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VOL. 35, NO. 2 • SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

NATIVE PLANTS, PUBLIC ART, AND SAN DIEGO’S NEW GREEN LINE MARCUS JONES, ACID-TONGUED BOTANIST OF THE WEST SEEDS OF BEAUTY ADDING THREAT RANKINGS TO CALIFORNIA’S RARE AND ENDANGERED PLANTS NEW CNPS FELLOWS:

VOLUMEBARBARA 35:2, ANDSPRING ROLAND2007 PITSCHEL, STEVE HARTMAN 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. 35, NO. 2, SPRING 2007 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2007 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; Bart O’Brien, Editor dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Bob Hass, Copy Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,500 Family or Group ...... $75 Benefactor ...... $600 International ...... $75 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $300 Individual or Library ...... $45 Kitty Blassey, Editorial Assistant Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Brad Jenkins, Amanda Jorgenson, Jake Sigg, and Carol Witham, Proofreaders STAFF CHAPTER COUNCIL Sacramento Office: Jim Bishop (Chair), Larry Levine (Vice CALIFORNIA NATIVE Executive Director . Amanda Jorgenson Chair), Sarah Jayne (Secretary) PLANT SOCIETY Development Director . Melissa Cirone Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart Finance & Administration Manager . Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Dedicated to the Preservation of Cari Porter Sherryl Taylor the California Native Flora Membership & Sales Coordinator . . . Channel Islands . . . . David Magney The California Native Plant Society Christina Neifer Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- At Large: Sonoma Coast) . . . . . Lori Hubbart zation dedicated to increasing the un- Fremontia Editor . . . . . Bart O’Brien East Bay ...... Delia Taylor derstanding and appreciation of Califor- El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman nia’s native plants, and to preserving Senior Conservation Botanist ...... Kern County ...... Lucy Clark them and their natural habitats for fu- position open ture generations. Rare Plant Botanist . . . . Kristi Lazar Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . CNPS carries out its mission through Senior Vegetation Ecologist . . . Julie Betsey Landis science, conservation advocacy, educa- Evens Marin County ...... Bob Soost tion, and horticulture at the local, state, Vegetation Ecologist . . . . Anne Klein Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . and federal levels. It monitors rare and East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . Liz Parsons endangered plants and habitats; acts to Lech Naumovich Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas save endangered areas through public- Legislative Advocate . Vern Goehring Monterey Bay . . . . Rosemary Foster ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal Mount Lassen ...... Catie Bishop action; provides expert testimony to Legal Advisor ...... Sandy McCoy Napa Valley ...... John Pitt government bodies; supports the estab- Website Coordinator . . Mark Naftzger lishment of native plant preserves; spon- CNPS Bulletin Editor ...... Bob Hass North Coast ...... Larry Levine sors workdays to remove invasive plants; North San Joaquin . . James Brugger and offers a range of educational activi- BOARD OF DIRECTORS Orange County ...... Sarah Jayne ties including speaker programs, field Brad Jenkins (President), Sue Britting Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . . . . trips, native plant sales, horticultural (Vice President), Steve Hartman (Trea- Marie Bain workshops, and demonstration gardens. surer), Lynn Houser (Secretary). At Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- Large: Charli Danielsen, Dave Flietner, Katie Barrows tional strength of CNPS has been its Sacramento Valley . . Diana Hickson dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities Diana Hickson, Arvind Kumar, David San Diego ...... Dave Flietner are organized at the local chapter level Magney, Spence McIntyre where members’ varied interests influ- San Gabriel Mtns . . . Gabi McLean ence what is done. Volunteers from the PROGRAM DIRECTORS San Luis Obispo . . . Lauren Brown 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute CNPS Press ...... Holly Forbes Sanhedrin (Ukiah) ...... Vishnu in excess of 87,000 hours (equivalent Conservation ...... position open Santa Clara Valley . . . Kevin Bryant to 42 full-time employees). Horticulture ...... Peigi Duvall Santa Cruz County . . . . Brett Hall CNPS membership is open to all. Posters ...... Bertha McKinley Sequoia (Fresno) . . . . . Peggy Jones Members receive the quarterly journal, and Wilma Follette Shasta . . . . . Susan Libonati-Barnes Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- Rare Plants ...... position open Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- letin, and newsletters from their local veras, Mariposa) . . . Patrick Stone CNPS chapter. Vegetation ...... Todd Keeler-Wolf South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION Barbara Sattler DISCLAIMER: Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan The views expressed by authors published CNPS members and others are wel- come to contribute materials for publi- Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... in this journal do not necessarily reflect Mary Frances Kelly Poh established policy or procedure of CNPS, cation in Fremontia. See the inside back and their publication in this journal should cover for manuscript submission in- Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . not be interpreted as an organizational structions. Jo-Ann Ordano endorsement—in part or in whole—of their ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz

FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 CONTENTS

THE GREEN LINE by Nina Karavasiles ...... 3 Bringing native plants into the public’s consciousness is a challenge. Artist Nina Karavasiles chose to focus on native plants and recycled materials for her inspirational work on the 70th Street trolley station along San Diego’s Green Line—the busiest transportation corridor in the county.

MARCUS JONES: AN OUTSPOKEN MAVERICK: 1852–1934 by Elizabeth Rush ...... 9 Marcus Jones (1852–1934) was a botanist with “attitude,” but in addition to stirring up trouble, he made significant contributions to his field. He established a large herbarium and described hundreds of new species. By publishing new species on his own, he gave impetus to the independence of the Western botanical establishment from the Eastern hierarchy. He also contributed a rich supply of stories to the botanical lore.

A HARVEST OF SEEDS by Michael Wall and John Macdonald ...... 14 The beauty and diversity of Californian seeds are the subjects of this expanded photo essay. Seeds are the promise of life on one hand, and signal the end of life for annuals, biennials, and other plants that are termed monocarpic (a plant that produces seeds once in a life- time). All seeds serve the same basic functions, yet these marvels of evolution display an astonishing array of forms, colors, and textures to fulfill such deceptively simple goals.

WHERE DID THE CNPS RED CODE GO? by Kristi Lazar ...... 18 The author presents the recent implementation of a new Threat Rank designation for plants listed in the Society’s indispensable Inventory of the Rare and Endangered Plants of California. This new system supersedes the Society’s previous Rarity, Endangerment, and Distribution (RED), and Rarity, Endangerment, Vigor, and Distribution (REVD) codes. Problems inherent in the previous systems and how the new system addresses these concerns and brings a new level of clarity to the Inventory are explained.

NEW CNPS FELLOWS: ROLAND AND BARBARA PITSCHEL by Jake Sigg ...... 22 Barbara and Roland Pitschel were instrumental in the founding of the Yerba Buena Chapter of CNPS in 1986. With their ongoing efforts (since 1972) on behalf of the award winning restoration of Bernal Heights Park, they are true pioneers in the field of ecological restoration.

STEVE HARTMAN by Jo Kitz ...... 23 Steve Hartman has served the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter for over 30 years, and the state board of CNPS for over 25 years. His long standing concern for California’s plant communities was one of the keys to the establishment of CNPS’s Plant Communities Program. He served on the California Desert District Advisory Council and created the Vertical Vegetation Program at Joshua Tree National Park.

BOOK REVIEWS ...... 26

THE COVER: The rough-textured seeds of the corkseed fish-hook cactus (Mammillaria tetrancistra). Photograph by John Macdonald.

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 1 EDITORIAL: WALNUTS USEFUL WEBSITES AND CONTACT ccasionally, my mind wanders from reveries of native plants to the concrete reality imposed by money—and I must think of walnuts. INFORMATION ODo you like walnuts? We should all be listening to what walnuts California Native Plant have to tell us, as it is such a compelling tale of conservation imperatives Society (CNPS): and economic reality. There are both native and exotic species of walnuts present in California. www.cnps.org, with links to The exotic species, the so-called English walnut (Juglans regia) though it is conservation issues, chapters, not native there) is the oldest documented “tree food” collected and eaten by publications, policies, etc. humans back to at least 7000 B.C. Not surprisingly, this exotic walnut was an For updates on early immigrant to California, though the first commercial orchard was not conservation issues: planted until 1867 in Goleta. From this time through the first half of the Audubon Society twentieth century, walnut orchards were predominantly planted in the www.audubon.org southern part of California. However, today most commercial production of walnuts is focused in California’s Central Valley and in adjacent coastal Center for Biological Diversity valleys. Exotic walnuts are also grown in home gardens and landscapes www.sw-center.org throughout much of California. Native Plant Conservation Surprisingly, 99% of the U.S. production of walnuts is grown in Califor- Campaign www.plantsocieties.org nia—and this amount represents 2/3 of the world’s production. In 2005, Natural Resources Defense these exotic walnut trees occupied 215,000 acres of land in California (an Council area larger than the city of San Diego), and produced an astounding 355,000 www.nrdc.org tons of walnuts—an average of 1,575 nuts per tree. The value of this crop Sierra Club was $539,600,000. www.sierraclub.org In California, we have two native walnut taxa: Juglans californica var. Wilderness Society californica and Juglans californica var. hindsii. The former entity is predomi- www.wilderness.org nantly found in Southern California, while the latter is very rare and is found in a few widely scattered locations east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Though For voting information: our native walnuts are conspicuous elements of our flora, they were not League of Women Voters recognized botanically until relatively recently. Juglans californica var. cali- www.lwv.org, includes online fornica was described in 1875 by Serano Watson of Harvard University. voter guide with state-specific Juglans californica var. hindsii was described by Willis Jepson of UC Berkeley nonpartisan election and in 1909. candidate information. California Indians highly prized our native walnuts as a food source, for US Senate dyeing basketry materials, and other purposes. In central California, it has www.senate.gov been difficult to determine which populations of the rare tree Juglans californica US House of Representatives var. hindsii are actually native occurrences and which ones were planted by www.house.gov California Indians before European contact. In Southern California, our native walnuts flower in March and April, California State Senate www.sen.ca.gov when the two to four inch yellow-green male catkins cascade from buds on old wood, while tiny clusters of two to five female flowers appear on new California State Assembly shoots. Walnuts are wind pollinated—and therein lies the problem. Our www.assembly.ca.gov native walnuts are interfertile with the exotic walnuts. Indeed, virtually all To write letters: commercial walnuts in California are grafted onto a rootstock that is grown from seed of Juglans ‘Paradox’ (the 1878 Luther Burbank hybrid between the President George W. Bush exotic J. regia and the native J. californica var. hindsii). The exotic walnuts are The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW grafted onto this hybrid rootstock, as they would otherwise not thrive in Washington, DC 20500 California’s soil conditions. Some expert geneticists have theorized that our native walnuts will cease Senator Barbara Boxer to exist as separate biological entities after one or two more walnut genera- or Senator Dianne Feinstein tions due to hybridization with exotic walnuts. So here we have a most pro- US Senate Washington, DC 20510 vocative situation: our native species are being used to grow an exotic species that is itself leading to the extinction of our native species. Your CA Representative How much are our two California native walnuts worth? Do you like US House of Representatives walnuts? Washington, DC 20515 Bart O’Brien, Fremontia Editor

2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 The Green Line, 70th Street trolley station, La Mesa, CA. All photographs by the author unless otherwise specified. THE GREEN LINE by Nina Karavasiles

’m a trained sculptor and, for the County. However, as more people and KTU+A Landscape Architecture past 25 years, I’ve made my living moved into San Diego’s east county, and Planning were chosen to pro- by making art. Somewhere along congestion on the freeways dramati- vide architecture, engineering, and the line my interest in making cally increased, inspiring MTDB to landscape architecture services. As Ithings grew into a love for saving add a trolley line extension in 2005. part of this team, I was selected to things, reusing things, restoring The Green Line, as this extension is create an original public artwork that things, and reviving things. So when called, includes four new stations transcended the typical add-on of a I won a competition and became a and filled a 5.9 mile gap in the trol- statue or fountain, something that member of a design team that was to ley network. MTDB projects that the would actually become integrated create a new trolley station, I was Green Line will generate 11,000 new into the site. eager to apply my “green” aesthetic. trolley trips a day and attract 2.5 The site for the 70th Street trol- Planned, designed, and con- million new trolley riders per year as ley station is surrounded by parking structed by the Metropolitan Transit a result of the increased capacity and lots, trailer parks, billboards, res- Development Board (MTDB), and connectivity. taurants, condominiums, car dealer- San Diego Association of Govern- When MTDB initiated the de- ships, gas stations, and other tell- ments (SANDAG), San Diego’s Met- velopment of the Green Line, they tale evidence of suburban sprawl. It ropolitan Transit System includes a hired four separate teams of design began as an asphalt lot in a former light rail trolley network that experts to create four unique trolley riverbed, bordered on one side by a traverses 54 miles of the busiest stations. For the 70th Street station water-carved cliff and on the other transportation corridor in San Diego in La Mesa, Parsons Brinckerhoff by Interstate-8. Construction of I-8

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 3 Aerial view of the 70th Street trolley station during construction. had dwarfed the site and made it wanted to reclaim this land for it- amid the crisscrossing chaos of ur- into an inconspicuous haven for self, as well as for the San Diego ban life became my goal, environ- homeless encampments, and the commuters who would soon be us- mental stewardship became my mes- once glorious waterway had been ing the trolley. I also wanted some- sage, and native plants became my reduced to the debris-choked Alva- how to integrate into the project a primary medium. rado Creek. way of providing habitat for ani- To begin conceiving a “green” The deterioration of this site’s mals, insects, and birds. The project work of art, I assigned some param- landscape due to development of the quickly inspired and challenged my eters to my creative process. First, I surrounding cityscape compelled me skills as an artist, and drew on my wanted each of my choices to be to want to restore at least a portion knowledge and appreciation of natu- based on sound environmental prac- of it to its original, natural beauty. I ral systems. Creating a natural oasis tices. Second, I wanted the artwork elements to be beautiful, as well as Overview of the 70th Street trolley station. inspiring enough to compel future designers to follow a “green” phi- losophy. Third, I wanted to create a self-sustaining ecosystem where all the natural elements at the station could exist and thrive harmoniously. As my brainstorming continued, new goals emerged. I thought about promoting public transportation as a choice, not just a necessity, and as a means for minimizing environmen- tal impact. What could attract more riders? What would be interesting to people who wait at this same sta- tion day after day? What could they do in the 15 minutes between each

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 trolley arrival? I thought about edu- phases of site preparation and con- cating these riders—possibly 2.5 struction. The use of the cobble- million in one year—about environ- stones demonstrates the environ- mental stewardship. I asked, “What mental benefits of reusing a natu- would I do if I were waiting?” I rally occurring material, and acts as concluded that I would investigate a symbolic link to the origin of the my surroundings. These musings site as a river bed. The seat of each were the basis for the artwork ele- bench is made of a high quality re- ments that I finally installed at the cycled plastic “lumber.” trolley station. To reward any commuter’s in- I began my work at the core of vestigation of the station with a dis- the station: the platforms. The plat- covery, I placed a sculpture titled forms were installed in a pattern Recycled glass is used as a decorative “Train-like Apparatus” in a largely that roughly mimics the actual path pavement. hidden location among the foliage. of Alvarado Creek, which now runs The sculpture is made with parts underground in this area. Along the lights, which cast a blue hue, were from old train track-switching equip- platforms we placed tall lamp posts strategically placed to mark the lo- ment that, when moved, rotate a to illuminate the station at night, cation of the underground creek. wheel upon a Native American acorn each with a concrete base that I sand- For the comfort of trolley cus- grinding stone, or metate, which was blasted with a quote. There were 36 tomers, I designed benches. The found on the project site. Painted quotes in all. Some were philosophi- base of each bench is composed of on the switcher is an interpretive cal (“We cannot solve the problems river-worn cobblestones that I res- image of what Alvarado Creek that we have created with the same cued from the site during the early looked like 100 years ago. thinking that created them.” Albert The highlight among the 40 origi- Einstein), some factual (“The aver- A hand-painted map shows Native Amer- nal art elements located at the 70th age annual rainfall in La Mesa is ican villages and transportation patterns Street trolley station is the presence 13.75 inches [2004]. The average through the valley. of native plantings and handmade American uses 150 gallons of water metal name plaques that I made to a day.”), and still others posed a identify certain species. We placed question (“What could we do with native plants at the station with the recycled glass?”), but all were in- intention of educating the public tended to spark conversation and about the beauty of natives and the introspection. history of their use by Native Ameri- In my design, I specified that cans and other local inhabitants. I certain areas on the concrete sur- also wanted to restore the land at face of the station platforms be em- least partially to its former environ- bedded with thousands of tiny re- ment, and not just landscape it. My cycled glass chips. Besides adding goal was to create a peaceful, green an attractive sparkle, their use dem- oasis for both humans and animals onstrates how recycled materials can within this harsh urban setting. be used creatively, and I hope this Southern California, the San Di- will inspire people to recycle their ego area in particular, is home to an glass containers. amazingly diverse native flora. I se- Another art element incorpo- lected native species based on sev- rated into the station design refer- eral criteria: local nativity, plant ences the history of the river. It is a community, availability, and ethno- handmade historic map case that botanical uses. I specified plants that shows the locations of Native Ameri- were appropriate for the trolley sta- can villages along the river banks. tion customers and operators. The In addition to teaching about the plants had to contain few, if any, historic uses of the river, the pres- thorns; have no branches that would ence of the map case conceptually grow to a height that could conceal links the old waterways with the spaces; grow reasonably well at our current transportation methods and location; be able to withstand abuse corridors. High-efficiency LED from pedestrian traffic; and not con-

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 5 Clockwise from top left: Light pole base, “It is not safe to drink water directly from streams anymore.” • The “Train-like Apparatus” sculpture by Nina Karavasiles. • Aluminum cast plaque for coastal sage- brush (Artemisia californica). Photograph by M. Lara. • Native plants and construc- tion materials at the 70th Street trolley station.

tain colored berries that would stain the hardscape (see Table 1 for a par- tial listing of the native plants for this project). We purchased the plants from Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano and Las Pilitas Nursery in Escondido. Some soil amend- ments were added. However, fertil- izer was not added, in order to pro- mote a natural mycorrhizal soil en- vironment. After planting, a black weed bar- rier fabric was installed. Cobblestones were then placed on top of this mate- rial, and a top dressing of local, sta- bilized, decomposed granite was used to hold them in place. These materi- als were used as a mulch to conserve water and to reduce weed growth. To emphasize the educational as- pect of planting natives, I created bronze, brass, and aluminum mark- ers, or plaques, which I securely an- chored into the soil next to specific plants. Unlike traditional plant markers, they provided information about the ethnobotanic uses for each plant, in addition to the species name. My hope was that the hand- made quality of these plaques would convey the spoken word as some- thing passed down over time, like a family history, rather than excerpted from a botanical text. The native plantings have already inspired new stories. During a re-

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 cent inspection of the site, I was require additional fertilizer after surprised and delighted when a com- planting. The manual also includes muter approached me excitedly with tips about the proper frequency and an acorn from one of the newly amount of irrigation required, both planted coast live oaks (Quercus during the establishment and post- agrifolia). She told me that she had establishment phases. never seen a real acorn; she had Even with the availability of my only heard about them on TV in plant maintenance manual, the fre- association with squirrels. She was quency and scope of maintenance so thrilled with her discovery that efforts may be limited by the same she took the acorn home to display budget constraints that face many on her coffee table. government agencies today. To Proper maintenance of the plants counter these possible shortfalls and is essential to ensure that they re- to further community engagement main the main source of interest, with the site, I am currently work- education, and peaceful respite at ing to organize local residents to the 70th Street trolley station. I dis- participate in the upkeep of the covered that many seasoned land- plants at the station. scapers and landscape maintenance For instance, I have recently spo- personnel are unfamiliar with the ken with a group of local Native appropriate methods for caring for American basket weavers to encour- natives. So I collaborated with the age them to perform some of the staff at Las Pilitas Nursery to write a pruning that needs to be done, espe- native plant maintenance manual for cially of the deer grass (Muhlenbergia the station operators to use as a rigens), which is commonly used in guide. The manual emphasizes the basket weaving. Lorene Sisquoc, my fact that native plants, unlike orna- primary contact, has indicated that mentals and exotics, usually do not many of her fellow weavers have

TABLE 1: PARTIAL PLANT LIST FOR THE 70TH STREET TROLLEY STATION Common name Scientific name bearberry or kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’ coastal sagebrush Artemisia californica San Diego sedge Carex spissa western redbud Cercis occidentalis strawberry Fragaria chiloensis deer grass Muhlenbergia rigens western sycamore Platanus racemosa hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia coast live oak Quercus agrifolia coffeeberry Rhamnus californica lemonade berry Rhus integrifolia

Matilija poppy Romneya coulteri Top to bottom: Deer grass (Muhlenbergia California rose Rosa californica rigens) flows naturally onto the recycled blackberry Rubus ursinus glass paving. • This light pole base focuses attention on the lush groundcover of wild arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis strawberries (Fragaria chiloensis), “If you white sage Salvia apiana can find it before another creature, this tiny berry is sweet and delicious.” • San elderberry Sambucus mexicana Diego sedge (Carex spissa) is featured in the riparian area.

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 7 certain species, the design should be adapted before planting begins. In addition, I would continue to col- laborate with professionals in other disciplines such as geologists, orni- thologists, photographers, engineers, musicians, and basket weavers. Lastly, I would be sure to tell many people about my commitment to using native plants for my projects. I discovered that this word-of-mouth sharing was very effective in gener- ating support for the project, as well as in influencing others to consider using native plants for their projects. In just a few months since it opened, a wide variety of commut- ers using the 70th Street trolley sta- tion have already responded posi- tively to the native plantings and other art elements. I frequently visit the station to observe peoples’ inter- actions, and often engage them in conversations. Bus drivers on break eat their lunches surrounded by the western sycamores (Plantanus race- mosa) and strawberries (Fragaria Nearby the trolley platform, a small group of people enjoys the shade from a grove of chiloensis). High school students stop young western sycamore trees (Platanus racemosa). Photograph by M. Lara. me to talk about how much they like the art and how much they wish all had difficulty finding deer grass un- tive plant habitat, I would continue the trolley stops had public art. A treated by pesticides. My hope is to emphasize the importance of cre- politician informed me that she had that the station will become known ating an ecology rather than simply taken a class on native plantings and among locals as a place to safely gardening or landscaping. she was delighted to see some ex- harvest this grass, as well as other While many capital projects ini- amples at the station. A local dance plant materials. tiated by government agencies have troupe performed at the site. In the spring, the station will a requirement to award jobs to the To see so many different people yield a crop of organic strawberries lowest bidders, I would lobby for enjoying my work at the trolley sta- (Fragaria chiloensis). Blackberries hiring a landscaping crew based on tion has been very rewarding. I see (Rubus ursinus) will follow in the their knowledge of native plants, and them as part of the ecology I cre- summer. Hobbyists might enjoy col- not on the lowest bid, since the suc- ated, partners in a harmonious rela- lecting the elderberry (Sambucus cess of a native plant habitat de- tionship with native plants and pub- mexicana) to make yellow dye, and pends on knowing how to care for lic art. I hope that my contribution even gourmets might like the rose each species. to the design of this trolley station hips (Rosa californica), lemonade Next time I would conduct con- supports the idea communicated by berry (Rhus integrifolia), and white siderably more hands-on research Baba Dioum in one of the sand- sage (Salvia apiana). before developing a design. In this blasted quotes on the site: “In the I have now been involved with case, I could have learned that stand- end we will conserve only what we this project for almost seven years, ing water was present in some places, love. We love only what we under- two of which were dedicated to the if I had performed my own digging stand. We will understand only what construction alone. In this time, I on the site. I would also learn more we are taught.” have reflected on some of the suc- about how the landscape will be cess and failures I experienced. If I maintained before developing a de- Nina Karavasiles, 28802 Chihuahua Val- were to be involved in a future project sign. If the operating agency cannot ley Road, Warner Springs, CA 92086. nina to design and develop another na- provide adequate maintenance for @ninak.info; www.ninak.info

8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 MARCUS JONES: AN OUTSPOKEN MAVERICK 1852–1934 by Elizabeth Rush

mong the colorful Western botanists at the turn of the 19th century, Marcus E. Jones stood out for two Areasons: his dramatic eccentricity, and his scope and energy as a plant collector and scientist. His biogra- pher, Dr. Lee W. Lenz of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Clare- mont, California, writes that “he studied more Western plants in their native habitats than any botanist of his time.” Marcus Jones earned his stripes for eccentricity early in his career during a trip to Baja California in 1881. He traveled with two older, established botanists, Charles Parry and Cyrus Pringle, and with 18-year- old Charles Orcutt and Orcutt’s brother. While exploring the hills east of Ensenada, the men came upon an undescribed rose. Pringle had left the group earlier in the day, but the others apparently saw it si- multaneously. Several days later Parry and the Orcutts left for San Diego without Jones, who refused to travel on Sunday. Parry then sent the Orcutts back for Jones, but when they returned, Jones drew a pistol, and according to one account, or- dered the young men out of the wagon and drove off without them. The San Diego newspaper re- ported the incident, but Jones’s mo- Marcus E. Jones at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, July 1932. Photographer unknown. tivation for his action remained a All photographs appear courtesy of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s Archive Collection. mystery. Possibly it involved the dis- pute over who saw the rose first, that the rose was described from blocked Jones’s opportunity to pub- since Jones later accused Parry of specimens sent by C.C. Parry and lish new species in the journals they “stealing” his rose and receiving M.E. Jones. controlled. credit for discovering it. Parry was The episode haunted Jones’s ca- Coulter, who edited the Botani- understandably outraged by Jones’s reer. Parry would not let it go. He cal Gazette, had previously experi- accusation and by his request to complained to the most prominent enced Jones’s polemical tendencies George Engelmann to delay publi- eastern botanists of the time Asa when he “warned him off his cation of the name for the new rose Gray, George Engelmann, and John ground,” the Rocky Mountain area. until the controversy could be sorted Coulter about Jones’s behavior, and Coulter had been working on a flora out. Engelmann punted. He wrote the resulting loss of credibility of the region and Jones had similar

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 9 lege in 1923, contained 500,000 specimens (100,000 sheets), 10,000 of which were mounted. He de- scribed hundreds of new species, and he collected in places where few people before or since have ventured. Duplicates of his specimens are con- tained in herbaria around the world. Jones was an ecological botanist, dal- lied with experimental taxonomy, and supported Darwinian principles. By publishing new species on his own, as had Katharine Brandegee and Edward Lee Greene, he gave impetus to the independence of the Western botanical establishment from the Eastern hierarchy. And throughout his life he also contrib- uted a rich supply of stories to the botanical lore.

HIS EARLY YEARS Marcus Jones’s own story began in 1852 in Jefferson, Ohio where his father owned a sawmill. When he was14 years old the family moved to Grinnell, Iowa, home of Iowa Col- lege, a Congregational school that later became Grinnell College. Of his early interests he wrote in a fam- ily history, “I never thought it any work to study plants; it was just a part of my life.” Like his future bete noire, botanist Edward Lee Greene, Jones’s mother owned a copy of Mrs. Almira Lincoln’s Familiar Lectures on Botany, Practical, Elementary and Physiological and encouraged him to use it. Jones’s copy of this book is now in the library at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. Jones’s mother also supported Mojave River south of Hesperia, California, May 1926. Photograph by M.E. Jones. his other intellectual pursuits, and the move to Grinnell provided him plans. Coulter ignored the warning would have been a major contribu- access to both a quality high school and published his work three years tion to Western botany. and college education, which would later. Although Jones worked on his In spite of Jones’s failure to com- have been unavailable in Jefferson. flora (expanded to include the en- plete his flora and his tendency to Jones planned to teach Latin at Iowa tire region west of the Rocky Moun- offend nearly everyone he came in College when he graduated, but tains) for the rest of his long life, his contact with, he still made several found the indoor life deleterious to two volume manuscript lay unfin- important botanical contributions to his health. In order to support him- ished on his desk when he died. our present-day knowledge of Cali- self in the outdoors he traveled to Had his flora been published in a fornia native plants. His herbarium, Colorado, where he began to collect timely manner, Lenz believes it which he later sold to Pomona Col- plant specimens, bulbs, and seeds to

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 City, Utah, where Jones planned to higher grades. However, he contin- support himself by teaching and col- ued to collect extensively, to pub- lecting. Since Jones was vehemently lish articles on a variety of topics anti-Mormon, his choice of Salt Lake including religion, and to preach at City as a base provides some insight various local churches as a lay min- into his life-long delight in conflict. ister. In addition, he self-published He had not been in Salt Lake a 32-page booklet titled Ferns of the City long before he was visited by West in 1882. two eminent botanists, Charles Parry The Jones School closed in 1888 and George Engelmann. The two in spite of its apparent success, and looked over Jones’s collections and once again Jones struggled with the all three went botanizing together need to earn a living outside of his in the canyons surrounding the city. botanical interests, which he con- The visit went well (except for Engel- tinued to do throughout the rest of mann’s near drowning while bath- his life. He secured a position as ing in the Great Salt Lake). A year librarian and curator of the museum later Jones was in Baja California at the University of Deseret (later with Parry—the trip which ended the University of Utah), which pro- with Jones’s bizarre conduct. Roger vided some income. His resource- Williams writes in his book on the botanical exploration of the Rocky Mud volcanos, Salton Sink, California, Mountains that this marked the be- March 1924. Photographs by M.E. Jones. ginning of the unstable behavior that dogged Jones’s career. Before leaving on his disastrous trip to Baja California, Jones lost his teaching job at the Salt Lake Acad- emy, a non-Mormon school where he taught botany, chemistry, and geology. Fortunately, his wife Anna Carpet of redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) among coast redwoods (Sequoia semper- had opened a kindergarten the pre- virens) near Scotia, California, April 1924. vious year to help support the fam- Photograph by M.E. Jones. ily. Because of the school’s popular- ity, additional grades were added, sell to botanists here and in Europe. and Jones began to teach in the In addition, he packaged some pressed plants as souvenirs from the Rocky Mountain area and sold them to curio shops. He also began corre- sponding with Charles Parry, Asa Gray, and George Engelmann, who helped him to identify his specimens. He was well on his way to a career in botany. During the winter he returned to Grinnell to work on his collec- tions and the following spring he collected in Utah. Again he went back to Grinnell to process his speci- mens. While there he engaged a young woman, Anna Richardson, to help with the labeling. The relation- ship flourished and in February of 1880 they were married. The couple set up housekeeping in Salt Lake

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 11 Thousand Palms oasis near Edom, California, April 25, 1925. Photograph by M.E. Jones. fulness landed him a number of other study the toxic effects of pollution Herbarium (Smithsonian Institute) jobs as well. He prepared a report from the mines on plants and ani- from 1894 to 1895 ended in bitter- on the hydrology of the Utah Terri- mals. Accounts of his testimony as ness and conflict. The difficulty arose tory and conducted a study of the an expert witness reveal an abun- over Jones’s insistence on collecting water levels in the Great Salt Lake. dance of flippant comments, clearly duplicate specimens for himself. He also revived an earlier interest in those of a man with “attitude.” These projects kept him away from geology and began serving as a con- Jones also worked on several rail- home for long periods of time, but sultant on mining matters, and as an road surveys, and continued collect- they also allowed him to be out in expert witness in many mining dis- ing plants as he traveled. A stint the field over large areas of the West. putes. He was among the first to collecting plants for the National Anna Jones, concerned over her husband’s lack of progress on the Jones’ camp, showing his much favored auto, in the coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) flora and over the family finances, near Scotia, California, April 1924. Photograph by M.E. Jones. in 1890 leased a three-story home in Salt Lake City to run as a board- ing house. An enormous attic occu- pied the third floor, a space reserved for Jones’s herbarium and library. Anna’s intention was to free her hus- band from financial worries so that he could complete his work on his increasingly ambitious flora. At about this same time Towns- hend and Katharine Brandegee launched their journal, Zoe, and in- vited Jones to contribute. Three of Jones’s articles appeared in Zoe un- der the rubric “Contributions to Western Botany,” and then Jones be- gan to self-publish a journal which he also titled Contributions to West-

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 ern Botany. Over a decade later when buy the collection and to arrange for ments over taxonomy. Some years the Brandegees discontinued Zoe, Jones to come with it. The price after Greene’s death, Jones wrote in they suggested that Jones take over finally agreed upon was $25,000, to his Contributions to Western Botany the publication. He declined their be paid in installments. Willis Jepson that, “Greene, the pest of systematic offer, but continued to publish his (no fan of Jones) wrote to congratu- botany, is gone, and [has] relieved own journal episodically. late Munz: “This your most recent us from his botanical drivel. They Jones admired Katharine Bran- accession, makes the herbarium of say that the good men do lives after degee both as a person and as a Pomona College lead nearly all oth- them, but the evil is interred with taxonomist. He also admired and ers in the New World in numbers of their bones. I suspect that his grave liked Alice Eastwood. In an article specimens, I suspect, save only the must have been a big one to hold it in Contributions to Western Botany New York Botanical Garden and the all.” Jones summed up his assess- he wrote, “No one is more kindly to National Herbarium.” The Pomona ment of Greene by writing, “Greene women than I so long as they keep College herbarium was moved in was first, last, and all the time a their places.” Since neither Bran- 1951 to the Rancho Santa Ana Bo- botanical crook, and an unmitigated degee or Eastwood were known for tanic Garden and in the 1960s was liar . . . The most charitable thing we keeping their places, they must have integrated into that collection. could say of him was that he was used great tact in dealing with Jones. The years at Pomona were ap- insane.” Over the next several years parently happy ones for Jones, and In spite of Jones’s widespread Jones’s marriage became increasing- devoid of his customary vitriolic con- acrimony, his own death engen- ly troubled. Anna struggled to sup- frontations. Jones and Munz planned dered more forgiveness than he al- port the family to free Marcus to a flora of Baja California, and Jones lowed Greene. C.A. Weatherby of work on his botany, but he made (although now in his seventies) the Gray Herbarium wrote to Philip little progress on the flora. He did made numerous adventurous col- Munz, “I was genuinely sorry to write a treatise titled The Willow lecting trips to that area. From his hear of Jones’s death; in spite of his Family of the Great Plateau in 1908, base in a small house in Claremont diatribes against most of us, he was and a 288-page monograph titled that accommodated his printing the sort of straightforward and ap- Revision of the North-American Spe- press, his photography equipment, parently big-hearted old pirate at cies of Astragalus in 1923, both of and his work tables, he also traveled whom one could take no real of- which he self-published. extensively around the Southwest, fense and for whom, I imagine, one As always he continued to col- to Northern California, and for re- could have a genuine affection.” lect. His early trips were made by search at the herbarium at the Uni- The author wishes to thank Dr. horse and wagon, but around the versity of California in Berkeley. Lee W. Lenz for permission to use turn of the century he obtained a With his printing press close-at- data derived from Lenz’s biography bicycle and, after that, a motorcycle. hand, he began publishing a series of Marcus Jones. His affair with the motorcycle was of profiles in Contributions to West- short-lived due to an accident, but ern Botany titled, “Botanists I Have Elizabeth Rush, 25209 La Loma Drive, he replaced it with a Model T Ford Known.” Among those he praised Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. elizab@batnet. which remained his mode of trans- were Katharine Brandegee, Alice com portation for the next 20 years. It Eastwood, George Engelmann, was his great love. Samuel Parish, Asa Gray, and Sereno REFERENCES By 1923 Jones’s life had spiraled Watson. Among those whom he cut Ertter, B. 2001. Native California Roses. downward. He and Anna separated to ribbons were Edward Lee Greene Discovery of Rosa minutifolia En- in 1910, work on the flora stalled, and Charles C. Parry. Perhaps, given gelm. “Ensenada Rose.” Accessed at he was depressed, and he was hav- his amiable relationships at Pomona, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/ ing difficulty supporting himself. He he needed to vent in some other minutifolia.html saw the sale of his herbarium as the way. His vitriol was not limited to Lenz, L.W. 1986. Marcus E. Jones: West- only solution to his problems. He the profiles. In a review of Stanford ern Geologist, Mining Engineer & consulted with Alice Eastwood about University’s LeRoy Abrams’s Flora Botanist. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic the sale (she was interested), as well of Los Angeles and Vicinity he wrote, Garden, Claremont CA. Lenz, L. W. Personal communication. as with the Gray Herbarium at “Abrams is not in any proper sense a April 2006. Harvard, the University of Utah, botanist . . . The poorest attempt at a Williams, R.L. 2003. A Region of Aston- Stanford University, and Pomona text book on the plants of any re- ishing Beauty: The Botanical Explo- College. gion that I have ever seen.” ration of the Rocky Mountains. Rob- Professor Philip Munz of Pomo- His feelings about Edward Lee ert Rinehart Publishers. Lanham, na managed to find the money to Greene ran deeper than disagree- MD.

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 13 A HARVEST OF SEEDS by Michael Wall and John Macdonald

he wonder and diversity of our native flowers are no less diminished and no less inspiring after their petals fall. As the exuberance of spring fades, and summer days grow shorter, seed production begins in earnest. This photo essay illustrates the fascinating variety of our na- Ttive seeds, those tiny, gift-wrapped packages of life, and exemplars of beauty and function. Since the early 1980s the seed collection at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG) has grown to its current holdings of over 3,400 accessions representing over 1,600 taxa from 115 plant families. The number of conser- vation collections of rare, threatened, or endangered native plants have increased dramatically over the years. Today, close to one-third (995) of the accessions in the collection are listed in the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants in California, and about 14% (468) are state or federally listed rare, threatened, or endangered taxa. Many of these rare plant collec- tions represent populations that no longer exist, or may be genetically richer than the remnant and declining populations from which they were originally sampled. These genetically representative population samples are especially valuable as they can serve to regenerate plants for future reintroduction and recovery projects, and are themselves a hedge against extinction. In addition, these seed collections are used to research seed germination protocols while the resulting plants are often incorporated into the Garden’s displays. Seed samples from the collection are distributed to researchers and other botani- cal institutions around the world. Seed collections stored under controlled conditions over long time periods serve to provide us with a better under- standing of both the advantages and limitations of seed storage as both a conservation and horticultural tool.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHY RSABG Volunteer John Macdonald has been photographing seed collec- tions at RSABG for the past six years. The catalog of seed images at the Garden has now grown to well over 1,000 and represents close to 900 native and 120 non-native species. To capture these images, Macdonald uses either a Minolta Maxxum 7D 6MP or a Sony Alpha 100 10mp digital camera using a Sigma 100mm Macro and on occasion (for very close work) a reversed 55mm Minolta lens mounted on the front of the 100mm Macro. The camera is mounted on a Kaiser copy stand using a Minolta twin flash 2400 for lighting. He subsequently optimizes and combines the images in Photoshop CS2 on a Mac G4 using HeliconFocus 3.5 software to combine multiple images to improve depth of field.

Michael Wall, Curator and Manager, Seed Program, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG), 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711. [email protected]; John Macdonald, c/o RSABG, 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711.

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 Opposite page, counter clockwise from upper left: Rough menodora (Menodora scabra) • Chaparral whitethorn (Ceanothus leucodermis) • Long-spined spineflower (Chorizanthe polygonoides var. longi- spina) • Coast woolly-heads (Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata) • California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) seeds • Frying pans (Eschscholzia lobbii) • California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) fruits • Bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca). This page, top row from left to right: Spiny red- berry (Rhamnus crocea) • Poison oak (Toxicoden- dron diversilobum) • Notch-leaved phacelia (Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua). Second row from left to right: Fluff grass (Erioneuron pulchellum) • Cali- fornia juniper (Juniperus californica) • California vervain (Verbena californica). Left: Sonoma sunshine (Blennosperma bakeri). Below: Coffee weed (Sesba- nia exaltata).

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 15 16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 Opposite page, clockwise from top: Close up of poison oak (Toxicodendron diversi- lobum) • Purple owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta) • Woolly plantain (Plantago ovata). Above, clockwise from upper left: Prickly poppy (Argemone munita) • California barrel cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus) • Desert windflower (Anemone tuberosa) • Guadalupe Island lupine (Lupinus guadalupensis) • Douglas’s sandwort (Minuartia douglasii) • Forked fiddleneck (Amsinckia vernicosa var. furcata) • Catalina crossosoma (Crossosoma californicum). Left and below, left to right: Catalina mariposa lily (Calochortus catalinae) • Fringed amaranth (Amaranthus fimbriatus) • Chia (Salvia columbariae) • California croton (Croton californicus).

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 17 WHERE DID THE CNPS RED CODE GO? by Kristi Lazar

he California Native Plant Society’sInventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of Cali- fornia (CNPS Inventory) was Toriginally published in 1974 and was the first effort of its kind to track the status of native and rare California plant taxa. The CNPS In- ventory has been used for more than 30 years by government agencies, consultants, students, and others to help in their rare plant oriented con- servation, research, and educational activities. The CNPS Inventory cur- rently contains information on more than 2,000 rare California plant taxa and places each rare species into one of five CNPS lists (see Box 1). Lathyrus japonicus (sand pea) is known from nine occurrences in the coastal dune ecosystems These lists are used to categorize of Del Norte and Humboldt Counties in California, as well as in Oregon and Washington. the rarity of a plant based on num- L. japonicus is threatened by both invasion of nonnative plants and off-road vehicles. This ber and status of occurrences. The plant is on CNPS List 2 and once had a RED Code of 3-3-1, indicating that it is rare and threatened in California but more common outside of California. Now, L. japonicus is on List 2 with a Threat Rank of 0.1. This 2.1 more clearly indicates that this species is rare and very threatened in California despite it being more common elsewhere. Photograph by A. Pickart, 2006.

CNPS REVD Code (Rarity, Endan- endangerment depending on other germent, Vigor, and Distribution factors. A species such as Astragalus Code), which was later modified to deanei is known from 16 occurrences the RED Code, was an additional restricted to San Diego County and component of the CNPS Inventory is seriously threatened due to en- that was created to help further cat- croaching development. A. deanei is egorize species rarity. an example of a plant that is rare and endangered. However, a species CREATION OF THE REVD such as Penstemon calcareus is AND RED CODES known from 21 occurrences in re- mote areas of Inyo and San Bernar- A species that is rare generally dino Counties with currently no has a narrow distribution and/or few known threats to the species. P. occurrences. However, a rare spe- calcareus is an example of a plant cies may have different degrees of that is rare but not endangered. As

Top: Delphinium stachydeum (spiked larkspur) is known from 22 occurrences in Lassen and Modoc Counties on federally owned lands with minimal threats to the species. D. stachydeum also occurs in multiple other states. This species is on List 2 and once had a RED Code of 2-1-1. Now, D. stachydeum is on List 2 with a Threat Rank of 0.3. This 2.3 more clearly indicates that this species is rare but not very threatened in California and is more common outside of California. Photograph by T. Engstrom, 2006. • Bottom: Arctostaphylos myrtifolia is a California endemic that is known from 14 occurrences in Amador and Calaveras Counties. Main threats to this species include disease, development, and mining. This species is on List 1B and once had a RED Code of 2-2-3. Now, A. myrtifolia is on List 1B with a Threat Rank of 0.2. This 1B.2 more clearly indicates that this species is rare in California and is moderately threatened. Photograph by S. Matson, 2006.

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 problems with the usability and re- BOX 1: CNPS LISTS OVER THE YEARS dundancy of the RED Code contin- ued to be a concern. 1974 (1st edition) 1. Very Rare & Rare and Endangered WHAT HAPPENED TO THE Appendix I – Rare and Not Endangered Appendix II – Mostly of Limited Distribution RED CODE? Includes the REVD Code In 2003, a committee, called the 1980 (2nd edition) CNPS Ranking System Working 1. Presumed Extinct in California Group, was organized to address 2. Rare and Endangered problems with the RED Code. The 3. Rare, But Not Endangered committee recommended that the 4. Rare in California, But Not Elsewhere RED Code be discontinued and that Includes the REVD Code its information be conveyed in a 1984 (3rd edition) to 2004 (online version) clearer manner through the creation 1A. Presumed Extinct in California of a Threat Rank in the CNPS Inven- 1B. Rare or Endangered in California and Elsewhere tory (see Box 2). The recommenda- 2. Rare or Endangered in California, More Common Elsewhere tions of the Ranking System Work- 3. Need More Information ing Group were approved by the 4. Plants of Limited Distribution CNPS Board of Directors in August Includes the RED Code of 2005 and the changes were sub- sequently implemented. So, while 2005 (online version) to ppresent the RED Code has been removed 1A. Presumed Extinct in California (no threat ranks) from the CNPS Inventory, RED Code 1B. Rare or Endangered in California and Elsewhere information is still present, just in a 1B.1 – Seriously Threatened in California different format. 1B.2 – Fairly Threatened in California 1B.3 – Not Very Threatened in California 2. Rare or Endangered in California, More Common Elsewhere RARITY 2.1 – Seriously Threatened in California The rarity component (R value) 2.2 – Fairly Threatened in California of the RED Code is incorporated in 2.3 – Not Very Threatened in California the current CNPS lists: A plant that 3. Need More Information (threat ranks not always present) is considered rare (rarity value of 1 3.1 – Seriously Threatened in California or 2) is likely to be on List 1B or List 3.2 – Fairly Threatened in California 2 (plants rare, threatened, or endan- 3.3 – Not Very Threatened in California gered in California) and a plant that 4. Plants of Limited Distribution (threat ranks not always present) is not as rare (rarity value of 3) 4.2 – Moderate Degree of Threats would likely be on List 4 (plants of 4.3 – Low Degree of Threats or Unknown Threats limited distribution). This shows that the rarity part of the RED Code is a redundant feature of the CNPS these examples show, a simple des- of the REVD Code was given a 1-3 ranking system. More detailed in- ignation of a plant’s status as rare, ranking independently of any of the formation on rarity can be found threatened, or endangered was un- other components. While this sys- in the ranking system of the Cali- satisfactory. tem of ranking was useful to assess fornia Natural Diversity Database The REVD Code was created as the factors which influence a spe- (CNDDB), which uses a nationally a numerical way to present four im- cies’ rarity, the REVD Code was recognized ranking method designed portant factors that determine how found by many users to be confus- by The Nature Conservancy. In this rare a species is (see Box 2). These ing. In the first attempt to simplify system, Global and State Ranks (G factors are: Rarity, Endangerment, the REVD Code, the Vigor compo- and S ranks respectively) are as- Vigor, and Distribution. Each of nent was removed in the 3rd edition signed based upon number of oc- these components had a 1, 2, or 3 of the CNPS Inventory published in currences, number of good occur- ranking, with the higher number in- 1984. The REVD Code was thereaf- rences, and distribution and range dicating the greater cause for con- ter known as the RED Code. De- information, along with several other cern. In addition, each component spite this effort at improvement, factors. Since the CNDDB tracks

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 19 cluded in the CNPS Online Inven- ENDANGERMENT tory as additional information. The endangerment component DISTRIBUTION (E value) is probably the most im- portant part of the RED Code and is The distribution component (D the most useful for conservation pur- value) of the RED Code was once poses. However, this endangerment used to indicate whether a plant was component seemed to lose some of endemic to California or whether it its value and accessibility when it was widespread outside California. was part of the RED code. For this This information is already included reason, CNPS implemented a sepa- in the distribution portion of the rate but appended Threat Rank to CNPS Inventory record, which indi- replace the endangerment compo- cates the counties in California nent of the RED Code. where the plant is known to occur, and other states, if any, where the THREAT RANK plant occurs. In addition, a note on whether the species is a California The Threat Rank is an extension endemic has been added to the CNPS of the CNPS List and designates the Online Inventory to further eluci- level of endangerment with a 1 to 3 date the distribution of the species. ranking, with 1 being the most en-

BOX 2: THE MEANING BEHIND REVD AND RED CODES (1974–2005) AND THREAT RANK (2005–TO DATE) R – Rarityy 1 – Rare, but found in sufficient numbers and distributed widely enough that the potential for extinction is low at this time. 2 – Distributed in a limited number of occurrences, or more Top: Penstemon calcareus (limestone beard- occurrences if each site has few plants. tongue) is known from 21 occurrences in 3 – Distributed in one to several highly restricted occurrences, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties. P. calcareus also has a few occurrences in or present in such small numbers that it is seldom reported. adjacent Nevada. This species is on List 1B E – Endangermentg and once had a RED Code of 2-1-1. Now, P. 1 – Seriously Endangered in California calcareus is on List 1B with a Threat Rank 2 – Fairly Endangered in California of 0.3. This 1B.3 more clearly indicates that this species is rare but not very threatened 3 – Not Very Endangered in California in California due to its remote localities. V – Vigorggp (from REVD Code, pre-1988) Photograph by J. Andre, 2006. • Bottom: 1 – Increasing or Stable in Number Dudleya greenei (Greene’s dudleya) is a California endemic that occurs on several 2 – Declining in Number of the California Channel Islands and is 3 – Approaching Extinction or Extirpation threatened by feral herbivores and tram- D – Distribution pling. This species is on List 4 and once 1 – More or Less Widespread Outside California had a RED Code of 1-2-3. Now, D. greenei is on List 4 with a Threat Rank of 0.2. This 2 – Rare Outside California 4.2 more clearly indicates that this species 3 – Endemic to California is of limited distribution in California and Threat Ranks (2005 onward) is moderately threatened. Photograph by S. Matson, 2006. 0.1 – Seriously Threatened in California (high degree/imme- diacy of threat) individual occurrences, it can as- 0.2 – Fairly Threatened in California (moderate degree/ sign more precise ranks for a species immediacy of threat) than can CNPS, which tracks rare 0.3 – Not Very Threatened in California (low degree/immediacy plants only to the quad level. The of threats or no current threats known) CNDDB G and S ranks are now in-

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 BOX 3: CNDDB ELEMENT RANKING S1 – Less than 6 element occurrences OR less than 1000 indi- viduals OR less than 2000 acres S1.1 = Very Threatened S1.2 = Threatened S1.3 = No Current Threats Known S2 – 6-20 element occurrences OR 1,000-3,000 individuals OR 2,000-10,000 acres S2.1 = Very Threatened S2.2 = Threatened Top: Calochortus ti- S2.3 = No Current Threats Known buronensis (Tiburon S3 – 21-80 element occurrences OR 3,000-10,000 individuals OR mariposa lily) is a California endemic 10,000-50,000 acres known from a single S3.1 = Very Threatened occurrence on ser- S3.2 = Threatened pentine grassland S3.3 = No Current Threats Known in Marin County. S4 – Apparently secure within California; this rank is clearly Threats to this spe- cies include recrea- lower than S3 but factors exist to cause some concern; there is tional activities and some threat or somewhat narrow habitat. No Threat Rank. non-native plants. S5 – Demonstrably secure to ineradicable in California. No This species is on List Threat Rank. 1B and once had a RED Code of 3-3-3. Now C. tiburonensis is on List 1B with a Threat Rank of 0.1. This dangered and 3 being the least en- gered and 1 the least endangered. A 1B.1 more clearly indicates that this species dangered. Note that this is the op- Threat Rank is present for all plants is rare and very threatened in California. posite of the “old” RED Code rank- on List 1B and List 2, and the major- Photograph by M. Below, 2006. • Bottom: ing in which 3 was the most endan- ity of plants on List 3 and List 4. List Swertia albomarginatus (desert green- gentian) occurs in remote localities in Inyo 4 plants may have a Threat Rank of and San Bernardino Counties, as well as in 0.2 or 0.3. An instance of a List 4 Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. plant with a Threat Rank of 0.1 has This species is on List 4 and once had a not yet been encountered, as List 4 RED Code of 1-1-1. Now, S. albomargin- plants generally have large enough atus is on List 4 with a Threat Rank of 0.3. This 4.3 more clearly indicates that this populations to ensure their contin- species is of limited distribution in Cali- ued existence in California. Other fornia but is not very threatened. Photo- factors of concern place these plants graph by J. Andre, 2005. on the CNPS List. In addition, no plants on List 1A (presumed extinct similar to the new Threat Rank ex- in California), and only some plants tension (see Box 3). Adding this on List 3 (need more information) Threat Rank extension and aligning and List 4 (limited distribution) have it with the CNDDB’s system further a Threat Rank extension. helps users by providing rankings which are accepted nationwide. In CONCLUSION addition, this Threat Rank helps make the CNPS List a more effective Throughout the past 38 years of prioritization tool for conservation Astragalus deanei (Dean’s milk-vetch) is a California endemic known from less than the Rare Plant Program, improve- planning as it is now easier to iden- 20 occurrences in San Diego County and is ments have continuously been made tify those plants which are the rarest seriously threatened by development. This to streamline the rare plant review and the most endangered. species is on List 1B and once had a RED process, as well as the CNPS Inven- Code of 3-3-3. It is now on List 1B with a tory, and make them as user-friendly Kristi Lazar, Rare Plant Botanist, Cali- Threat Rank of 0.1. This List 1B.1 more clearly indicates this species rarity and as possible. The usefulness of the fornia Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, threat status. Photograph by V. Scheidt, Threat Rank also extends outside of Suite 1, Sacramento, CA 95816. klazar@ 2006. CNPS. The CNDDB uses a system cnps.org

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 21 NEW CNPS FELLOWS

ROLAND AND BARBARA visible tip of the iceberg. However, bara is the editor and orchestrates PITSCHEL those who know how the chapter the production process, taking infi- works are aware that it could not nite pains to have each newsletter he contributions of Yerba function as it does without Roland’s attractive, error-free, timely, of ex- Buena Chapter founding continual behind-the-scenes efforts. cellent quality, varied and balanced members Roland and Barbara Switching metaphors, if Barbara is in content, interesting to readers, Pitschel have been so numer- the tree, Roland is the root system and educational. Her care in layout, ous,T of such magnitude, so vital to that anchors, supports, and nour- design, and illustrations enhance the the chapter and to the Society, and ishes it. Roland uses his talents and attractiveness and readability of each are of such high quality, that the fine craftsmanship unobtrusively to issue. Roland’s contribution is seam- chapter board was impelled to single keep chapter activities running lessly woven into this process, as he them out as Fellows of the Califor- smoothly. Roland, chapter vice presi- interacts with the volunteer desk- nia Native Plant Society (CNPS). dent since 1992, lends consistency, top publisher, does layout and paste- Barbara and Roland are perfection- stability, and continuity to the chap- up, and finds and works with a ists in everything they do, and never ter. In that same year he became printer who will provide the neces- settle for anything less than the best. publications chair, and assumed re- sary high quality at an affordable Their official titles on the chapter’s sponsibility for production of chap- price. Barbara recruits mailing vol- board of directors do not tell the ter publications. He continues to ful- unteers and Roland sets up the mail- story, as a large portion of what they fill the duties of both posts today. ing process. He then delivers the do does not fit under those titles. The Pitschels’ most visible con- newsletters to the Postal Service so Both Roland and Barbara are self- tribution to our chapter is the news- they reach most members the next effacing people. Most members are letter, the Yerba Buena News, which day, always in plenty of time for aware of Barbara because she is the they have produced since 1995. Bar- scheduled events. In 1993, Barbara became chair Roland and Barbara Pitschel at Bernal Heights Park, San Francisco. Photograph by M. Bors. of the Program Committee, which arranges monthly members’ meet- ings. Since 2002, she has continued as co-chair of this committee with Jake Sigg. Roland provides crucial technical and logistical support for each meeting. As a result of their combined efforts, the chapter has fascinating, well-attended programs appealing to a broad range of di- verse interests. These popular meet- ings often attract attendees from be- yond CNPS membership. We enjoy programs that are balanced and var- ied, with topics such as gardening, planting for wildlife, wildflowers, human uses of native plants, and scientific, historic, biographic, and geographic issues of interest. Our guest speakers’ travel, equipment, and logistic needs are anticipated and aptly handled so that attendees enjoy a pleasant evening free of dis- tractions. Speakers are treated to din- ner, and everyone is encouraged to attend. Barbara became hospitality chair

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 in 1992, and the Pitschels gener- formalized into the Bernal Hilltop the HCRL. After this three-month ously provided food and refreshment Native Grassland Restoration exhibit, all of the items were sold or at members meetings—at their own Project, which added propagation auctioned, and the proceeds were expense—until the recent advent of and planting of locally indigenous used to benefit the library’s collec- a new chapter hospitality chair in stock on the site and observation of tion. 2005. They provide the same to at- results. The Bernal Hilltop Project In all that they do, Roland and tendees at our monthly board meet- was the first ecological restoration Barbara Pitschel have brought rec- ings, which they host. project attempted in San Francisco ognition, professionalism, and a Barbara’s and Roland’s long his- and one of the earliest such efforts positive image to the California Na- tory in the field of ecological resto- in California. tive Plant Society. The Yerba Buena ration in San Francisco began in Shortly thereafter, Barbara and Chapter Board of Directors consid- 1972 when they became involved in Roland both became active in ers the actions of the Pitschels to Bernal Heights Park, which is now DAWN. Roland served on the exemplify the best traits and ideals recognized as one of the city’s sig- DAWN board from approximately of our Society, and finds the Pitschels nificant natural areas. They helped 1983 to 1987. Charli Danielsen was to be highly deserving of this too- in the successful effort to transfer plant propagator and president of long-delayed honor. this property from the Department the DAWN board during that pe- Jake Sigg of Public Works, where it was a riod until she retired to assume the candidate for development, to the CNPS presidency. Barbara contin- STEVE HARTMAN Recreation and Park Department ued to manage DAWN’s member- (RPD), where it will be preserved in ship records until 1991. teve Hartman, a champion of perpetuity in a natural state. The Bernal Hilltop Project was California native plants, has After moving to Bernal Heights named Best-of-the-Bay in 1998 by been an advocate for the in 1966, they quickly realized that, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, was preservation, conservation, despite years of disturbances and honored in 1999 with the $1,000 Sand use of our state’s flora. Over the weed invasion, here was a remnant Lackmann-Soulages Award from the last thirty years, he has built an in- of the original landscape, complete Trust for Public Land, and received credible network of conservation or- with many of the native plants that a $300 “giving back to the commu- ganizations and agencies to further had been present since the time of nity award” from Bernal Realty in these goals. European settlement. The transfer 2001. All awarded funds were con- Hartman became a member of agreement stipulated that any main- tributed to the restoration effort. the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Moun- tenance work undertaken at this Barbara is a charter member of tains Chapter of the California Na- park would be only to restore it to a Society for Ecological Restoration tive Plant Society (CNPS) as a stu- “pre-1825” condition. In 1973, Bar- (formerly SERM). In 1983, she pre- dent at University of California Ber- bara and Roland inaugurated sented a paper on grassland restora- keley in 1974. But his interest in monthly hilltop trash removal work tion at the American Association of nature goes back to earlier days. As parties. This effort gradually evolved Botanical Gardens and Arboreta con- he explains, “I could pretty much into the monthly restoration work ference in San Diego. There, she met identify the birds, reptiles, amphib- parties that still exist today. Follow- Restoration & Management Notes edi- ians, insects (to order) and mam- ing each work party, attendees are tor Bill Jordan, for whom she volun- mals, but plants had so many more rewarded with a sumptuous repast teered for several years as West Coast species! Joining CNPS was a logical at the Pitschels’ nearby home. contributing editor of notes to the choice because when on field trips, In 1980, aided by the expertise journal. there would always be someone who of David Amme and Dennis (Rogers) Barbara, as Head Librarian of San could identify the plants. (As a side Martinez, founders of DAWN (De- Francisco Botanical Garden’s Helen note, my brother and a friend cre- sign Associates Working With Na- Crocker Russell Library of Horticul- ated the ‘California Newt Patrol’ ture), the Pitschels were instrumen- ture (HCRL), in addition to promot- [CNP] when I was in high school. tal in gaining permission from RPD ing CNPS, disseminates information We built a pond area at my friend’s authorizing their volunteer steward- about native plants and gardening to home and learned how hard it is to ship efforts on Bernal Heights Park. an avid and knowledgeable public. construct a wetland.)” Early efforts concentrated primarily Her efforts include high quality Hartman credits Jeffery Clark, on eradication of invasive exotic art exhibits by chapter members and his high school AP (Advanced Place- weeds. In 1986, with the help of others. A popular recent exhibit was ment) biology teacher, and his lead- Bernal Heights resident and plant the collected art works of Wayne ing field trips in the local mountains ecologist Rick Clinebell, efforts were Roderick, which he had willed to for stimulating his interest in native

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 23 an updated California Plant Com- munities CD with images.) Because of his vision and work, the mission was attained. Another facet of Hartman is his business knowledge. His back- ground as a business major at UC Berkeley and his work in the family retail business gave him the skills and experience to become chapter treasurer and then CNPS state trea- surer, an office he has held since 1996. As an editor, Hartman has an impressive resume: He edits Toyon, the chapter newsletter, and helps in the publication of the semi-annual CNPS catalog. He has also served as editor of two popular native plant publications: the second edition of Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains by Nancy Dale and The Best Spring Ever: Why El Niño Makes the Desert Bloom by photographer Steve Hartman at Algodones Dunes in Imperial County. Photograph by C. Goodpasture. Carll Goodpasture. Hartman shows his abiding love plants. On one occasion, Clark and accounting to plant sales and from of the desert through his work on Hartman worked on a transect of programs to presidencies. several fronts. Hartman became in- the San Gabriel Mountains, identi- While serving as chapter presi- volved with Bureau of Land Man- fying plants and plant communities dent from 1987-1988, Hartman’s agement (BLM) studies, comment- as they hiked up and down the persistent advocacy for a new state ing on environmental impact reports mountain, an experience that left an committee for plant communities (EIR). He was the first to request indelible impression on Hartman. earned him the “Goad Award” pre- that BLM consider plant communi- While at UC Berkeley, Hartman sented by then-president Suzanne ties rather than just Unique Plant published Simplified Key to 24 Com- Schettler. The Plant Communities Assemblages, Forage, and Rare and mon Plant Families in 1974. A re- Program was realized in 1991. Endangered Species when drawing vised second edition was published Starting in 1999, Hartman cre- up EIRs. in the mid-80s. He still gets requests ated a line of natural history com- In 1992, Hartman began a six- for the identification guide, but ad- puter programs. The first product year term serving on the California mits that he has not had time to was “California Plant Communities Desert District Advisory Council update it lately. Information System,” an authorized (CDDAC), which oversees 12 mil- When he returned to Los Ange- release of Holland’s seminal 1976 lion acres of public land. He real- les after college, Hartman’s first “gray literature.” Another program ized that fragile desert washes, rich project with the chapter was to con- was “Preliminary Descriptions of the in biodiversity, had no protection vert the typewriter-written Avery Terrestrial Natural Communities of and that driving in them was not labels to computer-generated labels California” that was updated to con- restricted. His focus on protecting from the membership database. form to the 1993 Jepson taxonomy. these washes led to the publication What a gift he was offering to the With the advent of Windows(TM) of Desert Washes: Managing a Frag- chapter! This act was also setting that could incorporate images, he ile Resource on Our Public Lands, his life-path of becoming a main produced a line of Wildflower CDs Educational Bulletin #98-3 of the player in CNPS. Since then, Hartman starting in the mid-1990s (Anza- Desert Protective Council, Inc. Hart- has worked on everything from nox- Borrego Wildflowers, Death Valley man comments, “I believe that my ious weeds to gardens and from wild NP Wildflowers, Joshua Tree NP efforts during my term on the Coun- lands to motorways. He has helped Wildflowers, 500 Sierra Wildflow- cil (followed up ably by Ileene the chapter with everything from ers, 500 California Wildflowers, and Anderson) led to increased aware-

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 ness of the variety of plant commu- and botanists in spring and some- lead the group in search of popula- nities in the desert and especially times in fall, exploring Imperial tions of rare plants, challenge par- the importance of protecting desert County, southern and eastern Riv- ticipants to identify perennial veg- washes, and has indirectly led to erside County, and eastern San Ber- etation in its deciduous state, or hunt certain environmental groups tak- nardino County. As Hartman de- for plant galls, always observing and ing a very hard stand on the issue of scribes these trips, “The Indian Wash appreciating the beauty and resil- designating [driving] routes which vicinity of eastern Imperial County, iency of the desert. has subsequently led to lawsuits that the Algodones Dunes, and the In Joshua Tree National Park are still pending.” During his tenure Bradshaw Trail are fantastic for the Hartman envisioned and imple- on the CDDAC Hartman was also glorious vast openness, the uncom- mented an important project—the instrumental in taking a survey of mon shrubs and breathtaking but Vertical Vegetation Program (VV), vegetation for the Northern and East- rare annual displays. It is also hard which established baseline vegeta- ern Colorado Ecosystem Manage- not to be fascinated by the remnants tion data in 1999. The VV was a co- ment Plan (NECO) and in the re- of the Native American tribes, be it operative temporary arrangement sulting draft report. rock alignments, trails, sleeping between rock climbers, the Park, and Hartman’s desert field trips are circles, quartz scatters, or petro- CNPS. Once the project concluded highlights of the year for many desert glyphs . . . or the 60-year-old tank with the report, the Park incorpo- enthusiasts. He leads three- to five- tracks that are still obvious today.” rated the findings into their ongo- day trips for CNPS members, staff, In times of drought, Hartman might ing management activities.

The California Native Plant Society Needs You!

equests are an important part of CNPS fundraising efforts. Generous donors from all regions of the state and from all walks of life have helped CNPS achieve its goals and have helped fund important CNPS programs.

In addition to naming CNPS in your will or living trust, you can also name CNPS as a beneficiary of a life insur- ance policy or retirement plan. There are also planned giving options that can pay you an income during your life while benefiting the future of CNPS.

To find out more on these giving opportunities, contact:

Amanda Jorgenson or Melissa Cirone Executive Director of CNPS Development Director of CNPS phone: (916) 447-2677 x 12 phone: (916) 447-2677 x 15 fax: (916) 447-2727 fax: (916) 447-2727 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 25 Another of Hartman’s interests Bureau of Sanitation, L.A. Depart- for his definitive role in the preser- is the establishment and protection ment of Street Maintenance and vation of the Sepulveda Basin and of Sepulveda Wildlife Lake and Sanc- CalTrans all have their particular the Los Angeles River and for his tuary. From 1986 to the present, he interest in the area. support of Audubon’s environmen- has worked tirelessly, not only weed- When the plans for a mass tran- tal education programs for Los An- ing and planting, but advising, ad- sit bus line across the San Fernando geles school children. vocating, and lobbying for this sanc- Valley on an abandoned railroad line Steve Hartman’s work has en- tuary on the Los Angeles River. Com- were adopted, Hartman served on lightened the public, encouraged plicating matters is the array of agen- the advisory board and promoted enthusiasm for protection of threat- cies with a stake in the area. The the use of a half million California ened environments, elicited coop- Army Corps of Engineers “owns” native plants along the 13.4-mile eration among agencies, both pub- the Sepulveda Flood Control Basin route. lic and private, all to benefit Califor- and Dam while the City of Los An- The San Fernando Valley Audu- nia flora. His positive impact on geles Department of Recreation and bon Society honored Hartman in California’s native flora will endure. Parks, County Mosquito Abatement, 1993 with their Conservation Award Jo Kitz

BOOK REVIEWS

Introduction to California Soils tation of how geology influences plants is one of the great experts on the and Plants: Serpentine, Vernal Pools, in two different and profound ways: subject. and Other Geobotanical Wonders, landforms and the chemical composi- Following the serpentine story, a Arthur R. Kruckeberg.University of tion of rocks and the soils into which somewhat shorter chapter describes California Press, 2006. 281 pages. they evolve. California is blessed both other plant-soil relationships, with ex- $45.00 hardcover, $18.95 paperback. with a diversity of landforms, ranging amples from limestone, sterile soils The University of California Press from mountains to the Central Valley (Ione and Pine Hill), salty soils, nor- divides its popular California Natural to islands, and with an immense diver- mal soils, wetlands, and guano beds History Guide Series into two catego- sity of rocks and soils, ranging from on the Farallon Islands. Briefer chap- ries: “introductions for beginners,” and ancient Precambrian rocks to recent ters on plant geography and human “field guides for more experienced volcanics. These two sources of diver- influences describe both the distribu- naturalists” (from a back page blurb). sity influence plant evolution and dis- tion of native plants in California and This book, number 86 in the Natural tribution, leading in large part to the the threats to them. The book ends History Guide series, might be deemed 6,000-plus native plant species found with 30 pages of useful information— an introduction, but it holds some- in California today, more than in any a glossary of terms, references, and thing of interest for all plant enthusi- other state. best of all, lists of unusual California asts. Where field guides answer the A comprehensive exploration of landforms and soils, most of which are question, “What is that?” this book California’s full geobotanical richness in parks or reserves, and all of which answers the questions “Why are these requires a tome, rather than a guide. are worth seeing. Overall, the book is plants growing where they grow?” and Kruckeberg follows a simpler strat- highly readable and informative. While “Why are there so many plant species egy, using specific examples to illus- UC Press may market it as a beginner’s in California?” Anyone who finds these trate the effects that geology has on introduction, almost everyone will questions intriguing, from budding plants. In the chapter on landforms, learn something new from it. California naturalists to experienced he uses both large features (the Chan- Frank Landis observers will find this book well worth nel Islands and the Central Valley) Los Angeles buying. Professor Kruckeberg, a well- and small ones (vernal pools and other known and respected botanist, is in wetlands) to illustrate how different Native Treasures: Gardening with his seventh decade of studying the re- landforms foster specially adapted flo- the Plants of California, M. Nevin lationship between serpentine soils and ras. After providing overviews of plant Smith. University of California Press, their unique floras. He terms it a evolution, soil chemistry, and soil for- 2006. 288 pages, 125 color illustra- “kooky soil story.” Dr. Kruckeberg is mation, he naturally devotes a chap- tions. $60.00 hardcover, $24.95 pa- one of the pioneers in the field of geo- ter to the serpentine story. The link perback. botany, and this interaction between between the unusual chemistry of ser- Many readers of Fremontia are fa- plants and geology is the heart of the pentine rocks and soils and the plants miliar with the native plant gardening book. But this book goes far beyond adapted to survive in them provides columns written by M. Nevin Smith, rocks and soils. one of the best case studies of the Director of Horticulture at Suncrest Introduction to California Soils and profound interaction between rocks, Nurseries, Inc., Watsonville, Califor- Plants provides an accessible presen- soils, and plants, and Dr. Kruckeberg nia. This new volume, Native Trea-

26 FREMONTIA VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA 27 sures: Gardening with the Plants of Cali- ture in some depth. Smith chose to fornia, is itself a native treasure. It is at write more in essay style, including once a usable guide to growing Cali- much practical cultural information, fornia native plants and a love letter to but also including background discus- the flora of California. sion of a genus or group of plants. He For many years, Marjorie Schmidt’s has continued and expanded this essay book, Growing California Native Plants style in Native Treasures. This book (UC Press, 1980) has been the only in- does not try to cover every California depth source for expanding one’s native in cultivation; Smith makes his knowledge and use of California’s na- choices with care and treats each of his tive flora in the garden. Now we have choices in depth. He wants the reader two sources published within a year: to understand the “why,” not just the this volume and California Native “how,” of native plant gardening. Plants for the Garden (see book review, The section devoted to California Fremontia 34(1):31-32. 2006). While oaks, “Ode to an Oak” is a case in the latter book discusses the cultiva- point. The first two lines set the tone: tion of a wide variety of native plants “Oaks are not mere elements of a wild once they are in the garden, Smith’s California landscape, even major ele- book offers an in-depth look at a selec- years ago when Marjorie Schmidt asked ments. They create a landscape and tion of native plants both in the gar- Nevin Smith to take over her column give it character.” Clearly this is not den and in the natural habitat. in Fremontia. Schmidt had dealt with the start of a “how-to” chapter. Dis- The genesis of Smith’s book began one species at a time, covering its cul- cussion of “Use and Culture” does not even begin until the fifth of sixteen pages in this chapter. A major feature in each of these essays is the description of studying Advertise in the plants in their natural surround- ings, or as Lester Rowntree wrote “meeting them in their days and sea- sons.” This approach stresses the most Fremontia! valuable way to learn what each plant needs if we are to bring it into the gar- den successfully. Large sections of the book are de- Journal of the California Native Plant Society voted to what Smith calls “nuts and bolts,” such as habitat, soil, microcli- mate, fire, installation and maintenance. January 1, 2007 Advertising Rates There is also an excellent chapter on propagation, with more information on Full Page $900 1/3 Page $350 the propagation of California natives Half Page $500 Quarter Page $300 than is available in any other source 1/8 Page $150 other than a propagation textbook. The propagation process is clearly explained For Sales and Information Contact: with an easy-to-follow guide for gar- deners who want to try their hands at Fremontia Editor: [email protected] expanding their collections. OR Native Treasures provides a great read as well as an excellent guide to California Native Plant Society the use of natives in the garden. It is an Fremontia Attn: Advertising essential companion book to Califor- 2707 K Street, Suite 1 nia Native Plants for the Garden. These Sacramento, CA 95816 two books provide an exponential in- (916) 447-2677 crease in the amount of information (916) 447-2727 fax available to the California native plant gardener. Native Treasures is also an For actual ad sizes, see: excellent stimulus to go out into the http://www.cnps.org/cnps/publications/pdf/ field to study and enjoy California’s FREMONTIA_0901_AD_SIZES.PDF vast floral richness. Rosemary Foster Monterey Bay Chapter

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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]

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION James M. Andre, plant ecologist, is director of the University of California’s Gran- ite Mountains Desert Research Center located in Eastern San Bernardino County. Members and others are invited Matt Below is a wildflower enthusiast who has a BS in Geography from the Uni- to submit material for publica- versity of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. He lives in Sonoma County and works in eco- tion in Fremontia. Instructions logical restoration. for contributors can be found Margo Bors is an artist working mainly in watercolor and printmaking. Recently on the CNPS website, www.cnps. she has been working with digital photography, especially insect-plant images. View org, or can be requested from her work on the web at www.margobors.com. Fremontia Editor, Bart O’Brien Tom Engstrom is the wildlife and botany program manager at Sierra Pacific In- at [email protected] or c/o dustries in Anderson, California. He was also a contributor to the Illustrated Field Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gar- Guide to Rare Plants of Northern California, published by UC Extension. den, 1500 N. College Ave., Carll Goodpasture studied photography and cinematography before obtaining Claremont, CA 91711. his doctorate in entomology from the University of California, Davis. His work may be viewed at www.goodpasture.ritardando.net. Marcus E. Jones is the subject of a feature article in this issue of Fremontia. His FREMONTIA EDITORIAL extensive archives and herbarium collections are at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic ADVISORY BOARD AND Garden. REVIEWERS Mario Lara is an artist whose most recent public art project is located at a trolley station in downtown San Diego. See his work at www.mariolara.us. Susan D’Alcamo, Ellen Dean, Steve Matson is vice-president of the CNPS Tahoe Chapter, botanist, photogra- Kathleen Dickey, Phyllis M. pher, and building contractor. View his images at http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/. Faber, Holly Forbes, Pam Muick, Andrea Pickart is the ecologist for Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Arcata, John Sawyer, Jim Shevock, Jake CA. Her background is in plant ecology with an emphasis on dune and wetlands. Sigg, M. Nevin Smith, Linda Ann Vince Scheidt is a consulting environmental biologist based in San Diego, Cali- fornia who specializes in botany and herpetology. Vorobik, Carol W. Witham

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007 FREMONTIA Fremontia back issues are available at the following rates: ny issue starting with Volume 28 (the year 2000) to date is $5.00 A per issue or you may order any 3 issues from this time period for $10.00. Issues prior to Volume 28 are available at $2.50 each or you may order any 3 issues from this time period for $6.00.

Prices do not include shipping. Contact Stacey Flowerdew at CNPS to determine shipping costs: [email protected] or at 916-447-2677.

Address your orders (payable to CNPS) to: Attn: Fremontia Back Issues California Native Plant Society 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Sacramento, CA 95816-5113

CONTRIBUTORS

Nina Karavasiles is the public artist for the 70th Street trol- ley station and many other projects. She is an organic gar- dener and vegetarian cook, and lives off the grid in Warner

Springs, CA. See her work at www.ninak.info.

Address Service Requested Service Address

2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento, Society Plant Native California Jo Kitz is a long-time member of the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter of CNPS. She is also Program Director of the Mountains Restoration Trust, a public benefit nonprofit organization working to preserve, protect, and en- hance the natural resources of the Santa Monica Mountains. Frank Landis is a botanist currently working at Sapphos En- vironmental. His background is in plant community ecology and the interactions between plants, mycorrhizae, and soils. Kristi Lazar is the CNPS Rare Plant Botanist, and is a mem- ber of the Sacramento Valley Chapter. She spends the major- ity of her work time tracking the status of rare plants through- out California and enjoys visiting them in her free time. John Macdonald retired in 1997 and since then has devel- oped a talent for digital photography. Since 2001, he has been a volunteer for Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s Seed Program where he has produced an extensive digital library of native seed and plant images. Elizabeth Rush is a writer who lives in Los Altos Hills, CA. She has written for California Wild, Bay Nature, Outdoor Cali- fornia, Pacific Horticulture, Fremontia, and other publications. Jake Sigg is a founder of the Yerba Buena Chapter of CNPS. He has devoted much time and expertise to the management and control of invasive plants, and is a founding member of

the California Invasive Pest Council, a nonprofit dedicated U.S. Postage U.S.

to the protection of California wildlands from invasive plants Org. Nonprofit A.M.S. through restoration, research, and education. PAID Michael Wall is a fourth-generation Californian with a life- long interest in California native plants and natural history. He came to Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s Horticul- ture Department in 1990, and since 1996 has served as Cu- rator and Manager of the Seed Program.

VOLUME 35:2, SPRING 2007