March 2000 Volume 19, No. 1 In this issue: WNPS News . 2 Botany Briefs Arabis pusilla Dropped from Candidate List . 2 C.L. Porter . 2 New Research Natural Areas . 3 Revolutionary New Taxonomy . 3 On the Germination and Viability of Yermo xanthocephalus akenes . 4 Noteworthy Discoveries . 7 Quotes (John C. Fremont) . 8 Bighorn Native Plant Society . 8 Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria) is one of nearly a dozen species of Botrychium known or reported for Wyoming. It can be recognized by its overlapping, fan-shaped fleshy leaflets and bead- like fertile leaf segments. In Wyoming, moonwort is uncommonly seen in moist meadows forest edges, and alpine scree slopes in the Absaroka, Gros Ventre, Wind River, Bighorn, and Medicine Bow ranges. Moonworts were a specialty of the late Dr. Warren “Herb” Wagner of the University of Michigan, who described 13 of the 30 taxa recognized in the 1993 treatment of the genus in the Flora of North America. Wagner was also famous for unraveling many of the intricacies of hybridization and reticulate evolution in Asplenium and other plants and for conceptual advances in systematics, such as the “Wagner Groundplan- Divergence” method of assessing phylogenetic relationships. Wagner passed away in January at the age of 79. Illustration by Walter Fertig. WNPS NEWS We’re looking for new members: Do you know someone who would be interested in joining WNPS? Scholarship Winners: The WNPS Board is pleased to Send their name or encourage them to contact the announce that three University of Wyoming botany Society for a complimentary newsletter. graduate students have been awarded scholarships for the 1999-2000 academic year. Mark Lyford of Laramie Attention Readers: We are always looking for was awarded the top prize of $300 for his proposal on articles and illustrations for the newsletter. Items for the “Holocene migration of Utah juniper (Juniperus May issue are needed by 6 May 2000. osteosperma) in Wyoming”. Stephen Gray of Laramie and Jodi Norris of Cheyenne split the second-place prize Treasurer’s Report: Balance as of 26 March 2000: ($280 apiece). Stephen is studying “Tree-ring based General Fund $615.74; 2000-2001 Student Scholarship reconstructions of climate variability in the eastern Fund $0.00; Total funds: 615.74 Greater Yellowstone region” and Jodi is working on “Ponderosa pine biogeography”. The WNPS annual scholarship is completely funded through the generous Wyoming Native Plant Society donations of members of the Society. Thanks to all who PO Box 3452, Laramie, WY 82071 have contributed in the past year. President: Jim Ozenberger (Jackson) 2000 WNPS Field Trips: The Society’s annual Vice President: Amy Roderick (Laramie) Secretary-Treasurer: Laura Welp (Laramie) meeting is scheduled for the weekend of June 17-18 in Board Members: Nina Haas (Cheyenne) the Shirley Basin and surrounding mountains of central Steve Laster (Pinedale) Wyoming. Plan to meet at the state rest area near the Newsletter Editor: Walter Fertig (307) 766-3020 (wk)/e- junction of highways 487 and 77 on Saturday morning mail: [email protected] . (June 17) at 8:30 AM for a brief business meeting in the parking area. From here, we will proceed to Chalk Teton Chapter: PO Box 82, Wilson, WY 83014 (Joan Mountain to observe a variety of unusual cushion plant Lucas, Treasurer). species, including the state endemic Sphaeromeria simplex (Laramie false sagebrush) and showy Contributors to this issue: Dave Culp, Jean Daly (JD), wildflowers. We also plan to explore the Agate Flats area Jane Dorn, Robert Dorn, Walter Fertig (WF), Brandi for spring cushion plants and Shirley Mountain (weather Hoster, Isobel Nichols, and Richard Scott. permitting). For those who wish to continue on Sunday, we will be camping out Saturday night on Chalk Mountain or Shirley Mountain. Botany Briefs In July, WNPS will be holding a joint field trip with the Arabis pusilla Dropped from Candidate List: The Great Plains Wildflower Society to explore the Black Hills US Fish and Wildlife Service issued its latest list of of South Dakota and NE Wyoming. There will be more candidate species for potential listing under the details on this outing in the May newsletter, which will be Endangered Species Act on 25 October 1999. Missing a special theme issue addressing the Black Hills region. from the list was Arabis pusilla (Small rockcress), which had been a candidate since 1985. Small rockcress is a WNPS Elections: Once again, it is time to find localized endemic restricted to outcrops of pegmatitic interested people willing to serve on the WNPS board. If granite near South Pass, Wyoming. Barbara Amidon you are interested, or know of someone who should run, (formerly of the Rock Springs BLM and a past president please contact the Secretary-Treasurer. A ballot and of WNPS) initiated a Habitat Management Plan for this renewal notice will appear in the May issue. species on BLM lands in 1994 and helped secure a mineral withdrawal for the site and ACEC designation for New Mailing Address: Please note that the Society its limited range in 1997 (see Castilleja, December 1997). has changed its mailing address to PO Box 3452, Laramie Due to these management steps, the USFWS determined WY, 82071. that Small rockcress was no longer in need of listing under the Endangered Species Act. WF New Members: Please welcome the following new C.L. Porter: Cedric L. Porter, longtime curator and members of WNPS: Linda Anderson (Chugwater), Peter successor of Aven Nelson at the Rocky Mountain Guernsey (Laramie), Lois Hansen (Cheyenne), Renee Herbarium (RM), passed away on 8 January 2000. Porter Meador (Sheridan), and Katherine Nelson (Cody). was born into a missionary family in present-day Pakistan in 1905. He earned degrees in Botany from the 2 University of Michigan and University of Washington, have developed a simplified method of plant classification where he initially specialized in the taxonomy of to be known as the Culp Method of Filing Plant Corpses. bryophytes, but broadened his academic interests to The main problem with Art’s system lies in the vascular plants when he accepted the position of curator families: there are too many of them. The Culp Method of the RM in 1942. Porter is perhaps best known as the of Filing Plant Corpses utilizes only seven families. author of Taxonomy of Flowering Plants, a popular In keeping with Art’s tradition, we start first with systematics text in the 1960s and for initiating the Flora primitive plants. The first family is the Mossiaceae. of Wyoming pamphlet series in 1962. He is also well- Plants in the Mossiaceae family are characterized by known for traversing the state in an air-stream trailer to being short, slimy, and generally gross. Members of this collect plants for the herbarium and documented several family are also readily identifiable by using the Animal new state records (mostly in the Black Hills and among Method: If it looks like something the cat drug in, and the Wyoming’s aquatic flora). One of Porter’s most dog was afraid to drag back out, its in the Mossiaceae. interesting discoveries was an endemic sagebrush from Our second family is the Ferniaceae. There is only the Wind River Basin named Artemisia porteri in his one criteria for membership in this family: If it hangs in A honor by Arthur Cronquist in 1951. Porter and his fern bar it’s a Ferniaceae. Ferniaceae is probably one of collecting partner/wife Marjorie retired to Arizona in 1968. the most fun families to study because of its habitat. Sadly, Marjorie Porter herself passed away in March. WF Moving up the evolutionary ladder, we come to the Grassiaceae. These plants are very easily identified. If it Six Research Natural Areas and Special Interest has long, very thin leaves, tries to cover as much ground as possible, and survives after being run over by Areas Designated on Bridger-Teton National machines with whirling blades and the name “Toro” Forest: After several years of study and review, painted on them, it belongs in the Grassiaceae. Bridger-Teton National Forest officially designated 4 new The next family is the largest. It is the Floweriaceae. Research Natural Areas (RNAs) and 2 new Special This family includes any plant that exists to produce a Interest Areas (SIAs) in December 1999. RNAs and SIAs flower. By flower, we mean a showy plant part that, are sites of unusually important biological significance or when presented to your spouse, will probably win you good examples of common vegetation types that are forgiveness for an all night session at the fern bar. managed in a largely undisturbed condition in order to The larger plants of the world fall into one of two provide reference areas for long-term scientific studies. families. These families are the Bushiaceae and the These sites remain open to most recreational activities Treeiaceae. Both of these families have members that and other resource uses that are compatible with the grow tall. Members of the Bushiaceae, however, have biological management goals for the area. The new branches very low to the ground and are often found RNAs and SIAs are: around foundations of buildings. Plants of the Tree- iaceae don’t have low branches and generally live further Afton Front RNA (located in the Salt River Range just east of away from buildings. Afton) Our final family is the most painful and dangerous to Gros Ventre RNA (located in the Gros Ventre Range SE of study. It is the Cockleburriaceae. Members of this family Jackson) Osborn Mountain RNA (located in the Wind River Range and can be placed into one of two subfamilies: Dog Hair visited during WNPS’ 1998 annual field trip) Cloggus or Bicycle Tire Eatus.