The Newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society Vol. 24 No. 1 Summer 2004 In this issue: Fail Meeting Information page 1 Arkansas Alumroot page 3 Yellow Fringed Orchids page 4 Online Plant Images Page 5 Native Flowering Shrubs of the Ouachitas page 6 Some Plants of Arkansas Tallgrass Prairies page 7 Field Trip Reports page 9 Fall Edible Plants page 10 Upcoming Events page 1 1 Arkansas Native Plant Society Fall 2004 Meeting September 24-26, 2004 Peace Lutheran Church Fairfield Bay/Greers Ferry Friday and Saturday Meetings will be held at Peace Lutheran Church which is located at 10849 Edgemont Road (Highway 16), 2.5 miles west of the Edgemont Bridge (over Greers Ferry Lake), between Fairfield Bay and the town of Greers Ferry. A map can be found at http://www.neacelutherans.org/contact.htm Field trip destinations have not been finalized but Mary Alice Beer knows the area very well and has offered to lead trips to some local glades and other areas of interest. If you have any suggestions for field trip destinations or would be willing to lead a trip, please contact Mary Alice at 501 .884.3502 or Bumetta Hinterthuer at 479.582.031 and let them know. Schedule of Events: Friday. September 24: 4:30 pm Registration begins 7:00 pm Arkansas Prairies (slide show) - John Pelton 8:00 pm Fall Auction with ANPS’s own favorite emcee, Carl Amason Saturday. September 25: 8:00 am Field trips (locations to be announced) 6:30 pm Slide Show — Bob Clearwater 7:30 pm Medicinal Plants of Arkansas — Steven Foster (see information below) Medicinal Plants in Arkansas: Rethinking How We Relate to Our Flora Call them dietary supplements, folk medicines or ethical drugs — however we categorize plants used for health benefits, in the past 20 years there has been an explosion of interest in medicinal plant research and use worldwide. Approximately 25 percent of the 2500+ species of vascular plants in Arkansas can be documented as being used in some context for medicine. Could enhancing our awareness and knowledge of medicinal plants provide benefits yet unknown? A cure for cancer? A way to control invasive aliens? What are the conservation implications? We will explore these and other issues relative to the medical flora of Arkansas. Steven Foster is an internationally known author of 14 books on herbal medicine and a photographer of medicinal plants. His various areas of interest include native American medicinal plants , plant conservation and sustainable production of medicinal plants, and 19th century herbal literature . Among his many other activities Steven is a Trustee of the American Botanical Council and his photography regularly illustrates the pages of HerbalGram. More at www.stevenfoster.com. NOTE: Business Meeting will follow Steven Foster’s talk Sunday. September 26: 8:00 Field trips (locations to be announced) Lodging: Spring 2004 ANPS Meeting Minutes by Sue Clark March 27, 2004 Jasper, Arkansas After a discussion of the progress of the Arkansas Flora Project by Eric Sundell, Travis Marsico, and Sarah Nunn, the business meeting of the Arkansas Native Plant Society was called to order by the President-Elect, Bumetta Hinterthuer, at 7:50 p.m. at the Jasper Senior Center in Jasper, Arkansas. A special ANPS rate of $35 per night has been arranged at the Redbird Motel & Cabins in Greers Ferry. Make your reservations ASAP since rooms fill up fast in Greers Ferry each fall when the fishermen arrive! SECRETARY’S REPORT: Carl Amason moved that the minutes of the Fall, 2003 meeting be approved as printed in the Claytonia. Clint Sowards seconded. The minutes were approved as printed. Redbird Motel & Cabins 9174 Edgemont Rd. Greers Ferry. (501) 825-6256 http://www.redbirdinn.eom/pages/l/index.htm Other available motels in Greer's Ferry include: Sugar Maple Inn. A new and very nice place. $55 p/night special price offered to fishermen. 8546 Edgemont Rd. Greer's Ferry. (501) 825-8501. Ozark Inn. Also very nice - $49 p/night special fishermen price. Phone:(501) 825-6307. 7650 Edgemont Rd. Greer's Ferry. Clinton is located about 20 miles east of the meeting place but also has a selection of motels, Heber Springs is located about 25 miles to the east and also has a selection of motels. The Greer’s Ferry Chamber of Commerce has a webpage : http://greersferrv.com/ area merchants.htm Plus a wider area webpage at: http://www.greersferrvlake.org/ index.htm Sorghastrum nutans vjj (Indiangrass) TREASURER’S REPORT: Barbara Little-Schoenike distributed the Treasurer’s Report showing a balance in the operating fund of $7,291.85, and a total of the scholarship, flora and award funds of $19,135.53. Carl Amason moved that the report be approved; Clint Sowards seconded. The Treasurer’s Report was approved as presented. NEW BUSINESS: A Nominating Committee will be appointed by the president, Linda Gatti Clark, to make nominations for the offices of Vice-President and Treasurer. Suggestions for the fall 2004 meeting are Greers Ferry/ Fairfield Bay, Bates ville, Mena and Eureka Springs. Bumetta asked that any local people in these areas contact her; or if there are any other suggestions for a meeting place, let her know. A daily hike could be scheduled for the areas not chosen for the fall meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bumetta announced that there is a gathering at the Ozark Cafe where local musicians perform to raise money for local needs if any of the members are interested in attending. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. 2 Respectfully submitted, Sue Clark, Acting Secretary PLANT OF THE ISSUE: ARKANSAS ALUMROOT I thought it would be good to feature a unique plant species each issue and that a good place to start would be with Arkansas 1 endemic plants (those that occur nowhere else in the world). Of course , plants are more concerned with ecoregional boundaries than political ones, so I may feature some that are endemic to a region we share with border states (e.g. the Ozarks) and that get out of the state border just a little... - Theo Many people are familiar with the common American alumroot (Heuchera americana) with its many cultivars, attractive foliage, and little orange flowers. They may be unaware, however, of Arkansas’ own alumroot, Heuchera villosa Michx, var. arkansana (Rydb.) E. B. Smith, or more simply, Arkansas alumroot. The Arkansas alumroot is one of only two fall-blooming species of alumroot known to occur in Arkansas. The other is Heuchera parviflora Bartl. var. puberula (Mackenzie & Bush) Wells, or littleflower alumroot. Both of these species are tracked as rare plants by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission but the Arkansas alumroot is, as far as is known, found only in that portion of the Interior Highlands that is lies within Arkansas. Both species are primarily confined to moist bluffs in the Ozark Mountains and typically grow out of cracks in the rocks. The vast majority of the known sites for Arkansas alumroot are from sandstone bluffs in the Ozarks, but there are also several sites along very rocky, shaded streams in the Ouachitas. Arkansas alumroot is typically (but not always) on sandstone bluffs and littleflower alumroot is usually on limestone or dolomite bluffs. In addition to this usual habitat difference, our two fall- blooming alumroots can be distinguished by the following characters (keys modified from Edwin B. Smith’s Keys to the Flora of Arkansas, U of A Press): Lobes of the leaves triangular; petioles moderately to densely hairy with gland-tipped hairs 1-3 (-4) mm. long; seeds spiny; sepals with few, scattered hairs... Heuchera villosa var. arkansana Lobes of the leaves rounded; petioles rather densely hairy with minute gland-tipped hairs ca. 01 - 0.5 mm long; seeds smooth or ridged (rarely slightly spiny); sepals with many, dense hairs... Heuchera parviflora var . puberula In addition to the small, but attractive white flowers, the leaves of Arkansas alumroot often turn attractive yellows and reds in the fall. Look for Arkansas Alumroot this summer and fall when you see moist bluffs or rock outcrops. Note: if you find either of our fall-blooming alumroots in Arkansas, please contact the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission at 501.324.9615 or email theo@arkansasheritage . org . Arkansas alumroot. Montgomery Creek, Ouachita National Forest Montgomery County, Arkansas. Photo by T. Witsell 3 “They All Look Alike to Me” by Carl Slaughter A/ID “They all look alike to me”. Words that in the past were used to demean and belittle people of certain social status, of certain races, and of certain economic position. . . In botany we ridicule a certain group of flowers in the Asteraceae (Compositae) family when we use the words, “Oh, there’s another DYC (Damn Yellow Composite)”. In the genus Platanthera of the orchid family we have a group of yellow flowers that, unless they are looked at closely, also look alike. These flowers are: Platanthera Integra (yellow fringeless orchid) Platanthera cristata (crested fringed orchid) Platanthera chapmanii (Chapman’s fringed orchid) Platanthera ciliaris (yellow fringed orchid) Platanthera xchannellii (hybrid yellow fringed orchid) All five of these yellow Platantheras are found along the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, with P. ciliaris extending further up into the northern states. There is a very pale yellow to near white P. cristata that grows at the tip of Long Island, New York. They all grow in similar habitat, bogs to wet pine savannas. The P. ciliaris is capable of surviving in a drier environment, being found on the side of dry hills. These orchids growing in the damp habitats are often found in association with the carnivorous plants: the venus fly trap, the pitcher plants, and the sundew. The orchids give thanks daily that they are more vegetable and bran than protein in composition! The identification and differentiation of these orchids is straightforward. The P. Integra is the least difficult to identify. It is the only one to have an entire lip (minimal to no fringe). The edge of the lip of P. integra does look like it has been chewed on by a Doberman, but does not have a fringe. Botanically, it is said to be crenate. The others can be separated and identified by the length of their spur, their column, and by the visicidium on their column. The table below shows these anatomical differentiations. Species Spur Length Column Viscidia P. cristata 5-8 mm, shorter than the ovary- pedicel Straight Closely spaced, for- ward facing P ciliaris 20-25 mm, longer than the ovary- pedicel Straight Divergent, points out- ward & upward P. xchannellii 9-13 mm, about equal to the ovary- pedicel Straight Widely spaced, par- allel P. chapmanii 10-14 mm, equal to ovary- pedicel Curved downward Convergent, face down- ward to the labellum The P. cristata , P. ciliaris , and P. xchannellii are found in Arkansas. (Editor's note: P. xchannellii is the hybrid between P. cristata and P. ciliaris and has been found only twice in Arkansas, in Jefferson and Saline Counties, at sites with both parents ). Look for the bent column and the intermediate spur length of P. chapmanii. It may be here. There have been many false alarms. 4 Nine years ago all of this was very confusing. The name chapmannii was used for the wrong orchid, and the name xchannellii was unheard of. I and everyone else were confused, whether they realized it or not. Now both you and I have the comprehension, and will never have to say, “THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE TO ME”. If you are like me you have come back from many a field trip with a plant or two that you think you might have identified correctly, but aren’t really 100% sure. You pour through all your field guides and don’t find it. Maybe it is a grass or sedge, or a non-showy dicot that tends to get passed over by the photographers. Maybe you have even run it through a set of keys or two, but what you really need is a good picture, just to put your mind at ease. Fortunately for us, there is a fantastic resource on the web to help us out! The University of Tennessee Herbarium (Knoxville) has compiled images (some photos of live plants, others scanned images of herbarium specimens) for the vascular plants known from Tennessee. Many of these, the majority in fact, also occur in Arkansas. You can search by family, scientific name, or common name. You click on the species you are looking for and you get a county- level distribution map for Tennessee and at least one (usually several) high-resolution images of the species. Where is this wonderful website, you ask? Just visit http:// tenn.bio.utk.edu/vascular/vascular.html Also, for those of us who want something a little more Arkansas-specific, Dr. Stephen Grace at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is working with students there to create a similar project for Arkansas. He needs access to good photos of Arkansas plants to use. Photo credits to be provided of course. If you might be able to help by submitting digital images or by loaning slides to be scanned, please contact Dr. Grace at scgrace@ualr.edu or send word through the Claytonia address. If you find any sites for Platanthera cristata, P. xchannellii, P. chapmanii, or P. Integra in Arkansas, please contact Dr. Slaughter or Theo Witsell through the Claytonia address. Three of the yellow-flowered fringed orchids of the southeast US. (No images of P. xchannellii or P. chapmanii were available). These illustrations were modified from Carl Luer’s The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada. (Editor 's note: P. xchannellii,. the hybrid between P. ciliaris and P. cristata is intermediate between in the two in both spur length and fringe length.) Tennessee Vascular Plant Images Available on the Web! by Theo Witsell 5 Platanthera ciliaris. Photo by John Pelton. A Recount of Early Blooming Shrubs & Small Trees of the Ouachita Mountain Area By John Pelton, Ouachita Chapter President First we smell a wonderful odor when we approach the spring or Ozark witch hazel ( Hamamelis vertialis) flowering in early January along low creeks and wet drainages in the Ouachita Mountains. The small flowers are quite showy when you look closely, and are very fragrant. Check for this one on a warm, sunny day in early January. Second (if you can find them): the early azalea blooms on north-facing slopes. A small shrub with pink flowers and also very fragrant. From my experience, this azalea is quite rare in the Ouachitas. There is a small colony on Brady Mountain, and similar locations I am sure Third: The serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea ) always blooms in mid to late march, before deciduous trees begin to leaf out. We had a very showy display of dense white blossoms this year in the Ouachitas and the Boston Mountains. Those of us going up Highway 7 from Hot Springs to Jasper for the Spring Meeting saw many displays along the route. Some are spreading, and others are tall - 30 feet in height. Fourth: The redbud ( Cercis canadensis) seems to take its share of spring flowering just as the serviceberry is finishing. The bloom this year was rich in color and abundant in flowers. I made a special trip out to Garland County to photograph redbuds along the North Ouachita River this year. Fifth: The flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) can hardly wait for the redbuds to finish blooming and begin to overlap in some areas by the early bloomers. The sassafras {Sassafras albidum) shares the bloom time the redbud and dogwood with a showy yellow display. Sixth (first week in April): The red buckeye {Aesculus pavia ) is leafing out and the red flowers are beginning to display along many of the creek banks and open areas; sometimes in hillside pastures. Seventh: The bigleaf snowbells (Styrax grandifolia) are in full flower about the time the Large Yellow Lady’s Slipper orchids ( Cypripedium kentuckiense ) begin to flower. Check out Carl Hunter’s book Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of Arkansas for more information on Arkansas beautiful flowering woody plants. New AN PS Members The following new members have joined the Arkansas Native Plant Society since the last issue of Claytonia: Mary M. Argo (DeValls Bluff, AR) Steve Caver (North Little Rock, AR) Sandy Davies (Hot Springs, AR) Joyce Doty (Gamaliel, AR) Barabara A. Lynch (Fayetteville, AR) Jennifer Ogle (Fayetteville, AR) We welcome these new members to the ANPS! Ouachita Mountains Biological Station The Ouachita Mountains Biological Station is located in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas. The station consists of 380 acres, almost surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains National Forest. The terrain is rugged and includes several springs and small streams. Most of the habitat includes oak-hickory forest or mixed pine-deciduous forest. Several mountain tops with rocky outcrops and low, flat wet areas are available. Three man-made ponds show good examples of ecological succession. A well-lighted lecture/laboratory building with AC/heat, bathroom, and shower can seat 24 at work tables. A small dormitory building has a kitchen, two bathrooms, shower, AC/heat, and five bunk beds. Four additional beds are available in other buildings. Other facilities include good potable water, a pavilion (with water and lights), and some trails for easy access to distant points. The station is available year-round. A web site with some photos is available at: www.prysm.net/~lsusmus/ombs/ The station is well-suited for small research or teaching groups. The station is not fancy but the environment is fantastic. To reserve space for your group contact: Dr. Laurence M. Hardy Ouachita Mountains Biological Station Museum of Life Sciences LSU in Shreveport One University Place Shreveport, LA 71 1 15-2399 318-797-5338 lsusmus@prysm.net 6 Tallgrass Prairie in Arkansas: Part 2 by Theo Witsell In the last issue I discussed the regions of the state that historically supported tallgrass prairie and mentioned that the prairies were dominated by four species of warm-season native grasses; big bluestem (. Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (, Schizachyrium scoparium), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), and switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum). Mixed in with these, however, is a wonderful diversity of plant species that include many other grasses, a wide diversity of sedges (of many genera including Carex, Cyperus, Eleocharis, ScirpuSy Scleria, Rhynchospora, and Fimbristylis), and hundreds of species of wildflowers. Prairies typically have their highest diversity in two families of plants; the Poaceae (grasses) and the Asteraceae (the plants in the sunflower family). Nowhere in Arkansas do grasses reach the level of divsersity that they do on the tallgrass prairie. Examples of some of these grasses include prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis ), pineywoods dropseed (Sporobolus junceus), junegrass ( Koehleria macrantha ), prairie wedgescale (Sphenopholis obtusata), Carolina jointtail (Coelorachis cylindrica), wrinkled jointtail ( Coelorachis rugosa), the skeleton grasses (Gymnopogon ambiguus & G. brevifolius), splitbeard bluestem (Andropogon ternarius ), Elliott’s bluestem or bird-of-paradise-grass (A. gymns var. gyrans), bushy bluestem (A. glomeratus), eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides), prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata ), rigid panicgrass (Panicum rigidulum), florida crowngrass (P asp alum floridanum), and many species of rosettegrass (Dichanthelium or Panicum spp.). Pineywoods dropseed (Sporobolus junceus). Know in Arkansas from only two sites, Warren Prairie Natural Area and Roth Prairie Natural Area. Photo by Scott Simon/TNC. Examples of some of the more showy prairie composites include many species of native sunflowers such as ashy sunflower (Helianthus mollis), rosinweed sunflower (H. silphioides ), narrowleaf sunflower (H. angustifolius ), giant sawtooth sunflower (H. grossiserratus), Maximilian’s sunflower (H. maximilianii), western sunflower (H. occidental is), and few-flowered sunflower (H. pauciflorus). These are all quite impressive. You might also see several species of Liatris, or blazing star: prairie gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) rough blazing star (L. aspera), and scaly blazing star (L. squarrosa). The coneflowers can be found on the prairies, most typically pale-purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) and the purple coneflower (E. purpurea). And we can’t forget the majestic silphiums, often reaching more than 8 feet in height! Arkansas’ prairies can boast of compass plant (Silphium laciniatum), rosinweed (S. integrifolium), and occasionally cup plant (S. perfoliatum) and prairie dock (S. terebinthenaceum). Downs Prairie Natural Area, with a rich display of Rudbeckia grandiflora and Liatris pycnostachya. Photo by John Pelton. Coreopsis makes a good showing with tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria), lance-leaf coreopsis (C. lanceolate), large-flowered coreopsis (C. grandiflora), tall coreopsis (C. tripteris), and stiff tickseed (C. palmata). Lots of Rudbeckias too. . . black- eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), brown-eyed Susan (R. triloba), large coneflower (R. grandiflora), sweet coneflower (R. subtomentosa) and, rarely, the magnificent giant coneflower (R. maxima), in the blackland prairies of southwest Arkansas. Other prominent prairie composites include the bonesets or thoroughworts, especially tall thoroughwort (Eupatorium altissimum), ageratum (E. coelestinum), Joe Pye weed (E. fistulosum), clasping boneset (E. perfoliatum), roundleaf boneset (E. rotundifolium), and late boneset (E. serotinum). 1 Aster, the genus that gives the family its name, is very well- represented. Some of the more common species include white heath aster {Aster ericoides), smooth blue aster ( A . laevis), calico aster (A. later iflorus), aromatic aster (A. oblongifolius), skyblue aster (A. oolentangiensis), southern prairie aster (A. paludosus subsp. hemisphericus), hairy white aster {A. pilosus), and stiff aster (A. lineariifolius). Along with the asters, the goldenrods put on a spectacular fall show beginning with early goldenrod ( Solidago junceus ), Missouri goldenrod (5. missouriensis), oldfield goldenrod (S. nemoralis ), fragrant goldenrod (S. odor a) with its licorice scent, willow goldenrod ( S . patula var. stirctula), stiff goldenrod (5. rigida), twistleaf goldenrod (S. tortifolia ), and many others. The doll's daisies are common (Boltoma diffusa & B. asteroides ), as are several species of fleabane (Erigeron spp.). The hairy hawkweed ( Hieracium longipilum ) sticks out as odd with its long hairs that may exceed an inch in length! Several species of dwarfdandelion {Krigia spp.) are present, as are showy species like wild quinine {Parthenium integrifolium ) and Indian plantain {Cacalia plantaginea ). Prairies on calcareous substrate often have gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata). Several species of groundsel (Senecio spp.) are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Several purple ironweeds ( Vernonia spp.) add color to the summer and fall. Seldom seen composites on Arkansas’ prairies include the field pussytoes (A ntennaria neglecta ) and the silky aster (Aster sericeus ). Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dacyloides), a striking grass with showy orange and yellow stamens and feathery purple pistils. Photo courtesy of Michael Warriner/ANHC. Prairies are home to many species of one of the most ecologically interesting families in our flora - the milkweeds! There are butterfly milkweed {Asclepias tuberosa ), tall green milkweed {A. hirtella ), spider milkweed {A. viridis), green- flowered milkweed (A. viridiflora), whorled or horsetail milkweed (A. verticil lata), sand or clasping milkweed (A. amplexicaulis), purple milkweed (A. purpurascens), and Pink swamp milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata), found in wet prairies in northwest Arkansas. Photo by Art Evans. occasionally pink swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) and savanna milkweed ( A , obovata). These are beautiful flowers in addition to important host plants to many species of butterfly and other insects. Pale purple coneflowers ( Echinacea pallida ) blooming at Terre Noire Natural Area near Arkadelphia. Photo courtesy of Theo Witsell/ANHC. Continued in the next issue. . . 8 Roundtop Trail Field Trip Report By Max Towler Trip led by Bumetta Hinterthuer & Mary Reuter during the Spring 2004 meeting. This trail is located 5 miles south of Jasper, Arkansas on Highway 7. There is a short, steep uphill climb at the beginning. After that the trail primarily follows the natural bench around the entire mountain. Even though much time could have been spent on the unique geology and history of the area, our concentration was on the spring wildflowers found along the 2.2 mile loop trail. Wildflowers observed on the trail include the following: Redbud {Cercis canadensis) Serviceberry (. Amelanchier arbor ea) Larkspur - not blooming ( Delphinium sp.) Ozark spiderwort ( Tradescantia ozarkana) Sweet cicely ( Osmorhiza claytonii ) Purple trillium ( Trillium recurvatum) Spring beauty - extremely beautiful flowers ( Claytonia virginica ) Jack-in- the-Pulpit - young plants (. Arisaema triphyllum ) Wild comfrey {Cynoglossum virginianum ) Large flowered bellwort ( Uvularia grandiflora ) Black cohosh ( Cimicifuga racemosa) Yellow violet ( Viola pubescens) Buttercups - growing profusely {Ranunculus sp.) Fire pink - not yet blooming {Silene virginica) Wild hydrangea - not yet blooming (. Hydrangea arborescens ) White dogtooth violet ( Erythronium albidum ) Violet wood sorrel {Oxalis violacea) Bedstaw ( Galium aparine) Pussy toes {Antennaria parlinii) Texas saxifrage {Saxifrage texensis) Pale corydalis {Corydalis flavula) Solomon’s seal - not blooming {Polygonatum biflorum) Pawpaw {Asimina triloba ) Spicebush {Linder a benzoin) Blue violet {Viola sp.) Smooth or winter cress {Cardamine sp.) Rock cress {Arabis sp.) Rue anemone {Thalictrum thalictroides) Phlox {Phlox sp.) Yellow dogtooth violet {Erythronium rostratum) Bloodroot- spectacular flowers {Sanguinaria canadensis) Blue cohosh {Caulophyllum thalictroides) Alum root {Heuchera americana) Chickweed (Stellaria media) Toothwort - growing profusely {Cardamine concatenate) Mayapple - extremely abundant {Podophyllum peltatum) Johnny jump-up {Viola rafinesquii) Green violet {Hybanthus concolor) Dutchman’s breeches {Dicentra cucullaria) Wood spurge {Euphorbia commutatd) Ladies’ thumb {Polygonum sp.) For those interested in trees, a number are labeled with common names as you follow the trail. A wide variety are found as east, west, north, and south-facing slopes are represented. Classifieds I am working on a comprehensive floristic inventory of Scott and Yell Counties for my Masters thesis at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway. I am looking for sites within these two counties from which to collect plant specimens. If you own land in Scott or Yell County (or know someone who does), I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to collect on it. Thank you. Brent Baker / email btb200 1 @hotmail.com / or write to: 1621 N 2 nd / Dardanelle, AR 72S34-2843 / Ph: 479.970.9143. I am working on a comprehensive floristic inventory of Saline County for my Masters thesis at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I am looking for sites in Saline County where I can collect plant specimens. I am particularly interested in the following habitats: pastures or hayflelds that aren’t solid monocultures of fescue or Bermuda grass (both wet and dry), seeps or bogs, open (non-forested) wetlands, forested swamps and flatwoods, sandbars and other disturbed wet areas, old grown-up yards, burned-over or otherwise open woods (especially wet pine woods), glades of any kind, and any other unusual habitat. If you have land that I could collect on (or know someone who does), please get in touch. Theo Witsell / 501.614.8465 (H) / 501.324.9615 (W) / theo@arkansasheritage.org / or write the Claytonia address. Thanks. 9 LOCATION: Scattered state- wide Some Edible Plants of Fall By Jan Phillips Editor’s note : Joe Woolbright of Ozark Ecological Restorations Inc. recently showed me a spot on Chesney Prairie Natural Area where groundnut has taken over an area of wet prairie that supports several rare plant species . He asked my advice on management that would reduce the groundnut and keep it from crowding out the rare grasses and sedges. Here ’s a management option I didn ’t think of... I hope you are hungry Joe! GROUNDNUT [Apios americand\ FLOWERS: June - September DESCRIPTION: A twining vine with hairy stems and leaves. Leaves alternate with 5-9 leaflets. Flower clusters are dense, chocolate-brown and fragrant HABITAT: Wet meadows, low thickets, along streams or ponds LOCATION: Scattered statewide COLLECTION: September - March USES: Potato substitute, bean This plant produces a string of tubers not three inches underground. It takes two or three years for the tuber to grow to a usable size. Some interesting things occur with this plant. While it can be eaten raw, it is tough and contains a sticky juice that adheres to teeth and lips. Roasting or boiling in water and then roasting alleviates the adhesive quality. Another way to prepare the underground vegetable is to slice and fry it in oil as you would a potato. Eat immediately because the fibers reconstruct and toughen as it cools. Indians used the seeds as a vegetable similar to beans, both green beans and shellies. ARROWHEAD (Sagittaria various species) FLOWERS: May - October DESCRIPTION: Water plant with erect, arrow-shaped leaves. Belongs to the Water Plantain Family. HABITAT: Shallow water, edges of ponds COLLECTION: August - November USES: Vegetables Arrowhead is an attractive plant growing on the border of one of the ponds at our farm. The arrowhead leaves are distinctive, as are the attractive flowers. The food source from arrowhead is a potato-like tuber that produces in the autumn. One reading source indicated that the Indians harvested the arrowhead, or duck potato, by slushing around the pond with their bare feet. Once the foot felt a tuber, it was knocked loose and picked. The tubers, which can become an inch or two wide, are located several feet from the plant itself. While most of the tubers are smaller, they all contain a bad tasting, whitish-colored juice when eaten raw. One way to prepare this potato substitute is to bake it in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. They may also be boiled or roasted around a campfire. Femald reports that one Indian tribe used the tubers all winter by stringing them up to dry. From “Wild Edibles of Missouri,” Copyright 1979 by the Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri. Used with permission. “Wild Edibles of Missouri” can be purchased from Missouri Department of Conservation for $6.00 plus S & H by calling 1-877-521-8632 or go to www.mdcnatureshop.com 10 Upcoming Events Sept. 11 The Haynesville, LA Butterfly Festival will be held on September 11, 2004. THIS IS A CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE OF SEPTEMBER 18. Arkansas Native Plant Society members Carl Amason and Clint Sowards will be participating in the program. Carl will be leading a wildflower walk and Clint will be giving a presentation on the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. Contact Clint at 501 .922.2269 or Carl at 870.748.2362 for more information. Sept. 11 The Ozark Chapter is leading a hike to the Leatherwood Creek area in Eureka Springs for Meet at 10 a.m. in the first parking lot at the park. We will examine glades and see if can find earleaf gerardia in similar habitat to Saunders Heights (in Berryville, see Claytonia Vol. 23 No. 4). Sept. 24-26 Fall Meeting of the Arkansas Native Plant Society. Fairfield Bay/Greers Ferry. See this issue for details. October 12 Wild Gardening: A Native Plant Workshop will be held at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Femdale. Cost is $30 which includes breakfast, lunch, and all materials. Contact Janet Carson for more info. 501.671.2174. jcarson@uaex.edu . Deadline for registration is October 1, 2004. No refunds after that date. October 22-23 The Ozark Chapter will be having their fall meeting October 22-23 at the Buffalo Lodge, Woodland Learning Center, Jasper. Contact Bumetta at 479-582-0317 for more info. PLEASE SEND SUBMISSIONS/SUGGESTIONS TO: 219 Beech wood St. Little Rock, AR 72205 anpsclaytonia@yahoo.com Arkansas Native Plant Society Membership Application Please check the appropriate box below. Membership Categories: $10.... . Student $15.... . Regular $20.... . Supporting $25.... . Family Membership $30..,. . Contributing $150.. . Lifetime Membership (55 and over) $300.. . Lifetime Membership (under 55) New Member Renewal Address Change NAME(S) ADDRESS: Street or Box City _ State Zip Code Telephone - Email address _ Please cut and send this form along with any dues to: Eric Sundell, Membership ANPS Division of Mathematics and Sciences University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello, AR 71655 Please check your mailing label! If your mailing label has an 03 or earlier it is time to renew! Life members will have an LF. Please fill in the information form on the oppo- site side of this page and send it with your re- newals, applications for membership, changes of name, address, email, or telephone numbers to the address given on the form: [Not to the editor]. Thank you. 2004 ANPS OFFICERS President: Linda Gatti Clark .501.796.4104 President Elect: Bumetta Hinterthuer., .479.582.0467 Vice President: VACANT Editor: Theo Witsell ..501.614.8465 anpsclaytonia@yahoo.com Historian: CarlAmason ..870.748.2362 Secretary: Sue Clark ,.501.666.5149 Treasurer: Barbara Little Schoenike . . ..870.935.6905 Membership: Eric Sundell ..870.367.2652 Ark. Coalition: Carl Hunter ..501.455,1538 Awards/S cholarhips: George Johnson george.johnson@mail.atu.edu Check out our website at www.anps. org The purpose of the Arkansas Native Plant Society is to promote the preservation, conservation, and study of the wild plants and vegetation of Arkansas, the education of the public to the value of the native flora and its habitat, and the publication of related information. CLAYTONIA Theo Witsell, Editor 219 Beechwood St. Little Rock, AR 72205 anpsclaytonia@yahoo.com Newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society Summer 2004