SHORTIA A/o.l 2-0/1 NEWSLETTER OF THE WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB SPRING 2011 Shortia galacifolia Oconee Bells WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB President Helen Smith Secretary Nancy lha Vice President Karen Koelling Treasurer Alan Graham From the Vice President Karen Koelling It's Spring! Almost. Can't you feel Nature awakening? I find myself walking outside, looking for the tiny, tender green shoots poking their brave noses into the crisp sunshine, signaling the coming explosion of color. Those seed and nursery catalogues have begun arriving, and of course, I pore over each one the very day it hits my mailbox. Do you look for that new offering or next best cultivar like I do - already planning it's location among the others already there? We have lived here 6 years, and there are several distinct micro climates with our homesite that I am developing. My goal is to arrive at a "natural-looking" habitat that would have been there had the bulldozers not been there. My Woodland Grove is an area of dry shade, and my plant selections need to work with root competition, shade conditions, and gentle slope. My choices include fern-leaf bleeding heart, lady's mantle, black cohosh, mosses and ferns, and spring ephemerals like Virginia Blue Bells, Trilliums, Lady Slippers, wild ginger, tiarella, native azaleas, Huechera, and Uvularia. These, and others, need to be happy In the Springtime sun and the oncoming shade conditions of Summer as the trees leaf out. There is always something interesting to observe, and I enjoy relaxing in the Grove with the solar water fountain I placed there last Summer. Another area is a boggy/stream area at the bottom of our hill. It is a shady, moist area with standing water, and a bold stream. I planted variegated red twig dogwood, cardinal flower, and blue amsonia last Fall: they will be sprouting soon. The first blossom is always the dog tooth violet (last year on March 3), and I walk there almost daily looking for it's brave yellow blossoms. There Is also native phlox. Echinacea, Joe Pye Weed along with its white cousin. White Snakeroot (Eupatorium sp.), blue lobelia, Queen of the Prairie, and cinnamon ferns. Also last Fall 1 planted a Sarracenia, and found it doing well yesterday near a log at pond-side. I smiled. There is lots to do here in the meadow/bog area. My biggest challenge is the really steep hill just behind our house (NE facing) that virtually has no soil; the bedrock is at the surface on most of the slope! Along the way I have tried many plants, and some have been able to get a foothold, but for me it has been a giant learning curve to turn this challenge into a joy. I have successfully planted agastache, baptisla, and Virginia creeper, along with Carolina Sweet Shrub, some evergreens (non- native) and some climbing plants such as clematis, and trumpet honeysuckle. I search constantly for hardy perennials that will do well on such a challenging area (very steep, and very rapid drainage). There have been times I have planted things using an extension ladder because that is the only way to reach up the slope! This year I am focusing on refining some areas, and enjoying others, while trying to work on those challenging slopes (I'm trying to turn the lemon into lemonade). It keeps me busy and out of trouble. Enjoy your Springtime with Nature. P.1 MEMBER NEWS Welcome New Members Anne Booth, Hendersonville Jackie Burke, Tryon Pat and Charlie Davis, Highlands Susan Hursey, Tryon Louis Lieb, Asheville Nancy Martin, Asheville Nina Shippen, Brevard Bill Stahl, Asheville Thank you to members who made cash contributions last year: Bonnie Arbuckle, Elisabeth Feil and Earl and Bettye Miller 00 00 oo oo ANNUAL DUES. This is the final request for your Botanical Club membership renewal. If you are continuing as a member, please fill in all the information on the green form and return It with your check so we can verify our membership records. oooooooo Winter Meetings. These meetings will automatically be cancelled if the Henderson County Schools are closed. Check the weather reports or telephone the Henderson County Office at 697-4733. ooooooco Field Trip Cancellations. On occasion field trips need to be cancelled or changed either for weather conditions or other reasons such as road closings. Such changes are sent out by e-mail to all members at the latest by 7 a.m. the day of the field trip. If you do not have e-mail access, we will try to reach local members by telephone by 7 a.m. If In doubt, contact a leader or co-leader whose telephone number is listed on the schedule. When a field trip is cancelled, no member will be at the contact point. oo oo oo oo Any change of address, e-mail or telephone number, please Inform our Treasurer, Alan Graham 544 Tip Top Road, Brevard, N.C. 28712. 828-884-3947 00 OO DO OO IDENTIFYING FERNS, Jenny Lellinger Sunday, July 24, 201 1 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The Botanical Gardens at Asheville, Butler Room & Gardens Jenny Lellinger, botanist and past president of the Western Carolina Botanical Club, armed with field guides and hand lenses, will introduce participants to the secrets of identifying native ferns as we collectively meander through the BGA's gardens. If thunderstorms chase us indoors, she will use live fern samples and a Power Point presentation. Students must pre-register. Contact Office Administrator at BGA for additional Information and/or to register (828) 252-5190. JUN 2 0 2011 EO'SAHW;- Ramblings 2011 Ken Borgfeldt Before beginning the new walk season I think it worth noting that we had an outstanding indoor season. We had a number of new speakers in addition to our home grown members who we have appreciated over the years. Non-speaking members are to be congratulated as attendance was consistently high and enthusiastic. The walk season started on a high note as we had a successful Hardy Souls Hike to Barnett Branch and the back half of the Pink Beds Trail. As you might expect blooming plants were at a premium but we saw a number of mosses including Wheat Grain Moss {Diphyscium sp). We also found a mushroom that Karen Koelling had spent the winter trying to identify, Stalked Puffball. Station Cove started the official wildflower walk season. It was chilly but sunny. The Three- parted Violet {Viola tripartita) was an interesting find. Wood Anemone {Anemone quinquefolia) were abundant. We made our first trip to Paris Mountain State Park and had a special treat when Rudy Mancke, a South Carolina TV personality, led the walk. Rudy had a wealth of nature based information about the area. Blooming plants were scarce but a nice stand of Resurrection Fern {Pleopeltis polypodioides) provided a botanical highlight. We had a large turnout for Pearson Falls as usual and were treated to an unusually warm day for a change. All the noteworthy plants were found including the trilliums making their first appearance - Toadshade {Trillium cuneatum), Large-flowered Trillium {Trillium grandiflorum) and Wake Robin {Trillium erectum). The club had an overnight trip to the Fontana Dam area. The group stayed at Fontana Village and visited Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest among other spots. The members reported an excellent time was had by all. We walked Estatoe Trail in April as part of a multi-visit plan for this year.The spring bloomers were outstanding. We saw a wide variety of trilliums. The Pennywort {Obolaria virginica) in bloom was a treat. The Blue Ridge Bittercress {Cardamine flagellifera var. flagellifera) in bloom was the first time it had been recorded on a club walk. The turnout for Twin Bridges was smaller than normal but we were treated to the usual spectacular display of blooming plants. The May Apples {Podophyllum peltatum) were in bloom a little early. The Wild Ginger {Asarum canadense) at the start of the walk had a number of impressive blooms. The Canada Violets {Viola canadensis) were blooming everywhere. Mark Rose, who gave a talk during the winter season on trilliums, was scheduled to attend the walk. Unfortunately Mark twisted an ankle and had to cancel - maybe next year. The outing at Glassy Mountain Preserve did not disappoint .The Elf Orpine {Diamorpha smallli) population which appeared decimated last year had made a dramatic comeback. The Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana) dressed up our lunch spot. We found two ferns. Hairy Lip Fern {Cheilanthes lanosa) and Woolly Lip Fern {Cheilanthes tomentosa). We only see them uncultivated at Glassy Mountain. P.3 Western Carolina Botanical Club Members Bonnie Allen Jan Allen Ken & Jane Anderson Bonnie Arbuckle Rebecca Armstrong Carol Arnold Daisy Arrington Larry Avery Christine Barnes Glenda Bentley Patsy Beyer Paul & Beth Bockoven Anne Booth Ken & Chris Borgfeldt Jackie Burke Joy Charlebois Ranchel M. Conway Elrose Couric & Sue Hollinger Pat & Charlie Davis James P. (Jim) Drake Betty Dziedzic Edmund & Carver Farrar Elizabeth Feil H.D. & Jan Fishback Don Fisher Carol & Gregory Fouts Jonathan Gibaud Ruth Anne & John Graham James W. Goldsmith John &Sheila (^oldwaithe A^f> Graham ttaine Gray Gussie Gray Diane Flankins Aline Flansens Mary Beth Hayes Mary Kathryn Hardman Karen Herrell Don & Dana Herrman Brenda Hillyer Fran Hudelson Jack & Dorothy Hudson Susan Hursey Nancy & Tom lha Howard & Linda Jackson Mary Clare Jenks Betty Jones Frances Jones Jean Kirkland Henry & Barbara Koch Susan Koehler Karen Koelling Marilyn Kolton & Louis Dwarshuis Sharon Kotch Charlotte Lackey Larason & Juanita Lambert Jenny & Dave Lellinger Joan Lemire Jean Lenhart Louis Lieb Peter & Hadermann Margolin Nancy Martin Cynthia McCurdy Lois McDaniel Ro Metcalf Don & Linda Miller Earl & Bettye Miller Elaine Montgomery Barbara Mueller Sylvia Nissley Maryke Nol Millie Pearson Bud & Laverne Pearson J. Dan Pittillo Peggy Polchow Edwin Poole Saretta Prescott Erna Prickett Lucy Prim Cindi Probst John Reed Paula Robbins Mimi Sagar Christene & Warinner Schmidt Nina Shippen John & Muriel Siddall Helen Smith Jeanne Smith Kim Spencer Bil Stahl Joe Standaert Aleen Steinberg Gloria Stenger Susan Sunflower Robbie ter Kuile Carrol Toole Teena Tuenge Anne Ulinski Donna Van Kampen Harriet Walls April Wasson Jane White Gail Wilcox Jean Woods P.4 FLOWERING PLANT FAMILIES - Hypericaceae - St John’s-wort Family The St. John’s-wort family includes the single genus, Hypericum. Its flowers are radially symmetric, 4 or 5-petaled, yellow or pink, with a superior ovary, and usually perfect, meaning that they bear both pistils (female) and stamens (male). This dicot group includes herbs and shrubs found in great diversity in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This mostly temperate genus is comprised worldwide of 370 to 420 species, of which approximately 30 species are represented in the Carolines, and nearly 20 of these in the mountains. The genus Hypericum \Nas first described by Linnaeus in his ‘'Species Plantarum,” and the family Hypericaceae \Nas published by the French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789. However, recent authorities eliminated Hypericaceae as a family and transferred its species to the Clusiaceae. The latest molecular studies recognize that the Hypericaceae’s standing as a separate family is warranted. The Latin name “Hypericum” is derived from the Greek name for this group of plants “hyperikon”, derived from the roots hyper {oyer) and eikon (icon, image). Healing and mystical powers were attributed to plants of this genus and, according to folklore, on the eve of St. John’s Day, sprigs of the herb were hung over doorways to ward off disease and evil spirits. Hypericum graveoiens, a rare Southern Appalachian endemic reported from only nine counties in IMorth Carolina and three in Tennessee, occurs in grassy balds, grassy openings, and seepage slopes at 4,000-6,000+ ft. elevation. Hypericum mitchellianum (Blue Ridge St, John’s-wort) is also a high elevation endemic similar in appearance and rarity. Hypericum graveoiens Mountain St. John’s-wort Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 534. Typically blooms July along the Pisgah Ridge and Silvermine areas. This 1-3 ft. tall, erect, perennial is usually unbranched and topped with a showy, few- flowered cluster. Its bright yellow flowers have 5 sepals and 5 petals that encircle its many, long, showy stamens. The leaves are opposite, ovoid to elliptic, and black-spotted, as are those of many of its relatives. Typically, species in this family are highly tolerant of challenging growing conditions, such as drought, exposure to unrelenting sun, rocky areas, and very poor soils. They are typically not subject to browsing by deer or rabbits. As a matter of fact, cattle are known to die from over grazing on St. John’s-wort. Its active ingredient, hypericin, causes photodermatitis in some dogs, horses, cats, and people when any part of the plant is ingested. P.5 Hypericum gentianoides Orangegrass Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1 91 3. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 2; 536. We typically see it when we visit Sky Valley and on the trail to Cedar Rock at Dupont State Forest. Its slender shoots are just beginning to pop up now. June to September is the best time to catch it in bloom. Five-petaled, inconspicuous (1/8” wide) flowers are borne sessile at the nodes. This much-branched plant bears appressed, scale-like leaves. This annual easily reproduces by seed. Perhaps it is most noticeable when speckled with bright orange fruits, hence its common name Orange-grass. Its specific Latin name, gentianoides, means gentian- like. On a personal note, our property is south-facing, underlain by granitic-gneiss topped with acidic, very shallow, and poor soils. Natively growing we found H. gentianoides (Orangegrass), H. punctatum (Spotted St. John’s- wort), H. mutilum (Dwarf St. John’s-wort), and H. hypericoides (St. Andrew’s Cross). For landscaping we added H. prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort), and H. frondosum (Cedarglade St. John’s-wort). All are doing great! This perennial, branching, woody shrub typically grows in the dry forests and pine flatlands of the Coastal Plain. However, relatively distant populations grow on the similarly dry and sandy granitic domes of the Southern Appalachian Mts. Unlike most Hypericums, it bears 4 sepals (2 are broad, the 2 opposing ones are narrow) and 4 broad petals. Its clasping leaves are elliptic-oblong, and rounded at the tip. Introduced from Europe in the 1700s, Hypericum perforatum, thus named because of its translucent-dotted leaves, has been attributed many healing properties over the course of time. Currently used as an herbal anti-depressant, it is advisable to research possible drug interactions if you are planning to try it. Over time this non-native plant has been designated a noxious weed in seven U.S. states. Sheep-grazing and other bio-control agents, such as insect releases have been somewhat successful. Fortunately, it is not invasive in our area. Hypericum crux-andreae St. Peter’s-wort Britton, N.L, and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 2; 528. We have often come across it in bloom when we visit Cedar Rock in Dupont State Forest in July or August. Jenny Lellinger P.6 Invasive Alert! “A keen sense of disappointment was felt by everyone closely connected to the Gardens when what was first thought to be an early and particularly prolific appearance of Marsh-marigold {Caltha palustris) actually turned out to be an invasion of Lesser Celandine {Ficaria verna, formerly Ranunculus ficaria) also known as Fig Buttercup”. This announcement was made by Marianne Cote, President of the Botanical Gardens at Asheville in their Spring 2011 newsletter, New Leaf . Marsh-marigold is a member of the buttercup family and blooms from late March to late May. It brightens the early spring landscape with its bright yellow blossoms surrounded by deep green leaves. It provides pollen and nectar for bees and beetles and seed for small mammals and birds. It Is a non invasive native that was added to the Protected Plant Species List of N.C. in December 2010. Unfortunately an insidious invasive look-alike recently made Its way to North Carolina and is being sold by some commercial nurseries as a substitute for the harder to find and grow Marsh-marigold. Ficaria verna is most commonly known as Lesser Celandine, but that name adds to the confusion. It is neither a marigold nor a Celandine. It is suggested that it be called by its more justifiable name of Fig Buttercup Fig Buttercup is a vigorously growing herbaceous plant that completes its life cycle during the winter and spring and competes with many native plant species for light, nutrients and space. It emerges before most native species which gives it a great competitive advantage. It threatens not only the Marsh-marigold but Virginia bluebells. Trout Lily, Trilliums, Bloodroot and many, many others. Marianne Cote adds there is little window of opportunity for controlling this plant and control methods are limited. “Currently there are no biological control agents and chemical pesticides present a danger to native wildflowers and amphibians many of which are emerging at the same time. Hand pulling and digging with a small trowel in early spring are likely the safest method, but these are labor intensive and work best on small infestations. All bublets and tubers must be removed and plant materials bagged up and disposed of in a landfill or incinerator.” “Fig buttercup, aka Lesser Celandine, is just beginning to get a foothold in this region. It will require vigilance and hard work to prevent it from continuing to spread. For the good of our native ephemerals, don’t buy it from commercial nurseries or allow it to become established on your property!” -Marianne Cote. This New Leaf article was printed in full in Upstate Happenings, the newsletter of the Upstate Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society, June 2011. P.7 FOUNDING GARDENERS by Andrea Wulf 2011 “From the author of the acclaimed The Brother Gardeners this is a fascinating look at the founding fathers from the unique and intimate perspective of their lives as gardeners, plantsmen, and farmers. For the founding fathers, gardening, agriculture, and botany were elemental passions, as deeply engrained in their characters as their belief in liberty for the nation they were creating. Andrea Wulf reveals for the first time this aspect of the revolutionary generation. She describes how, even as British ships gathered off Staten Island, George Washington wrote his estate manager about the garden at Mount Vernon; how a tour of English gardens renewed Thomas Jefferson’s and John Adams’s faith in their fledging nation; how a trip to the great botanist John Bartram’s garden helped delegates of the Constitutional Congress break their deadlock; and why James Madison is the forgotten father of American environmentalism. These and other stories reveal a guiding but previously overlooked ideology of the American Revolution. Founding Gardeners adds depth and nuance to our understanding of the American experiment and provides us with a portrait of the founding fathers as they’ve never before been seen.” * Founding Gardeners reports on the “cradle” of the environmental movement beginning with the remarks of James Madison. In a widely circulated speech in 1818 he said the protection of the environment was essential for the survival of the United States. He condemned the Virginians for their ruthless exploitation of the soil and forests, fearing that nature’s equilibrium would be unbalanced. Humankind, he said, could not expect nature to be made subservient to the use of man. Man, he believed, has to find a place within the “symmetry of nature’” without destroying It. The book considers James Madison our first environmentalist. This is indeed a scholarly book. The contents include nine chapters and an Appendix with maps of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, John Adams’s Peacefield and Madison’s Montpelier, all large plantations in Virginia except Peacefield, a much smaller farm near Quincy, Mass. There are also Foot Notes, a selected bibliography. Illustrated Credits, Acknowledgments and an Index - a total of 349 pages of text with some photographs. The jacket images include; Steuartia, Magnolia virginiana. Rhododendron maximum, and Kalmia augustifolia, all by Mark Catesby 1731-1743. For botanists the author explains, “In order to avoid the unwieldy use in the text of both the common and Latin names of the plants, I have used either one depending on the name by which the plant is more likely to be known. However, every plant is listed in the index under its common name (with the Latin name in parenthesis) and under the Latin name (with its common name in parenthesis).” -Anne Ulinski This summary is provided by the book’s publisher. P.8 SHORTIA c/o Anne Ulinski 1212 Chanteloup Drive Hendersonville, N.C. 28739 FIRST CLASS Library *Att: Dr. Buck New York Botanical Garden Bronx, N.Y. 10458-5126 SHORTIA A quarterly publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club Vol. XXXIII. No. 2 Summer 2011 Editor; Anne Ulinski Editorial Assistants: Jean Lenhart, Kim Spencer, Elaine Montgomery Member News: Ruth Anne Gibson The purpose of the Club is to study the plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and the Southeast through field trips and indoor meetings. Membership is open to all. Individual/family memberships are $15. New members joining from the period July 1 -December 31 , pay $8. All memberships are renewable on January first of each year. Send dues to: Alan Graham, 544 Tip Top Road, Brevard, N.C. 29812 SHORTIA NEWSLETTER OE THE WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB FALL 2011 Shortia galacifolia Oconee Bells Lull oTH'cR i.ViLRiZ LIBRAF.Y SEP 1 6 2011 NBW YOPvK rO''"AN;!CAL Western Carolina Botanical Club President Karen Koelling Secretary Paula Robbins Vice President Mary Kathryn Hardman Treasurer Alan Graham From the President Karen Koelling FALL IS SPLASHED WITH NATURAL COLOR This Fall season comes with a cooler breeze and wide swathes of reds, oranges, and the familiar yellows. The green-headed coneflower {Rudbeckia laciniata) was in strong presence as we scouted the hike at Bear Pen Gap in August. It obviously is having a wonderful Fall! We saw it in glorious broad sweeps with it's bright yellow greenish button-shaped disc. It is a composite, smoother, taller, with much branched leaves lobed and prominently cut; hence the common name - cut-leaf coneflower. It is found along forest margins where it can enjoy the sun's embrace; along streams, moist rich woods, in thickets up to altitudes of 6500'. A showy member of the Asteraceae family, it sometimes can reach 10' in height. It spreads easily by seed, ripening in the Fall. Many species of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators were everywhere as we walked by - they totally ignored our intrusion. Understanding the habitats most favored by Rudbeckia laciniata is vital to successfully introducing ripe seeds into our naturalized habitat gardens. We are excited to welcome a new species or variety, but it's ability to thrive greatly depends upon our knowledge of the optimum soil conditions, shade vs sun exposure, along with moisture level for each one. The care we take to place a treasured plant where it will grow and thrive will determine whether it thrives or dies. In addition Rudbeckia laciniata, a robust prairie perennial, requires a placement behind other shorter species within our gardens, to best appreciate it’s strong qualities while showcasing other smaller species. The WCBC has greatly increased my understanding of the plant kingdom, and it seems clear that botany and gardening go hand in hand. Several friends have said, "I'm not a gardener", but with a strong botanical background being a gardener is a logical next step in enjoying the plant world. OOOOOCXXXXXXXX) Cover: The flower on the cover is Shortia galacifolia, Oconee Bells. Our newsletter is named for this southern endemic which is now rare in the wild. P.1 MEMBER NEWS Welcome to new and returning members Gussie Gray, Spruce Pine Peter Margolin & Lore Hadermann, Pisgah Forest Ro Metcalf, Hendersonville Aleta Tisdale, Lake Toxaway Thank you to Millie Pearson for her recent cash donation. OOCXXXXX3 Dear Members of the Western Carolina Botany Club, “Thank you very much for your generous contribution to the Bullington Center. I'm very appreciative of the support of the Botany Club as it manifests in a number of ways. I'm happy that we've found ways to help each other out - Thanks so much for your part." Sincerely, John Murphy Bullington Center oooooooo Our first indoor meeting will be on Friday November 4. The topic will be “Hiking in Western North Carolina”. The presenter will be Danny Bernstein who will present information from her books covering this area. As usual the meeting will be at the Bullington Center and will start at 2:00 p.m. Many thanks to our Scheduling Committee which meets twice a year. It is chaired by Bonnie Arbuckle and Ken Borgfeldt who welcome suggestions for future field trips. The schedules are sent by e-mail to those with computers and mailed to those without. Field Trip Cancellations. On occasion field trips need to be cancelled or changed either for weather conditions or other reasons such as road closings. Such (Ganges are sent out by e-mail to all members at the latest by 7 a.m. the day of the field trip. If you do not have e-mail access, we will try to reach local members by telephone by 7 a.m. If in doubt, contact a leader or co-leader whose telephone number is listed on the schedule. When a field trip is cancelled, no member will be at the contact point. cooooooo Any change of address, e-mail or telephone number, please inform our Treasurer, 828-884-3947 P2 Ramblings 2011 Ken Borgfeldt We started the Spring-Summer walk season with an incredible increase in gas price. Suddenly it was an expensive proposition to go to locations like Baxter Creek in the Smokies. Then our summer schedule has been a mixed blessing - the weather has been clear but the temperature has been Floridian! Attendance has been low for several walks and I have to assume it had to do with the heat. So in summary, we have had few walks cancelled but only a select few have been able to appreciate the many plants that we have seen. I mentioned Baxter Creek where we had a walk after many “should we go so far ... should we not” conversations. In the end we did visit Baxter Creek. I did not go but I have been told that “as usual the wildflowers were spectacular”. We visited the NC Arboretum to see the National Native Azalea Repository which has an excellent collection of native Azaleas. We were a little late for the peak blooming but nine species were in bloom including Pinxter {Rhododendron periclymenoides) and Pinkshell {Rhododendron vaseyi). We couldn’t resist the temptation to identify plants along the way to and from the azaleas so we listed 80+ species including ferns. The trip to Kanuga Conference Center was highlighted by some spectacular Flame Azaleas {Rhododendron calendulaceum). We had been discussing a strange black mushroom, Devil's Urn {Urnula craterium) and low and behold we found some! The view from the lunch spot at Flat Rock was wonderful. The weather was great for the visit to Corneille Bryan Nature Center. They have done an excellent job of planting a wide variety of native species. (Waldo) It seems our checklist continues to grow even though we have been there several times. A highlight was a large patch of Yellow Lady Slippers {Cypripedium calceolus). We returned to Ferrin Knob Trail which is a part of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail. We anticipated finding Yellow and Pink Lady Slippers and were not disappointed. However, the rare Nodding Mandarin {Disporum maculatum) was past its blooming period. Lots of Dutchman's Pipe {Aristolochia macrophylla) blooms which afforded Elisabeth Feil an opportunity to demonstrate the pollinating system for the plant. Coleman Boundary is usually one of the better trips. Unfortunately the group was very small and the plants did not cooperate. Blooms were few and far between. Bummer! The walk around Fawn Lake in DuPont State Forest was pleasant. We saw Bristly Locust {Robinia hispida) in bloom. Also, Small's Ragwort {Packera anonyma) In bloom was quite abundant. At the miniature level, we found the Male Heads of Haircap Moss {Polytrichum sp.) A group visited the Fishback Property for the first time since 2006. Unfortunately I did not attend and I did not get any feedback as to what was seen. I know the group had a good time because anytime you get to visit with Jan and Hap it’s a good time! P.3 The Conjurer’s Bird, Martin Davies Many members of WCBC are also birders and some of us have been to Kew Gardens or are familiar with the life of Sir Joseph Banks—al! will enjoy a novel by Martin Davies, “The Conjurer’s Bird”. It is loosely based on the life of Banks, a British explorer and naturalist and one of the great men of his age. As long-time President of the Royal Society he steered the course of British science for the first part of the nineteenth century. His home, with its unrivaled treasure trove of flora, fauna and books, became one of the scientific and social centers of Georgian London. The novelist imagines a modern-day search for a lost and extinct bird from Banks’s collection. The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession. Andrea Wulf London: William Heinemann, 2008. Andrea Wulf, a British garden writer and historian and the author of the more recent Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation. Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation, describes in The Brother Gardeners how Britain became a nation of gardeners. Her focus is on the forty-year epistolary friendship of two Quakers, one an uneducated farmer in Philadelphia, the other a wool merchant in London, a member of the Royal Society connected with men of wealth and position. John Bartram supplied Peter Colltnson with a steady supply of seeds and plants from America to sell to his broad circle of friends obsessed with the creation of beautiful gardens. Under Collinson’s tutelage, Bartram learned to gather American plants that he found during many travels, from South Carolina to the Catskills, grow them in his garden and ship them to England. Wulf also describes how the Swede Car! Linnaeus developed his sexual system of identifying plants and began the binomial system of classification in Latin still used today to identify all living things. The simplicity of his system, outlined in Systema Naturae, enabled people all over the world to identify and describe plants that they found and made botanizing a hobby that all could enjoy. She also writes about Philip Miller, the author of the best-selling Gardeners Dictionary, and the botanist-adventurer Joseph Banks and his colleague Daniel Solander, who both explored the strange flora of Tahiti and Australia on the voyage of discovery on Captain Cook’s Endeavor. The Brother Gardeners brings the story of eighteenth-century gardening to life and introduces us to the lives and personalities of many of the main players. Wulf has a lively style that makes the book a delight to read. -Book Reviews by Paula Robbins P,4 The Discovery of Shortia Andre Michaux was 39 when he stepped ashore in New York in 1786, bearing a commission as botanist to King Louis XVI. The monarch was deeply interested in agriculture and natural history and wished to find new plants to decorate the grounds of his palace at Versailles. He was especially interested in finding trees — particularly oaks — suitable for shipbuilding that could be replanted in France. The forests had been depleted during the wars with England, and good timber was scarce. MIchaux’s mission was to find these plants and also to tighten the bonds of friendship between the two countries. He went at both tasks assiduously, first visiting William Bartram in Philadelphia and then moving to Charleston, South Carolina, and then establishing a residence and nursery at a nearby plantation. Charleston ws to be Michaux’s base for the next 1 1 years as he traveled as far north as Hudson Bay, Canada, and as far south as Florida. Much of his collecting, however, was done in the mountains of western North Carolina, especially near the Horsepasture River and north through the Smokies to Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain. Michaux was accompanied on these trips by a handful of Indian guides and occasionally his teen-age son, Francois. Young Michaux would become one of Europe’s great natural scientists. He would return to America in the early 1 300’s to collect the plants of the Ohio Valley, and in 1815 he would publish North American Sylva. This book described the trees and woods of America and was the first to call for the sound conservation and management of its rich forests. Two of Andre Michaux’s finds created botanical mysteries. A species of yellow- flowered magnolia collected near the North-South Carolina border was not found again for 150 years. Another, a small galax-like wildflower found a little farther north, later called shortia, would not be rediscovered in the wild for nearly 90 years. The search for the missing shortia was undertaken by America’s greatest 19th- century botanist. Dr. Asa Gray. The Harvard professor found mention of the strange plant in 1840 while searching through Michaux’s extensive plant collection in Paris. Both Andre Michaux and his son were dead and Gray was confused by the notes left with the specimen. He named the unknown plant shortia after a friend, Dr. Charles Short of Kentucky. The scientific name for shortia became Shortia gaiacifoiia. Gray undertook several lengthy expeditions to North Carolina to search for shortia. He combed the tops of Grandfather, Mitchell and Roan mountains, but his best efforts failed to produce the diminutive wildflower. P.5 Shortia was finally discovered in 1877 by 17-year old George Hymans. The plants were growing along the banks of the Catawba River near Hymans’ home in Marion. The boy showed the strange flower to his father, an amateur botanist, who sent it to Gray. The original location of Michaux’s find remained a mystery until 1887 when it was found by Charles Sprague Sargeant, also of Harvard. After perusing Michaux’s notes, Sargeant believed shortia was found at lower elevations farther south. He discovered the plant at about 1500 feet in Oconee County, South Carolina, hence its common name Oconee Bell. Upon receiving specimens and a description of the location from Sargeant, the 78-year old Gray is said to have wept with joy. *The information for this article was found in a collection of old botany papers. There was no mention of an author. Harvard University Botany Professor Asa Gray Featured on 2011 Scientist Stamps Cambridge, MA — The U.S. Postal Service announced that the third American Scientists stamp issuance honors 4 scientists including the botanist Asa Gray. Gray was one of the first professional botanists in the United States. In 1842, he joined the faculty at Harvard University where he would teach until 1873. His donation of his thousands of books and plant specimens established Harvard's botany department. His most widely used book, commonly called **Gray's Manual” (1848) remains a standard work in the field of Botany. While a member of the faculty at Harvard University for over three decades, he advanced the specialized field of plant geography and became the principal American advocate of the evolutionary theory. Gray died on January 30, 1888, in Cambridge, MA and is buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery. His former home located at 88 Garden Street in Cambridge is registered as a National Landmark. The new stamp has not only Gray’s picture but the name Shortia galacifolia in his handwriting. P.6 SHORTIA c/o Anne Ulinski 1212 Chanteloup Drive Hendersonville, N.C. 28739 FIRST CLASS Library *Att; Dr. Buck New York Botanical Garden Bronx, N.Y. 10458-5126 SHORTIA A quarterly publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club Vol, XXXI1V. No. 3 II ' ) Fall 2011 Editor: Anne Ulinski Assistants: Jean Lenhart, Elaine Montgomery The purpose of the Club is to study the plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and the Southeast through field trips and indoor meetings. Membership is open to all. Individual/family memberships are $15. New members joining from the period July 1 -December 31 , pay $8. All memberships are renewable on January first of each year. Send dues to: Alan Graham, 544 Tip Top Road, Brevard, N.C. 29812 SHORTIA NEWSLETTER OF THE WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB WINTER 2011 Shortia gaiacifoHa Oconee Bells t-wcS i He., V lieraky OEC 2 2 2011 NEW YORK WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB President Karen Koelling Secretary Paula Robbins Vice President Mary Kathryn Hardman Treasurer Alan Graham From the President Karen Koelling APPAU\CHIAN COLOR AND FLOWERS Late in October my husband Ron and I traveled along the Blue Ridge Parkway south and stopped at a huge boulder that had major fractures - there was an intriguing cave to explore, and I ventured out along the grass looking for whatever might be there. I stooped to discover a small patch of almost hidden, marvelous minature azure blue flowers among the tall blades of grass. After admiring the striking blue/violet flowers, I searched for any ripe seed pods. I looked long and hard at the leaf, stem, and blossom characteristics to help with identification when we returned home. According to Jim Drake, Gentians of the Eastern United States, my newest discovery is Gentianella quinquefolia, or stiff gentian! Gentians are conspicuous plants of autumn, and finding these made the day special. The family Gentianaceae is identified by parts in ’5s', petals joined in a tube with a slender stem usually branching. Stiff gentian is an annual whose leaves are opposite, ovate, and clasping. The tight flower cluster of 5 (or more) petals found at the summit of stems and branches, is showy and bristle pointed. Gentianella quinquefolia has a smaller flower than the closed gentian, but often sports shining blue/violet tones. Their range includes the mountain slopes of the Appalachian Range from its northerly beginnings to the southern end. Looking at the mass of wildflowers before me I was reminded of an inverted crystal chandelier. With the sunlight on the flower tubes, the color was luminescent purple! What a wonderful creation. We left the sight after Ron had satisfied his curiosity and I had lingered trying to fix every patch in my memory. Looking for a picnic site, we found a secluded spot near the Cherokee border, and set up our lunch. It was a heavenly day - sunny, little breeze, no haze. Perfect. After some time, I noticed we had set up in a mixed grove of young American Chestnut trees! They were about 12-15 feet tall, and their trunks were in a circle -obviously sprouts from a once proud mature Chestnut now gone. In addition, a small grove of Striped Maple trees was present, and their brilliant yellow leaves were a sight! What a great day. Nature is grand. Happy Travelling y'all. 00 00 oo oo oo oo oo Cover: The flower on the cover is Shortia galacifolla, Oconee Bells. Our newsletter is named for this southern endemic which is now rare in the wild. P.1 MEMBER NEWS Welcome to new members Paulette and Barrie Cliff, Hendersonville OCXMOOOOOOOCXJQ ANNUAL DUES. January 1, 2012 is the date for all membership renewals. Please fill in all the information on the green form and return it with your check so we can verify our membership records. oooooooooooooo Winter Meetings. AH winter meetings are held at the Bullington Center. These meetings will be automatically cancelled if the Henderson County Schools are closed. Check with weather reports or telephone the Henderson County Office at 697-4733. C30000000QOOOOO Any change of address, email or telephone number, please inform Alan Graham, 544 Tip Top Road, Brevard, N.C., 28712, 828-884-3947,