Darlingtonia Newsletter, Winter 2007 ~ North Coast Chapter, California Native Plant Society

8/9/2019 Darlingtonia Newsletter, Winter 2007 ~ North Coast Chapter, California Native Plant Society

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DarlingtoniaWinter 2007

Newsletter of the North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society

Dedicated to the Preservation of California Native Flora

Plant ProfileToyon

Field Trips and Plant

Field Trip Reports

Chapter Programs

New and Renewing

Members

Other Events and

Activities

Plant Propagation

Invasive Species

NC CNPS Contacts

Plant Profile-Exotic

Fern

Book Review 1

Volunteers 1

Calendar 1

Where to findwhats happening:

Visit our website:

www.northcoastcnps.org

Sign up for ourannouncements e-mail:[email protected]

Read the Darlingtonia

Read or hear about

upcoming events in local

media

Inside this issue:TTTOYONOYONOYON JJJOINSOINSOINSTHETHETHE LLLISTISTISTOFOFOF OOOREGONREGONREGONSSS NNNATIVEATIVEATIVE SSSHRUBSHRUBSHRUBS

Toyon also discovered further north in California than previously recognizedsofar north in fact, that its actually in Oregon!

By Wendell Wood (of Oregon Wild: [email protected])

Toyon, or Heteromeles arbutifolia has long been one of Californias more celebrated na-tive shrubs.* While toyon is widely reported to be found in the (entire) California Floris-tic Province it wasnt until the early 1980s that it was found to occur north of theSalmon and Klamath Rivers in Humboldt and western Siskiyou Counties, California.

Frank Callahan, tree and plant finder extraordinaire, first made its farthest north discov-ery (but first then in California) in 1983, along the Smith River and Del Norte CountysHighway 199, and sent specimens to herbariums at OSU and SOU. Then, in November2006 another Del Norte County population was located (by this author) just slightly northof the previous site, below a delightful riverside meadow called Pappus Flat, just off ofHwy. 199., north and west of the town of Gasquet, in the Six River National ForestsSmith River National Recreation Area.

Never I guess to be out done, Frank Callahan has now, most recently, re-establish hisprevious, modestly held and (unfortunately) little heralded record for the discovery of themost northern known occurrence of toyon. This time he didnt spend as much time fool-ing around in northern California, but went for the gusto--straight to Oregon where thislast fall Frank located the first ever record Oregon population of toyon growing along aflat along the North Fork of the Smith River. The specific location is at Sourdough Camp,

a remote campground in the Siskiyou National Forest just 1.6 miles north of the state-line, in southern-most western Oregon (or T41S R11W Sec.11 to be exact.) Frankemailed me excitedly: I took the road to hell to get there, aka Wimer Rd., and spentmost of my time clearing the road of boulders and cutting blow-down timber. It wouldhave been no fun if a freeway led to the site!

Mostly thought of as a prominent component of Californias drought-adapted chaparraland oak woodland habitats, in California toyon is also found in mixed evergreen forest upto about 4000 feet in elevation. A shrub or small tree, this monotypic genus in the Rosefamily, averages 5 to 15 feet in height in its previously described California range. Itsshiny dark, evergreen foliage, particularly with its bright red berries ripening in Decem-ber, have also given it the common names: Christmas berry and California holly. Theleaves which average two to four inches long are elliptic in outline and are finely ser-rated.

While some dispute the claim, it has often been repeated by numerous writers that thisholly berried-like shrub, common in much of southern Californias brush cover hills, washow the city of Hollywood got its name. The extreme southern end of its native rangealso extends beyond the Californias most southern border as well, slightly into Baja Cali-fornia. The sometimes recognized variety macrocarpa, containing slightly larger fruits, isalso found on portions of Californias Channel Islands. Thus, while still primarily a Cali-fornia state native, toyon also occurs in Hawaii: where it was introduced and where atleast in one place (Mauna Kea State Park) it is now naturalized.

While considered to be a child safe Christmas reef, the bright red berries of toyon tastesimilar to an over ripe mealy dry apple. Because the plant contains cyanogenic gly-

(Continued on page 4)


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PAGE 2 DAR LIN GTO NIA WINTER 2007

FFFIELDIELDIELD TTTRIPSRIPSRIPSANDANDAND PPPLANTLANTLANT WWWALKSALKSALKS

Please check our Web site (www.northcoastcnps.org), watch the local papers, or join our e-mail notifica-

tion group (go through our Web site) for later additions.

January 26, Saturday, 10 am - 12 pm. Lichen and bryophyte walk on the Manila/Samoa Dunes. Explore the lush,fascinating, diminutive, and important world of mosses, liverworts, and lichens. Beginners and botanists are all wel-come. Modest walking on firm sand. Meet at Vance Ave. parking lot (on the east side of Samoa Blvd. approx. .25 miles northof Samoa Bridge). Bring water, hand lens, and raingear. Heavy rain cancels. Call Sunny at 599-5712 for questions or to findout if the trip is on.

February 24, Sunday. Botanizing the Hammond Trail, Half-day Hike. We'll scout for treats like trailing black currant,review our coastal and riparian trees and shrubs, including those stabilizing the old Mad River banks, see how the WidowWhite Creek restoration is handling winter rains, and map invasive plants along this popular McKinleyville trail. We'll leavesome cars at Hiller Park and shuttle to the Clam beach end of the trail to walk a couple miles back. Meet at 9 a.m. at PacificUnion School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or 9:15 a.m. at Hiller Park in McKinleyville. Bring lunch and water; dress for theweather. We might finish by noon, but might not. Possible extension through Mad River Bluff forest. Questions or arrange-ments: Carol Ralph 822-2015.

March 30, Sunday. Stony Creek Dayhike. Last year the fawn lilies, Oregon anemones, violets, fritillaries, and darlingtoniadazzled us at this favorite and unique site made possible by the U.S. Forest Service and the Siskiyou Land Trust. An easy hikeof about one mile takes us through open forest to serpentine soils where Stony Creek joins the North Fork Smith River rightbehind Gasquet. Dress for the weather; bring lunch and water. We might squeeze in a look at Myrtle Creek Trail as well. Meetat 8:30 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata), 10:15 at the Hiouchi visitor's center of Redwood National Park,or about 11:00 at the Gasquet ranger office (headquarters of Smith River National Recreation Area). It helps if you tell CarolRalph (822-2015) you are coming. (This is Aleutian Goose Days weekend in Crescent City.)

April 26, Saturday. South Fork Trinity Day Hike. Avoid the summer heat by seeing this favorite trail in early spring. Itfeatures mixed evergreen forests of various ages, oak woodland, lush riparian, rock cliffs and outcrops, shrubby slopes, andgravelly seeps. Whether spring is early or late, we will see flowers in this diverse terrain. The trail is well graded, 4 miles eachway to the river, but you don't have to go all the way. We may learn something about the nearby Underwood RoadlessArea. Bring lunch and water; dress for the weather. The trailhead is 2 hrs from Arcata, east past Willow Creek and south alongthe South Fork. Return by dark. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or arrange someplaceelse. Please call Carol 822-2015.

May 10, Saturday. Russ Park Day Hike. This shady, hilly, spruce-fir forest offers lush understory with favorites such astrillium, fairy bells, wild ginger, and inside-out flower. We'll try to scout the whole park by walking all the trails, about 4miles. Bring lunch and water; dress for the weather. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata), 9:30at MacDonalds end of Bayshore Mall parking lot, or 10:00 at the parking area on Bluff St. in Ferndale. (Turn left off Main ontoOcean, go 1/2 mile.) Return by dark. It's good to tell Carol you are coming 822-2015.

Three Trails in Prairie Creek

by Carol Ralph

November 4 is definitely autumn. In 2008 the world was defi-nitely cool and damp, but the sky was clear and calm and thesun warm as four of us explored three shady trails in PrairieCreek State Park. First the Ah Pah Trail gave us practice at"reading" the forest history. The interpretive signs showed howa logging road here was erased. We could see the alders andyoung redwoods along the route, but the forest is healing

fast. Second we ascended the first half mile of another short,dead-end trail, the Moorman Grove Trail. Third, after lunch inthe sun at the trailhead, we walked the Trillium Falls Trailloop.

The "oooh" moments of the day all involved fungus or, in onecase, a bryophyte bank featuring spectacular liverwort"tongues" over the lush, diverse moss bed. The mushroomswere abundant and varied, many of them colorful: lobstermushroom, red coral fungus, black helvella. Quotes of theday: "A fine year for fungus;" "'Shrooms are cool!"

The "ah hah" moment of the day involved thimbleberry Rubusparviflora and stink currant Ribes bracteosum growing side-by-side along the Trillium Falls Trail. Both grow in damp ground,the currant only very near water. Both have tall, thin, woodystems bearing large (frequently 6-inch or more diameter), ma-ple-shaped leaves (5 lobes, palmately veined), so the uncom-mon currant is easily overlooked among the more abundantthimbleberry. Careful observation found that the currant hassmooth bark, more conspicuous veins on the leaves, narrower,deeper leaf lobes, and many tiny, golden droplets (glands) onthe underside, while the thimbleberry has peely bark and softleaves covered with short hairs. (The books say it's not alwayshairy.) In another season presumably the foul odor of thecrushed stink currant leaves would be more noticeable, and theflowers and fruits of the two species would betray their verydifferent lineages. Some sprawly Ribes stems with smaller,more deeply lobed leaves at this same spot looked suspiciouslylike trailing black currant Ribes laxiflorum, an uncommonRibes.

The "wow" moment of the day was at a giant "chimneytree." Much of the forest along Trillium Falls Trail has many


FFFIELDIELDIELD TTTRIPRIPRIP RRREPORTSEPORTSEPORTS


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EVENING PROGRAMS

The North Coast Chapter of CNPS (www.northcoastcnps.org) holds free Public Programs on the second Wednesday of each month

(September through May) at the Six Rivers Masonic Lodge, 251 Bayside Rd., Arcata. Refreshments at 7:00 and program at 7:30

p.m. You dont have to be a CNPS member to attend! Contact Audrey Miller, Programs Chairperson at taurdreybird-

[email protected] or 786-9701, with speaker or botanical subject suggestions.


CCCHAPTERHAPTERHAPTERPPPROGRAMSROGRAMSROGRAMSANDANDAND MMMEETINGSEETINGSEETINGS

January 9 Killers in the Garden, Murderers in the Wild. Barry Rice, author, photographer, scientist, horti-

culturist, will discuss carnivorous plants with an emphasis on local species.

March 12 Designing California Native Gardens. Alrie Middlebrook, author-owner of Middlebrook Gardens,a native landscaping company in San Jose, will talk about creative design in your garden with natives.See Designing, Building & Managing a Native Garden class on page 5.

February 13 "Challenges to maintaining botanical diversity and endangered species on the North Coast."

by Dave Imper. For 25 years Dave (Kim) Imper has been watching some of our rare habitats and the

rare species that live in them. He sees imminent loss if we do not reverse the decline of our coastal

wetlands, coastal prairies, and inland serpentine wetlands. He ties the loss of biodiversity in these habi-

tats to loss of certain kinds of disturbance, namely fire and large herbivores. The "ratchet effect" lulls

us, and we think we are protecting them. This is a call to action, amply illustrated with photos of unique

places and beautiful species by our "lily man."

April 9 "The World Underfoot" Ecologist and Director of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign,

Emily Robertson. She will explain and explore the real life drama going on in the complex worlds ofsoil. "Soils are not only dirt or plant's growth media - they are worlds unto themselves. Bacteria, fungi,

invertebrates, mammals and other organisms thrive in healthy soils - preying upon each other, jostling

for space, and competing for food and water." In addition to the internal saga of soils, Robertson will

illustrate how the inner workings of soil make life on earth possible, ecosystems distinctive, and more

importantly, why people should care.

MMMEMBERSEMBERSEMBERS CCCORNERORNERORNER

Welcome to our

new members:Kristen AllenNancy BuckJackie FeldsteinFriends of SCS Engineers, BiologyBojan and Norm IngleNancy MooreJan and Bob MountjoyAriella MurdockEric PetersonFernande SommersRandi SwedenburgWilliam WoodThank you to ourrenewing members:::Tom & Katy AllenDora AstacioJohn H. BairJim Belsher-HoweMignonne BivinBecky BowenChris BrokateKristen BrownApril CaitoFrank T. CallahanSimona CariniGwynneth & Paul CarothersAlice Darby

Denise DevineSusan DeylJohn and Lynn DixonJoan Douglas

Diana DusheckJanelle EggerSusan ErwinGary FalxaCarole FarlanSarah FlowersMary GearhartValerie GizinskiClare Tipple GolecDylan GrayJohn GriffithMelinda GroomJo Anne GurleyJackie and John D. HamiltonJenny HansonDebra Harrison and Greg Blom-

stromKimberly HaylerNorene HazzardShauna HeeJudith HinmanJeff HogueDavid K. ImperSuzanne L. IsaacsEileen IsbellThomas JimersonWilma W. JohnstonLaura Julian

Alan JusticeMichele KamprathMarie Kelleher-RoyBarbara Kelly

Mary Jo KennyDr. Bruce & Pam KesslerNoel KrahforstLarry LevineAmy and Eli LivingstonMargaret MacdonaldRose MadroneDavid MagneyKim McFarlandSandra MorrisRosemary MurphyMarshall D. MurrayWanda NaylorJohn P. NicklasSusan O'Connor and Tim Crlen-

jakSuzanne O'DeaOrleans Ranger DistrictLionel & Nancy OrtizJennifer PalladiniElinore M. PalmerOona PalomaVictoria & John PattonClaire PerricelliGail PophamC. J. & Carol RalphWesley ReinhardtKathy Reinhaus

Karen ReissJim SmithFrank and Lilli SommerDorothy M. Souza

Caroline StimsonJames StockleyBritney StrittmaterMicheal Stuart and Bethel La-

bordeBradley L. and Karen ThompsonJennifer TompkinsCarl TuckStephen UnderwoodKlara M. VargaLucille VinyardCatherine WallingAbe WalstonJames F. & Virginia WatersLouise WatsonLois M. WebbAimee Weber of SHN Consulting

EngJean WeeseElaine WeinrebSylvia WhiteDarlene WhitingArt WilsonWendell WoodTom WorleyDana YorkRita Zito


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cosides which can form highly toxic cyanide(particularly documented in the rumen or stomach ofgoats), it is nevertheless recommended that the rawberries never be eaten in any large quantity. Many In-dian tribes, first cooked them by roasting or boilingthem, or as the Karuks did: placing the berries on abasket plate near a fire. Cooking may also removedthe slightly bitter taste of the fresh fruit. Reportedly a

pleasant cider was also made from these berries bySpanish Californians and early settlers. Of course, birds

such as cedar waxwings, as well as squirrels, and otherwildlife rely on the abundant berries during the oftenless food abundant winter months.

To better protect toyons northern location near PappusFlat in the Smith River NRA in California, Oregon Wildand others have asked the Forest Service to providecontrolled motorized access by closing and regulatingan existing (but still unlocked) gated road leading towhere the toyon grows. However, so far the ForestService has expressed little interest in this idea, sayingit instead plans to place boulders around a parking areato be established at the flat. Last year a motorcycle,did donuts in the meadow, and a nearby madrone tree

was shot up for even more fun.**

The just discoveredSourdough Flattoyon site, also along time destina-tion of ATV ridersand the high clear-ance vehicle crowd,should similarly beevaluated to try toreduce the chanceof Oregons newestdiscovered shrub

there, unknowinglybeing turned intowiener and marsh-mallow roastingsticks, or burned forfuel in somebodyscampfire.

If you wish to seesome of thesenorthern mosttoyon pioneers,your most accessible location is to find them alongHwy. 199 in northern California just east of Del Norte

Countys Hardscrabble Creek. Area botanist VevaStansell of Pistol River, Oregon had reported severalplants (to this author) along Hwy. 199. An investiga-tion in the fall of 2006 found these plants to be locatedbetween the highways 10.5 and 11.75 mile posts alongDel Norte Cos Hwy.199 in the same general locale theCallahan specimens were first collected in 1983.

While one of the nicest and easily observed toyonshrubs occurs just above Hwy. 199 at the 10.5 milepost, it was unexpectedly and severely damaged by

telephone or utility line clearing activities in June2007. Unfortunately, at the time not contained on theForest Services comprehensive Gasquet species plantlist, Cal Trans too had no prior knowledge of its occur-rence in the area. Thus, somewhat belatedly, bothagencies have now been informed of the plants specificlocations. Cal Trans in particular is now to be con-gratulated for recent plans to restore or enhance thespecies along its Highway 199 easement, even thoughthe damage to this one stately plant was no fault oftheirs.

Clare Golec and other Cal Trans project biologists vis-ited the Hwy. 199 sites in August 2007 and announcedthey intend to take local cuttings to grow to expand thenative population and re-vegetate a site where an ex-panded, but existing Hwy. 199 bridge is being builtover Hardscrabble Creek. Related information will alsothus be added to the state highway agencys data basein attempts to avoid unnecessary disturbances in thefuture.

_____

* In checking with various herbaria, I also learned that thelatest, correct scientific name for toyon is now Heteromeles

salicifolia (C.Presl) Abrams. This name will soon come intowide use, as it is already being used at some herbaria andtheir databases.

** Also, to request the Forest Service better protect the toyonand the Pappus Flat area by appropriately restricting unfet-tered OHV access to the Pappus Flat meadow area, pleasewrite:

Mary Kay Vandiver, District RangerSmith River National Recreation AreaHwy 199, P.O. Box 228,Gasquet, CA [email protected]

(Continued from page 1)

Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon Photo courtesy of Oregon Wild


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Designing, Building & Managing a Native GardenTwo-part class taught by Alrie Middlebrook

This class will introduce you, the do-it-yourself home gardener, to creating a sustainable, low-maintenance, and

water conserving garden around your home.

In "Designing, Building and Managing a Native Garden" you will learn how to start visualizing your native garden,

learn how to incorporate native plants, learn which native plants are right for your yard, and get many design

ideas for your project. This class will be taught by Alrie Middlebrook who has more than 30 years experience as a

professional landscaper and author.

Session 1: Thursday, March 13. 5:30-8:00 p.m. Presentation, discussion, and question-and-answer ses-

sion. Location to be announced. Optional $5 light dinner.

Session 2: Saturday, March 15. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Garden tour of three private native gardens in Arcata-

Eureka. Transportation by private car. Bring your own picnic lunch.

Cost for both sessions: Early-bird registration before Feb. 15th: $40 CNPS members / $45 for the general pub-

lic. $45 for members of California Native Plant Society, $50 for non-CNPS/non-California Native Garden Founda-

tion members; $35 for members of CNGF.

Registration: You must register and pay in advance by contacting Rita Zito at 448-2868; or e-mail at ri-

[email protected]. Registration ends March 7, 2008. Class size is limited to 20 participants.

OOOTHERTHERTHEREEEVENTSVENTSVENTSANDANDAND AAACTIVITIESCTIVITIESCTIVITIES

PPPLANTLANTLANT PPPROPIGATIONROPIGATIONROPIGATION

Growing Trilliumsby Judie Hinman

Our beautiful redwood trillium, Trillium ovatum, is easy to propagate if two conditions are present: fresh seed and pa-tience. Trilliums take five to seven years to blossom from seed. In my yard, the fruits of T. ovatum ripen in July. Waituntil the capsule begins to split along the seam, when it will drop off easily. Clean the yellow flesh (elaiosome) from theseed, and plant the seed as soon as possible in a 50-50 mixture of moist peat moss and coarse sand. Shallow 6 diame-ter plastic pots work well. Cover the seed lightly with the potting mixture. I like to top off the pot with a bit of choppedgreen moss to prevent water from uncovering the seed and cover the pot with screening to keep birds from scratchingin the soil. Place the pot in a cool, shady spot such as the north side of the house, under the eaves. Keep the soil lightlymoist year round.

Seedlings will usually appear the second spring after planting. First-year seedlings will have single, linear leaves. Keepwell-watered until the plants go dormant in late summer; then keep the pots lightly moist. Never allow the pots to dryout completely. By the second year, the leaves will be larger and heart-shaped. When the plants go dormant, transplantto their permanent location or repot the rhizomes in a larger pot with regular potting soil. By the third year, the plants

will develop their characteristic three leaves. By the fourth spring (5 1/2 years after planting), some of the young plantsmay flower.

To naturalize, transplant the rhizomes in the fall after the first rain. Trilliums prefer moist, well-drained soil. Ideally,plant them under trees in humus-rich soil on a gentle slope. Trilliums grow well with oxalis, fairy bells, and redwoodviolets.

Trilliums will also live happily in pots for many years. Grow them in large pots in the shade, keeping the soil moist yearround. Fertilize once or twice a year with an organic or slow-release fertilizer. Repot with new soil every few years. Asthe plants come into bloom, move the pots to where you can enjoy the pristine blossoms, which will last forweeks. Whether grown in the woodland or on your porch, Trillium ovatum is well worth the time it takes to grow fromseed.


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IIINVASIVENVASIVENVASIVE SSSPECIESPECIESPECIES

FINALLY! Control of dense-floweredcordgrass (Spartina densiflora)

in Humboldt Bay National Wildlife RefugeEllen Tatum & Andrea Pickart, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

The problem Dense-flowered cordgrass (Spartinadensiflora) has been recognized since 1984 as an inva-sive species in Humboldt Bays salt marshes.1 Believedto have been introduced from Chile in the mid-1800s,the species has been documented to displace native saltmarsh species through competition.2 Staff of HumboldtBay National Wildlife Refuge (HBNWR) conducted afield-based, bay-wide inventory in 1999, documentingthat dense-flowered cordgrass was present in 94% ofHumboldt Bays salt marshes, and occurred at denseconcentrations (>70% cover) in 68% of the total saltmarsh area. Originally thought to be restricted to mid-elevation salt marsh, work on the refuge has shown thatit is spreading into the high-elevation salt marsh. 3 Thehigh-elevation salt marsh is the most diverse of the saltmarsh vegetation types, with 22 plant species including2 rare plants, Humboldt Bay Owls Clover (Castillejaambigua ssp. humboldtiensis) and Point Reyes BirdsBeak (Cordylanthus maritimus ssp.palustris).4 Dense-flowered cordgrass is threatening to invade the remain-ing 6% of uninvaded salt marsh, and to increase in den-sity in the 38% of invaded salt marsh where it is stillsparse to moderate in cover. The spread of dense-flowered cordgrass poses a major threat to the biodiver-sity of Humboldt Bay.

Whats been done In 2004, refuge staff conducted acordgrass removal experiment, funded by the StateCoastal Conservancy, on a high-elevation island in Mad

River Slough. Areas with high cover (25-95%) ofcordgrass received repeated mowing treatments, inwhich the cordgrass was mowed with a weedwhip. Ar-eas with lower cover (1-24%) received a digging treat-ment, in which the individual cordgrass plants, includingrhizomes, were hand-dug with a small trowel. Our staffand contractors (including Andrea Craig, Patti Clifford,and Carrie Sendak) used kayaks to access the site andhad to time all efforts according to tides. Resultsshowed complete eradication by the end of the secondyear. Based on this success, we began a larger-scaleremoval project on the Lanphere and Ma-lel saltmarshes in 2006. Funded by matching grants from theUSFWS and the State Coastal Conservancy, this project

began with a complete inventory ofSpartina in the ref-uge. Cover by abundance class was mapped by contrac-tor Gillian Levy using a Geo-XT. For this larger project,an industrial, metal-bladed weedeater was used, andmowing was applied throughout the salt marsh, includ-ing spot-mowing in areas of low cordgrass cover. Theisland from the original experiment has been retreatedto remove Spartina remaining in former, untreated con-trol plots, and the mainland Lanphere salt marsh hasbeen treated at least twice. The first treatment of thenorthern Ma-lel area is almost complete. Our stalwart

crew of salt marsh restorationists (Mike Swank, KristinaProsser, Jeff Harmon, Luc Lagarde, Mark Thom, andJason Zito) have been assisted at times by CaliforniaDepartment of Forestry crews to complete this impres-sive amount of work.

Monitoring has occurred in this wider treatment area,with help from Sara March and Michelle Fuller, charac-terizing post-treatment cordgrass seedling emergencein relation to freshwater source, distance to tidal creeks,

vegetation cover, and whether or not wrack (mowedcordgrass stems) was removed. New Spartina seedlingsthat emerged after mowing treatment were flamed(passed over with a propane torch), and their responseto this treatment was also monitored. Spartina seed-lings did not occur on the more saline island experimen-tal site, and presented an unexpected challenge. Thepotential for continued seedling emergence is unknownand will be quantified over time. In the science of resto-ration ecology, much is learned about an ecosystemthrough its restoration, and an adaptive approach is aimperative.

Whats planned This winter revegetation of treatedareas will begin on the Lanphere island and mainland

salt marshes. Plugs of pickleweed (Salicornia virginica)and salt grass (Distichlis spicata) will be collected froma salvage site on the Salmon Creek Unit, where the cur-rent restoration of Salmon Creek will be causing de-creased salinities in a previously hypersaline area be-hind a dike. Planting will be concentrated in bare areasresulting from completed eradication. Volunteers willhelp with the planting, and survivorship of plugs will bemonitored. Species composition will be followed overtime, with the possibility of adding other species to in-crease diversity as needed. Our restoration efforts arebased on the premise that intensive revegetation willreduce re-establishment ofSpartina, as demonstratedin early experiments3, but we expect that continued

management will be needed as long as Spartina occursin other parts of the bay. Also starting this winter is thefirst mowing of the southern Ma-lel area, with an ac-companying research and monitoring program. Mowingwill be started this winter in some areas, and nextspring in others. Plots will be set up to monitor the ef-fect of treatment start time, as well as other factors, oncordgrass seedling emergence and overall success ofcontrol efforts. We will explore in more depth the effectsof treatments on soil properties, and we hope to have agraduate student at Humboldt State University examinethe role of algal colonization in our restoration efforts.

The big picture Our work to date has been fairly lo-

calized and is quite labor intensive. While it is excitingto finally have a promising method of control for an in-vasive plant that many have felt to be out of the practi-cal realm of control, we are still in need of a more ex-pansive, regional approach to control for this spe-cies. This winter, we will be hosting a Spartina Sum-mit open to local managers and ecologists. Experts onSpartina and its control from outside the area will beinvited. We will use this opportunity to brainstorm aregional approach to Spartina control, and use the ideas



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SSSTEERINGTEERINGTEERING CCCOMMITTEEOMMITTEEOMMITTEE MMMEMBERSEMBERSEMBERS/C/C/CONTACTSONTACTSONTACTS


President Carol Ralph 822-2015 [email protected]

Vice President Felicity Wasser 826-7712 [email protected]

Secretary Frances Ferguson 822-5079 [email protected]

Treasurer Ari Murdock 822-5909 [email protected]

Bookkeeper Frannie Martin 822-7196 [email protected]

Membership Joan Watanabe 268-0469 [email protected]

Invasive Plants John Bair 826-7794 x14 [email protected]

Native Plant Gardening Pete Haggard 839-0307 [email protected]

Native Plant Consultation Kathy Dilley 825-7665 [email protected]

Plant Sales Jennifer Kalt 839-1980 [email protected]

Sunny Loya 441-9545 [email protected]

Education Judie Snyder 826-7735 [email protected]

Legislation Marisa DArpino 601-0898 [email protected]

Conservation Jennifer Kalt 839-1980 [email protected]

Programs Audrey Miller 786-9701 [email protected]

Hospitality Melinda Groom 668-4275 [email protected]

Field Trips and Plant Walks Carol Ralph 822-2015 [email protected] Plants Kim Imper 444-2756 [email protected]

Plant Communities Tony LaBanca 826-7208 [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Marisa DArpino 601-0898 [email protected]

WebPage & Publicity Larry Levine 822-7190 [email protected]

Poster Sales Felicity Wasser 826-7712 [email protected]

T-Shirt Sales Gail Popham 444-3316 [email protected]

Workshops Gordon Leppig 839-0458 [email protected]

Wildflower Show Position Open Contact Carol Ralph for Details

CCCOMMUNICATIONSOMMUNICATIONSOMMUNICATIONS

North Coast CNPS members have three ways to share

information with each other: the Darlingtonia News-

letter (quarterly), our chapters website

(www.northcoastcnps.org - updated regularly), and

e-mail lists/forums (Announcements, Business, and Gar-

dening subscribe from the E-mail lists and Forums

page on www.northcoastcnps.org).

The Darlingtonia is the quarterly newsletter of the North

Coast Chapter of CNPS. Items for submittal to Darlingto-

nia should be sent to ma-

[email protected] by each quarterly

deadline: December 1, March 1, June 1, and September

1. Botanical articles, poetry, stories, photographs, illus-

trations, sightings, news items, action alerts, events, fac-

toids, tidbits, etc. are welcome and appreciated.

EEECOCOCONNNEWSEWSEWSANDANDAND YYYOUOUOU

We, the North Coast Chapter ofCNPS, are a member organization ofthe Northcoast EnvironmentalCenter (NEC), a valuable voice forconservation in our area. Thismeans we have a seat on the boardof directors. It also means that asour member you are automaticallyentitled to receive the NEC's monthlypublication, EcoNews.

Due to the vagaries of membershiplists, you might not be receiving thisinformative newsletter. If you are amember of our chapter, do not re-ceive EcoNews, and want to receiveit, phone 707-822-6918 or [email protected] and leave the per-tinent information.


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dead or partly dead, broken off redwoods, technically knownas snags. Many of them are hollow; all are fire-scarred. Westepped into this particular one and peered straight up at least120 ft to the small patch of sky at the top of the chimney.

The "Oh-ho! So there you are!" moment was at a soggy,shady, but not weedy trailside, just the kind of place I hadseen Chrysosplenium glechomifolium (ground ivy-leaved watercarpet) before. Easily missed, this prostrate, succulent ground

cover reminded me of creeping Charlie when I first met it. Itmakes a pleasing mat of rounded, scalloped, quarter-inchleaves on sprawling, much-branched stems. The flowers areinconspicuous, tiny green bowls showing saxifrage family fea-tures.

All of these trails provided good reviews of redwood forestflora. Not all the redwood forest plants were on every trail, buteach offered majestic trees and rich understory. Trillium FallsTrail, being longer, traversed more kinds of forest and somewet places, adding to its richness. We left still convinced thatevery trail in Prairie Creek State Park is beautiful.

City of Eureka's Fairhaven Wetland.

It's a salt marsh! It's a dune! No, ...

by Carol Ralph

Step off the pavement, down to the level of the water in thiseasily over-looked corner of the bay, into a confusingplace. Here is a tall, thick patch ofLeymus mollis native dunegrass, growing much more densely than is does in the fore-dunes across the way. Struggling through it is a magnificentstand of 5-ft tall seed heads of sea watchAngelica lucida, anoccasional denizen of edge habitats in salt air. A few more

steps and you are in saltgrass Distichlis spicata, pickleweedSalicornia virginica, and spearscale(fat hen, or salt bush)Atri-plex triangularis on a rich, organic soil, clearly a saltmarsh. Ten more steps and you are on sand, with more dunegrass, this time sparser, plus European beachgrassAmmophilaarenaria, sea rocket Cakile maritima and, most exciting,blooming patches of pink sand verbenaAbronia umbellata ssp.brevifolia. But what's this? Lush mounds of pickleweed 1 ftdeep and clumps of cordgrass Spartina densiflora, both signa-ture salt marsh species, grow out of the sand, as though theydid it all the time! Toward the more upland edge slough sedgeCarex obnupta, salt rushJuncus lesueurii, and dune rushJun-cus breweriintermingle, a mix of species reflecting a mixing ofsalt and fresh waters, sand and clay soils.

Ten CNPSers visited this hodgepodge just north of the SamoaBoat Ramp and south of a private grove of cypress and euca-lyptus on Sept. 8, 2007. Andrea Pickart shared aerial photosfrom 1939 and 1970, showing how the bay side of the wetlandhas been eaten away (andAmmophila has marched across thedunes on the beach side). The firm, organic-laden clay fromthe bay bottom was exposed by the tide for us topoke. Patches of sand have been carried by wind and water infrom the dune side of the road and left here on top of theclay. A little digging revealed that the sand is at least a meterdeep on top of the clay. A culvert under the road delivers freshwater in winter from the willow patches on the other

side. Cattails were appreciating that aspect. Clearly change isthe norm for the habitats here.

Unfortunately change has not favored Leymus mollis. Theplant community it defines was once common on the Californiacoast but is now endangered. An interesting note in this popu-lation was a distinctively taller clump that we thought mightbe Leymus x vancouverensis, but its big glumes and wideleaves keyed to mollis in Jepson.

Change is important for the pink sand verbena. It is an earlysuccessional species, requiring bare ground like this patch ofsand. It wasn't here two years ago. As beachgrass, sea rocket,and other plants cover the sand, the pink sand verbena willretreat. Should we weed this sand patch for the benefit of thisrare plant? It is listed by CNPS as 1B.1, meaning it is rare,threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere.

The yellow sand verbenaAbronia latifolia was here too, so wecould compare these two succulent, sprawling plants. Even ifthey hadn't had the balls of colored flowers, these could beeasily distinguished. The pink sand verbena holds its leavesperpendicular to the sand, and the leaves are oval with arounded point. The yellow sand verbena, generally a largerplant, holds it leaves horizontally, and they are round.

We also saw a side-by-side display ofLeymus mollis,Ammo-phila arenaria, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Spartina densi-flora. Leymus grows in loose clumps of a few stems with wide,gray leaves.Ammophila grows in dense, ever-expandingclumps of fine, tough, flexible, straw-greenleaves. Deschampsia makes pin-cushion shaped clumps ofstiff, pointed (Feel the ends.), narrow, straw-green leavesarranged pin-cushion style, and long, graceful, droopy, goldenculms (flower stalks). Spartina makes coarser clumps, mostleaves vertical, and straight culms packed tightly with largeseeds.

After scouting this unusual place our group ate lunch on logsunder a gentle sun in a silvery sky, the calm, shallow waters

lapping the bay clay at our feet. We gazed at the lower backside of Eureka, wondered about the destination of a mountainof wood chips on a barge headed south from the mill, andwatched the watery show of cormorants, seal, and ray as theybroke the surface of the smooth water in front of us. The Cityof Eureka presently has no plans for this unusual place. Canwe hope this forgotten corner will remain forgotten?



9/12


Subtropical Australian Tree Fern, Sphaeropteris cooperi(Hook. ex F. Muell.) R. M. Tryon,found modestly established in Oregon

By Wendell Wood

The exotic Australian Tree Fern, Sphaeropteris cooperi(Hook. ex F. Muell.) R. M. Tryon, synonym Cyathea cooperi(Hook. ex F.Muell.) Domin, has been discovered in an easily accessed canyon on the southern Oregon coast, approximately 11 miles northof Brookings, Oregon.

This fall, after descending a steep trail to explore sea caves and arches at Secret Beach below Samuel H. Boardman State

Scenic Corridor, an Oregon State Park, I came across a very large fern in the woods along the lower portion of Miner Creek.The location is T39S R14W sw of Sec. 16--roughly midway between Arch Rock and Natural Bridges. The plant was photo-graphed, and scales from a portion of the large diameter lower petiole were collected. With a hand lens, tiny brown angledteeth can be seen along the scales marginsa vegetative characteristic pinpointing this genus and suggesting the most likelyspecies. At Oregon State University professor Dr. Kenton Chambers recommendation, material was sent to Dr. Alan R. Smithat the University of California, Berkeley, herbarium. Dr. Smith provided information on how to make a cursory identification inthe field, and he then made a positive identification of the species from the pressed and dried specimens that were sent to him.

On a return trip to the area, a total ofthree plants were located along thebottom of Minor Creek canyon withinapproximately 125 yards or less fromthe beach, and another sample wascollected and sent for deposit in theOSU herbarium at Dr. Chambers re-quest. State Park officials have been

notified, and it will be their decisionwhether to further monitor, or perhapseradicate, this unexpected subtropicalescapee.

It is assumed that the bottom of thissmall coastal canyon provides thermalprotection from freezing, while beingisolated enough to protect the exoticferns from direct contact with the ma-rine salt air and spray. In Queensland,Australia, the native habitat of thisspecies is reported to be in gullies inrain forest (Medeiros et al. 1992). Ofthe three treefern plants located, twowere along the canyon bottom and one

was on a vertical cliff immediately be-low a small waterfall. All plants lo-cated were probably within a 100 feetof each other, and all were observedfrom the trail or just barely off the trail.

Sphaeropteris cooperiis native to NE Australia but is widely planted and used horticulturally in the USA. It has been cultivatedin warm, humid parts of the country, but unfortunately has become too well naturalized in Hawaii, where it is still aggressivelyspreading (Medeiros et al. 1992). According to Dr. Smith, this may be the first time Sphaeropteris cooperihas ever beenfound naturalized anywhere in the continental United States--including Florida, California, and elsewhere. Dr. Smithwrites: It is not treated in Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNANM), Vol. 2, 1993. As far as I know, there are nomembers of the tree fern family, Cyatheaceae, naturalized in the continental USA. The species has previously gone by thename Cyathea cooperi.

Fronds of the Oregon plant showed no fertile sori. Dr. Smith writes: Often, and depending on light and other factors, thisspecies does not become fertile until the trunks are substantial, several meters or more in length. Trunks are reported to 12meters tall, 15 cm. diameter, in the flora of Australia, where it is native. The tallest plant of the Oregon three is probably nomore than about two meters high.

While it is unknown how these plants may have first gotten introduced to this location, ferns, with their small, easily dispersiblewind-borne spores, can establish miles away from any fertile parent plant. While it is possible that a cultivated garden plantsomewhere in coastal southern Oregon could be the source, cultivators of this treefern species caution that special measureshave to be taken to protect plants from below freezing temperatures. Thus, there are very few microclimate areas, even onthe southern Oregon coast, where during periodic extreme cold snaps the temperature doesnt drop into the 20 degree Fahren-heit range that is considered lethal for Sphaeropteris cooperi.


Photo courtesy of Oregon Wild


10/12


Where to see it in Oregon:

Along Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, an Oregon State Park, pull off on the west side of Hwy. 101, immediatelynorth of Miner Creek--which is signed on the highway and located midway between the 345 and 346 mile posts. A steep,downhill, -mile trail leads to what Oregon State Parks calls Secret Beach. Here, the sand beach with rock arches and an-other botanically interesting small side canyon are best explored when the tide is at 1.5 feet or below. The easily observedAustralian treefern is located at the bottom of what a map at the trailhead terms a Cat Trail. While some attempt was madeto look for more treeferns farther up the canyon, the abundance of salmonberry bushes, increased fall stream flow, and overall

rugged topography strongly limited physical as well as observational access.

When descending the trail from Hwy. 101, the first, and smallest, treefern is across the canyon (south side) at a small, user-trampled overview on your left, shortly before you come to the beach. The fern there is on a vertical cliff face and immedi-ately down stream of a 12 foot, free-falling waterfall, which lies below an erosion-control, concrete lining of the upper portionsof Miner Creek. All Sphaeropteris cooperiplants seem to be below this concrete lining, a structure not obvious to the casualobserver. Binoculars will help to identify this first smaller-sized tree fern across the narrow canyon.

The largest and most accessible fern, from which specimen material for identification was collected, is growing just above theonly small foot bridge over Miner Creek, located a short way from the beach. Once you reach the final trail spur down to Se-cret Beach, continue to the left, starting back uphill (east) but as though you were going to proceed on the Oregon Coast Trailfarther south. In another 50 feet, immediately across the foot bridge but observable from either side, is the large tree fern tothe left of the trail. If one continues another 25 yards on up this trail, there is another short turn-out through the vegetationto the left, where you can observe a third fairly large fern growing just above the bottom of the creeks north bank. This spotcould also potentially be accessed by hiking up the stream bottom above the footbridge during times of low stream flow.

I thank Dr. Alan Smith, University of California, Berkeley, and Dr. Kenton Chambers, Oregon State University, for help in thepreparation of this report.

For references on Hawaiian introduction ofSphaeropteris cooperi, see:

Medeiros, A. C., L. L. Loope, T. Flynn, S. J. Anderson, L. W. Cuddihy, and K. A. Wilson. 1992. Notes on the status of an inva-sive Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) in Hawaiian rain forests. Amer. Fern J. 82: 27--33.

Wilson, K. A. 1996. Alien ferns in Hawai'i. Pacific Sci. 50: 127--141. [references therein that might be relevant].

Palmer, D. D. 2003. Hawai'i's ferns and fern allies. Univ. Hawai'i Press, Honolulu.


generated as the basis for future grant applications. Ifyou are interested in participating in this event, or involunteering for upcoming workdays, contact [email protected].

References

1. Spicher, D.M. and M. Josselyn. 1985. Spartina(Gramineae) in northern California: distribution andtaxonomic notes. Madroo 32:158-167.

2. Kittelson, P.M., and M. Boyd. 1997. Mechanisms ofexpansion for an introduced species of cordgrass,Spartina densiflora, in Humboldt Bay, California. Estuar-ies 20:770-778.

3. Pickart, A.J. 2001. The distribution ofSpartina densi-

flora and two rare salt marsh plants in Humboldt Bay1998-1999. Unpublished document, U.S. Fish and Wild-life Service, Arcata, California.

4. Eicher, A.L. 1987. Salt marsh vascular plant distribu-tion in relation to tidal elevation, Humboldt Bay, Califor-nia. M.A. Thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata,California.

Another fresh new year is here . . .

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a

[California native] tree,

And sing more joyful songs!

~William Arthur Ward



11/12

BBBOOKOOKOOK RRREVIEWEVIEWEVIEW

Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, EcologicalGardens, by Glenn Keator and Alrie Middlebrook, Berkeley, CA: University of California

Press, 2007. $27.50.

By Donna Wildearth is the owner of Garden Visions Landscape Design in Eureka, and is an Associate Professor at College of theRedwoods

Glenn Keator is a botanist who has written several books about California native plants. Alrie Middlebrookis an artist and landscape designer specializing in California native plant gardens. (She will also be thespeaker at our March monthly meeting--mark your calendars!) Keator and Middlebrook approach the de-sign of native plant gardens by focusing on plant communities. Their goal is to create "native gardens thatare aesthetically beautiful and ecologically sound".

The plant communities covered in the book are: bluffs and cliffs; redwood forest; coastal sage scrub;Channel Islands; desert; montane meadow; mixed evergreen forest; oak woodland; grassland; chaparral;riparian woodland; and wetlands.

The heart of the book consists of 12 chapters, each covering a specific plant community. Each chaptercontains a brief overview of the community, followed by a description of a garden based on that commu-nity. There are plot plans for each garden and planting plans that show actual plant layout. Each chapteralso includes design notes, a discussion of the scope of work, and a plant list with a description of each

plant, often accompanied by a photograph. Suggestions are given for additional plants that could be substituted or added. Atthe end of each chapter, there is a list of places in California where you can observe the plant community in the wild.

Appendices list sources for native plants, botanical gardens featuring native plants, recommended books, and a seasonal calen-dar for maintaining native plant gardens.

As a landscape designer, I have found the book to be a valuable reference. I appreciate the book's knowledgeable and down-to-earth approach, for example, the helpful comments on the availability of recommended plants. I also enjoy Middlebrook'suse of handmade art pieces that celebrate native plants. And I found that the book provided a pleasant armchair journey tomany of the wild places I have visited throughout the state.

The book is abundantly illustrated with color photos, generally high-quality, of plants in the wild as well as in gardens. Thebook is not intended as a field guide. However, it would certainly by an eye-opening and inspiring introduction to native plantsfor people new to native plant gardening.

On the other hand, I find the garden graphics somewhat confusing, and I don't feel that the "scope of work" information is use-ful. It should also be noted that Middlebrook sometimes includes nonnative plants in the gardens, as well as cultivated varietiesof native plants, which may be problematic to some.

Plant people seem to be a very literate bunch, judging from the continual emergence of new gardening books. As an avid

reader, that is one aspect of horticulture that I really enjoy. That said, however, there are ho-hum gardening books, and thenthere are books, such as this one, that present a wealth of information and thereby earn a place on my bookshelf.

NNNORTHORTHORTH CCCOASTOASTOAST CNPS VCNPS VCNPS VOLUNTEERSOLUNTEERSOLUNTEERS

Thank You:

Steve Lazar for your time and effort as

Membership Chair.

Welcome Aboard:

Ari MurdockTreasurer

Joan WatanabeMembership Chair

John BairInvasive Plant Chair

Get Involved: Coordinate our Spring Wildflower

Show. Oversee the talented volunteers who make

this spectacular event happen.


NATIVE PLANT CONSULTATION SERVICE

Are you wondering which plants inyour yard are native? Are you un-sure if that vine in the corner is aninvasive exotic? Would you like toknow some native species that wouldgrow well in your yard?

The North Coast Chapter of theCalifornia Native Plant Society offers

the Native Plant Consultation Serviceto answer these questions and to give advice on gar-dening with natives. If you are a member of CNPS, thisservice is free, if not, you can join or make a donationto our chapter.

A phone call or e-mail to our coordinator, Kathy Dilley(825-7665 or [email protected]), will put you in touchwith a team of volunteer consultants who will arrange avisit to your property to look at what you have and helpchoose suitable plants for yourgarden.


12/12

CNPS, North Coast ChapterP.O. Box 1067

Arcata, CA 95518

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 33

Arcata CA 95521


ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

JJJOINOINOINTHETHETHE NNNORTHORTHORTH CCCOASTOASTOAST CNPSCNPSCNPSBy joining CNPS you add your voice to that ofother native plant enthusiasts wishing to in-crease awareness, understanding, appreciation,and conservation of California's native flora.Members receive the quarterly journal Fremon-tia (the statewide newsletter), our chapternewsletter, Darlingtonia, and the NorthcoastEnvironmental Center (NEC) newsletter,EcoNews. Membership fees: Individual $45;Family $75; Student or Limited Income $25(Membership fee minus $12 is tax deductible).

To join or renew, you can either:

Send your name and address, check

(payable to CNPS) or credit card informa-tion to CNPS, 2707K Street, Suite 1, Sacra-mento, CA 95816-5113.

Pay on-line http://www.cnps.org/cnps/join/

Please notify the state office and/or our MembershipChairperson if your address changes.

MEMBERSsee your membership expirationdate on the first line of your newsletters ad-dress label.

CCCALENDARALENDARALENDAR

Date Event

Jan 9, Wed Program

Jan 26, Sat. Plant Walk

Feb 13, Wed. Program

Feb 24, Sun Hike

Mar 12, Wed Program

Mar 12, Thu Class

Mar 15, Sat. Class

Mar 30, Sun Hike

Apr 9, Wed. Program

Apr 26, Sat Hike

May 10, Sat Hike

May 14, Wed Program

How to know what's happening: 1. Go to our Web site,www.northcoastcnps.organd 2. Send an [email protected] to subscribeto our announcements e-mail list.

Documents

Darlingtonia Newsletter, Winter 2007 ~ North Coast Chapter, California Native Plant Society