Sego Lily July 2008 31 (4) July 2008 Volume 31 Number 4 Salt Lake Chapter Trek to the Beaver Dam Mountains By Bill Gray In April, eight Salt Lake Chapter members took a break from their long winter and headed south as far as they could get, actually ending up just over the border in Arizona. Somehow the Virgin River gorge and that part of the Beaver Dam Moun- tains feel as though they really be- long in Utah. Most of you have probably driven through the gorge on Interstate 15 en route to/from Las Vegas or Southern California, and have ad- mired the steep rugged cliffs where the river has carved its way down. From a speeding car it is possible to spot a few of the obvious standout plants of the Mojave Desert – Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), Above: Crevice penstemon, Penstemon petiolatus, grows in Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) mostly inaccessible crevices in rugged limestone cliffs in and rather modest specimens of Le- Utah’s Beaver Dam Mountains. Photo by Bill Gray conte's barrel cactus (Ferocactus acanthodes var. lecontei). But we wanted to take time to get In this issue: out and really experience first hand the other unusual plants from this Salt Lake Chapter Trek to the Beaver Dam Mountains . 1 area. In this we were very fortunate UNPS and Chapter News . 2 to have one of the best possible Bulletin Board . 3 guides in Dr. Larry Higgins. Larry Q and A: Growing Sego Lilies . 6 grew up in the area, getting to know Richard Joshua Shaw (1923-2008) . 6 it like the back of his hand. Al- Ten Things You Always Wanted to Know About Sagebrush though he moved away to pursue his (But Were Afraid to Ask) . 7 doctorate and a career in botany, he What‘s in a Name? Rafinesque and Rafinesquia . 10 returned "home" a number of years UNPS Scholarship: What can the Wild Buckwheats Tell Us? . 11 ago. As one of the principal authors Noteworthy Discoveries: New Potentilla in Utah and Nevada . 11 of A Utah Flora he presented a great combination [continued on page 4] Copyright 2008 Utah Native Plant Society. All Rights Reserved. Utah Native Plant Society Education: Ty Harrison Sego Lily Editor: Walter Fertig Horticulture: Maggie Wolf ([email protected]). News items, arti- Invasive Weeds: Susan Garvin cles, photos, and illustrations from Rare Plants: Walter Fertig members are always welcome. The deadline for the September 2008 Sego Chapters and Chapter Presidents Lily is 15 August 2008. Cache: Steve Ripple Escalante (Garfield Co): Allysia Angus Copyright 2008 Utah Native Plant Officers Fremont (Richfield area): Rebecca Society. All Rights Reserved Co-Presidents: Bill Gray (Salt Lake Co) Harmon and Bill King (Salt Lake Co) Manzanita (Kane Co): Walter Fertig The Sego Lily is a publication of the Treasurer: Celeste Kennard (Utah Co) Mountain (Summit Co): Mindy Utah Native Plant Society, a 501(c)(3) Secretary: Mindy Wheeler (Summit Wheeler not-for-profit organization dedicated Co) Price (Carbon Co): Mike Hubbard to conserving and promoting steward- Board Chair: Larry Meyer (Salt Lake Salt Lake: Kipp Lee ship of our native plants. Use of con- Co) Southern (Washington Co): Margaret tent material is encouraged but re- Malm quires permission (except where ex- UNPS Board: Walter Fertig (Kane Co), Utah Valley (Utah Co): Celeste Ken- empted by statute) and must be cor- Robert Fitts (Utah Co), Susan Garvin nard rectly credited and cited. Articles, (Utah Co), Marie Griffiths (Salt Lake photographs and illustrations submit- Co), Ty Harrison (Salt Lake Co), Char- Website: For late-breaking news, the ted to us remain the property of the lene Homan (Salt Lake Co), Kipp Lee UNPS store, the Sego Lily archives, submitting individuals or organiza- (Salt Lake Co), Margaret Malm Chapter events, links to other websites tions. Submit permission requests to (Washington Co), Therese Meyer (Salt (including sources of native plants and [email protected]. We encourage read- Lake Co), Jeff Mitchell (Utah Co), Leila the digital Utah Rare Plant Field ers to submit articles for potential Shultz (Cache Co), Maria Ulloa (Sevier Guide), and more, go to unps.org. publication. By submitting an article, Co), Dave Wallace (Cache Co), Maggie Many thanks to Xmission for an implicit license is granted to print Wolf (Salt Lake Co), Loreen Woolsten- sponsoring our website. the article in the newsletter or other hulme (Utah Co). UNPS publications for reprint without For more information on UNPS: permission (in print and electronic Committees Contact Bill King (582-0432) or Susan media). When submitting an article, Communications: Larry Meyer Garvin (356-5108), or write to UNPS, please indicate whether it has been Conservation: Bill King and Tony PO Box 520041, Salt Lake City, UT, previously published or submitted for Frates 84152-0041 or email [email protected] consideration to other publications. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ canyon bottom. In the afternoon, chapter meeting in October. UNPS and Chapter News Fishlake National Forest ecologist —Allysia Angus Bob Campbell gave an informative Annual Field Trip: At least two slide presentation on fire ecology Manzanita (Kane County): dozen UNPS members and friends and aspen biology in the local area. This spring the chapter sponsored attended the Society‘s annual The day was capped by a delicious field trips to the Toroweap area of spring field trip at Capitol Reef meal provided by the Fremont the Grand Canyon and Snow Can- National Park on May 17, ably Chapter at the Sunglow Camp- yon State Park, as well as in our hosted by the Fremont Chapter. ground. Local cowboy poet C.R. own backyard in Kanab. Addi- BLM botanist Maria Ulloa led the Wood and country musician Ken tional field trips are slated for the group on a tour of the Capitol Stevens of the band Latigo regaled Red Canyon area (near Bryce Can- Gorge area. Although this spring‘s us well into the night. Thanks to yon) and Twisted Forest (near dry, cool weather put a damper on everyone in the Fremont Chapter Brian Head) in July and on the the park‘s usual wildflower show, for making us all welcome and Kaibab Plateau in August. Our the group was still treated to many providing a wonderful weekend of indoor meeting schedule will re- colorful and interesting species, botanical fun—W. Fertig sume in early October—W. Fertig including Claret cup cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), Escalante (Garfield County): Southern (Washington Co.) Eaton‘s beardtongue (Penstemon The chapter held its annual pot- Our July 7th meeting will have a eatonii), Circle Cliffs milkweed luck/BBQ at the home of Ricki and powerpoint presentation showing (Asclepias labriformis), Northern Sandy Brown in early June. Ricki plants and landscaping by several hedysarum (Hedysarum boreale), shared information he has gained local gardeners. What grows best and Western blanketflower utilizing water-conserving irriga- plus tips about what works will be (Gaillardia spathulata). Best in tion techniques in his gardens. shared. The event will be held at show honors, however, was given We will take a break from the the Canyon Community Center to the enormous purple mounds of bi-monthly meeting schedule dur- 126 Lion Blvd, Springdale.— Bar- Spiny milkwort (Polygala sub- ing the summer. Expect another bara Farnsworth spinosa) found at one site in the 2 Sego Lily July 2008 31 (4) Bulletin Board Coming in September! Gala 30th Anniversary issue of the Sego Lily: The next issue of the Peterson’s campion Sego Lily will be a special theme (Silene petersonii), the signature plant of Cedar issue dedicated to the 30th anni- Breaks National Monu- versary of the Utah Native Plant ment. Photo by Douglas Society. Anyone with a story to N. Reynolds. share about UNPS, especially the Print subscribers: go to society‘s early years, is encouraged www.unps.org to see to submit a short article or anec- this and other photos in dote to [email protected]. Deadline full color (as nature for the next issue is 15 August intended)! 2008.—W. Fertig UNPS Annual Members Meet- Utah. Volunteers would need to Throughout the Festival, the visi- ing: Our annual members meet- have good plant identification tor center will be hosting an ongo- ing will take place in Salt Lake City skills, particularly on the first of ing electronic display of wild- in late October. This is the time the events. flower images, providing free when we elect a new board of di- July 10-12 Tushar Mountains wildflower photography tip sheets, rectors for the following year. near Beaver, in collaboration with and offering discounts on wild- Currently we are aiming for Satur- the US Forest Service and others. flower related books and sales day October 25th, but might have Volunteers will help to resurvey items. to shuffle a bit depending on avail- transects that are being monitored Lastly, the park will host several ability of an appropriate venue. for the effects of grazing. Zion Canyon Field Institute Given that this is our 30th anni- July 25-27 Two surveys. First, of (ZCFI) classes to round out the versary we plan to have some spe- an exclosure near Teasdale, to schedule. The classes include: cial presentations, and hope to ―Wildflower Photography: Cedar compare grazed and ungrazed ar- th attract many members and offi- eas. Second, a high elevation wet- Breaks‖ on Tuesday, the 8 , cers from the early years. So try to ―Wildflower Journaling at Cedar land area near Fish Lake, that may th, keep that date in mind as you plan never have been thoroughly sur- Breaks‖ on the 10 , and your Fall schedules and come help ―Lifezones II: Zion to Cedar veyed before. th us celebrate.—Bill Gray If you are interested in learning Breaks‖ on the 12 .