"■ ■ ■ dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora" Volume 12, Number 6 The Colorado Gentian Jim Locklear One of the rarest plants of the Great Plains is a species known only from Colorado. The Colorado gentian (Frasera coloradensis ) occurs in a restricted area within the coun- ties of Baca, Bent, Las Animas and Prowers in the southeast corner of the state. First collected in 1947, this interesting plant is so poorly known that it escaped men- tion in the recent (1986) Flora of the Great Plains. Har- rington, in his Manual of the Plants of Colorado, treated ^^his species as Swertia coloradensis. The Colorado gentian is a rosette-forming herbaceous perennial with white-margined, strap-shaped leaves. When not in bloom it resembles the variegat^ form of spider plant, a familiar house plant. It is showy when in bloom, with a highly branched inflorescence (a corymbose cyme) bearing numerous flowers. The individual flowers are similar to those of monument plant (Frasera speclosa ), a much taller relative from montene ar^s to the west, with petals and sepals arranged In fours. The petals themselves are creamy-white with prominent nectaries. Apparently an attractive food source, Colorado gentian plants are centers of considerable insect activity during their mid-June to mid- July blooming season. Shortgrass prairie is the dominant vegetation throughout the area where the Colorado gentian is found. However, this species only occurs in rocky, exposed areas which typically support communities of low-growing, drought- tderatlng f^ants such as Astragalus missouriensis, Dafea jamesii, Eriogonum lachnogynum, Hymenoxys acauiis and Paronychia sessiliflora. Outcrops of Greenhorn Limestone appear to be the preferred substrate of the Colorado gentian, although it is also found to a lesser ex- tent on Dakota Sandstone. ^^^ne of the most notable aspects of this species is its limited area of distribution. It is presently known only from a rather narrow area that extends from near the little town of Kim in November/December 1988 Calendar Overview Additional information about calendar items will be found throughout this issue. Winter Workshop Schedule Dec. 10 Carex Workshop Leader: Dr. David Cooper Jan. 14 Presettlement Vegetation Leader: Dr. Dexter Hess Feb. 4 High-Altitude Grasses Leader: Dr. Helen Zeiner Feb. 25 Keying Composites Leader: Dr. JoAnn Flock March 18 Penstemons Leader: Gwen Kelaidis April 15 Pollination Ecology Leader: Dr. Boyce Drummond Special Field Trip June 20 - 23 Yampa River Trip Leader; Tamara Naumann continued on page 3 Page 2 Aquifegis Volume 12 ANNOUNCEMENTS Denver Chapter Activities Tuesday, November 22. 7:30 PM Chapter meeting at Den- ver Botanic Gardens, Classroom A. Tina Jones will tell us how to attract birds and wildlife to our backyards. December 28, 7:30 PM Chapter meeting at Denver Botanic Gardens. Classroom A. Potluck and Castlewood Canyon plant preparation. Bring a dish to share and help Ron Ab- bott and Jeff Uhiich prepare some herbarium sheets. Meetings for the Denver Chapter take place the 4th Wed- nesday of each month, unless othenA/ise indicated (see above). They are located at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Classroom A. Pianet in Peril: Restoring the Balance Disquieting changes are modifying the earth’s air, land and water systems. These changes are disrupting an equi- librium which has existed for millions of years. They appear to stem primarily from the actions of a single species, our own. Coping with the influence of human activity on the planet is the topic of a conference to be held at the University of Colorado in February of 1989. The conference will address ways in which human-caused disruptions can be slowed enough to restore the healthy functioning of planetary sys- tems: systems on which all life, including ourselves, depends. The nature of the coming changes and possible responses will be discussed by scientists and policymakers such as Steven Schneider, Noe! Brown, Erik Arrenheius, Ralph Cicerone, and Senator Tim Wirth, as well as leaders of na- tional organizations such as World Resources Institute, En- vironmental Defense Fund, and others. Conference topics include: the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, energy and the industrial revolution, inequities between nations, local impacts, the role of the private sector, with a strong emphasis on constructive solutions. Sponsored by the CU Environmental Center, the con- ference will be h^d at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO on February 3rd through 5th, 1 989. The conference ffee, not including a dance and Saturday lunch, is $18. For more information, contact the CU Environmental Center, Campus Box 207, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309; phone (303)492-8308. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes October 1, 1988 The meeting of the Colorado Native Plant Society Board of Directors was called to order by President Eleanor Von Bar- gen at approximately 4:40PM at the home of Tamara Naumann in Boulder. Attending were the President, Eleanor Von Bargen; Vice President, Tamara Naumann; Secretary, Margaret Van Ness; Conservation Chairperson, Sue Martin; Field Trip Chairperson Jeff Dawson; Denver Chapter President, Carol Dawson; Boulder Chapter Presi- dent, Margie Wortzman; and Directors Velma Richards, Gayle Weinstein, Jim Borland, Elizabeth Otto and Brian Geils. The minutes of the last meeting were approved as corrected. The election of officers for the 1988-1989 term was led by Velma Richards. Eleanor Von Bargen will serve as President; Beth Painter as Vice President; Myrna Steinkamp as Treasurer, and Margaret Van Ness as Secretary. Eleanor passed out copies of the proposed waiver for field trip participants. She asked that the Board review the waiver and comment on it at the next meeting. The Federated Garden Club will have a booth, "Everything is Coming up Roses", at the Home and Garden Show and has offered CONPS a chance to have a display at that booth. This and possible CONPS handouts was briefly dis- cussed and will be discussed in more detail at a later meet- ing. Richard Brune is interested in producing a brochure on the natural points of interest at Pawnee Grassland and has asked if the Society would contribute $250 toward its pub- lication. Eleanor will try to get more details on this project. An impending reservoir north of Kremmling will affect an Astragalus and a Penstemon species which are of special interest. John Anderson has asked if the Society is inter- ested in sending a representative to the hearing on this reservoir. Carol Dawson is familiar with the plants and will try to attend the hearing [see report, page 4]. The meeting was adjourned at 5:45PM. Number 6 Aquilegia Page 3 Colorado Gentian, continued from page 1 Las Animas Co. northeastward as far as Two Buttes Reser- ^^voir on the Prowers/Baca County line. A couple of scattered stations occur near the Carrizo Mesa to the southeast of Kim. Card Kuhn, formerly of the University of Kansas Herbarium, conducted an extensive search for Cdorado gentian in 1987, checking likely areas in Baca, Bent, Las Animas, Otero and Prowers counties. Her work, funded jointly by the Nature Conservancy, Colorado Dept, of Natural Resources and U.S. Forest Service, increased the number of known occurrences from six to 33. Ail of these occurrences fall Into the distribution ar^ described above, which Kuhn observed roughly coincides with the route of the Grenada Santa Fe Trail along the course of Two Buttes Creek. As Curator of Plants with the Nebraska Statewide Ar- boretum, I have spent time observing this species in the field and cdlecting seed for our joint program with the Center for Plant Conservation. 1 have looked for the Cdorado gentian in likely areas near the Black Mesa In the extreme western Oklahoma panhandle and south of the Mesa de Maya in northeastern New Mexico. To date, no locations for this species outside of Colorado have been found. Why is the limited range of the Colorado gentian of Inter- est? The prairies of the Great Plains are In general com- ^»^prised of plants with rather broad areas of distribution. Rare ^ species are themselves a rarity in this region, which ex- tends from the foothills of the Rockies eastward Into Mis- souri, Iowa and Minnesota and from the Canadian border south Into Texas. The Cdorado gentian is notable In that it may have the most limited distribution of any plant endemic to the Great Plains. field lead me to suspect that it is a monocarpic perennial. Such plants exist In a vegetative (non-flowering) state for a period of time, perhaps years, only to die in the year that they do bloom and produce seed. This pattern has been noted in Frasera caroflniensis, a species of the eastern U.S., which exists as a rosette for many years before flower- ing and subsequently dying. I have observed Cdorado gentian plants in early September, full of ripe fruit, with yel- lowing rosettes which appear to be dying. If this species is a monocarpic perennial, just what stimu- lates It to flower? Is It the age of the plant or certain environ- mental stimuli? Does it exhibit the synchronous flowering pattern reported for Frasera speciosa, where a total ab- sence of flowering will occur in a colony in some years, fol- lowed by abundant flowering in others? Here are opportunities for professional or non-professional botanists, through careful observation, to make valuable contributions to our understanding of a rare species. How rare is the Cdorado gentian? Is it in need of protec- tion? Carol Kuhn’s assessment after extensive observation was that, while restricted in distribution, the species is abufxlant, even prolific, within its range. The most sig- nificant threat to the Colorado gentian appears to be graz- ing by cattle in mid to late summer, when little other forage is available. Based on this, she recommended threatened status and suggested that local ranchers be encouraged to protect areas from grazing occasionally to allow the plants to mature and produce seed. She also noted that the Colorado gentian occurs on state-owned land at the Two Buttes State Wildlife Area and recommended this area as a protected site for the species. Just why this species only occurs where It does Is a ques- tion that Invites further investigation. We hope that anyone who seeks answers here will also consider that its nearest relatives, aside from the previously mentioned Frasera speciosa, are found only as near as northwest Hm Mexico and southwest Colorado. Perhaps at one time there were linking populations between the Colorado gentian and Its relatives on the other sWe of the Rockies that have since faded away. A challenging problem for plant geographers! Those wanting to view this plant in the wild would find it most accessible at Two Buttes Reservoir. Look for it ir rocky areas on both the north and south sides of the reser- voir. Colorado gentian Is one of several Interesting species from this region of mesas and vast horizons. Other restricted or relatively rare plants from southeastern Colorado Include Ascfepias uncialis, Astragalus puniceus, Haplopappus engelmannil, Haplopappus fremontii ssp. monocephalus, Lesquerella calcicofa and Oenothera har- ringtonii. Perhaps more species await discovery in this beautiful but little-travel^ region of the state. Page 4 AquHegia Volume 12 Endangered Species: New Listings Carol Dawson Two Colorado plant species from Middle Park have been proposed for federal listing as endangered species. The two species. Astragalus osterhoutii (Osterhout milkvetch) and Penstamon penlandii (Penland teardtongue), are toth restricted to the shale badlands around the town of Kremmling. The Osterhout milkvetch is a tall bushy Astragalus up to 100 cm. high with large white flowers and pendulous pods. It occurs in scattered colonies along Muddy Creek and its tributaries and T roublesome Creek, near the town of Krem- mling. Penland's penstemon Is a short plant with linear leaves. Just like the Osterhout milkvetch, it has large showy flowers. The flowers have blue lobes with violet throats. The single population which occurs in the badlands between Troublesome Creek and Sulphur Gulch may contain ap- proximately 5000 plants. Both of these plant populations are threatened by the proposed Muddy Creek Reservoir. The lower edges of the Osterhout milkvetch population would be inundate by the proposed reservoir. Additional Impacts on both species would stem from the recreational use of the reservoir and the surrounding benches. Penland*s penstemon would be especially vulnerable to off-road vehicle damage. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reopened the comment period on these two species until October 24, 1988. A public hearing was also held in Kremmling on October 1 3th, as requested by the Colorado River Water District and the Grand County Board of Commissioners, i attended and represented the Society and the Center for Plant Conser- vation* in favor of protection. Even though the hearing was sparsely attended, and other speakers (representing project proponents) opposed designation, it appears the end result will be full protection of both these species. * For those not familiar with this organization, the Center is a consortium of 1 9 botanic gardens and arboreta, includ- ing DBG, dedicated to bringing rare plants Into cultivation before they become critically endangered In the wild. Seeds are placed in storage and grown on a rotating basis to ensure long-term survival of the species. Edible and Medicinal Plants rv Workshop Report by Becky Varle This workshop was held on Saturday, Sept. 10 in the Mor- rison Center at Denver Botanic Gardens. Tina Jones, a member of the CONPS’ Board of Directors, led the group. Tina first presented a number of books she recommended that we might wish to read, including A Practical Guide to Edible and Useful Plants, by Velena Tull, and Edible and Useful WHdplants of the Urban West, by Alan and Sue McPherson, Next, we were shown slides of many plants while Tina told us how each, or parts of each, could be used and where to find them, she pointed out the dangers of mistaking poisonous for safe plants, poisonous parts of plants for safe parts of the same plant, and how some are safe at cer- tain stages of development and poisonous at other times. We were cautioned as to where it Is and isn’t legal to gather wild plants, and the importance of not damaging local ecosystems when looking for and gathering wild plants. Some of the species discussed included purslane (Por- tulaca oferacea), cheeseweed {Malva neglecta), amaranth {Amaranthus retroffexus), prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), curly dock (Rumex crispus), common sunflower (Heiian- thus annuus), cow parsnip {Heradeum sphondylium), stinging nettle (Urticadioica), broadleaf plantain {Plantag^' major) and yucca {Yucca glauca), ' Following the slide presentation and lecture, Tina showed us how to prepare some edible plants she had brought along. It was interesting to see the actual preparation of the various plants for eating. Afterward, we feasted on batter- fried milkweed flowers and yucca flowers, Jerusalem ar- tichoke, wild plums, pennycress {Thiaspi arvense), prickly pears, sunflower sprouts, boiled cattail roots and shoots, and skunkbush {Rhus trilobata) tea. The food was deli- cious, capping a most rewarding and informative morning. All participants were left eager to go out and start gather- ing useful plants for themselves. Number 6 Aquilegia Pages 1989 Yampa River Botanical Expedition June 20 - 23, 1989 (Tentative) Tamara Naumann Mark your calendars and start saving your pennies now for a botanical rafting adventure you’ll never forget! Experience the unparalleled beauty and excitement of Dinosaur National Monument canyon country while catching glimpses of some of Colorado’s rare plants. Tamara Naumann (botanist with the Colorado Natural Areas Program) has proposed a CONPS field trip of unprecedented proportions. Here’s the scoop: WHAT: Four days and three nights on the Yampa River with botanicai stops and side trips. WHO: CONPS members, including trip leader Tamara Naumann, and LeGrand Adventures, a professional river guide com- pany. We also have an opportunity to invite the geologist who prepared the geologic map of Dinosaur National Monument as a guest resource person, if there is interest. COST: The cost is $320. representing a discount from the regular commercial rate and including delicious meals (prepared by LeGrand Adventures staff), plus all rafting equipment, life jackets, and dry bags (excludes personal camping gear). RESERVATIONS: The trip will be limited to 20 participants, so reserve your space now by contacting Tamara Naumann (440- 8933, eves.) or Jeff Dawson (722-6758. eves.), A $100 non-refundable deposit will be required by Feb. 1, 1989, [If you must cancel your reservation, your deposit will be refunded if you find someone to take your place] Payment in full is due one month before the trip. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. CONDITIONS: The trip will be canceled and deposits refunded if we are unable to rustle up 15 participants by March 15th, Sorry children under 10 years of age are not permitted on this trip. We are hoping that sufficient advance notice will enable CONPS members to plan for a terrific botanical vacation adventure. The advantages of going with a commercial guide company are: • a guaranteed launch date; • no menu-planning or food shopping responsibilities (although we may be asked to pitch in with cooking and clean- up): « thi-guides are licensed and experienced, and the equipment is taken care of; • we will essentially have a "private party*' trip with emphasis on botanical points of Interest. The botanical treasures of the Yampa Canyon are the high- light of the expedition. Natural Areas Program botanists have conducted floristic inventories in Dinosaur National Monument for the past two field seasons, mapping localities for such rarities as Epipactis gigantea, Oirsium ownbeyh Zigadenus vaginatus, Aiiium nevadense, Oenothera acutissima, Adiantum capiflus-venerls, and others you have read about here in Aquiiegia. The 1989 Yampa River Botanical Expedition is an extraordinary op- portunity for adventurers with a botanical bent (or botanists with a penchant for thrills). A suggested reading list will be supplied in advance by the trip leader, Call Tamara if you have questions or want to be talked into it! Page 6 Aquilegia Volume 12 About Our Illustrations Sally Whhe ^ Suspecting that you may have grown weary of the same illustrations (and noting a dearth of new material being submittal), we have provided something a bit different this issue and iast. The grass illustrations we’ve been using are xerographic reproductions of actual plant specimens - an easy and inexpensive way to obtain accurate renditions, introduced to me by Julie Duncan. This note is Included at the request of Rick Brune to acquaint other CONPS members with a technique ac- cessible to most plant enthusiasts. Fresh plant specimens may be loosely taped to paper, or simply arranged on a copier plate. Herbarium sf^clmens would undoubtedly work equally well. The original copies of a plant specimen retain an almost photographic three-dimensional quality, with halftones nicely reproduced. Second- generation copies, and subsequent prints such as those in this issue, will appear more like line drawings, having greater contrast as the halftones are lost. Although this technique can never replace quality scientific illustration, it does offer several advantages. For teachers, field trip leaders, preparers of informal plant guides, xerography provides a quick means to ob- tain accurate plant illustrations for stu- dents. As the actual plant is used, the proportions and field appearance are retained. And of course, it's a fun way to make an Identification reference collection, x, without the need to maintain an entire her- barium. This technique should be readily^"'-'-^^ applicable to other plant groups. Peter-,r^^ Root reports that fern specimens are often photocopied to be mailed to distant ex- perts for verification. The copied images can also be scanned into computer graphics form. This refine- ment of the process adds flexibility, but in- creases expense. This allows the image to be edited, scaled to fit any desired size, placed anywhere on a page, and reused in subsequent documents or for other pur- poses. The Illustration of Switchgrass on this page was produced this way. Some loss of resolution will inevitably occur, depending on the capabilities of scanner and computer, but the result is still an ef- fective illustration. Compare it to the original copy used in the last issue. Switchgrass Panicum virgatum If you experiment with this technique using other plants, or develop additional variations, please let us know your results. Other botanists will be interested, and we can report in future issues of Aquilegia, If you send us copies of your successes, we’ll use them in future issues. Need we add, we still welcome original drawings of interesting plants (or anything!) for publication. Number 6 Aquilegia Page 7 About CON PS Workshops Bill Jennings The Colorado Native Plant Society workshop series was established with the objective of having something to do during the winter when field trips are impossible. Since the first workshop in January 1985, twenty-seven have been held. Our concept of a workshop for plant identification means bringing together plant lovers and a well-informed instruc- tor who has photographs, herbarium specimens and live plants for the attendees to study hands-on, with oppor- tunities for one-on-one interaction with the instructor as welt as lectures to the group as a whole. No special skills or requirements, other than a love of plants and a desire to learn, are necessary for attending a workshop. Even though the descriptions may make these workshops sound highly technical, the case is exactly the opposite. The objective is to demystify plant identification and to allow the confused but sincere plant lover to better enjoy and understand native plants. Other workshops, such as our Presettlement Vegetation Workshop in January, are of more general interest to plant enthusiasts. A schedule and description of winter workshops for this year appears on the following pages. Registration for Workshops Enrollment in workshops is always limited, usually due to room constraints, so you must register in advance. Contact CONPS workshop coordinator for registration and workshop information: Bill Jennings, 360 Martin Dr., Boulder, 80303, 494-5159, Be sure to include your mailing address and phone number if you mail in your registration. Registrants will be notified by mail about two weeks prior to the workshop regarding final location, time, lunch, suggested references, etc. Please register promptly, as workshops tend to fill up fast. However, can- cellations sometimes create openings, so you might want to check with Bill up to the night before the workshop if you want to try to register at the last minute. Unless otherwise noted, the fee for each full-day workshop is $8 for members and $16 for non-members. If you plan to attend more than one workshop per year as a non-member, it is cheaper to join CONPS as an individual member ($8 per year) and come to workshops as a member. Please hold payments until the day of the workshop. It takes considerable time and effort for the instructors to plan and develop workshops and field trips. Please let us know how you like the workshops and field trips offered by CONPS. We need your suggestions for other workshops and trips, as well as your feedback on whether you found them informative and exciting or dull and uninteresting. We need to know whether we are serving you, our members, the way you wish. Pages Aquilegia Volume 12 CONPS Workshops Winter, 1988-1989 1 ^ Carex Saturday, December 10, 1988 Dr. David Cooper The grasslike monocots (grasses, rushes and sedges) are usually avoided by wildflower lovers because identification is thought to be dif- ficult or because the floral parts are not photogenic. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to get over your fear of this important genus. We will learn the characteristic features of sedges, key a num- ber of species, ar^J become familiar with the major regional species. To be held at the Colorado School of Mines, Golden. Pre- and Post-Settlement Vegetation of the Arkansas Valley Saturday, January 14, 1989 Dr. Dexter W. Hess Fee: $5 ($10, nonmembers) This workshop will detail the problems as welt as the enjoyment of sear- ching for clues about the early vegetation (pre-1830) and the changes that have occurred since that time in the lower Arkansas River drainage in Colorado, specifically In the vicinity of Bent’s Old Fort National His- toric Site near U Junta, Participants will have access to reprints of early records, diaries, travelogues, and government reports: photographs; and herbarium specimens as they attempt to reconstruct the past. This half-day workshop (9AM to 12:30PM) will be held at the Foothills Na- ture Center in Boulder. HIgh-Altitude Grasses Saturday, February 4, 1989 Dr. Helen M. Zeiner Fee: $5 ($10, nonmembers) Grasses are considered by many to be difficult to identify or under- stand because of the lack of big. showy flowers and because of the specialized terminology necessary for describing the plant parts. At this workshop, Dr. Zeiner will focus on the recognition of the grasses to be found at high altitudes in Colorado, with special emphasis on the Gunnison National Forest area of the western sIPpe, where she has studied the plant life for many years. This half-day workshop (9AM to 12:30PM) will be held at the herbarium, Denver Botanic Gardens. Number 6 Aquilegia Page 9 More Winter Workshops for 1989 . . . Keying Composites Saturday, February 25, 1989 Dr. JQ Anti Flock At last, our first workshop on the daisy familyl After attending this workshop, you can finally identify that scraggly yellow composite you found growing at roadside last sum- mer, In this workshop, the use of Dr, William A. Weber’s extensive keys to the com- posites in both the West Slope Flora and Rocky Mountain Flora will be demonstrated. Usually, only a few features of the composites need be carefully examined to properly identify the plant. What to look for and what these features are called in the keys will be explained. To be held at Foothills Nature Center, Boulder. Penstemons Saturday, March 18. 1989 Gwen Kelaidis The Intermountain region Is a ma|or center for Penstemon species. Though beautiful and often highly prized for horticultural purposes, the many species of Penstemons represented make identification difficult. The primary purpose of this workshop is to enable the botanist to Identify the different sections within genus Penstemon. Once the characteristics differentiating the sections are understood, keying from there to species is usually straightforward. Location to be announced. Pollination Ecology Saturday, April 15, 1989 Dr. Boyce Drummond Through the use of slides, sketches, plant specimens, and probably some arm-waving. Boyce will cover three basic areas vital to understanding the ways plants reproduce themselves: (1) the structure of the flower and the function of the parts in terms of pol- lination requirements: (2) the breeding system of plants or modes of pollination (i.e., wind, water, animal); and (3) the evolutionary interaction of plant and pollinator. To be held in Colorado Springs at Warner Center on the Colorado College campus. NOTE: Please see registration information, page 7. Page 10 AquHegia Volume 12 Shepherdia rotundifolia: The Travails of Getting a Plant to Market Jim Borland The Colorado Plateau is rich in potentially excellent plants for the nursery trade. It is here that one can witness the warm desert species invading the cold desert through its numerous deep canyons. If the interest shown by recent CONPS speakers is any indication, there is developing in- creased awareness of the beauty and versatility of Shepherdia rotundifolia (Roundleaf Buffaloberry), a Cdorado Plateau endemic. Although not found within the political boundaries of the state of Cdorado, this shrub ser- ves as a good example of many Colorado Plateau plants which may find rough going in their introduction into the nursery trade. In fact, this particular species has been in- troduced and re-introduced into the Colorado nursery trade several times over the past several decades. The inveterate plantsman George Kelly has been interested in the merits of Roundleaf Buffaloberry longer than most of us have been alive, and described it in his book Shrubs for the Rocky Mountains. Harry Swift of the now-defunct Western Evergreens nursery in Golden later attempted to introduces, rotundifoiia to the trade, apparently without a great deal of success. Contemporary nurserymen have also attempted to make it available to the buying public. Shepherdia rotundifoiia is one of the few native plants known by only one regularly used common name - Roundleaf Buffaloberry. The genus Shepherdia was named after English botanist John Shepherd, and the specific epithet aptly describes the shape of the leaves which can vary among oval, orbicular or ovate and range from one-quarter to almost two inches in length. The entire plant has a dense covering of silvery stellate hairs which give it a distinctly shiny appearance unlike any other Colorado Plateau plant. Even the edible fruits are similarly adorned. The family to which Shepherdia belongs (Elaeagnaceae) inclines approximately 45 to 50 species worldwide in only three genera {Elaeagnus and Hippophae are the other two). Two other species of Shepherdia [Canada Buf- faloberry, S. canadensis, and Silver Buffaloberry, S. argen- fea] are native to Colorado and, with S. rotundifolia, cover a wide range of elevations and habitats in Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Most people know RourKlleaf Buffaloberry only from the lower elevations of the Colorado Plateau along the southern desert edge of Utah and the Arizona Strip of Nor- thern Arizona. Here it accompanies the Blackbrush {Coleogyne ramosissima), Mormon Tea (Ephedra), Rab- bitbrush (Chiysothamnus) and Shadscale (/(triplex confer- tlfolia) communities of the low, hot and dry deserts. Roundleaf Buffaloberry Is probably best known from along roads artd hiking trails in Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks where it Is usually found growing on rocky hillsides and at the base of cliffs. Inadequate precipitation orothenvise unsuitable habitat may be inhibiting its spread into Colorado or even further north along lower elevation courses. One of the more intriguing features of the species is its habit which includes everything from stiffly upright forms to those which sprawl and occasionally cascade dreamily over boulders. Plants grown from selected Individuals would ordinarily be welcomed in the nursery trade and the landscape industry. However, the process from wild plant to landscape plant is often not a simple one, and with Roundleaf Buffaloberry it is an unusually complicated and difficult one. Propagation from Seeds Seeds, the most easily transported and stored propagules, have various problems. First, seed from the lower elevation plants can be ready to harvest as early as June or July, a time inappropriate for nursery people to be far away from their places of business. No large nurseries are located close to any of the species’ habitats. Because most of the popular locations of the plant are found within the boun- daries of either a National Park or National Monument, the simple act of seed collecting becomes complicated by red tape. Another issue which may cause introduction problems is stock plant or seed provenance. Limited ob- servation indicates that plants grown from seed cdlected at low elevation may not be sufficiently hardy where winter conditions are more severe. Seed production also varies dramatically from year to year. Once the seed gatherer finds an appropriate location, he or she must trust providence that the year produced a bumper crop of fruits. Experience indicates that bumper crops may be produced in some years, and absolutely none in others. Dramatical- ly divergent precipitation patterns and frosts during its flowering season can both adversely affect the species' ability to either flower or fruit. Unfortunately, there Is little or no written information on the germination of seed of this species. My experience with two different seed accessions indicates that one will ex- perience either no difficulty in obtaining germination or that any and ail commonly accepted procedures will result in failure. The seed dormancy mechanism Involved here may be after-ripening, one of the simplest known but one of the most frustrating to overcome. In this dormancy, the seed must spend some pericxl of time after removal from the plant before it is capable of germination. In a desert en- vironment, an after-ripening process positions an early- season-produced seed well for utilizing winter moisture. Number 6 Aquilegia Page 1 1 Travails, eontinued Once germination Is achieved, the seedling also produces ■a very long root system which quickly finds the bottom of iny commonly used germination container. Here it travels around the bottom creating a mass of roots in the container’s most inhospitable environment. Although many of our we^ern dryland species do this, some, includ- ing Roundleaf Buffaloberry, do not tolerate well the lower concentrations of oxygen found in this saturated region erf the container. Nurserymen can overcome this condition with several methods. One is to pinch the root upon transplanting into a larger container thereby forcing the taprcx)t to branch arxi form a larger root system in the upper, more aerated regions of the container. Another Is to use a soil mix whose physical properties provide a higher soil air content than Is necessary for most other nursery plants. Open bottom containers filled with sott and placed on an open mesh bench can also be used to allow more oxygen to penetrate the soil through the con- tainer bottom and 'air prune' the roots entering this region. Roots pruned in this manner will form many new roots be- hind the pruning point, thus providing a small plant with more nutrient- and water-absorbing fine roots. A combination of the use of this type of soil in an open-bot- tom container can provide alt the soil air necessary for good growth of this and other recalcitrant species. Even ^.si^cial attention to watering can help prevent a per- nanently water-logged layer In the container bottom. Un- fortunately, each of these solutions requires special attention or materials which add to the cost of the finished product. If that were not enough, Roundleaf Buffaloberry seedlings are slow-growing, often producing only a few leaves the first year, while other common nursery species complete- ly fill out at least a one gallon container. Although close ex- amination of the one year erfd buffaloberry’s roots would reveal a massive, well formed system, customers do not buy roots. Even after two years’ growth, most nursery grown plants would tereiy qualify as a well-filled one gal- lon container plant. The above opec*"’! conditions are more than sufficient to eliminate th^ oecies from any nurseryman’s list of plants which can grown for a profit! Other Propagation Techniques Propagation through the use of cuttings is not yet a viable alternative. No written information Is available on this type of regeneration. Cutting propagation experience with Roundleaf Buffaloberry’s two relatives, Canada and Silver Buffaloberry, indicates that providing the right conditions for cuttings to root is next to impossible. Hence, both these ^species are propagated through seed methods, and no ^^ietect cultivars are avaifable in the trade. Some promise has been shown, however, in a one-time at- tempt to root S- canadensis cuttings taken in Rocky Moun- tain National Park after several frosts had occurr^. Even without special hormone treatments, over 80% of these cuttings rooted. ProbaWy the main reason thatthis method and timing had not been tried before Is that spring and sum- mer, not fall, Is the usual season for taking cuttings of nurs- ery matertel. Whether or not fall cuttings would work with S. rotundifoiia, the use of cuttings is further complicated by the special anatomical features of Roundleaf Buffalober- ry. Unlike its two deciduous cousins, this species is evergreen and densely covered with stellate hairs which create special problems in the typical greenhouse or nurs- ery mist propagation bench. Extremely hairy ortomentose cuttings often succumb to fungal rots or are feached of nutrients before they have had sufficient time to root. Those fewwhich may root often perform poorly in the subsequent growth phases. A method to resolve this may be fog. Special equipment is used to create a true fog which never condenses on the cuttings and thus may prevent the growth of the offending fungi and the lethal nutrient leaching. As if this were not enough, cuttings rooted in the fall are notoriously difficult to keep alive over winter. Temperatures high enough to root cuttings also affect the degree of dormancy of the resulting rooted cuttings. They carinot be directly placed outdoors, and they cannot be placed inside a warm green- house for further growth since they are at least partially dor- mant and must first experience an extended period at temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. This neces- sitates the use of some kind of structure which prevents the rooted cuttings from getting too warm or too cold. Dr. Harrison Hughes at Colorado State University is cur- rently exploring tissue culture methods on our three species of Shepherdia. Only time will tell if this method will succeed, or whether it will prove practical, in terms of necessary equipment and personnel, for the nursery in- dustry to produce buffaloberry in this manner. Summary This article attempts to convey the barriers to be overcome in introducing promising native plants to landscape use. Even if the reader is not familiar with nursery plant produc- tion, I think he or she would agree that the introduction of this species to the landscape Industry is filled with special problems. Any one of them is sufficient to keep It out of the trade — forever. We have nurserymen to meet the chal- lenge. All we need now are customers to meet the costs. Officerit Schedule of Membership Fees President Eleanor Von Bargen 756-1400 Vice-President Beth Painter 482-2283 Secretary Meg Van Ness 279-2569 Treasurer Myrna P. Steinkamp 226-3371 Board of Directors Lee Barzee (88) Cdo. Spgs. 634-4715 Jim BoilarKi (88) Denver 329-9198 Boyce Drummond (^) Florissant 6^-2025 Mark Galatowitsch (88) Berthoud 532^1635 Tina Jones (89) Denver 759-9701 Neal Osborn (89) Pueblo 546-0319 Elizabeth Otto (88) Idaho Springs 567-2384 Velma Richards (88) Englewood 794-5432 Eleanor Von Bargen (89) Denver 756-1400 Gayle Weinstein (89) Denver 333-3024 Chapter Presidents (Members of Board) Boulder Virginia Crosby 666-5303 Denver Metro Carol Dawson 722-6758 Ft Collins Jennifer Crain 493-2142 Committees Conservation Sue Martin 226-3371 Editorial Peter Root 433-9340 Education Miriam Denham 442-1020 Field Trips Jeff Dawson 722-6758 Florissant Mary Edwards 233-8133 Horticulture/Rehabllitatlon Dorothy Udall 482-9826 Membership Myrna Steinkamp 226-3371 Publicfly Tina Jones 759-9701 Workshops Bill Jennings 494-5159 Life $250.00 Family or Dual $12.00 Supporting 50.00 individuai 8.00 Organization 25.00 Student or Senior 4.00 Membership Renewals and Information Pl^se direct all membership applications, renewals and address changes to the MEMBERSHIP chairperson, in care of the Society’s mailing address. Please direct all other inquiries regarding the Society to the SECRETARY in care of the Society’s mailing address. Newsletter Contributions Please direct all contributions to the newsletter to: Peter Root 4915 West 3lst Avenue Denver, CO 80212 Deadlines for newsletter materials are February 1 5, April 15, June 15, August 15, October 15 and December 15. There is a special need for short Items such as unusual In- formation about a plant, a little known botanical term, etc. Please include author's name and address, although Items will be printed anonymously rf requested. RETURN AND MAILING ADDRESS Colorado Native Plant Society P.O.Box 200 Fort CoUins, Colorado 80522 Non-profit Organization U.S, Postage PAID Permit #1475 Denver, Colorado Time Value Material - Mailed on or about November 20