No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 Iris The Alberta Native Council Newsletter

Capture Curiosity with NatureLynx In This Issue and Alberta PlantWatch Capture Curiosity with NatureLynx and Alberta Jordan Bell PlantWatch ...... 1 Pollinator Profle ...... 2 No doubt you’re familiar with since 1987—is the driving force behind naturalist smartphone apps that help the saskatoon PlantWatch mission. New Illustrated Vascular Flora users put names to observations of Beaubien saw an opportunity to grow for Alberta ...... 3 and animals they encounter the community of PlantWatchers by Plant Photography Basics ...... 4 in their travels. But, did you know embracing the digital data collection there is an Alberta-based app focused platform offered by NatureLynx. A Rose by Any Other Name ...... 6 exclusively on Alberta species, and Although saskatoon is just one of Message from the President ...... 8 that aims to connect users to the 26 plants observed by PlantWatch, it is many citizen science and monitoring easily identifable, can readily be found initiatives taking place province-wide? in all of our natural regions, and frst bloom can be clearly observed, making NatureLynx is a free citizen science it a great ft for crowd-sourced photo app developed by the Alberta data. Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) to help Albertans learn about Last season (2019), with the help of data the biodiversity in their own backyard collected on NatureLynx, PlantWatch while contributing to various data recorded a mean saskatoon frst collection efforts. Users can upload their own photos, recommend species See NatureLynx and PlantWatch, page 8 identifcations to others, and join Look for more information existing Alberta-based citizen science on the ANPC’s website. projects. Users can also create and anpc.ab.ca manage their own groups and missions on the app to collect sightings, and pursue questions, of particular interest to them!

One such mission aims to monitor the spring bloom of saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia). Elisabeth Beaubien of Alberta Cover photo: Marsha Hayward PlantWatch—a citizen science project Common freweed (Chamerion angustifolium). that has tracked the annual bloom of plant species across the province Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 Pollinator Prole

Lincoln Best

Bee Species: Dufourea dilatipes Bohart, Cane and Sipes (2006). The genus 1948 (Halictidae) is increasingly species rich Plant Species: Calochortus apiculatus as one travels south and west toward Baker, 1874; Calochortus lyallii Baker, montane California. C. apiculatus is 1874 () limited to the extreme southwest of Relationship: Bee is a narrowly Alberta and ranges westward to the oligolectic forager and a pollinator of Kootenay Boundary in BC, whereas these plant species. C. lyallii is known only from the South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area This profle presents the bee Dufourea and nearby localities in Canada. Both dilatipes Bohart, 1948. It’s a small, lilies bloom from mid-May to early Best Lincoln Calochortus apiculatus 8-10 mm, black, bristly sweat bee in July and favour dry, often rocky the family Halictidae. Unlike its closest habitats, open meadows, and conifer sweat bee relatives, most of whom are forests. D. dilatipes was frst discovered semi-social, D. dilatipes has a solitary in Waterton National Park in 1923, lifestyle. Males and females emerge and later in 1930 and 1938 in adjacent in concert in late spring, mate, and Glacier National Park in . The the females continue on nest building, present range of D. dilatipes is now provisioning pollen balls, and laying known to overlap that of its foral hosts eggs. in southern and southeastern , and southwestern Alberta This sweat bee excavates nests in in Canada. Our little black bee requires the ground and is a pollen collecting these foral hosts. It’s common among Best Lincoln specialist of two mariposa lily species populations of its host and absent Calochortus lyallii within the Canadian extent of its range. outside their range. The fdelity of these bees to their foral hosts is described as narrow oligolecty, Propagation of Calochortus from seed is meaning they collect pollen from challenging, requiring cold stratifcation only a few closely related species of at very low temperatures and high fowering plants. In this case, those moisture levels. Conservation strategies species are Calochortus apiculatus are straightforward: 1) Conserve Baker, 1974, known as Baker’s, three- habitats where the host plants are spot, or pointed-tip mariposa lily, and known to occur, 2) Re-establish Calochortus lyallii Baker, 1874, Lyall’s populations of these plants where Lincoln Best Lincoln mariposa. For more information on they’ve been lost, and 3) Support your Dufourea dilatipes male perched on pollen collecting fdelity in bees, review local native plant nursery. Calochortus apiculatus See Pollinator Profle, page 8 Lincoln Best Lincoln Dufourea dilatipes male nectaring on Distribution of C. apicalatus and C. lyallii in Canada. (Source: GBIF.org 2020) Calochortus apiculatus 2 www.anpc.ab.ca Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 Coming soon to a store near you! Alberta Native Plant Council

Linda Kershaw and Lorna Allen Garneau P.O. 52099 Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5

For the past 4-5 years, we’ve been website: www.anpc.ab.ca working on a series of illustrated keys email: [email protected] for the vascular plants of Alberta. The President purpose of a plant key is to help the Kristen Andersen reader to identify a species by working [email protected] progressively through a series of Vice-President choices, looking at diagnostic features Vacant of the unknown plant. Previously, the most comprehensive keys for Alberta Secretary Taylor Lowe were found in the Flora of Alberta, [email protected] published in 1983. Since then, there have been major revisions in botanical Treasurer Julie Figures classifcation. Some of these have [email protected] resulted in new (or at least different) As the keys have been completed, names for species that grow in Alberta, the ANPC has posted them on their Directors and some have led to the reorganization website, allowing people to try them Marsha Hayward (Northern) [email protected] of groups such as families and genera. out and let us know if there were errors, omissions or ways to improve Jon Kozak (Central) Also, since 1983, over 240 new species [email protected] have been identifed growing wild in the text and illustrations. Last fall, we Liz Morrison (Southern) Alberta. We felt it was important to fnally fnished the last of the keys, and [email protected] through the winter we’ve been at work Kim MacKenzie (Director-at-Large) incorporate these species into the fora. [email protected] We have also simplifed terminology, editing and updating them, and then Trish Hiley (Communications) where possible, and provided a compiling the revised versions in a [email protected] single volume. The result is a 500-page glossary to defne any of the more Membership Secretary technical terms used. book entitled Vascular Flora of Alberta: Kelly Ostermann An Illustrated Guide. [email protected]

When people identify a plant, many Conservation Action want to know if the species is native We had hoped to have the book on Laurie Hamilton or exotic, and, if introduced, whether shelves by April 2020, but as with [email protected] most projects these days, COVID-19 or not it is designated as a noxious Information and Education/Outreach weed in Alberta. At the other end interfered with our plans. We are Kristen Andersen of the spectrum, many plant lovers publishing through Kindle/Amazon, [email protected] and Amazon couldn’t ship proofs to are interested in identifying rare Rare Plants native species. In an effort to address Canada for several weeks. We were Vacant this, we’ve noted exotic species fnally able to order proof copies of the book in May and should have copies Reclamation and Restoration with superscript Xs (X=exotic with Vacant no weed status; XX=noxious weed; in hand by the end of the month. Once XXX=prohibited noxious weed). About these arrive, we hope to complete the Webmaster fnal edits and publish the book in early Carole Dodd a dozen species have both native [email protected] and exotic varieties or subspecies June. In the meantime, here’s a peek growing wild in Alberta, so these have at the cover. It will be sold through Social Media Amazon.ca, and it will also be available Cam Johnson been added to the keys with their [email protected] distinguishing characteristics. Rare for distribution through bookstores. species are noted with their S-ranks* Newsletter Committee ______Dana Bush in superscript (S1; S1S2; S2; S2S3), and Patsy Cotterill tracked S3 species are also included. * An S-rank is the subnational Alfred Falk (provincial or state) rank given to a Eri Hiraga taxon using NatureServe methodology. Coleen Mahoney A picture is worth a thousand words, so Patricia McIsaac we’ve included illustrations for every The rarest species are S1; the most Jen Muir species to help with identifcation. common and widespread are S5. ♦ Kelly Ostermann Mélanie Violette There are also labelled drawings for And many volunteer writers . . . most families, showing plant parts that are referred to in the keys. www.anpc.ab.ca 3 Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 Photography Basics — Plant Edition Lorna Allen

I have taken (no exaggeration) Tip #3 wanting to fgure out what species of hundreds of thousands of photos: a A corollary to tip #2; if the camera plant you have found: few good ones, many OK ones, and won’t “go,” maybe the battery is the majority which go directly into the dead OR maybe it’s just not installed The full picture garbage bin. This means that I have correctly. Give a double-check that the This is where you could start, and is one made many mistakes that I can perhaps battery is in properly before giving up. I frequently forget. Growth habit can help others avoid. So, let’s start with be important for plant identifcation. some very basic suggestions and tips When you get there Before you move in to your target, take for setting off to take photos—with a OK, you have successfully arrived at a moment to get a picture of the full focus (ha!) on plant photos. your destination, functional camera plant. Then, move in.

in hand. You take the best gaillardia Before you go picture EVER—except the camera was Cuddle up, get close, get cozy Nothing is more frustrating than having on some wacky setting, and now it’s An excellent speaker at a photography the camera refuse to take any more pouring rain so there’s no chance of workshop I went to suggested: “look pictures because it’s out of memory. Of a retake. If the camera is carried in a down; are you wearing cement shoes?” course, if this happens, you can just go pocket or bag, sometimes the settings I would add to be sure to frst check for through and erase the duds directly off somehow get changed, even on a creeks to fall in or other impediments, the SD card, right? point-and-shoot. but the tip is—go closer! Generally, the plant flling the frame will make NO, DON’T DO IT! NEVER DELETE Tip #4 a more interesting picture than the INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS FROM THE When you arrive, take a quick trial plant somewhere off in the distance, CARD! photo, of anything really, and review although of course you can always take the photos to confrm that things look a landscape shot frst and then move in This is one of the easiest ways to good. closer for your plant pictures. corrupt a memory card. And then, you’ll have trouble retrieving any of Or, you could just check your settings, the photos. If you copy the photos from but where’s the fun in that? Which your camera to your computer, then leads to: you can reformat the memory card A landscape photo with some (which safely removes all the pictures at Tip #5 slender blue once, so be sure you have copied them Take lots of photos! The next one is beardtongue over frst). It can then be reused. probably going to be the winner. in it While fowers might not walk away, Tip #1 they do wave in the breeze, so if you Before you head out, make sure that take multiple photos and maybe try the camera’s memory card is empty or different angles, you increase your nearly so. And bring a spare memory chances of getting a shot that is focused Allen Lorna card, if you have one. on the bit you wanted to focus on.

A classic mistake, if ever there was What to photograph one, is to head out and then have your A photo of I mentioned earlier that I have taken slender blue camera die because the battery was some “good” plant photos. What beardtongue low. On a basic flm camera, this little “good” means depends somewhat (Penstemon mistake just meant you were guessing on why you are taking the picture. If procerus) at exposure. On these new-fangled everything is out of focus, it still might digital things, no battery, no photo. be very artsy, so not a bad photo, but maybe not a good plant photo. Here Tip #2 are some maxims to keep in mind as Make sure your camera (phone) battery you stalk the wild plant, hoping for the is charged before you head out. Bring a perfect photo and possibly eventually spare (charged) battery if you have one. Allen Lorna See Plant Photography Basics, page 5 4 www.anpc.ab.ca Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 Plant Photography Basics, from page 4 Watch your back(ground) Nose to toes Everything that is in the picture is in If you think you might actually want the picture. Makes sense, right? The to identify the plant species in the problem is that we often get so focused photograph, you need to consider the (pun STILL intended) on the subject “nose to toes” rule—take photos of all that we forget to notice the background the parts that you can think of, top to distractions. Look at the beautiful red- bottom. In addition to the artsy one necked grebe photo—with a refected suitable for framing. building. Lorna Allen Lorna Basal leaves are often important to More interesting western wood lily identifcation, as may be the underside from the side of the fower head. It really helps to have some idea of the features of truly serious carry a tripod (and it really the particular plant group that are does make a difference). Even without important to the ID. A beautiful close- a tripod, you can look for ways to prop up of a yellow mustard fower may be, your camera on something (a tree? a well, beautiful, but it will be very little bench?), or sit down and prop your help if you want to know what species elbows on your knees. Anything that you are looking at. For that, you need helps to steady the camera will help Allen Lorna stem leaves, basal leaves, fruiting pods, to reduce the number of fuzzy shots, Red-necked grebe and building refection and a close-up of hairs would really although some are inevitable. help. Often (although not always) the Some things can be moved—don’t bloom itself is not the most important Maintain focus damage the tree, but have someone bit for ID, even if it is the most eye- What is or is not in focus in a photo can hold that annoying branch out of the catching. be highly technical—juggling shutter way. Some things (say, dead grass speed, ISO and f-stop to achieve your bits) can be removed, but be careful Look ‘em in the eye desired result. At its simplest, though, here. If you are thinking of removing By all means, look down and take a decide what you want in focus and try something, be sure you don’t damage photo; it might help with ID. BUT, to achieve that. In a group of fowers, anything else: for example, be sure not photos looking down on the subject it’s generally annoying if the ones in to disturb the roots of your subject or of (from whatever height you grew up to) the front are fuzzy. One way to avoid other nearby plants. are usually less interesting than ones this problem is to try to fnd a group of taken from other angles. So… get down plants where the fowers are all roughly Some things cannot be moved, like to the level of your subject—look it in the same distance from the camera. the building behind the grebe, rudely the eye. putting its refection in the water. A blurred-out background, on the other Since you can’t move the building, you Brace yourself hand, helps to highlight the subject, either need to change the angle of your The fewer things that are moving, the as long as the subject itself is in focus. shot, or try to photoshop it out later. more likely it is that you will get a shot And if it is ID you are interested in, the Changing the angle is arguably easier that is in focus. Camera shake is one part you want in focus will vary as you (but don’t fall in the water). thing that you can easily reduce. The move from the nose to the toes. An nall You are home, you are reviewing your photos, and naturally, you want to know what you photographed. You probably realize that the best way to determine the species of a plant is to collect it, press it, and key it out using a dissecting scope to look at the picky details. Then, of course, you submit the specimen to one of Alberta’s excellent herbaria. There are however rules against collecting (without permits), at Lorna Allen Lorna Lorna Allen Lorna least in all protected areas. Next best option? Cart the area-appropriate fora Boring western wood lily (Lilium Mexican gold poppy bloom with an philadelphicum) photo from above annoying fuzzy lupine See Plant Photography Basics, page 8 www.anpc.ab.ca 5 Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020 A Rose by Any Other Name Lorna Allen

The beautiful pink (sometimes almost your plant has smooth upper branches with some thorns but few to no prickles white) fower of the wild rose is (especially if the branches are reddish brown), it is probably common wild rose. immediately recognizable—as a rose. There are however three species of wild While individual fowers all look similar, their arrangement on the plant can rose in Alberta: common wild rose (Rosa provide a clue to ID. Prickly rose usually has only one or two (sometimes three) woodsii), prairie rose (Rosa arkansana), fowers in a fat-topped cluster (corymb*). The other species may also have only a and the provincial emblem, prickly few fowers per cluster, but typically, they have several. All might have corymbs, rose (Rosa acicularis). Unfortunately, the but common wild rose is the only species that sometimes has a longer, narrow fowers—their most striking feature— raceme** of many fowers, 10 per cluster or more (Flora of 2014). look the same in all three species. So, to Because it dies back every year, the fowers of prairie rose grow only on new know which species you are looking at, branches, but fower clusters can be on frst year or on older branches in the other you need to look beyond the fower to species. the plant itself. The fruit can also be a useful feature to look at. Both prairie rose and common If it’s a short plant, sprouting right wild rose usually have rounded fruits. The sepals can be erect in both species, but from the ground, with few or no they are often spreading in common wild rose. The fruits of prickly rose might be branches, there is a good chance that rounded, but they can also be pear-shaped to oval. The sepals tend to be erect and you are looking at prairie rose, which may be capped with a beak. rarely gets taller than 40 cm. If it’s a taller shrub that does not die back over By looking at the combination of plant height, branching, branch prickles, winter, it could either be common wild fower distribution and fruit shape, it should be possible to identify your rose to rose or prickly rose; both can get over species with confdence. There is, however, one little problem to keep in mind: 1 m tall and are often quite bushy. “hybridization between our species sometimes make identifcation problematical” (Moss 1983). So, if your plant just does not seem to ft with one of the species, it is The arrangement of thorns and prickles quite possibly a hybrid. on the stems and fowering stalks is an important characteristic that can Several of the features overlap between species, so trying to decide which species help to separate the species. A prickle you are looking at can be confusing, but here’s a matrix that I hope will help you to is a sharp-pointed outgrowth from the identify your wild rose: surface of a plant, from the stem in the case of roses. A thorn is different. Feature Rosa arkansana Rosa acicularis Rosa woodsii It is a stiff, sharply pointed projection Plant < 50 cm tall √ √ √ developed from a reduced branch and is stouter and longer than a prickle. Plant ≥ 50 cm tall √ √ Upper branches prickly √ √ The lower stems of all species typically Flowers 1-3 per cluster √ √ √ have both prickles and thorns, but prairie rose has thorns that are usually Flowers ≥4 per cluster √ √ no more than 3 mm long, while the Flowers in corymbs √ √ √ other two have thorns up to 5 mm Flowers in racemes √ long. Prickly rose has upper, younger Fruits rounded √ √ √ stems that are, well, prickly, but so does prairie rose. Common wild rose, Fruits oval √ however, has some thorns but few to no Sepals on mature fruits erect √ √ √ prickles on the younger branches, and Sepals on mature fruits spreading √ the upper branches are often smooth and reddish brown. If you have a rose that is short, quite prickly all over and ______with few to no branches, you probably * A corymb is a fat- or round-topped fower cluster in which the fowers on the are looking at a prairie rose. If you are outer (lower) branches bloom frst. looking at a taller, bushier plant that ** A raceme is a fower cluster with an unbranched, elongated central stalk bearing is pretty much prickly throughout, few to many stalked blooms, and with lower fowers developing frst. it is probably prickly rose. And, if See Rose by Any Other Name, page 7

6 www.anpc.ab.ca Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020

Rose by Any Other Name, from page 6 Lorna Allen Lorna Lorna Allen Lorna Allen Lorna One of the species of Alberta wild roses Prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) is short, often Hips are rounded, often with spreading (Rosa sp.) with many, sometimes white fowers sepals in common wild rose (Rosa woodsii) Lorna Allen Lorna Lorna Allen Lorna Prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) has prickles and Note the reddish-brown bark with only

thorns on even the branches bearing a few thorns and no prickles in common Allen Lorna the fruiting stalks wild rose (Rosa woodsii) The hips for prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) are rounded Lorna Allen Lorna Allen Lorna Allen Lorna Rosa stem with both thorns and shorter, Both common wild rose (Rosa woodsii) and Oval hips with erect sepals typical of thinner prickles prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) are prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) usually a taller, bushy shrub

References Flora of North America Editorial Committee, editor. 2014. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.

Moss, E.H. 1983. The Flora of Alberta. Second Edition, Revised by John G. Packer. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario. ♦

www.anpc.ab.ca 7 Iris ♦ The Alberta Native Plant Council Newsletter ♦ No. 85 Spring/Summer 2020

NatureLynx and PlantWatch, from page 1 bloom date of May 20th in the central parkland; the mean frst bloom time Message from the President from 1973 to 2016 is May 23rd. While last year’s date falls within the normal Kristen Andersen range of saskatoon bloom times across Alberta, looking at the annual variation I am looking forward to the coming year and working as the ANPC president in spring bloom can tell us a lot about alongside a fantastic Board. I’m very proud to be a part of the ANPC and for the our changing climate. Plants take opportunity to help continue its mission of conservation and education in support of native plants. cues from the changing seasons for their personal “calendars”: the rising When I moved to Edmonton in 2007, I was thrilled to discover the ANPC. I had temperature of spring triggers plant been very active in botanical societies where I previously lived in the states of growth and the opening of fowers. A and Maine. Right away, I found there was a request for a volunteer to warm winter and spring usually leads lead a feld trip to the Slave Lake Provincial Park, and I offered to coordinate the to earlier fowering times. Beaubien and trip. During that trip I met Leslie Monteleone and Alison Dinwoodie, who quickly her fellow researchers have previously became my role models. found that some early season Alberta species have shifted their frst bloom In the next 12 years, many more people from the ANPC Board and long-standing membership would become my role models and mentors. I’m inspired by the great time by several weeks since the 1930s! people that make up this organization. I’m especially inspired by the tradition of (Beaubien and Hamann 2011) This sharing knowledge that it sustains. Since that trip to Slave Lake, I have worked makes PlantWatch a strong dataset that with the Adopt-a-Plant program, served as Chair of the Information and Education demonstrates our changing climate is Committee, participated in setting up plant study groups, and worked as Central infuencing plant phenology here in Director. I’ve learned through these experiences that ANPC and its membership Alberta. have a rich history and vibrant future, and there is much to look forward to. ♦

This spring, the partnership continued to bloom, with another saskatoon mission taking place in May. We Pollinator Profle, from page 2 hope that NatureLynx can continue Lincoln R. Best is a native bee taxonomist. Iris is published three times a year by ANPC. to provide a platform for budding He works on a broad spectrum of research in The Council aims to increase knowledge of PlantWatchers for years to come, and northwestern North America with Oregon State Alberta’s wild fora and to preserve this diverse University and the University of Calgary. He resource for the enjoyment of present and to help monitor the effects of ongoing future generations. climate change in our province. works to engage the public in conservation and scientifc outreach as a director for the Native If you have an announcement, article or other Bee Society of BC and Bee City Canada. You can NatureLynx provides an opportunity to item, you are invited to submit it to the editor follow him on social media @beesofcanada. for publication. Items concerning native plants connect new or existing citizen science will be given highest priority. projects with a pool of eager naturalists References The editors reserve the right to edit around the province. It’s an easy and Cane J.H., Sipes S. (2006) Characterizing convenient way for participants to share submissions, but will review changes with the foral specialization by bees: analytical authors whenever possible. Disputes will be their sightings and contribute data. methods and a revised lexicon for resolved in favour of the audience. And hosting citizen science initiatives oligolecty, in: Waser N.M., Ollerton J. on NatureLynx helps make the data (Eds.), Plant-pollinator interactions: from Copyright remains with the authors except available to anyone with the click of a specialization to generalization, The where noted. Permission to reprint is generally University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. granted, but please contact the editors for “download” button. We encourage all details. ANPC plant enthusiasts to participate 99–122. in upcoming missions, and to consider Submission deadline for the next issue: Map Data September 15, 2020 future initiatives that may beneft GBIF.org (04 April 2020) GBIF Occurrence from this new community of online Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.qkybqt A subscription to Iris is included with naturalists. membership in the ANPC. To join, contact the GBIF.org (06 April 2020) GBIF Occurrence secretary, or check our website, www.anpc. For more information, please contact Download https://doi.org/10.15468/ ab.ca. Jordan Bell, the ABMI’s Citizen Science dl.nornom ♦ Coordinator at [email protected].

References Plant Photography Basics, from page 5 Beaubien E., Hamann A. (2011) Spring fowering response to climate change between 1936 with you, lie on your belly if necessary, and key your plant out where it grows. And/or, and 2006 in Alberta, Canada. Bioscience take the time to take lots of photos, near and far, from various angles, and to photograph (61) 7: 514-524. ♦ both the full plant and the features that might help with ID, from “nose to toes.” ♦

8 www.anpc.ab.ca