CLAYTONIA Volume 32, No 1 Spring/Summer 2013 Newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society Notes from the Fall 2012 Meeting Treasurer's Report Page 13 Spring 2013 Meeting Details Page 2 Remembering Don Crank Page 5 On Friday October 12 th , the community of Dardanelle was invaded by Arkansas Native Plant Society (ANPS) members. Fifty or so ANPS members made it to the Lake Dardanelle State Park facilities in Russellville. They came for ANPS business, Jt ANPS Field Trip > for education Calendar and for fun. Page 4 The featured m v v -\ Ozark chinquapin leaves in the foggy Mt. Nebo canopy. Photo by John Perrin event on Friday was the annual ANPS Plant auction. Proceeds from the auction fund scholarships and grants, as do the sales of ANPS T-Shirts. Nebo Springs Trail. Larry Price led an extended hike at Long Pool (in the Boston Mountains) that covered both the morning and the afternoon. Dardanelles Trees of Distinction was another of the afternoon options. Mike and Peggy Burns led this tour, which includes the North American Champion persimmon. After a day of hiking, we headed back to the Dardanelle State Park to hold our Membership Meeting. Before we got down to business, Burnetta Hinterthuer gave a beautiful and informative presentation on the Flora of Costa Rica. New Members and Life Members Page 10 Membership Form New or Renewal Page 17 OCANPS Event Schedule Page 12 ] ] ] Field Trip Reports Pages 5-10 13 and 15 On Saturday, attendees had the opportunity to take several different field trips. Burnetta Hinterthuer led the walk on the Bona Pea Trails. Brent Baker led a morning walk on the Summit trail at Mt Nebo and an afternoon walk down the On Sunday, several gathered at Pine Ridge Gardens (near London, AR) to take a walking tour through Mary Ann King's arboretum. ANPS Spring 2013 Meeting Subiaco Academy and Mt. Magazine Come join us April 26-28 for our Spring 2013 Meeting. We will hold our meetings at the Coury House on the Subiaco Eastern columbine - Aquilegio Canadensis. Academy Grounds. We will explore Mt. Magazine State Park, which is the home of the Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festival. If the weather is right, we might have the opportunity to see many winged beauties. The best trails in the Mt. Magazine Details follow on next page [ 1 ] ANPS Spring 2013 - Call to Meeting Details vicinity have been identified and knowledgeable trip leaders have volunteered (or been nominated) to make sure we find the most interesting plants and have an educational and fun experience. April 26-28, 2013 Subiaco Academy/Mt. Magazine Cost: $5 Public Welcome. Not a member yet? Information about being a member of the Arkansas Native Plant Society can be found on the ANPS.org website. Pre- registration in not required for the meeting but you must have reservations for lodging at Subicao. (see below for information about room/food reservations) Location: Subiaco Academy, located in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, on State Highway 22, 50 miles east of Fort Smith, 110 miles northwest of Little Rock, and 5 miles from Paris, AR. THE SUBIACO'S COMPLEX "The beautiful sandstone abbey church dedicated to Saint Benedict and Our Lady of Einsiedeln is the heart of Subiaco. On October 19, 1952, the monastic community of Subiaco broke ground for the construction of a much needed abbey church. The finished product has Romanesque arches and multi- colour stained glass windows from Munich, Germany. Other buildings enhance Subiaco's landscape, notably the monastery (the living quarters of the monks), the Subiaco Academy complex, and the Coury House." - from the Mt. Magazine International Butterfly Festival website ANPS has reserved the Coury House for the Spring 2013 meeting. This facility includes both the meeting room and the guest rooms. The following options for food and lodging have been arranged for your comfort and enjoyment. There are 30 rooms available, most with two twin beds. Reservations for lodging and meals: 2 nights, 3 meals, use of Subiaco facilities: 1 person/private room $150.00 (includes Sat. breakfast & supper, Sun. breakfast) 2 people/shared room $100.00 each (includes Sat. breakfast & supper. Sun. breakfast) Contact Carol Geels, cgeels@subi.org or (479) 934- 4411 for reservations. Rooms will not be held past April 15th. Please mention ANPS when making reservations. Location: 405 N. Subiaco Ave, Subiaco, AR 72865, (479) 934- 1000 [Overflow hotel reservations can be secured at the Paris Inn (479) 963-2400. They are conveniently located at 2010 E. Walnut St, in Paris, Arkansas, near the intersection of E. Walnut Street and S. Lowder Street. Restaurants in Paris include the Grapevine Restaurant, El Parian, Rogers, KFC/T aco Bell, Subway, Thai, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and Sonic.] No food options are available other than those stated above. Please consider the pot luck Friday evening as the supper option for that night. Everyone needs to bring a closed beverage container for personal use during the group meeting/potluck. No open beverage containers are allowed in the meeting facility. It is also a good idea to bring food/snacks for lunch between Saturday hikes. Friday, April 26, 2013 5:00 - 7:00 pm ■ Registration and potluck ■ Sign up for field trips that are held on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning at various locations at or near Mount Magazine State Park. ■ ANPS t-shirts will be available to purchase. 7:00 pm General Meeting Speaker: Don Simons, interpreter at Mount Magazine State Park, will present " Early Arkansas Naturalists", the men who visited the Arkansas River Valley in the early 1800's. He will also provide a quick overview of the mountain's geology and flora. This information will be put to use on several of the hikes [ 2 ] scheduled for Saturday and Sunday on Mount Magazine. Saturday morning breakfast will be served at 8:00 am after which the groups will disperse on various field trips. He will emphasize how the group started during the 1978-1980 time period. Sunday morning breakfast will be served at 8:00 am followed by more field trip opportunities. If you have any questions about the meeting, please feel free to call (501) 837-9634 for more information or email Eric Sundell at esundell42@gmail.com Saturday lunch will be on your own or on the trail. Restaurants in Paris include the Grapevine Restaurant, El Parian, Rogers, KFC/Taco Bell, Subway, Thai, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and Sonic. Saturday evening 6:00 pm Supper will be served for those who are staying at Subiaco. 7:00 pm Guest speaker Dr. Don Culwell, retired Biology professor from the University of Central Arkansas, will present a narrative on the " History of the Arkansas Native Plant Society. " Subiaco Grounds map - Coury House at top Steps to Pool Arkansas Audubon Society's Halbert Ecology Camp Is there an 11 or 12 year old in your life who might enjoy hands-on, outdoor study of birds, bugs, snakes, mammals, plants, and rocks? If so, please remember that every summer AAS offers two one-week, sleepover ecology camps at Camp Clearfork in the Ouachita Mountains west of Hot Springs. This year's dates are: June 9-14 and June 16-21. Read all about it at arbirds.org or contact Executive Director Liz Fulton at efultonll4@sbcglobal.net or (501) 663-9380. Arkansas Audubon Society's Natural History Workshops for Adults Mark your calendars for a weekend (Saturday- Sunday) workshop at beautiful Ferncliff Camp in Ferndale, just west of Little Rock. Three of the 2012 workshops will be back by popular demand: Insects in the Scheme of Things with Norm and Cheryl Lavers. Fall Wildflowers with Don Culwell and Native Tree ID with Eric Sundell A fourth workshop is brewing— TBA. Registration starts April 1 st ; meanwhile, save the date: September 21-22, 2013. More info at arbirds.org or contact Barry Haas at bhaas@sbcglobal.net or 501-821-4097. [ 3 ] ANPS Field Trip Calendar Sunday, April 14 Cossatot River State Park Join Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission botanist Brent Baker for a nature walk on Harris Creek Trail at Cossatot River State Park- Natural Area. If you eat lunch on the way, meet at the Visitor Center at 12 pm. Or if you want to bring a sack lunch, you can arrive at 11 am and eat with Brent at the Visitor Center and then take a quick stroll on the Waterleaf Interpretive Trail. The Visitor Center is on south side of US Hwy 278, a little over 9 miles east of junction with US Hwy 71 in Wickes, south of Mena and north ofDeQueen. If coming from Little Rock, take US Hwy 70 west out of Hot Springs to Salem, just past Glenwood, and then take AR Hwy 84 west to junction with US Hwy 278 at Umpire. From there it'll be a little over 8 miles west on Hwy 278 to the Visitor Center. Allow for a good 3-hour drive from Little Rock. After meeting at the Visitor Center, we'll then drive the 1.3 mile to the trailhead. Harris Creek Trail begins in a shale glade just above Baker Creek. (The creek and the now defunct Baker Springs community just upstream are actually named after Brent's ancestors who settled here in the mid- 1800's!) After exploring the spring wildflowers of the shale glade, the trail meanders through various dry to moist mixed pine, hardwood, and cedar woodlands with a high diversity of plants, including several rare plants. Highlights will include chalk maple, Ouachita twistflower, Waterfall's sedge, Palmer's cornsalad, and probably several others. There are numerous overlooks with beautiful views of Baker Creek, Harris Creek, and the Cossatot River. The trail is 3.5 miles long and moderately difficult in short stretches. It'll probably take us about 4 hours to hike the entire loop. Wear good shoes, bring lots of water, and perhaps a light snack. Folks who are headed back to Little Rock, if interested, can stop and eat dinner in Glenwood with Brent who will be staying there overnight. Please let Brent know you will be attending by Friday, April 12 th so he will be expecting you. Also, provide him with a phone number so he can contact you in case of weather cancellation. Email Brent at brentffiarkansasheritage.org or call ( 479) 970-9143 . Thursday, May 16, 10 a.m. Ouachita Huckleberries. Accompany U.S. Forest Service botanist Susan Hooks on a spring expedition. Meet at 10 a.m. at Burl's Smokehouse on U.S. Hwy 270 in Crystal Springs, west of Hot Springs. Susan will lead us to one of the few known populations of black huckleberry, Gaylussocio baccata, the only true huckleberry in Arkansas. We'll also see Ozark chinquapin and cucumber magnolia (with luck, we'll catch the cucumber tree in bloom), and a host of spring wildflowers. The trip will involve more driving than walking; we'll carpool at Burl's and be back there for lunch around 1 p.m. Or bring a sack lunch. You may contact Susan at (501) 282-5365 Wednesday, May 22, 10 a.m. Petit Jean Mountain State Park Petit Jean resident and ANPS President Elect, Sandy Owens will lead this field trip on the Canyon Trail. Meet at 10 at Mather Lodge, Petit Jean State Park, for a 2-3 hour walk (easy to moderate). Follow Cedar Creek's many small falls and deep pools. We'll see spring wildflowers at their peak and Petit Jean's gorgeous scenery. Lunch back at the lodge around 1 p.m. or bring trail food. Or both. Let Betty know to expect you at (501) 472-6920 May 18, Blackland Prairie Sites Join Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission botanist Theo Witsell on a return field trip to explore and inventory two of the state's highest quality blackland prairie remnants. We will meet at Terre Noire Natural Area near Arkadelphia at 9:30 am. We'll break for lunch at Arkadelphia, and then head southwest to The Nature Conservancy's Columbus Prairie Preserve for the afternoon. This will be a spring version of the trip last October. Both of these sites have been painstakingly restored over many years and are home to many rare plant species. Come for one, the other, or both sites. Limit 20 people. Please call Theo at ( 501) 831-7473 or email theoffiarkansasheritage.org to reserve a spot and get directions. [ 4 ] Frond Memories The Arkansas Native Plant Society lost our beloved "fern guy" on October 23, 2012. A past president of the ANPS, Don Crank (Winfred Donald Crank) was also a member of the Missouri Native Plant Society. After Don developed an interest in ferns, he was tenacious in studying them in the field and photographing them. His contributions to the understanding of ferns, fern allies and their ranges are now part of the scientific record. His extensive knowledge allowed him to recognize when he had found something remarkable that should be shared with the botanical big guns. The Arkansas Academy of Sciences, American Fern Society and other organizations recognize his contributions, and various publications included several photographs by Don. As a gifted educator, Don generously shared his knowledge with the public. He spent many volunteer hours at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs. Their newsletter, Garden Leaves 2004, described Don as "one of Arkansas' most knowledgeable experts on ferns and fern allies". Don participated in and led many ANPS field trips. From what I hear, Don's field trips ranged from memorable to memorably epic. ANPS members fondly remember his wit and love of the natural world (especially the ferned bits of it). ■ a i fe ' lV - -vif «* — Sn&tYf . . / 1 ■ • r L 4 ./wL. f ‘ t * r ^ **+■*{. f-t ■ 1 1 . - jf ^ J ■; .'-V ^ Don Crank (center) on an April 7, 2012 field trip to Cadron Creek near Greenbriar. The ANPS outing was led by Margaret and Tom Beasley. Photo by Sid Vogelpohl. In the Field Trees of Distinction Dardanelle has a love affair with its big trees. Mike and Peggy Burns led several on a walk about though and around town and pointed out several prominent residents. The Arkansas and North American champion persimmon tree is right there in town, and very near it is the champion black hickory. In a church parking lot is the state champion catalpa tree. In Council Oaks Park, overlooking the river, is an historic AR champion white oak and nearer the river's edge is one of Dardanelles two state champion cottonwoods. Also in the area is the state's largest southern red oak. Dardanelle should be proud of its efforts to conserve and Champion identification plaque - protect their leafy giants. Photo by EAST Lab students of Dardanelle HS. [ 5 ] Southwest Arkansas Blackland Prairies In the Field Everyone remembers the poppy field from the "Wizard of Oz". Most of us here in Arkansas have probably seen the flower covered hillside during the Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival. If you caught them on the right day, the Blackland Prairie sites in southwest Arkansas could be just as impressive. mineralized remains of sea urchins. Theo explained a bit about how these properties have been rehabilitated for conservation purposes. Frequently the process involves removing the trees that are invading the grasslands. Sometimes herbicides are used to knock back the non-native grasses. Eventually, controlled burns are used to further reduce or stunt the undesirable species. In some cases the fires awaken dormant seeds of native prairie species that were just waiting for their moment. Reseeding is sometimes used to help nurse the sites closer to their pre- agricultural diversity. started to see open spaces. Though not the Grand Prairie of old, we had reached the prairie. Occupying mostly the crown of a ridge, Terra Noire is home to a vast array of species. One of the first interesting plants we came across was a fragrant ladies tresses orchid Spiranthes. An excellent specimen of Cuscuto pentagona, five-angled dodder vine was found in full Theo Witsell, a botanist with the ANHC explains the prairie site. Photo by John Perrin Five angled Dodder vine in all its glory. Photo by Eric Hunt The calcareous soil (rich in calcium carbonate) is there because the area was once the bed of a shallow sea. Without even trying, our group was able to find evidence of a saltwater origin in the form of several fossil shell fragments American bluehearts - Bushnera Americana - Photo and the round by Eric Hunt bloom, busily co-existing with its host. There were purple coneflowers in bloom and pale coneflower bearing seed heads. Compass plant, Si I phi um laciniatum was everywhere, its huge, somewhat oak-shaped leaves seeming to spring vertically from the ground. The delicate, beautiful and relatively rare American bluehearts was present. Continued on next page On Saturday, October 20 th 2012, Theo Witsell of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission led about two dozen enthusiasts to two of these high quality prairie remnants. First on our agenda was the Terra Noire Natural Area. A hundred yards off the road, through a band of trees, we [ 6 ] Occasionally, a black-eyed Susan bloom was visible among Some unusual species were the grasses. found. One was a perennial On the Columbus Prairie Preserve, in Hempstead County, tall sunflowers and giant ragweed surrounded the miniature gravel parking lot. As we started down the trail, what looked like thousands of heath asters and goldenrod were in full bloom. Thoroughwort/boneset Eupotorium altissimum, sneeze weed Helenium autumnole, blazing star Liotris pycnostochyo and narrowleaf gumweed Grindelio lanceolata still had a few blooms remaining. Ladies tresses orchids were also present here, though not the fragrant variety found at Terra Noire. Plants bearing seed included butterfly weed, rattlesnake master. Heath aster on Columbus Prairie by Randall Adams variety of ragweed called western ragweed, Ambrosia psilostachya. The botanists in the group told us that it is the only perennial ragweed to be found in Arkansas. Another interesting find, in a wooded Prairie Visitors with giant sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus in the background by Brent Baker area just off the path at Columbus Preserve, were several seedlings of Eve's necklace Sophora affinis. The find of the seedlings sent us into a search pattern seeking the adult tree. We missed it on the first pass, but sharp eyes combined with binoculars found it on the second pass through the area. It was a shapely specimen about 5 inches in diameter and maybe 25 feet tall. It should be a pretty sight when in bloom, with its wisteria like flowers. These preserved prairie remnants are exhibits of astounding diversity. The plant lists for the sites include almost 500 species at Terre Noire Natural area and almost 300 at the Columbus Prairie Reserve. If you've never seen these Blackland Prairie sites, it is highly recommended that you do. Spring, Fall or even a cool day in the Summer, you should be in for a treat. We are so fortunate that folks in the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and Arkansas Game and Fish (and others) had the foresight to protect and rehabilitate these sites. Living in the Natural State does have its benefits Theo Witsell is leading a return trip to the Blacklands Prairie sites on May 18, 2012. See the details on page 4. [ 7 ] In the Field Foggy Trip to Long Pool by Larry Price We arrived at Long Pool at about 9AM. ANPS members present were: Marvin and Karen Fawley, Don and Lynda Ford, Dick and Lois Wilson, John Simpson, and Dixie Price and myself, Larry Price. It was cool, and there was moderate fog, which persisted throughout our visit. Despite the fog, Piney Creek was beautiful. The fall colors were starting to show quite a bit. Traveling northeast along an old logging road, we compared the terminal buds of several species along the way. We saw the elongate sharp buds of American beech, and compared them to the shorter buds of hop hornbeam with the intermittent brown scales. We explored the buds of bitter nut, with their orange tips, and the chocolate-brown elongate, curved buds of paw- paw. We crushed leaves of spice bush to familiarize ourselves with its scent. We saw numerous dittany plants along the bluff line. We talked about their winter phenomenon of frost curls. We saw snake root, bladder nut shrubs without fruit, large cucumber magnolias, bitter nut and white oak exceeding 125' in height. We found Carolina silverbell, Virginia witch-hazel, a climbing milkweed without fruit, cross vine, musclewood, and numerous specimens of leatherwood. We found regular blackhaw ( Viburnum prunifolium) in abundance. Euonymus omericonus, commonly called "hearts-a- bursting", or "strawberry bush", is a common Arkansas multi- stemmed shrub of the family Celastraceae. The deep pink seed capsules burst open to reveal the bright red seeds which are retained and displayed for several weeks. I did fail to find the specimen of American yellow wood I had found last spring. Back at Long Pool Campground, we found several Arkansas yucca. We felt we had a good day. Spicebush showing its buds for next spring. Photo by Larry Price In the Field High in the Holler By Don Higgins Accompanied by the gentle, constant pitter-patter of variable oakleaf caterpillar droppings, thirteen Arkansas Native Plant Society (ANPS) members ventured into the wilds of Natural Bridge Hollow on Petit Jean Mountain on October 4 th . The mid-morning temperature was perfect for four hours of nearly sweat- and bug-free adventure led by Don Higgins, author of this article. I wanted to show the group a couple recent finds of Ozark Chinquapin ( Costoneo pumila var. ozarkensis or Costo neo ozarkensis, as people prefer), so we took our time and stayed within the drainage of Natural Bridge Hollow, which is the eastern portion of Petit Jean State Park's popular Seven Hollows Hiking Trail. It's not just an area of stunning natural beauty, it's also home to Continued on next page [ 8 ] Petit Jean Group. Photo by Don Higgins several documented archeological sites spanning prehistoric and historic activity. The Hollows are a series of more or less parallel canyons running southwards on the west end of Petit Jean Mountain. Geologically, the topography resulted from the dissection of the Mountain's caprock of Hartshorne sandstone. Thus everything derives from quartz, clay, and organic matter; there's absolutely no limestone here as there is north of the Arkansas River in the Ozark plateau. ocher pictographs and engraved petroglyphs adorning sandstone shelters. Prohibition brought "industrial activity" to the area, in the form of human interest were plain indications that some of the caves had been used by moonshiners, whose fireplaces, barrels, other utensils and stores of dried, smokeless hickory, remained after the sheriff, in a raid some months ago, destroyed or confiscated the more essential parts of their apparatus." Now closing in on ninety years later, we ANPS visitors were yet able to spot planks, pipes, barrel hoops, and towing equipment among the refuse left behind by the 'shiners. Across the creek at one spot we found a cleverly walled-in cavern constructed to hide such an operation from even the keenest Revenuer's eyes. Shiner hide-away on Petit Jean. Photo by Don Higgins Sandstone and shale layers conduct water to never-failing springs at several places in the hollows. Plants higher on the caprock sometimes have to endure near desert conditions, especially this year. Prehistoric activity here is traced by the presence of red numerous moonshine stills. After Arkansas's first state park came into being in 1923, the National Conference on State Parks sent its field secretary, Raymond Torrey, to Petit Jean in 1926, and one of his earliest observations to appear in the Arkansas Gazette, was the following: "Of more recent But, as always in these hollows, the variety and number of plants were a major attraction. With the odd situation of spring-like weather following a dry, hellish summer, many flowering plants were fooled into thinking they needed to start reproducing. The star of the show for me was a thirty- continued on next page [ 9 ] High in the Holler, continued from previous page odd foot Ozark chinquapin. Plentiful in the 1950s, I only know of four of these trees on the Mountain now, and none produces burrs. Perhaps, since there are at least two in this particular hollow, when the second reaches flowering age there may be some nuts produced— providing, of course, that the chestnut blight doesn't get them first. After a couple hours of cussing and discussing tricky species, and agreeing on many others, we emerged from the canyon with the chinquapins and hit the main trail again. The hardier of us turned right and continued along the 4.5 mile loop, while those of us who were ready for lunch turned left and headed for the newly- refurbished Mather Lodge for a satisfying lunch. Hikers Martha Bowden, Don Ford, and Eric Sundell were kind enough to share lists of some of the most interesting plants they noted: Serviceberry/sarvisberry [Amelanchier orboreo), beauty berry (Co I Hear pa americana), Farkleberry, high-bush blueberry ( Vaccinium arboreum). New Jersey tea ( Ceanothus americanus), the he-huckleberry, maleberry ( Lyonia ligustrina) and possibly a mayberry, Winged and smooth sumac (Rhus copallinum and Rhus glabra), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica). Ozark chinquapin ( Castanea ozarkensis), fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) and sassafras (Sassafras albidum), Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana), red maple (Acer rubrum), black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), Rushfoil (Croton willdenowii / Crotonopsis elliptica) blue sage (Salvia azurea), alumroot (Heuchera sp.), long- bracted wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata). Old field goldenrod, (Solidago nemoralis), fragrant goldenrod, (5. odora), ladies tresses orchid, probably (Spiranthes cernua). Leaves of crane-fly orchids (Tipularia discolor). Hopefully this partial list gives you an idea of Petit Jean's very diverse flora. New Members and Life Members New Members Susan and Carl Alexander (Ramm) Bob and Brenda Hamilton (Scheffler) (Hamburg, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Joan and Monty Barker Kari Harris (Mountain Home, AR) (Jonesboro, AR) Tana Beasley Judy Hunt (Stuttgart, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Eleanor Bragg Mary Ingle (Little Rock, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Carlon Cagle Amy Jones (Fayetteville, AR) (Fayetteville, AR) A. J. Cantrell Vicky Kessel (Mountain Home, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Elizabeth Drake Cathy Melvin (Dardanelle, AR) (Hensley, AR) Martha Evans Connie Ogden (Vian, OK) (Van Buren, AR) Cindy and Bill Franklin David and Charlotte Shaw (Burnham) (Little Rock, AR) (Conway, AR) Becky Gillette Clinton Smith IV (Eureka Springs, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Sharon Fergusson (Conway, AR) New Life Members Richard and Sharon Emmel Greg and Pati Mitchell (Little Rock, AR) (Fayetteville, AR) Jim Keesling Betty Owen (Hot Springs Village, AR) (Morrilton, AR) Charles Mills (Fulton, AR) [10] ANPS 2012 Fall Meeting Minutes Membership Meeting Lake Dardanelle State Park Russellville, Arkansas October 13, 2012 Sandy Davies called the meeting to order at 7:45pm. Welcome and Thank You Sandy Davies welcomed everyone to the general membership meeting. She thanked Eric Sundell, Mike and Peggy Burns, and the staff at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Sandy also thanked the walk leaders. Recognize New Members and Board Members Sandy Davies recognized all the new members of ANPS that joined during the 2012 Spring Meeting. The new ANPS member was Martha Evans from Vian, OK. She also recognized the Board members that were present. Minutes Maury Baker made a motion to accept the minutes from the Spring 2012 Membership Meeting. Ann Gordon seconded the motion and all were in favor. Treasurer's Report The current Treasurer's Report (fiscal year 2012-August 15, 2012) was presented in the Fall 2012 Claytonia. A total of $20,085.01 (operating + memorial funds) was reported. Mary Ann King made a motion to accept the Treasurer's Report. Maury Baker seconded and all were in favor. President Elect's Report Sandy announced (in Betty Owen's absence) that the 2013 Spring Meeting is scheduled on April 26-28 th at Subiaco Academy. The 2013 Fall Meeting is scheduled for October ll-13 th at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR. Committee Reports By-Laws Revision Sandy Davies explained the by-law revision (proposal to amend the by- laws) to the general membership. A waiver to any requirement of the By- Laws is not included in the ANPS By- Laws. Article-IX- Amendment, Revision and Waiver was revised to incorporate these one-time waivers. The proposed By-Laws revision was published in the 2012 Fall Claytonia and approved by the Board on October 12, 2012. The general membership approved the By- Laws revision recommendation from the Board. Nominating Committee for New Officers- Vote on Slate of New Officers Mike Burns presented the slate of new ANPS officers. The four standing officers are as follows: Eric Sundell, President; Betty Owen, President-elect; Karen Fawley, Secretary; Martha Bowden, Webmaster; and Mike Burns, Membership Chair. Mary Ann King is standing for re-election as Chair of the Awards and Scholarship Committee. The new slate of officers includes: Jennifer Ogle, Vice President; Don Ford, Treasurer; and John Perrin, Claytonia Editor. Peggy Burns made a motion to accept the slate of ANPS officers. Mary Ann King seconded and all were in favor. Unfinished Business Update on UAM Sundell Herbarium /Research Center Marvin Fawley gave an update on the fundraising for the UAM Sundell Herbarium/Research Center. He reported that the architects are drawing up the final plans and hopefully the bidding process will begin soon. Donations are still needed for the project. New Business Sandy Davies announced that the Board approved a grant application for $300 to the Logan County Museum Nature Walk and Learning Center. The Logan County Museum will work with a nursery to select appropriate native plants. A report with photographs will be submitted to the Board on completion of the project. Appropriate signage that gives ANPS recognition will also be included in the display. The general membership approved the grant application for the Logan County Museum Nature Walk and Learning Center. Announcements Sandy Davies announced that Bill Shepherd has received e-mails about the mowing down of wildflowers along Hwy 7 in Union County, AR. Final Thank You Eric Sundell thanked Mike and Peggy Burns for organizing the meeting at Lake Dardanelle State Park. He also thanked Brent Baker, Burnetta Hinterthuer, and Larry Price for leading hikes. Eric reminded everyone about the Pine Ridge Gardens walk at 9am on Sunday. Finally, he thanked Sandy Davies for being ANPS president. Sandy Davies thanked all the ANPS members. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm. [ 11 ] Ozark Chapter - OCANPS 2013 Scheduled Events March 30th - Rick Hinterthuer will lead a hike to Indian Rock House, Buffalo National River in Marion County. Meet at 11:00 a.m. at the Buffalo Point Ranger Station. We will drive to the trailhead parking lot to begin the hike. The trail is moderate on a developed trail and will take about 4 hours. Bring a sack lunch and water. April 6th -- Remote area in southern Carroll County with Larry Lowman. Starting at 10:00 am, Larry will lead us on hikes along and in hollows attendant to Dry Fork Creek. This is an exceptional botanical and geological area, and includes the habitat for the new Leatherwood species, Dirco decipiens. Bring a sack lunch (this is a remote area - there is no source of food, snacks, or gasoline within 10 miles) and be sure to wear shoes that you don't mind getting wet. Weather conditions could result in last minute cancellation if creek levels rise too high. Contact Larry directly for detailed driving directions to meeting point or last minute details at: ridgecrestgarden@gmail.com. It is recommended you get the email directions and print them out, as it is a bit involved getting to this remote location. You may try to call at (870) 545-3205, but this is a landline only, no cell and no answering machine. April 20th - Lost Valley. Burnetta Hinterthuer will be taking students on a hike to Lost Valley. You are welcome to join them at the Lost Valley parking lot at 10:00 a.m. Bring water and a sack lunch. Contact Burnetta Hinterthuer (479) 582-0317 for more details. April (26-28) is the Spring ANPS meeting at Subiaco Academy. (Details) May 4th. Devil's Eyebrow Natural Area. Come explore the latest addition to the state's System of Natural Areas with Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission botanist Theo Witsell. This property in northern Benton County includes limestone and dolomite glades, rich forests, open woodlands, creeks, springs, caves, and lots of bluffs. More than 600 plant species have been identified on the area including 25 rare species tracked by the State Heritage Program. NOTICE: This hike will go off-trail in very rugged, sometimes steep terrain and will entail several miles of walking. Meet at 9:00 am in the field on the south side of Hwy 62, 0.5 mile E of the junction of Hwy 37 and Hwy 62 community of Gateway). The gate to the field will be open and marked with a sign. Bring a lunch and plenty of water. Limit 20 people. Please call Theo at (501) 831-7473 or email theo@arkansasheritage.org to reserve a spot or if you have any questions. May 5th Dripping Springs Wild Orchid Hike in Washington County with Stephen Marquadt. Meet at the gas station in Winslow, AR, on Hwy. 71 at 10:00 a.m. We will car pool to Miller's Chapel to being the hike. The hike is moderate in difficulty. Bring a sack lunch and water. You may contact Stephen either at (479) 601-5801 or marquardtironworks@gmail.co m) for further details. May 11th - OHM Open Air Sanctuary (Keel’s creek) Jim Dudley will lead us on a hike of this rich bottomland, east of Eureka Springs. Meet at the rear of McDonald's parking lot, 148 E. Van Buren at 10:00 am. Jim's phone is (479) 981-9843; we can car pool from there. The hike is moderate in difficulty. We will hike for 2-3 hrs. We will probably walk Keel's Creek for 34 mile so bring an extra pair of shoes/socks. We will eat in Eureka Springs, but bring water and a snack for the hike. May 25 - Cove Creek tour with Bob Morgan. This is a moderate hike along a stony Ozark creek. There is great riparian and wetland vegetation. Meet at the Boardwalk Cafe in Jasper at 9:00 AM. Bring lunch. A tentative hike has been scheduled for June 1st at the Lead Hill Glade, in Lead Hill, Arkansas, north of Harrison on Hwy. Details will be ironed out at a later date. [ 12 ] ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY TREASURER'S REPORT - FISCAL YEAR 2012 (end-of-year) JAN 1, 2012 BEGINNING BALANCE: (Operating Funds ($10,546.93) & Memorial Funds ($14,067.51): -> $24,614.44 OPERATIONS FUNDS Beginning Balance: -► $10,546.93 RECEPTS (OPS) Amount Membership Dues $2280.00 T-Shirt Sales $480.00 Registration, Spring & Fall $435.00 Interest, Checking $2.46 Interest, CDs $128.09 $3,325.55 -► $3,325.55 EXPENSES (OPS) Amount Spring & Fall meeting expenses -$1,111.82 Spring & Fall Claytonia -$1,318.83 T-Shirts -$1259.28 Printing & Postage -$290.76 Directory Print/mail -$733.46 Website Expenses -$177.95 Bulk Mail Permit -$190.00 Membership Costs -$71.67 Penally 2 CD withdrawals -$36.54 Milage for treasury Transfer -$50.00 -$5240.31 > -$5240.31 $8,632.17 — $8,632. 17 * $ * * ifi * * * * * * * * * * $ SlC $ * * * * * Hi * * * Hi # * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * # * * * * * * 4= * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * *** * MEMORIAL FUNDS: Beginning Balance > $14,067.51 RECEPTS (MEM) Membership Dues $2,115.00 Plant Auction $1,333.00 Contributions $185.00 $3,633.00 $3,633.00 EXPENSES (MEM) AR Halberg Ecology Camp -$500.00 AR Environthon -$500.00 Scholarships -$4,750.00 Logan County Grant -$300.00 Memorial Funds -$60.00 -$6,110.00 -$6,110.00 $11,590.51 $11,590.51 31 Dec, 2012 ENDING BALANCE (OPERATING AND MEMORIAL FUNDS): $20,222,68 Change from Jan 1, 2012 ($24,614.44) to Dec 31, 2012 ($20,222.68) is $4,391.76 Don Ford, Treasurer [ 13 ] In the Field Mt. Nebo Trails with Brent Baker the road was one of the largest patches of paw-paw trees Paw-paw patch on Mt. Nebo Photo by John Perrin The mountain was socked-in with fog and made it difficult for the photographers in the group. We encountered many plants of interest as we picked our way carefully down the slippery trail. White snake root Ageratino Four-leaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia photo by Randall Adams altissima and dittney Cunila organioides were the most common wild flowers. On the Summit Trail, four-leaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia, Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides and marginal wood fern Dryopteris marginalis were spotted. They seemed to be quite happy with the mountain's more humid micro climate. Many varieties of trees covered the slopes of the mountain, including colorful Farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum, fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica and sassafras Sassafras albidum. Schumard oak Quercus shumardii were a prominent member of the canopy along with several of their red oak cousins. Occasionally, a medium sized Ozark chinquapin Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis was seen. The Spring Trail was even more treacherous, seeming to be almost vertical at times. It did lead us to the discovery of Ouachita Goldenrod Solidago ouachitensis on an old road at the bottom. Towering red oaks there provided acorns for the semi-tame local deer. Also on Asimina triloba I've had a chance to witness. Their huge leaves gave us a burst of yellow that showed through the remnants of the fog. The road eventually took us to the spring itself where we could see the never-dry, iron stained, bowl shaped pool that once provided water for the Mt. Nebo community. A short distance from the spring was an overlook were below we could see a considerable chunk of the Arkansas River Valley. Back at the visitor's center, the fog had pretty much departed. We were able to see all of Dardanelle and much of near-by Russellville. Fearless leader, Brent Baker and the rest of the crew Mt. Nebo's Summit trail. Photo by Randall Adams [ 14 ] In the Field Champion Trees - Mt. Holly Cemetery with Eric Sundell Our ANPS field trip to Mt. Holly Cemetery on October 24 of 2012, was focused on the some of the living residents there, its many historic trees. Eric had used the term Champion Trees to hook us, but we forgive him. Besides, maybe some will become a champion eventually. Who would guess that just blocks from the high rise buildings of Little Rock and bordering 1-630, there is such a unique refuge. The four block site was donated Oak with the city of Little Rock in the background. Photo by John Perrin to the city in 1843 by Roswell Beebe and Senator Chester Ashley. Since that time it has become the final resting place of many Arkansans. So many historical figures rest at Mt. Holly that it is sometimes called the Westminster Abbey of Arkansas. In the years since its establishment, Mt. Holly has been a lovingly tended garden. Many of the trees are natives and could have sprouted naturally and been adopted by the caretakers. Imagining the possibilities, some could have been planted to help ease the sorrow of a grieving family. If the trees could tell their stories, I'm sure some could be best-seller material. Oak varieties alone included pin, black, cherry bark, white, red, post, willow and blackjack. Loblolly and short-leaf pine species were represented by Mt. Holly field trip group - Photo by Ellen Repar Majestic loblolly pine on the SW corner of Mt. Holly Cemetery. Photo by Ellen Repar impressive specimens. Some of the other native trees we saw were red cedar, winged elm and mockernut hickory Carya albo, river birch, white ash, black gum, bald cypress and yellow poplar. Some of the non-native trees seen are Norway maple, Chinese lace bark elm, royal paulina, ginko, Chinese parasol, chinaberry and the familiar southern magnolia. in far-away lands and somehow found their way to this garden in Little Rock. Gardenia, pearl bush The native Carolina moonseed Cocculus carolinus was one of the more unusual natives. Some of trees seemed very distressed from the drought plagued summer. They had shed all their leaves, looking more like December oaks than October oaks. We hope they make it to see the spring. Empty post oak limbs make it appear winter has already arrived. Photo by John Perrin Many thanks to the Mount Holly Cemetery Association for maintaining and protecting this lovely historic site. Besides the trees, there are a huge variety of shrubs, vines and flowering plants. Some originated [ 15 ] ANPS Proud! by Susan Toone I am a proud member of the Arkansas Native Plant Society - I'll give my membership back when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. That does not mean that I know the difference between a pin oak and a white oak. However, I can tell the difference between a simple and compound leaf. To top that, I know the difference between a pinnate and palmate leaf. I even know that sometimes a leaf isn't really a leaf: it's made up of leaflets. I know this because people in the ANPS are too cool for school. My normal friends don't walk through the woods munching on bark and leaves, but Eric Sundell does. Eric Sundell browsing his way though Mt. Holly. Photo by Ellen Repar I don't know how, but he even talked me into munching on a few things, even when he said, "this is really bitter, but you have to try it!" (Note to self: always carry mints when you walk through the woods with Eric.) I know what a champion tree is, and I know why they named a tree with leaves like a cat's tongue slippery elm. I know that if I chew cherry bark, it tastes like almonds and reminds me of Agatha Christie. My normal friends also don't see what could be any kind of big bird and look up and say casually, "Oh, that's a Ferruginous Hawk - he's taking advantage of that warm updraft that allows him to kind of float on the wind. " But Barry Haas does. Okay, he's in the Audubon Society so he should know things like that, but it is still very impressive. One of my many faults is that I can be so self-righteous: when I change a bad habit or acquire a good one, I can't understand why everyone else doesn't follow my lead. Using native plants in our garden is no exception: now I feel that we are not just planting pretty flowers but creating a wildlife habitat in our own yard: why doesn't everyone do this? (I use us in the royal sense: John does 99.3% of the labor.) I used to help until I started pulling up plants that I thought were weeds. For example, I pulled up a sassafras tree we'd gotten from Mary Ann King at Pine Ridge Gardens (for those of you new to the ANPS, you should visit Pine Ridge Gardens - it is a most amazing place). John came in crestfallen and said sadly, "it looks like something just ripped it out of the ground." He replanted it but you could tell that even a respirator wouldn't help. So I called Mary Ann and asked her to ship another one - quickly and of the same size -to my neighbor. It arrived on a rainy day, and while he was watching the news, I planted it. He said a few days later, "wow - I can't believe it but the sassafras tree is looking much better!" The road to hell is paved with good intentions: I did the Endangered (at Susan's house) Western sunflower. Photo by John Perrin same thing to some native sunflowers he planted by the side of the house, which is when I realized that for the sake of our marriage, I needed to stop pawing around in the yard except under strict supervision. But the best part of being part of ANPS is that people are just so nice and mostly quite funny. I don't have to pretend I know more than I do to be accepted: people embrace me with their knowledge: wild oregano growing on a hill, a plant like a whirlybird, butterflies large and small - people are so generous with their knowledge, and I can't wait for our next adventure. Sassafras on Mt. Nebo Summit Trail, too big to pull up. Photo by John Perrin [ 16 ] ANPS Membership Application Type Amount Membership Categories - Select Type 0 Student $10 0 Individual $15 Application Purpose 0 Supporting $20 0 New Member 0 Family Membership $25 0 Renewal 0 Address Change 0 Contributing $30 0 Lifetime Membership (age 55+) $150 0 Lifetime Membership (under age 55) $300 Name (s) Address City State Zip Phone ( ) - E-mail Please send this form and your dues directly to the ANPS treasurer. Don Ford 4017 Bluebird Lane Little Rock, AR 72210 For other membership questions, please contact the membership chair Mike Burns at anps.membership@gmail.com or (479) 229-2185 Arkansas Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization Small Grants Available Does a school or park in your community need help with a native plant garden? Is there a project on your wish list that involves protecting or conserving Arkansas' native plants or educating folks about them? If you could use some modest financial support for such an effort, contact the ANPS President with a description of your project and a proposed budget. See the officers' box on the last page for contact information. Arkansas Earth Day Festival Heifer International Headquarters As part of the celebration of Earth Day (April 20 th ), ANPS folks will run a small at the festival on the grounds of the Heifer International Headquarters. We will have informational brochures about the ANPS and the Arkansas Audubon Society's Halbert Ecology Camp to give out to interested folks. If we are lucky, we'll be joined by some Audubon Society stalwarts and enjoy a beautiful spring day while sharing with the public. [ 17 ] Claylonia John Perrin Editor Please check your mailing label! The calendar year is the membership year. If your mailing label says "12" or earlier, it is time to renew (Life members should have a "LF" on their label. To renew your membership, please fill in the information form on the opposite side of this page and send it with your renewals, applications for membership, changes of name, address, e-mail or telephone number to the address on the form [Not to the editor]. Thank vou. AN PS Officers President Secretary Eric Sundell Karen Fawley esundell42@gmail.com fawley@uamont.edu (870) 723-1089 (870) 460-9452 President-Elect Awards & Scholarships Betty Owen Mary Ann King pjmbowen@gmail.com office@pineridgegardens.com (501) 472-6920 (479) 293-4359 Vice President Membership Chair Jennifer Ogle Mike Burns ranunculus73@gmail.com anps.membership@gmail.com (479) 957-6859 (479) 229-2185 Treasurer Editor Don Ford John Perrin anps.treasurer@gmail.com jperri@acxiom.com (501) 821-9353 (501) 831-0970 Web Contact Martha Bowden anps.web@gmail.com (501) 803-9545 The purpose of the Arkansas Native Plant Society is to promote the preservation, conservation, study, and enjoyment 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 oublication of related information. CLAYTONIA Newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society Volume 33, No 2 Fall/Winter 2013 New Members and Life Members Page 13 v ■\ / \ 2013 Fall Treasurer Report Page 10 ^ ( \ 2013 Spring Meeting Minutes Page 5 ^ \ Membership Application Page 17 V -J r v Fall Meeting Details Page 12 J C ~~ Upcoming Field Trips Page 11 V J, ( I \ President's Message Page 18 \ J A Botanist's Work is Never Done: Recent Additions to the Arkansas Flora by Theo Witsell, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Special Feature The joke among field botanists is that as soon as a checklist of the plants of an area is published it is out of date. That is certainly the case with the Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas, which recently went to press. But this is as it should be. One of the main roles of a checklist is to let people know what is NOT known from an area, and making new discoveries is what makes botanizing exciting. Back in late June, Dwayne Estes, of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, and I spent a day taking our kids floating and swimming on the Big Piney. Naturally we snuck in as much botanizing as we could while still making sure that no kids drowned or fell off a bluff. Truth be told, we kind of picked the spot (Long Pool Recreation Area) because of some particularly nice looking bluffs and cobble bars in the vicinity. Not long after we set out, after leading the kids on a complaint-filled but character- building bushwhack through all manner of shrubs and briers, we came to a large, open cobble bar. Once we emerged from the thicket, the children's suffering was immediately rewarded, as we found a nice population of an odd-looking short and sprawling dogbane growing from the cobbles. We got pretty excited because we had seen this same plant once before, also on a cobble bar, while taking the same pack of kids swimming a couple of years ago on North Sylamore Creek. At that time though, the plants were immature and though we took note of its odd growth form, we were never able to put a name on it. This time we figured out that it was prairie dogbane (Apocynum sibiricum) a species not previously documented from the state and usually found farther to the north. Unlike the common species of dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), this species has leaves with very short or absent stalks, and lower leaves with lobes that almost clasp the stem and have prominent, reticulate veins. It also has a flower arrangement that is shorter than the surrounding leaves. In just the last couple of months, field staff of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) found four species of plants that were not previously known from Arkansas. This is not really all that unusual in a state as diverse and poorly explored as ours but it does go to show how much we still have to discover. Here are brief accounts of the discoveries of these "new" plants for Arkansas... Prairie Dogbane Apocynum sibiricum Apocynum sibiricum, prairie dogbane leaves photo by Theo Witsell [i] Continued on next page Botanist's Work, continued from page 1 Rio Grande Copper-Lily Habranthus tubispathus/texanus A few weeks later, I collected another new plant for Arkansas in a really interesting area of Little River County. This one, a beautiful yellow- to orange-flowered species called Rio Grande copper-lily ( Habranthus tubispathus), was growing along a highway near Foreman and also nearby on another roadside and in a couple of lawns. It is one of the "rain lilies" that put up leaves in spring, go dormant in the summer, and then send up leafless flowering stems after a big rain. Habranthus tubispathus/texanus photo by Theo Witsell There is debate among botanists as to whether it is native to the region or was introduced to Texas from South America by Spanish missionaries, perhaps as early as the 1600s. Those considering it native often call it by another name, Habranthus texanus, and recognize it as distinct from H. tubispathus. Given the habitats I found it in, it seems likely that it is introduced to Arkansas, though it was growing with small- flower ground-cherry ( Physalis cinerascens), a very rare native species in Arkansas. Baby Jump-up Mecardonia procumbens Then, on July 22nd, photographer Craig Fraiser accompanied me and Jason Throneberry, aquatic ecologist for the ANHC, as we searched for rare plants on sandbars along the Arkansas River between Little Rock and Pine Bluff. We put our boat in at Tar Camp Access and stopped at a good looking island bar several miles up-stream. A few minutes after we got out, we found a large population of the water clover fern ( Marsilea vestita) along with scattered plants of the rare Texas bergia ( Bergia texana). Then I spotted something that really caught my eye - a small plant with brilliant yellow flowers, obviously in the figwort family, but unfamiliar to me, growing in wet sand near the shoreline. The general look had me thinking this must be some species of monkeyflower (genus Mimulus), not known from Arkansas. But it also bore a striking resemblance to the overall architecture of the common purple axi If lower ( Mecardonia acuminata), but had yellow flowers, shorter leaves, and more of a sprawling growth form. A few minutes on the internet later, and we had it positively identified as baby 4E* W: Baby Jump-up, Mecardonia procumbens photo by Craig Fraiser Continued on next page [2] Botanist's Work, continued from page 2 maculatus ssp. obtusifolius) and Ouachita blazing-star ( Liatris Wright's Cliff brake, Pellaea wrightiana photo by Brent Baker jump-up (Mecardonia procumbens), a native species known from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Wright's Cliffbrake Pellaea wrightiana The last new discovery, at least until this article gets published and becomes out-of-date, was made by Brent Baker as he and I were surveying some very nice novaculite glades in the Jack Mountains, south of Hot Springs. These rocky, desert-like habitats support dry grasslands with a number of rare and interesting species. We left the vehicle and it wasn't long before we were wading through good stuff like the rare Texas fescue ( Festuca versuta), granite gooseberry ( Ribes curvatum), and Arkansas twistflower ( Streptanthus compacta), two species known only from Arkansas. We split up to cover more ground, periodically keeping track of one another via yells and the occasional cell phone call. I was exploring a small spring in the middle of dense thicket of yaupon holly when Brent called to check my progress and report his location. Then he mentioned "I've got a really interesting-looking Pellaea over here". I headed off in his direction and got a text from him a few minutes later saying "Pellaea wrightiana. ..state record!!!!". Sure enough, he had done some research online and nailed it. This odd western desert fern has very distinct upturned fronds of a blue- green color, reddish-brown stalks, and pinnae (leaves) that are strongly in-rolled to cover the spores. It's one of many western species that are found in the east only in glade habitat. You never know what you are going to find out there! Happy hunting! )n t h e Beyond Miller's Chapel - May 25, 2013 Field by Burnetta Hinterthuer and Eric Hunt Last year Stephen Marquadttold Burnetta about large populations of different species of orchids he had found in a remote hollow out past Miller's Chapel in south Washington County. It sounded like a perfect hike for members of the Ozark Chapter of the ANPS, so we set a date for early May to go orchid hunting. The original date for our orchid hunt saw near freezing temperatures, rain, and even snow just a few miles north of our destination. We rescheduled the hike for Memorial Day weekend, hoping the later date would enable us to catch orchids in bloom. On the morning of the hike our enthusiastic group met at Stephen's ironworks shop in West Fork and a small caravan of vehicles headed south to Winslow. On the way to Winslow Stephen informed us that he had also seen a bobcat and bear on that mountaintop near the hollow. He was also excited to show us a beautiful waterfall along the mountain creek, requiring a descent by ladder down a steep bank. Bobcat, bear and steep descent all painted a vivid picture; we knew this was going to be an exciting day. We stopped at Miller's Chapel where we consolidated into those vehicles best suited for rough mountain roads. Miller's Chapel had been used as both school and [3] Beyond Miller's Chapel — continued from page 3 church in the 1900's. In fact, Stephen's father once preached there. The road into the remote hollow was pocked by large potholes and eroded roadway. We made it just fine into the hollow in the truck and others were able to drive their cars that had high clearance. Burnetta realized that this just might be the most remote field trip she had been on in quite a while. On the way in we passed through a kudzu forest that had taken over a former blackberry farm. Further along the road, in sharp contrast to the invasive kudzu were two magnificent, blight-resistant Ozark chinquapin in full bloom. Adiantum pedatum photo by Eric Hunt we found no flowers, but Eric discovered one flowering plant when he reviewed the photos later. This speaks to our need to return another May when the weather is more typical and the plants are on their regular schedule. No doubt the drought of the last two years also played a role in the paucity of orchids in flower. Chinquapin blooms photo by Eric Hunt Once parked, we walked along an old road to the creek and waterfall. Along the route we noted a diverse flora including Cicuta maculota (poison hemlock). Soli dago speciosa (showy goldenrod), Euthamia gymnospermoides, Asplenium rhizophyllum (walking fern), Asplenium trichoma nes ssp. trichomanes (Maidenhair spleenwort), Adiantum pedatum var. pedatum (Northern maidenhair fern), Pedicularis canadensis (Canadian lousewort), Prenanthes altissima (rattlesnake root), Carex albursina (white bear sedge), Houstonia purpurea (woodland bluet) and Elephantopus carolinianus (Elephant's foot). As far as orchids were concerned we only encountered one While we did not find the orchids we were looking for the overall Liporis liliifolia, lily twayblade Photo by Eric Hunt plant diversity was very high. Ferns were plentiful. Other ferns present were: Botrychium virginianum , Botrychium bite rn at um, Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Phegopteris hexagonoptera. species - Li paris liliifolia (lily twayblade). The one population had many rosettes. At the time Burnetta, Danny, and a few others remained above the creek exploring while Steven and the rest walked the creek and waterfall. There were actually two waterfalls, as there were two streams meeting. In the T of the stream was a small flat-topped glade surrounded by woods filled with interesting plants. [4] Continued on next page Beyond Miller's Chapel — continued from page 4 Waterfall beyond Miller's Chapel photo by Eric Hunt Species seen along the creek and up on the glade include Voccinium arboreum, Voccinium spp., Liotris sp., Desmodium rotundifolium , Silene virginica, Arisaema triphyllum , Arisaema dracontium , Podophyllum peltatum , Delphinium tricorne , Chasmanthium spp., Sanguinaria canadensis , Cunila origanoides, Heuchera americana, Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Orbexilum pedunculatum var. pedunculatum It was exhilarating feeling that one was so far away from human development. The group was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and it was great being with such a great group of fellow plant lovers. Attending were Eric Hunt (who shared his beautiful photos for this article), Ken Stout, Donna Phipps Stout, Donovan Tippett, Tom Bowen, Robyn Bowen, Stefanie Reynolds, Danny Barron, Stephen Marquadt and Burnetta Hinterthuer. Thanks to Stephen for a very beautiful, remote hiking experience exploring new plant refugias. AN PS Spring Meeting 2013 Membership Meeting Minutes - April 27, 2013 Subiaco Academy at Subiaco, Arkansas Eric Sundell called the meeting to order at 7:58pm. Eric Sundell thanked Betty Owen for arranging the 2013 Spring Meeting at Subiaco/Mt. Magazine. Eric thanked Betty Owen and Mike Burns for emails to the membership on Don Crank's death and his memorial service. Sunday trips On Sunday morning, Eric Sundell and Sid Vogelpohl will lead walks at the home of Sid and Jeanette Volgelpohl. Lunch will be provided. Brent Baker and Larry Price will lead a hike to Cherokee Prairie. Everyone should meet in the Subiaco parking lot at 9:30am. Minutes Ann Gordon made a motion to accept the minutes from the Fall 2012 Membership Meeting of October 13, 2012. Richard Emmel seconded the motion and all were in favor. Treasurer's Report Maury Baker made a motion to accept the 2012 Treasurer's Report. Susan Toone seconded the motion and all were in favor. Don Ford made an on-line motion to combine Operation and Memorial funds in bookkeeping. Martha Bowden seconded the motion and all agreed at the Board meeting. An amendment to the ANPS by-laws will be submitted to delete all references to the separation of Operation and Memorial funds in bookkeeping. Eric presented the Board recommendation to the general membership on Saturday evening and the motion was approved. Don Ford will work on the by-law changes. Committee Reports Membership Mike Burns made an on-line motion on April 3, 2013 to print the ANPS Directory after the Fall Meeting to match officers with years of service. Martha seconded the motion and all agreed (email vote). At the Spring Board meeting, Eric Sundell suggested that the 2013-2014 Directory should have one page with the 2013 Officers and a separate page with the 2014 Officers. Mike explained these changes to the general membership. The Board discussed the process for approving emails that are sent to the netlist by the Membership Chair. The Board agreed that the President should approve all email messages before they are sent. Mike Burns explained this process to the general membership. Webmaster Martha Bowden reported that the ANPS website has had 36,000 views. The Neat Plant Alert (200 views) and Meet the [ 5 ] Continued on next page Membership Meeting Minutes continued from page 5 Plant (749 views) have also been popular. The website is fulfilling the ANPS mission of educating the public about native plants. Martha also sent out a call for more articles and pictures for the website. Everyone thanked Martha on the great success of the ANPS website. Editor John Perrin asked for more fieldtrip pictures and stories. Everyone thanked John for his hard work on the 2013 Spring Cloytonia. Earth Day John Perrin and Susan Toone worked at the ANPS booth. They handed out 40 applications for the Arkansas Audubon Society's Halberg Ecology Camp for 11 and 12 year olds. Nominating Committee Current Past President Sandy Davies is chair of the Nominating Committee for 2014 offices. She is looking for 2 members for the Nominating Committee. The term of Secretary will expire, and Karen Fawley has agreed to accept a nomination for another term. The Vice President will be the only vacant position. Scholarship Committee Eric Sundell announced the 2013 ANPS scholarship/grant recipients on behalf of Mary Ann King; chair of the Awards & Scholarships Committee. The list included one recipient of the Delzie Demaree Scholarship ($1000), Eric Hearth (UAF) and 1 recipient of the Aileen McWilliam Scholarship ($1000), Ty Murdoch (UAF). Old Business Update on Grant for Nature Walk at Logan County Old Jailhouse Museum The project is on hold due to cold weather. No plants have been purchased. New Business Don Crank's Garvan Gardens fern booklet The director at Garvan Gardens got in touch with Eric about ANPS support for publishing Don Crank's fern booklet. The discussion will be tabled until the Board receives a proposal from Garvan Gardens. Converting Historical Claytonias to PDF Mike Burns made a motion to allocate ANPS funds to convert historical Claytonias to PDF form. PDF copies will be placed on the ANPS website, the ANPS archive at the UA-Fayetteville and Don Cullwell's archive at UCA. Don Ford seconded the motion and all were in favor. 2013 ANPS Fall Meeting The 2013 Fall Meeting is scheduled for October ll-13 th at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR. A representative from the Ozark Folk Center will send Betty Owen a contract for rooms at $72 + taxes per night. Twenty-five rooms will be held at this rate for ANPS until September 11 th . Announcements Sid and Jeanette Vogelpohl maintain 2 miles of AR Hwy 309 on behalf of ANPS Sid and Jeanette Vogelpohl are maintaining a 2 mile stretch of Arkansas Hwy 309 on behalf of the Arkansas Native Plant Society. The sign reads, "...maintained by Arkansas Native Plant Society." Everyone thanked Sid and Jeanette. UAM Botany Research Building/Sundell Herbarium progress report Marvin Fawley reported that the fund drive for the UAM building has raised approximately $210,000. Although architects' estimate of the building cost is now $350,000, the UAM Chancellor has a plan to construct the building for about $200,000 and is pursuing that plan. Marvin thanked the ANPS and members for their early support of the planned building. Don Culwell announced that his notes on the history of ANPS would be available. Donation to Subiaco Academy Richard Emmel made a motion that ANPS donate $100 for the purchase of Arkansas native plants for Subiaco Academy in appreciation of the use of the meeting room. Appropriate signage that gives ANPS recognition should also be included with the plant gift. If this gift is not appropriate, then the Board will discuss other options. John Simpson seconded the motion and all were in favor. Betty Owen will ask Subiaco Academy about the donation. Newsletter Articles/Meeting Presentations from Scholarship Recipients The membership discussed the importance of newsletter articles and/or meeting presentations about research from students that had received ANPS scholarships or grants. This topic will be discussed by the Board at the 2013 Fall Meeting. Garden Club Garden Tour A new ANPS member announced a Little Rock garden tour that was scheduled for the first weekend in June. The tour will include 8 gardens around Little Rock and she had tickets for sale. Update on Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas Jennifer Ogle gave an update on the new Arkansas atlas. Currently an independent editor is paginating the index. The atlas should be completed in the summer and available for sale at cost of $40 (10% discount for ANPS members) at the 2013 Fall Meeting. Ann Gordon moved to adjourn the meeting and Susan Toone seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm. [6] recorded by Karen Fawley Secretary ANPS ANPS Fall 2013 Membership Business Proposal to Amend Bylaws At the 2013 Spring meeting, the Board recommended, and the membership approved a proposal to eliminate two classes of funds in the Treasury (Operating and Memorial). The board has approved the following changes to the bylaws implementing that proposal (and make a minor upgrade to the Treasurer's duties.) This proposal will be presented to the membership at the fall meeting in Mountain View, October 2013 for adoption. Article V - OFFICERS, Section 1. Positions and Responsibilities, Paragraph e) Treasurer; Add the following sentence: “The Treasurer files the yearly “charitable organization ” IRS report, and the yearly “Arkansas Annual Report for Nonprofit Corporation ”, with the Secretary of State ’s office. ” Article VII - FINANCE, Section 3. Income from Dues Replace Section 3 with the following: “Section 3. Income The Treasurer receives and deposits all Society income including, but not limited to, dues, proceeds from the Fall Plant Auction, meeting registration fees, funds from Society promotions such as shirt and book sales. Dues received by the Membership Officer are forwarded to the Treasurer along with documentation. All funds from other sources are forwarded to the Treasurer along with documentation. ” Article VII - FINANCE, Section 4. Income from Other Sources Including Contributions Delete existing Section 4. And replace it with: “Section 4. Expenditures Funds are spent as authorized by the Annual Budget or the Executive Board. Expenditures for Memorial Awards ( Article IX) and Solicited Grants ( Article VII, Section 5 below) are by specific Board and Membership approval. ” Article VII - FINANCE, Section 5. Expenditure Delete existing Section 5. Expenditure, and replace it with: “Section 5. Solicited Grants Solicited Grants are one-time grants to an entity which has approached the Board for funds for a project consistent with the Objectives of the Society. If accepted by the Board, the Board recommends approval to the Membership. The amount of a grant may not exceed 25% of the total funds in the Society’s accounts at the time of approval. ” Article VII - FINANCE, Section 6. Solicited Grants Delete existing Section 6. Solicited Grants and replace it with: “ Section 6. Audits An audit of the records of the current Treasurer may be made at any time at the discretion of the Board, after a two-week notice to the Treasurer. ” Article VII - FINANCE, Section 7. Audits Delete this section since information is moved to section 6. In the Cecil Cove Trail - May 25, 2013 Field by Bob Morgan In the 1970's I cut my hiking teeth in the Ozarks with "the Bubbas". We were engineering students from the University of Arkansas. We were all too nerdy and shy to date, so Friday and Saturday evenings were normally spent around a campfire someplace in the Ozark Mountains. We spent weekends canoeing and hiking in the hills and hollows. Over the years, I got a reputation of knowing my way around the Ozarks. Back in the fall, Burnetta asked if I would lead a spring hike for the Ozark Chapter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society. The 21-mile White Rock death march was obviously out of the question as was Cove Lake to Mt. Magazine and Hemmed in Hollow via California Point. I finally settled on the Cecil Cove loop in the Buffalo National River. The hike was only 8 % miles and we could shortcut that if necessary by coming back on the Compton road. It seemed perfect; we would have a combination of upland and riparian vegetation to examine and as a side trip we could venture up into Thunder Canyon. Using the normal estimate of hiking two miles per hour plus a bit for elevation change we would be out five hours tops. At 9:30, the crew assembled; Burnetta Hinterthauer, Laura Villejas, Mary Alice Larson, Sid Vogelphol, my wife Sharon, and me. It had been raining the prior week and the Buffalo was up. I was concerned about getting across the low water bridge at Erbie. We decided to give it a shot since the alternative was an hour-long route in from Pruitt. We pulled into the parking lot on the east side of the river at the Parker-Hickman homestead and all climbed into my pickup. It was a bit crowded so Sharon volunteered to ride in the bed. She got bounced around a bit. About a rough mile later, we pulled into the trailhead for the Cecil Cove loop. From the trailhead, the trail leads downhill for about a quarter of a mile to a crossing of Cove Creek where the nice stuff starts. We piled out of the truck, grabbed our packs and headed off down the trail. For about 25 steps! Then we stopped to look at a four-leaf milkweed, in detail. A few steps later we observed wild bergamot, then sun [ 7 ] Continued on next page Cecil Cove Trail — continued from page 7 drops, then spiderworts etc. etc. etc. An hour and a half later we reached the creek crossing. The crossing at Cove Creek really doesn't cross Cove Creek at all. It is of a spring that comes from the bluffs a couple hundred yards upstream. I have walked by this spring a dozen or so times but never worked my way over to it. The spring was where I really wanted to go. Several years ago beavers dammed the creek right at the crossing creating a pond of clear water along the bluff. When we reached the creek, I walked across the top of the dam, sinking only a few inches into the water. From there, I followed the trail through some brush and came out along Cove Creek. After that a few large steps got me across some wet spots then the trail headed upstream along river right. I jumped across and set down on a rock figuring some of the crew might need a hand. After a few minutes, boredom set in. Throwing rocks at the creek helped for a while. Still nobody came up the trail. I got restless and started wandering around. The trail eventually came out on the Beaver pond fifteen to twenty yards upstream from the dam. Back at the dam five people were standing around talking and looking exasperated. I was a bit too far away to hear everything, but the word mutiny was being used frequently. Back down the trail, several hops across wet spots, a scramble through some underbrush and a walk across the beaver dam and I was reunited with my adversaries. It quickly became clear that crossing the beaver dam was not an option. The best stuff was up ahead; the crew was behind, how to get the two in the same place? Eventually we managed to find a spot downstream of the beaver dam where everyone could cross the creek using stepping- stones. We sat down on the gravel bar by Cove Creek to have lunch. While we ate our sandwiches, Sid pointed out a cardinal flower. Back on the trail we finally reached the upper end of the beaver pond and bushwhacked our way to the spring. Coming from the spring were several dozen gallons per minute of crystal-clear, cold water. The vegetation was lush. Rocks in the stream were covered in a thick mat of moss and lichens. Along the bluffs we saw penstemon and columbine. Back from the spring the vegetation included arrowroot viburnum, my favorite, the indigo bush, and purple rocket. Burnetta said this was only the second time she had seen purple rocket in the Arkansas Ozarks. We milled around a bit, and eventually worked our way back up to the trail. It was getting hot, so we headed back toward the truck. The hike back was slightly quicker. The crew didn't have any options but to cross the creek this time. I have to admit, it was one of the best mile and a half hikes I have ever made. Editor's note: Bob might want to reference the Don Simon quotes that Virginia McDaniel included in her article on the next page. 8 / 2 miles is mighty ambitious for an ANPS hike. Thank you for sharing Bob! Our Vice President, Jennifer Ogle has completed her one year term and the executive board has decided to recommend Michael Weatherford for the position. Mike has agreed to serve in the role, which means we (the membership) get a chance to vote to approve his nomination. No word yet on whether Mike is running as a taxonomic splitter or as a lumper. Elect a new Vice President [8] In the Field April Walk on Mt. Magazine by Virginia McDaniel It was a cool and misty morning atop Mt. Magazine. For lowlanders, like me, it was like a piece of heaven. I wanted to bottle up that misty morning for later use in July or August. In any case, leaders were concerned we wouldn't be able to see the flowers for the fog and so arranged an indoor program. A group of us, however, decided to brave the elements and join Brent Baker on an adventure to confirm the location of a Ouachita goldenrod site and look for other interesting plants on the east side of the mountain. Kate Cross, Ann Gordon, Donna and Bruno Hanke, Susan Hardin, Virginia McDaniel, Jennifer and Isaac Ogle, Betty Owen, and Patrick Solomon all set out. The tree leaves were pondering emergence. We walked past tri-lobed trilliums, gentle geraniums, and velvety violet leaves before encountering our first flower: a bashful bellwort. On up through the dripping oak-hickory forest we walked. Through the miniature mayapple forests and scattered purple and yellow from delphiniums and yellow downy violets. "Have you noticed how the bloodroot's leaf curls around the flower?" Betty asked. Yes, but why? "To protect it and keep it warm until and while it flowers." A fascinating tip, given the caducous nature of the bloodroot's petals. Wood's bunchflower was pushing up through the leaves and Epling's hedgenettle Neat! On past a variegated bunchflower, blue cohosh and doll's eyes. This was clearly a rich area. Then, just beyond a glaucous Podophyllum peltatum, mayappl e forest on Mt. Magazine photo by Bruno Hanke too. "Did you ever wonder how dog tooth violet got its name?" asked Brent. Yes. "The European Erythronium ( E . dens-cania) has a small corm that looks like a dog tooth. The name just carried over." Veratrum woodii, Wood's bunchflower photo by Bruno Hanke blackberry, there it was, all 5 leaves of it. A glorious Ouachita goldenrod!!!! Confirmation of a new location for an ANHC tracked species! Our mission was complete. Not that we could stop noticing plants the entire walk down the mountain. I like to make this seem like quite a walk up a treacherous peak, but you all can call my bluff. We're botanists. It took us two hours that morning to walk about 200 yards. "You're slower than a bird watcher." - Don Simon "The trail is one mile. You all won't make it." - Don Simon [ 9 ] 2013 Fall Treasurer's Report January 1-31 July 2013 | Start FY 2013 ™ 520J22.6SI Budget Actual ANTICIPATED INCOME to Date Membership Dues (+ membership Donations^ $4,000 $3,015.00 Meeting Registration $500 $265.00 Plant Auction $1,800 Interest $100 T-Shirt Sales $0 $330.00 C ontributi ans/Donations $0 $195.00 TOTAL $6,400 $3,805.00 $3,805.00 ANTICIPATED EXPENCHTTRES ANPS.Qrg $0 Claytonia (Print & Distribute 2 Issues) -$1,200 -$451.07 Directory (Print and Distribute) -$700 Memorial Awards (Awards/Scholarships) -$2,000 -$2,000.00 Support to Public Gardens (see Fall Claytonk -$1,000 Meeting expenses (space, copies, speaker,etc. -$500 -$44.97 Ecology' Camp -$500 -$500.00 Environthon -$500 Bulk Mail -$200 4190.00 Sdpplies-postag&Mi&c* -$300 4126.88 Buy T-shirts $0 TOTAL 46.900 43,312.92 -► 43.312.92 | Balance as of 31 July 2013 — “ — Respectfully submitted by Don Ford, Treasure [ 10 ] Field Trip to Ouachita Mountain Glades Thursday, October 17, 2013 Leader: Susan Hooks (501) 282-5365 Email: shooks @fs.fed.us . Join Forest Service botanist Susan Hooks on a trip to explore glade communities on the Ouachita National Forest. The glades are sparsely covered in cedar and elm trees with exposed rock, which creates a unique habitat for locally rare species such as the aquatic pillwort ( Pilularia americana), a little fern that looks like a grass with fiddle heads. The glades are near roads and the terrain is fairly flat. We should see a variety of fall wildflowers, grasses, lichens, and mosses. We will begin at Fulton Branch glades and if time permits we will visit other glades near the Mt. Ida area. We will meet at 10:00 am Burl's Smoke House on US Hwy 270 west of Hot Springs on the west side of Crystal Springs. You will need to bring your lunch and plenty of water. Contact Susan to sign up for this trip Arkansas State Capitol Grounds Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 10 a.m. Starting from the Capitol steps in Little Rock, AR. Leader Eric Sundell (870) 723-1089 Join us for a tour of the majestic trees of the Capitol grounds, including ginkgo (possibly in fall splendor), a near-champion red mulberry, and a ring of Kentucky coffee trees, two of which should be bearing fruit with fertile seeds. Winter Tree Identification for Beginners Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 1 p.m. Rebsamen Municipal Golf Course, Little Rock. Leader: Eric Sundell (870) 723-1089 Instead of leaves and flowers, we'll use the characters of twigs, buds, and scars to identify trees in winter condition. Ulterior motive: Eric would like help field testing the new "Key to Trees in Winter" that will be included in the Arkansas Forestry Commission's forthcoming edition of their handbook, Dwight Moore's Trees of Arkansas. Meet at the golf course Pro Shop off Rebsamen Park Road at 1 p.m. If you plan to attend, please contact Eric at esundell42@gmail.com for more information, directions, and to receive a digital copy of "Key to Trees in Winter." Please call if the weather looks questionable. More Winter Tree Identification for Beginners Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 1 p.m. Allsop Park Pavilion, Little Rock, AR. Leader: Eric Sundell (870) 723-1089 We'll try the new key and our ID skills on different trees, so feel free to attend one or both Winter Tree ID sessions. The Allsop Park pavilion is in the recreation area off Cedar Hill Road just north of the red light/junction with Cantrell Road. If you did not attend the first week, be sure to email Eric for a digital copy of the "Key to Trees in Winter." [ 11 ] Arkansas Native Plant Society Fall Meeting 2013 When: October 11-13 Ozark Folk Center, Mountain View Where: The Ozark Folk Center State Park 1032 Park Avenue, Mountain View, AR 72560, (870) 269-3851 The Ozark Folk Center is located on 640 wooded acres, just north of the city of Mountain View, a small town of less than 3,000 residents, in Stone County, Arkansas. The Park is approximately 100 miles north of Little Rock, Arkansas; 160 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee; and 300 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri. The Ozark Folk Center of Mountain View, Arkansas is America's only facility that works to share the heritage and way of life of the Ozark Mountain people. They offer workshops in pioneer crafts, herb gardening, and traditional American folk music, as well as special folk arts & crafts programs for children and seniors. The Ozark Folk Center is dedicated to providing living history and exists to preserve, document, display, and interpret the cultural and social history of the Ozark region, an area that takes up part of five states: Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Reservations: AN PS has reserved a block of 50 rooms within the campus of the Ozark Folk Center. All rooms have 2 queen beds; ask for a deluxe room if you want an outside deck. Please call (800) 264-3655 for reservations. Most likely, the rooms are sold out by now, but if you can get in, be sure to mention "Arkansas Native Plants" when making reservations. The Skillet Restaurant (open 7am - 8pm) is located on the campus and offers country recipes made with the organic herbs grown in the surrounding gardens. Mountain View offers many other dining choices a short drive from the Folk Center. Several overflow hotel options are available. Here is a sampling of available motels to choose from: Anglers White River Resort - (870) 585-2226, Americas Best Value Inn - (870) 269-3775, Best Western Fiddlers Inn - (870) 269-2828, Days Inn - (870) 269-3287. October 11, Friday Registration - $5 (Preregistration not required) Bois d'Arc Meeting Room 5:00 - 6:30 - Registration and potluck. ANPSers are encouraged to bring snacks and munchies to share. Drinks will be provided. All other meals are on-your-own. There are grocery stores and fast food restaurants as well as sit down restaurants in the vicinity (see Folk Center's Skillet Restaurant info above). 6:30-7:00 pm - Field trip announcements. 7:00-10:00 pm - Fall Plant Auction. Bring your native plants, bulbs, seeds, as well as books, jellies, wines, leatherwood bracelets, and all other things botanical for sale at our annual auction. Proceeds build our Aileen McWilliam and Delzie Demaree grants and scholarships. October 12, Saturday - Day Hikes 6:30 pm Evening Program Bois d'Arc Meeting Room Registration and pot luck snacks begin at 5:30. Info and sign-up for Sunday morning hike available tonight. 6:30 pm - The featured speaker for Saturday night is Tina Marie Wilcox who is the head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center's Heritage Herb Garden in Mountain View and has been since 1984. She designs and tends the extensive gardens, plans and coordinates annual herbal events and workshops, and facilitates the production of sale plants, seeds, and herbal products for the park. She has presented countless educational and entertaining herb and gardening programs throughout the United States. Tina serves on the International Herb Association's Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Herb Society of America, the Arkansas Native Plant Society, and the American Botanical Council. Brent Baker and Jennifer Ogle will provide an update on the Arkansas Vascular Flora Project after the featured speaker Saturday evening. Copies of the new Atlas may be available for purchase! [ 12 ] Continued on next page Fall Meeting 2013 — continued from page 12 General meeting to follow the presentations. October 13, Sunday: Morning Hike Field Trip information will be provided Friday and Saturday evenings. ANPS T-Shirts: Remember, T-Shirts are only available for sale at the Spring and Fall meetings. Please do not ask to reserve one or that we mail you one. We can't. For more information about the ANPS T- Shirts, (See website under About) QUESTIONS? MORE INFORMATION? Contact Betty Owen at pjmbowen@gmail.com or Eric Sundell at esundell42@gmail.com. Small Grants Available Does a school or park in your community need help with a native plant garden? Is there a project on your wish list that involves protecting or conserving Arkansas' native plants or educating folks about them? If you could use some modest financial support for such an effort, contact the ANPS President with a description of your project and a proposed budget. See the officers' box on the last page for contact information. New Members and Life Members Rebecca Coble New Members John and Mary Latendresse (Bull Shoals, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Judy Dorsey Richard and Margaret Lincourt (Arlington, TN) (Little Rock, AR) Larry and Glenda Field Dorothy Mangold (Bonnerdale, AR) (Fayetteville, AR) Darrell Geisler Joan and Frank Meeks (Wheatley, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Patty and Tommy Gibson Cindy Parsons (Little Rock, AR) (Fort Smith, AR) June Harris Sue Powell (Hot Springs Village, AR) (Little Rock, AR) Mary Hughes Carole Sue Schafer (Chester, AR) (Mabelvale, AR) Eileen Hutcheson Jack and Roxanne Siegrist (Cave Springs, AR) (Mena, AR) Jon and Mary Alice Larson Mary Stewart (Springdale, AR) (Monticello, AR) Breck Campbell Sheryl Whited (Conway, AR) New Life Members Susan McNutt (Little Rock, AR) (Mountain Home, AR) Dave Danner Robert (Joe) Stuckey (Conway, AR) (Doddridge, AR) [ 13 ] In the Field Return to the Blackland Prairies with Theo Witsell Last fall, we visited Terre Noire Natural Area and Columbus Prairie Preserve. On Saturday, May 18 th , Theo Witsell with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission led us on a return trip to re-examine these sites. Instead of the drought-starved example of prairie tenacity we'd seen last fall, this time we saw nature enjoying the good times. The prairies were seas of green, dotted with clumps of flowers. The photographers in the group had no shortage of photogenic flora. If you aren't already familiar with the topography of Terre Noire, it is a gently varied terrain. The points of higher elevation are those most likely to be open prairie. The lower points, which seem to retain a little more water, support more arboreal species. Their branches provide habitat for the shade loving-plants. This mix of prairie, forest, and the transitional woodlands between them is part of what makes Terre Noire one of the most botanically diverse in the state. Almost 500 species have been documented there, which makes it one of the highest quality blackland prairie and woodland sites in Arkansas' Gulf Coastal Plain. Terre Noire was exquisite in May, with many different species of natives both in bud and in bloom. One of the first interesting inhabitants was Pyrrhopappus pauciflorus, known as few-flowered desert-chicory. Several prairie indigo, Baptisia nuttalliana were spotted, mostly on the slightly shaded borders, along with roughleaf dogwood, Cornus drummondii. We had a moment of extra excitement Frasera caroliniensis, American columbo photo by Eric Hunt when we came upon a 4 foot long coach-whip snake that quickly made its getaway into a burrow. In the open areas, pale purple co nef lowers. Echinacea pallida, were just starting to open, and some interesting varieties of milkweed, Asclepias viridis, Asclepias viridiflora, and Asclepias variegata were actively tended by bumblebees. At one point, we even got to see a bumblebee nest among the roots of a fallen tree. Narrowleaf vervain, Verbena simplex, was common. Penstemon digitalis, foxglove beardtongue, was scattered around. In one of the border patches, American columbo, Frasera caroliniensis, was in spectacular bloom. These plants stood over 7 feet tall with fully a half of that length inflorescence. They apparently do not bloom every year, so seeing a few of these big beauties was a treat. The native Indian plantain, Arnoglossum plantagineum, was also a fan of the slightly shaded area. One of the shady low lying areas had numerous healthy clumps of green dragon, Arisaema dracontium, some even in bloom. Ear-leaved goldenrod, Solidago auriculata, was present in large numbers, but of course it doesn't bloom until the fall. A few Tradescantia hirsutiflora, hairy spiderwort, were also in the shade along with a couple examples of greenvein ladies' tresses orchid, Spiranthes praecox. Asclepias variegata - photo by Eric Hunt Continued on next page [ 14 ] Blackland Prairies — continued from page 14 [ Near the end of our Terre Noire tour, one of our many experts spotted a beautiful Indian pink, Spigelio marilandica. It was under a small tree and you really had to know what you were looking for to spot the blood-red buds and pink flowers. I heard more than one exclamation of WOW! Spigelio marilandica, indian pink photo by John Perrin Overall, the only negative of the site is the profusion of fire ant mounds. You really have to pay attention to where you're standing or you might get some extra incentive to keep moving. About an hour further southwest, closer to Hope, is The Nature Conservancy's Columbus Prairie Preserve. This preserve was our second stop of the day. It is a unique plot that is near the Rick Evans Grandview Prairie. While it may not have quite the variety of Terre Noire, it makes up for it in sheer volume of flowers. Back in the fall, the footpath had so many asters and giant sawtooth sunflowers that we were really impressed. The spring showing was just as impressive. Once you get a hundred or so feet along the footpath, it opens up into an area rich with showy beardtongue, Penstemon cobaea. The beardtongue was followed quickly by a large stand of Great Plains larkspur, Delphinium carolinionum ssp. virescens. Another few yards down the trail Theo found the toxic deathcamas, Toxicoscordion nuttallii (formerly Zigodenus nuttallii). Its flowers were similar to the meadow garlic we saw further into the preserve. Eventually we got to what looked like a sea of compass plant, Silphium laciniatum. They were not quite knee high, and their rough leaves provided welcome relief to the itchy Terre Noire fire ant bites. That's another great thing about the Columbus Preserve: it has very few fire ants, once you get out of the parking lot. Intermingled among the compass plants was the most deeply red- orange butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, that you could imagine. Pale purple coneflowers. Echinacea pallida, were scattered about, sometimes in fairly large groups. A very showy meadow garlic, Allium canadense var. mobilense, and Indian Toxicoscordion nuttallii, deathcamas photo by Eric Hunt Penstemon cobaea, beardtongue Photo by Eric Hunt [15] Continued on next page Blackland Prairies — continued from page 15 plantain could be found in large numbers. We ventured back into a wooded area to see if the Sophora of finis tree, Eve's necklace, we'd seen last fall was in bloom. Unfortunately it was not. Eventually we left the woods, through an area near a small creek and found more variety. Milkweed of the Asclepias viridis variety were plentiful on that side of the creek and the bumblebees were happy about that. It is interesting to see them work the flowers. They actually wedge themselves deep into the large flower heads. Asclepias viridis photo by John Perrin After a few minutes there, we took a less circuitous route back to the vehicles because we knew our day was not over yet. Theo had one more site for us to visit. The bonus site was on private land and took a little while to drive to. Some of the rutted roads were a little iffy, but we eventually got everyone through the locked gate and into vehicles with higher clearances for the last stretch of the Asclepias variegata photo by Eric Hunt. Close-up view of flower on same plant as page 14, bottom right Yucca for science, Yucca louisianensis photo by John Perrin road. What we saw when we arrived at "the spot" was a colony of native yucca plants, in full bloom. One of the scientists of the group collected a specimen for his research on native Yucca. The bulbous root was about the size of a softball. It was educational just to find out there are collection bags that will hold a plant that large. I did not catch the name of the yucca, as there seemed to be some debate among the experts as to its id. Final word was that it was a Yucca louisianensis, Louisiana yucca. It was a perfect example of the wild things we are sometimes lucky enough to see. Thank you, thank you, Theo and the other experts, for making our day such a discovery-filled adventure. [16] Mil l | . A . Hisrj iviemucnmp MppiiLduuii Type Amount 0 Student $10 iviemoersnip categories — oeiect i ype Individual $15 Application Purpose Supporting $20 0 New Member Family Membership $25 0 Renewal Contributing $30 0 Address Change Lifetime Membership (age 55+) $150 0 Lifetime Membership (under age 55) $300 Name (s) Address City State Zip Phone ( ) - E-mail Please send this form and your dues directly to the ANPS treasurer. Don Ford 4017 Bluebird Lane Little Rock, AR 72210 For other membership questions, please contact the membership chair Mike Burns at anps.membership@gmail.com or (479) 229-2185 Arkansas Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization Seeking Volunteers - Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville Lissa Morrison, Lead Gardener of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, is seeking ANPS volunteers to help with the upkeep of the native plant portion of the gardens. Tasks would include weed pulling, pruning, mulching, plant identification and labeling (Jennifer Ogle has already volunteered to help with this!), and generally making the garden look so beautiful that visitors are inspired to plant natives in their own gardens L [ 17 ] Fall 2013 Newsletter Please check your mailing label! The calendar year is the membership year. If your mailing label says "13" or earlier, it is time to renew (Life members should have a "LF" on their label). To renew your membership, please fill in the information form on the opposite side of this page and send it with your renewals, applications for membership, changes of name, address, e-mail or telephone number to the address on the form [Not to the editor]. Thank you. ANPS Officers President Secretary Eric Sundell Karen Fawley esundell42@gmail.com fawley@uamont.edu (870) 723-1089 (870) 460-9452 President-Elect Awards & Scholarships Betty Owen Mary Ann King pjmbowen@gmail.com office@pineridgegardens.com (501) 472-6920 (479) 293-4359 Vice President Membership Chair Jennifer Ogle Mike Burns ranunculus73@gmail.com anps.membership@gmail.com (479) 957-6859 (479) 229-2185 Treasurer Editor Don Ford John Perrin anps.treasurer@gmail.com jperri@acxiom.com (501) 821-9353 (501) 831-0970 Web Contact Martha Bowden anps.web@gmail.com (501) 803-9545 President's Message by Eric Sundell What a cool, wet, lovely spring and early summer we have had. ..so far— I'm writing these words on August (lucky) 13th with hopes that the droughtgeist is roving far from the beautiful state of Arkansas. If good luck continues, we'll have lush hardwoods and an abundance of wildflowers for our fall meeting, scheduled for October 11-13 at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View. Remember that the fall meeting is also the time of our annual auction (Friday evening), so pack your vehicle with a pot or two of native plants, a jar of French- mulberry jelly, or a bottle of elderberry wine, and join us at one of the most interesting and picturesque sites in the state. All plant auction proceeds are used for grants and scholarships. ANPS is always looking for members to lead local walks, fall and spring. If there is an intriguing botanical spot near you, consider inviting us for an outing. (And remember, we need a leader who knows the trail but not necessarily all the plants.) A few such walks and workshops are announced in this issue of Claytonia. And now with our tech-savvy executive board, we have an excellent, up-to-date website as well as impressive, short- notice email capabilities by which to inform members of events at any time. We do not have to rely on Claytonia alone to announce these field trips anymore! Whenever the spirit moves you, contact the president-elect, and that'll get the ball rolling. See you in Mountain View! [ 18 ]