Colorado Native PI ant Society N E W SLETTER Volume III Numbers 5 & 6 September-December 1979 "Dedicated to the Appreciation and Conservation of the Colorado Flora" OFFICERS 1579/1980 President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Lloyd Hayes Scott Peterson Sue Martin Walt Ruzzo BOARD OF DIRECTORS ‘ Ann Armstrong Lloyd Hayes Miriam Denham Robert Heapes Viriginia Dlpnigi Sue Martin Tom Eamon Scott Peterson Hugo Ferchau Mark Phillips Walt Ruzzo CORRESPONDENCE All correspondence and inquiries regarding the activities of the Society should be addressed to Sue Martin, USDA Crops Research Lab, Colorado Stile University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 COMMITTEES Education: Horticulture & Rehabilitation Legislative Membership Publ ications Threatened & Endangered Virginia Dionigi Mark Phillips vacant Myrna Steinkamp Scott Peterson Bill Harmon MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS AND INFORMATION Myrna Steinkamp, USDA Crops Research Lab, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523 SCHEDULE OF MEMBERSHIP FEES LIFE $ 250.00 SUPPORTING 50.00 SOCIETY 25.00 FAMILY 12.00 INDIVIDUAL 8.00 STUDENT & RETIRED 4.00 The CONPS Newsletter is sent to all other Native Plant Societies in exchange for theirs. Nonmembers may subscribe to the Newsletter for $ 4.00, NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Dieter H. Wilken, Oept. of Botany & Plant Pathology, Colorado State University, Ft, Collins, CO 80523. The editor seeks articles of interest to all aspects of Society activities. Such articles should not generally exceed 4 typewritten, double-spaced pages, although consideration will be given to longer articles if space permits. Deadlines for the 6 bimonthly newsletters are the last day of January, March, May, July, Sep- tember, and November, COLORADO NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM After months of negotiating, interviewing, training and travelling, the Natural Heri- tage Inventory of Colorado is a reality. The opening of the Natural Heritage office at 1726 Champa Street, Denver marks the culmination of two years of effort on the part of staff members from the Department of Natural Resources, the Natural Areas Council and the Nature Conservancy. Other important contributions have been made by the Colorado State Legislature, the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, The U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Office of Surface Mining. The Natural Heritage Inventory is an ambi- tious project, its aim being to identify and locate relatively undisturbed examples of native plant communities, plants and animals of special concern, special habitats, aquatic systems and geologic features. Information will be gathered from public and private sources, and will be available, upon appropriate request, to a variety of public and private agencies. Future analysis of the data will identify high priority sites for protection, research and education as well as assisting in land use decisions. Four researchers will be conducting the inventory. They are: Julie McClellan (geologist), Greg McArthur (plant ecologist), Beth Lapin (zoologist and data manager), and Lou Vincent (Program Coordinator) .These staff members already have completed their first task of revising the classification system and are now focusing their efforts on data gathering with respect to the northwestern and western Colorado counties. CNAP now has an official slide show accompanied by a taped narration. Both slides and tapes are available for public programs. The slides are also available in company with a speaker with program equipment. For further infor- mation, contact Mary Hupp (303-839-3337). CNAP now has 22 registered sites throughout Colorado, six of which have been officially designated as Colorado Natural Areas. PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION Habitat preservation is the key to survival of endangered species. Thus Senate Bill 184*. The NATIONAL HERITAGE POLICY ACT, introduced on 28 September by Senator Henry Jackson for the Administration, is of special interest. It would* establ ish both Natural Heritage and Historic Preservation Programs in the Heri- tage Conservation and Recreation, Service of the Department of Interior. They would work with states to identify and preserve appropriate areas on both federal and non-federal lands.’ Financial help in planning and acquisition would be extended to natural areas. Natural heritage would include but not be limited to terrestrial and aquatic communities, landforms, geologic features and habitats of endangered native species. A packet of information on this bill is avai- lable from Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus, Dept, of Interior, Washington D.C. 20240 Widespread misunderstanding and lack of concern for preserving endangered species is evident at all levels of the current political scene. Only a form informed public seems likely to help. Another new bill, House Bill 5844 introduced by Rep. Carl Pursell of Michigan, thus merits our attention. This WILD (wildlife informatior and learning development) BILL would channel funds through the Office of Endangered Species to educational and non-profit groups to increase public knowledge and .understanding about native species. Ask Rep. Purse*!! for a copy, support its passage and ask to be kept informed regarding its progress. Address: House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515. A1 ice Q Howard for the California Native Plant Society NEW BOOK FOR NATIVE PLANT ENTHUSIASTS George Kelly's new paperback entitled SHRUBS FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS offers much for the gardener interested in plants adaptable to the arid and cold climate of the Rocky Mountains. Amply illustrated, this book pro- vides expert comments on the growth and establishment of over 250 species, of which a large proportion are native to the American West. Of particular interest are the outline illustrations of whole plants; these provide consi- derable aid to the landscaper in de- signing a garden. This text is well worth the investment of $ 8.25, which includes postage and handling, and serves as an admirable supplement to George's TREES FOR THE ROCKY MOUN- TAINS. It is available from the author, 14663 County Road ”6% Cortez, CO 81321 THE /AMPA BEARDTONGUE The Yampa Beardtongue, Penstemon yampaensis Penland, a Colorado endemic, derives part of its common name from the fact that it has been d to occur only within the Yampa River g nage. To my knowledge, collections of this interesting caespitose Beardtongue have been made only in Moffat County,' between the general area of Maybe! 1 to Elk Springs and Greystone. The term "Beardtongue" refers to the conspicuous, hairy, golden staminode or sterile stamen, which is exserted from the corolla throat. Its habitat is characterized by a sandy, alluvial soil and such common species as Sagebrush ( Artemi- sia ) , Ricegrass ( Qryzopsis ) , Rabbitbrush ( Chry- sotham nus ) and Skyrocket Gilia ( Jpomopsis) . The caespitose or acaulescent nature of this per- ennial readily lends itself to the practice of "belly botany". The closer one is to the ground the better the chances of finding it. Photo- graphing this attractive plant requires that one lies on his stomach, a few inches from the flower. The lilac to bluish flower is 15-1 S^ipirii long. In the MANUAL OF THE PLANTS OF COLOR|fQ0’by Harring- ton, Penstemon yampaensis would kfey out as FT caespitosus . Note that the Yampa\ Beardtongue was described by Penland in 1958, several years after Harrington published the "ManfcVT- * A closely related species, £_. acaul is Williams is found in Daggett County, Utah and Sweetwater County Wyoming. Thus it might be expected to occurin "the northwest corner of Colorado. I " ' 1 d be very interested to know if anyone bu knowledge of its occurrence in the state of Colorado. The following key provides a way of separating the three species, once one has arrived at FT caespi- tosus in Harrington's Manual: Plants caulescent FT caespitosus Plants acaulescent ...... Leaves essentially linear, 1-1.5 mm wide, 10- 20 mm long; flowers 1-2 per florlferous shoot; corolla 14-16 mm long, blue FT acaul is Leaves oblanceolate, 2-4 (5) mm wide, 15-25 (30) mm long; flowers 4-6 per ultimate flori- ferous shoot; corolla 15-18 mm long, lilac to bluish-lilac. P_. yampaensis Two members of the CO NPS, Elizabeth Painter and Sandy Emrick, have submitted a Status Report to the US Fish & Wildlife Service, proposing FT yampaensis as a threatened species. Their reasoning for the status report appears to be based on the limited range of the species. The proposed CROSS MOUNTAIN DAM, which could flood habitat and encourage increased activity, was cited as one potential threat in addition to grazing. In his description of P. yampaensis in 1958, Penland st^d that it "forms loose mats up to one foot in ameter". Neither the author nor Beth Painter and Sandy Emrick have seen plants larger than 4 inches in diameter furing their fieldwork. A number of questions still need answers with re- gard to this species. They include: What is the total range? What are its habitat requirements? How many plants are there in each population? What pollinates the flowers and insures seed production? What influence does grazing by domes- tic and native animals have on growth and esta- blishment. Contributions to these answers could be made by both layperson and professional. — J. Scott Peterson "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost for want of a shoe, the horse was lost for want of a horse, the rider was lost FOR WANT OF ARTICLES, THIS NEWSLETTER MAY BE LOST! --- Editor MINUTES, BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1979 Following the semiannual meeting of the Society, the BOD convened at ca. 4:15 PM at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Retiring President Bill Harmon turned the meeting over to continuing BOD member Tom Eamon, who presided for the remainder of the meeting, Newly elected BOD members were introduced and included Ann Armstrong, Tom Eamon (re-elected), Bob Heapes, Sue Martin and Walt Ruzzo, Continuing members are: Miriam Denham, Virginia Dionigi, Scott Peterson, Mark Phillips and Hugo Ferchau. David Buckner was present to represent the Boulder Chapter. Officers for 1979-1980 were elected and are: President; Lloyd Hayes; Vice-President: Scott Peterson; Secretary; Sue Martin; Treasurer; Walt Ruzzo. The annual meeting of the Society was a success, with attnedance high at an excellent slide presentation of wildf lowers from •throughout Colorado.