Winter 2010 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

7/31/2019 Winter 2010 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

1/8

Minnesota Plant Press

Te Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

Volume 29 Number 1 Winter 2010

Monthly meetingsThompson Park Center/Dakota

LodgeThompson County Park

360 Butler Ave. E.,West St. Paul, MN 55118

ProgramsThe Minnesota Native Plant

Society meets the rst Thursdayin October, November, December,February, March, April, May, andJune. Check at www.mnnps.orgfor more program information.

6 p.m. Social period7 9 p.m. Program, Society

business

MNNPS websiteFor information about Society

eld trips, meetings and events,check the website: www.mnnps.org

In this issueSociety news ........................ ...2New members .........................2Spruce-top harvesting damage .3Proposed copper mine dangers .4Presidents column ..................5Conservation Corner ...............6Evelyn Moyle dies ..................6Symposium .............................6Plant Lore: Sweet gale .........7

Feb. 4: Looking at Lichens,by Dr. Imke Schmitt, assistantprofessor, University of Minnesota.Plant of the Month: One-owered

broom rape or cancer-root,Orobanche uniora, by Ken Arndt,Critical Connections EcologicalServices, Inc.

March 4: Ash GeneticConservation, by Dr. Andy David,associate professor, University ofMinnesota. Plant of the Month:Black Ash,Fraxinus nigra.

April 1: Extension forestryin the 21st Century: Capacity,

Innovation, and Impact, byEli Sagor, Extension educator,University of Minnesota ExtensionService. Plant of the Month: Blackspruce,Picea mariana.

March 27: Symposium (Seepage 6.)

A Rose Is a Rose Isa Rose?by Anita F. Cholewa, Ph.D., curator of the UM Herbarium, Bell Museumof Natural History, University of Minnesota.

In last months newsletter, we learned a little about what scientic namesmean and how to pronounce them. Now, why do they keep changing the

names?To answer this, we must rst consider what makes a species a species

This sounds like a simple question, but its not the answer has changedover the centuries as we have gained a better understanding of natureInitially, a species was dened as populations that looked identicalEventually, a breeding requirement was included, and the denition changedto populations that containedsimilar lookingindividuals with thepotentiato interbreed and produce viable offspring. Then it was recognized that, atleast in the plant world, external morphology could change depending on theenvironment (desert plants can become more hairy during droughts; owercolor could change due to soil pH; habit could change due to elevation

etc.). Then it was discovered that plants, unlike most animals, can survivechromosomal alterations such as extra doubling or loss of a chromosomeand many species were found to self-breed, and some species (for exampledandelions) dont even need pollen to produce viable seed (known asagamospermy). Today, the actual genetic makeup and the ancestral historyof plants are taken into account in our denition of a species.

As a result of these changes in our concept of the species, the speciesboundaries have changed, and our names for some species have to change (andsometimes a species is moved to a different family altogether). Sometimesseveral different species (for example inAchillea, the yarrows) in realityare only one or a few, highly variable species. Other times one speciesturns out to be two or more (for

example in Cenchrus, the sandbur,and Elymus, the rye grasses). Andsometimes, a group of plants wasonce thought to be different species,then combined, and then split again(for example inPyrola, the shinleafsor wintergreens).

But there are rules for howthese nomenclatural changes occur.When a species (or genus) is split

Continued on page 7


2/8

MNNPS Board

of DirectorsPresident: Scott Milburn

[email protected]

Vice President: Shirley MahKooyman, shirley.mah.kooyman@

mnnps.orgSecretary,program coordinator

Andrs Morantes, [email protected]

Treasurer, membership database: Ron and Cathy Huber, [email protected]

Derek Anderson, board [email protected]

Ken Arndt,board member, eldtrip chair, [email protected]

Michael Bourdaghs, boardmember, [email protected]

Angela Hanson, board [email protected]

Elizabeth Heck, board memberwebmaster, elizabeth.heck@mnnpsorg

Dylan Lueth, board [email protected]

Elizabeth Nixon,board memberconservation committee chair,[email protected]

Erika Rowe, board [email protected]

Russ Schaffenberg, boardmember, [email protected]

Field Trips: [email protected]

Memberships: memberships

[email protected]

Historian-Archives: RoyRobison, [email protected]

Technical or membershipinquiries: contact.mnnps@mnnpsorg

Minnesota Plant Press EditorGerry Drewry, [email protected]

2

Who Does WhatThe MNNPS is an all- volunteer

organization. Following are thepeople who were lling variousduties in December. If you wouldlike to help, please contact theperson listed or an ofcer.

Ofcers

President: Scott MilburnVice-President: Shirley MahKooymanSecretary: Andrs MorantesTreasurer: Ron Huber

Committees, ResponsibilitiesProgram, Education, Lectures

Programs: Andrs Morantes

Postcards: Ron, Cathy Huber

Refreshments: Ken Arndt

Audio-Visual: Scott Milburn, KenArndtMeeting site open/close:Ken ArndtSeed Exchange: Dave Crawford,Ken Arndt, Scott MilburnPlant Sale: Dave Crawford, KenArndt, Gerry Drewry

Membership and OutreachMembership roster, directory, nametags: Ron, Cathy HuberMailing labels: Ron, Cathy HuberNew Member Packets: CathyHuberTechnical assistance: DavidJohnsonTelephone contact: Linda HuhnBrochures and Stationery: AndrsMorantes, Elizabeth HeckDisplay Board : Vacant

PublicationsNewsletter Editor: Gerry DrewryNewsletter assistant: VacantNewsletter mailing: Ron, Cathy

Huber

Website updatesElizabeth Heck, Scott Milburn

Facebook, BlogMichael Bourdaghs, AngelaHanson

Conservation, EducationChair: Beth Nixon

Field TripsIdentify options: Ken Arndt, Scott

MilburnLogistics: Ken ArndtLeading Trips: Varies with trip

SymposiumTheme, Site: Scott Milburn, ErikaRoweSpeakers: Scott Milburn, AngelaHanson, Erika RoweRegistration: Shirley MahKooymanBrochures: Scott Milburn, JeanneSchachtCatering: Shirley Mah Kooyman,Angela Hanson

HistorianConservation/storage Roy Robison

Post Ofce Box

Pickup, distribution: Ron, CathyHuber

MNNPS welcomesnew membersThe Society gives a warm

welcome to new members whojoined during the fourth quarter of2009. Listed alphabetically, theyare:Christina and David Bellert, Dallas,OR.Don Degue, RosevilleKatie Frerker, RochesterElna Goodspeed, Fridley*Chris Gronewold, LauderdaleDavid Julson, StillwaterMark Leipairtz, FarmingtonMary Jo Moltzen, FairmontRebecca Montgomery, St. PaulKaren Nyhus, Mendota HeightsGlen Olson, North St. Paul*Rebecca Stone, LauderdaleDenise and Robert Wolff, Lakeville(*family membership)

MNNPS financesby Ron, Cathy Huber, treasurers

At the end of calendar year2009, the Society had total assets of$24,743.23.

Income for the year totaled$13,238.52, mostly from dues andthe symposium. Expenses cameto $13,824.77, mostly for thesymposium, Dakota Lodge rental,and a donation to the DNR for theupcoming book by Welby Smith.


3/8

by Norm Aaseng, plant ecologist,Minnesota County BiologicalSurvey. This is a summary of histalk at the Nov. 5, 2009, MNNPS

meeting.

Decorative tree harvesting is thecutting of the top two to four feetof stunted (six- to 15-foot) blackspruce trees. These spruce topsare shipped to garden stores andother outlets where they are soldas decorations during the winterholiday season. In the mid-1990s,the harvesting of spruce tops inMinnesota began to expand, and

today an estimated one-half millionto one million tree tops are harvestedper year. Surveys indicate that thereis a market for three times thatnumber of spruce tops. Harvestingoccurs primarily on state and countylands in northwest Aitkin, southwestSt. Louis, northwest Carlton, andsouthwest Itasca counties from mid-September to mid-December. Thisactivity provides income to localharvesters from lands that typically

do not generate any revenue.

Although black spruce trees arefound in a variety of peatland andupland native plant communityclasses, almost all decorative topscome from the Northern Spruce Bogs(APn80 in the DNRs Field Guideto the Native Plant Communities ofMinnesota). The Northern SpruceBog is the most nutrient poor aswell as the most acidic native plant

community occurring in Minnesota.These conditions create a veryinhospitable environment in whichonly 25 vascular plant species areadapted to survive. Typical speciesfound in bogs include carnivorousplants, such as pitcher plant(Sarracenia purpurea), ericaceousshrubs, such as bog rosemary(Andromeda glaucophylla) andbog laurel (Kalmia polifolia), andgraminoids such as cotton grasses

(Eriophorum spissum) andbog wiregrass sedge (Carexoligosperma). Hummocks ofsphagnum moss cover the groundsurface. The severe conditions areresponsible for the stunted size andshape of black spruce trees desiredby harvesters.

As tree-top harvesting operationsincreased in size, environmentalimpacts from harvesting becameapparent. DNR Forestry assembleda eld team to determine the impactsof tree-top harvesting and thefactors contributing to the damage.

The team found that the cutting ofthe spruce tops did not appear tohave a signicant impact. Tree topswere reported to grow back and beharvested in 10 - 20 years.

However, very signicantimpacts occurred from rutting on all-terrain vehicles (ATV) access trails.Initial passes by ATVs create a trailby compressing the sphagnum peat,but repeated traversing of trails,

especially with heavy vehicles,resulted in cutting through the liveroot mat that occurs in the upper sixinches of the peat. Once this matis cut, the weight-bearing capacityof the peat is severely reduced,resulting in increasing size and depthof pools with every pass of an ATV.The deeper the ruts are, the longerit takes the vegetation to recover. Ifdamage is signicant, there can bea conversion of vegetation to marsh

or even exotic plant species. Watertracks and laggs (shrubby wet moatsoccurring between the interface ofpeatland and upland) were foundto be particularly susceptible todamage from ATVs. The creationof deep pools and the elimination ofexisting vegetation easily occurredalong the ATV trails in these areas.

To minimize these impacts, theDNR instituted regulations that

limited the depth and length ofrutting allowed on trails as well asimposing restrictions on the accessof harvest areas through laggs andwater tracks.

Despite the regulations, someimpacts continued to occur, primarilythrough rogue or inexperienced

harvesters. Because public auctionrequires that the sale of tree tops goto the highest bidder regardless ofcompetence of the harvesters, theDNR no longer offers this optionfor decorative harvesting. Insteadprivate sales are negotiated withproven operators that possess theappropriate equipment, such as lowpressure-tired vehicles. Becausethese private sales are much smallerin size than public auctions, the

DNR sales are now limited to atotal of 200,000 tree tops per yearWith increasing demand for sprucetops it may be that operations willbe shifting to lands that are lessregulated.

Harvesting of sprucetops is damaging bogs

3

$3.7 million inlegacy conservationgrants are awarded

$3,740,000 in 2010 Conservation

Partners Legacy grants have beenawarded, the DNR has announcedThe funds are from the OutdoorHeritage Fund created by voterswho approved the constitutionaamendment in 2008.

Grants range from $5,000to $400,000. The 35 projectsinclude seven for sh, game andwildlife ($874,754); eight forforests ($789,814); 12 for prairies($933,206); and eight for wetlands

($1,142,226).

By activity, 11 are for landacquisition ($1,860,300); 12 forenhancement ($701,398); and 12for restoration ($1,178,302).

127 applications totaling $16.5million were received. The volumeof applications we received andthe energy around these effortshas been impressive, said DNRCommissioner Mark Holsten.


4/84

PolyMet Mining Corp. isseeking permission to open itsproposed NorthMet open pit mine

south of Babbitt and northeastof Hoyt Lakes in the SuperiorNational Forest. According to theirwebsite, the company will mineand process metals used in dailylife. These metals include copper,nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium,and gold. PolyMet is working tocomplete the environmental reviewand permitting in 2010 and expectsto begin construction in 2010.

The MNNPS Board sent the

following Draft EnvironmentalImpact Statement response letter onDec. 21, 2009, to Stuart Arkley, EISproject manager, EnvironmentalReview Unit, Division of EcologicalResources, Minnesota DNR. DylanLueth and Elizabeth Heck were theprimary authors. It was signed byScott Milburn, Society president.The entire board supports theresponse, and they want members toknow the action they have taken.

Subject: Comments on theDraft Environmental ImpactStatement (DEIS) for the PolyMetMining Inc./NorthMet Project

Dear Mr. Arkley,The Minnesota Native Plant

Society (MNNPS) has reviewedthe draft environmental impactstatement (DEIS) for the proposedPolyMet Mining Inc./NorthMetProject and would like to address

potential problems that were notedduring the review process.

1. The Use of Non-native, InvasiveSpecies to Stabilize DisturbedAreas

The MNNPS has seriousconcerns with respect to the use ofnon-native, and potentially, invasivespecies to temporarily vegetativelystabilize disturbed areas duringoperation and permanently reclaim

during Closure, by applyingseeds or planting seedlings. Theproposed species include sweet

clover, redtop, alsike clover,Canada bluegrass, Cicer milkvetch,birdsfoot trefoil, perennial ryegrass,smooth brome grass, and red fescue.These species are very aggressiveand have the potential to completelychange the existing landscape,especially considering the amountof disturbance that will be coupledwith the plantings.

Many of the these species havealready established themselves

around the state, and the introductionof these invasive plants to theproject area has the potential toextend well beyond, most notably,the Boundary Waters Canoe AreaWilderness (BWCAW), an areathat is already facing problemswith invasive introductions. Thedraft EIS also indicates that Class1 and 2 invasive species currentlyexist within three miles of theplant and mine sites. A diversemix of ecologically appropriatenative species is recommendedfor any permanent revegetationduring mining operations andduring reclamation. Any temporarystabilization should be done withnon-invasive, annual plant species,or other erosion control measures.

It also appears counter-productive to propose removingnon-native and invasive vegetation

through mechanical means orherbicide application at the Aitkinand Hinckley mitigation sites, whileplanting them in an area commonlyreferred to as the 100-mile-swamp.

2. Endangered, Threatenedand Special Concern Species

The MNNPS would like toaddress the very likely potentialimpact on Endangered, Threatened,and Special Concern species within

the project area. The species of mostconcern is the aquatic oating marshmarigold (Caltha natans), a State

Endangered species. It is generallyrare throughout its range and hassuffered recent extirpations, largelyfrom habitat loss or alteration, a well-documented problem for aquaticspecies statewide (MN DNR, RareSpecies Guide, http://www.dnr.statemn.us/rsg/index.html). There areonly 12 known populations of thisspecies in Minnesota. Of those 12populations, nine populations havebeen reconrmed within the las

20 years, including the populationfound on the PolyMet site.

This would not be the rst timethat Caltha natans would be affectedby mining. Evidence of the effects ofmining practices on Caltha natanswere rst noted by Olga Lakela in1953 when she reported that nearbymining activities had lowered thewater level, thereby stranding anddecimating the population. Anyloss of Minnesotas rare ora would

be a major disappointment to theMNNPS, and it is recommendedthat more specic data be requiredregarding impacts to currentpopulations, and that surveys foradditional populations of Calthanatans be conducted.

3. Peatland Destruction andCarbon Sequestration

While peatlands cover only3 percent of the Earths surface

they store 550 gigatons of carbonwhich is equivalent to 30 percentof all global soil carbon. Theamount of wetlands projected to beimpacted by PolyMet at this timedoes not accurately represent thetotal amount of wetland impactsthat would occur. This is due to thefact that no initial area of inuence(AOI) on the wetlands was madeThis means that wetland impactsto communities such as cedar

MNNPS opposes proposed coppermine in Superior National Forest


5/85

swamps, northern wet ash swamps,forested rich peatlands, northernalder swamps, and poor fens havenot been accurately accounted for.These communities rely on a steadyinux of groundwater ow fornutrients and soil moisture. If thehydrology around them is changed,they too will be affected. The ArmyCorps is developing a work plan toassess impacts to these additionalwetlands, but this work plan hasnot been nalized or implemented.As the PolyMet project currentlystands, there would be both directand indirect impacts to over 1,500acres of wetland. The destructionof just 1,000 acres of peatlandcorrelates into a 2 percent increasein the total output of carbon dioxide

emissions in Minnesota.4. Impacts to Water Resources

Aside from direct impacts onnative plants and plant communities,impacts on water resources need tobe addressed further. Hydrologicconditions form the basis of entireecosystems, and hydrologic forcesand characteristics shape entirelandscapes. As such, impacts towater resources have a much broaderand longer-lasting environmental

impact. NorthMet Project Draft EISdoes not recommend commensurateactions and/or alternatives tosuch serious impacts. The typeof mining proposed would leavebehind sulde-containing wasterock and may result in acid minedrainage. Stockpiled material alsoposes a signicant threat to surfacewater and groundwater, beginningwith the Partridge River and theentire St. Louis River Basin. Theproject would involve direct andindirect impacts to about 1,522acres of wetlands, most of themranked as high quality. This is oneof the largest wetland impacts inMinnesota history.

5. Economic Impacts

This project is focused on short-term economic gains and does notadequately address the long-termnegative impacts, for which the

state and the USFS will ultimatelybe responsible. Furthermore, thejob benets of this project areunsustainable and short sighted. Thenatural communities in the projectarea also provide habitat for nativeplants and animals and promotelong-term economic tourismbenets, including tourism-relatedjobs. Minnesotans, as well as peoplefrom all over the country, havelong been attracted to and enjoyedthe relatively unspoiled beauty ofnortheastern Minnesota, and theywill continue to value the integrityof their natural landscapes.

Please do not compromiseMinnesotas natural heritage byallowing PolyMet to circumventtheir responsibility by minimizing

the negative environmental impactsof this project.

Sincerely,Scott Milburn, Minnesota NativePlant Society president

Presidents Columnby Scott Milburn

At our quarterly board meeting

this past December, the board

unanimously supported a motion

to donate $2,000 to the Minnesota

Department of Natural Resources

This money is specically earmarkedfor future writing efforts by State

Botanist Welby Smith. In total, the

Society has now donated $5,000 to

Welby, which is an excellent way

for the Society to contribute back

and fulll our educational mission

This donation provides important

funding that allows book projects to

move forward.

In other Society news, our

past December monthly programmarked the end of Linda Huhns

tenure as monthly program chair

Linda has served in this position for

the past seven years and has done

a tremendous job lining up speakers

throughout this time. Our secretary

Andrs Morantes, will be taking

over for Linda, and I look forward

to his efforts.

I would also like to remindour members that board member

elections will take place at our March

annual meeting. We have three open

positions, so please contact Vice

President Shirley Mah Kooyman if

you are interested.

We also have our upcoming

symposium in late March. In the

past few years, we have held the

symposium during the rst week of

April. However, the rst weekend of

April is Easter weekend, and it was

decided to push the event forward

one week, to March 27. We will be

working with our friends at the Bell

Museum once again. The committee

is actively lining up speakers on the

topic, Sand Dunes of Minnesota.

More information will be provided

as planning proceeds.

Series of rain-gardenworkshops planned

Four rain-garden workshopsare being sponsored by Ramsey-Washington Metro WatershedDistrict and Maplewood City onMarch 24, April 15, April 29 andMay 6. The fee for each session is$5, and pre-registration is required.For details, go to News and Events,Workshops, at www.rwmwd.org

Moss launches sporesin vortex rings

Low-growing sphagnum mossshoots its spores 10 to 20 timeshigher than expected by using a

vortex ring, previously known onlyfrom animals, Plant Ecologist JoanEdwards of Williams College inWilliamstown, Mass. said at a Jan.4 meeting of biologists.

The spores form a mushroom-like cloud that has a better chanceof rising into turbulent air and beingdispersed. For more infomation,go to www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/52884


6/86

Minnesotasand duneswill be topicof symposium

Sand Dunes of Minnesota

is the title of this years MNNPSsymposium. Learn about dunebiology and natural history, theplants and animals that inhabitdunes, and current issues and threatsto these special places.

The symposium will be heldSaturday, March 27, at the BelMuseum of Natural History on theUniversity of Minnesota campusMinneapolis. Watch for a brochure

with details.

Grey Cloud Dunes Scientifcand Natural Area, WashingtonCounty, photo by Scott Milburn

by Beth NixonReminder to Blog

The mission of the ConservationCommittee is promotion of the useof native plant species, preservationof native plant species and

communities, and conservation ofrare and endangered species. Weare asking all members to join thiseffort through participation in theSociety Blog posts.

You can contribute comments toposted issues, information whichcan in turn be used for preparationof Society letters. You can alsocontribute by following throughon Blog post requests to contact

your legislative representatives.Comments are requested for thefollowing posted topics: regulatedharvesting of black spruce tips, nochild left inside, state or federalenvironmental review of proposedactions in Minnesota, funding forthe environment managed by theLessard Outdoor Council, prairiegrass for biofuel, and off-roadvehicle effects on native plants.

Contact any board member withyour ideas for additional postingsthat you would like to add to theBlog.

Facebook FansYou can also contribute to the

Society mission by participatingon Facebook. The fanclub isgrowing, with over 80 viewers andcontributors.

PolyMet Mining proposalFor the past couple of years,

the Society has commented onhow proposed actions in the Stateof Minnesota might affect nativeplant populations and communities.Most recently, comments weresubmitted regarding the proposedPolyMet Mining project in northernMinnesota near Hoyt Lakes. [Seeletter on page 4.] The Societyrequested consideration be givento:

Avoiding the use of nonnativeinvasive species to stabilizedisturbed areas;

Suitable mitigation to includefurther site investigation;

A plan to aid in stabilizingcurrent known populationsofCalthanatans, a rare species at the site;

More accurate accounting ofthe presence of and impacts tocedar swamps, northern wet ashswamps, forested rich peatlands,northern alder swamps, and poorfens, including their contribution tocarbon sequestration;

An overall approach tomitigation for water resourceimpacts in an interconnectedmanner for both ground and surfacewater, commensurate with theindirect impact to over 1,500 acresof high quality wetlands within thePartridge River system; and

Short-term versus long-termeconomic value to the State ofMinnesota, including long-termsustainability of the near-term jobbenets and potential long-term

losses to tourism-related jobs.

Conservation Corner

Where is the Blog?The MNNPS Blog is entitledConversations on Conservation.To read and respond to the Bloggo to the Societys website at wwwmnnps.org and click on Blog in theleft-hand column. You can read themessages and comments and reply tothem. All members are encouragedto participate in this exchange ofideas.

Honorary MemberEvelyn Moyle dies

Lifetime MNNPS honorarymember Evelyn Moyle, co-producerand photographer of the rstedition ofNorthland Wildowers:the Comprehensive Guide to theMinnesota Region, died of a heartattack Jan. 3 at the age of 95. Her

late husband, John, supplied the textfor the best-selling book, which wasprinted in 1977.

A second, enlarged edition waspublished in 2001, with photographsby John Gregor and text by EvelynMoyle. She was honored at a book-signing reception before the June7, 2001, MNNPS meeting andwas presented with a certicate ofappreciation for her work.


7/8

into two or more, brand new namesmay be generated (again there arerules on the formation of names)But when two or more species arecombined, then previous namesmust be examined and the oldest

validly published (and yes, there arerules on valid publication) must bethe one that is retained, even if it is amore obscure name. SoBotrychiumrugulosum (ternate grape fern) wasconfused with B. dissectum orBmultifdum but is now recognizedas a separate species. Aster azureus(skyblue aster) was merged intoAster oolentangiensis and now isSymphyotrichum oolentangiensis

Vaccinium macrocarpum (largecranberry) changed to Oxycoccusmacrocarpus but is now back asVaccinium macrocarpum.

And to make life even morecomplicated, the shocking truth isnot all taxonomists agree with eachother (especially true in some of thedifcult genera such asRubus), andsome plant groups simply have notyet received thorough examination(such asPotentilla orViola).

So whats a person to do? Acceptthat nature is ever-changing andlive with it by consulting majorreference websites such as theFloraof North America, the AngiospermPhylogeny Group, or theIntegratedTaxonomic Information SystemFor a current (but, yes, changing)account of the nomenclature ofMinnesotas vascular plants seemy Comprehensively Annotated

Checklist of the Flora of Minnesotaat http://www.bellmuseum.org/plants/checklist2009-1.pdf

Scientic namesContinued from page 1

7

yellow dye and have also beenused to improve the avor andfoam of beer before replacement byhops. Leaves are also insecticidal(campers have placed plants in tentsfor bug control). Varieties have beendeveloped for gardens.

Plant Loreby Thor KommedahlWhat is sweet gale?

Sweet gale isMyrica gale in thewax-myrtle family, growing as anative plant in northeast Minnesota.

How did it get its names?

Myrica comes from a Greek wordmyrike referring to fragrance. Galeis derived from an old English wordfor bog myrtle, taken from the wordGagel, which is the German wordfor sweet gale. It is sometime calledbog myrtle because it often inhabitspeat bogs.

What does the plant look like?It is a shrub that grows from two

to six feet tall with many stems and

branches. The grayish leaves aredotted with yellow glands visiblewith a hand lens; leaves emit afragrant odor when crushed. Sexesare usually on separate plants, butsometimes on the same plant butdifferent owers. Flowers appear incompact catkins with two wing-likebracts, and the fruit is nutlike (smalldrupe).

Where does the plant grow?Sweet gale, often seen in colonies

because of the layering of lowerbranches, grows on edges of streamsand lakes or in acidic peat bogs, andgrows best in direct sunlight. Rootscan x nitrogen.

Is the plant edible?Dried leaves have been used

for making tea, and the leaves andnutlets have been added to meats forsage-like seasoning.

Is it medicinal or poisonous?

A branch tea has been consumedas a diuretic for gonorrhea, andMyrigalone-B is an extract from fruitexudates that is a potent antioxidantto inhibit free radical damage inliver. It is generally not regardedas poisonous, although an essentialoil has been reported as toxic. It islisted as an arbortifacient.

Has it any economic uses?Leaves have been a source of

Sweet gale, Myrica gale, plant.

Photo by Russ Schaffengerg.

Myrica Gale leaves, photo by

Scott Milburn.

Wild Ones ConferenceDesign with Nature: Creating

healthy communities above and

below ground is the title of the

Wild Ones Feb. 27 conference at the

Radisson Hotel, Roseville. Advance

registration is required. Search at

www.eventbrite.com or go to http://

for-wild.org/chapters/twincities/

conference.html

Book describes outdoorexperiences in state

Our Neck of the Woods, a newbook published by the University ofMinnesota Press, contains articlesabout Minnesota wild areas that wereprinted in Minnesota ConservationVolunteerin the last 70 years.


8/8

Directions:Take MN Hwy. 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul.Go west on Butler 0.2 mile to Stassen Lane.

Go south on Stassen Lane to Thompson County Park.

Winter 2010

Minnesota Native Plant Society

P.O. Box 20401

Bloomington, MN 55420

Documents

Winter 2010 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter