The Newsletter of the International Oak Society&, Volume 15, No. 1, Winter 2011 Fagaceae atOak the Kruckeberg News Botanic GardenNotes At 90, Art Kruckeberg Looks Back on Oak Collecting and “Taking a Chance” isiting Arthur Rice Kruckeberg in his garden in Shoreline, of the house; other species are from the southwest U.S., and VWashington–near Seattle–is like a rich dream. With over Q. myrsinifolia Blume and Q. phillyraeiodes A.Gray from Ja- 2,000 plant species on the 4 acres, and with stories to go with pan. The Quercus collection now includes about 50 species, every one, the visitor can’t hold all the impressions together some planted together in what was an open meadow and others for long. Talking with Art about his collection of fagaceae interspersed among many towering specimens of Douglas fir, captures one slice of a life and also sheds light on many other Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, the most iconic native aspects of his long leadership in botany and horticulture in the conifer. Pacific Northwest of the United States. Though the major segment of the oak collection is drawn Art Kruckeberg arrived in Seattle in 1950, at age 30, to teach from California and southern Oregon, many happy years of botany at the University of Washington. He international seed exchanges and ordering grew up in Pasadena, California, among the from gardens around the world have extended canyon live oaks (Quercus chrysolepis Liebm.) the variety. A friend in Turkey supplied Q. and obtained his doctorate at the University of trojana Webb, Q. pubescens Willd., and–an- California at Berkeley. The late John Tucker, other shrubby favorite–Q. pontica K.Koch. renowned scholar of oaks, was a classmate at Art collected acorns himself from under an Berkeley. unlabeled oak he didn’t know in the Missouri Botanical Garden and then learned from staff In the 1950s, Art and his department chair, C. there that it was Q. mongolica var. grosse- Leo Hitchcock, led field botany classes in sum- serrata Bl. For Art, another of his own col- ´ mer for 9 weeks of camping and backpacking lections with a romantic association was Q. in many areas of the American West. These kelloggii Newb. from roadsides among vine- courses brought Art into contact with many oaks yards in California’s Napa Valley. in their native habitat. In places like Whisky Dr. Arthur Rice Kruckeberg Creek and the west fork of the Illinois River Val- (Roseann Barnhill) ley in southern Oregon, Art got to know the shrubby oaks that Another of Art’s favorites–also a shrub–is the spiny Q. durata he now loves the best – Q. garryana var. breweri (Engelm.) Jepson, endemic to serpentine soils in California. Art’s initial Jeps., Q. vaccinifolia Kellogg, and Q. sadleriana R.Br.ter. In fame in botany in fact was related to serpentine soil, as he the latter place, with serpentine soil, you can find all three was the first to demonstrate, in his doctoral experiments at the growing together – a picture that is reproduced in miniature at Berkeley Botanical Garden, the existence of ecotypic varia- the Kruckeberg garden, though the soil in Shoreline is weath- tion within species—“edaphic races” as he called them. He ered glacial till. collected seed of a jewelflower, (Brassicaceae), some from a sandstone-derived soil near Napa Valley, California, and some Another trip across Arizona and into Mexico included a from serpentine in Napa and Lake Counties, and found that week’s camping at the Chiricahua National Monument, where the serpentine-native seed would grow in the non-serpentine Art saw the silverleaf oak, Q. hypoleucoides A.Camus, for soil, whereas the reverse did not occur. (In 2010, a student of the first time. This tree now also stands out at one end of the Art’s designated a subspecies of a jewelflower,Strepthanthus lower meadow in Art’s garden. gladulosus subsp. arkii, in Art’s honor. This may be the first time the initials of a person’s name have been used as a species In 1958, Art and his late wife Mareen bought the farmhouse epithet!) and acreage where the arboretum now stands. Art’s friend Carl English, director of the public gardens at the navigation Yet another shrubby prize in the garden is a Q. calliprinos locks in Seattle, gave them many of the first plants for the Webb from a source in Israel, which grows in robust good new garden. Among them–now the oldest oaks in the gar- health across a path from one of its analogues from California, den–were a Q. chrysolepis that they planted directly in front Q. berberidifolia Liebm. (formerly Q. dumosa Nutt.). Fagaceae at the KruckebergOak News Botanic & Notes Garden With oak species numbering about 50, as of exotics. On a recent visit, the oaks the genus constitutes a small part of on offer included the only native oak the diverse collection in the arboretum. of the Puget Sound basin, Q. garryana, When a student of Estella Leopold, pa- plus Q. garryana var. breweri, Q. vac- leobotanist and Art’s former colleague cinifolia, Q. sadleriana, Q. pontica, in the University of Washington botany Q. gambelii, Q. kelloggii, Q. acutis- department, once came for a visit, she sima, and Q. macranthera. The nursery said, “Professor, this is a Tertiary gar- is now operated by the Kruckeberg den!” What she saw were all the Asian Botanic Garden Foundation, (http:// species – Cornus kousa Hance, Cerci- kruckeberg.org), a nonprofit community diphyllum japonicum Siebold & Zucc., Notholithocarps densiflorus var. echinoides group dedicated to preserving Art and etc., that had once populated western (Vicki Demetre) Mareen’s legacy. North America during the Eocene Epoch as Lithocarpus densiflorus (Hook. & (55-34 mya) of the Tertiary Period. Arn.) Rehder. The species was renamed Following Mareen’s death on New Years Among the monarchs of the garden (in a new genus) Notholithocarpus day, 2003, Art granted a conservation is a close oak relative, the tanbark densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) Manos, easement on the property to preserve “oak” of California, formerly known Cannon, and S. H. Oh in 2008, because the collection and to allow the nursery it lacks the “flower cupule” ofLithocar - to operate in perpetuity. The holder of pus. (See http://www.bioone.org/doi/ the easement is the E.B. Dunn Historic abs/10.3120/0024-9637-55.3.181?journa Garden Trust, (http://dunngardens.org), lCode=madr for the abstract.) which itself operates a beautifully pre- served “country place” garden in Seattle The Kruckebergs’ initial plants were designed by the Olmsted firm in 1915 supplied by Carl English. One is now (listed on the National Register of His- the state champion in Washington. toric Places). More recently, the City In addition to big trees of the type, the of Shoreline’s voters approved funds to garden sports large examples of an ex- purchase the property from Art to pre- tremely beautiful mutant form of the serve it as a public park, subject to the Notholithocarpus, identified and named conservation easement and the operation by John Tucker as forma attenuato-den- of the nursery, and to Art’s continued tatus because of narrow, elongated, den- tate leaves. As Art says, “Mareen, more than anyone else, had the knack of prop- agating this plant from cuttings.” After her death in 2003, Art and the garden staff planted a new Notholithocarpus densiflorus forma attenuato-dentatus in her memory in a clearing in the garden.

While enjoying the thrills of build- ing an exotic plant collection, Art and Quercus vaccinifolia Kellog (Roseann Barnhill) Mareen were also avid and forceful advocates of using native plants in the home landscape. Art was a co-founder of the Washington Native Plant Soci- ety, among other organizations, and his Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest (1982; 2nd ed. 1996) has been a resource and inspiration throughout the region. Mareen began a commercial nursery, MsK Rare Plant Nursery, on their property in 1970 and it continues to be an important source of Dr. Kruckeberg conducting a tour of the Kruck- Quercus sadleriana left and center back (tall); native plants in the community, as well eberg Botanic Garden. (Roseann Barnhill) Quercus vaccinifolia, center foreground (short). (Vicki Demetre)

2 Oak News & Notes Kruckeberg Botanic Plant Portrait Garden Quercus sadleriana R. Br. ter. Deer Oak residence there. The City operates it in resembles Quercus pontica K. Koch, partnership with the Kruckeberg Botanic Armenian Oak, Pontine Oak, also a Garden Foundation. shrubby oak which grows in similar habitats south of the Black Sea in Tur- Art Kruckeberg continues to welcome key. guests and customers to his place and encourages them to garden for wildlife Q, sadleriana is a white oak (Section and for beauty and interest. Though Q. virginiana Mill., for example, may get Quercus), and probably a relict spe- chopped back in Seattle’s more severe cies. It is hardy to around -20 F (-28C), winters, Art says, “My philosophy is making it a reliable garden subject in – Be reckless, take a chance.” USDA Zone 5. I have been growing it Dirk Giseburt in Boulder, Colorado, at 1800 meters m (5500 feet) for the past 30 years, and it has survived lows of -24 F (-32C) twice. In my garden it is a subshrub, only about 15” (37 cm) high.

Q. sadleriana belongs to a very inter- esting plant community called “mon- tane chaparral,” which consists of short (chaparro in Spanish means “short”) Quercus sadleriana in the Klamath Mountains shrubs from several families: Fagaceae (Roseann Barnhill) (Quercus), Ericaceae (Arctostaphylos, A native oak of the Pacific Rhododendron, Vaccinium), Rhamna- Foliage of Notholithocarpus densiflorus forma ceae (Ceanothus).” Arctostaphylos is attenuato-dentatus (Vicki Demetre) Northwest, USA This oak native to the Klamath Ranges particularly richly represented in this (Siskiyou Mountains) of southwest Or- plant community, given the readiness egon and nearby northwest California with which the members of this genus is one of the most beautiful of the oaks hybridize. of shrub habit. It grows as a primarily understory plant on acidic, mostly cool, The montane chaparral occurs widely moist soils, occasionally reaching 3 in the Klamath Mountains, both as an meters (roughly 10 feet) high. It is ev- understory beneath conifers and on ergreen, and possesses wide, glossy leaves reminiscent of chestnut leaves, the apex acuminate, the base rounded, which typically measure 1-7 cm in length by slightly less in width. The leaf margins are toothed. The acorn is prominent, sessile, 1-2 cm wide by 2 cm long, es- sentially round. Since the plant is rhizomatous, it often forms dense mats. In its Notholithocarpus desiflorus var. echinoides appearance, Q. sadleriana (Roseann Barnhill) Quercus sadleriana R. Br. ter. Deer Oak (Allan Taylor)

3 In the Spotlight: RobertOak James News & Berry Notes from Tiniroto, North Island, New Zealand ho are the members of the Inter- comprises 220 individuals. But early on Wnational Oak Society? From what Bob realised how easily oaks grew in walks – and interests – of life do they his area and he established contacts with come? From Japan to Minnesota, from nurseries and botanic gardens around Devon to Spain, from Holland, Austra- the world for seed and young plants. lia and Argentina, we hope to be able This would be impossible today: import- to present at least some of them in Oak ing living material into New Zealand is News & Notes. If you know someone no longer permitted. whom you would like to see “In the Spotlight” please let us know! “There are about 160 different oaks at Hackfalls, 50 of which are Mexican Robert James Berry, born in 1916, species. A few were bought as trees, but has been planting trees since the early the majority I grew from acorns which I 1950’s. Today Hackfalls Arboretum collected personally. All of the Mexican counts more than 2700 different plants species except one are trees that have and trees on 50 ha. This Arboretum is been grown here from seed. Oaks grow in Tiniroto on the back road between very well here and I am interested in Wairoa and Gisborne, in the Eastland re- their great variation and the large num- gion of the northeast coast of the North ber of species in this genus.” Island. Bob thinks of himself as a sheep Robert James Berry (Diane Playle) and cattle farmer who also has trees as Bob has traveled six times to Mexico, a hobby. He has been a member of the the paradise of the genus Quercus. One IOS since 1996. year Bob and his companions collected In November 2010 Bob was presented 800 acorns, and managed to bring them with the Ron Flook Award by the New While his father was alive, poplars were all back to New Zealand. This was a Zealand Arborists’ Association in recog- among the trees that Bob was allowed real accomplishment, because previous nition of his outstanding service to the to plant - the Populus collection today acorn lots had been destroyed by the care of trees and the arboriculture in- treatments that they were subjected to dustry at large. In 2002 the International for phytosanitary reasons. His is the Dendrology Society awarded Hackfalls largest collection ex situ of Mexican Arboretum a bronze plaque for ‘being a oaks in the Southern Hemisphere. collection of oustanding merit’.

Plant Portrait His favorite oak is Quercus candicans. The Hackfalls Arboretum contains the open rocky slopes and ridges between “It has nice foliage and good fall leaf following individuals (the numbers 600 and 2300 meters (roughly 2,000 to color. It is semi-deciduous here in New are approximate): Acer 160, Alnus 80, 7,000 feet). It is a distinctive feature of Zealand.” When asked what oak tree he Betula 90, Camellia 80, Eucalyptus 90, mountain ecology in SW Oregon. would choose to be, if such were pos- Hebe 50, Ilex 60, Magnolia 70, Malus Allan Taylor sible, his answer is categorical, “I have 50, Populus 220, Prunus 80, Quercus o never thought of such a thing! I don’t 160, Rhododendron 400, Salix 70, and even hug trees. My attitude is entirely Sorbus 70. scientific and intellectual. I leave mysti- Béatrice Chassé cism to others.” (Considerable additional informa- Although it represents more work, from tion about Robert Berry and Hackfalls the beginning Bob has planted his trees Arboretum is available on Wikipedia; with individual protection (a private google “Hackfalls Arboretum.” While barricade for each tree), rather than there, check out also “Eastwoodhill enclosed in large areas with livestock Arboretum,” located closeby in Gis- excluded. In this way the trees are well borne, NZ, which also has a large oak spaced and the land can still be used for collection. See also the review of the Hackfalls Catalogue by Allen Coombes, Montane chapparal. Foreground: Arctostaphy- grazing. los sp. Background: Quercus sadleriana this issue.) (Allan Taylor). m

4 Oak News & Notes The Hackfalls A Threatened Oak Species in Catalogue West Texas, USA The 3 CDs that make up this collection amine genetic variation and gene flow (the “Hackfalls Catalogue”) document within and between the sites in West the extensive holdings of Hackfalls Ar- Texas. boretum, Tiniroto, New Zealand with an introduction detailing the history of the In addition to contributing genetic in- arboretum. The first two contain most of formation that can be used in making the Fagaceae (Lithocarpus and Quer- conservation management decisions, cus). Each accession is listed in alpha- the study results will be applied to an betical order and most are illustrated, examination of how isolated, small- with close-ups of foliage and photo- numbered species are affected by on- graphs of the trees in situ. The third is Close up of foliage of Q. hinckleyi (William Backs). going habitat fragmentation that is, in a list of the remaining trees and shrubs effect, creating islands of biodiversity. including Castanea and Castanopsis. There are fewer illustrations here but Quercus hinckleyi C. H. Mull. is an On a field trip in 2009 samples were with as much detail. For each accession, evergreen endemic scrub oak species collected from two of the ten locations the accession number is given, as well found in one county in West Texas as full details of where the seed was (Presidio County), although it may be in Texas in which the relict populations collected, including grid references, the found in Mexico as well. It grows in of Q. hinckleyi are found. Collabora- name of the nursery where a plant was an arid sub-tropical environment on tors at Sul Ross University in Alpine, obtained, if purchased, measurements of dry limestone and sandstone slopes at Texas, have also supplied some sam- the trees, and identification notes. approximately 1000-1350 m elevation. ples from a third location. Although It is easily recognizable by its shrub- this final location will require addition- This is one of the most complete and like thicket growing pattern (maximum al sampling, it has been possible to start detailed listing of any collection that I height 0.75 m) and grey-green thick- microsatellite analysis and results are have seen published and it is very use- ened holly-like leaves with pink peti- beginning to become available. ful, not only in documenting the col- oles (see accompanying photographs). lection but for those that are unable to Quercus hinckleyi was listed as a fed- Janet would like to ask for help from visit, a chance to see the splendour that eral and Texas threatened species in members of the International Oak Soci- is Hackfalls. It should also serve as a 1998, with a recovery plan published in ety in getting information on the poten- guide to what other collections could be 1992 (Kennedy and Poole). tial range of Q. hinckleyi in other parts doing. The profuse photographs make it of the Chihuahuan Desert. The current an invaluable identification guide also. There are a number of immediate conflicts along the border preclude field The Hackfalls Catalogue is available at threats to the species: low number of trips into Mexico, but Janet would like $30.00 NZ (roughly $22.00 US), with to learn if there are existing herbarium additional 15% discount from list price. populations (10) combined with few in- specimens or information on locations Postage is extra. Touchwood Books, dividuals, wildlife and insect predation, P.O. Box 610, Hastings, 4156, New possible hybridization with Zealand. Q. pungens Liebm. and/or Q. vaseyana Buckl. and poor Having had the pleasure to visit Hack- regeneration from seed. falls some years ago at the invitation of Bob and Anne I can say that it gives a Janet Backs is a graduate very good representation of the garden student in the Ashley Lab and its plants. I have no criticisms of at the University of Illinois this publication, even of the names used, at Chicago. As part of her because I know that Bob has put as dissertation research, she is much energy and passion into identify- working on a genetic study ing his plants as he did in collecting and of Q. hinckleyi using DNA planting them. microsatellite analysis to ex- Allen Combes o Q. hinckleyi in habitat (William Backs).

5 Œ„´‰ˇÁ⁄€Øˆ¨Áˇ’”∏Áˇ‰´ÍÅÏ˝⁄€‹›fifl‡°·‚—±Œ„´‰ˇÁ¨ˆØ∏”’ÆÚÒ

Oak News & Notes A Threatened Oak Species in West Texas, USA

(Guy Sternberg)

Janet Backs at work in the field (William Backs) where it has been found there. Janet thanks you in advance for your help. Janet Rizner Backs

Please send Q. hinckleyi information to:

Janet Rizner Backs University of Illinois at Chicago Biological Sciences, Ecology and A Tribute—Dick Van Hoey Smith Evolution Group nyone who grows and studies garden he inherited from his father and SEL 1031 M/C 067 Atrees, anywhere on Earth, has felt worked tirelessly as director for more 840 West Taylor Street the influence of the grand master of the than five decades to preserve, expand Chicago, IL 60607 world-famous Trompenburg Arboretum and refine into one of the most pres- in Rotterdam. He was one of the found- tigious plant places on the planet. I ing members of the International Oak was very privileged to be the person to [email protected] Society and the last surviving founding present him with the first IOS Lifetime member of the International Dendrol- Service Award at our third conference in References: Kathryn Kennedy and ogy Society. He held the Dutch national 2000 during my term as IOS president. Jackie Poole, Hinckley oak (Quercus reference collections for oaks as well as Edie and I visited him and his wonderful hinckleyi) Recovery Plan. beeches and conifers. He photographed wife Riet again in September, 2010, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region for many of the finest reference books that was to be the last time. Dick van on trees, introduced several outstanding Hoey Smith passed away on 21 Decem- 2, Albuquerque, NM. 1992. cultivars of oaks, beeches, and conifers, ber at his home in the arboretum, with and was equally renowned for his suc- his family at his side. A paperback copy of this report can also culent collection. be purchased through Amazon.com. Farewell, my great friend— Dick was never too busy to lead an Guy Sternberg inspirational tour of Trompenburg, the

6 Oak News & Notes News From the Tour Committee 1. United Kingdom Open Day at Chevithorne Barton, near Tiverton, Devon, England. June 25 and 26. Host: Michael Heathcoat Amory. Organizer: Shaun Haddock.

Michael Heathcoat Amory is one of the two UK National Collection holders for Quercus. The visit to his garden will begin at 11 a.m. There will be a guided tour of the collection and a buffet lunch for participants. The collection is described in The Oaks of Chevithorne Barton. For those that wish to prolong their visit to this superb garden, it will be open for self-guided tours on June 26.

Please register your interest in this tour or ask questions about it to Shaun Haddock at [email protected] or by fax +33 (0)5 63 64 44 42. Persons who respond will receive directions to the garden and a list of local accommodations.

2. Belgian Oak Open Day at Wespelaar Arboretum and the private Herkenrode garden, Haacht-Wespelaar, Belgium. September 4. Host: Philippe de Spoelberch.. Organizer: Charles Snyers.

The Wespelaar Arboretum is part of the estate of Philippe de Spoelberch. The c. 19 hectares of the arboretum harbor a collection of over 4,000 specimen trees and shrubs. The private Herkenrode Garden is adjacent to the arboretum.

If time allows, visit to the oak collection of the National Botanical Garden of Belgium, Meise, Belgium, just north of Bruxelles. This rich garden, arboretum, and library is located on the grounds of Bouchout Castle, and is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world. Its collection includes 18,000 plant species, about 6% of all known plant species in the world. The collection is evenly divided between greenhouses and outside plantings.

Enquiries welcome at [email protected].

3. Northwest Greece. September 26 to October 1. Organizer: Dirk Benoit.

Itinerary, daily schedules, and fee schedule to be announced later. Watch the IOS website. Enquiries welcome at [email protected].

4.Oak Open Days, Boston and Cape Cod, Masachusetts, USA. September 28 to October 2. Hosts and organizers: Tim Boland and Tom Clark of the Polly Hill Arboretum.

All day visit and lunch at Arnold Arboretum at Jamaica Plain. Tour includes their expansive collection of oaks from all temperate regions of the Earth, curatorial facilities, and propagation facilities. Visit to the Mount Auburn Cemetery. This national landmark curates the North American Plant Collections Consortium for Quercus. The last segment of the trip includes a visit to the Island of Martha’s Vineyard and the Polly Hill Arboretum. While on the island, natural oak habitats will be explored, including oak savanna and the sand plain grasslands.

Itinerary September 28. Afternoon arrival at Logan Airport, Boston. Dinner in evening in Brookline, MA, overnight in Boston.

September 29. All day visit to Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain. Overnight in Boston.

September 30. Morning visit to Mount Auburn Cemetery. At 2 p.m. depart for Martha’s Vinyard, four hours’ ride including ferry. Evening dinner at Oak Bluffs, overnight in bed and breakfast on the island.

October 1. Visit Polly Hill Arboretum. Late morning depart for Deep Bottom Reservation; lunch; then proceed to Manuel F. Correlus State Forest. Dinner in evening at Far Barn, Polly Hill Arboretum.

October 2. Visitors dropped off in a.m. at Woods Hole, MA, for return by bus to Logan Airport.

Fee schedule to be announced later. Enquiries welcome at [email protected].

7 The UC Davis Oak Family Tree Mural

Oak Open Days, Kew RoyalOak News Botanic & Notes Gardens, England, July 29, 2010 We gathered at the staff offices, were cerris L, and with somewhat lesser rates we met Tony Hall, an expert in alpine of infection on Q. castaneifolia C.A. plants and an honorary research fellow, Meyl, Q. robur L., Q. petraea (Matt.) and Ray Townsend, the Arboretum Liebl., , Q. x turneri Willd., and Q. ilex Manager, who accompanied us L. He described several more or less throughout the remainder of the day. effective--but costly--methods used in oak processionary moth control. The Over tea and coffee we had the destruction of 1000 nests cost up to opportunity to listen to Tony’s very £65,000 (equivalent to $105,000) in interesting presentation about a 2009 at Kew alone. somewhat new pest in England - the fig. 1: Tony Kirkham with Quercus crassifolia oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea After the presentation and discussion, (Eike Jablonski) processionea L.). Beginning about five the group went directly to the collec- years ago this moth has caused major tions. Here Tony and his colleagues haun Haddock invited the IOS problems in oak wood management, described for us the maintenance of the membership on July 19, 2010 to an S especially in the surroundings of Kew living collection. An effective weed- Oak Open Day at the Royal Botanic and nearby parks and gardens. It was control with a minimum of herbicides Gardens, Kew, near London. The aim clear soon after the discussion started has been developed by Ray, who is was to focus on the Mexican oak species that this moth has been quite well called “Round-Up Ray” at Kew. He has in their vast oak collection. known for years in Continental Europe. developed a schedule for spraying at the Their original South European range end of winter, which at Kew is the end Seventeen oak enthusiasts from the is expanding northward, possibly or of February. A concentrate of only 10 UK, France, Belgium. Luxembourg, partly as a result of climate change. ml per liter of a Glyphosate-containing Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland, Here in England the moth is fairly herbicide is sprayed on weeds, and this met at the Main Gate. Summer heat new, known since only 2006, and has proved to be a very effective control and nearly 12 weeks without real rain horticulturalists, environmentalists, and while reducing the need for herbicides. had changed the green lawns and other foresters are desperately searching for plantings at Kew into a prairie-like an adequate control. As they mature, We were all eager, of course, to see the landscape. It was hard to imagine that the caterpillars form a nest-like bowl, oaks, to which we now turned. One we were in rainy England - it looked far where they are well protected from of the first oaks we encountered was a more like California or the steppes of insecticides delivered as spray. The Inner Anatolia to us. major problem with Thaumetopoea is not the defoliation of the oaks, but rather The group was welcomed by Shaun the more or less extremely allergic and Tony Kirkham, head of the Living reactions which humans suffer when Collections Department. Tony is a in the vicinity of this caterpillar. The well-known author and an authority on backs of older caterpillars are covered woody plants in general. with up to 63,000 pointed defensive bristles containing a toxin similar to that found in the bristles of nettles. The hairs break off readily, become airborne and can cause skin irritation and asthma.

Tony informed us that in the Kew collections, oaks of the Sections Cerris and Robur are vulnerable. It is found particularly fig. 3: Shaun Haddock (left), Tony Kirham frequently on Quercus (right), Quercus variabilis (centre), planted fig. 2:Quercus insignis, survivor at Kew, with admirers (Eike Jablonski) 1909 (Eike Jablonski)

8 Oak Open Days, Kew RoyalOak Botanic News & Notes From the Editor Recent Activities of the IOS Board Gardens, England, July 29, 2010 The Board has been busy, acting both as surprise - a giant Quercus a body and as individual members. crassifolia (fig. 1) from One significant discussion during the Mexico, planted in 1934, last period was Special Service Awards. and the British Champion Discussed were the nature of the award, for that species. We all types of awards, criteria for making gathered easily under the awards, and the kind of memento which canopy of this majestic should be made along with the award. and rare oak. Some of us In the past this has been some kind of had seen Q. crassifolia in oak-connected artifact, as a piece of Mexico in 2009, but this wood from a notable oak. The next specimen is possibly the such award(s) will be made at the 7th largest in cultivation out- Triennial Conference, to be held in side of Mexico. Another France in 2012. See the description be- Mexican species which attracted our attention low regarding Special Service Awards, which distills the discussions. was Quercus insignis M. fig. 4:Quercus castaneifolia, 70 years old (Eike Jablonski) Martens & Galeotti, the oak species with the larg- Also discussed was election of the new est acorns in the whole genus. Q. insig- lar to mistletoe but with yellow fruit; it board, which will be installed at the 7th nis has been quite hardy at Kew, show- grows mainly on oaks and chestnuts. It Conference in France. Several names ing no significant frost damagefrom is believed to be the one and only Lo- have already been proposed, additional temperatures down to - 7 °C (18 °F). ranthus specimen growing in the British names are solicited from the member- In recent colder years it has defoliated Isles. ship, see below. but nevertheless survived even though unprotected (fig. 2; see remarks about In addition to oaks, we saw a great Rudy Light, Director of Membership, this species, and photos, in Winter 2010 many interesting trees, shrubs, peren- has been working hard preparing the number of Oak News and Notes ). nials and…weeds., including Cathaya new Membership Directory, which will argyrophylla Chung et Kuang, a rare soon be ready for distribution. This will The oak collection at Kew is amazing: conifer from Szechwan discovered in include names and addresses of mem- it includes more than 1400 oaks from 1955 and extremely rare in collections, bers, as well as important additional more than 300 taxa. Many are unique and the shrubby West-Chinese Sambu- information about the IOS, including in Britain or Europe, and many of them cus adnata Wall. Ex DC., with it’s typi- names and addresses of board members are original introductions and thus of cally winged rachis. as well as the members of various Soci- enormous scientific and horticultural ety committees. value. A huge Q. variabilis Blume was Although we had spent the whole day in propagated in 1909 from seed sent from the midst of this tremendous collection Nominations for the IOS Board the Arnold Arboretum after being col- of trees, we nevertheless finished our Nominations are invited for members lected in habitat by Ernest Wilson in tour with a touch of regret…we had re- of the IOS board. Although several of China (fig. 3). Another surprise was the ally only scratched the surface! the current members intend to stand rare and only endemic African oak spe- for reelection, there will be vacancies. cies, Q. afares Pomel, which was plant- Our sincere thanks to Shaun, who facili- (Please obtain the consent of the person ed here as early as 1869. Still another tated the gathering, but most especially you intend to nominate before submit- giant turned out to be a familiar species: to Tony Kirkham for his warm welcome ting the nomination.) Self nomination Quercus castaneifolia C. A. Mey, plant- and hosting us, together with Tony is also possible. Send nominations to ed in 1939 and very much like those Hall and Ray Townsend for sharing James Hitz, IOS Secretary, at jehitz@ their ideas and immense knowledge, not growing wild in the forests of northern frontier.com. Iran. It is hard to believe that this speci- only about oaks. men is just 70 years old (fig. 4). Eike Jablonski Persons nominated should, if elected, expect to perform a variety of tasks. Another noteworthy specimenen was a There is no paid staff, so all functions Quercus rubra L. harboring the yellow necessary for running the IOS are per- mistletoe, Loranthus europaeus Jacq. formed by members of the Board and This is a rare semi-parasitic plant simi- other volunteers.

9 From the Editor Oak News & Notes Thanks for your suggestions and please Website Updates and Revisions two volumes, and expensive, but every support the election of the Board by vot- Remodeling of the IOS website is ongo- serious oak enthusiast should own this ing. ing. Suggestions are welcome. Contact reference, for it covers all the “world of Charles Snyers at charles.snyers@gmail. oaks and oaks of the world”—450 spe- Nominations for IOS Service Awards com. Thanks for your input. cies, varieties, and hybrids, locations Committed to Oaks Ryan Russell is working on the “Plant- and distributions, physical descriptions, One of the traditions of the Interna- ing Oaks” section of the website, and he ecological and ethnological information- tional Oak Society is to give awards requests suggestions and nominations. -accompanied by 4000 splendid color to individuals who have, in one way See his appeal for input from members photographs. The first volume treats the or another, devoted an important part immediately below. oaks of the Eastern Hemisphere, the sec- of their lives to advancing the cause of ond, those of the Western Hemisphere. oaks and/or the goals of the IOS. These A Call for Member Help The English translation is in preparation, awards are presented at a triennial con- In an effort to make the IOS website and should be available in 2011; the ference, the next of which will be in more useful and informative, I would French edition is available now. A bit France in 2012. like to ask for some member participa- of friendly advice: run—don’t walk—to tion. I have been updating the Planting your favorite bookstore and order or buy It is obviously not obligatory that either Oaks section with species information the edition of your choice! You won’t of the awards be given at all, and cer- and photos, but there are many species be sorry you did. $$$ tainly they must be given in a way such and hybrids that I do not have access to that their significance is not diminished. or extensive knowledge of. The primary For the oaks of North America, the best Having already received an IOS service areas of need are the Mexican, Asian book for the layman is Oaks of North award does not make one ineligible for a and European species and their hybrids. America, by Howard Miller and Samuel subsequent award if it is merited. I am asking for photos (preferably digi- Lamb (Naturegraph Publishers, Happy Candidates may be nominated for ser- tal) and any other pertinent information Camp California, 1985.) The book cov- vice to the IOS as an organisation or for including habitat, range, hardiness, ers all of the oak species of the United contributing to the advancement of IOS author, etc. Of course, this information States and Canada, and also lists a key goals. These goals are listed in the mem- must be accurate as this information will to 112 Mexican oaks as well, therefore bership directory and can be found also be used for the IOS website. The infor- living up to the title. Given in most on the website (on the home page, upper mation will be validated and uploaded in cases are physical descriptions, ranges, right-hand corner, “About us”). the Planting Oaks section. Please send scientific and common names, and hy- information to [email protected] brids. Almost every oak treated is also If you know a fellow IOS member or [email protected]. illustrated by photographs (full tree, whom you would like to nominate to re- leaf, acorn, bark, and twig detail.) Sci- ceive such an award, please let us know Thank you for helping to make the IOS entific names are not always up to date, by contacting James Hitz, IOS Secre- website more informative and usable for but otherwise the guide is very useable, tary, ([email protected]) with a short all of us. especially for field use. It can be pur- paragraph or two explaining why the Ryan Russell chased on Amazon for very little money, person is deserving of an award. and should be in every oak enthusiast’s A few reference works on oaks library. There are two categories of awards: in English. 1) Lifetime Service Award (LTSA): to Several works are in existence, and The best regional treatment for North receive this award the person must be most are available for purchase or can America is The Oaks of California, by retired from his/her formal career and be downloaded from a website. Some Bruce M. Pavlik et al. (Cachura Press, have devoted significant long-term ef- are more useful that others, of course, Los Olivos, California, 1993). This forts to the genus Quercus and/or the depending on the interests and needs of richly illustrated volume covers all of advancement of the goals of the IOS. the reader. the 20 or so species of oak native to Cal- An honorary life membership is in- ifornia and nearby regions. It gives the cluded. The best, most thorough, most up-to- usual information (physical descriptions, date reference on oaks is An Illustrated ranges, information on the different 2) Special Service Award (SSA): to re- Guide to Oaks, by Antoine le Hardÿ biomes and ecosystems of California), ceive this award the person need not be de Beaulieu and Thierry Lamant. The with a number of stunning photographs retired but must have devoted significant book was originally published in French of the oaks and their habitats. The book efforts to the genus Quercus and/or the (Guide illustré des chênes, Editions du is very reasonably priced on Amazon. advancement of the goals of the IOS. 8e Jour, Paris, 2006). The book is in

10 From the Editor Oak News & Notes For a general treatment of the oak spe- for people: fuel, building material, food In the Red List, 216 taxa for which good cies of Asia, the best available guide, (acorns), even ink. It contains every- information was available were sur- apart from the Illustrated Guide men- thing you ever wanted to know about veyed as to the viability of their natural tioned at the beginning, is Oaks of how people use and have used oaks, populations. Of these, half (109 taxa; Asia, by Yuriy L. Menitskiy. Originally including such recondite details as how 29 critically endangered) were judged to published in Russian, this work became to make different joints in carpentry us- be in danger of extinction if the threats available to readers of English from Sci- ing oak timbers. The language of the that they face are not addressed. Strate- ence Publishers in 2005. Given are the book is elegant and even poetic at times, gies recommended for preservation are systematics, geographic distributions, a book-length article in “New Yorker” protection in ex situ collections (botani- ecology, phytocenology, and evolution- style about oaks and human beings. cal gardens and preserves) and habitat ary history of all of the presently known The book is available on Amazon in pa- protection and restoration, with involve- oaks of Asia, from the Caucasus to the per back for almost nothing. ment of local people where the species Philippines. The book lacks photo- are native. Endangered and critically graphs, but has good line drawings and The Natural History of the Oak Tree: endangered species are identified as maps. Weaknesses are that the classi- an Intricate Visual Exploration of the such in the list of “globally threatened fications are not always those presently Oaks and its Environment, by Richard oaks” on pages 9-27. Not all of the oaks accepted, and, of course, the work was Lewington and David Streeter (Dorling in the list are threatened, despite the composed before the findings of modern Kindersley, London and New York, title. genetic research were available. The 1993). This British publication treats book is available on Amazon for $$$. the ecology, physiology, and life cycle The Global Survey of Ex situ Oak Col- of oaks. Well illustrated with drawings lections is mainly a policy paper for ac- Treating all of the oaks of the world in full color. This book is available in complishing the goals articulated in the from the perspective of a scientifically hard cover only, $$. Red List of Oaks. Annexes 1, 2, and 3, literate person is Glenn Keator’s The Life of an Oak: an Intimate Portrait Two additional extremely important pages 11-13 will be of most interest to (Imago Publishing, Ltd., Singapore, publications should be known to mem- members of the IOS. Annex 1 tabulates 1998). Treating not only classification bers of the International Oak Society. “very threatened oaks,” Annex 2 is a and oak evolution, Keator also consid- These are the Red List of Oaks and priority list for new ex situ collections, ers the ecology of oaks, as well as the the Global Survey of Ex situ Oak and Annex 3 gives a ranked list of en- oak as an ecosystem in itself, includ- Collections. (Ex situ means “outside dangered oaks in collections in botanical ing mycorrhizae, insects (galls), and of place,” i.e. not in the native wild gardens around the world. epiphytes and lichens hosted by oaks. habitat.) Both of these reports were Also described are the architecture of prepared by the Botanic Gardens Con- Some interesting web sites about oaks. oaks, the many varieties of their leaves servation International (BGCI), the which makes identification so difficult, former in 2007, the latter in 2009. Both http://oaks.of.the.world.free.fr and their life cycle, from acorn to fallen documents can be downloaded from the This is a huge file—really a reference titan. Illustrations include color pho- website of the BGCI (www.bgci.org). book-- with an enormous amount of tographs and maps, as well as excellent information on botany, oak taxonomy, drawings by Susan Bazell. For the Red List of Oaks, select “Re- species information as well as infor- source Centre” in the left hand column mation about the range of occurrence, The Life of an Oak is available in pa- on the home page of the BGCI. When history of the particular taxon, color perback on Amazon for very little, and the resource centre page comes up, click photographs and/or line drawings of every oak enthusiast should own this on “our publications,” which is below twigs, leaves, and fruits, and a list of informative and delightful book. the upper left picture. When the publi- vernacular names in a number of lan- cations page comes up, click on “Status guages when these are known. The spe- An ethnobotany of oaks, Oak, the Reports and Red Lists,” then scroll cies information is arranged in compact Frame of Civilization, by William Bry- down to the Red List of Oaks and down charts, all with the same internal orga- ant Logan (W. W. Norton and Company, load it. The quickest way to get to the nization, so that you can quickly find New York, 2006) gives an account of Global Survey of Ex situ Oak Collec- and extract the information you want, the partnership between oaks and human tions is to type this title into the search whether for one individual or for several beings through the last several thou- window, which will take you to an area if the goal is comparison. For people sand years. Not only oaks as natural of the BGCI website which I was unable who have access to a computer, this re- organisms and members of forest com- to locate alone. Scroll down 2/3 page source will be immensely useful. munities, but also oaks as a resource and click on “download.”

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From the Editor Oak News & Notes Plants 4 a New Generation: oaks In Memoriam Plants 4 a New Generation: lithocarpus Two persons well known to members During his long service at the Morton Google these titles, then scroll down for of the IOS died since the last newslet- Arboretum he led numerous trips to a compendium of descriptions of a num- ter. These are Dr. George Ware, of the China and the former Soviet Union, ber of oak and lithocarpus species, with Morton Arboretum in Chicago, Illi- looking for new species and cultivars color photographs of some. nois, and James Richard Penningtion of trees for American cities, particu- van Hoey Smith, of the Trompenburg larly those of the Midwest and the http://discoverlife.html Arboretum in Rotterdam, Holland. Great Plains. The recipient of numer- You can also just Google discoverlife. ous awards and awards for his work, org. This website is a goldmine of infor- mation and pictures of a broad array of George Ware passed away July 4, he was the keynote speaker at the first biological subjects. To research oaks in 2010, at the age of 86. A forest IOS conference, held in 1994 at the particular, click on Plantae in the search ecologist by training, his professional Morton Arboretum. window on the homepage. Then click career was devoted to the selection, on Dicotyledoneae in the IDnatureguides development, and care of the urban “Dick” van Hoey Smith came from search window. After reaching that page, forest, “tough trees for tough places” an Anglo-Dutch family long known check Fagaceae under Family and then as he put it. His career was in teach- for its interest in trees. The Trompen- Search. Articles on the members of this ing until 1968, when he joined the burg Arboretum was founded by his family will then appear in a list in the staff of the Morton Arboretum as father, and lovingly cared for by his left-hand column. Scroll down to the en- Dendrologist; he became Director son when his father died. Dick died tries for Quercus (or other oak relatives), of Research ten years later, a post he on December 21, 2010, at the age then find images and other information held until his death. He retired in of 89. See the tribute to him by his on the species page you have located. 1995, but continued to work at the ar- long-time friend and IOS board mem- boretum until a year before his death. ber, Guy Sternberg, on page 6. www.bluebellnursery.com This is a family-owned nursery in the UK. Visit their website, and follow links p to fantastic color photos of many trees and shrubs, including oaks, of course. Some subjects have an associated video, with music! A pleasant place to visit for IOS Points of Contact an hour or more… Membership Renewals or Applications: Submittals for the Journal: http://hackfalls.wordpress.com William J. Hess, Treasurer Guy Sternberg International Oak Society Starhill Forest Arboretum This is a site maintained by the Hackfalls 299 Pond Road 12000 Boy Scout Trail Arboretum (see above). Given are color Monterey, TN 38574 USA Petersburg, IL 62675 USA photographs of numerous trees in the ar- Tel: 931-839-6518 Tel: 217-632-3685 boretum, including many oaks, especially E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Mexican species Submittals for the Newsletter: IOS Secretary: Allan Taylor, Chair James Hitz Happy new year all; may this year be Newsletter Editorial Committee 71 N 500 W filled with the joy of studying and culti- 787 17th Street Valparaiso, IN 46385 USA vating oaks! Boulder, CO 80302 USA Tel: 219-462-0025 Tel: 303-442-5662 E-mail: [email protected] Allan R. Taylor, Editor, E-mail: [email protected] Oak News and Notes Oak News and Notes The Newsletter of the International Oak Society 787 17th Sreet Boulder, CO 80302 USA President: Béatrice Chassé Vice-President: Charles Snyers d’Attenhoven Treasurer: William Hess Newsletter Editor: Allan Taylor Journal Editor: Guy Sternberg

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