Orcutt’s grass (Orcuttia californica released, but the entire [Poaceae]). The threatened spread- mesa would be directly ing navarretia (Navarretia fossalis or indirectly affected by [Polemoniaceae]) is also found in such a massive project. healthy populations, as is the en- While the news has dangered San Diego ambrosia (Am- been filled with discus- brosia pumila [Asteraceae]). Other sions of the economic rare taxa on the mesa include the benefits of the proposed little mouse tail (Myosurus minimus port, little has been var. apus [Ranunculaceae]), Califor- mentioned of the nia adder’s tongue (Ophioglossum threats the project californicum [Ophioglossaceae]), poses to the rare spe- and a local endemic called the ver- cies located in the area. As a relatively un- disturbed mesa located right along the coast, The vernal pool tarplant (Centromadia perennis) is found Colonet mesa offers an in its largest populations on Colonet Mesa. Photograph by example of what much Mark Dodero. of southern California looked like 200 years plored by small numbers of bota- ago. The mesa is comprised of a pla- nists and naturalists, but has other- teau about 6 miles wide and 10 miles wise escaped much notice from the long that has been uplifted about scientific community. 300 feet over the adjacent sea. Recently, however, in response Washes and gullies have eroded por- to the overcrowded ports in the tions of the mesa into short, steep United States, and at the urging of canyons, while the southern end of U.S. import companies, the Mexi- the plateau ends in an abrupt verti- can government and the Baja Cali- cal drop into the sea. fornia state government, along with The vernal pools on Colonet private industry have proposed a mesa are unparalleled in northern massive port complex in a bid to Baja or Alta California. Larger than ABOVE: Map showing the location of Punta Colonet, Baja California. • RIGHT: A 300- satiate American consumers’ de- the great pools on the Santa Rosa foot cliff over the Pacific Ocean dominates mand for imported goods. The port, Plateau in Riverside County, and as the south end of Colonet Mesa. Photograph which planners hope will one day varied and rich in species composi- by Mark Dodero.

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 5 nal pool tarplant (Centromadia per- spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii), ennis [Asteraceae]). The endangered coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinec- coronatum), and the endemic Baja ta sandiegoensis) also inhabits the California whiptail (Cnemidophorus pools, as well as hosts of other cope- labialis). Birds breeding on the mesa pods, ostracods, and tadpole shrimp include the threatened California that remain to be explored. gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), Reptiles and amphibians found cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brun- on the mesa include the western neicapillus), burrowing owl (Athene

TOP: Riparian channels on the mesa support many of the same rare and unusual species as are seen in vernal pools. Photograph by Alan Harper. • LEFT: California adder’s tongue (Ophioglossum californicum). Photograph by Mark Dodero.

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 Surrounding the pools on the mesa are species-rich upland veg- etation communities including Mártirian coastal succulent scrub, maritime chaparral, and stabilized coastal dunes. Also adding to this diversity of upland habitats on the mesa are geologic formations such as gabbro clay lenses, Pleistocene beach ridge formations (similar to those found at Del Mar and Torrey Pines in Alta California), and volca- nic rock intrusions. These diverse habitats support their own rare taxa such as the threatened San Diego thorn-mint (Acanthomintha ilicifolia [Lamiaceae]) that has three large populations on the mesa, and the San Diego thorn-mint (Acanthomintha ili- rare Nuttall’s lotus (Lotus nuttalli- cifolia) grows on clay soils. Photograph by anus [Fabaceae]) in the dunes. Alan Harper. Several species such as dwarf brodiaea (Brodiaea terrestris ssp. ker- extent of their distribution on the nensis [Themidaceae]), ashy spike- mesa. An endemic buckwheat (Erio- moss (Selaginella cinerascens [Selagi- gonum fastigiatum [Polygonaceae]) nellaceae]), and prostrate spine- is also found here, as well as the Baja flower (Chorizanthe procumbens gooseberry (Ribes tortuosum [Gross- [Polygonaceae]) reach the southern ulariaceae]). The list of rare taxa

In a wet year, this, the largest vernal pool on Colonet Mesa, is over a kilometer across. The emergent vegetation in this pool is predominantly the vernal pool tarplant (Centromadia perennis), which is endemic to the region. Photograph by Alan Harper.

cunicularia), and sage sparrow (Am- phispiza belli). From the cliff face one can watch a resident pair of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) cruise back and forth just below. In Caption addition, numerous waterfowl and shorebirds are attracted in the spring to the large vernal pools. Arthropods have been little explored on the mesa, but species becoming rare in southern California are still com- mon here, including the Sonoran blue butterfly (Philotes sonorensis).

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 7 8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 continues to grow. At least two un- the bulk of the migration has shifted described species of Dudleya (Cras- offshore, possibly in response to in- sulaceae) have also been found on creased ship traffic. Of course, es- the mesa, and with further explora- tablishing a freeway of daily cargo tion, other undescribed taxa are ship traffic at a future Colonet port likely to be found among the di- that directly crosses the gray whale’s verse habitats. migratory route will only invite di- One of the most spectacular fea- saster, as whale strikes would be tures of Colonet Mesa is not actu- inevitable. What will this new im- ally on the mesa at all. Stare off into pact have on the gray whale popu- the ocean below the 300-foot cliff, lation that hugs the shoreline here, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The endemic Baja and within a few minutes during many with young calves in tow? California whiptail lizard (Aspidoscelis the right season you are likely to see And what effect will it have on the labialis). Photograph by Mark Dodero. • A a spout of water not far offshore. vibrant ecotourism industries in dragonfly rests on a spikerush (Eleocharis Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) the communities surrounding sp.). Photograph by Alan Harper. • The Sonoran blue butterfly (Philotes sonorensis) make a very close approach to the Scammon’s (Ojo de Liebre) and San has several Dudleya species to use as host coast in this location, and during Ignacio Lagoons, which rely on plants on the mesa. Photograph by Alan their migrations you are likely to healthy gray whale populations tol- Harper. see several per hour while gazing at erant of viewers in small boats? the sea. They are so close you feel as The proposed port project at Ignacio Lagoon and the same gray if you are in a small aircraft right Colonet represents a threat to all whales that pass Colonet can serve above them as they cruise by. His- the unique biological features of the as inspiration. Ecotourism gener- torically, gray whales kept close to region. Any planning for the area ated by preserving sensitive natural shore along Alta California as well, should be done in active consulta- resources will add economic diver- but over the past several decades tion with conservation groups to sity to the region and maintain a help minimize the loss of Baja better quality of life for the future California’s biological diversity in citizens of the area by leaving much LEFT: The lighthouse at Punta Colonet is surrounded by high quality coastal succu- the Colonet area. As planners dream needed open space. While economic lent scrub vegetation. This formerly wide- of a multi-billion dollar mega-port, development is important for the spread characteristic plant community of conservationists can insist on a local residents and the country, the region is now threatened. Shaw’s agave mega-national park that preserves without proper planning a unique (Agave shawii), huge live-forever (Dudleya ingens), and golden-spined cereus (Bergero- the unique coastal resources of the and one of the most and biologi- cactus emoryi) appear in the foreground of mesa. The recently completed con- cally rich locations in all of Baja this image. Photograph by Alan Harper. servation agreement to conserve San California will be lost.

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 9 With the Punta Colonet lighthouse in the distance, the low-growing mosaic of coastal scrub vegetation is viewed from an old stabilized sand dune. Such minimally disturbed large swaths of flat coastland are now rarely seen. Coastal sagebrush (Artemisia californica), and golden-spined cereus (Bergerocactus emoryi) are clearly seen in the foreground. Photograph by Alan Harper.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Peninsular, Horacio De La Cueva [email protected]; Mark of Centro de Investigación Cientí- Dodero, RECON Environmental, Inc., A number of biologists have fica y Educación Superior de En- 1927 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92101. made contributions to our knowl- senada (CICESE), and to Vince [email protected]; Andreas Chavez, edge of the resources at Colonet Martinez of RECON Environmen- Dept. of Biology, U. of Washington, 24 Mesa over the years. A few in tal, Inc. for preparing the Colonet Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98195. aschavez particular who we would like to map for this article. @u.washington.edu; Jonathan Snapp- thank include Scott McMillan, Cook, Carlsbad Fish & Wildlife Office, 6010 Brenda McMillan, Kim Marsden, Kevin B. Clark, Clark Biological Services, Hidden Valley Road, Suite 101, Carlsbad, Bruce Hanson, Alan Harper of Terra 7558 Northrup Dr., San Diego, CA, 92126. CA 92011. [email protected]

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 THE CORYPHANTHAS OF CALIFORNIA by Stephen Ingram

alifornia boasts an im- lar cacti, can be distinguished most 75 species of Coryphantha known, pressive diversity of Cac- readily from Coryphantha by the only three species are found in Cali- taceae, with 42 species, presence of hooked spines and a ring fornia. One of these species is en- varieties, and named of flowers below the stem tip. The demic to California, and another Cnatural hybrids. Chollas (Cylindro- (sub)genus Escobaria differs from the spans more than 20º in latitude, oc- puntia), prickly-pears (Opuntia), and main group of Coryphantha in hav- curring from Mexico to Canada. All the colorful hedgehog cacti (Echino- ing pitted seeds and flowers with three are of conservation concern to cereus) command most of this fringed outer tepals. The genus name CNPS. Unlike most of our native family’s notoriety due to their rela- Coryphantha comes from the Greek cacti, coryphanthas lack hooked or tive abundance and high visibility. words, koryphe, for head, and anthos, barbed spines, and can be cautiously But the diminutive pincushion or for flower, alluding to the stem-tip touched. beehive cacti in the genus Coryphan- position of its flowers. Coryphantha Coryphantha alversonii, also tha, which are often overlooked ranges from Cuba through Mexico known as cushion foxtail cactus, is when not in flower, deserve a closer and north into 15 western U.S. states an especially attractive, perky little examination. and southern Canada. Of the 55 to cactus with handsome pinkish flow- Many California botanists and cactus enthusiasts know our native Three species of cacti in the genus Coryphantha are found in California. This one, inhabiting pincushion cacti as varieties of classic Joshua tree woodland habitats, is Coryphantha vivipara. All photographs by the Escobaria vivipara, as treated in The author. Jepson Manual (Hickman 1993) and The Jepson Desert Manual (Baldwin et al. 2002). The International Cac- taceae Systematics Group recognizes Escobaria as a valid genus, and Ed- ward Anderson in The Cactus Family (2001) treats our taxa as distinct spe- cies of Escobaria. However, the Flora of North America (Zimmerman and Parfitt 2003) does not recognize Escobaria as a separate genus, and treats the three varieties of E. vivipara as species of Coryphantha. Since the soon to be published second edition of The Jepson Manual will follow this newer treatment (B. Parfitt, personal communication), now is a good time to get to know these small, benign, and beautiful cacti. Coryphantha is actually an ear- lier name for Escobaria that was used by most California botanists (e.g., Dawson 1966, Benson 1969, Munz 1974) prior to publication of The Jepson Manual. In fact, even earlier, these species had been treated (as a subgenus) in the genus Mammillaria by renowned botanist and physician, George Engelmann, who described numerous species of cacti. Mammill- aria, our other genus of small, globu-

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 11 of Joshua Tree National Park and is found on alluvial fans, desert pave- ment, and other gravelly, rocky ar- eas. Although cushion foxtail cac- tus can be locally common, it is not widespread, and has a distribution that is disjunct from all other Cory- phantha species. Coryphantha alver- sonii is on CNPS List 4.3, meaning it has a limited distribution, but a low degree of threats. Coryphantha chlorantha, prob- ably better known as Escobaria Three views of cushion foxtail vivipara var. deserti from The Jepson cactus (Coryphantha alversonii): a mature plant, young colorful Manual, goes by the common name spines, and beautiful pink of desert pincushion. This species blossoms. was first collected east of St. George in southern Utah and named Mam- traded in cacti and succu- millaria chlorantha by George En- lents. He collected cushion gelmann. Its species name comes foxtail cactus in 1892 (when from the green flowers (from the collecting cacti without a Greek words, chloros for green and permit was legal) near anthos for flower) on the dried spec- Twentynine Palms, close to present- imen from which the original de- day Joshua Tree National Park. scription was based. However, most Coulter’s comments about cushion populations have dull orange to yel- foxtail cactus noted that: “The cov- lowish-green flowers. In addition ering of stout bushy interlocking to the different perianth color, Cory- spines is like that of var. deserti [now phantha chlorantha can be distin- Coryphantha chlorantha, desert pin- guished from our other two Cory- cushion], but the black and reddish phantha species by its narrower pe- coloration gives a decidedly differ- rianth and more erect stigma lobes. ent appearance. On account of this The white to gray, dark-tipped spines ers, which stand erect from the tops appearance of a reddish-black brush, are interlaced and mostly obscure of the narrow barrel-shaped stems. the plant has been popularly called the 7 to 15 cm. (2.8 to 6 in.) tall Its pink flowers have spreading ‘foxtail cactus’ ” (from Baxter 1935). stems. tepals with dark pink midveins and Coryphantha alversonii is en- Desert pincushion cactus has paler margins, and white, widely demic to California, and occupies been treated as a variety of the vari- spreading stigma lobes. The 7 to 18 the transition zone between the able beehive cactus (Coryphantha central spines are dark-tipped, southeastern Mojave and northern vivipara, listed below) because it straight, relatively stout, and not Colorado deserts. The only debat- shows vegetative similarities to that barbed. Cushion foxtail cactus of- able occurrence outside California, more widespread species. In the ab- ten produces multiple stems that are a collection cited by cactologist sence of flowers, this species can be generally taller, 5 to 27 cm. (2 to Lyman Benson (1969, 1982) from difficult to distinguish from beehive 10.6 in.), and more robust than Mohave County, Arizona, is appar- cactus. Both species resemble a spiny California’s other two Coryphantha ently due to a misidentified frag- ball, although the green tubercles species. ment of a different species of Cory- (protuberances tipped with spines) Cushion foxtail cactus was first phantha. Cushion foxtail cactus can of desert pincushion are barely vis- described in 1894 by American bota- be found at elevations between 610 ible through the dense covering of nist and educator, John M. Coulter and 1,525 meters (2,000 and 5,000 spines. Desert pincushion can also (1851-1928), who named this spe- feet), from the Little San Bernardino be distinguished from beehive cac- cies in honor of its collector, Allen Mountains east to the Big Maria tus by its more numerous (usually H. Alverson (1845-1916) of San Ber- Mountains, Riverside County. It is 20 to 30) ashy-gray, overlapping ra- nardino, California. Alverson was a locally abundant throughout much dial spines. In addition, desert pin- jeweler and mineralogist who also of the middle and lower elevations cushion is often perched in cracks

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 of limestone dolomite, while bee- stretches from Sonora, Mexico to hive cactus usually protrudes from Saskatchewan, Canada—more than decomposed granite. 20º in latitude—making it Califor- Based on the ashy appearance of nia’s most cosmopolitan cactus. It is desert pincushion cactus (due to its also the most widespread and vari- pale, interlaced spines) and its oc- able species of Coryphantha, with currence on dark dolomite rocks, numerous common and varietal one might expect this species to have names assigned to it by botanists a high heat tolerance. Indeed, ex- and horticulturists. George Engel- perimental research shows that mann wrote of beehive cactus: “The desert pincushion cactus can with- extreme forms are certainly very un- stand a temperature of 64ºC (147ºF) like one another, but the transitions (Smith et al. 1984). This heat toler- are so gradual that I can not draw ance is similar to that of California strict limits between them” (from fishhook cactus (Mammillaria Britton and Rose 1919-1923). Lyman dioica) and higher than several chol- Benson recognized seven varieties las and prickly-pears examined in in The Cacti of the United States and the same experiment. Its dense cov- Canada (1982), two of which are ering of pale radial spines helps now treated as separate species and desert pincushion cactus reflect ex- the others treated as synonyms of cessive heat. Coryphantha vivipara. But Benson Coryphantha chloranta is virtu- did acknowledge that further study ally restricted to limestone-derived was needed to delineate these vari- soils and rocks and can often be able cacti. found growing on dolomite out- Beehive cactus has solitary or crops with Clark Mountain agave clustered stems 7 to 18 cm. (2.8 to 7 (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis). in.) tall, and prominent tubercles. This species occurs from 500 to at Beehive and desert pincushion cacti least 1,700 meters (1,640 to 5,600 are very similar vegetatively, but bee- ft.) in elevation and grows in pin- hive cactus has fewer radial spines yon-juniper woodland, Joshua tree (12 to 18) than desert pincushion woodland, and other plant commu- cactus (16 to 33). It has reddish- nities of eastern Mojave Desert pink tepals without contrasting mid- mountains. It ranges as far north- veins, and white, spreading stigma west as Death Valley National Park’s lobes, in contrast to the less spread- Funeral Mountains and south ing, dull orange to yellow tepals, and through the Kingston, Clark, and erect stigma lobes of desert pincush- Ivanpah Mountains of California’s ion. It is more commonly found on eastern Mojave. Desert pincushion granitic alluvium in California, while can also be found in southern Ne- desert pincushion cactus is nearly vada, southwestern Utah, and north- always found on limestone. Beehive western Arizona. It has recently been cactus occurs at higher elevations added to CNPS List 2.2, because it 1,500 to 2,500 meters (4,900 to 8,200 ft.) and farther north than cushion is considered to be rare or endan- Desert pincushion cactus (Coryphantha gered in California but more com- foxtail cactus. chlorantha) has pale greenish-yellow mon elsewhere, and is fairly threat- As expected for a cactus that flowers. In California, this species is ened in California. grows from the eastern Mojave restricted to the eastern Mojave Desert. Coryphantha vivipara, or beehive Desert to the badlands of North Da- cactus, has been known as Escobaria kota, beehive cactus has to withstand if it has time to acclimate to cold vivipara var. rosea in The Jepson both extremely hot and subzero tem- weather (Nobel 1994). Manual. It was first collected by the peratures. Throughout its range, bee- Although Coryphantha vivipara English naturalist and explorer Tho- hive cactus can tolerate summer- is an extremely widespread species, mas Nuttall “near the Mandan towns time ground-surface temperatures within California it is more restricted on the Missouri” (North Dakota) in over 64ºC (140ºF) and survive a than our other two coryphanthas, 1811. The range of beehive cactus freezing temperature of -22ºC (-8ºF) occurring only in eastern San Ber-

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 13 ever, its gorgeous pink flowers stand out in contrast to its pale brown substrate, signaling to any bees in the vicinity.

REFERENCES Anderson, E.F. 2001. The Cactus Fam- ily. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Baldwin, B.G., S. Boyd, B.J. Ertter, R.W. Patterson, T.J. Rosatti, and D.H. Wilkin, eds. 2002. The Jepson Desert Manual: Vascular Plants of Southeast- ern California. University of Califor- nia Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA. Baxter, E.M. 1935. California Cactus: A Complete and Scientific Record of the Cacti Native in California. Ab- bey San Encino Press, Los Angeles, CA. Benson, L. 1969. The Native Cacti of California. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. Benson, L. 1982. The Cacti of the United States and Canada. Stanford Univer- sity Press, Stanford, CA. Britton, N.L., and J.N. Rose. 1919-1923. The Cactaceae. 4 volumes. Carnegie Institution of Washington, DC. Dawson, E.Y. 1966. The Cacti of Cali- fornia. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press, Ber- keley and Los Angeles, CA. Beehive cactus (Coryphantha vivipara) in full bloom. Munz, P.A. 1974. A Flora of Southern California. University of California nardino County. It is listed by CNPS mon elsewhere, and is fairly threat- Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, as 2.2, meaning it is rare or endan- ened in California. Beehive cactus CA. gered in California but more com- can be found in the Mojave National Nobel, P.S. 1994. Remarkable Agaves Preserve inhabiting and Cacti. Oxford University Press, The cryptic coloring and low habit of a young beehive cactus sagebrush scrub, New York, NY and Oxford, UK. (Coryphantha vivipara) enables it to disappear into the Joshua tree wood- Smith, S.D., B. Didden-Zopfy, and P.S. decomposed granite soil where it grows. land, and pinyon-ju- Nobel. 1984. High-temperature re- niper woodland, ei- sponses of North American cacti. ther in the open or Ecology 65:643–651. Zimmerman, A.D., and B.D. Parfitt. under the cover of 2003. Coryphantha. In: Flora of protective shrubs. North America Editorial Committee, The well-camou- eds. Flora of North America North of flaged beehive cactus Mexico 4:220–237. Oxford Univer- often appears like a sity Press, New York, NY and Ox- knobby, spine-cov- ford, UK. ered ball half sub- merged in the coarse, Stephen Ingram, 140 Willow Road, Swall granitic sand. During Meadows, CA 93514. stephen@ingram the late spring, how- photo.com

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 MEET HARWOOD’S WOOLLY-STAR (ERIASTRUM HARWOODII) by Sarah J. De Groot

lthough it is endemic to Cali- the three species under which it was much winter precipitation the area fornia, Eriastrum har- placed. has received and how fast the weather woodii is a plant you may warms up in the spring. not have met before. It is HABITAT AND RANGE One species that might be con- Aa small desert annual, not often col- fused with E. harwoodii is E. diffusum, lected, and it is not recognized in Eriastrum harwoodii inhabits since in California E. diffusum often The Jepson Manual (Hickman 1993). sand hills in the deserts of San Ber- has small white- or cream-colored Let me explain. nardino, Riverside, and San Diego flowers as well. In my experience, Eriastrum harwoodii (in the counties. It is not found on very ac- E. diffusum does not have as much phlox family, Polemoniaceae) was tive dunes, but at every site where I wool on the bracts, leaves, and stems first described as Gilia filifolia Nutt. have found it, there is still some sand as E. harwoodii. Also, stems of E. var. harwoodii by Thomas Craig, an blowing around, so the habitat would diffusum are often brown, and leaves undergraduate student of Philip be characterized as semi-stabilized usually have several lobes. In con- Munz at Pomona College in Clare- sand dunes. Usually other dune trast, stems are usually tan in E. mont, California. The specific epi- plants are also present, for example, harwoodii, and leaves are entire or thet honors R.D. Harwood, a collec- desert lily (Hesperocallis undulata), have two lobes near the base. tor around California in the early birdcage evening primrose (Oeno- Another species that may be 1900s. The very first publication of thera deltoides), big galleta grass found in sandy areas is E. eremicum. this name was in Craig’s senior the- (Pleuraphis rigida), and pink sand This species is easily distinguished sis (1934a), although this thesis is verbena (Abronia villosa). Within not widely known, and the usual these dune sites, E. harwoodii plants Eriastrum harwoodii plant at Rice, Riverside reference cited is the subsequent tend to be scattered, and sometimes County. All photographs by the author. publication in the Bulletin of the widely so, but if one walks around Torrey Botanical Club (with a few long and far enough, quite a few changes; Craig 1934b). The type lo- plants can be found. cality is “sandy desert, 1200 ft., These dune sites are not par- Blythe Junction [Rice], Riverside ticularly common throughout the County.” The type specimen, Munz deserts. At present E. harwoodii is and Harwood 3589, is housed at the known from about a dozen sites, combined herbaria of Rancho Santa and this led to its being placed on Ana Botanic Garden and Pomona the California Native Plant Society’s College (RSA-POM herbarium as List 1B.2 (fairly endangered in Cali- POM 7622). fornia and elsewhere; see http:// The name then went through a cnps.web.aplus.net/cgi-bin/inv/ number of changes in position, as inventory.cgi). However, it may ap- has happened often for most species pear rare simply because it has not of Eriastrum. Jepson (1943) placed been collected very often, which was it under Hugelia diffusa; Mason probably because it was not well (1945) moved it to Eriastrum diffus- known. um; and Harrison (1959, 1972) lo- cated it in Eriastrum sparsiflorum. HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT So the subspecies harwoodii had been treated under three different spe- Basically, it is the tallest, woolli- cies: filifolium, diffusum, and spars- est, white- or cream-flowered Eria- iflorum. Recently, David Gowen strum you will find on sand dunes (2008) elevated this taxon to the or in areas of loose, semi-stabilized species level, which makes sense in sand. It flowers in early April or may- that harwoodii never really fit any of be late March, depending on how

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 15 Also, I have noticed many plants lean toward the east, which is away from the prevailing wind. This may be a consequence of only the wind, or it may also be a result of sand piling against the stem predomi- nantly on one side of the plant. Lastly, you do not need to be either a morning person or a night owl to observe the flowers of Eria- strum harwoodii. The flowers usu- ally do not open up before 9 a.m., and often close around 5 p.m. Now you have heard about E. harwoodii, maybe you will get to meet a live plant out in the desert this spring.

REFERENCES Craig, T. 1934a. A revision of the sub- genus Hugelia of the genus Gilia. Se- nior Thesis, Pomona College. Craig, T. 1934b. A revision of the sub- genus Hugelia of the genus Gilia. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 61:385-396, 411-428, t. 23. Gowen, D. 2008. New taxa following a reassessment of Eriastrum sparsi- florum. Madroño 55(1):82-87. Harrison, H.K. 1959. Morphological and Taxonomic Studies in the Genus Eriastrum. Ph.D. Dissertation, Uni- versity of California, Berkeley, Cali- fornia. Harrison, H.K. 1972. Contributions to the study of the genus Eriastrum 2. Notes concerning the type speci- mens and descriptions of the spe- cies. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series 16(4):1-26. Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press, Ber- keley and Los Angeles, California. TOP: Close-up view of Eriastrum harwoodii flower. • BOTTOM: Eriastrum diffusum can be easily confused with Eriastrum harwoodii. Jepson, W.L. 1943. A Flora of Califor- nia 3(2):167. by its large, blue, bilaterally sym- teresting feature of E. harwoodii is its Mason, H.L. 1945. The genus Eria- strum and the influence of Bentham metric flowers and leaves with many long roots. Long roots are quite com- and Gray upon the problem of ge- lobes (two to seven). mon among sand dune plants, which neric confusion in Polemoniaceae. need to send roots deep in order to Madroño 8(3):77-78. INTERESTING FEATURES stay in one place as sand blows around them. These roots are longer than Sarah J. De Groot, Rancho Santa Ana I have observed a few traits in roots in other species of Eriastrum, Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Ave- E. harwoodii that I have not seen in and probably represent an adapta- nue, Claremont, California 91711. sarah. other species of Eriastrum. One in- tion to the sand dune environment. [email protected]

16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 Typical habitat of Eriastrum harwoodii at Rice, Riverside County.

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 17 PROPAGATION OF MATILIJA POPPY (ROMNEYA COULTERI) by Kathleen Navarez

n October 2004, I was cutting back To lessen the chances of the cut- Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) tings rotting, I cut the pencil-size in my garden in Ben Lomond. Cali- laterals at an angle above and below fornia. The material was healthy, the axil, leaving the main part of the Iwith vigorous lateral branches, and stem attached. This is commonly I thought there was not any reason referred as a mallet cutting. why these stems should not root. I The tip of each stem cutting was know literature says otherwise, but removed, so that the length of each my propagator’s instincts took over. cutting was 6 to 8 inches, and each I gathered up the pruned branches cutting had 4 to 5 leaves attached. I and brought them to Cabrillo gently scraped the base of each College’s Environmental Horticul- cutting’s primary leaf axil (the basal ture Center, where I work as a horti- axil at the mallet) thereby wound- culture instructor. ing the adventitious buds at that location. I further prepared the cut- tings by dipping them in diluted Clorox (1 tsp:8cups water), and then rinsed them with fresh water. I applied Dip’N Grow liquid root- ing concentrate at a rate of 1:5. I stuck the cuttings, in groups of three, in 4-inch pots prepared with a cut- ting mix of 3 parts perlite to1 part A rooted mallet cutting of Matilija poppy, sifted peat moss. I added RootShield ready to be potted up into a 2-inch liner to the cutting mix at the rate of 3 pot. tbs. per cubic foot of mix. I prepared two trays of 25 4-inch pots and the liners are then moved from the placed them in the greenhouse on a mist bench to a greenhouse bench mist bench set at 15 seconds of spray with 70 degrees bottom heat. Two every 20 minutes and with bottom months later, the rooted plants were heat set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. ready to pot up directly into three- After one month, most of the gallon pulp pots, which I then set leaves had dropped off the cuttings, outside in a shade structure. In other but you could easily see the new years, we have potted the young bud growth. After 2 months, nearly plants into plastic gallon-sized con- 90% of the cuttings had rooted. I tainers. potted them into individual 2-inch In May of 2005, we sold our first liners using Sunshine Mix #4 and crop at our spring plant sale. Most RootShield (at the rate of 3tbs. per of the plants were in bud, and some cubic foot of mix), then placed them were even blooming! I have since back in the greenhouse on the same grown three crops successfully and mist bench with bottom heat for 1 teach this technique in our propaga- to 2 weeks. After that period of time, tion class.

ABOVE LEFT: A pruned stem of Matilija poppy Kathleen Navarez, Cabrillo College, Hor- is the source of several cuttings. • LEFT: A single mallet cutting is shown in rela- ticulture Department, 6500 Soquel Drive, tionship to the original pruned stem. All Aptos, California 95003. kanavare@ photographs by the author. cabrillo.edu

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Treating the cuttings with the rooting compound Dip ’N Grow. • Young rooted cuttings are beginning to grow. • Successfully grown plants in 1-gallon pots, ready to be sold and planted in the garden.

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 19 Ken Himes in the Sierra Nevada on a CNPS backpacking field trip in 2004. All photographs by Kathy Korbholz. NEW CNPS FELLOW—KEN HIMES by the Santa Clara Valley Chapter Board of CNPS

walking encyclopedia and an How do people fall in love with ally learned more about gardening engaging teacher on the native plants? In many cases, a se- and plants—but not necessarily Cali- trail, Ken Himes has en- ries of lucky events, chance meet- fornia natives. chanted and educated ings, and a willingness to be open to Acountless Californians on the ways different ways of seeing things. And EARLY INFLUENCES of native flora, and encouraged oth- so it was in Ken’s case. While Ken ers to support this flora and its was born and raised in San Fran- Transferring to Cal Poly San Luis threatened habitat. cisco, he spent the weekends and Obispo in 1967 provided the turn- A member of Santa Clara Valley summer vacations of his childhood ing point in Ken’s appreciation of Chapter, Ken Himes was named as a with his family at a cabin in the native plants. The San Luis Obispo Fellow of the California Native Plant redwoods in rural San Mateo Coun- CNPS Chapter sponsored a talk by Society in December 2006. Chapter ty. He recalls an uncle pointing out Ledyard Stebbins on biological is- members have fond memories of Ken western azalea and other native lands, which had an inspirational through the years on a trail or in a plants near Pescadero Creek. Years effect on Ken’s view of native plants meadow, describing the native flora later, Ken earned an Associate’s de- and habitats. Following this talk, and ecology in vivid detail, and in gree from the City College of San Ken had the opportunity to tour his distinctive voice. Francisco in Horticulture, and gradu- Robert Hoover’s personal garden in

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 San Luis Obispo, and see native experience from that adventure, of- EDGEWOOD AND plants such as Dudleya abramsii ssp. ten remembering the precise loca- BEYOND bettinae in cultivation. Up to this tions of some of California’s most time, Ken had experienced little use special plants and places, despite not In addition to these many contri- of natives in horticulture, and was having been back in the intervening butions to the chapter, Ken’s primary more familiar with the showy culti- 30 years! efforts in the last 20 years have been vars favored in San Francisco. But as Returning to the Peninsula, Ken focused on Edgewood County Park time went on, more serendipitous started to participate in local CNPS and Preserve in San Mateo County. events spurred Ken’s connections field trips, but what really intrigued In the early 1980s, the Santa Clara with the California flora. him was collecting specimens for Valley Chapter began efforts to pro- In 1970, Ken left for Europe, the Santa Clara Valley Chapter Wild- tect the various special habitats, in- where he worked and toured until flower Show. By 1985, this interest cluding significant serpentine grass- 1973. A visit to Kew Gardens in became official as he was appointed lands, at what would eventually be- London furthered his appreciation by then chapter President Bart come the park. Ken, who lives just a for California’s heritage, with memo- O’Brien to his first chapter board few miles from the site, was a staunch rable specimens of Aesculus califor- position, Chair of the Wildflower supporter of, and advocate for, the nica and Sequoiadendron giganteum Show. Ken went on to hold nearly park since the very beginning. on display. Returning to California all Santa Clara Valley Chapter of- In 1988, Ken helped start the in 1973, Ken soon after began work ficer positions, including Treasurer, Edgewood Park docent program, and at the City of Belmont’s Parks and Vice President, and President (1987- has worked with that program con- Recreation Department, where he 1989); and to chair nearly all chap- tinuously: sharing his vast knowl- continued to work until his retire- ter committees, including Field edge of the park with the public dur- ment in June, 2003. As fate would Trips, Photo Group, Invasive Re- ing docent walks, and handing down have it, Ken’s first supervisor, Jim moval, Books Sales, and Programs. that knowledge to other docents Raymond, in Belmont was a native plant enthusiast who furthered Ken’s Ken signing in on the trail at Saddlebag Lake, near Yosemite in September of 2004. interest in local botany and ecology. Ken’s work included purchasing na- tives for the local parks, and plan- ning a nature trail through the oak woodland community at Twin Pines Park in Belmont.

CNPS While purchasing plants for Twin Pines Park at the East Bay Chapter’s fall 1974 plant sale, Ken joined CNPS. He gradually became involved in plant sales and other activities. His interest grew steadily, and finally came into full bloom in April of 1980 when Ken set out on a self-styled sabbatical. Loading up his 1963 Dodge pickup with camping gear, his dog Lupine, and all the native plant books he could pack, Ken hit the road on what would turn out to be a three-and-a-half month long odyssey exploring the wild places and native plants of Cali- fornia, crisscrossing the state from as far south as Santa Barbara all the way to southern Oregon. To this day Ken is still able to draw on the

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 21 through the Docent Training Pro- along a trail or meadow to discuss gram. In 1996, Ken joined the the flora and end up surrounded by invasives removal program at the others who have happened along, park, eventually assuming leadership friends and strangers alike, all en- of the effort a few years later. Under thralled by his engaging manner and Ken’s stewardship the program has extensive knowledge. Whether de- expanded greatly over the years, with scribing the smallest details of a plant dramatic increases in acreage and or the broad ecological relationships the number of species being treated, of regional geography and climate, the number of volunteers involved, Ken Himes at Pinnacles National Monu- Ken is able to bring the listener into and overall volunteer hours contrib- ment in 2008. the topic, making complex concepts uted per year. These efforts include accessible and helping listeners feel regular weeding parties up to three nia Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) they are active, contributing partici- times per week throughout the year, in 2004, and have made presenta- pants in the discussion. since a weeding permit was first ob- tions about the program to numer- tained in 1989. ous other groups as well. Beyond SUMMATION As part of this effort, Ken over- the science, Ken has also greatly in- saw the creation of the yellow creased awareness of, and participa- Ken’s work with CNPS has made starthistle mowing effort at Edge- tion in, conservation efforts, includ- his knowledge available to the wood, and turned it into a rigorous ing helping to establish volunteer greater community. His early atten- scientific program using test plots programs with local high schools dance at the lecture by Ledyard and other methods. Annual grasses that have resulted in the contribu- Stebbins on biological islands found and teasel were also targeted, and tion of thousands of additional vol- resonance later in his ongoing field new invasives were not allowed to unteer hours at the park. trips and conservation endeavors at get a foothold. Through careful Ken has led hundreds of day and Edgewood Preserve and San Bruno recordkeeping, monitoring, and col- camping trips, both locally and Mountain, two of the Peninsula’s laboration with San Mateo County throughout the state, for Santa Clara most well-known “islands” that are Parks, Ken and his team have con- Valley, Yerba Buena, and other chap- now surrounded by urbanization tributed a significant dataset to in- ters. Along with Bart O’Brien, Ken and threatened by development. vasive plant research and weed con- revitalized the chapter’s field trip Best of all, Ken does not simply trol. Ken and his colleague, chapter program in the 1980s, and contin- share his knowledge and experience member Paul Heiple, presented the ues to volunteer as a leader. Some of with others as occasion allows, but results of their work to the Califor- Ken’s favorite destinations include actively, eagerly, and generously San Bruno Mountain, Montara seeks out ways to do so. Whether it Mountain, Pulgas Ridge, Edgewood, be through his work with high school Jasper Ridge, Butterfly Valley, Snow students at Edgewood, or the many Mountain, Bear Valley, Mount Pinos, trips he has led, or his presentations Smith River, and the White Moun- and lectures (drawn from his own tains. With his prodigious memory extensive photographic library of and an encyclopedic knowledge of thousands of slides) to various CNPS the state’s flora, Ken can identify chapters and other groups, or his thousands of plants, patiently ex- mentoring of other chapter members Telos plaining to his listeners their indi- to help them learn and grow into vidual characters and differences. chapter leaders, Ken is passionate Rare Bulbs Many view Ken’s heartfelt dedi- about passing on his knowledge and The most complete offering of bulbs cation to education, outreach, and experience to future generations. His native to the western USA available mentoring as his most important enthusiasm and ability for helping anywhere, our stock is propagated at contribution toward conservation. others to know, appreciate, and pro- the nursery, with seed and plants from legitimate sources only. Education is a cornerstone of his tect the native flora of our state make approach to life, and he integrates him a treasure not just for our own Telos Rare Bulbs both learning and teaching into just chapter, but for CNPS as a whole. P.O. Box 1067 about everything he does. He is a Ferndale, CA 95536 true naturalist and ecologist, and is a Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS, 3921 www.telosrarebulbs.com model for nature lovers at all levels. East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303. It isn’t uncommon for Ken to pause www.cnps-scv.org/

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 BOOK REVIEWS

Terrestrial Vegetation of California, ward the concept of “reading off the CNPS never gave up on its infor- 3rd Edition, Barbour, Michael G., same page.” Hidden away between the mation-gathering and lobbying efforts, Todd Keeler-Wolf, and Allan A. lines of this chapter are only hints of herding together reluctant members Schoenherr, editors. University of Cali- the lead role that the California Native of the “establishment” like stray cattle, fornia Press, 2007. 712 pages. $80.00 Plant Society played in arriving at the resulting in today’s continuing pro- hardcover. wonderful cooperative efforts existing gress, growing pool of knowledge, and This is not the sort of book that today. insightful decision making. The Cali- you sit down and “read” but it is nev- In the 1980s and 1990s, high- fornia Natural Diversity Data Base and ertheless a landmark publication cov- energy CNPS members applied their the Interagency Biodiversity Council, ering California vegetation. Although talents, and their concerns, from dis- along with CNPS’s undisputed exper- heavy on academics there are also land appointment to disappointment, to tise in rare plants are examples of management and conservation impli- minor success, to eventual success this. cations. in creating an atmosphere allowing While I am at it, I want to espe- The list of contributors reads like agency workers to include native plant cially praise co-editor Todd Keeler- a Who’s-Who among the leaders in needs within their official duties. This Wolf for being the right person at the the field of California vegetation stud- was accomplished in spite of disinter- right place at the right time. His whole ies. They may not be the inventors of ested, “stick-in-the-mud” administra- academic and administrative career vegetation classification but they surely tors who did not want their employ- seemed to point him in this direction. are the collectors and analysts of those ees being distracted. This, positive and He is the major constant administra- data that put California at the fore- unrelenting energy came from folks tive factor on the job through pluses front of this field. I must also add that like Ledyard Stebbins, Jean Jenny, and minuses of changing administra- these contributors are, or will be, the Alice Howard, Bill Critchfield, Larry tions and budgeting circumstances. teachers of those who will follow in Heckard, among a long list of others. Thus he is on hand to provide special their footsteps. In this regard, I espe- Many of these people achieved recog- insights to this book. cially tip my hat to lead-editor Michael nition within CNPS and set the scene But I must look beyond Chapter Barbour who is now passing along in- for where the Society is today. Some One and recognize the collective knowl- sights gathered by his former students, of the readers will also remember con- edge represented in this book. Here as well as others, who assembled the tributions of the “Natural Areas Break- are data and background supporting abundance of new information con- fast, Chowder, and Marching Society” the field guides we carry in our back- tained in this, the third edition of the that would from time to time gather at packs. Here is authoritative knowledge book he helped pioneer back in 1977– Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto restau- to help resolve many of the fine points with typed manuscripts, no less. I won- rant in Berkeley to cement the bonds of administrative and legal disputes der how many of today’s readers re- of mutual interest across administra- hinging on field biology. Here are data member typewriters? tive boundaries. to guide tomorrow’s students. In the very first paragraph of the preface to the first edition, it says “. . . en- thusiasm for the project was infec- tious, and it carried the two year manu- script preparation period through to completion with little discord and many pleasant memories of a sense of community among California ecolo- gists.” I dare say, the new edition car- ries forward that tradition–on laptop computers, no doubt. Here is a collection of irrefutable evidence that has, and will continue to have, influence on management and court decisions relating to California’s land use management practices. This is well and good and is an important contribution. But, Chapter One espe- cially catches my attention because it captures the history of the coming to- gether of widely-scattered private and public land management agencies to-

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 23 Here is a book that many will find belongs on their bookshelf. Norden H. (Dan) Cheatham

The Ladyslipper and I, Autobiogra- phy of G. Ledyard Stebbins, by G. Ledyard Stebbins. (Monographs in Sys- tematic Botany from the Missouri Bo- tanical Garden, Volume 109.) Missouri Botanical Garden Press. 2007. Victoria C. Hollowell, Vassiliki Betty Smocovi- tis, and Eileen P. Duggan, eds. $35.00 hardcover. 173 pages, 25 photographs. Dr. G. Ledyard Stebbins, Jr. (1906-

2000) led a life full of passion for mate portrait of the many life passions botany, teaching, mountain climbing, that Ledyard embraced and is written classical music, and politics. He made in a delightful story-telling fashion vast scientific contributions and is con- typical of his oratory and teaching style. sidered the founder of evolutionary One disappointment is the brevity in botany. Many contemporary botanists which a few personal tragedies were learned plant evolution from Varia- addressed, but despite being the hub tion and Evolution in Plants, Flowering of academic and social circles, Ledyard Plants: Evolution Above the Species Level, was a private person. and Chromosomal Evolution in Higher The first several chapters tell of an Plants—those who learned plant evo- early interest in nature fostered by lution in Dr. Stebbins classroom usu- privileged and indulging parents and ally caught his contagious passion for Ledyard’s own curiosity and intellect. botany. One of the most insightful of Ledyard’s Ledyard made considerable con- childhood stories is his recollection of tributions to the conservation of plants boat trips with his parents at the age of in California through his association five to admire bog plants that the whole with and leadership within the Cali- family venerated. Subsequent years and fornia Native Plant Society (CNPS). In chosen vignettes cover the awkward- 1968, he started a card file of plants ness associated with growing up male with limited distribution which even- and not athletically inclined, but high- tually evolved into the Rare Plant Pro- light a counterpoint growth in his con- gram that maintains and publishes the nection with nature with numerous CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endan- explorations in Seal Harbor, Pasadena, gered Vascular Plants of California, the Colorado Springs, and Santa Barbara. definitive source of rarity information Ledyard’s account of a 1924 cross for California plants (http://cnps.web. country auto trip with a boarding aplus.net/cgi-bin/inv/inventory.cgi). school companion in a modified Model He served as president of CNPS from T exemplifies his lifelong passion for 1966 to 1972 and was made a Fellow travel and adventure. of the organization in 1976. The chapters dealing with Ledyard’s The Ladyslipper and I is an enchant- life as an undergraduate and graduate ing autobiography by this legendary student at Harvard show a young man figure and serves as a who’s who of the learning about himself and his true early contributors to our current state interests in life despite them being dis- of knowledge about plant evolution. appointing to his family. These recol- This autobiography provides an inti- lections also reveal the sometimes hos-

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 tile disagreements that can occur be- leagues—local and international— sprinkled with accounts of travels both tween academics with different per- that resulted in ongoing collabora- near and far, unusual botanical discov- spectives and theories. These chapters tion and lifelong friendships. Follow- eries, and mountain climbing adven- are interspersed with scientific stud- ing receiving tenure in 1948, he shifted tures with his oldest son, grandsons, ies, nature explorations, travel adven- his research focus to California native and many friends. He climbed Mount tures, and punctuated with personal plants and California grasslands, and Dana in 1986 at the age of 80. and intellectual milestones. High in 1950 he transferred from Berkeley This autobiography is a wonder- points included publication of his first to Davis to head a new Department of ful, personal account of a passionate, paper, attending an international Genetics. adventurous gentleman and a true botany congress, and eventually gain- Several chapters are a synthesis of scholar. A must read for anyone who ing his Ph.D. from Harvard. what he learned over the years and knew Ledyard, studies botany, or is Chapter 12 begins the long and hypothesis for future studies. interested in the early stages of evolu- colorful story of Ledyard’s research Throughout his career, Ledyard tionary botany. career. He describes his research set- traveled the world in search of speci- Carol W. Witham backs with the same honesty as his mens for his genetic research on grasses. many breakthroughs and epiphanies. Following his retirement in 1973, he This book review was first published in You can hear his delight in the recol- spent some time teaching and traveling Harvard Papers in Botany 13(2):301- lections of relationships with col- as well. His autobiography is thoroughly 302. 2008.

UPDATE

THEN AND NOW— in the Trabuco District of the Cleve- adapted to living within the chaparral land National Forest). The area was plant community by having serotinous FORMER FREMONTIA clearcut by the US Forest Service cones that open when exposed to fire. COVER PHOTO shortly thereafter in an attempt to re- Being surrounded by chaparral is their duce “fuel” around a tree plantation. natural condition. When chaparral is viewed prima- The plantation was established in 1956 In the recent USFS land manage- rily as fuel and not understood as a with a mix of Coulter pines (Pinus ment plans for Southern California, valued ecosystem, it is threatened by coulteri) and a “frankenpine” hybrid forest types were carefully distin- poor land management practices. On (Pinus x attenuradiata, a cross of Mon- guished and management strategies the cover of the Fall 2007 issue of terey pine [Pinus radiata] and knob- were offered for seven different forest Fremontia, a remarkable stand of man- cone pine [Pinus attunuata]). Coulter types. Yet when it came to chaparral, zanita chaparral was featured (located pines are native to the area and have different types were not distinguished,

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 25 and a vegetation management plan was time to start treating chaparral as the Richard W. Halsey not developed for any of them. It is valued ecosystem that it is. The California Chaparral Institute

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CHAPARRAL nia, but I could easily show him, or los or Ceanothus, as well as chaparral- “MISCONCEPTIONS” anyone, dozens of places where chap- associated forbs like Cordylanthus, arral has been eliminated by aggres- Horkelia, Antirrhinum, Streptanthus, I would like to take issue with sive tree seedlings (all native) that rela- Calochortus, etc. For example, the rare some of the statements that Richard tively quickly turn a diverse chaparral Ceanothus masonii, known only from a W. Halsey made in the lead article in community into a dark forest of Dou- relatively small section of chaparral on Fremontia 35(4):2-7, on California glas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Cali- the Bolinas Ridge north of Mt. chaparral, especially on page 4 under fornia bay laurel (Umbellularia califor- Tamalpais, is rapidly being lost to the the heading of “Misconceptions.” He nica), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), intrusion of Douglas-fir and other states that two of the “wrong” assump- tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), and mixed evergreen tree species. In the tions that many folks make concern- madrone (Arbutus menziesii). Many same areas, Arctostaphylos virgata is ing chaparral are that “chaparral needs people have hiked on Mt. Tamalpais also largely gone or in serious decline. to burn to remain healthy,” and that in Marin County and walked into dark Similarly, not far away, Arctostaphylos “chaparral is adapted to fire.” While Douglas-fir/mixed evergreen wood- hookeri ssp. montana, a serpentine en- he makes a very valid point concern- lands, only to see large stretches of demic, is also losing ground rapidly as ing too frequent fires resulting in the dead skeletons of manzanita, ceano- the invading forests kill off the sun- conversion of chaparral into weedy thus, toyon, chaparral pea, etc., that requiring manzanita. Associated with grasslands, the converse is also true persist in the now unsuitable habitat this manzanita are other rare plants, from my observations. If chaparral does for these chaparral species. This is com- like serpentine reed grass (Calama- not burn frequently enough, it is con- mon throughout the Bay Area in many grostis ophitidis), Oakland star tulip verted into woodland. Chaparrals were sites, public and private. The lack of (Calochortus umbellatus), Streptanthus created by fire patterns that need to be fire–at least until the next fire comes glandulosus ssp. pulchellus, and S. maintained to preserve their very na- through–has completely eliminated batrachopus. The list could go on and ture, and the ideal frequency would nearly all chaparral species in some on. There are Arctostaphylos bakeri depend on which taxon one is inter- places. Given this widespread phenom- dying due to chaparral being converted ested in maintaining. enon, how can he maintain that this is to Douglas-fir forests near Occidental, Maybe it is extremely different in healthier than being renewed by fire? A. stanfordiana ssp. decumbens being Southern California, and most of my More important to conservation, shaded out in Santa Rosa and Dry nearly 30 years of observation have many of these chaparrals contain (or Creek sites, A. densiflora struggling in been in Central or Northern Califor- contained) rare species of Arctostaphy- its Vine Hill preserve due to increasing shade from oak and Douglas-fir along the county road right-of-way near Sebastopol, and Ceanothus divergens and C. confusus losing out in many sites in Sonoma and Napa counties. All these chaparrals and rare plants are suffering due to lack of fire which permits tree species to rapidly colo- nize the chaparral communities, pre- vents renewal, and increases pathogen loads for many sensitive species. So while these and other species could theoretically suffer from too many fires, their health, in fact their very lives, are suffering today from not enough fire. That is because these plants are adapted to fire, and the lack of it has catastrophic consequences in terms of their preservation. It seems to me that every plant and plant association that we know of has an average (or ideal) fire frequency, based primarily on the prehistoric patterns of fire in

26 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 these areas. When these fire patterns do not occur, other elements, includ- has been 1.8 fires per decade for every do not occur, or occur too frequently, ing madrone, blue oak, canyon live 250,000 acres (Keeley 2005a). How- something loses out and the vegetation oak, interior live oak, and the previ- ever, if the desire is to maintain or shifts to plants that favor the new pat- ously mentioned bay laurel are effec- expand a particular plant community, tern. It also seems that if we want to tive at moving into chaparrals. Even artificially adding fire to a managed preserve rare species in the wild, then chaparral-associated conifers, such as landscape could certainly achieve such those rarest elements need to be given knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata) and a goal. But it is important to remember priority, and the vegetation needs to be Sargent or McNab cypresses (Cupressus that applying such a treatment can managed to favor those species or else sargentii and C. macnabiana) will even- have unintended consequences. Pre- we could lose them. And although a tually shade out most chaparral-loving scribed fires have escaped into sur- fire may remove an encroaching forest plants when their canopies close in rounding communities with devastat- and stimulate the regeneration of “lost” and eliminate sunlight. ing results and have led to the elimina- plant taxa from the seed bank, this is In conclusion, although I realize tion of the very plant communities the not a sure thing, and it seems very that Richard Halsey probably knows fire was intended to encourage. Still, if conceivable that some plant taxa could more about chaparral than I ever will, local citizens want to restore a chapar- be lost forever given enough time of I do not see how he can support those ral area currently overwhelmed by inappropriate habitat conversion. statements referred to earlier as mis- I have nothing against trees, but I conceptions, since to me they are ob- truly love chaparral, as unfriendly as it vious truths, repeated again and again can be to the human body. But all the in almost every chaparral I have ob- trees that move into and alter chapar- served. I too love “old growth chapar- ral in our area are common species ral” and have reveled in its beauty, but without even a hint of rarity. We need here it does not stay as chaparral: it is to prioritize our conservation efforts, inexorably displaced. Much like low and since there are whole suites of rare islands in a rising sea, they are all too species from chaparrals, we need to easily inundated and obliterated. keep the forest areas out of our chap- Roger Raiche arrals. This can be done manually with some success, but fire was the natural AUTHOR HALSEY REPLIES process that originally accomplished this effect. I would like to thank Roger Raiche I think one of the crucial differ- for responding to my article on the ences of Northern compared with chaparral in the Fall 2007 issue of Southern California chaparrals is that Fremontia. He provides a rare example most of our northern chaparrals—and of someone who does not blindly el- this is increasingly evident toward the evate the value of forests above all coast—are adjacent to and/or sur- else. Too frequently, shrubs are seen rounded by woodland communities of as merely an “understory” that gets in various components. These woodlands the way of what people often think dominate, whereas the chaparral areas should exist, namely, wide open for- are “carved out of” this more predomi- ests or grasslands unencumbered by nant arboreal community. Thus the such things as chaparral. Raiche’s per- woodlands can very easily and rela- spective is refreshing, especially dur- tively quickly move into the chapar- ing a time when large areas of native rals. The converse is not viable; i.e., shrublands are being destroyed in the the sun-loving chaparral elements can name of “fire safety.” not effectively move into the wood- Regarding Raiche’s criticism of my lands. And as mentioned previously, statements concerning misconceptions many trees, especially Douglas-fir, coast about the chaparral’s relationship to live oak, and California bay laurel are fire, it is important to make a distinc- prolific seeders with a high degree of tion between natural and managed seedling survival, barring any limiting landscapes. The encroachment of trees controls, a role previously played by into the chaparral plant communities fire. Now it seems that Douglas-fir that Raiche refers to is a natural pro- woodland is destined to take over all cess. Lightning-caused fires that would coastal regions of Northern Califor- generally remove these trees are rela- nia—not only chaparral, but also grass- tively infrequent in the San Francisco land, coastal scrub, oak savannah, etc. Bay Area. For example, over the past Even as one moves into the interior, half-century, the frequency of light- where Douglas-fir and coast live oak ning-caused fire in Alameda County

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA 27 Your Membership Helps Preserve and Protect California Native Plants and Their Habitats Free Wildflower poster with new membership!

or more than 40 years CNPS has been a leader in habitat protection, conservation, and promoting the use F of native plants in landscaping and home gardens. As a member of CNPS, you play a key role in our ability to promote the conservation of native plants through science, education, advocacy, horticulture and land stewardship. So much of what we do depends on the strength and commitment of our members!

On the local level, your membership and involvement contributes to strong chapters that provide regular educational programs through monthly meetings and field trips, as well as support for local conservation efforts. Find your local chapter on the map to see what field trips and events are going on in your area! For a limited time, CNPS is offering a special incentive to new members! Join online at the $45.00 member or higher levels and we’ll send you one of three of our beautiful wildflower posters: Wildflowers of the Desert, Wildflowers of the Coast, or Wildflowers of the Redwood Forest.

other vegetation, using fire on a lim- recovery (Keeley 2005b). In addition, shrublands in many parts of the state ited basis is a reasonable approach. the seeds of many chaparral plant spe- if fire frequency continues to increase. When I wrote that chaparral does cies can remain viable in the soil for a While there are definite differ- not need to burn, I was trying to counter century or more. Areas where living ences between chaparral in southern the common misconceptions that specimens of ceanothus have long since and northern California, what appears chaparral is capable of handling any disappeared and only scattered skel- to be consistent is the lack of appre- fire return interval and needs to burn etons of manzanita remain frequently ciation for native shrublands and the “frequently” to maintain its ecological explode with seedlings of these spe- tendency for some to blame native health. Yes, many chaparral plant spe- cies in the post-fire environment. If plant communities for wildfire dam- cies require fire to stimulate seed ger- not negatively influenced by trees in age. This was demonstrated after the mination, but fire at the wrong time or the manner Raiche describes, old- Martin fire in Santa Cruz last year. the wrong frequency can seriously growth chaparral stands typically re- CNPS, “environmentalists,” and compromise the ecosystem. We know main viable plant communities and “brush” in the Bonny Doon Ecologi- fire will eventually occur, regardless important natural resource treasures. cal Preserve were falsely blamed for of our efforts to stop it. For the most Unfortunately, such details are lost on the fire’s wrath. This presents a chal- part, we do not need to speed up the many policy makers and members of lenge to all of us who love the natural process. The danger of being impa- the public, leading them to believe environment and native plants in par- tient and artificially adding fire to a simplistic notions about the ecologi- ticular. We must help the public un- landscape is that the next set of flames cal role of fire and thinking chaparral derstand that the best way to create may return sooner than the chaparral is resilient no matter when or how fire-safe communities is to adapt to system can tolerate, leading to its ex- frequently the flames come to visit. the fire-prone environment in which tirpation. Continued climate change A striking example of the ecologi- we live rather than trying to force and increasing human populations will cally destructive potential that fire pos- nature to adapt to us. likely increase such risk. sesses can be seen while driving Richard W. Halsey Raiche’s observations are most rel- through Riverside County along In- evant for certain areas in northern Cali- terstate 15 or 215, or along State High- REFERENCES fornia where forested systems can tem- way 60 between Moreno Valley and porarily succeed chaparral systems. His Beaumont. Separating an occasional, Keeley, J.E. 2005a. Fire history of the suggestion that some elements of chap- struggling patch of sugar bush, sage, San Francisco East Bay region and arral ecosystems “could be lost forever or chamise will be miles of invasive, implications for landscape patterns. given enough time of inappropriate non-native weeds. Much of the pre- International Journal of Wildland Fire habitat conversion” if fire does not European settlement landscape sur- 14: 285-296. occur, is certainly an important con- rounding Thousand Oaks and Santa Keeley, J.E., A.H. Pfaff, and H.D. Safford. cern that should be investigated. We Maria was probably covered with Cali- 2005b. Fire suppression impacts on do know, however, that there is a posi- fornia sage scrub rather than the non- postfire recovery of Sierra Nevada tive relationship between longer fire native grasslands present today. This chaparral shrublands. International return intervals and robust chaparral may well offer a vision of the future for Journal of Wildland Fire 14: 255-265.

28 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 Join Today! CNPS member gifts allow us to promote and protect California’s native plants and their habitats. Gifts are tax-deductible minus the $12 of the total gift which goes toward publication of Fremontia.

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Card Number TOTAL ENCLOSED: Exp. date Signature Enclosed is a matching gift form provided by my employer Phone I would like information on planned giving Email Please make your check payable to “CNPS” and send to: California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite 1, Sacra- mento, CA 95816-5113. Phone: (916) 447-2677; Fax: (916) 447-2727; Web site: www.cnps.org.; Email: [email protected]

(CONTRIBUTORS: continued from back cover) Stephen Ingram is a writer and photographer, and past president of the Bristlecone MATERIALS FOR Chapter of CNPS. He is the author of the recent book, Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of PUBLICATION California and Nevada. To view his photography, visit www.ingramphoto.com. Kathy Korbholz is a health care professional and an amatuer nature photgrapher Members and others are invited who has been a frequent hiking companion of Ken Himes. Many of her wild- to submit material for publica- flower photographs can be seen at http://photos.friendsofedgewood.org. tion in Fremontia. Instructions for contributors can be found Kathleen Navarez is a horticulture instructor at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Cali- fornia, and is an active member of the International Plant Propagators Society. on the CNPS website, www.cnps. Kathe has a deep interest in the genus Salvia, and is very involved with collecting org, or can be requested from and growing sages from around the world. Fremontia Editor, Bart O’Brien Roger Raiche is owner/partner of the design-build landscape firm of Planet Horti- at [email protected] or c/o culture. For 23 years Roger was in charge of the Native Plant collection at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gar- University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. There he revamped and ex- den, 1500 N. College Ave., panded the collection, did extensive fieldwork, discovered new taxa—three of which Claremont, CA 91711. were named in his honor—and selected about two dozen native cultivars. The CNPS Santa Clara Valley Chapter Board of Directors prepared and wrote the article on Ken Himes as a group effort. The primary contributors to this effort Fremontia Editorial Advisory included the following board members (listed alphabetically): Judy Fenerty (former Board and reviewers chapter president and current past president), Drew Shell (former chapter vice president and current San Mateo County conservation chair), Georgia Stigall Susan D’Alcamo, Ellen Dean, (former chapter president and current new member outreach chair), and Jean Kathleen Dickey, Phyllis M. Struthers (former chapter president and current nursery manager). Faber, Holly Forbes, Pam Muick, Jonathan Snapp-Cook is a US Fish and Wildlife biologist at the Carlsbad office John Sawyer, Jim Shevock, Jake where he works on conservation of federally listed plants and vernal pool species. Sigg, M. Nevin Smith, Linda Ann Carol W. Witham is a former state president of CNPS and is currently vice presi- Vorobik, Carol W. Witham dent of the CNPS Board of Directors. She is a member of the Fremontia editorial board and is frequently one of our proofreaders. Carol is an expert on California’s vernal pools and their conservation.

VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008 FREMONTIA FROM THE EDITOR

he cover story of this issue takes fornia’s Coryphanthas by noted author tions and you will be growing more us to the breathtaking beauty of and photographer Stephen Ingram. plants for your friends and plant sales. TBaja California’s Punta Colonet, His new book, Cacti, Agaves, and Yuc- Ken Himes is one of the most an area that is fast changing due to cas, published by Cachuma Press, is recently named CNPS Fellows. His both local agricultural interests and highly recommended for everyone in- lengthy term of service, in many ca- the proposed mega-port project that terested in these fascinating Califor- pacities, to the Santa Clara Valley would forever ecologically damage the nian plants. Chapter is celebrated in this article region. If you have the opportunity to A fairly recently recognized new authored by many of his friends. visit this coastal paradise, do so at element of California’s desert flora, Rounding out this issue are two your earliest convenience as there is Eriastrum harwoodii, is described and book reviews, a surprising visual up- less of it to see every year. I am espe- illustrated by Sarah DeGroot. date to the cover image of our recent cially pleased that we are able to fea- “Matilija poppy cannot be grown special chaparral issue, and a pair of ture such stunning images of this area from stem cuttings.” That longstand- letters that convey vital information by such talented photographers as Alan ing conventional wisdom has been put on the management of California’s Harper and Mark Dodero. to rest by intrepid plant propagator chaparral plant communities. We are treated to a view of Cali- Kathleen Navarez. Follow her instruc- Bart O’Brien

CONTRIBUTORS

Andreas Chavez is a predoctoral student in the biology de- partment at the University of Washington. He is a member of the San Diego Chapter of CNPS and has been involved in

several floral and faunal surveys in northwestern Baja Cali-

Address Service Requested Service Address

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento,

2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707 California Native Plant Society Plant Native California fornia. Norden H. (Dan) Cheatham is probably best known for the Cheatham & Haller habitat classification system that was developed, with Professor Robert Haller, in the 1970s for use by the University of California Natural Reserves System and served as a forerunner of vegetation classification sys- tems in use today. Kevin B. Clark is a former board member of the San Diego Chapter of CNPS. He has conducted research on endangered species and the effects of habitat fragmentation on diversity. He recently completed six years with the US Fish and Wild- life Service and is now a consulting biologist. Sarah J. De Groot is a Ph.D. candidate at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, where she is currently working on the sys- tematics of the genus Eriastrum. She is a native Southern Californian from the Escondido area, and has always had a strong interest in plants. Mark Dodero is a restoration biologist at RECON Environ- mental, Inc. His restoration work focuses on rare and sensi- tive plants, animals, and habitats. He also coordinates with NGOs in Baja California, to further conservation efforts south of, and across, the border. Richard W. Halsey is the director of the California Chapar-

ral Institute, a research and educational organization fo- U.S. Postage U.S.

cusing on the ecology of California’s shrubland ecosystems, Org. Nonprofit

the dynamics of wildland fire, and the importance of na- A.M.S. ture education. PAID Alan Harper is a conservationist and photographer who works in both capacities in the California Floristic Province portion of Baja California, Mexico. Some of his photogra- phy can be viewed at www.alanharper.com.

FREMONTIA (continued on inside back cover) VOLUME 36:4, FALL 2008