Aquilegia Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society . . dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora” 2007 Field Trips The Colorado Native Plant Society is pleased to present the field trips for 2007! We hope everyone in the society takes an opportu- nity to join us this spring and summer! We are looking forward to a diverse set of trips to virtually all major life zones in the state. This year we are including two trips to count butterflies and study their nectaring plants, plus several trips co-sponsored by our good friends at the Colorado Natural Areas Program. Take an opportu- nity to get out see what's blooming! Tentatively, we plan to limit these trips to 20 individuals or fewer, per trip. If requests exceed the ceiling of 20, we will decide if the trips can be expanded to accommodate the interest level. Some trip leaders have requested fewer than 20, so read the trip description and be sure to register with the leader or other contacts that are listed. Also, please note that CONPS has set policies for society-sponsored field trips. The policies include the following: 1) refrain from plant collecting except for scientific study, 2) we encourage ride and cost sharing for the trips, 3) no pets on trips, 4) trips are typically aimed at adult audiences unless otherwise spec- ified, and 5) participants must sign a waiver and release of liabili- ty form. The written policies and waiver form can be accessed at http://www.conps.org/field_trips.html. Questions on the field trip program can be forwarded to Steve Yarbrough at westernecologi- cal@msn.com. Always be prepared for changes in weather. Dress in layers and bring appropriate rain gear. Don't forget snacks and plenty of water. Sunscreen and a good hat are certainly tools of the trade! —Steve Yarborough, Field Trips Committee Chair Duck Creek, Rio Blanco County May 12 Leaders: Colorado Natural Areas Program (CNAP) staff Duck Creek, an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and a registered Colorado Natural Area, has the best population of the federally-threatened Lesquerella congesta. Members will revisit existing monitoring transects to gather data that will complement information collected by CONPS in 2006. This trip is limited to 10 participants. To register, contact Steve Yarbrough at westerne- cological@msn.com. Denver Botanic Gardens June 11, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Leader: Panayoti Kelaidis For much of their first half century, most of the plantings at Den- ver Botanic Gardens focused on relatively conventional gardens you would expect to find at any botanic garden: herb gardens, “Field Trips” continues on page 2 Contents Field Trips 1-4 Who’s in the Name? 5 Conservation Corner 6-7 Article 8-9 Tales from the Field 10 Book Review 11 Announcements 12-14 About the Society 15 Calendar 16 Volume 3 1 Number 2 Summer 2007 2007 FIELDTRIPS (continued from page 1) annual test gardens, iris, daylily and dahlia beds. Many members and visitors are probably not aware that starting 30 years ago a remarkable series of gardens have been created featuring native Colorado and Western plants. Four of these are unirrigated in order to acconmiodate the di 7 taste of native lowlanders (Dryland Mesa, Plains Garden, Sacred Earth, Anna's Overlook) and many more are minimally watered (Western Panoramas, Wildflower Treasures, Gates). Altogether, they encompass the finest cultivat- ed collections of wildtlowers of the Great Plains, Rocky Moun- tains and Intermountain region. The first week of June is usually the very peak of color and interest in these exti*aordinary gardens. It will be a pleasure for Denver Botanic Gardens staff to guide members of CONPS through them. NE Colorado Sandhills & Sandstone Bluffs Flora June 19 Leader; Bruce Bosley This field trip will be conducted in the wide open spaces of east- ern Yuma County, so there will be an overnight option. This sum- mer will likely be a fantastic wildflower show based on the snows (and accompanying moisture). Carpooling will be arranged from Ft. Collins. For more information contact Bruce Bosley (970-842- 2120 or Bruce. Bosley (a)colostate.edu) or Denise Culver (970- 491-2998) Native Orchid Hike to Peaceful Valley June 24, 2007 Leader: Denise Wilson and Scott Smith This hike, along the Middle St. Vrain into Peaceful Valley, will hit the trail to see some 1 1 species of our native orchids in their wild habitat, including the Fairy Slipper and Clustered Lady's- slipper. The drive up the Peak to Peak Highway is about one hour and 45 minutes through beautiful scenery; we will meet at Vic's Coffee on the east side of the Albertson's parking lot at 30th and Iris in Boulder at 8;00am. Expect variable weather, ten'ain, some altitude gain, and a little bog walking, and bring a lunch. We should return by 4pm. Because of the length of the trip, the mod- erate difficulty, and sensitivity to trampling, unfortunately, we must limit the number of participants to 12. We will have an addi- tional two leaders to help spot the plants. This is a slow hike due to the photo opportunities. Contact Denise to register at denisewil(a)aol.com. Boulder County Native Seed Collection June 27, evening Boulder area location and time TBA; please check the conps.org website for updates. This is the first of four collection days and it is in collaboration with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) and Boulder County Parks and Open Space. The CONPS Boulder Chapter will provide yummy snacks and drinks to kick-off this collaboration! Many land restoration projects depend on precious hand collected native seed because purchased seeds are unavail- able, too expensive, or not an acceptable match to the local native species ecotypes. During these seed collection sessions, we will hand collect a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. These seeds will be multi- plied agriculturally by an inter-government agency partnership. This process increases (100 or 1000 fold) the amount of locally adapted grass seed that is available for revegetation projects on local public lands. Seed collection is more than a series of volun- teer projects; it’s a program to develop a pipeline for gathering, multiplying, and distributing native seed for important restoration projects. The county will choose the location based on seed ripeness/needs at a later date. No experience necessary. Minimum age: 8 with an adult. Additional dates: July 18, Aug 15, Sept 19. Please RSVP with Deby Stabler (303-902-4679; debystabler(a)yahoo.com) or WRV at info (® wlrv.org and be sure to mention you are with the CONPS. Hanging Lake Trail Leaders: Denise Wilson and Leo P. Bruederle July 1, 10 am-4 pm Although youWe probably driven past the Hanging Lake trail- head numerous times, you may have overlooked this strenuous, yet stunning hike. The Hanging Lake trail follows Dead Horse Creek through riparian plant communities that include elements from eastern North America, as well as numerous ferns and moss- es. At trail’s end, hikers are greeted by Hanging Lake, which is encircled by weeping (and spouting) limestone cliffs replete with hanging gardens. Although we will meet at the trailhead for this daylong field trip, car pooling will be available... and some folks may want to head to the Glenwood Hot Springs afterward. Con- tact Leo at leo.bruederle(a)cuden ver.edu or 303-556-3419. Page 2 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2. 2007 FIELDTRIPS (continued from page 2) Cal Wood Butterfly Count July 3-4 Leader: Janet Chu Meet at 8:00 am (if not staying overnight at Cal- Wood) at Safe- way's northern pai'king lot facing Ii'is and 28th St. in Boulder, to carpool. Or drive up to the Geier's Meadow, next to Cal- Wood by 9:00 am (if participants come from Lyons or Nederland). Identifi- cation in tlie field with experts. There will be lots of teaching and learning from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 pm From 2:30 pm on we will compile the day's butterfly count. Robert Michael Pyle will join the groups on July 3 and 4. His recently published book is receiving great acclaim. Sky Time in Gray's River - Living for Keeps in a Forgotten Place captures the essence of a northern place, its people, traditions and natural histoiy. CONPS members will be most welcome to join us on either this or the following Gilpin County butterfly count events. We will pay special attention to finding the host plants for cateipillars, as well as nectaring plants. Anyone who registers ahead of time will be sent a list of plants and butterflies that I have compiled for Boulder County and environs. Please contact Jan at 303-494-1108 or e-mail chuhouse@hotmail.com. Let us know you're coming. Registration forms will tlien be e-mailed or snail-mailed. Two Buttes & Shell Rock Natural Area Date: July 7, 2007 (with potential option on July 8) Leaders: Colorado Natural Areas Program (CNAP) staff Two Buttes, Prowers County, is a distinct laiidform on the east- ern slope that also has a population of the rare Frasera coloraden- sis (Colorado Gentian). This area will be surveyed to determine the extent of the rare plant. For those able to camp for the night near Two Buttes, an additional survey for F. coloradensis will be completed the next day at the designated Shell Rock Natural Area in nearby Baca County. To register, contact Steve Yarbrough at westemecological@msn.com. Gilpin County Butterfly Count July 8, 8:15 am - 2:30 pm Leader: Janet Chu A butterfly count will be conducted. The results will be compiled into a master list later in the day at Ray and Kit Stanford's cabin above Central City. Maps to the cabin, and also permits to enter the Jefferson County Open Space areas, will be provided when you arrive at 8:15 am. We will meet at 8:15 am at the east side of Tun- nel 1, along Hwy 6, west of Golden. We will carpool from there. Each of the count results is reported to the North America But- terfly Association. $3.00 is collected for each count. The 2006 results for counts in North America, including Mexico may be purchased at this time for $6.00. Please Contact Jan at 303-494-1108 or e-mail chuhouse@hot- mail.com for more information and to register. Fens of South Park July 15 Leaders: Steve Yarbrough Join us for a full day of exploring the fen wetlands of South Park, Park County. The trip will begin with a fun stop at Teter Fen, near Michigan Hill. Additional stops may include Fremont Fen and Tarayall Mire Complex. We will end the day at the High Creek Fen. The day will feature many rare plants including Prim- ula egaliksensis, Carex scirpoidea, Carex livida, Trichophorum pumilium, Packera pauciflora, Ptilagrostis porteri, Sisyrinchium pallidum, and Salix Candida. We also discuss their hydrogeology and soil. To register, contact Steve Yarbrough at westernecologi- cal@msn.com. Lake Pueblo State Park August 5-6 Leaders: Michelle DePrenger-Levin & Jenny Ramp Neale (DBG) We will be monitoring the rare shrub, Frankenia James ii, known only from the Arkansas river valley. A biological control beetle has been released to fight Tamarix ssp., which occur in close prox- imity to the native shrub. The two families are closely related and thus any non-target effects of the beetle are most likely to occur on Frankenia. Join Denver Botanic Gardens staff to monitor the pop- ulations of Frankenia jamesii, examine possible effects of the beetle, and learn about the rare plant communities containing Frankenia James ii. We will camp Sunday night in the park and monitor the populations Monday mornmg. This trip is limited to 10 paiticipants, camping costs will be cov- ered and some meals may be included. Sunday night there will be a presentation on the flora of the area and our study. For more information or if you are interested in carpooling, contact Michelle at 720-865-3630 or deprengm@botanicgardens.org. “Field trips” continues on page 4 Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 3 2007 Field Trips (continued from page 3) Glade Reservoir Plant Survey May 19 and August 18 Leaders: Denise Culver & Mark Easter We will survey for rare plants and create a species list within the proposed areas for the Glade Reservoir project. We will be look- ing for Bell's twinpod {Physaria bellii), Colorado butterfly plant {Gaura neomexicana ssp. colorandoensis) and Ute ladies' tresses {Spiranthes diluvialis) north of Ted's Place and the Environmental Learning Center. For more information on the Glade Reservoir project see www.savethepoudre.org. Contact Denise Culver (970) 491-2998 or Denise.Culver(a)colostate.edu for more infor- mation. Winter Botany at Brainard Lake Recreation Area January 12, 2008, 11:00 am Leader: Leo P. Bruederle Leo Bruederle will once again attempt to lead a trip emphasizing identification of plants in their winter condition (NOTE: a similar trip was cancelled in 2007 due to low temperatures). Brainard Lake Recreation Area is in the Roosevelt National Forest west of Ward, CO (Boulder County). As such, we will be snowshoeing through subalpine meadows, forests, and woodlands, while identi- fying the prominent shrubs and trees dominating the gently slop- ing landscape. However, we will also take advantage of our understanding of basic botany to identify weeds and other herba- ceous plants using characteristics of their growth form, inflores- cence, and fruit. Why put our hand lenses and field keys away in September with winter botany still ahead. To register for this field trip co-sponsored by the UCDHSC Department of Biology, please contact Leo at leo.bruederle(a)cudenver.edu or 303-556-3419. SAVE THE DATE! CONPS 2007 ANNUAL MEETING When: Weekend of September 7th to 9th Where: University of Colorado, Boulder Campus What: Botany Goes Buggy in Boulder: Plants and Insects! The Boulder Chapter is pleased to host the 2007 Annual Meeting to explore the interac- tions between plants and insects. The schedule will follow the traditional format with warm- up events on Friday evening, speakers on Saturday, and field trips on Sunday. Come get BUGGY with BOTANY in BOULDER! Details to follow in a special mailing this summer. Page 4 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2 WHO ’S IN THAT NAME? George Engelmann by Al Schneider Picea engelmannii, Erigeron engelmannii, Bucephalus engelmannii, Odnopsis engel- mannii, Carex engelmannii, Oenothera engelmannii Photo from: Missouri Botanical Garden Archives, The Collected Works of George Engelmann (1887) George Engelmann was born in Germany in 1809 and died in St. Eouis in 1884. He received his medical degree in 1831 and published his first botanical work in 1833. In Europe he was in the company of Agas- siz and other eminent scientists but in 1832 his adventurous spirit brought him first to New York, then to the intellectual capital of Philadelphia, and on to St. Eouis in 1833. St. Eouis was his home for the next fifty years; he was revered there as an emi- nent physician, a superb botanist, and a gentleman. St. Eouis was, of course, a starting point for many Western explorations and throughout his years there, Engelmann was sought out by many botanists and explor- ers for his expertise, his support (botanical, financial, and moral), and his connections with Eastern botanists Asa Gray and John Torrey. He received and described plant collections from many Western botanists and explorers: Augustus Eendler, John Ere- mont, Charles Geyer, Josiah Gregg, Charles Parry, Eriedrich Wislizenus. He, himself, made a number of collecting trips to Colorado and many other areas of the West and he is honored in the name of many plants, especially in his favorite area of expertise, the Cactaceae. He described, according to Dr. Oscar Soule, 108 Cacti, "over two-thirds of the forms recognized today". In St. Eouis Engelmann was chosen by Henry Shaw, wealthy St. Eouis merchant, as his principal advisor in the forming of the now world famous Missouri Botanical Garden. Shaw consulted with Engelmann, Asa Gray, and William Hooker as he creat- ed the Garden, which opened in 1857. Engelmann bought a 62,000 species plant collection to begin the Garden's Herbari- um, and in 1890, after his death, his own collection of 100,000 specimens, including his collection from Colorado, was donated to the Garden. (The Missouri Botanical Garden's herbarium now has 5.5 million specimens [second largest in the U.S. and sixth in the world]). The herbarium includes 80,000 type specimens. Eive thousand of Engelmann' s letters and 30 boxes of his botanical notes are in the Garden's archives. Engelmann was held in high esteem not only in St. Eouis and in botanical cir- cles but also throughout the United States. He was elected by Congress as one of 50 founding members of the National Academy of Sci- ences. Charles Parry honored George Engel- mann in the name of a most common and beautiful tree, the Engelmann Spruce, Picea engelmanni, which actually was known as Abies engelmanni for several decades after its 1862 discovery by Parry . A new biography of Engelmann is being written by Michael Eong of St. Eouis; it should be out in 2009. Al Schneider is CONPS webmaster and has generously taken the time to write our ‘Who’s in that Name?’ Column. He can be reached at webmaster@conps.org. Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 5 CONSERVATION CORNER Native Prairie Restoration At Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge by Terry Wright Establishing native prairie at an EPA Superfund site is a unique task currently being undertaken by the U.S. Eish and Wildlife Ser- vice at the 16,000 acre Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (RMANWR) located in Commerce City, Colorado. Even though the Arsenal has a history of being one of the most contami- nated landscapes in the United States, about 4,500 acres of native prairie have already been restored, and an additional 6,200 acres are identified for restoration prior to the year 2012. The story of the Arsenal as a chemical weapons production facil- ity and as a pesticide producing facility and the associated contam- ination clean-up is well known. What may not be well known was that by 1942, most of the original native shortgrass prairie within the Arsenal had already been permanently destroyed as a result of the farming activities from homesteaders. When the Army took over the site in 1942, most farmground was abandoned and revert- ed to weeds. The Army did seed thousands of these acres to crested wheatgrass during the 1950's to alleviate some of the problems created by these “go back” fields, primarily to prevent blowing tumbleweeds from collecting around buildings, parking lots, and on equipment. To restore areas with the extensive weed seed bank present at RMANWR, the U.S. Eish and Wildlife Service uses a variety of special techniques and equipment. The seed mixes are specific to soil textures and contain adapted native species that can survive in a 13" mean annual precipitation zone. A weed-free, properly compacted seedbed is the most important starting point to restoration success. The seedbed preparation Drill Seeder Blazing star starts two years in advance of seeding, and typically involves the use of herbicides such as Roundup to kill any undesirable exist- ing vegetation. This is followed by some sort of mechanical tillage, usually plowing and/or disking, which improves soil tilth. Chemicals like Roundup herbicide are used to keep the ground weed-free over the remaining portion of the summer. If the future seedbed is a borrow area where topsoil has been removed, soil amendment (composted cow manure) is added to replace the organic matter that was lost with the original topsoil. At the start of the second growing season, cover crops like grain sorghum (milo) or oats are planted. Cover crops compete with germinating weeds, add nutrients to the soil, help collect snow- fall in the winter for additional moisture, improve soil tilth, and provide additional cover and food for wildlife. It is important to manage the cover crops so they do not get too tall or produce viable seedheads. This can be done by mowing or chemical treat- ment. The crop stubble is then left standing through the winter. When the third growing season arrives, a final application of Roundup herbicide is made over the crop stubble to kill any ger- minating weedy plants. The stubble is left alone and there are no more mechanical tillage treatments. This helps preserve soil moisture and keeps the seedbed firm. The final native seed mix is then drilled directly into the crop stubble. Our native prairie seed mixes typically consist of about 80-90% native grasses, 5% shrubs, and 10-15% forbs. On the sandier soils, the major species include blue grama {Bouteloua gracilis), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), sand bluestem {Andropogon hallii), switchgrass (Panicum virga- tum), prairie sandreed {Calamovilva longifolia), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and Indian ricegrass {Oryzopsis Page 6 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2 CONSERVATION CORNER Volunteers Needed (continued from page 6) - Conservation Activities in the Front hymenoides). On more clayey textured soils, buffalograss, blue grama, western wheatgrass {Pascopyron smithii), and green needlegrass {Nasella viridula) are major species. Forb species include such plants as blue flax (Linum lewisii), blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata), yarrow {Achillea lanulosa), plains coreopsis {Coreopsis tinctoria), dotted gayfeather {Liatris punctata), scarlet globemallow {Sphaeralcea coccinea), narrow- leaf penstemon {Penstemon angustifolius). Rocky mountain bee plant {Cleome surrulata), purple prairie clover {Dalea purpurea), black-eyed susan {Rudbeckia hirta), and prairie coneflower {Rati- bida columnifera). When possible, certain species of grass and forb seed are harvested directly on-site and are used in the seed mixes. Sometimes forbs and shrubs are seeded separately in the fall so that cold stratification of the seed occurs naturally and bet- ter germination results. Six inches of supplemental water is then applied for the first growing season through various types of irrigation systems during the months of June, July and August. In June, more frequent sur- face watering takes place to aid germination. During July, the watering interval gets longer, forcing plant roots to go deeper. In August, the watering interval continues to increase, which helps roots to go deep and helps the plants adapt to drought conditions. Keeping newly seeded grass stands mowed to height of about 12" is required during the first growing season to prevent shading from broadleaved weeds, typically Kochia. Some areas need to be spot sprayed with chemical. Usually, by the third growing season the broadleaved weeds begin to disappear from the stand, and the natives begin dominating. All grass stands need some sort of disturbance over time to keep them healthy and robust. Until recently, prescribed fire has been the only management tool at RMANWR available to reduce thatch levels, invigorate native plants, create vegetative mosaics, and kill unwanted weedy forbs and grasses. However, on March 17, 2007, sixteen bison arrived at RMANWR from the National Bison Range in Montana. As the bison herd increases in size, their natural grazing on restored grasslands in combination with the strategic use of prescribed fire will keep restored grasslands healthy and functioning as they once did. Would you like to give something back to the wild places you love? Please join us to help restore special places in Colorado. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers is a Boulder-based non-profit organization that provides an opportunity for people to learn about their natural environment and take direct action to restore and care for the land. WRV organizes over 20 volunteer stewardship pro- jects per year in the greater Front Range area. We collaborate closely with local open space departments, Col- orado State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and several other agen- cies every year to protect wild lands! Restoration projects are a lot of fun and no experience is required. Just A few of our 2007 projects: June 2 — Castle Rock Restoration June 20 — Tamarisk Removal (St. Vrain State Park) July 6 — Phantom Canyon Restoration (Nature Conservancy) July 18 — Native Seed Collection (Blder Cty Open Space) Aug 23-26 — Crater Lakes Trail Restoration (Wilderness) Sept 22 — Left Hand Canyon Road Closure and Restoration For a full listing of 2007 projects, and to sign up for a project, visit our website at www.wlrv.org, or call 303.543.1411. Blanket flower Terri Wright is a Rangeland Management Specialis at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Contact Terri atTerry_Wright@fws.gov. Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 7 A Bio Blitz in Select Fensof by Johnny Proctor The Fields Studies Committee sponsors plant inventories or other studies by CONPS members or authorized non-mem- bers or groups. The Committee maintains records of species identified or collected by CONPS members or authorized non- members and makes those plant lists avail- able to CONPS members as well as other interested persons as a means of furthering knowledge about and appreciation of our native Colorado flora. For this study, I led recruited participants who set out to relocate and expand surveys in and around historic occur- rences of the round leaved sun- dew, Drosera rotundifolia, in Routt National Forest. In Colorado, round leaved sundew is only known to occur in fens on living sphagnum moss and peat generated by Sphagnum moss (Wolf and Cooper 2006). Fens that support Sphagnum moss are a limited habitat in the Southern Rocky Mountains. Round leaved sun- dew is exceptionally well- adapted to the waterlogged and nutrient poor environment of fens where it derives a signifi- cant proportion of its nutrients through car- nivory. It cannot compete and survive in any other habitat in Colorado. METHODOLGY The importance of fens to regional and local biodiversity is well known. Fens sup- port many rare plant and animal species, and unique communities. With this in mind we recruited 25 seasoned botanists and wetland ecologists to collect the data need- ed at occupied sites to better characterize round leaved sundew's fen habitat in Col- orado and to search for and document other state and globally rare plant species which may also occur in its habitat. The 25 participants were split into five teams. A total of five sites were visited as a result of this effort, three of which had documented round leaved sundew occur- rences, the other two supported similar habitat. Each team was assigned a leader who ensured the following five deliver- ables were accomplished at each site: 1) confirm sundew occurrences and update Element Occurence Records, 2) generate complete vascular plant species lists, 3) collect and voucher all Bryophytes (moss- es and liverworts), noting micro-topogra- phy and send to experts Bill Weber Ph.D. and R.E. Andrus for identification, 4) deposit noteworthy vascular plant discov- ery voucher specimens at CSU and CU, 5) sample water for chemical analysis of pH, Ca, Mg and electronic conductivity at CSU. Also determine pH at each site with mobile peizometers. The group spent one fun night together at a group camp site in the Parks Range (beautiful) and spent two amazing days, searching for sundews, delineating found populations, creating complete vascular plant species lists, collecting and voucher- ing bryophytes and other noteworthy vas- cular plant species and sampling the water chemistry. Fun was had by all! PURPOSE AND NEED EOR STUDY Several factors drove the need for this study. Region 2 of the U.S. Eorest Service had recently released a revised Sensitive Species list which included several plant species that were known to share “fen” habitat with round leaved sundew. Information was needed to manage for these plants and their habitats. During the Sensitive Species Eist revision process 900+ plant species were evaluated, of which some had insufficient information available to determine status including those known to share “fen” habitat with round leaf sundew. Informa- tion was needed on distribution, species biology, habitat requirements and threats for these species. Edward Gage and David Cooper Ph.D. were contracted by Region 2 of the USD A Eorest Service to complete Species Con- servation Assessment for round leaf sun- dew and other fen obligate plant species. Confirmation of round leaved sundew occurrences contributed to that assessment (www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assess- ments/droseraro tundifolia.pdf). Round Eeaved Sundew. Photograph by Andrew Kratz Page 8 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2 North Park STUDY RESULTS All data generated and compiled were provided to the Colorado Natural Her- itage Project (CNHP). Non-sensitive data will be made available on the Field Studies Website http : //w w w. conps . org/field_stud- ies.html. Three of the four historic occurrences of round leaved sundew on the Routt NF were relocated, confirmed and document- ed. The fourth occurrence is in the Zirkel Wilderness Area and will be visited at a later time. One new occurrence of round leaved sundew was found on the Routt NF and documented for that site! Several other rare species were found at new site. Analysis of water chemistry from sam- ples at the round leaved sundew sites determined three of the four sites were intermediate poor fens (pH 4.9 - 5.6, mg/L Ca 1.6 - 5.6, mg/L Mg 0.33-0.72, and EC umhos/cm 21 - 55). The fourth site was a rich fen (pH 4.7, mg/L Ca 11.4, mg/L Mg 1.2, and EC umhos/cm 123). Although this site supports a number of state rare plant species it is relatively species poor with only nine vascular plant species and one Sphagnum moss species. While four of the nine species documented at this site are state rare, it is relatively species poor which is somewhat inconsistent with the water sample results which indicate it is a rich fen. We would like to repeat water chemistry analysis. Three of the four sundew sites observed were Sphagnum rich floating mats of peat in closed basin settings which supported relatively low species richness with 9-15 vascular plant species. The fourth site which is situated on a lakeside hill toe slope and is comprised of several types of Sphagnum rich fen communities including forested fens (alder & spruce), shrub dom- inated fens (bog birch & willow), and four types of graminoid dominated (wire sedge floating mat, livid sedge & Buxbaum's sedge mat, mud sedge & cottongrass float- ing mat) had the greatest species richness including 55 vascular plant species and 14 species of moss. Other rare species were documented at the five sites. Some occurrences were new and some were historic records. New occurrences were discovered and docu- mented for Carex livida, Eriophorum gracile. Sphagnum angustifolium, Utricu- laria minor, Carex leptalea, Menyanthes trifoliata. Rhododendron albiflorum var. warrennii, Trillium ovatum, Carex magellanica var. irrigua, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex limosa, Comarum pulustre, J uncus filiformis, Ligularia bigelovii var. hallii, Peta- sites frigidus var. saggita- tus, Sparganium natans, Carex buxbaumia, Carex interior, Dicranum polyse- tum (2nd record for the Group Plant Keying Session. Photograph by Johnny Proctor. state), Gaultheria humifusa, and Thalic- trum alpinum. Carex diandra was histori- cally documented from the area but was not relocated. Detailed results of this and future field studies will posted at: http : //w w w.conp s . org/field_studies .html. REFERENCES: Wolf, E., E. Gage, and D.J. Cooper. (2006, June 29). Bros era rotundifolia L. (roundleaf sundew): a technical conserva- tion assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Avail- able : http : //WWW. f s . fed .us/r2/proj ects/scp/a ssessments/droserarotundifolia.pdf . Johnny Proctor works for the USES. He is also the CONPS volunteer Eield Studies Committee Chair. You can contact Johnny at jproctor@fs.fed.us. If you are interested in participating in this years Field Studies Project, see announcement for volunteers on page 1 1 . Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 9 TALES FROM THE FIELD Another Glorious Day by Leo P. Bruederle While clearly the best part of my job involves the daily interac- tions with my students, this is second only to the fieldwork - not surprising given the wanderlust encoded by my Teutonic genes. Fortuitously, my systematic research on those sedges comprising the genus Carex has afforded me the opportunity to travel throughout much of the northern reaches of our hemisphere in search of elusive arctic elements and cryptic species. With about 2000 species, Carex is one of the largest genera of plants world- wide. Remarkably, new species are being described annually. Although fieldwork can be tedious - hours, days, and even a life- time searching fruitlessly for an obscure species. However, this tedium is peppered with glorious moments of insight, breathtak- ing views across spectacular landscapes, and, yes, even a mod- icum of adventure. My affair with the sedges began over 30 years ago, and it has led me on searches, and goose chases, from Alaska, through northern Canada from the Northwest Territories to Labrador and New- foundland, to the artic reaches of Iceland and Scandinavia. Dur- ing those travels, I have had the opportunity to explore lands that I had previously only read and dreamed about. And, in the process, I have been deposited in a deserted Inuit village, shot at while hik- ing along James Bay, ogled by bear, stalked by foxes, and harassed by hares. However, my greatest adventure occurred in western Michigan, in the town of Portage, where a colleague, several students, and I were conducting a floristic survey of riparian communities fol- lowing Portage Creek. It was here that we first encountered Albert Johnson, although he was dead at the time... recently deceased. The morning preceding this most unexpected discovery had been uneventful. It was the last day of that field season and under- graduates Lois, Rebecca, and I were looking forward to one final foray scouring the landscape for late blooming asters, pondweeds, and grasses. The day had been uneventful, with few new species added to the list that we had been compiling throughout the year. Yet, Fall in Michigan is glorious and a day in the field is, well, a day in the field. Upon completing our survey that day, we headed inland, passing through an enclave of small cabins, when Lois exclaimed, “It's a body!” to which I responded, “yea, sure.” “No, really,” insisted Lois, “It's a body! And it's dead!” Well, it was a body! A body belonging to the late Albert John- son, as we would learn subsequently from the police record. A body with leathery brown skin and sunken eyes that had seen a great deal over a life spanning many, many years. A body clad in flannel shirt and worn dungarees. A body that had, just a day or two earlier, taken it's last breath while sitting on a bench overlook- ing Portage Creek on a glorious Fall day. Leo Bruederle is the Chair of the Department of Biology at UCDHSC and the President ofCONPS. He can be contacted at leo.bruederle@cudenver.edu. Help sustain the lighter side of Aquilegia and send your funny, gruesome, unbelievable, embellished, terrifying-but-hilarious-in- hindsight, or otherwise entertaining tales from the field to John Giordanengo (john(a)wlrv.org). Please submit -500 words. Photos are welcome. We look forward to hearing your tales soon. Page 10 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2 BOOK REVIEW Flora of the San Juans by Jan Loechell Turner Flora of the San Juans: A Field Guide to the Mountain Plants of Southwestern Colorado. Susan Komarek. Durango, CO: Kivaki Press, 1994. Talented author and illustrator Susan Komarek has produced a book that is useful for anyone interested in identifying plants in the San Juan Mountains and nearby foothills. The keys are accompa- nied by black and white line drawings that serve as a valuable sup- plement to the keys. There is a section of color photos in the mid- dle of the book. In addition to the regular index, there is also a sep- arate index to illustrations and photos. It is extremely impressive that one person could create such a quality illustrated key. The book contains descriptions for over 700 vascular plants, over 300 line drawings, and 64 small, color pho- tos. Komarek has a BS in wildlife biology from Colorado State University. Jan Loechell Turner works at Regis University and is the CONPS Research Grants Committee Chair and is also our source for great book reviews. These and other great books can be purchased through CONPS. Please visit our website for details. CONPS Web Site News Volunteers Needed Degener's Beardtongue Projects Volunteers are needed during the 2007 field season to assist with research on the rare Colorado endemic, Penstemon degeneri. Degener's beardtongue is a local endemic found in the Wet Mountains south of Canon City. Hiking, camping and enthusiasm are the only requirements. Two projects are underway. One is a pollination study to char- acterize the reproductive biology, including effective pollinators, of P. degeneri. Exact dates in late May and early June will depend upon the 2007 blooming season for several populations. Although several days are required throughout the growing sea- son; you are welcome to participate for one or more days at a time. If you are interested in the pollination study contact Carol English @grownative(a)msn.com , or 303-697-3349. The second project is to find new locations of P. degeneri and better describe the habitat. The information we collect will help the Eorest Service and BEM protect and manage populations of Degener's beardtongue. These surveys will occur July 7 and 8. If you are interested in the field surveys, contact: Steve Olson at solsonOl (a)fs.fed.us. Penstemon degeneri Degener’s beardtongue Photograph by Dave Elin. The CoNPS web site, www.conps.org, continues to attract about 2,100 visitors each month and the site continues to expand. Recent additions include updates of programs and field trips on all chapter pages, many new links, several new botanical slide shows, and the daily “Botanical News” page. The latter contains information about conferences, jobs, new books, botanical garden events, EPA actions, research, legislation, etc. If you have botanical news you would like to post on the site or if you have good sources for botanical news, please send the information to webmaster@conps.org. One recent addition to the web site that will be of great value in the coming months is the “Plant Eists” page. Eor many years trip lead- ers have been sending Eoraine Yeatts plant lists compiled on field trips. Eoraine has been formatting and cataloging these and making them available to everyone. These lists are now available on the CoNPS web site and can be easily printed. Take them on your field trips this year and be sure to send your new plant lists to Eoraine. She will format them and be sure they get on the web site. If you do not have web access, you can obtain the lists from Eoraine. Write her for details: 1395 Nile Street, Golden, Colorado 80401. Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 11 Welcome New Members Obituary: Louise Koloff Suzanne Aeverman Cheryl Ames Byrd Bargman Dr. Ellen T. Bauder Dominique Bayne Katie Beeklin Riehard Birnie William & Clara Boros Dr. Deane Bowers John Bregar Raymond Bridge Mary Bruner Pauline Buteher Eriea Christensen Coralie Cobb Jan Collins Cathy Cook Brian D. Core Robert & Beverly Danielson Billie Dawson Catherine Diekert Katharine M. Driver Peggy Dunavan Larry D. Eads Trudi Eldridge Carol English Judy Eairehild Ann Eelty Gretehen Eitzgerald Trish Elaster Devra Eogel Judith M. Eranklin Margaret Eurum Candaee Galen John Godben Lynn Gray Kathleen Green Naney & Vernon Greif Riehard & Gail Grossman Christine Guzy Erank Viehmann & Barbara Gyse Carrie Harrod Edna Hetehler Patriek Hiekey Heather Hopper Cynthia Jaffe Shauna Jensen Diana Jolles Andrew P. Kannen Karen Lamrein Erie Lapriee Warren Levingston Bethany Lewis Lowell Baumunk & Barbara Lewis Lee Lindholm Deane Little Marilyn Meeord Naney Megill Sara MeGimsey Ray Miller Sharon Moore Jessie Morgan Ceeily Mui Sheila Murphy Debra Nieholson Patti O'Neal John & Erin Paden Kristen Philbrook Naney Phillips Mareia Riekey Jenna Ruesehhoff Barbara E. Russell Irene Shepard Naney Shipps Cathern Smith Ellen Smith Larry & Bonnie Sprague Stephanie Szostek Janiee & Brooks Taylor Jennifer Taylor Emily Thurston-Moeneh Ann Trulove Cheryl Wagner Chris Wanner Jan Weatherby John C. Webb Beeky Wegner Kent Wilson Andi Wolfe & Tommi Wolfe by Hugh Kingery Botanist and mountain climber, observer of nature, Louise Roloff brought cheer and knowledge to native plant enthusiasts and hiking companions. Louise immersed herself in things botanical. While liv- ing in Dillon she surveyed flowering plants of the Blue River Valley, the Gores, and the Continental Divide around Loveland Pass. The Denver Botanic Gardens honored her by inviting her to give one of their annual lectures, a privilege accorded to those who have con- tributed to botanical knowledge of the Rocky Mountains. We frequently sent her plant specimens for identifica- tion; she kept trying to train us in the technique of prop- erly pressing them so that she could examine all parts of the plants and provide an accurate identification. Her curiosity about nature extended to birds as well. During the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas, Louise hoofed it up the west ridge from Loveland Pass to confirm that ptarmigan bred in that Atlas block. She recounted a climb of Mount Bross where, at 13,500 feet, she had ducked into an abandoned miner's cabin packed full of snow — where she discovered a pair of Mountain Blue- birds feeding young. In the 40’s and 50’s, she went on many climbs with The Colorado Mountain Club. On the CMC's Gore outing in 1948 she climbed Mount Powell and Peaks C, D, E, and F. Their climbing party pioneered routes on the lettered peaks, including the second ascent of Peak C. In later years, Louise lived in far north Denver. She often prowled nearby wild places to seek spring flowers, summer bloomers, and fall color. Louis passed on in Jan- uary, 2007, after a long and active life in the outdoors. An article she wrote for the Colorado Mountain Club magazine about the Gore Outing expresses well the delight she derived from Colorado: “I thoroughly enjoyed the ropeless climbing, the peaks with only a small cairn on top and no record of previous climbs, no tin cans and orange peels on the summits, gorgeous flowers, ptarmigan, a mountain sheep, many deer, and even two porcupine above timberline in the rocks with the coneys and marmots.” Page 12 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No.2. Southwest Chapter News On February 10th the Southwest Chapter held "An Introduction to Wildflower Identification" workshop. Dick Moseley provided an excellent slide show and lecture about plant parts and key char- acteristics of the major plant families. A1 Schneider discussed botanical books, nomenclature, and the use of plant keys. Thirty- one participants found their tables covered with fresh flowers, dried specimens, a seed collection, microscopes, and books for sale. CoNPS now has twenty-eight new members. And the Southwest Chapter will give these new members plenty to do this summer on fifteen field trips ranging from low desert hanging gardens, to canyons, to high mountain fens, to alpine tun- dra. Call the trip leader and see the CoNPS web site for more details. The trips are free and open to everyone. May 12: Utah Canyon Country. Trip leader: Arnold Clifford. Call Charlie King (970) 731-4794. June 5: Vallecito Lake. Trip leader: Marilyn McCord (970) 884- 2220. Co-leader, A1 Schneider. June 15: Field Trip and Workshop on the Flora of Fire-Scarred Mesa Verde. Special guest trip leader: Joyce Gellhorn. Co-leader: Susan Halabrin (970) 264-5447. Late June: Propagation of Native Wildflowers. At Cliff Rose Nursery just east of Cortez. Call A1 Schneider (970) 882-4647. June 23: Rare Plants of the Vallecito Area. Leaders: Ken Heil and Steve O’Kane. Call Ken (505) 327-4608. June 30: Wildflower Photography. Trip leader: A1 Schneider (970) 882-4647. July 14-15: Owl Creek Pass, Ridgway . Peggy Lyon of the Col- orado Natural Heritage Program will lead a two day trip in this scenic area. Call A1 Schneider for information (970-882-4647). July 24: Montane Wildflowers along the Pass Creek Trail, Coal Bank Pass. Trip leader: Travis Ward, (970) 247-1310. August 18: East Fork of the San Juan. Trip leader: To be announced. August 25: Grindstone Lake Fens .Trip leader: Marion Rohman, (970) 565-9327. Early September: Seeds of summer plants. Trip leader: Dick Moseley (970)731-5918. October 6 : Eorest Tree Eife Zones Tour "On the Path to Aspen Pall Color". Trip leader: Phil Kemp (970) 882-2251. The Southwest Chapter has established an email exchange with the Flagstaff Chapter of the Arizona Native Plant Society and with the FaiTnington Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico. Now members of all three chapters are informed of each other's activities. If you are not a Southwest Chapter member but would like to be on the Southwest Chapter email list, send an email to the head of the Southwest Chapter, A1 Schneider, web- master(2)conps.org The Farmington Chapter will be hosting the Annual Meeting of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico August 2-5 (see their web site for details) and several members of the Colorado Native Plant Society will be making presentations and leading field trips. Aquilegia Gets a Face Lift! You may have noticed some changes in Aquilegia. We are trying to improve it’s readability by increasing spac- ing and increase the diverse articles. We have already moved to a quarterly distribution. As a result, the issues are larger. This year is a year of experimentation and change. We hope to have a solid product by the end of 2007 so that starting in 2008 we will have a consistent newsletter. For the next issue, I hope to improve the quali- ty of the photographs. If you have comments regarding any of the changes or have other suggestions, please contact Kim Regier at kim- berly.regier(a)cudenver.edu. Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 13. Flora of North America Reaches Halfway Mark More than 900 botanists, working as part of the Flora of North from regional floras, available in print and electronically. Editori- America project, have now cataloged over half of the genera of al centers are located at Missouri Botanical Garden, the Hunt higher plants native or naturalized in North America north of Institute for Botanical Documentation, Universite de Montreal, Mexico and hope to finish by 2011. This is the first comprehensive and University of Kansas. Authors base their work on knowledge and scientifically authoritative publication treating the 20,000+ of plants in the field, herbarium specimens, and review of the liter- species of plants in U.S. and Canada together. ature. The project also has a network of regional reviewers. Thirteen volumes have been published (including an introducto- Authors and editors work as volunteers; grants and donations sup- ry volume), one is being printed, and publication of two more is port technical editors and botanical illustrators. The books are expected this year, out of a total of 30. The second volume of published by Oxford University Press— US and currently are on grasses (Poaceae, Volume 24) came out in early 2007, completing sale at the discounted price of $76/volume (available at the monocotyledonous plants. The first of three volumes on moss- www.oup.com/us/fnaseries with promo code 2531 6). More infor- es, liverworts, and homworts is in press. Especially exciting was mation on Flora of North America and treatments from published the publication of all three volumes on the sunflower family volumes are available at www.fna.org. (Asteraceae, Vols. 19, 20, 21) last year. The treatments include For more information contact Nancy R. Morin, FNA Business identification keys, nomenclatural information, common names. Office, P. O. Box 716, Point Arena, California, 707/882-2528, descriptions, distributions (including maps), and discussions, nancy.morin@nau.edu. Every genus and 1/3 to 1/6 of the species is illustrated. FNA makes many lifetimes of study, and the best knowledge 2007 CONPS Grants Awarded Congratulations to the 2007 CoNPS grant recipients. The following research has been selected for funding by the CoNPS Research Grants Committee: John W. Marr Fund Katie Becklin. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia. Do Mycorrhizal Associations Affect the Invasibility of Alpine Willow Communities? Diana Jolles, Ohio State University, Columbus. The Biogeography and Phylogenetics of the Pyrola picta species complex. Myrna P. Steinkamp Fund Carol English. University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center. Pollination biology and Population Genetics Study of the Rare Colorado Endemic, Penstemon degeneri. Denise Wilson. University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center. Epipactis gigantea - a pollination study. Thanks to the generous contributions of many members and supporters, nearly $3,000 each year is available for grants. Your dona- tions to these funds is encouraged and welcomed. Please make you check to the Colorado Native Plant Society, designate the fund(s) to which you aie donating and mail to: Treasurer CONPS P.O. Box 200 Fort Collins, CO 80522. Page 14 Aquilegia Vol. 31 No. 2 I Colorado Native Plant Society The Colorado Native Plant Society is a non- profit organization dedicated to the apprecia- tion and conservation of the Colorado native flora. Membership is open to all with an inter- est in our native plants, and is composed of plant enthusiasts both professional and non- professional. Please join us in helping to encourage interest in enjoying and protecting Colorado's native plants. The Society sponsors field trips, work- shops, and other activities through local chap- ters and statewide. Contact the Society, a chap- ter representative, or committee chair for more information. Schedule of Membership Fees Life $250 Supporting $50 Organization or Corporate $30 Family or Dual $20 Individual $15 Student or Senior $8 Membership Renewal/Information Please direct all membership applications, renewals and address changes to Eric Lane, Chair of Membership, Colorado Native Plant Society, PO. Box 200, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Please direct all other inquiries regarding the Society to the Secretary at the same address. Aquilegia Aquilegia is published four or more times per year by the Colorado Native Plant Society. This newsletter is available to members of the Society and to others with an interest in native plants. Articles for Aquilegia may be used by other native plant societies or non-profit groups, if fully cited to author and attributed to Aquilegia. Articles from 500 to 1500 words in length, such as unusual information about a plant, are welcome. Previously published articles sub- mitted for reprinting require permission. Digi- tal photographs or line drawings are also solicited. Please include author’s name and address, although anonymity may be request- ed. Articles must be submitted electronically. Please direct all contributions to the newsletter to: Kim Regier E-Mail: kimberly.regier@cudenver.edu Officers President Leo Bruederle. . . 303-556-3419 Viee-President . . . Aliee Guthrie .... 3036513127 Corresponding Seeretary Kim Regier 303-556-8309 Reeording Seeretary Denise Wilson . . 303-642-0510 Treasurer Denise Culver . . 970-686-7428 Board of Directors Diek Fisher (07) .... Steamboat Springs 970-276-4448 John Proetor (07). . . . Walden 970-723-8204 BoyeeDmmmond(08) Fort Collins. . . 970-690-7455 Denise Wilson (08) . . Golden 303-642-0510 Steve Yarbrough (08) Wheatridge . . 303-233-6345 Leo Bruederle (09) . . Denver 303-556-3419 John Giordanengo (09)Golden 303-996-2760 Sarada Krishnan (09) Denver 303-465-4274 Jan Turner (09) Golden 303-458-4262 Laurel Potts (09) .... Gypsum .... 970-524-3377 Chapter Presidents Boulder Deby Stabler 303-902-4679 Northern CO. . . . Denise Culver. . . . 970-686-7428 Metro-Denver. . . Naomi Nigro .... 303-366-6033 Plateau Jeanne Wenger . . . 970-256-9227 Southeast vaeant Southwest A1 Sehneider .... 970-882-4647 Standing Committees and Chairs Conservation . . . Sarada Krishnan . . 303-465-4274 Edueation and Outreaeh Megan Bowes . . . 303-561-4883 Endowment .... Vaeant Field Studies . . . John Proetor 970-723-8204 Field Trips Steve Yarbrough . . 303-233-6345 Finanee Denise Culver . . . 970-686-7428 Hortieulture and. Laurel Potts &. . . . 970-328-8633 Restoration .... Lisa Tasker 970-948-4857 Media Boyee Drummond 970-690-7455 Membership. . . . Erie Lane 303-239-4182 Rare Plant Eleanor Von Bargen Monograph 303-756-1400 Researeh Grants . Jan Turner 303-458-4262 Sales Denise Wilson. . . . 303-642-0510 Workshop Mary Ellen Lord . . 303-449-7334 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND RENEWAL FORM Name(s) MEMBERSHIP CLASS: Dues cover a 12-month period. Address Individual, $15.00 Eamily/dual, $20.00 (Address) Senior, $8.00 Student, $8.00 City State Zip Corporate, $30.00 Supporting, $50.00 Phone E-mail Lifetime, $250.00 Chapter (Circle one): Boulder Northern CO Metro Denver Plateau Southeast Southwest In addition to my membership, I have included $ as a contribution to the John Man* Eund (endowment in support of small grants-in-aid of research), $ as a contribution to the Myrna P. Steinkamp Memorial Eund (endowment in support of small grants-in-aid of research), or $ as a general contribution to the Society. CONPSISA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION — DUES AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE Vol. 31 No. 2 Aquilegia Page 15 CALENDAR 2006 - 2007 FIELDTRIPS May 12 Duck Creek May 19 Glade Reservoir Plant Survey June 11 Denver Botanic Gardens June 19 NE CO Sandhills and Sandstone Bluffs Flora June 24 Native Orchid Hike to Peaceful Valley July 1 Hanging Lake Trail July 3-4 Cal Wood Butterfly Count July? Two Buttes & Shell Rock Natural Area July 8 Gilpin County Butterfly Count July 15 Fens of South Park August 6 Lake Pueblo State Park August 18 Glad Reservoir Plant Survey January 12 Winter Botany ANNUAL MEETING September 7-9 University of Colorado at Boulder Botany Goes Buggy in Boulder: Plants and Insects See pages 1-4 for details or http://www.conps.org/conps.html . nvmaiVIAI 3A\1\SH3S aiAlll §jo-sduoD-MMM//:dpq ZZ 90 ^ opmopo ‘suin 03 jjoj ooz xoa od A^apog ;uB|j aAj^Gjy^ opejo|o*j