VOLUME 44, NO. 3 Fall/Winter 2020 Journal of the Douglasia WASHINGTON NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY To promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington’s native plants and their habitats through study, education, and advocacy. Fall/Winter 2020 • DOUGLASIA Douglasia VOLUME 44, NO. 3 FALL/WINTER 2020 journal of the washington native plant society About This Issue WNPS Arthur R. Kruckberg Fellows* Clay Antieau Lou Messmer** by Walter Fertig William Barker** Joe Miller** Nelsa Buckingham** Margaret Miller** “Hindsight is 20/20” is a proverb that is sure to take on Pamela Camp Mae Morey** added meaning in a few years as we look back on all the crazy Tom Corrigan** Brian O. Mulligan** events of 2020. From the coronavirus to economic calamity Melinda Denton** Ruth Peck Ownbey** Lee Ellis Sarah Reichard** and social reckoning, it is easy to feel that the world is spinning Betty Jo Fitzgerald** Jim Riley** out of control. Mary Fries** Gary Smith Amy Jean Gilmartin** Ron Taylor** In these turbulent times, the power of nature to inspire and Al Hanners** Richard Tinsley provide comfort is more important than ever. With that in Lynn Hendrix** Ann Weinmann mind, we present the Fall/Winter issue of Douglasia. In this is- Karen Hinman** Fred Weinmann Marie Hitchman * The WNPS Arthur R. Kruckeberg Fellow sue, you can accompany Richard Ramsden on a joyous flower- Catherine Hovanic is the highest honor given to a member spotting expedition, explore the world of big-headed sedges and Art Kermoade** by our society. This title is given to those fireweeds with Kathy Darrow, and learn about native plants Don Knoke** who have made outstanding contribu- Terri Knoke** tions to the understanding and/or that attract caterpillars from Regina Johnson. If you are curious Arthur R. Kruckeberg** preservation of Washington’s flora, or to about research on native species restoration in sand dunes, Ste- Mike Marsh the success of WNPS. ven Link has you covered with our second scholarly paper. And Joy Mastrogiuseppe ** Deceased if you are still uncertain just what makes a plant a plant, I have ten tidbits to help you out. Douglasia Staff WNPS Staff Business Manager I will close with a quote I like from Terry Tempest Williams, Editor Andrea Cummins Denise Mahnke which sums up how we can all benefit from nature in these [email protected] 206-527-3319 [email protected] dark days: “To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us Layout Editor what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather Mark Turner Office and Volunteer Coordinator [email protected] Elizabeth Gage than what we are separate from.” [email protected] Technical Editor v David Giblin Send address and similar changes to: [email protected] Washington Native Plant Society 6310 NE 74th St., Suite 215E Farewell Editorial Committee Chair Seattle, WA 98115 Walter Fertig 206-527-3210 by Andrea Cummins [email protected] [email protected] This issue marks my last as Editor of Douglasia. It has been an unfortunately short, but always enjoyable ride. I will be Information for Contributors moving to the mid-Atlantic region at the end of the year, and it doesn’t seem appropriate to have a Douglasia editor on the Members and others are invited to submit material for other coast so will pass the torch onward. I have very much publication in Douglasia. We now accept scientific manuscript enjoyed working with many of you — either as contributors, submissions that will be peer-reviewed. Other articles, book fellow editors, or committee members — and am proud of reviews, poetry, photography, or illustrations are welcome. All the quality of the publication we have created together. Thank materials submitted should relate to the study of Washington’s you so much for giving me the opportunity! I will continue native plants. Acceptance will be based on space and appropri- with my membership in WNPS from afar, and look forward to ateness, and materials are subject to copyediting (substantive watching and reading about all of the happenings here at home. editing with author’s permission). Contributors are reminded that the Douglasia audience ranges from the professional bota- Best wishes in 2021! nist to the interested enthusiast. For more information about v how to contribute, see: www.wnps.org/publications/douglasia/ douglasia_contributors.html. Email submissions to [email protected]. On the cover: Giant camas (Camassia leichtlinii), spring gold (Lomatium utriculatum), harsh paintbrush (Castilleja hispida), and Douglasia (ISSN 1064-4032) is published triannually by the Washington Native sea blush (Plectritis congesta) dominate the blooming spring flora Plant Society. Douglasia logo designed by Louise Smith of Seattle. Printed on on a little-visited island in the San Juans. PHOTO: PETER ZIKA paper that contains 10% post-consumer waste. © 2020 Washington Native Plant Society. Authors and photographers retain the copyright of articles and photos. DOUGLASIA • Fall/Winter 2020 President’s Message: ing requested WNPS’s nondiscrimination statement. We found that we didn’t have one. The executive committee approved a The View from Here nondiscrimination statement that is now posted on our web- site. This issue received greater attention when WNPS drafted by Van Bobbitt a racial justice statement in response to the killing of George Dear WNPS Members, Floyd. I urge you to check out the WNPS’s diversity, equity, and inclusion page at wnps.org/dei. This is a small step, but our This is my last message as President of the new strategic plan includes an operational strategy to “Become WNPS Board of Directors. Before writing a More Inclusive Organization.” this, I reviewed the first President’s Message I wrote in February 2019. In that one, I laid out Finally, the strategic planning process highlighted the my priorities. Here they are along with brief importance of partnerships to more effectively carry out the comments on progress: WNPS mission. We will work to enhance our partnerships with complementary organizations; however, I believe the most • Determine how to wisely utilize the gen- important partnership is the one between WNPS chapters and erous bequest from the estate of Joe and Margaret Miller. the state organization. Our organization is built on the concept Progress: The Board voted to use a small portion of the be- of strong chapters that respond to local needs. It also depends quest to hire a consultant to help WNPS develop a strategic on a state organization and staff that support the chapters. plan to guide WNPS through the next five years. The new strategic plan is completed and about to be implemented. For example, WNPS’s Zoom capacity allows chapter meet- ings to reach audiences of up to 500, and it enables chapters to • Encourage vibrant chapters. Progress: I had lots of en- share their presentations with members throughout the state. thusiasm for this but got distracted by other duties. Don Since April, the WNPS website has become the repository for Schaechtel offered a series of orientations for chapter chairs a growing list of recorded presentations that are available to all last fall. The new strategic plan includes an operational free of charge. strategy to build leaders and provide resources to strengthen chapters, so look for more action on this front. To make up for lost revenue from Botany Washington and Study Weekend, the WNPS state office is organizing fee-based • Make Native Plant Appreciation Week a better tool for virtual workshops. This revenue supports the organization as promoting wider enthusiasm for native plants. Progress: a whole and provides members with higher-level learning op- Led by Gail Sklar and assisted by Terri Knoke, the NPAW portunities during the pandemic. Committee made great progress. Native Plant Appreciation Week was expanded to Native Plant Appreciation Month One of the most important ways the state organization (NPAM). Terri produced a webinar and a guide on how supports chapters is through policies that ensure the organiza- to organize NPAM events. And this Committee quickly tion is fiscally responsible, follows laws that govern our non- adapted to the pandemic to offer a well-attended series of profit status, protects WNPS from liability risks, and much virtual events for NPAM. more. WNPS is fortunate to have a Business Manager, Denise Mahnke, who has years of experience in the non-profit sector, • Encourage all members to consider taking a leader- who understands the complex issues related to managing non- ship role in WNPS. Progress: We have brought several profits organizations, and who is eager to help chapters navigate members to positions of leadership. The Nominations and these issues. Governance Committee is excited about members who have accepted new leadership positions this fall: directors-at-large, It has been a pleasure to serve WNPS as your president for committee chairs, and officers. We are still looking for a the past two years. I now look forward to supporting your new board Treasurer to start October 2021. Let me know if new president, Keyna Bugner, as WNPS implements its new you’re interested! strategic plan. Much of 2020 involved reacting to the COVID-19 pan- v demic — the key takeaway is that WNPS adapted to COVID; we were not paralyzed by it. We held our first virtual state board meeting and offered an extensive menu of webinars. This summer, an ad hoc committee developed COVID-19 risk man- agement resources, which are now on the WNPS website. This fall, chapter plant sale representatives met to improve efforts to Find the WNPS Recorded Webinars hold on-line plant sales. Since April 2020 Another major issue that WNPS dealt with this year was https://www.wnps.org/wnps-annual-events/virtual-events diversity, equity, and inclusion. The conversation actually started in November 2019, when a speaker at a chapter meet- Fall/Winter 2020 • DOUGLASIA 1 Ten Things That Make a Plant a Plant (Or Not) by Walter Fertig Life was a lot simpler in Greece in the fourth century BC.