$5.00 (Free to Members)

Vol. 33, No. 1 January 2005 FREMONTIA

A JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

IN THIS ISSUE:

THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY: ITS MISSION, HISTORY, AND HEART by Carol Witham 3 THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AT THE STATE LEVEL: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO by Michael Tomlinson 11

SAVING A RARE PLANT IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT by Keith Greer and Holly Cheong 18 POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF THE CLUSTERED LADY SLIPPER by Charles L. Argue 23 GROWING NATIVES: CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE by Glenn Keater 29

DR. MALCOLM MCLEOD, 2004 FELLOW by Dirk R. Walters 30 VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 1

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CNPS CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FREMONTIA CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 VOL. 33, NO. 1, JANUARY 2005 [email protected]

Copyright © 2005 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Linda Ann Vorobik, Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,000 Supporting ...... $75 Bob Hass, Copy Editor Benefactor ...... $500 Family, Group, International . . . $45 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $250 Individual or Library ...... $35 Justin Holl, Jake Sigg & David Tibor, Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $20 Proofreaders STAFF CHAPTER COUNCIL CALIFORNIA NATIVE CALIFORNIA NATIVE Sacramento Office: Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart PLANT SOCIETY Executive Director . . . . . Pamela C. Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Sherryl Taylor Muick, PhD Channel Islands ...... Lynne Kada Dedicated to the Preservation of Development Director . . . . . vacant Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ the California Native Flora Membership Assistant . . . Christina Sonoma Coast) . . . Jon Thompson The California Native Plant Society Neifer East Bay ...... Joe Willingham (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit orga- Finance Manager ...... Lois El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman Kern County . . . . . Laura Stockton nization dedicated to increasing the Cunningham Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . understanding and appreciation of East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . California’s native plants, and to pre- Betsey Landis Jessica Jean Olsen serving them and their natural habi- Marin County ...... Bob Soost Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . tats for future generations. At Large: Reny Parker CNPS carries out its mission Fremontia Editor ...... Linda Ann Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas through science, conservation advo- Vorobik, PhD Monterey Bay ...... Robert Hale cacy, education, and horticulture at Senior Conservation Botanist ...... Mount Lassen ...... Jim Bishop the local, state, and federal levels. It Ileene Anderson Napa Valley ...... Marcie Danner monitors rare and endangered plants North Coast ...... Larry Levine and habitats; acts to save endangered Rare Plant Botanist . . . . Misa Ward North San Joaquin . . . . Gail Clark areas through publicity, persuasion, Senior Vegetation Ecologist . . Julie Orange County ...... Sarah Jayne and on occasion, legal action; pro- Evens Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . . . . vides expert testimony to government Vegetation Ecologist . . . Anne Klein Chet Blackburn bodies; supports the establishment of Legislative Advocate ...... Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . Katie Barrows native plant preserves; sponsors work- Vern Goehring days to remove invasive plants; and Sacramento Valley . . Diana Hickson Legal Advisor ...... Sandy McCoy offers a range of educational activities San Diego ...... Dave Flietner including speaker programs, field trips, Website Coordinator ...... San Gabriel Mtns . . . . Lyn McAfee native plant sales, horticultural work- John Donaghue San Luis Obispo . . . . Charles Blair Sanhedrin (Ukiah) . Chuck Williams shops, and demonstration gardens. Bulletin Editor ...... vacant Santa Clara Valley . . Georgia Stigall Since its founding in 1965, the tra- Santa Cruz County . Janell Hillman ditional strength of CNPS has been BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sequoia (Fresno) . . . . Warren Shaw its dedicated volunteers. CNPS ac- David Diaz, Vern Goehring, Steve Shasta ...... Dave DuBose tivities are organized at the local chap- Hartman, Diana Hickson, Lynn Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- ter level where members’ varied in- Houser, Lynne Kada, David L. veras, Mariposa) . . . . Patrick Stone terests influence what is done. Volun- South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... Magney, Sandy McCoy (Vice Pres- teers from the 33 CNPS chapters an- Barbara Sattler ident), J. Spence McIntyre, Carol nually contribute in excess of 87,000 Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan Witham (President) hours (equivalent to 42 full-time em- Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... ployees). Allison Fleck CNPS membership is open to all. PROGRAM DIRECTORS Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . Mark Heath Members receive the quarterly jour- CNPS Press ...... Holly Forbes nal, Fremontia, the quarterly statewide and Gail Milliken MATERIALS FOR Bulletin, and newsletters from their Conservation . . . . . David Chipping PUBLICATION local CNPS chapter. Horticulture ...... Peigi Duvall CNPS members and others are wel- Fremontia logo (by L.A. Vorobik) re- Posters ...... Bertha McKinley come to contribute materials for pub- printed from The Jepson Manual, J. and Wilma Follette lication in Fremontia. See the inside Hickman, Ed., 1993, with permission Rare Plants ...... Ann Howald back cover for manuscript submission from the Jepson Herbarium, UC. © Re- Vegetation . . . .Todd Keeler-Wolf instructions. gents of the University of California. Printed by Business Point Impressions, Concord, CA

2FREMONTIA FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 CONTENTS

GUEST EDITORIAL: 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY...... 2

THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY: ITS MISSION, HISTORY, AND HEART by Carol Witham ...... 3 This first in a series of four articles is a celebration of the members and local chapters which make up our society. Carol Witham, current CNPS president, introduces a series of vignettes for seven southern chapters with a brief history of the organization and its members. Summaries of the remaining CNPS chapters will appear in the next three issues of Fremontia.

THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AT THE STATE LEVEL: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO by Michael Tomlinson ...... 11 The work of local CNPS chapters is augmented by a number of statewide programs that are organized and carried out by paid and volunteer staff. This article introduces the Rare Plant, Vegetation, Conservation, and Horticulture programs, and summarizes how the statewide Society is structured and governed.

SAVING A RARE PLANT IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT by Keith Greer and Holly Cheong ...... 18 What happens to rare plant populations when the urban landscape encroaches? Authors Greer and Cheong describe the habitat of the rare willowy monardella (Monardella linoides ssp. viminea), a riparian plant of the San Diego area, and assess how changes in water flow affect its populations.

POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF THE CLUSTERED LADY SLIPPER by Charles L. Argue ...... 23 The California flora includes three species of lady slipper orchid, the very showy Cypripe- dium californicum and C. montanum, and the clustered lady slipper, C. fasciculatum. In this article the author describes in detail the flower form and pollination of the clustered lady slipper, and discusses the strategy employed by this orchid to reproduce.

GROWING NATIVES: CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE by Glenn Keator ...... 29

DR. MALCOLM MCLEOD, 2004 FELLOW OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY by Dirk R. Walters...... 30

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ...... 32

BOOK REVIEW ...... 32

THE COVER: Members of the Riverside/San Bernardino Chapter of the California Native Plant Society learn about desert plants and native fan palm oases at the Dos Palmas Preserve near the Salton Sea. Photograph by R. Muertter.

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 1 GUEST EDITORIAL: 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USEFUL WEBSITES CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AND CONTACT INFORMATION

California Native Plant orty years ago an inspired and dedicated group of native plant enthusi- Society: Fasts, fresh from the battle to save a native plant garden in the East Bay www.cnps.org, with links to hills, founded the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). Today we have conservation issues, chapters, much to be thankful for: that small beginning grew into a respected and publications, policy, etc. influential native plant conservation organization of over 9,700 members. We are enormously grateful to all the dedicated and talented people who For updates on conservation issues: have built and sustained CNPS over the years. Audubon Society www.audubon.org To celebrate the 40th anniversary of CNPS, we are planning a series of events spanning the year 2005. These activities will give members and Center for Biological Diversity www.sw-center.org supporters the opportunity to acknowledge and share our experiences in the spirit of friendship that has always characterized our organization. The Native Plant Conservation 40th-year events will include activities hosted by both the statewide organi- Campaign www.plantsocieties.org zation and local chapters of CNPS. The June and September Chapter Natural Resources Defense Council meetings (to be held in the Sacramento Valley and Southern Council www.nrdc.org California areas, respectively) will be enhanced with extra events, such as presentations or field trips provided by exceptional presenters. We are Sierra Club www.sierraclub.org planning workshops at these gatherings in which CNPS volunteer groups— such as chapter treasurers, program chairs, or rare plant coordinators—can Wilderness Society www.wilderness.org exchange experiences and learn from each other. There will also be table- top displays and posters where chapters will present who their members For voting information: are, their history, their special plants and places, and their work. In addi- League of Women Voters tion, we will honor CNPS founders at these meetings and at our annual www.lwv.org, includes online voter banquet in December. We strongly encourage all interested members, guide with state-specific nonparti- together with friends and family, to attend these special Chapter Council san election and candidate information. meeting events. (Look for specific event information and updates in your CNPS Bulletin.) US Senate www.senate.gov We have a new 40th Anniversary logo (shown on page 17) to be used by chapters for materials or events they produce during 2005, as a way of US House of Representatives www.house.gov celebrating and spreading the news of the valuable work of CNPS to the public and local politicians. In addition, two beautiful books will also be California State Senate www.sen.ca.gov available for sales and outreach in 2005: the new book on the desert flora, The Best Year Ever, and a new printing of California’s Wild Gardens, now California State Assembly with the different subtitle of A Guide to Favorite Botanical Sites. www.assembly.ca.gov In addition, we will celebrate our 40th year in each of the 2005 issues of To write letters: Fremontia. Each issue will begin with an article about several of the CNPS President George W. Bush regional chapters, including their history, natural surroundings, and ac- The White House complishments—so that we can be inspired by the great work of others 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW and the beauty of our botanically diverse state. The next article or articles Washington, DC 20500 will feature statewide programs—so that we can all appreciate the hard Senator Barbara Boxer work being done by both paid staff and especially by volunteers. This or Senator Dianne Feinstein should be a fun-filled and motivating year for all of us. Let’s join in US Senate Washington, DC 20510 celebrating the best of our great organization and the people who make it all happen—us! Your CA Representative US House of Representatives —Jim Bishop and Diana Hickson, Co-chairs Washington, DC 20515 CNPS 40th Anniversary Committee

2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 Mojave Desert Chapter spring 2004 field trip to the Zzyzx area with about 20 members participating; at least 75 species were in flower at this site. Photograph by T. Thomas. THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY: ITS MISSION, HISTORY, AND HEART by Carol Witham

he mission of the Califor- The California Native Plant So- From the outset, the founders Tnia Native Plant Society ciety began in 1965 with a specific of CNPS realized that people were (CNPS) is to increase un- conservation mission—to save the more enthusiastic about conserving derstanding and appreciation of native plant garden east of San Fran- something they were familiar with; California’s native plants and to con- cisco Bay (now the Regional Parks those that had personally experi- serve them in their natural habitats Botanic Garden). That same year, enced the beauty and wonder of the through education, science, advo- Sacramento Valley became the first California flora would more vigor- cacy, horticulture, and land stew- official chapter of the organization ously work for its protection. Field ardship. This mission statement due to the efforts and enthusiasm of trips quickly became a major tool clearly recognizes our dual role of G. Ledyard Stebbins and his desire for increasing membership and being a native plant appreciation to protect rare plants. By the end of sharing native plants and their habi- club and being a science-based con- our first decade, the Society had 12 tats with members of the local com- servation organization. These very chapters and about 900 members. munity. Every chapter continues to different but overlapping purposes Since then CNPS membership has carry on this tradition—sometimes have served CNPS well during the grown to over 9,700 and is orga- mixing business with pleasure in past four decades. nized into 32 chapters. order to count rare plants, survey

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 3 these sales are used to fund chapter activities. They are also a great way to attract new members, share the beauty of native plants, and educate members of the community on more water-conserving alternatives for home landscaping. The Society’s dedication to con- servation and other forms of advo- cacy has also grown over the years. What began as an endeavor to save a native botanical garden has grown into far-reaching efforts through- out the state. CNPS gathers infor- mation on rare plants and advo- cates the protection of their habi- tat. We are doing the same for rare plant communities. We encourage good land management and we fight bad laws and poorly planned devel-

Top: Members of the South Coast Chap- ter at a July 2004 assessment of the White Point Nature Preserve. Photograph by J. Iwens. • Far left: Members of the Riverside-San Bernardino Chapter at Dos Palmas Preserve near the Salton Sea, looking at Washington fan palm (Washing- tonia filifera). Photograph by R. Muertter. • Near left: A San Gabriel Mountains Chapter field trip to Eaton Canyon. Photograph by G. McLean. • Bottom left: At the San Diego Chapter’s native plant sale. Photograph by L. Pardy. • Bottom right: An Orange County Chapter hike. Photograph by J. Hampton. plant communities, or monitor con- servation easements. Native plant sales, another of our traditional outreach activities, started out of necessity. The first plant sale was held in 1966 for the very practi- cal reason of needing to pay the of- fice rent. Today most chapters hold well-publicized and highly success- ful native plant sales. Proceeds from

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 A Malibu Bluffs plant walk with the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Chapter of CNPS. Photograph by E. Landis. opment. And because we use scien- tific information in our advocacy and conservation efforts, we are a well-respected environmental orga- nization. While CNPS has grown in many ways, members always have been and always will be the heart of the organization. Members share their personal appreciation of California’s native plants with Map of the local chapters of the California Native Plant Society (for greater clarity, see friends and neighbors through gar- map in color at www.cnps.org under “Chapters”). The chapters summarized in the text include the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter (27), the San Gabriel dening, photography, wildflower Mountains Chapter (28), the Riverside-San Bernardino Chapter (29), the South Coast hikes, and the books that decorate Chapter (30), the Orange County Chapter (31), the San Diego Chapter (32), and the their coffee tables. They also con- Mojave Desert Chapter (33). tribute one-half million dollars an- nually through dues and in response else. For example, at the last plant of CNPS. Every volunteer activity to fund appeals. These funds are sale I attended, volunteers did ev- I have ever undertaken in this orga- critical to our ongoing efforts in erything from growing the plants nization has resulted in new friends, the areas of conservation, legisla- to running the cash register. Vol- a feeling of accomplishment, and a tion, rare plants, and vegetation. unteer jobs included unloading the renewed dedication to both our mis- Members are special in another plants, making attractive displays, sion and to the people that make way as well—they volunteer. From pricing the plants, providing infor- CNPS what it is. I am proud of who the very beginning, CNPS has been mation to shoppers, making and we are and personally look forward a volunteer-based organization. selling refreshments, making lunch to many more years of volunteering When something needs to get for the volunteers, lugging plants for this great organization. done—from organizing a chapter to cars, and giving talks on native As CNPS enters into its fifth speaker program to writing a com- gardening. And this was just one of decade, we should all celebrate our ment letter on a development many events being held by the local grassroots origins and our dedica- project—chances are it will be done chapter. tion to both the native flora and to by a volunteer. And CNPS mem- The next time you read your the spirit of volunteerism. We dedi- bers are enthusiastic about their chapter newsletter, take a close look cate the following section in this volunteerism. Last year volunteers at the number of people listed as issue of Fremontia to all those who contributed over 87,000 hours to board members or committee have contributed their own unique further the mission of CNPS. chairs. These are all dedicated vol- talents to the past accomplishments That’s the equivalent of 42 full- unteers. Or look over the activities of CNPS, and in numerous ways time employees! and events and consider that they both large and small, helped to pre- Volunteers have found hundreds are all being accomplished through serve our precious native plants for of ways to contribute their time to the efforts of volunteers. Perhaps future generations. CNPS. Our volunteers know that you, too, can find a small but per- you don’t have to be an expert about sonally rewarding task that contrib- Carol W. Witham, 1141 37th Street, Sac- plants, conservation, or anything utes to the culture and the mission ramento, CA 95816. [email protected]

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 5 SEVEN SOUTHERN CHAPTERS OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

Each issue of Fremontia Volume 33 will include summaries of local chapters, beginning with chapters in the south, and proceeding northward. As editor, it is my hope that readers will be inspired to read the newsletter or attend a meeting or field trip of one of the other chapters, or if you are not already a member of CNPS, that you will join us! (Membership form appears on the inside back cover.)

ing, revegetation, horticulture, edu- cation, communication, and part- nerships. Augmenting everything else we do each year are activities specifi- cally geared toward public outreach, including 11 monthly educational programs, tabling at public events, our bimonthly Toyon newsletter, and our informational website (www. lacnps.org). Our chapter has also pub- lished three books: Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains: Coastal and Chaparral Regions in Southern California by Nancy Dale, Southern California Native Plants for School Gardens by Betsey Landis, and The Los Angeles/Santa Monica Chapter plant sale. Photograph by S. Hartman. a children’s book, Grandmother Oak by Rosi Dagit. We have also devel- LOS ANGELES/ ever it also encompasses the nearby oped a recommended list of native SANTA MONICA Santa Monica Mountains and other plants available to homeowners, MOUNTAINS adjacent areas that include a diverse landscapers, and developers in the CHAPTER palette of habitat types, including Santa Monica Mountains. desert, mountains, marshland, and Size of chapter: Approximately 500 seashore areas. members Most of our chapter board mem- SAN GABRIEL Website address: www.lacnps.org bers also serve on committees or MOUNTAINS task forces of public agencies and CHAPTER In 1967 the Sierra Santa Monica governmental entities or of other Chapter formed, with Helen nonprofit organizations interested Size of chapter: Approximately 180 Funkhouser serving as first presi- in the environment. We offer a full members dent. Over the years, public confu- array of activities for people inter- Website address: www.cnps-sgm.org sion about our area of influence led ested in conserving and enjoying to changing the chapter name to our native flora. These include What began in 1985 as an offshoot Santa Monica Mountains Chapter chapter hikes and walks, fungus of the Los Angeles/Santa Monica and, more recently, to Los Angeles/ forays, desert field trips, rare plant Mountains Chapter has now blos- Santa Monica Mountains Chapter. searches, weed wars, revegetation somed into the vibrant San Gabriel Due to the chapter’s geographi- projects, native plant gardening, our Mountains Chapter. Over the years cal boundaries, we are faced with a outdoor Spring Wildflower Show there were periods when the chap- multitude of urban-wildland inter- and Fall Plant Sale, a new members ter was “drought deciduous,” but face challenges. The chapter in- picnic, and a Garden Party. To ac- we always have grown new leaves cludes Los Angeles, a densely ur- complish our varied goals we make and branches, and today we’re quite ban area containing primarily iso- use of a host of conservation tools: vigorous. lated patches of native habitat. How- local botanical knowledge, weed- Our well-attended evening pro-

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 variations. We look at willows in sents ongoing challenges for rare winter, ferns in early spring, and plant issues and conservation. Con- seeds and fruits in early fall. There servation chair Alison Shilling and are wildflowers in the burn areas Rare Plant Chair Fred Roberts are (the fire-followers) and denizens of tireless in their efforts to support dripping springs, subalpine plants native plant conservation. With in the sackungen (ridgetop depres- great support from Ileene Ander- sions), endangered species in the son, CNPS has a strong presence in carbonates, and lovely lilies in the conservation issues including large snowmelt gullies. regional conservation plans. All of our activities are high- Our first plant sale was held in lighted in our well-illustrated quar- October 2003 in cooperation with San Gabriel Mountain Chapter members terly newsletter, The Paintbrush. the Riverside/Corona Resource at Mt. Hillyer. Photograph by G. McLean. The newsletter also contains mem- Conservation District. We have co- ber-authored accounts of hikes or sponsored with state CNPS staff a grams reflect the diligence and pro- gardening adventures, field guides Vegetation Sampling Workshop fessionalism of our Program Chairs. for field trips, local plant profiles, with another one planned for Spring Many of the presenters are affili- Gabrielino plant articles by Tongva 2005. Propagation workshops in the ated with Rancho Santa Ana Botanic elder, Mark Acuna, and book and spring find our dedicated board hor- Garden on the Chapter’s eastern website reviews. ticulturists Susan Jett, Michael edge, so we hear regularly from both Duval, and Alison Shilling teaching professors and graduate students, beginning native plant gardeners all with fascinating research to re- RIVERSIDE– and helping to provide materials for late. At least one program each year SAN BERNARDINO future plant sales. has a horticultural theme. CHAPTER Under the Oaks: Native Plants for Top: Lorrae Fuentes at the outreach table Foothill Gardens is the chapter’s an- Size of Chapter: Approximately 180 at the Green Faire with the Riverside- nual fundraiser. Late fall is prime members San Bernardino Chapter. • Bottom: Members of the Riverside-San Bernar- planting time, and we are usually Chapter Website: www.enceliacnps. dino Chapter in a patch of fireweed (Epi- the last (for the calendar year) CNPS org lobium angustifolium). Photographs by N. plant sale in southern California. Rutherford. The sale features native plants and From desert slopes of ocotillo and wildflower seeds appropriate for gar- brittlebush to vernal pools and oaks dens in the San Gabriel, San Fer- of the inland valleys, the territory nando, and Pomona valleys. Each for the Riverside-San Bernardino sale also features a special event such chapter is large and diverse in flora as a book signing, a CD-ROM de- and vegetation. Our chapter includes but, or a lecture. all of Riverside County and south- The chapter sponsors two kinds western San Bernardino County. As of field trips, both of which are out- is true throughout CNPS, our vol- standing in quality. The first is a unteers make it happen. regular monthly walk about the For some years the chapter Eaton Canyon Natural Area in the was somewhat inactive. In 2001, foothills of the San Gabriel Moun- through the efforts of CNPS South- tains near Pasadena. These trips to ern California Botanist Ileene the canyon are an excellent way to Anderson and then state board learn the local flora and to begin member Lorrae Fuentes, our chap- understanding basic botany. Each ter was revitalized. In the process, a month the leaders are different, and whole new CNPS chapter was born, bring a new outlook and their own the Mojave Desert Chapter. Since special expertise to the familiar walk. 2001 we have had ongoing activi- The second type of walk ex- ties as we try to reach out to mem- plores the San Gabriel Mountains, bers across a large part of inland and affords participants numerous southern California. opportunities to study their infinite This fast growing region pre-

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 7 We strive to get the word out about growing natives and native plant conservation issues. Lorrae Fuentes, our education and com- munity outreach chair, makes sure we are often out in the community spreading the word about CNPS. We are helped tremendously by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden which provides space for CNPS at their plant sales and other events. With lots of requests for help with inland area school gardens, we prepared an extensive supplemen- tal list for inland/desert regions to accompany Betsey Landis's won- derful school gardens book. Invasive plants are another chapter target. Renowned invasives South Coast Chapter’s Annual Picnic on July 11, 2004 at White Point Nature Preserve. foe Bill Neill spreads his efforts Pictured from left to right: Angelika Brinkmann-Busi, Fabrizio Busi, Corinne Johnson, between Orange County and our Barbara Sattler, Ric Dykzeul, and Ralph Iwens. Photograph by J. Iwens. chapter in the battle against tama- risk and other exotics. Co-chair Rolf chapter, and our coastal area has year, a number of public programs Muertter keeps us in touch with been subject to intense development about gardening with native plants, the next invasive removal project pressures for many years. However, and an annual Spring Garden Tour. and provides great information to in recent years we have been pleased For many years we maintained a our members via our chapter web- to see a number of coastal restora- native plant garden at Point Vicente site, www.enceliacnps.org. tion projects beginning to occur. in Rancho Palos Verdes. The gar- Our wonderful quarterly news- Although much of the area encom- den was shut down several years letter, The Encelia, is under the able passed by our chapter boundaries ago to remodel the visitor facility, stewardship of Nancy Rutherford has been urbanized, our area also and reopening was delayed when who also keeps track of our mem- includes the only remaining seg- lead contamination from previous bership. With help from our chap- ment of coastal sage scrub between military use was discovered in the ter outreach coordinator, Sheila the Santa Monica Mountains and soil. We are anticipating that con- McMahon, our members are kept Orange County. The protection and struction of the visitor center will well informed and in touch. preservation of this remnant of na- be back on track soon, and that by tive habitat has been a primary fo- late 2005 we will be able to begin cus of our chapter in recent years. restoring and expanding the native SOUTH COAST Currently a Natural Communities plant garden. CHAPTER Conservation Plan (NCCP) is be- ing finalized by the city of Rancho Size of chapter: Approximately 100 Palos Verdes, with the hopes that ORANGE COUNTY members some of the key areas may be pur- CHAPTER Website address: www.sccnps.org chased for preservation. Our chapter has been diligent Size of chapter: Approximately 370 One of the smallest CNPS chap- about commenting on proposed members ters, the South Coast Chapter was development projects and their im- Website address: www.occnps.org founded in 1982. One of the unique pacts to our native plants and habi- characteristics of the area is its geo- tat areas. Several of our members Orange County is one of Califor- logical link to the Channel Islands. work on committees and with cities nia’s smallest, yet it enjoys great Some of the rare plants of the Palos and other entities to further our botanical diversity. Habitats range Verdes Peninsula, located within the conservation goals. from coastal sage scrub to foothill chapter’s assigned area, only occur The South Coast Chapter has chaparral, dune environments to up- in one other spot—the Channel Is- always had a strong horticultural land mixed conifer forest. Several lands. We are very much a coastal base. We hold a plant sale every highly localized endemics are found

8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 in the county. Unfortunately, the for the past three years enthusiastic between growth and conservation. pleasant climate and proximity to gardeners have opened their native From the perspective of the San the ocean has made it a magnet for gardens for a Spring Garden Tour. Diego chapter, the local plan has people, and the resulting develop- Nevertheless, we still have time for suffered a few failures, including ment, which has obliterated irre- fun with a vigorous schedule of field the filling of “preserved” vernal placeable habitat throughout the trips in and outside the county. pools, and the destruction of a ma- county, continues as a major threat. Our bimonthly newsletter is jor population of a protected spe- On the positive side, much of the posted to our website where there cies. Monitoring this plan is one of land has been set aside in county are also conservation updates, links the tasks of the chapter’s conserva- and state parks, and in preserves to our field trip plant lists, field trip tion committee. CNPS-San Diego dedicated under NCCP Programs. information with pictures, some also actively works to conserve our Our chapter was founded in horticultural tips, and even a quiz. floristic heritage by writing com- 1980. Initially, our activities focused Visit us there! ment letters on development pro- on botany, field trips, and horticul- posals, serving as a local expert on ture. In recent years, with pressure plants to local agencies, and filing from development, we have increas- SAN DIEGO CHAPTER lawsuits if necessary. The chapter ingly directed our energy toward is currently organizing work par- conservation in response to pres- Size of chapter: Approximately 850 ties to support the survival of sure from development of the members Nuttall’s lotus (Lotus nuttallianus) county’s remaining natural edges. Website address: www.cnpssd.org in Mission Bay, and willowy mon- At present, our key regional issue is ardella (Monardella viminea) in the proposed Ranch Mission Viejo The San Diego Chapter of CNPS Lopez Canyon. development plan and the officially is the southernmost chapter in the We recognize that invasive non- separate but functionally inter- state, and is home to native plant native plants are a major threat to twined toll road extension. At risk communities as varied as the beach native plant habitats, and have de- is the integrity of the San Mateo dunes along the Pacific strand, to veloped a number of educational Creek watershed habitat—the last alpine meadows and desert dunes programs. The chapter has become wild river south of Ventura—and near the Arizona border. More sen- a leader in fighting invasive species sitive plant species (over 200) are in projects as varied as proposing found here than in any other county legislation to control the sale of in the continental United States. pampas grass, holding work parties Reasons for this plant diversity in- to hand-weed sensitive habitats, lob- clude the variations in topography, bying agencies such as CalTrans to altitude (from sea level to 4,000 use more native plants, and work- feet), the moisture gradient between ing with the local chapter of the the coast and the desert, differences American Society of Landscape in soil, and a number of Baja Cali- Architects to develop a “Do Not fornia species whose range just en- ters the southern part of the county. At the San Diego Chapter’s native plant The San Diego region supports sale. Photograph by L. Pardy. several rare habitats such as mari- Orange County Chapter field trip to time succulent scrub and southern Laguna Canyon (top). Photograph by J. maritime chaparral. CNPS mem- Hampton. bers and the general public are in- vited to learn about these unique the rare plants, animals, and habi- plants at our monthly program in tats found there. Balboa Park, which features a pre- We keep busy supporting edu- sentation and book sales. cation through our grants program The conflict between a grow- and development of curriculum. We ing population and the need to pro- help with planting and weeding the tect endangered species has made California Native Collection at the San Diego a pioneer in the devel- University of California, Irvine, Ar- opment of large-scale, long-term, boretum. Fall and spring plant sales multispecies Habitat Conservation provide funds for the chapter, and Plans that seek to achieve a balance

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 9 Plant” brochure for Southern Cali- fornia, to guide designers away from problem plants. For many of our members, gar- dening with natives is their primary interest, and meetings that spotlight native gardening techniques are al- ways popular. Every October in Balboa Park the chapter holds a na- tive plant sale, a major source of funds for the chapter. The plant sale succeeds due to the efforts of dozens of volunteers. The thou- sands of dollars raised on this day allow us to pursue our goals in con- Mojave Desert Chapter field trip in 2003 to find Prunus eremophila, newly described servation, restoration, and educa- by Barry Prigge (in Madroño 14(4) 2002). Twenty-five members went along on this trip tion throughout the year. For ex- to the Eastern Mojave National Preserve in the Vontriger Hills, and were rewarded ample, the chapter has launched a with finding the plant. Photograph by T. Thomas. program to award grants and free consultations to teachers who are mental community to monitor and sibility. Other significant plant oc- establishing native plant gardens at comment upon actions that have the currences that are found within the local schools. To date, 13 San Di- potential to adversely affect the natu- chapter boundaries include the old- ego County schools have received ral resources of the desert. est known living plant, the ‘King- funds to develop native gardens. Several rare and endemic desert Clone’ creosote bush (Larrea tri- Our members also staff CNPS plants occur on these lands, so there dentata), immediately adjacent to a booths at fairs and exhibitions is plenty of work for each of our designated BLM off-highway ve- around the county. members just looking after them. hicle unrestricted play area, and the Edwards Air Force Base is home saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) to the world’s largest stands of in the Whipple Mountains. MOJAVE CHAPTER Calochortus striatus and Cymopterus The chapter holds meetings at deserticola. China Lake Naval Weap- the Victor Valley College where Size of chapter: Approximately 50 ons Center contains virtually the there is a small registered her- members entire distribution of Cryptantha barium. Pam MacKay, a biology/ Website address: none clokeyi. Fort Irwin, the US Army’s botany instructor at the college and tank training center, has significant founding member of the chapter, The Mojave Desert Chapter of populations of Astragalus jaegerianus recently authored a color photo- CNPS was started in 2000 as a splin- and Cymopterus deserticola. Twenty- graphic guide, Mojave Desert Wild- ter group of the Riverside/San Ber- nine Palms Marine Corps Training flowers, that uniquely contains some nardino Chapter. Our membership Center has 80 percent of the distri- of the rarest species to help educate is primarily in the Victorville area, bution of Escobaria vivipara var. the public about the rare and en- but there are a few members that are alversonii. The Mojave National demic plants of the region. Our ac- scattered two to four hours distant— Preserve manages the only known tivities consist mainly of winter and out here we usually measure dis- locations of Eriogonum ericifolium spring field trips and bimonthly tance in time instead of miles. The var. thornei and Astragalus cimae var. meetings, and we attempt to pro- Mojave Desert Chapter covers the cimae. Joshua Tree National Park duce a quarterly newsletter. We region north of the transverse ranges manages Monardella robisonii and have an active conservation chair, in the northern portion of San Ber- portions of the distribution of specifically knowledgeable about the nardino County, an area roughly the Linanthus maculatus. The Bureau of BLM. And last but not least, one of size of Costa Rica. The landscape is Land Management has the major- our members, Tom Elder, is work- predominantly public and is man- ity of the occurrences of Mimulus ing with other CNPS members to aged by the Department of Defense, mohavensis and Eriophyllum mohav- organize the photographic tax- the National Park Service, and the ensis. The only extant location for onomy project at the state level. Bureau of Land Management. These Plagiobothrys parishii is on a single agencies offer consistent opportuni- private parcel under the county of Each chapter summary was authored by one ties and challenges to the environ- San Bernardino’s planning respon- or more representatives from that chapter.

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AT THE STATE LEVEL: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO by Michael Tomlinson

hen the founding mem- would become the largest native unteers, making CNPS fairly un- Wbers got together in Ber- plant society in the United States? usual in the nonprofit world. In 2003 keley in 1965 for the first Today CNPS has an office in volunteers gave 87,000 hours of their meeting of CNPS, I doubt they Sacramento that serves as its state time (equivalent to 42 full-time em- could have conceived of what the headquarters, three staffed pro- ployees!) to activities ranging from Society would become 40 years grams, and several employees across organizing native plant sales and later. How do you really picture 32 the state. CNPS also continues to commenting on land use and man- chapters, more than 9,700 mem- rely on its traditional strength: its agement plans, to taking school kids bers, 87,000 volunteer hours, and extraordinarily dedicated volunteer on field trips to vernal pools. 15 staff people? How could they corps. In fact, many CNPS pro- ever have predicted that CNPS grams are “staffed” entirely by vol- CNPS STAFFED PROGRAMS

A pivotal question in most con- servation issues involving plants in California is, “How rare is this plant or plant community, and where is it located?” Good answers to such questions—or, in other words, good science—becomes the basis for cre- ating viable habitat protection and management plans. CNPS plant sci- ence and conservation staff work in a continuum; the Rare Plant and Vegetation programs help define the rarity of plants and vegetation types, and the Conservation pro- grams work to make sure that this good science guides planning and management decisions. For in- stance, data from CNPS vegetation surveys in the San Dieguito River Joe Molter, a Bureau of Land Management Botanist, pictured watershed have provided critical in- here with his discovery of the first California occurrence of formation for prioritizing land pur- Gentner’s fritillary (Fritillaria gentneri) in Siskiyou County, chases for the San Dieguito River 2003. All photographs by the author except as noted. Gentner’s fritillary (left) is listed as Endangered by the Valley Park. federal government and was recently added to the CNPS Rare Plant Program’s Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. Before Joe’s discovery, the plant was thought to occur THE FIRST CNPS only in Oregon. Recently, more plants were found about a PROGRAM: RARE mile east of the first locality. This perennial herbaceous PLANTS member of the lily family grows in oak woodland and open PLANTS chaparral at 1,080–1,120 meters elevation. The species is particularly vulnerable to a number of existing and potential Founded in the early 1970s, the threats because its populations are very small. CNPS Rare Plant Program devel- ops current, accurate information

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 11 THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF CNPS

ll members of the California Native Plant Soci- ers) are elected to two A ety belong to one of its 32 chapters. The state- year terms. There are no wide Society is run by chapter delegates who form term limits. The Chap- the Chapter Council; the Board; the paid staff (both ter Council Chair and contractual and salaried) overseen by the Executive Vice Chair also serve on Director; and the programs that are run by volun- the Board. The Board teers. The membership, through its Chapter Coun- has ultimate fiscal and cil delegates, works to determine the policy objec- legal responsibility for tives of our society, and the Board and Executive CNPS. It works with Pam Muick, Executive Direc- Director work to implement these objectives in a the CNPS Executive tor of CNPS. fiscally and legally responsible manner. (For current Director to approve the listings of Chapter Council, Board, Staff, and Pro- annual budget and program work plans, and to en- gram Directors, see roster on the inside front cover sure that these plans follow the policy directions of of this issue.) the Chapter Council. The Board has ultimate respon- sibility for hiring the CNPS Executive Director. The

CNPS CHAPTER COUNCIL Chapter council meeting of the California Native Plant Society.

This body is composed of a single representative from each chapter. The Chapter Council delegates elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The Coun- cil meets on a quarterly basis. At Chapter Council meetings delegates debate policy issues and give policy direction to the CNPS Board of Directors. The Chap- ter Council also elects the CNPS Board of Directors and Board officers. Standing Chapter Council com- mittees include: Bylaws, Chapter Support, Gover- nance/Elections, Meeting Organization, and Pro- gram Policy.

CNPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board members (up to 11) and Board officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasur-

on the distribution, ecology, and the rarity and endangerment status federal listings for nearly 200 conservation status of California’s of the California flora. plants, and state listings for 29 rare and endangered plants, and uses The primary means of distrib- plants. These listings provide in- this information to promote sci- uting this information is through creased protection for these plants ence-based plant conservation in the continually updated Inventory and their habitats. California. During its considerable of Rare and Endangered Plants of The CNPS Rare Plant Bota- history, the Rare Plant Program has California, a database of more than nist, Misa Ward, coordinates, fa- developed a reputation among 2,000 rare and uncommon plant cilitates, and augments the work of policymakers and stakeholder taxa. It is available in print, on scores of CNPS volunteer botanists groups throughout the state for sci- CD, and can be viewed at the at both the state and local levels. entific accuracy and integrity. The CNPS website, www.cnps.org. The She also works closely with bota- Program’s data are widely accepted information in the Inventory has nists from state and federal agen- as the standard for information on played a significant role in gaining cies by sharing data on rare plants.

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 CNPS Board meets at least six times a year, usually on the same weekend as the Chapter Council. Standing Board committees include: Bylaws, Chapter Support, Executive, Finance, Fundraising, Leadership and Evaluation, and Planning and Evaluation.

THE STATE OFFICE

The 32 chapters across the state are the heart of the society and, naturally, many CNPS members’ most immediate connection to the organization. How- ever, the combined efforts of the chapters and state office create an organization that does more than the sum of its parts. The CNPS state office supports all program and chapter activities with expert guidance on statewide and federal issues. This includes running and staffing the Plant Science, Conservation, and CNPS Vice President, Sandy McCoy, honoring Sue Britting Legislation programs. In addition, the staff of the at the end of her tenure as CNPS President in 2003. CNPS state office maintains the book and poster sales program. Of great importance, the office staff pro- CNPS members speak for the plants using facts vides the essentials of bookkeeping, payroll, and audit and science as advocacy tools. Through the CNPS services; insurance for all CNPS activities; payment programs, volunteers and staff gather facts and con- of taxes and upkeep of nonprofit status; management tinuously add to the knowledge about common, rare, of membership and fundraising; website and Internet and endangered native plants. Many of our chapter services; general public relations and fielding of ques- and state activities are vehicles for sharing informa- tions; and coordination of statewide meetings. tion: talks, hikes, school gardens, plant sales, popular articles, books, and posters. We also share this infor- mation when we testify at public hearings and to the CNPS STAFF AND VOLUNTEER legislature, participate in letter writing campaigns, PROGRAMS and occasionally use legal action to insure that plants are being protected. Through the structure of the Who are CNPS members and how do we protect state programs, and with the assistance of paid staff, plants? Images of Dr. Seuss’s brave Lorax leap to CNPS members can more effectively speak for mind: “I am the Lorax I speak for the trees.” Similarly, California’s plants, thus sharing our unabashed love CNPS members—volunteers and staff—are people and appreciation of California’s native plants and who speak for California’s plants and habitats. their habitats.

VEGETATION: the authoritative publication on the and map plant communities such SAMPLING THE BIG subject. Recognizing the paucity of as coastal prairie, redwood forest, PICTURE quantitative field data to support and high mountain meadows. This the definitions of vegetation types is vital data collection—fundamen- The Vegetation Program had throughout much of the state, the tal both to science and to creating its origins in 1990 when a small ad CNPS program has developed sound, sustainable ecosystem man- hoc subcommittee of the CNPS vegetation sampling protocols and agement by state, federal, and Rare Plant Program proposed a par- trained numerous volunteers and county agencies. allel program to develop compa- agency staff in their use. The Vegetation Program also rable information about California’s CNPS vegetation staff travel serves as a nexus for the accumula- plant communities. In 1995 CNPS around the state teaching volun- tion and dissemination of informa- published A Manual of California teers and agency professionals uni- tion about California vegetation. It Vegetation, which quickly became form, scientific methods to describe coordinates a range of volunteer and

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 13 sampling and classification field CNPS members looking at work on 1.3 million acres in San Peirson’s milkvetch (Astragalus Diego and Western Riverside magdalenae var. peirsonii) at Algo- counties. Having now defined the dones Dunes in Imperial County. types and distributions of plant For the past decade the CNPS Conservation Program has made communities in this growing re- extensive efforts to protect Algo- gion of the state, it will be easier to dones Dunes habitat and the suite focus CNPS conservation and res- of endemic plant species that live toration efforts. Current CNPS there from off-road vehicles. In staff in the Vegetation Program 2004 CNPS helped the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reach include Vegetation Ecologists Julie a decision based on good science Evens and Anne Klein, and Veg- when it turned back efforts by etation Assistants Sau San and off-road groups trying to remove Jeanne Taylor. federal protections for the Peirson’s milkvetch, and determined that off-road vehicle use in the area continues to threaten the existence of this species. However, later that year FWS issued a Final Critical Habitat Rule for the CONSERVATION Peirson’s milkvetch that reduced the area of land on which the plant will be protected by more than 60%. The Conservation The Conservation Program staff Program is currently exploring all remaining avenues to protect and volunteers serve as advocates these amazing dune dwellers. for science-based land management practices. Their charge is to con- serve native plant species and their agency involvement in vegetation tion samples, which provides addi- habitats on public and private lands conservation, from grassroots field tional species, environmental, and in California. There are laws, regu- sampling by local CNPS chapters, site-quality information to charac- lations, and ordinances at all levels to focused work on individual veg- terize vegetation and habitats. of government that are intended to etation types requiring definition, CNPS staff recently completed protect plants. Some accomplish to multi-agency coordinated proj- ects for broad-scale mapping and classification of vegetation. The CNPS members surveying serpentine vegetation on Coyote Ridge in southern program’s principle responsibility Santa Clara County. In 2004 the CNPS Vegetation Program and the Santa is the maintenance and development Clara Valley Chapter completed a multi-year vegetation survey of the of the CNPS vegetation classifica- remarkable serpentine plant communities on Coyote Ridge in southern Santa tion. It is also responsible for coor- Clara County. The survey more than doubled the list of known plants in the dinating and integrating ecological area and generated data that will be vital to a new multispecies habitat conservation plan begun by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The plan is sampling information on vegetation required because the area has been declared Critical Habitat for the threatened throughout the state. bay checkerspot butterfly. CNPS surveyed more than 30 different plant The Vegetation Program has associations, including at least 10 new associations for California, such as developed digital databases known those involving the Mt. Hamilton thistle (Cirsium fontinale var. campylon), as the California Vegetation Infor- serpentine grasslands, and shrublands. Surveyors discovered a rare plant not previously known from the Hamilton Range, the Loma Prieta hoita (Hoita mation System (CVIS) and the strobilina) and a new population of the state and federally listed Tiburon Rapid Assessment database to ac- Indian paintbrush (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta). complish these goals. CVIS con- sists of two parts: a Sampling Data- base, which archives the vegetation samples collected by CNPS and other agencies and organizations, and the Classification Database, which houses the information on the descriptions of each of the vegetation types identified in A Manual of California Vegetation. The Rapid Assessment method also has its own database to archive vegeta-

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 Southern California Regional Conservation Committee, at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center (home of the San Gabriel Mountains Chapter) in November 2003. Back row (left to right): David Chipping (San Luis Obispo Chapter and state Conservation Program Chair), Dave Magney (Channel Islands Chapter), Dave Fleitner (San Diego Chapter), Rick Fisher (San Gabriel Chapter), Pam Muick (CNPS Executive Director). Middle row: Barbara Sattler (South Coast Chapter), Cindy Burrascano (San Diego Chapter), Alison Shilling (Riverside/San Bernardino Chapter), Betsey Landis (Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter), Daniel Pritchett (Bristlecone Chapter), Tim Thomas (Mojave Chapter). Front Row: Steve Hartman (Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter), Celia Kutcher (Orange County Chapter), Ileene Anderson (CNPS Senior Conservation Botanist), David Sundstrom (South Coast Chapter). Photograph by S. Hartman. this goal, and the program works to dangered Species Acts provide the Anderson, native plants would not ensure they are used as intended. most fundamental protection for have been included in the planning Other laws are less useful and so plants in most instances, much of process. program staff work with the appro- the work of CNPS relies on and Within the Conservation Pro- priate jurisdiction or agency to re- invokes these laws. Challenging or grams there are several areas of examine and modify sections per- changing them has been an impor- focus, including Legislation, Tim- taining to plant issues. tant topic in recent years. ber/Forestry, Southern California, Conservation staff use science- For instance, in the past decade, and the Native Plant Conservation based information provided by the CNPS has played a leading role in Campaign (NPCC) (see page 16). CNPS Plant Science Program and the nation’s first Habitat Conserva- The East Bay Chapter also recently promote the use of this informa- tion Plans (HCPs) in southern Cali- added a new staff member, conser- tion by public agencies, local juris- fornia. Through our participation vation analyst Jessica Jean Olson. dictions, and others involved in we have learned about the opportu- David Chipping is the Conserva- land-use decisions. CNPS chapter nities and limitations of the col- tion Program director. volunteers monitor, observe, and laborative and consensus-driven re- follow what is actually happening gional plans. Our experience is that in the field—what is done or pro- it is critical to be involved in these LEGISLATION posed within their areas. They tes- plans from their inception and work tify, offer comments, and help in- with all parties. For instance, in the The Legislative Program’s mis- terpret the best available scientific West Riverside HCP, without the sion is to ensure that persons for- information to decision-makers. consistent presence of the CNPS mulating laws and regulations at all Because the state and federal En- Southern California Botanist Ileene levels—local, state, and federal, and

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 15 actions may affect plants, whether stakeholder- and science-based plan through the county permit process to protect endangered carbonate or by compliance of individual plants in the San Bernardino Moun- projects with federal law. Vern tains. If current trends continue, the Goehring, a part-time staff legisla- Carbonate Habitat Management tive advocate, helps coordinate state Strategy (CHMS) will be a model legal issues and works with local of what can be achieved when con- chapter volunteers and Conserva- servationists, businesses, and gov- tion Program staff. ernment agencies sit at the table and work in good faith to solve dif- ficult problems. TIMBER/FORESTRY

The CNPS Forestry Program is THE NATIVE PLANT dedicated to protecting California’s CONSERVATION Emily Roberson, who served as CNPS forests and woodlands through sci- CAMPAIGN Senior Policy Analyst for many years, is now at the Center for Biological Diver- ence, advocacy, and chapter partici- sity, heading up the Native Plant Pro- pation. A recent major victory for The Native Plant Conservation tection Campaign. the program was the upholding of a Campaign (NPCC) is a joint project ruling that gives plants equal status of the California Native Plant Soci- within the legislative and adminis- to animals in the review of timber ety and the Center for Biological trative spheres—understand the harvest plans. This means that rare Diversity (CBD). Emily Roberson, importance of California’s native plants remain protected on private former CNPS Senior Policy Ana- flora and the serious threats facing timberlands, thanks to the vigilance lyst, now with CBD, helped form the long-term survival of many spe- of the CNPS Forestry Program and the coalition in 2001 and continues cies. The CNPS mission statement botanists at the California Depart- to staff it. The NPCC is a national clearly directs all of its programs to ment of Fish and Game. The ruling grass-roots network of state native protect and preserve California’s resulted from a case monitored by plant societies, botanic gardens, and native flora, and sometimes this ne- the Forestry Program since 2001, in other local and regional native plant cessitates influencing legislative ac- which the California Department science and conservation organiza- tions. The program accomplishes of Forestry and Fire Protection tions, representing nearly 60,000 this by monitoring how government (CDF) rejected a timber harvesting individual members in 29 states. plan that did not adequately address The NPCC is the first and only Peigi Duvall (right), chair of the CNPS threats to rare plants. organization dedicated to federal Horticulture Program, discussing plant advocacy on behalf of native plant sales with Joan Stewart (left) at the species and communities. December 2004 Chapter Council meet- SOUTHERN ing. Photograph by L. Vorobik. A key part of the project’s mis- CALIFORNIA sion is to provide low- or no-cost tools to help local native plant or- CNPS has a part-time staff per- ganizations educate the public, son working on behalf of the orga- policymakers, agencies, and the nization in southern California. media about the values of and Ileene Anderson, formerly South- threats to our nation’s native plants. ern California Regional Botanist and An initial NPCC success was help- now Senior Conservation Botanist, ing convince the US Forest Service advocates on a variety of plant con- to increase its staff of full-time bota- servation issues concerning private nists by 40 positions—a 30 percent lands such as Newhall Ranch and increase! Tejon Ranch, or concerning public Another success story concerns lands such as those managed by the the federal native plants develop- BLM or USFS. She also works on ment program, which funds efforts Habitat Conservation Plans and by the Bureau of Land Manage- Natural Communities Conservation ment and the Forest Service to col- Plans. Ileene has also been a lead lect and propagate local native player in an innovative, cooperative plants for revegetation of roads and

16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 other projects. Congress has put more than $10 million into this pro- gram in the past few years. Here in California, these funds have brought us many new projects, including Forest Service greenhouses, scien- tific studies to determine which lo- cal natives are appropriate for reveg- etation projects, and propagation contracts with private native seed producers.

EDUCATION & HORTICULTURE

One of the six programs of CNPS, the state-level Horticulture Program, has been rejuvenated in the past year by new volunteer pro- gram chair Peigi Duvall. The Pro- gram has no paid staff. Peigi has led a fact-finding and planning process that will allow CNPS to increase outreach and education efforts about the horticultural uses of na- tive plants in our populous state. The Program has identified several areas it will focus on as it moves New logo for CNPS’s 40th year, selected at the September 2004 Chapter Council forward, including: Meeting in Marin County. Created by Sacramento Valley Chapter member, “Slowhand.”

• Outreach and education to the on specific native plants: Al- Most importantly, these programs gardening public: CNPS’s 32 though still in the conceptual increase the effectiveness of local local chapters are vibrant in stages of development, once chapters’ efforts by providing tech- their horticultural activities, developed, this database can nical and administrative support and and the state Horticulture be used by the general public guidance. This support can take Program provides support to to search for horticultural in- many forms, including maintaining further strengthen the effec- formation on specific plants. the most up-to-date information on tiveness of these efforts. In rare plants and habitat types, strat- • Restoration: Over the long- 2003 CNPS chapters held egizing on Habitat Conservation term, the program will look more than 40 plants sales, uti- Plans, helping to locate the best to provide expertise on this lizing at least 14,000 volun- scientific data to influence policy intersection of the horticul- teer hours. decisions, training chapter volun- ture and conservation science teers to take plant surveys, assisting • Outreach and education to nurs- fields. chapters in their work to educate eries, the landscape industry, and the public on the best uses of native municipalities: These groups IN CONCLUSION plants, and disseminating science- are key decision makers on based information through the the broad-scale usage of na- CNPS statewide programs in Society’s two publications, Fremon- tives in horticulture. CNPS is plant science, conservation, advo- tia and The Bulletin, as well as its currently working to develop cacy, education, and horticulture own books and floras. plans to conduct targeted out- play a key role in helping to in- reach to these groups. crease public appreciation of Cali- Michael Tomlinson, Provost’s Office of • Creation of a web-based data- fornia’s native plants and preserv- Advancement, University of California, base of horticultural information ing them for future generations. Davis. [email protected]

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 17 A-Jacks, erosion control devices in Lopez Canyon, San Diego County, used to check water flow and thus protect the habitat of the rare willowy monardella. All images used courtesy of City of San Diego, 2003. SAVING A RARE PLANT IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT by Keith Greer and Holly Cheong

or its size, San Diego County is gered willowy monardella (Monardella been covered by impervious surfaces Fblessed with one of highest num- linoides Gray ssp. viminea (E. Greene) such as pavement or structures. ber of endemic species in the Abrams; see sidebars) from changes in When urbanization spreads into un- nation. Considered a hotspot for en- urban hydrology. developed watersheds, the percentage dangered species (Dobson et al. 1997), Willowy monardella occurs in the of impervious land surface increases, San Diego has also undergone waves alluvial terraces and cobble bed of in- resulting in changes to hydrology that of rapid urbanization since the 1950s. termittent streams in Lopez Canyon, include increased stream discharge and While recent conservation efforts a part of the Los Peñasquitos Preserve velocity due to urban runoff, as well as have focused on protecting species located within south and central San changes in the timing of these flows. and their habitats from direct impacts Diego County. While Lopez Canyon White and Greer (2002) documented such as urban development, active is part of a city park managed for its an annual 4% increase in stream dis- land management is equally important natural and cultural resources, indirect charge since 1972 due to watershed to protect species on lands already impacts from watershed urbanization urbanization in nearby Los Peñas- preserved. have threatened the existing monar- quitos Creek. This increased discharge This paper describes efforts of the della population. Since the mid-1970s and velocity has resulted in increased City of San Diego, in conjunction with the 4.5 square mile watershed of Lopez scouring of the streambed, undercut- the nonprofit Friends of Los Peñas- Canyon has been developed into the ting the alluvial terraces in Lopez Can- quitos Canyon, to protect a popula- suburban community of Mira Mesa. yon that support willowy monardella. tion of the federal and state endan- Currently, 65% of the watershed has The loss of alluvial terraces and the

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 enlargement of the intermittent stream ceived grant funding from the Califor- (RWQCB) would be very time-con- channel were predicted by Karen nia Department of Fish and Game and suming for the berm design. In addi- Prestegaard (1979) in her masters the- the California Coastal Conservancy to tion, grant funding would have expired sis. Current and pre-urbanization aerial implement an erosion control project before the permitting process for photographs support Prestegaard’s pre- to protect willowy monardella in those agencies could be completed. dictions, and can be seen in Figure 1. Lopez Canyon. The first task was to Also, the berm design could have pos- Since 1995 the Friends of Peñasquitos design the project. Several alternatives sibly impacted an already eroded sewer Canyon have documented the loss of were investigated and rejected prior to line within the canyon. Instead of risk- several large patches of monardella af- settling on the final design. ing unforeseen negative impacts to the ter large storm events. Effective man- The first alternative came from two canyon, the project team decided to agement for willowy monardella in California State Parks engineers who look for another solution. Lopez Canyon requires managing the volunteered their time to survey the After consulting with staff from changes in hydrology caused by water- monardella sites in Lopez Canyon, many agencies, it was determined that shed urbanization. along with a volunteer representing a new form of erosion control, called Recognizing this problem, staff from the Friends of Los Peñasquitos Can- A-Jacks, would be the best solution for the City of San Diego and volunteers yon Preserve. They proposed a series Lopez Canyon. A-Jacks are concrete from the Friends of Peñasquitos de- of grade control structures including armor units designed to interlock into termined that there was a need for hy- drop structures, weirs, gabions, and a flexible, water-permeable chain. A- drologic structures to slow the water bank armoring. Ultimately this pro- Jacks help dissipate water velocity, velocity and reduce scour. In addition, posal was deemed infeasible because protecting channel terraces from they determined that it would also be its cost exceeded the available funds. scouring and erosion, two problems necessary to address changes in hydro- The second alternative came from experts knew they had to solve. A- logic condition in the entire watershed. the Natural Resources Conservation Jacks also collect sediment within the This resulted in a two-phase approach: Service (NRCS) of the USDA. Their water, minimizing impacts down- a long-term goal to address the hydro- engineers drafted plans for a simpler stream from deposition, a third prob- logic changes and a short-term goal of design involving cobble berms to pro- lem in the Canyon’s waterways. protecting the existing patches of wil- tect the two major monardella sites Downstream deposition of sediment lowy monardella. from erosive wintertime flows. These into Los Peñasquitos Lagoon had al- Working with a diverse citizens ad- plans were reviewed in a preliminary ready caused significant impairment visory committee, the Cities of Poway, meeting with the federal and state re- (California State Coastal Conservancy Del Mar, and San Diego began look- source agencies in 2002. The US 1985). Collection of sediment would ing at a comprehensive, long-term ap- Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) also help stabilize the terraces, pro- proach that would create a watershed argued that the berm for the down- vide additional habitat areas for wil- management plan for the area. Those stream site would redirect a second- lowy monardella, and hide the A-Jacks involved have just started to identify ary channel flow, possibly causing a from view. areas of stream impairment and pos- detrimental change in hydrology. An engineering firm was contracted sible solutions, but what about the It became apparent that obtaining to draft a set of plans using A-Jacks to short-term? approvals from the Corps and the Re- protect the population of monardella In 2001, the City of San Diego re- gional Water Quality Control Board without significantly altering the hy-

FIGURE 1A. Lopez Canyon, San Diego ca. 1969. Aerial photograph FIGURE 1B. Lopez Canyon, San Diego ca. 2002. Aerial photo- of the canyon prior to the development of the suburban graph of the canyon after the development of the suburban community of Mira Mesa. Note the stream bed of Lopez Creek community of Mira Mesa. Note the enlargement of the stream shown as a meandering white line crossing horizontally in the bed throughout the canyon. 2003 locations of willowy monardella center of the photograph. are shown as white triangles.

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 19 drology of the adjacent channels. Af- ter consultations and site visits with WILLOWY MONARDELLA IN SOUTHERN involved agencies, this third alterna- CALIFORNIA tive was deemed the most feasible. Project construction began on August 11, 2003. Urban Corps of San Willowy monardella (Mon- Diego was hired to conduct the instal- ardella linoides Gary ssp. lation. This non-profit organization, viminea (E. Greene) Abrams) is a which focuses on opportunities to con- state and federally endangered serve our natural resources, provides plant species that is found along job training and educational opportu- drainages within central and nities for young inner-city men and south San Diego County. It is a women ages 18 to 25. Representatives perennial from the Friends of Los Peñasquitos herb that blooms between June and August. Canyon Preserve, Erosion Control This plant species is in the mint family Technologies, and a senior ranger for Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, su- (Lamiaceae) and has a pleasant spearmint aroma. pervised and assisted with the A-Jacks Habitat for willowy monardella is extremely installation. limited. This rare plant species is only found on A small Bobcat or hand tools were terraces along natural drainage courses. As de- used to create the trench for the foot- velopment has increased in San Diego County, ing of the A-Jacks. Once the trench was willowy monardella has been threatened by completed, A-Jacks were installed on floodplain development, increased urban runoff, and invasion by the site in a long, linked chain. A-Jacks weeds. Willowy monardella does not compete well with other plants weigh about 80 pounds each and had and can be choked out by weeds which invade the streamside terraces. to be fitted together exactly to ensure In addition, sparse riparian habitat can turn into thick riparian wood- proper functioning. The installation, land with increased urban runoff, further decreasing habitat areas for which took about one week, was sched- uled to take advantage of the dry sum- willowy monardella. Urban runoff can also erode the streamside mer season when Lopez Creek does terraces where willowy monardella resides, washing the plant and its not flow. Needless to say, it was a la- habitat downstream. The latter example is what has occurred within borious process and the project team, Lopez Canyon. including Urban Corps, maintained a Due to habitat degradation, this plant species is becoming in- great attitude during the hot summer. creasingly rare. Only six known locations continue to persist, with Now that the project has been com- the largest population occurring on military land. Many popula- pleted, City of San Diego staff and the tions in upper Lopez Canyon, Soledad Canyon, and other canyons Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon throughout San Diego have been extirpated. It is extremely impor- Preserve hope to preserve and enhance tant that all remaining popu- the natural populations of willowy lations of willowy monar- monardella in Lopez Canyon. Annual surveys, started in 2000 (City of San della be protected and man- Diego 2000), are documenting the ef- aged. Recent taxonomic fectiveness of the A-Jacks. These re- work by Andy Sanders and ports will be provided to the federal Mark Elvin supports the re- and state resource agencies and made classification of willowy available to the public. monardella to its own spe- If our program is successful, in a few cies (Monardella viminea), years additional habitat for willowy with a new species Monar- monardella will be created in Lopez della stoneana (Jennifer’s Canyon by the natural collection of monardella) being described sediment on the A-Jacks. When that from near the US-Mexican occurs, the Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve expect to plant ad- border (see Novon 13(4):426 ditional willowy monardella in Lopez (2003)). Canyon to boost the population. The City of San Diego staff were Willowy monardella (Monardella able to videotape the installation of the linoides ssp. viminea), from Lopez A-Jacks and interview some of the key Canyon, San Diego County. members of the project team. This video documents the work that went

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE MONARDELLA LINOIDES AND M. ODORATISSIMA ALLIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

he genus Monardella consists of approximately with running surface water for 24 to 48 hours after T50 taxa of annual and perennial herbs that a rain) that cut through cismontane marine and are found throughout western North America with alluvial terraces of central San Diego within 20 km almost all taxa occurring either partially or wholly in of the Pacific Ocean. Monardella viminea has a California. Monardella species vary mostly in their relatively sparse pubescence (especially compared vegetative characters (as opposed to floral charac- to the closely related M. linoides ssp. linoides) and is ters), notably pubescence and the size and shape of conspicuously and rather densely glandular on the their leaves and bracts. Speciation in Monardella stems and leaves. The leaves are broadly linear to seems to be driven, in part, by a combination of narrowly lanceolate with a length to width ratio of isolation and vegetative and/or physiological adap- between 7 and 10 to 1. The inflorescence bracts tation to local conditions (personal observation, M. are conspicuously longer than the calyces. Monar- Elvin and A.C. Sanders). della viminea has a strong sweet scent of the sort Many taxonomic problems exist in Monardella. typically associated with Monardella. The Monardella populations in southern California Plants in the Monardella odoratissima species are no exception. They appear to be very similar group generally have wide leaves (lance-ovate) and and it can be difficult to distinguish between the glabrous to sparsely pubescent herbage. Their taxa; however, they can be separated into natural leaves have a distinct petiole, an acute base, and a groups based on a series of shared characters. The relatively broad blade that expands quickly to the M. odoratissima and M. linoides species groups are widest point. The stems and leaves are generally among the most difficult to distinguish in the ge- either glabrous or sparsely pubescent to sparsely nus. The taxa in these groups have regularly been short-villous. Monardella odoratissima is only repre- confused in the field and herbaria, but can be recog- sented in southern California by the derivative taxa nized by small but consistent differences between M. australis and the new species, M. stoneana (which them. was recently published in Novon 13(4)). Plants in the Monardella linoides species group Monardella stoneana (Jennifer’s monardella) is a generally have narrow leaves (broadly linear) and low, compact and non-rhizomatous perennial. It herbage covered with a short dense pubescence. grows in intermittent streams that carry water for Their leaves have a winged petiole, an attenuate several weeks to months during and after the winter base, and a consistently narrowish blade that ex- rainy season. It most often grows among boulders, pands gradually to the widest point. The stems and stones, and in cracks of the bedrock of these inter- leaves have a short dense pubescence in most cases, mittent streams in rocky gorges in the mountains with mixed long and short dense hairs in a few just east of San Diego and into northern Baja Cali- populations (e.g., M. robisonii). Monardella linoides is fornia, Mexico. Monardella stoneana stems are rather represented in southern California by a number of stout compared to the other species in the genus. It taxa including several subspecies of M. linoides, M. is sparsely pubescent to almost glabrous and less robisonii, and M. viminea (a former subspecies of M. glandular than both M. odoratissima and M. viminea. linoides). Its leaves are lanceolate to lance-ovate with a length Monardella viminea (willowy monardella) is a to width ratio of between 3 and 5:1. The inflores- wispy low growing non-rhizomatous perennial with cence bracts are noticeably rather small, of more or stems that drape out from the center, which is how less the same length as the calyces. Monardella it got its common name. It grows on secondary stoneana has a strong and pungent, minty scent. alluvial benches in ephemeral washes (drainages —Mark Elvin

into this project and provides a valu- Although this project underwent a vision, this project might still be in the able guide for anyone considering a significant number of design changes, design and permitting stage. The hope similar project. The video, titled the it was ultimately successful. One of the is that this project will stop the on- “Lopez Canyon Willowy Monardella main reasons for its success is the in- slaught of urban runoff on this sensi- Protection Project,” is available from corporation of volunteers into the tive plant species and stabilize the the City of San Diego. project. Without their assistance and eroded terraces for future populations

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 21 of willowy monardella. Although the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS REFERENCES damage to the watershed will not be undone by this project, it will reduce This project was funded through Dobson, A.P., J.P. Rodriguez, W.M. further sediment deposition down- grants from the California Department Roberts, and D.S. Wilcove. 1997. stream and minimize erosion within of Fish and Game Local Assistance Geographic distribution of endan- Lopez Canyon. Program and the Coastal Conservancy gered species in the United States. Future projects included in the Wetlands Recovery Project Small Science 275:550–553. Lopez Canyon watershed manage- Grant Program. Volunteer assistance California State Coastal Conservancy. ment plan can build off of this effort was also provided by the Friends of Los 1985. The Los Peñasquitos Lagoon to improve the quality of this canyon Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, NRCS, and its habitats. and California State Parks. Enhancement Plan. 90 pp. City of San Diego. 2000. Summary of monitoring results for Monardella linoides ssp. viminea. 8 pp. Prestegaard, K.A. 1979. Stream and lagoon channels of Los Peñasquitos wa- tershed, California with an evaluation of possible effects of proposed urbaniza- tion. Masters Thesis, University of California. Berkeley CA. White, M.D., and K.A. Greer. 2002. The effects of watershed urbanization on stream hydrologic characteristics and riparian vegetation of Los Peñasquitos Creek. Conservation Biology Insti- tute Report. Available at www. consbio.org/cbi/pdf/san_diego/ penasquitos.pdf.

Keith Greer and Holly Cheong, City of San Diego, 202 C Street MS 5A, San Diego, CA 92101. [email protected]; [email protected]

Clockwise from top: Completed installation of the erosion control devices. • The A-Jacks should trap sediment, as well as protect the alluvial terraces, allowing the devices to be partially buried from view in the future. • A-Jacks erosion control device. • Urban Corps of San Diego installing A-Jacks around the alluvial terraces supporting willowy monardella.

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF THE CLUSTERED LADY SLIPPER by Charles L. Argue

rchid flowers and their pol- Olinators provide many ex- amples of highly special- ized relationships. The plants are often fertile across species and even generic boundaries, and selection for reproductive isolation has led to the evolution of novel floral morpholo- gies and pollinator behaviors. Bi- ologists have devoted much effort to untangling the interactions between these flowers and their pollen vec- tors. The most devious orchids are those that produce no nectar or any other floral rewards, employing in- stead some method of deceit. This group includes the lady slippers, where field and laboratory studies have now disclosed much about the pollination process, the breeding sys- tem, and the factors that limit or otherwise influence fruiting success. A recently studied example is the rare clustered lady slipper (Cyp- ripedium fasciculatum Kellogg ex S. Watson). One of only three species of the genus native to western North America, the clustered lady slipper is a small terrestrial orchid of cool,

seasonally dry mountain slopes or records from San Mateo, Santa moist stream terraces, where it oc- Cruz, and Santa Clara counties. I curs on various substrates, often in recently (2003) made an extensive partially to fully shaded coniferous search for it in the Santa Cruz forest. Small isolated populations Mountains without success. are scattered at elevations of 150- 1,900 meters from Washington to northern California and east in the THE SEMI-TRAP mountains to Idaho, Montana, BLOSSOM Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. In California it is found in the Coast The flowers are not showy. A Ranges and Sierra Nevada from Del short rhizome produces 2–10 clus- Clustered lady slipper (Cypripedium fasci- Norte and Siskiyou counties south tered aerial stems, each up to 25 cm culatum). Photographs by M.A. Carr. to Nevada County with historical tall with 1–8 musky-smelling, small,

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 23 drooping, flowers closely spaced in a short arching raceme. Flowering begins in the spring or early sum- mer depending on elevation and as- pect. All the flowers of an inflores- cence open in less than a week, and individual flowers are usually re- ceptive for over two weeks. The sepals and lateral petals vary in color from purple-brown to yellowish- green and are lined with darker, brownish-purple veins. The lateral sepals are fused nearly to their tips while the dorsal sepal arches over a nearly spherical, dull yellow-green lip (slipper or labellum) mottled with red to purple markings, espe- cially around its mouth (Figure 1). This lip plays a critical role in pollination. Lady slippers have flow- ers of a type known as trap or semi- trap blossoms. They temporarily imprison their insect pollinators and force them to follow a prescribed sequence of behaviors in order to obtain their release. I, like others, Figure 1. Clustered lady slipper flower have observed the pollination with erect dorsal sepal • Figure 2. Col- mechanism in a number of out- umn, top view. • Figure 3. Column, side crossing species, and it is the same view. in each. An insect of the appropri- ate size enters the lip through the the stigma (Figures 3 and 4). The obvious large opening at its top (Fig- second narrow passage is the exit ures 1 and 4). The slippery inner hole itself. One exit hole is located surface and the in-folded margins on either side of the base of the prevent it from leaving by the same flower (Figures 1-4). An anther is route. Even though insects have so positioned beside each exit that been reported to sometimes chew an insect of the proper size cannot through the wall tissue, most find a force its way out without contact- different way out. A foothold is pro- ing the anther and carrying away a vided by tightly packed, long hairs mass of sticky pollen on its back. (trichomes) on the bottom of the lip. These lead along a pathway (in German, “haarstrassen”) toward es- cape holes at the base or heel of the slipper (Figures 1 and 4). In its escape the pollinator must pass two points where the passage- way is narrowed. At the first of these it is forced to squeeze under and rub its back against the surface of

Top left: Mountain lady slipper (Cypri- Figure 4. Diagrammatic longitudinal pedium montanum). • Bottom left: section of clustered lady slipper flower California lady slipper (C. californicum). with dotted line showing direction of Photographs by J. Game. pollinator movement.

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 Since the vector contacts the stigma before the anther and usually does not reverse directions, it does not ordinarily transfer pollen to the stigma of the same flower. Rather, pollination is accomplished when and if the insect, upon escaping from the first flower, is subsequently trapped again, usually in a different flower, and the escape procedure is repeated. Biologists are uncertain just why insects enter the flowers in the first place. In some cases the entry is inadvertent. The insects, exploring the outer surface of the lip, tumble into the trap. In other cases entry appears quite deliberate. Some au- thors contend that insects may col- lect oil from the hairs on the inside of the lip. This has yet to be con- firmed. It has also been conjectured that small amounts of nectar are present or that the insects feed on the hairs in the labellum. But it now appears likely that the flower pro- vides no reward, and the insects are European lady slipper (Cypripedium calceolus). Photograph by D. Lin, courtesy of the simply deceived by false nectar University Herbarium and UC Regents. guides, color, and the odor of the blossoms, which promise nectar or exceed the length of the pollinating conspicuous, purplish-brown flow- other enticements where none is insect by a minimum of 3 to 4 mm ers with a musky odor are also some- available (e.g., Nilsson 1981 and or the insect can simply crawl back times pollinated by carrion-loving references therein). out through the labellar opening. flies, hornets, and beetles, no other All of these floral characters are insects were seen bearing pollen of clearly under strong selection pres- this orchid. Moreover, maximum WHO POLLINATES sure in relation to the primary pol- wasp activity matched the peak or- THE CLUSTERED len vectors. In the clustered lady chid blooming time in May. LADY SLIPPER? slipper the anther exit holes are only Ferguson (pers. comm. 2004) has 2 mm in diameter, and the opening now monitored additional popula- Among species of lady slippers, to the labellum is about 7 mm wide tions of clustered lady slippers in reproductive isolation or preven- (Knecht 1996). Pollinator size is California, Colorado, and Wyo- tion of hybridization is related, in accordingly restricted. ming, and unidentified diapriids also part, to the size of the flower. More Recent studies in southwest show up at all these sites even specifically, the width of the en- Oregon identified the pollinator in though none have, as yet, been trance and especially the diameter this area as a tiny parasitic diapriid found carrying orchid pollen. of the anther exit holes and the space wasp in the genus Cinetus (Ferguson between the labellar floor and the and Donham 1999). Female speci- stigma determine the size of the mens of this yet to be identified POLLINATION AND insect involved in the pollination. species were collected carrying pol- FRUIT SET The dorsal-ventral thickness of the len smears of the clustered lady slip- insect’s thorax may be of critical per on their backs. In one case, the Studies of the breeding system importance. In addition, Nilsson insect was captured emerging from in the clustered lady slipper revealed (1981) noted that the depth of the the exit hole at the base of the label- that the experimental transfer of labellum in the European yellow lum (Ferguson and Donham 1999, pollen within a single flower lady slipper (C. calceolus L.) must Lipow et al. 2002). Although in- (selfing), among flowers in the same

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 25 raceme (geitonogamy), or between in the White River National Forest Idaho populations. They conducted racemes of nonclonal plants (xeno- of Colorado and 29% in the Nez no self-pollination experiments in gamy or out-crossing) all produced Pierce National Forest of Idaho to Idaho, but in Colorado self-polli- high levels of fruit set. No fruit was 69% in the Siskiyou National For- nation again produced a significant set when insects were prevented est of Oregon. increase in fruit set when compared from reaching the flowers; no auto- Fruit set was directly related to to open pollination. Knecht (1996) gamy (i.e., no spontaneous self pol- pollination rates, and at the sites also observed significantly higher lination) occurred in the absence of examined by Lipow et al. (2002), levels of fruit set in hand-pollinated a pollinator, and no asexual pro- pollination rates were negatively flowers compared to open-polli- duction of seeds occurred (no aga- related to population size: the level nated flowers at her study site in mospermy) (Kipping 1971, Knecht of fruit set at the Oregon site, where east-central Washington. Hand pol- 1996, Lipow et al. 2002). the population was small, much ex- linations were not carried out on Moreover, there was no reduc- ceeded that at the Colorado site, the Oregon population, but the high tion in fruit set in self-pollinated as where the population was much level of natural fruit set observed compared to cross-pollinated plants larger and denser. A similar inverse here suggests that fecundity in this (Knecht 1996, Lipow et al. 2002). relationship is common in other population might not be limited by Although the pollination mecha- species with non-rewarding polli- pollinator visitation rates. nism promotes cross-pollination, nation systems. Presumably, train- the clustered lady slipper reproduces ing of the pollinator to the appear- vegetatively, and some transfer of ance of non-rewarding flowers is WHAT LIMITS pollen among members of a single more intense and more rapid in FRUIT SET? clone undoubtedly occurs. A flow- larger, denser orchid populations ering period with many simulta- (Lipow et al. 2002). Although more than a one-sea- neously open flowers on each plant At the same time, the diapriids son study is needed to establish provides ample opportunity for pol- were apparently not influenced by whether pollinators or stored nutri- len transfer among flowers of the inflorescence size. The probability ent resources or both are limiting same raceme or among racemes of of a given flower producing fruit (Primack 1996), the pattern noted the same clone. Nonetheless, ge- was unrelated to the number of by Lipow et al. in Colorado and netic studies of chemical variation flowers present in the inflorescence Idaho and Knecht in Washington within and between populations (Lipow et al. 2002). However the has been frequently reported in other imply that the primary mode of re- size of the inflorescence was posi- orchids that rely on deception. Pos- production is out-crossing (Aagaard tively correlated with plant size, sible adaptation to pollinator limita- et al. 1999). Either pollination and larger plants, with a larger tion in the clustered lady slipper is within populations is primarily ran- number of flowers, had a higher also consistent with an observed de- dom or survival of the products of probability of absolute reproduc- crease in fruit set associated with a selfing is reduced by some means tive success and had more resources reduction in pollinator numbers due such as inbreeding depression to devote to fruit production to fire and with the long receptivity (Aagaard et al. 1999, Lipow et al. (Lipow et al. 2002). of the flowers, which maximizes their 2002). Fruiting success can be limited opportunity for pollination and may The levels of natural fruit set in either by the quantity of stored food reflect a dependence upon specific, the clustered lady slipper are highly available for allocation to capsule relatively rare pollinators (Neiland variable. Greenlee (in Lipow et al. and seed maturation or by pollina- and Wilcock 1998). 2002) found that a population of tor visitation rates. In orchids re- Many authors consider pollina- this species in Montana’s Bitterroot quiring an external pollinator, low tor limitation to be evolutionarily Mountains averaged 0.72 fruits from levels of pollinator availability or unstable. According to this view, 2.55 flowers per flowering plant. activity may be indicated by a sig- natural selection should maximize Knecht (1996) reported that an av- nificant increase in fruit set among reproduction within limits set by erage of 32% of flowers produced flowers that are artificially hand the availability of resources with a capsules in nine small populations pollinated compared to those that trade-off between current reproduc- in Washington’s Wenatchee Moun- are left to be pollinated naturally tion and future reproductive suc- tains, and Kipping (1971) found (open pollinated). Lipow et al. cess and growth. Various strategies 47% of the flowers produced fruit (2002) demonstrated such a re- to increase pollination success to at a site in Nevada County, Califor- sponse in experimentally cross-pol- the level where resources are limit- nia. Lipow et al. (2002) recorded linated as compared to open polli- ing should be favored and should levels of fruit set varying from 18% nated flowers in their Colorado and spread through the population.

26 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 These might include a shift to more often wasted through export fruit production following hand pol- asexual seed production or a modi- to the stigmas of plants from other linations. Neiland and Wilcock be- fication in floral anatomy that would species. (Neiland and Wilcock lieve the adoption of nectar pro- allow spontaneous self-pollination 1998). High levels of contamina- duction might represent the most to occur in this already self-com- tion lead to reduction in viable seed effective mechanism for overcom- patible species. However, a transi- production, probably lowering re- ing the reproductive restrictions of tion to asexual seed production is productive success in nectarless or- pollinator limitation. Why has the uncommon in orchids and accord- chids even more than estimated on predicted increase in individual re- ing to Neiland and Wilcock (1998 the basis of capsule production. productive success not resulted in and references therein), may be in- Although the presence or the the spread or fixation of nectar pro- duction in any current lady slipper population? Data based on hand pollina- tions suggest that an increase in fruit production can limit the re- sources available for subsequent growth, reproduction, and survival (e.g., Primack 1996 and references therein). Therefore, even though fruit production within seasons may be pollinator limited, an increase in pollination rate might not sig- nificantly improve overall repro- ductive success because such an in- crease could have an adverse effect on lifetime fecundity. Cochran (1986), however, be- lieves the effects of resource limita- tion are subordinate to pollinator limitation. Based on his calculations, Clustered lady slipper. Photograph by J. Game. two years of complete pollination are equivalent to 10 to 20 years of hibited because development of the artificial addition of nectar does not normal fruit set, and long life spans embryo sac and placental cells does always mitigate pollinator limita- and low mortality would, in time, not begin until pollen has been de- tion, it had a significant effect on permit resource-depleted individu- posited on the stigma. The shift to both pollen removal (male function) als to resume reproduction. Primack spontaneous self-pollination, al- and fruit set (female function) in (1996) observed such recovery in though not unknown, is also diffi- the pink lady slipper (C. acaule Ait.) several Massachusetts populations cult because it requires significant (Cochran 1986). Neiland and of the pink lady slipper. In the clus- morphological changes in the struc- Wilcock (1998) reported that aver- tered lady slipper individuals rou- ture of the flower. age fruit-set figures measuring the tinely survive more than 30 years An alternate possibility is that relative reproductive success of (Lipow et al. 2002), and some old flowers could develop which pro- nectarless and nectar-producing or- records indicate life spans of over vide a nectar reward. This might chids in North America were 19.5% 90 years. reverse the negative reinforcement and 49.3%, respectively, based on Calvo and Horvitz (1990) also of repeated visitor behavior in non- fruit to flower ratios. In the clus- consider the costs of reproduction rewarding flowers. Moreover, be- tered lady slipper only the small to be secondary to pollinator limi- cause pollinators that visit unre- Oregon population equals or ex- tation. According to their demo- warding flowers are likely to sample ceeds the average level of fruit pro- graphic model, increased fitness re- a variety of other flowers in a search duction for nectariferous orchids. sulting from higher levels of polli- for nectar or pollen, the stigmas of Four out of five of the remaining nation and fruit set would overcome nectarless orchids are often more populations sampled fall within the the relatively low cost of fruiting. highly contaminated with pollen range recorded for non-rewarding Studies of reproduction in the or- from other species than are those of orchids (2.8-39.0%), including both chid Tolumnia variegata (Sw.) Braem nectariferous orchids, and pollen is populations that showed increased were consistent with these predic-

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 27 tions (Calvo 1993). A statistically until suitable habitat for the estab- Calvo, R.N. 1993. Evolutionary de- significant reduction in future lishment of seedlings becomes avail- mography of orchids: Intensity and growth and flowering was observed able (Knecht 1996, Aagaard et al. frequency of pollination and the cost only in plants subjected to a high 1999). If so, management to pro- of fruiting. Ecology 74(4):1033–1042. pollination intensity treatment (viz., vide early successional habitat would Calvo, R.N. and C.C. Horvitz. 1990. Pollinator limitation, cost of repro- all the flowers in the inflorescence be required for the development of duction, and fitness in plants: A were pollinated resulting in a mean new colonies and the long-term sur- transition matrix demographic fruit set about 88 times greater than vival of the orchid. approach. Amer. Naturalist 136(4): in open-pollinated plants). Simula- The early succession hypothesis 499–516. tions revealed that the production is interesting, but as Aagaard et al. Cochran, M. E. 1986. Consequences of only a few seedlings per fruit (1999) point out, additional studies of pollination by chance in the pink could more than compensate the are needed to clearly detail how new lady’s-slipper, Cypripedium acaule. cost of fruiting and that therefore populations are established and to PhD Dissertation. The University selection for higher levels of polli- distinguish between clone members of Tennessee, Knoxville. nation should be favored. and seedlings in plant clusters Ferguson, C.S. and K. Donham. 1999. Calvo (1993) believes that the sampled from a range of succes- Pollinator of clustered lady’s-slipper orchid, Cypripedium fasciculatum, low level of pollination and fruit sional stages. Preliminary DNA in- (Orchidaceae) in Oregon. North production frequently observed in vestigations now suggest that plants American Native Orchid Journal orchids lacking spontaneous self- more than a few centimeters apart 5(2):180–184. pollination may be due to a low can differ genetically and may be Kipping, J.L. 1971. Pollination studies correlation between fruit or seed derived from seeds (Liston pers. of native orchids. Master’s Thesis. San production and seedling establish- comm. in Severs and Lang 1998). Francisco State College, San Fran- ment. Selection for increased levels Additional studies are also cisco. of pollination would be ineffectively needed on diapriid wasps. The rea- Knecht, D. 1996. The reproductive low if an increase in seed produc- sons for the dramatic variation in and population ecology of Cypripe- tion was not translated into an in- natural fruit set (18–69%) are un- dium fasciculatum (Orchidaceae) crease in the number of reproduc- certain, at least in part because throughout the Cascade Range. Master’s Thesis, Central Washing- tive individuals produced in the next diapriid wasp behavior is not un- ton University, Ellensberg WA. generation (i.e. an increase in fit- derstood. Many species of Cinetus Lipow, S.R., P. Bernhardt, and N. ness). Under such circumstances and other diapriids remain un- Vance. 2002. Comparative rates of pollinator limitation might be evo- described. The identification and pollination of a rare orchid (Cypri- lutionarily stable (Calvo 1993). study of individual species and an pedium fasciculatum). Intl. Jour. Plant Knecht (1996) reported both understanding of their role in the Sci. 163:775–782. pollinator limitation and poor seed- pollination of this orchid across its Neiland, M.R.C. and C.C. Wilcock. ling recruitment in the clustered lady range must await the construction 1998. Fruit-set, nectar reward, and slipper at her study site in east-cen- of a new key to this group, a task rarity in the Orchidaceae. Amer. tral Washington. Plants produced that has only recently been initi- Jour. Bot. 85:1657–1671. Nilsson, L.A. 1981. Pollination ecol- an average of about 4,300 seeds per ated at the Smithsonian (Ferguson, ogy and evolutionary processes in capsule, but few were able to estab- pers. comm. 2004). Once the base- six species of orchids. Acta Univ. Ups. lish. Aagaard et al. (1999) speculate line data are gathered, scientists will 593:1–40. that seedlings of this orchid may be able to provide land managers Primack, R.B. 1996. Science and ser- only become established in the ear- with better information on which endipity: The pink lady’s slipper liest stages of forest succession. The to base decisions affecting the long project. Arnoldia (Jamaica Plain) clusters of plants now observed oc- term survival of this remarkable 56:8–14. cupying mid- to late-successional little orchid. Severs, J. and F. Lang. 1998. Manage- stages may represent asexually gen- ment recommendations of clus- tered lady slipper orchid (Cypri- erated descendents persisting REFERENCES pedium fasciculatum Kellogg ex through the production of rhizoma- Watson). Vol. 2. Available at: www. tous clones, the apparently separate or.blm.gov/surveyandmanage/MR/ Aagaard, J.E., J.H. Richy, and K.L. plants derived by dieback or frag- VascularPlants /section9.htm. Shea. 1999. Genetic variation mentation of a branching rhizome. among populations of the rare clus- This growth habit and the probable tered lady-slipper orchid (Cypripe- Charles L. Argue, Department of Plant long life span of the clustered lady dium fasciculatum) from Washington Biology, 250 Biological Sciences Center, slipper might permit some plants to state, USA. Natural Areas Journal University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN survive a series of successional stages 19(3):234–238. 55108. [email protected]

28 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 GROWING NATIVES: CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE by Glenn Keator

alifornia buckeye (Aesculus seed pods with glossy brown seeds Ccalifornica) grows naturally like chestnuts in fall. The flowers as a small tree to perhaps attract a wide variety of pollinators 30 feet high, with a broad, beauti- but the nectar is said to be poison- fully-rounded crown. Pinching back ous to honey bees. It’s important to the new shoots encourages it in- note that buckeye seeds are not ed- stead to bush out and create a large ible even though they resemble the shrub. Here is a fine plant for sea- edible seeds of chestnuts (Castanea sonal interest: silvery gray bark spp.). The large seeds contain an that’s shown to advantage from fall abundant food reserve but shrivel through winter; fanlike, palmately- quickly if not planted immediately; compound, apple-green leaves in prompt planting assures easy ger- spring and early summer; tight mination and vigorous seedlings. candles of white to palest pink, Growth is rapid for the first few sweetly fragrant flowers in May or years. Decent size for the shrub re- June; and curious, leathery, pearlike quires only a few years with abun- dant water and sun. Later, water can be withheld or applied occa- sionally; some summer water as- sures leaves are retained longer. California buckeye is adapted to especially hot, dry summers once its roots are well established. It can

Clockwise from right: The striking inflorescence of California buckeye (Aesculus californica). This flowering stem can be up to one foot in length. Photo- be grown as a focal point in a small graph by J. Hickman. • Fruits of the garden, yet it is also capable of California buckeye, which are similar to all fruits in the horse chestnut family growing tall enough to provide (Hippocastanaceae), to which this species shade for a one-story building. It belongs. Photograph by Morin. • Flowers also can be pruned as a hedge or of the California buckeye. Photograph by foundation planting, or used in a J. Hickman. Use of photographs courtesy large container on a semishaded to of the University Herbarium and UC Regents. sunny patio. Two liabilities of planting this in the garden are lots of leaf litter in fall, and poisonous leaves and seeds. This is not an appropriate plant where young children wan- der. In a large-scale garden, buck- eye can be grown to tree size and used as a companion with live oaks (Quercus agrifolia and Q. wislizenii), western redbud (Cercis occidentalis), and gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) for a natural effect.

Glenn Keator, 1455 Catherine Drive, Ber- keley, CA 94702. [email protected]

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 29 DR. MALCOLM MCLEOD, 2004 FELLOW OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY by Dirk R. Walters

The members and officers of the San served wherever the chapter has as recording secretary in 1996 and Luis Obispo Chapter of the California needed him. Since 1973, on a yearly 1997, and accepted the task of chap- Native Plant Society (CNPS) nomi- basis, he leads at least one, and of- ter field trip chair for the year 2002. nated Dr. Malcolm McLeod, age 81, ten several, field trips. Malcolm will- The recitation of Malcolm’s to become a Fellow of the California ingly presents regularly scheduled chapter activities is not complete Native Society. Members of the nomi- (not to mention emergency) pro- without the acknowledgement of his nating committee included Dirk R. grams at chapter meetings. At our lifelong companion and wife, Sybil. Walters, Bonnie Walters, John annual plant sale he assists plant She accompanied Malcolm on most Chesnut, David Chipping, Mardi purchasers by staffing the Refer- of his activities and excursions for Niles, and Jack Beigle. ence Table. Since the early 1980s the chapter, and served many years he served on the chapter Scholar- as chapter historian. Upon Sybil’s r. Malcom McLeod be- ship Committee, which solicits and untimely death in 2000, Malcolm Dcame an active member of evaluates native plant study propos- took over the historian’s job and the San Luis Obispo Chap- als from Cuesta College and Cal continues it to this day. ter shortly after his arrival in the Poly State University students, for During Dr. McLeod’s tenure county in the winter of 1973. We small cash awards. He has served as chapter president, he encour- are all richer for the contributions continuously on our photographic aged and participated in the ad hoc that he has made on behalf of Cali- committee, charged with docu- committee that planned and pro- fornia’s native flora by his work as menting the native plants of our duced the symposium/workshop an educator, rare plant advocate, chapter area and maintaining the entitled, Native Plants: A Viable Op- author, and chapter leader. slide collection that has been devel- tion. At the symposium, Dr. Dr. McLeod was professor of oping. Dr. McLeod has also served McLeod presented the paper titled, botany in the Biology Depart- “Modern Uses of Native ment at California Polytech- Dr. Malcolm McLeod. Photograph by M.L. Niles. Plants.” He was the major con- nic State University from 1973 tributor of information for the until his full retirement in proceedings appendix on ob- 1993. In addition to general taining, propagating, and botany courses, he also devel- growing native plants. oped and taught a course in He also served on the edi- native plant materials for land- torial committee for the pub- scape architecture and orna- lication resulting from the mental horticulture students. proceedings, Native Plants: A As a result, a number of his Viable Option (CNPS Special students joined the chapter, Publication Number 3). In his and later became active mem- review of the proceedings bers and officers. Several en- (Fremontia, April 1979) Mar- tered the native plant nursery shal Olbrich wrote, “. . . un- and landscaping trade. usual in book reviews to give Since his early days as a special praise to the appendi- chapter member, Dr. McLeod ces, but three are of lasting has held several offices and importance and usefulness: been a regular participant in Malcolm McLeod’s ‘Anno- chapter activities. He became tated List of California Na- chapter president in 1976 and tive Trees and Shrubs with served two one-year terms. Garden Potential’ . . .” Since then, Malcolm has Dr. McLeod’s most signifi-

30 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 cant contribution to the chapter and our chapter requesting removal of state organization has been his role several proposed home sites in the as chapter rare plant specialist, serv- Arroyo de la Cruz area of the Hearst ing as chapter chair from the early Ranch Conservation Easement pur- 1980s through 1992. Dr. McLeod chase by the state. It appears that combines three strengths for the this will be done. promotion of rare flora. First, due His reports provided much of to Malcolm’s wisdom and tenacity, the raw data for several successful we have benefited from the contin- rare plant listings. For example, in ued recognition of individual spe- November 1986, Malcolm wrote cies which were sometimes unrec- the status report for federal listing ognized or lost for decades, while for the Nipomo lupine, Lupinus taxonomic fashion has ebbed and nipomensis, which is now officially Dr. McLeod at Coreopsis Hill. Photo- flowed around them. Second, Dr. listed by both the federal govern- graph by M.L. Niles. McLeod’s indefatigable survey and ment and the state of California as careful documentation of rare popu- endangered. He was always eager CNPS and SLO chapter publica- lations has provided a basis for pro- to keep the chapter membership tions committee and available from tection of landscapes rich in rare aware of progress of the rare plant State CNPS or central coast book- species throughout San Luis program. He accomplished this via stores and gift shops. In 2004 Dr. Obispo. Finally, Dr. McLoed has a succession of general meeting pro- McLeod produced the color 14- the perspicacity to see the very grams and articles in our chapter page pamphlet, Highway 58 Wild- simple practical steps, whether newsletter, The Obispoensis. flowers. In 1994, Malcolm provided building a barrier to motorcycles or In the early 1990s, Malcolm, many slides, much of the text edit- rerouting a road, which proved cru- along with the help of members of ing, and the accompanying species cial to protection of a rare plant. the Photographic Committee, put list used for the creation of a 22– In the spring of 1984, Malcolm together a 60-page notebook con- minute video entitled, Central Coast took a sabbatical from Cal Poly and taining photographs and distribu- Wildflowers. Publications that he is visited all of the localities where tion of all the list 1B plants in our currently working on include one rare plants were recorded in our chapter area. Copies of this note- on native plant communities and area, such as Arroyo de la Cruz, book were distributed to county important species of the Carrizo Surf, Calf Canyon, Black Moun- planning agencies. Since stepping Plain National Monument, and an tain, Carrizo Plain, and Soda Lake. down as Rare Plant Chair, he has update of the rare plants of San He involved at least 29 members continued not only as an active Luis Obispo County notebooks, to and other people on his excursions. member, but also in the role of se- be published as a CD. One of his trips to Arroyo del la nior advisor for the committee. He Dr. McLeod has also been an Cruz included State CNPS person- is in the process of training a new emissary of native plants in other nel, a trip now memorialized as the generation of rare plant observers. organizations besides CNPS. For photograph on the yellow holder We relate a story told by Dr. the last eight years he has been aca- used by our Society to display mem- McLeod’s Cal Poly Biology Depart- demic advisor to our County’s fledg- bership application forms. ment colleagues. When Malcolm ling botanical garden. This garden Dr. McLeod was always dili- started at Cal Poly, he refused to plans to specialize in plants of the gent in providing rare plant search allow his assigned typewriter to re- five Mediterranean climates zones. results to the state office and the main in his office because, as he Malcolm has encouraged them to California Department of Fish and said, “I do not type!” He told the strengthen their California native Game Natural Diversity Database. staff to give the typewriter to some- plant holdings, conducted public A paper, co-authored with Dr. David one else. Today, some 30 years later, activities at the garden, and pro- Keil, on rare plants of Arroyo de la he has mastered typing on a com- vided educational forums for its Cruz was presented at the State puter, as well as book and pamphlet members. Dr. McLeod has done CNPS-sponsored Rare Plant Con- formatting. Malcolm has worked much to further objectives of ference in November 1986. Malcolm with numerous chapter members to CNPS; his recognition as a Fellow also presented a paper on rare plant strengthen our chapter’s outreach of this society is highly deserved. successes in our area. The data gath- and education programs. In 2001, ered on these trips to places such as he was the lead author and pro- Dirk R. Walters, 392 Christina Way, the Hearst Ranch (i.e., Arroyo de la duced the Dune Mother’s Wild- San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. dwalters@ Cruz) were to become the basis of flower Guide, published by State calpoly.edu

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIA 31 LETTERS

The following letters are in response to tenure to be a “skim the cream and sources they have, in the time they the special issue on stewardship, Fremon- move on” experience. have, wherever they are.” I wish I’d tia, Volume 32, No. 3 (July 2003). Some of us now recognize we have invented that phrase, but I have to reached the end of the frontier, and credit a child, born with AIDS in Landmark Issue are regaining the perspective of those South Africa, who has now passed on. Thank you for hitting me where I who were tied to the land. But there Earle W. Cummings live with your issue on stewardship and are plenty of economists, elected offi- Milo Baker Chapter plant communities. The practice of cials, and dreamers worldwide who are land care has always been more or less seduced by the frontier mindset. A Good Read central to people who lived for long Growth is good, increased resource I always love the way Fremontia on the land. The First People engaged extraction is good, technology will looks, but this is the first time that I’ve in extensive landscape-scale manipu- provide replacements for exhausted read an issue from cover to cover. This lation of ecosystems, and the notion resources, and an increasing gross na- issue is truly inspirational. Great job, of the “Wilderness” was only the im- tional product will benefit everyone, Pete [Holloran, Convening Editor for pression Europeans had from looking whether the GNP per capita increases this issue]! I think every issue should with untutored eyes at a tended gar- or not. include similar articles, or at least one. den. Peasant farmers, whose future Your Volume 32, Number 3 will be In my opinion, this is the most impor- and past were tied to the land, were a landmark issue. Thoughtful readers tant message to get across and the best inherently conservative. The US has will be able to return to it time after way to bring more people into CNPS. not been well served by the availabil- time for years and gain new resolve Marilyn Smulyan ity of a frontier that permitted land to do “the best they can, with the re- Yerba Buena Chapter

BOOK REVIEW

A Natural History of Ferns, by This book is a cornucopia of 33 in- •Ants live inside potato-like Robbin C. Moran. 2004. Timber formative and entertaining essay-like stems of a tropical fern (Solan- Press, Portland, Oregon. 302 pages, chapters about the natural history of opteris) in a symbiotic relation- 145 illustrations, 26 color photos. ferns, arranged in six sections: The ship. Hardcover. Price $29.95. Life Cycle of Ferns, Classification of Ferns, Fern Fossils, Adaptations by •Some tropical ferns adapt to Ferns, Fern Geography, and Ferns and low-light conditions by being People. It is intended for both gen- iridescent. eral readers and fern specialists, and it has a nine-page glossary for those un- •There are ferns that exist as tiny, familiar with the terminology. Over perennial, filamentous or rib- 160 references are provided for those bon-like gametophytes, repro- who wish to dig deeper. ducing through specialized buds A Natural History of Ferns is not a but never producing sporo- flora or identification key but picks up phytes (the familiar spore-bear- where field guides leave off. The ing plants with roots, stems, and reader will be rewarded with a variety leaves). of fascinating insights, of which a few are sampled here: The author is curator of ferns at the New York Botanical Garden, and •Some ferns actually catapult is also a writer and teacher. He inter- Figure 50 of A Natural History of Ferns, their spores as a result of the weaves his delightful stories with whose caption reads, “Horsetails were forces acting when the spore anecdotes from his own experience. I named Equisetum (Latin equus, horse, and cases split open. agree with Oliver Sacks who wrote in seta, bristle) because of their resemblance his Foreword that this book “is stimu- to a horse’s tail.” Figure from Robbin Moran’s A Natural History of Ferns re- •An estimated 5% of fern species lating, enthralling, a beautiful com- drawn from Alice Tangerini’s illustration worldwide can reproduce by panion for any fern lover.” in O. Tippo and W.L. Stern (1977), forming buds somewhere on Guenther Machol Humanistic Botany. their roots, stems, or leaves. Santa Clara Valley Chapter

32 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 Please Join Today! CNPS member gifts allows us to promote and protect California’s native plants and their habitats. Gifts are tax-deductible minus the $12 of the total gift which goes toward publication of Fremontia and the CNPS Bulletin.

❏ $20 Limited Income ❏ $35 Individual ❏ $45 Family/International ❏ $75 Supporting ❏ $100 Plant Lover ❏ $250 Patron ❏ $500 Benefactor ❏ $1,000 Mariposa Lily

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

❏ Enclosed is a check made payable to CNPS Membership Gift: ❏ Charge my gift to ❏ Mastercard ❏ Visa Added donation of:

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, Sacramento, CA 95816-5113. Phone (916) 447-2677; fax (916) 447-2727; www.cnps.org.

MATERIALS FOR GOING NATIVE GARDEN TOUR PUBLICATION Members and others are invited www.GoingNativeGardenTour.com / [email protected] to submit material for publication c/o CNPS, 3921 E. Bayshore Rd. Rm 205, Palo Alto, CA 94303 in Fremontia. Instructions for contributors can be found on the ISIT home CNPS website, www.cnps.org, or Vgardens that can be requested from Fremontia are water-wise, low Editor, Linda Ann Vorobik, maintenance, low on [email protected], or c/o chemical use, bird University and Jepson Herbaria, and butterfly 1001 Valley Life Sciences Bldg. friendly, and #2465, University of California, attractive. A variety Berkeley, CA 94720-2465. of home gardens landscaped with California native FREMONTIA EDITORIAL plants will be open ADVISORY BOARD to the public. Elegant clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata) next to a bird bath in Various locations a Sunnyvale garden. Photograph by Agi Kehoe. Susan D’Alcamo, Ellen Dean, throughout Santa Clara Valley. Free admission; registration re- Kathleen Dickey, Phyllis M. quired at www.GoingNativeGardenTour.com before April 16, 11 a.m., Faber, Holly Forbes, Bart or until the tour reaches capacity, whichever comes first. Last O’Brien, John Sawyer, Jim year’s tour attracted over 1,800 registrants. Space is limited; register Shevock, Teresa Sholars, Nevin early to ensure a place. For more information, email Smith, Dieter Wilken, John [email protected]. Willoughby, Carol W. Witham, Darrell Wright SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2005, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005 FREMONTIAFREMONTIA 3 FROM THE EDITOR

ach of 2005’s four issues of Fre- There is so much to do and learn, riverbed in the San Diego area. In the Emontia celebrates the 40th anni- and so much fun to be had at the local second, orchid expert Charles Argue versary of the California Native level that it is possible to forget about provides a detailed account of clus- Plant Society (CNPS): each issue be- all the work done (and fun had?) at tered lady slipper sex (i.e., pollination gins with an article about one fourth the state level of our Society. Upon in Cypripedium fasciculatum). of the 32 chapters, followed by one or his departure from CNPS, Mike Glenn Keator shares his wisdom on more articles on the state programs. To mlinson provides an overview of growing native plants with a discus- The article on chapters for this issue the state organization and an intro- sion of the California buckeye is introduced by CNPS President, duction to the state programs of (Aesculus californica), and Dirk Walters Carol Witham, then progresses to CNPS. Look for in-depth articles introduces us to the society’s newest summaries of the state’s seven south- about individual programs in the next Fellow, Dr. Malcolm McLeod. Con- ernmost chapters, each written by one three issues. gratulations, Malcolm! You and all or more representatives of that chap- Tw o provocative articles follow, CNPS Fellows stand for all that ter. Upon reading them I wished I each with an ecological bent. In the California Native Plant Society mem- could visit every one: attend a plant first, authors Keith Greer and Holly bers can be proud of in this, our sale in LA; picnic with the South Coast Cheong tell the story of managing for 40th year. Chapter; or explore the desert with the endangered willowy monardella Linda Ann Vorobik Mojave Chapter members. (Monardella linoides ssp. viminea) in a Fremontia Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

Charles Argue, PhD, is a plant biologist specializing in the study of pollen grains. His articles have appeared in the American Journal of Botany, Canadian Journal of Botany, In-

ternational Journal of Plant Sciences (Botanical Gazette), Grana,

Address Service Requested Service Address

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento, 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707 Pollen et Spores, North American Native Orchid Journal, and Society Plant Native California as chapters in a number of book-length publications. Holly Cheong, a former biologist with the City of San Diego’s Multiple Species Conservation Program, is now an environmental planner for the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Mark Elvin, a former wildlife biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is the senior botanist for Dudek and Associates in San Diego, California. Keith Greer is the deputy planning director and program manager for the City of San Diego’s Multiple Species Con- servation Program. Glenn Keator, PhD, is a freelance teacher and botanist at California Academy of Science, Strybing Arboretum, Re- gional Parks Botanic Garden, and Merrit College, and author of many books, including Introduction to Trees of the San Francisco Bay Region. Michael Tomlinson is now working at the Provost’s Of- fice of Advancement at UC Davis, but served from 2003- 2004 as the Bulletin editor and the first development direc- tor for CNPS.

Dirk R. Walters, along with the nomination committee

U.S. Postage U.S.

Nonprofit Org. Nonprofit Permit # 3729 # Permit from the San Luis Obispo Chapter, is well-acquainted with CA Oakland,

our latest CNPS Fellow, Malcolm McLeod. PAID Carol W. Witham is a consulting biologist specializing in the endangered plants and animals of vernal pools. She is currently president of CNPS and founder of Ver nalPools.org, a grassroots organization dedicated to sav- ing California’s vernal pool landscape.

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 33:1, JANUARY 2005