California Native Plant Society - Sanhedrin Chapter February 2015 Newsletter ***Don’t Miss Two Wonderful Evening Presentations *** Edible & Medicinal Plants of California: A Bioregional Exploration By Tellur Fenner When: February 19 at 7pm Where: Ukiah Garden Club, 1203 W. Clay St. Ukiah California is home to a diverse array of edible & medicinal plants long valued for their nutritional/therapeutic effects. This presentation will explore many of the more common (and lesser known) native/naturalized plants found growing throughout the state, with a focus on historical as well as modern use. Tellur emphasizes the importance of developing a dynamic sensory awareness of plants via close observation, touching, tasting, and smelling. The evening should prove to be insightful and rewarding for anyone interested in knowing more about the unique (and useful) flora of our state. Tellur Fenner is a clinical herbalist/educator and has traveled extensively throughout the U.S while studying, collecting, and using plant medicines from all the major bioregions. He attended the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, the California School of Herbal Studies, and received his Bachelor's Degree from Prescott College where he majored in Western Herbalism. As an herbalist of the “generalist” persuasion, he believes in the importance of an interdisciplinary practice which integrates the study of botany, ethnobotany, botanical pharmacy, human physiology, phytochemistry, and other biological sciences. In addition to offering regular weekend workshops throughout the year, he also runs a comprehensive 12-month (240 hour) classroom/field based academic program titled: “Edible & Medicinal Plants of California: A Bioregional Exploration”. He is the owner/director of the Blue Wind Botanical Medicine Clinic and Education Center located in Ukiah, CA. Grasses of California: An Evening with Botanist James P. Smith When: March 17 at 7pm Where: Ukiah Civic Center, 300 Seminary Ave, Ukiah Grasses and grasslands provide a number of ecological and economic services. Despite their general dominance by non-native species, California grasslands remain one of the most bio-diverse systems in the world. There are more than 550 grass species found in California and over 300 are native to the Golden State. Grasses are found in almost every climate—from cool, wet forests to hot, dry deserts. These reduced flowers are also among the most difficult plants to identify. Join us for an evening celebrating the past, present, and future of California grasses with our very own agrostologist. James will guide us through the grass family; he will explain grass structure, their economic and ecological importance, and why they are so successful around the world. JP Smith will have copies of his book available for sale and signing. James P. Smith is Professor Emeritus of Botany at Humboldt State University. James is the guru of grasses, he has taught courses in plant taxonomy, agrostology, poisonous plants and economic botany. He is the author of Vascular Plant Families and Keys to the Genera of Grasses of the Conterminous United States. He served as an editor and contributor to the treatment of the grass family in The Jepson Manual, is current curator of the HSU herbarium and author of the new book Field Guide to Grasses of California. Field Trips March 28, Saturday - Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, Pruitt Creek watershed February 15, Sunday - Reeves Canyon This jaunt will explore the backcountry of the This is an easy walk in the shady moist recesses of Reserve’s Ross Addition, starting at 10 a.m. at the Reeves Canyon to look for the seldom seen early Pruitt Creek trailhead along Orr Springs Rd., about blooms of the fetid adder's tongue (Scoliopus 1 mile east of the old-growth grove parking area bigelovii), an endemic species of coastal California. (about 1.5 miles beyond Orr Springs from Ukiah). There may be many other native species to observe We start out in a riparian stand of redwoods, often as a result of the warm and dry conditions. Meet at dappled with numerous early-flowering herbs, then Mario’s restaurant in Redwood Valley just of Hwy. meander upslope through Douglas-fir and hardwood 101 at 10:30 to carpool. Leader: Cathy Monroe forests, oak woodlands, chaparral, across grassland, rocky talus slopes, and a few small wetlands. Be March 1, Sunday – Lichen field trip to the UC prepared for one or more creek crossings – Hopland Research and Extension Center waterproof or old shoes and walking sticks are We’ll explore the richness of these diverse advised. Otherwise, pack a lunch, plenty of water, organisms and the variety of growth forms and and prepare for a moderately strenuous walk of up substrates they occupy. An afternoon lab session to 5 miles. with dissecting microscopes will allow closer inspection of the constituent lichen parts and you I will post a Reserve plant list to the Sanhedrin and will be able to practice keying to genus and species Milo Baker Chapter websites prior to the trip. Ride- some of the specimens collected. Bring a hand lens sharing is strongly encouraged, as parking at the and lichen books if you have them plus your lunch. trailhead is limited. Sonoma County parties should Meet at 10am at the Shippey Center at HREC; or meet at 8a.m. at the River Rd. – Hwy. 101 9:30 in the commuter lot. From Ukiah, allow about 45 minutes CVS shopping to the Reserve. Trip goes to 4pm. Please contact me center on if you plan to attend, and as well, if you Orchard Ave. subsequently cancel. Trip leader: Peter Warner: in Ukiah to (707) 666-9071; [email protected] carpool. Leaders: Jen April 4, Saturday - Low Gap Annual Plant Riddell and Inventory Vishnu. Wraps This is a delightful early spring plant walk up around 2pm. identifying the common local wildflowers. Everyone will receive an extensive list of plants that This trip will require a minimum number of five have bloomed during the first week of April in Low participants in order to occur and there will also be Gap Park over the past 33 years! Meet at the a maximum allowed. Please RSVP via phone or parking lot just past the Playhouse, opposite Ukiah email by February 21: (707) 467-1341 High School on Low Gap Road at 9am. Bring a [email protected] light lunch and hand lens. Leader: Mark Albert March 22, Sunday – Celebrate the Spring April 19, Sunday – Low Gap Park Equinox at Low Gap Park Wildflower Walk This is a family friendly walk. We will not be Celebrate Spring with a wildflower walk in Low botanizing as much as getting out to see what Gap park. This is a family friendly walk. We will wildflowers we can discover this month as we walk not be botanizing as much as getting out to see what the park's trails. Bring field guides if you want and wildflowers we can discover this month as we walk wear good walking shoes. We hope to share copies the park's trails. Bring field guides if you want and of the new park wildflower guide. Meet at the wear good walking shoes. We hope to share copies parking lot at 1:00. Leader: Cathy Monroe of the new park wildflower guide. Meet at the parking lot at 1:00. Leader: Cathy Monroe We’ll spend the day wandering through Lost April 26, Sunday, - Grass ID walk along eastside Valley, an upland, serpentinite soil-influenced Lake Mendocino grassland. As well, brief forays into the adjacent Want to know more about those inconspicuous chaparral and woodlands are likely. With some monocots called grasses? Come join us for a fun- more rain, the diversity and floral displays could be filled morning exploring and identifying grasses in rewarding. Ride-sharing will be necessary for this the oak woodlands herbaceous understory. We will site visit. The walking pace will likely be easy, but look at annual and perennial grasses and talk about be prepared for lots of sun and perhaps heat. I’ll the differences between natives, non-natives and develop a plant list for posting on CNPS chapter invasive species. Learn the websites. The Ukiah BLM website has a pdf vegetative and inflorescence version of an area map available on the agency’s characteristics of the most website. Trip could go to 4pm. common species of our area. Sturdy shoes, a hat, and hand Meeting place: CCC headquarters on Old River Rd., lens are recommended for just south of Mill Creek Road, 9am. It is best to this moderate hike. park in the lot to the north of the buildings. Please contact me to indicate your interest in this trip. Directions from Ukiah: Take Leader: Peter Warner: (707) 666-9071 Perkins Street east until you [email protected] hit the end where you turn left on to Redemeyer Rd. Hordeum May 17, Sunday - Low Gap Park Botanical Hike, Take Redemeyer Rd. past led by California Naturalists Eldorado Estates and look for Deerwood Drive on This hike is approximately 4 miles long and your right. Follow Deerwood Drive to its end (~2 includes 3 adjoining trails. There are 14 miles). You will pass a large water tower on your informational stops. The hike starts near the dog right and then the road starts to descend. A short park at Orr Creek Trail, continues on Canyon Creek uphill section leads to the Deerwood Trail Head Trail to City View Trail and returns on the road west where you’ll see a parking area at the end of the of the dog park. The hike passes through pavement - that's where we’ll meet at 8:30am. remarkably different habitats and diverse vegetation Leaders: Allison Rofe and Diana Jeffery.