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SHORTIA

NEWSLETTER OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB

si>RiNG 1999

LIBRARY

FEB 2 2 i;?9

NEW YORK
BOTANICAL GARDEN

Anne Ulinski

Editor

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB - 1999

President: Anne Ulinski Recorder: Betty Jones

Vice President: Bonnie Arbuckle Historian: Anne Matthes

Secretary: Peggy Ellis

Treasurer: Rachel Conway

From the President Anne Ulinski

Annual Meeting. With cooperation from the weather we had a good turnout for our
annual meeting. Carl and Margaret Byrd again coordinated the food and service.
Connie Updike assisted them and made the colorful table decorations. Many thanks
to all of them.

Don Herrman, Elaine Montgomery, Aline and Elton Hansens and Erica ParmI are all
“retiring” from their official duties with WCBC. Thanks to all of them for their service to
the Club. The 1999 leadership met after the annual meeting to exchange ideas. We
hope to continue the 25 successful years of the Club with another successful year.

“Shortia". We need an editor(s) for “Shortia” to replace the retiring Elton and Aline
Hansens. Please call me if you are interested in being editor or in helping with the
newletter. Until we find a replacement, I’ll edit Shortia with assistance from Dean
Crawford who has volunteered his com.puter skills for typing and layout.

We will be reprinting one of Dick Smith’s articles Look Again! in each issue this year.
The Look Again! in this issue was the first of Dick’s series, printed in Shortia in 1981.

Program. Our Vice-president, Bonnie Arbuckle, will be doing the programming this
year - scheduling our field trips and indoor meetings. Preliminary work on the
Schedule for the period July 1, 1999 to January 31, 2000 has already begun. If you
have some ideas for field trips or meetings, call Bonnie at 696-2077.

Scouting for new field trips. Erica Parmi has agreed to take on a new Club position as
scout for new locations for our field trips. We have had suggestions for Dupont State
Forest, Green River Game Lands, the old growth forests of Mackey Mountain (Old Fort
area) and a spring overnight trip to Athens, Ga. If you know of some new trails that
would be interesting to the Club pass the information on to Erica.

Telephone tree. Peggy Ellis is putting together a “telephone tree” which will be put
into action when a field trip or indoor meeting Is cancelled and we need to contact all
the members. If you are willing to make calls or If for some reason, such as you don’t
attend field trips and prefer not to be called, please let Peggy know. Her telephone
number in Fletcher Is 684-3918.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

It’s time to renew your membership in the Club. Please notice the current dues are
now $1 2 for each individual/family. For new members who join during the year from
July 1 -December 31 the dues will be $6 to the end of the year for each
individual/family. All membership renewals will be on January first of each year.

The Western Carolina Botanical Club was founded in 1973 and it was not until 1983
that the Club assessed dues. These first dues were set at $3 for an individual and $4
for a family. The following year, 1984, the dues were raised to $8 per individual/family
and remained at that level until the increase this year.

Please send your dues promptly to our Treasurer. Rachel Conway, 211 Aldersqate
Circle. Asheville. N.C. 28803 so that we can prepare the 1999 membership list and
mail it to you as soon as possible. If you have a new address or telephone number,
please alert the Treasurer to those changes.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Aline Hansens

Ballard, Larry - 161 Surrey Land, Hendersonvile, N.C. 28791.
Tel: (828) 891-4318. Originally from Indiana, Larry retired to this
area two months ago. With a general interest in plants, a
newspaper notice led him to look us up and join the Club.

Lenhart, Jean - Rt. 4, Box 285C, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739.

Tel: (828) 693-6849. Originally from the Cumberland Mts. in
Kentucky, Jean moved to this area 1 0 years ago from Maryland.
She is very interested in all aspects of nature and the environment.

Middleton, Dave and Milly - 301 C. Kensington Place, Asheville, N.C. 28803.

(828) 681 -5841 . During their early years the Middletons lived in the Piedmont area of
N.C. Their work led them to Wisconsin with transfers to other places in the U.S. and to
Canada and Australia. They retired to Atlanta, Ga. where they both volunteered at the
Chattahoochee Nature Center. They moved to Asheville in 1997. One of their
hobbies is photographing wildlife, particularly wildflowers.

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES
January 15, 1999 St. John Episcopal Church, Hendersonville, NC

Attendance; 38

The meeting was called to order by Don Herrman, President at 1 1 :00 am. A reading of
last years annual meeting minutes by Peggy Ellis was followed by the treasure’s report
by Rachel Conway. Both were accepted as read.

T reasure’s Report: December 31,1 998 -- balance on hand $1 ,797.65

Harry Lcgan Account; $261 .88

Details of debits and credits is attached to minutes.

Elton Hansens reported he looked over the financial records of the club, by request of
Rachel, and found them to be in excellent order. (See report attached to minutes)

Report from historian, Ann Matthes: She thanks all the people who have contributed
items to keep the clubs events recorded accurately. We thank Ann for her dedication
to this immense project.

Elton reports on Shortia: He has put together several complete copies of Shortia
which are being held at: The New York Botanical Garden, Hunter Library of Western
Carolina University at Cuilohee and at UNC Asheville; University Botanical Garden
Library. We also have our own complete set which is presently in the hands of our
new President, Anne Uiinski.

Elton formally announces to the group his and Alines’ resignation as co-editors of
Shortia. They produced 23 issues since 1993 and the club is extremely grateful for all
of their efforts.

Recorders Report: Read by Betty Jones due to absence of Erika Parmi.

In spite of the drought it was a good botanizing year with 41 field trips scheduled, 4
canceled and 3 reports not received. The 1998 Champion Trip was to Coleman
Boundary Road where 76 species were in bloom on May 8th. Runner up was the trip
to Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook on the Parkway, June 26th, where 70 species were
identified. Lake Issaqueenas on September 1 1 had 51 plants in bloom, followed by
Kurinsky’s Garden with 50 on May 1 1th.

Average attendance was 16 people per trip. Two trips drew over 30 people;

Pearson’s Waterfalls and the picnic at Don Herrman’s. Least attended was the Hardy
Souls trip on Feb. 28 when 4 people walked in a downpour on the Laurel Mtn. Trail.

Erika resigns as recorder. Betty Jones has agreed to take over the position with her
combined knowledge of botanical names and computers.

Aline Hansens reports on the condition of Don Bender who is coming home from
Thom's Rehab today after suffering from a hemorrhage to the brain. A card is being

sent from the club members.

The Nominating Committee, which consisted of Dick and Jeanne Smith and Aline and
Elton Hansens, presented the slate for officers for 1999 as follows; Anne Ulinski,
Pres., Bonnie Arbuckle, VP., Rachel Conway, Treas., Peggy Ellis, Sec. All were
elected unanimously.

Dues Increase: Discussion was held on the necessity to increase the clubs dues from
$8.00 per year to $1 2.00 per year with a pro-rate of $6.00 after July. All dues being
due on Jan. 1 st of each year. Anne Ulinski estimates expenses for the coming year to
be between $1200.00 and $1300.00. Connie Updike make a motion to raise dues to
$12.00 per year with the $6.00 pro-rate after July. A1 Dupree seconds motion. Motion
revised by Connie to include the honorary members non payment of dues as in the
past. A1 seconds the revision and dues increase is voted in unanimously.

Discussion was held on the gas monies given to the car pooling drivers. Many
members refuse payment even though it is club policy to pay the driver. One
suggestion by Bonnie is to keep an envelope in the car for receiving monies and when
it’s your turn to pay take the money out of the envelope and if there is any left over at
the end of the year, donate it to the club. Many agreed this was a great suggestion.

Don Herrman, as outgoing President, welcomes in Anne Ulinski as the incoming
President. She gives a warm speech regarding her support and intent to the original
purpose of the ciub written down on March 27th, 1973 and reprinted in Shortia
Vol. XX, NO. 4. Anne asks for volunteers to fill the Editor position. Elton offers to assist
the new editor when that time comes.

Bonnie Arbuckle mentions the study going on by the Bertram Garden to collect data
from people growing Franklinia. You can pick up a form from her.

Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted, Peggy Ellis
January 15, 1999.

WES^l^R^i CARCLIM BOTANICAL CLUB

Treasury Report
Year Ending December 31 » 1998

January 1, 1998 - Balance on hand

$2,170.21

Receirts

Membership dues

Donations

Interest

$768.00

20.00

14.67

Ji5802.69

802.69

$2,972.88

Disbursements

Program schedules inc. postage $247,64
Shortia '* 578.89
Membership list 61.09
Plant list 39.91
St. John in Wilderness 75.00
Annual meeting supplies 7.03
Botanical Gardens at Asheville 100.00
Treasurer, postage/supplies l6,06
Bank Service Ch^ge 6,6l
Check starting kit -new account 43 .00

$1175.23

December 31f 1998 - balance on hand

1.173.23 I

?1,797.65

Re: Harry Logan Eeouest:

January 1, 1998 - on hand $840.77
Disbursements 378 . 89
December 31» 1998 balance $261 . 8S

(This balance is included in the total balance above.)

Respectfully submitted

Vvj . CLcrujjotu

Rachel M, Conway(\
(Treasurer)

RECORDER’S REPORT

THE YEAR 1998.

ERIKA S. PARMI

It was a good year in spite of the drought, although we did not do as well as in 1 997
when all the field trips were held. This year, of the forty-one field trips scheduled, four
were cancelled and I received no reports from three. The following statistics are based
on the remaining thirty-four. Despite the dry year we had two trips where more than
seventy species in bloom were counted.

The 1 998 champion was the Coleman Boundary Road where we found seventy-six
species in bloom despite the effects of a hailstorm a few days before. That trip was
held on May 8. The runnerup was the trip to Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook on the
Parkway on June 26 where we found seventy species blooming. From the 70’s we
dropped down to the 50’s with only two other trips producing that much bloom; Lake
Issaqueena on Sept. II with fifty-one and the Kurinsky’s garden on May 1 1 with fifty.
Four trips produced species in bloom in the 40-49 range, eleven trips in the 30-39
range, four trips in the 20-29 range and nine trips had less than twenty. (Last year we
had only four trips with less than twenty species blooming).

Our attendance of 51 1 was comparable to 1997’s 564, which was based on more trips.
As with last year the attendance averaged out to around sixteen people per trip. Of the
thirty-two outings for which we have attendance reports, two attracted more than thirty
people (the same popular outings as in 1997), namely to Pearson’s Falls on March 27
and the picnic at Don Herrman’s in June. Five outings attracted 21-29 folks, twenty
attracted 11-20 people and only five times did less than ten show up. The lowest
turnout was for the Hardy Souls trip in February when only two people appeared and
one went on home on that cold, foggy, drizzly day!

With this 1998 report 1 am resigning as your Recorder. My first report was in the
Summer 1 992 Shortia. I’ve enjoyed the work over these years and have found it the
best way to learn the scientific names of plants in our area. I want to thank everyone
who has been a field recorder, especially those who pitched in with more than their
share of assignments. If it weren’t for you there would be no Recorder’s Report. A
special note of thanks to Anne Ulinski who has this year put most of the plant lists on
her computer and has suggested new computer-friendly formats for reporting lists and
trip reports.

Now it is time to turn over the reins to someone who has mastered computers in
addition to botanical names. Betty Jones has consented to be our new Recorder and 1
am sure that she will do a superb job. Let’s all support her. I know that I will enjoy
continuing as one of the field recorders and I hope others of you will volunteer as well.

WINTER BOTANY

AnneUlinski

On January 27, Millie Pearson, Ivan Kuster and I spent the morning walking the trails
on the FENCE property near Columbus, N.C. enjoying the warm (60 degree) weather
and listening to the kingfisher scold as we crossed on the boardwalk at the pond. Our
purpose was to look at plants in winter.

We collected some specimens and took them to the January 29 indoor meeting. A few
of the specimens identified were: An agrimony( Agr/mon/a sp.) , asters{Aster spp.),
elephant’s iooX{Elephantopus sp. ), broom sedge(Andropogon virginicus), seedbox
{Ludwigia alternifolia), pale meadow beauty(R/7ex/a mariana), a foxtail
grassfSefar/a sp.), goldenrods(So//dago spp..) and ironweed( \/ernon/a
noveboracensis ).

Some of the plants that we saw but did not collect were: Rattlesnake plantain orchid
{Goodyera pubescens), swamp Vr\\sWe{Cirsium wutilum), a pussy\.oes{Antennana sp.),
spotted wintergreen {Chimiphila macalata),
partridgeberry(M/fche//a repens), a Joe-pye-weed
{Eupatorium sp. ), virgin's bower (Clematis virginiana)
and the ferns: Resurrection tem{Polypodium
polypodioides) and Christmas fern
(Polystichum acrostichoides).

Nature guides for winter

Herbaceous Plants*

Wildflowers and Winter Weeds by Lauren Brown 1997 W.W. Norton
A Guide to Wildflowers in Winter by Carol Levine 1995 Yale U. Press
Grasses only: Grasses by Lauren Brown 1979 Houghton Mifflin
Native Trees & Shrubs: Winter Botany (Third revised edition) by William
Trelease 1983 Dover Publications

Weeds, birds, insect evidence, etc.: A Guide to Nature in Winter by Donald W.
Stokes 1976 Little, Brown & Co.

Many of these books are written for the northeastern U.S.A. but with a range as far
south and west as Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

Also of interest: Fall Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains by
Gupton and Swope 1987 U. of Virginia Press

* Although herbaceous plants die down to the ground in winter, dried remnants
of stems, leaves and fruits often remain standing above ground.

^eadi

ye/'« re^*ns

One of the difficulties thac we amateur
botanisus have with unillus* rated keys is that
the characteristics cited to differentiate
similar species often appear to be minor ones
and give the impression that we are going to
have trouble deciding which is wnich.

Actually, it usuailly comes as a surprise
that the second species, when we finally come
across it, loolcs so unlike tne first - and in
so many respects.

The two species of rattlesnake plantain
orchid (Goodyera) found in our area are good
examples. The average amateur probably will see
hundreds of the relatively abundant Goodyera
oubesc ens before finding his first ^ reoens ,
less common. i.Vhen he does, it

but since he

which is much less common. i.Vhen
will indeed look very differen
might put it down as a depauperate ^ •pubescens,
to fix the differences in his mind beforehand i

it would

be well

In the first place, Goodyera reoens is a
smaller plant, and it is this, mo re^ than any-
thing else, that is immediately evident. It
is perhaps two^thirds as tall as G_^ pubesc ens ,
tne leaves half as long, and the raceme defi-
nitely shorter. Also, the flowers are fewer,
less crowded, and distinctly secund.

But the best field mark
(and this will serve for
year-round identification)

^ is the leaf venation. ^ pubescens

inent whitish midvein and a

fine, pale green veinlets. xu

markings are dark green instead of light,

6.r* emj plants (which are distinguished from

European ones as "var. ophioides") they are
bordered in greenish white. The veinlets seldom are branched, run
roughly at right angles to the veins, and having wider bands of
white are more conspicuous than the veins.

6. flukeseens

has a prom-
network of numerous
In G_^ reoens these
and
the

Goodyera reoens is confined to a
G . pubescens . and in our region grows
forests of the mountains. Look for
it under spruces and firs along the
Blue Ridge Parkway, for instance,
and think small 1

more northern range than
in the cold C anadian- type

S H O RT i A

Vol. XXI. No. 1

Spring 1999

A quarteriy publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club

Editing & Production: Anne Ulinski, Dean Crawford

Distribution: Ruth Hoerich

Please submit contributions for the next issue by May 15 to: Anne Ulinski
1212 Chanteloupe Drive, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

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 $12. New members joining from the period July 1-
December 31 , pay $6. All memberships are renewable on January first of each year.
Please send dues to:

Rachel Conway, Treasurer
21 1 Aldersgate Circle
Asheville, N.C. 28803

FIRST CLASS

Mlnuiiililililiiliiiiliinllnl

It; ilni!)

SHORTIA

NEWSLETTER OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB

SUMMER 1999

^^^Rary

Chelone lyoni

Pink Turtlehead

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB - 1999

President; Anne Ulinski Treasurer; Rachel Conway

Vice President; Bonnie Arbuckle Recorder; Betty Jones

Secretary; Peggy Ellis Historian; Anne Matthes

From the President Anne Ulinski

Sometimes if we are lucky, a gifted person comes into our lives, one willing to
share his knowledge with others. Dick Smith was such a person. In his quiet way he
challenged us to open our eyes, stretch our minds, sharpen our senses. With him we
looked up mountain ridges to see the unusual Appalachian St. John’s-wort and the
rare Canada burnet. We looked down to see the tiny Round-leaved sundew and the
elusive Pennywort. With infinite care he showed us the disk and ray flowers of the
composites and the sessile central floret of the Golden Alexander. Each year he
reminded us to use our hands lens to examine the unique structure of Flowering
spurge. Dick, often with his wife Jeanne, took us to Lake Issaqueena, Station Cove,
Frying Pan Gap and to the rock faces on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We learned from
hini the disciplines required of a good botanist; Careful observation (Look Again!), the
use of keys and reference materials and the accurate recording of our field notes.

For almost 20 years until his death last month, Dick gave generously of his time
and knowledge to enrich those of us in the Botanical Club. We are grateful for all that
he shared with us.

This issue of Shortia is dedicated to him.

★ ★ ★

For more on the life and accomplishments of Dick Smith, see the article by long-
time friend and colleague, Elton Hansens on page eight of this issue.

1999 Membership List

The 1999 membership list has been mailed. If there are any changes to your
name, address or telephone #, please call Ruth Hoerich. Winter addresses are not
shown but mailings will be made to those addresses as usual.

A correction; Annual dues are $12.

Cover; Line drawing by Richard M. Smith from Wild Plants of America

-2-

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Aline Hansens

Carlson, Betty; P.O. Box 918, Bryson City, N.C. 28713
(828) 488-2422.

Coleman, Persls; P.O. Box 1057, Etowah. N.C. 28729
(828) 698-8010. Attracted by this area and moved here
from Florida last June. Loves gardening and has taught
some botany courses in Florida. Wants to learn native
plants of this area.

Kelly, Thomas & Barbara; 162 Campbell Drive, Pisgah
Forest, N.C. 28767 (828)884-6143.

Petteway, Jo: Rt. 4, Box 285B, Hendersonville, N.C. (828) 692-7345. Winter
address; 775 Milano Circle, Apopha, FI. 32712.

Tierney, John: P.O. Box 291, Edneyville, N.C. 28727. (828)685-7291. Retired
Episcopal minister. Moved here from Canada in 1992. An ardent birder until some
hearing loss changed his focus to botany. Loves nature and the outdoors. Learned of
the Club from Erica Parmi & Anne Ulinski.

Williams, Barbara; #3 Sandrock Trail, Pisgah Forest, N.C. 28768. (828) 877-5009.
Moved here last August from New Orleans. Loves the fours seasons and the natural
beauty of the area. Enjoys painting, plants, gardens and landscapes. Learned of the
Club from Connie Updike.

Bob Gunn
Harriet Kuster

Ruth Hoerich

Maintains the membership list
Types the twice-a-year schedules

Coordinates all the mailings and sees that they are on their way to you.

Th^]7 my©h

Each time I study a new plant 1 am amazed to find how much more I see after I have

become thoroughly acquainted with it.

-Niko Tinbergen
“Curious Naturalists” (1 959)

-3-

RECORDER RAMBLiNGS

Betty Jones

Our 1999 field trip season got off to a good start with 16 botanizers taking to the trails in
the area of the Pisaah Forest Visitor Center on February 26. It was sunny and warm for
that date - not “hardy souls” weather. Most of the group continued their hike up onto the
Andy Cove Trail and were treated to blooming Trailing Arbutus {Epigaea repens).

The 24 participants in the walk at Holmes State Forest tfiree weeks later were disap-
pointed to find that spring flowers had not yet emerged. Last year’s putty root leaves
were in abundance, however.

The “Hardy Souls” sobriquet goes to Millie Pearson and Barbara Butenhof who did the
Pearson Fails walk in a mixture of snow, rain and sleet. Though the trip was officially
cancelled, Millie and Barbara turned in a trip report that included 28 identified plants, 15
of which were in bloom!

In sharp contrast to Pearson Falls was the walk along the South Pacolet River a week
later - heat and very little shade. One special plant there was the rare anemone ber-
landieri which was in full bloom. The Station Cove Falls walk gave us a rich display of
spring varieties: anemones, flowering trees, bloodroot, chickweeds, violets, etc. and the
promise of more to come.

Dark overcast skies threatened to spoil the walk along the Davidson River and into the
Sycamore Flats area. But the clouds drifted away and we had a relaxed pleasant walk.
There were no spectacular displays of flowers, but just enough individuals to capture our
interest.

Glassy Mt. Preserve served up its usual offering of uncommon plants: Appalachian
Sandwort {Minuartia glabra), False Garlic {Nothoscordum bivalve) and Elf Orpine (Se-
dum smallii). The group spent some time identifying Woodsia scopulina, a fem which
has limited distribution in this area.

Oohs and aahs were the response to the wonderful displays of trillium along the Pacolet
Falls trail. Hikers at Kanati Fork also raved over the thousands of Trillium grandiflorum.
A nearby stop yielded expanses of White or Fringed Phacelia {Phacelia fimbirata) and
Wild Blue Phlox {Phlox divaricate).

Hikers who missed the Pacolet Falls and Kanati field trips had a chance to see Trillium
grandiflorum on the Horse Cove walk. Since the season is late, the Wild Geranium {Ge-
ranium maculatum) and Gay Wings {Polygala paucifolia) had not yet reached their peak.

Lowell Orbison was our expert guide to the flora of the UNCA Botanical Garden. We
kept no lists and just admired the well-over-a-hundred blooming plants among which
were the azaleas and the “double” dogwood.

The Shinn Garden walk was cancelled due to rain. The Pilot Mountain field trip was
cancelled so that our members could attend the memorial service for Dick Smith whose
loss to our club is incalculable.

-4-

A NEW LOOK

Betty Jones

Thanks to the computer, our checklists have a new look, i am experimenting with a va-
riety of formats and I would welcome comments and suggestions for enhancing its read-
ability and usefulness. Occasionally we will be using old copies of checklists until the
supply runs out.

Several features are much easier with the computer adding gridlines, inserting new
species, using large and small print on the same document etc. I have even eliminated
the need for typing all those Latin and common names by using a table lookup that gives
me the same spelling (possibly incorrect) every time. Please let me know if I have a
misspelling so that I can correct my table. Also, if there is a change in a plants Latin
name, I would appreciate your telling me.

There are two schools of thought regarding numbering the species on the list. Numbers
are easy to call out when we are on the trail where it is difficult to pass information to the
end of the line. But is this too much of a crutch? Should we be using the Latin names
consistently until they become comfortable for us? What is your opinion? Do you prefer
“Number 29” or “Medeola virginiana" when you are on the trail?

With the aid of a computer database manager, I am attempting to transfer our 10+ years
of botanical checklist data to a history file. Thus far I have keyed in the data from 74
walks, but with an average of 40 walks per year for more than ten years, I have at least
400 more to go. When this project is completed, we will be able to answer a question
like the following: “Have we ever seen Gray’s Lily {Ulium gray!) on our walks, and, if so,
where and when?” Perhaps some of you have questions that you would like to pose to
this database. Can you think of any interesting statistics we might extract?

Finally, if you are recorder for one of our field trips, just mail your report to me (at 186
Johnson Rd., Brevard NC 28712) as soon as possible after the walk. Also, if you have
any checklists left over, just return them to me at your convenience - we’ll use them the
next time that walk comes up. Thanks, everyone, for your cooperation and encourage-
ment.

WORKSHOP: LET*S LOOK AT MINTS

All mints have square stems; but all plants with square stems aren't
mints. Have you heard this comment? Do you want to learn more about
the mint family, Lamiaceae? If so, join the study group that will meet
at the Cradle of Forestry on August 16. In the morning session we will
look at flower structure and family characteristics. After lunch we
will go to the field to apply our identification techniques. Call
Bonnie Arbuckle to register for the workshop (828-696-2077). Regis-
tration is necessary to obtain free entry to the Cradle of Forestry and
prepare worksheets to the class.

-5-

PEARSON’S FALLS GLEN
History and Mystery

Pearson’s Falls Glen is located approximately three miles below Saluda and six miles
above Tryon, off U.S. 176. Here the waters of Colt Creek rush down the face of a 91
foot rock cliff into the gorge and glen below to form unique waterfalls and park areas.

The 375 acres comprising the sanctuary contain over 300 species (including many
rare ones) of flora native to Western North Carolina. Entrance is through a rustic iron
gate supported on either side by a low stone wall with arches. Several trails lead to
the waterfall crisscrossing rain-fed mountain freshets, small streams and springs as
Colt Creek carves its way over boulders to join the North Pacolet [River].

The main trail winds along the creek from sunshine to shadow where the only sound
may be the trickle of cold spring water over rock ledges covered with greenery of ferns
and mosses and wild lettuce. Trillium, dutchman’s breeches, wild anemone and foam
flower bank the trail in profusion each spring. One import, the rare Shortia galacifolia
or Oconee-bells, has been added to the park’s flora in recent years.

Long before reaching the end. the roar of water can be heard; then mist drifts through
the air and the roar of rushing water fills the gorge. Bright sunshine and deep
shadows, warm and cool breezes fill the glen, making understandable the Native
Americans’ belief that it was inhabited by spirits, a forbidden place where water spirits
gathered, played, danced and sang. Game was never followed into the gorge; no
campfires were built at the foot of the roaring waters. These beliefs were passed on to
early white settlers. Hunters called off their dogs or left them to make their way home if
they ventured too near this glen of magic and mystery.

★ ★

When the Asheville-Spartanburg railway (now the Southern) was looking for a pass
through the mountains, they sent a young engineer, Capt. Charles William Pearson,
down the river of the laughing waters, Pacolet. He discovered the nameless glen and
in 1876 he bought the glen as a part of a larger tract where he settled his family.

Many of Capt. Pearson’s descendants, including Club member Millie Pearson still live
on land of the original purchase.

The article above, modified for publication by Pat Arnett, was written
by Millie Pearson’s niece, Priscilla Pearson at the celebration of 50
years of ownership of the glen by the Tryon Garden Club. Priscilla
is the great-granddaughter of Capt. Pearson.

Canada violet ( Viola canadensis)
grows in profusion at Pearson’s Falls

-6-

NOTES FROM WHITE SQUIRREL

Charles R. Gunn

The genus Cannabis is one of two genera in the
Cannabacea: Cannabis humulus, the hops of beer
brewing and the controversial crop, Cannabis sativa
(marijuana). I will leave it to others to decide whether
marijuana in the cigarette form should be legalized and
taxed. We want to consider Cannabis sativa from the
botanical viewpoint.

When I lived in Iowa, 1961-1965, I saw many plants of C.
sativa along stream banks and in low waste places. The
plants, whose seeds were spread to these areas by birds
and then became naturalized, originally came from fields of
C. sativa or hemp grown for fiber, oil, and seeds. There are
USDA/ARS publications covering the farming of hemp and
the storage of its seeds. By federal law passed in 1 938 our
valuable crop plant, hemp, became the illegal plant,
the scourge of our youth, marijuana!

Thanks to Ernst Small, Canadian Department of Agriculture, and Arthur Cronquist,

New York Botanical Garden, we now know Cannabis sativa is a species complex
which includes;

Plants of limited intoxicant ability - subsp. sativa, hemp, with two varieties - var.
sativa and var. spontanea (the variety I saw in Iowa).

Plants of considerable intoxicant ability - subsp. indica, marijuana, with two
varieties - var. indica and var. kafiristanica.

Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest crop plants, cultivated for its bast fibers in the
stem, oil in the fruit, seeds and intoxicating resins produced by epidermal glands.

The subspecies and varieties are the result of human intervention.

In 1998 in Canada 5930 acres of hemp were planted by certified Canadian farmers,
and this can be sold legally for fiber and seed oil.

A legal case in Kentucky may clarify the federal law on C. sativa. Did Woody
Harrelson (of Hollywood fame) plant hemp or marijuana seeds? As an outcome of this
case, perhaps the law will be changed to name only subsp. indica as marijuana and
hemp may become available as a replacement crop for tobacco.

C. sativa
(male plant)

Bob Gunn as former director of the U.S. National Seed Herbarium was assigned to the
New Crops Research Branch and thus has more than a passing interest in new crops
for the United States and the world.

DICK SMITH, OUR MENTOR AND FRIEND

by Elton Hansens

On the corner of my desk are two books, Wild Plants of America and Wild Flowers of
the Southern Mountains, both by Richard M. Smith, the amateur botanist we knew so
well. In the “Acknowledgements” in “Wild Plants of America” he wrote, “For me, getting
to know wild plants has always meant going trudging up a steep trail peering for
trailing arbutus, ambling through a sunny meadow aglow with goldenrods and asters,
scuffling through fallen leaves to uncover the year’s last gentian, crunching over
crusted snow to tell the fortunes of swollen tree buds. This was the way my father
taught me. It happened to be the only way, for I never knew him to uproot a plant from
the wild for his garden, but I also saw it as the right way; and am grateful for his

example I moved to the botanical treasure house that is the southern Appalachians,

and I was not disappointed. The Western Carolina Botanical Club proved to be an
exceptional group of energetic, imaginative, and compatible individuals with interests
identical to my own ”

Dick Smith retired from New York to Connestee Falls in Brevard in 1978. Here he was
free to pursue his love for flowers, photography, and to explore the Blue Ridge
Parkway.

In 1982 he led five WCBC meetings between January and June —1. Pioneer
Botanists of Western North Carolina, 2. the Heath Family, 3. a hike along the
Davidson River, 4. a visit to the Clemson U. Experimental Forest, and 5. Kephart Prong
Trail. This was quite a contribution from a new member.

In 1981 Dick introduced “LOOK AGAIN!” as a regular contribution to SHORTIA , the
WCBC newsletter. Recently he revised some of the early issues for use in 1999.

Dick was elected WCBC President in 1983 and 1984.

The Buck Springs Nature Trail on the Parkway was proposed by Elton Hansens and
Dick won approval from the Parkway. Many club members helped with identification of
flora and marking locations with numbers. Dick and I worked together every step of
the way. Finally Dick prepared a brochure, “Buck Springs Nature Trail, a Botanical
Tour”, which was published and distributed by the Parkway. The project was
completed in 1989. The trail and brochure now need revision.

Dick’s latest book Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains is special!! I am particularly
impressed by his dedication: “In memory of my mother who would have loved this
book, and my father, who could have done it better.” This guide focuses on more than
1200 species fround in the Blue Ridge physiographic province. The 600 color plates
are the most impressive feature of the book. Dick with his special talent was able to
photograph the details of each plant.

Our WCBC members are very aware of the many contributions of Dick and Jeanne to
our Club. Several years ago they were named Honorary Members.

-8-

LOOK AGAIN !

The average gajrden contains so many exotic species and
artificial hybrids that it is easy to forget that some native
North American wildflowers were long ago brought into cultivation
unchanged 0 A few that come to mind are the hardy and beautiful
New England Aster, the Blazing Stars (Liatris sop. ) , and the so-
called Moss Pink or Thrift (Phlox subulata) .

Another familiar example is Bee-
balm, or Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma) , This
showy member of the Mint Family was used by
Indian tribes in the northeast as a flavor-
ing agent, and during the colonial period
the residents of Oswego, New York, made a
beverage from its leaves in protest against
the tax levied by the English on imported
Oriental teas. This particular species is
the one with bright crimson flowers, and in
the wild it favors wet situationso

There are several other Monardas
in our area, and all of them have a dense
terminal head of long, tubular, two-lipped
flowers subtended by leafy bracts which tend
to be suffused with color corresponding to that
All bloom in the summer and early fall.

of the corolla.

The most abundant is Wild Bergamot (M. fistulosa) , with
pink or lavender flowers each having a distinctive tuft of hairs
near the outer end of the upper lip. This very fragrant species
is more likely to be found in dry open woods or fields or along

Basil Balm (M. clinopodia)
is widely -distributed in the southern
mountains. It has white or pinkish
flowers which are spotted with purple
and lack the tuft of hairs.

Occasionally one will find
what appears to be a color variant of
Oswego Tea, with flowers of rich purple instead of red. This is
thought to be a natural hybrid of M, didyma and M, fistulosa,
and has been named M. media.

-9-

S H O R T I A

Vol. XXI. No. 2 Summer 1999

A quarterly publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club

Editor: Anne Ulinski Editoral Assistance; Pat Arnett

Distribution: Ruth Hoerich

Please submit contributions for the next issue by August 15 to; Anne Ulinski
1212 Chanteloupe Drive. Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

Rachel Conway, Treasurer
21 1 Aldersgate Circle
Asheville, N.C. 28803

SHORTIA
c/o Ruth Hoerich
21 5 Newport Road
Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

FIRST CLASS

*^*L1brary

Att.; Dr. Buck

New York Botanical Garden

Bronx NY 10458-5126

SHORTIA

y - ^

/r-3

NEWSLETTER OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB

Autumn 1 999

library

I 5 /999

Stellaria corei

Tennessee Chickweed

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB - 1999

President: Anne Ulinski Treasurer: Rachel Conway

Vice President: Bonnie Arbuckle Recorder: Betty Jones

Secretary: Peggy Ellis Historian: Anne Matthes

From the President Anne Ulinski

One of the goals of the Western Carolina Botanical Club is “the collection and
compilation of information and data on the plants of Western Carolina and “the
education of interested persons in the enjoyment and appreciation of wildflowers and
other plants”.

This spring the Club received a request from Cindy Carpenter, U.S. Forest
Service Interpretive Specialist, that we undertake a project at the Pisgah Forest Cradle
of Forestry. With the support of the Executive Committee I submitted a proposal to the
U.S. Forest Service for the Club to undertake what the Forest Service calls a
“sponsored voluntary services” project. The project consists of an inventory of the
plants along the Forest Legacy Trail and the Biltmore Campus Trail. After collecting
the data we will work with Cindy to design wildflower brochures for the trails.

Bonnie Arbuckle and I are the co-chairs for the project. Other Club members
volunteering are: Peggy Ellis, Elisabeth Feil, Betty Jones, Elaine Montgomery, Erika
Parmi and Helen Smith. The volunteers are divided into two teams so that each team
goes to the trails one day a month. We could use some alternates -- those interested
in filling in when almost everyone on a team leaves town at the same time! Please
call Bonnie or me if you are interested. The qualifications are: good eyes for spotting
plants, patience and assistance as the team works through keys, and a commitment
to wildflower education.

ooooooeoooooeooooooooo

A gift in memory of Dick Smith was made by the Club to Preservers of the Blue Ridge
Parkway. The following is the acknowledgement we received from Jeanne Smith.

Dear Friends:

I wish to thank you all for the gift to the “Preserve the Parkway” program in
memory of Dick. You could not have chosen a more appropriate memorial as the Blue
Ridge Parkway was Dick’s favorite botanical hangout. If regulations had allowed, he
would have camped at Wolf Mt. Overlook. One of our last trips up there was in March
with snow all along 215. He wanted to make sure an early spring landslide had not
damaged this spot. He loved every overlook, every trail, every plant and every one of
his Botanical Club friends. Bless you all. - Jeanne

OOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOeOOOOQOO

Cover drawing from An Illustrated Flora of the Northern U.S. and Canada (Dover Publication)

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Aline Hansens

FIshback, H.D. and Jan: 516 Panther Branch Road, Canton, N.C.
28716 (828) 648-7842. Moved here from Florida 25 years ago.
They own a large tract of land ranging in elevation from
2500’ to 5000’. They have counted some 150 to 200
wildflowers on the property including the starflower,

Trientatlis borealis, rare in this area except at high
elevations. They learned about WCBC from Bonnie
Arbuckle.

eoeoeoddoooooooooodoeoeoe060«oooooooooooooo«o

This and That from the Club and the Community

• Millie Blaha is appearing as a guest naturalist on John Sarpy’s GREEN
THUMB program each Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 9.a.m. This program is
broadcast live on Brevard radio station WSGL AM 1240. Millie provides information
about native wild flowers, trees, shrubs, birds and other bits of information about the
world of nature. John Sarpy, owner of Whitewater Gardens on Rosman Highway in
Brevard, discusses garden plants, planters and plantings.

• During a trip to the Northeast this summer Peggy Ellis visited the Bartram
Gardens and sent Shortia her comments. " A trip to Philadelphia would not be
complete without a visit to the oldest gardens in the country. I have to admit I went with
a certain expectation of the 200 year anniversary celebration and my own ideas of
what the gardens would be like. I expected big and beautiful!

This is not the case for Bertrams. Just the fact that it is the oldest organized
garden has its own unique romantic flavor. To step into that time period with the city
skyline in the distance is a juxtaposition of the 1800’s right on top of the 2000’s!

The layout of the gardens is not anything special for viewing. The lawns,
however, with one of the first three Gingko biloba trees brought into America held a
fascination for me. There were other magnificent trees as well beautifying and
shading the whole area which was more appreciated during that off-the-record heat
wave for the Northeast in July. Would I go back? Probably not, but I am glad to have
experienced a little bit of botanical history.”

• The Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) is updating its
Speakers Bureau. If you are interested in giving a program to Henderson County
school children on a nature subject, call Juanita Lambert at 685-0180. You can
designate your subject and the grade level you’d like to address.

RECORDER RAMBLINGS

Betty Jones

The nineteen people who participated in the Rivercliff Farm field trip were treated to an
easy walk, a variety of blooming spring flowers (46 species in bloom), an abundance of
Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) and cool drinks and snacks at the end, provided by
our hosts.

The recorder’s report for the Tanbark Tunnel to Bull Gao walk says it all: “In spite of
soaking wet papers and steamy eye glasses, we had a spectacular show of flowers. I
was especially excited to see the whorled pogonia for the first time! We were really
hardy souls with a wonderful fearless leader (Elisabeth Feil) - Great fun.” Eighty plant
species were identified - a high for the season.

The walk through the woods from the Greybeard Mountain Overlook was a new one for
the group. I was particularly excited by the patch of Cream-colored Wake Robin {Trillium
erectum) - a first for me. And for most of us it was our first encounter with Ramps or
Wild Leeks {Allium tricoccum).

The stop-and-go trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway South yielded Its usual variety of
plants. A bonus drive to Grassy Ridge provided the highlight of the trip - blooming Indian
Paint Brush {Castilleja coccinea). The North Carolina Arboretum presented us with a
whopping 67 different species in bloom along the service roads. This was an easy
shady walk and we had comfortable seating for lunch on the logs in the azalea reposi-
tory.

“Magnificent, spectacular and awesome” were the recorder’s words to describe the large
patch of Bluebead Lily {Clintonia borealis) in bloom on the Bio Butt walk. But they were
nearly outdone by the splendid displays of Canada Mayflower {Maianthemum cana-
dense) and Solomon’s Plume {Smilacina racemosa). It took sharp eyes to spot the little
flowers of Rose Twisted Stalk {Streptopus roseus).

Thirty-two members and guests enjoyed good food and fellowship at the annual summer
picnic at Holmes State Forest.

The Bee Tree Gao / Craggy Gardens walk attracted the largest attendance this season -
25. As usual, the Flame Azalea, Catawba Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel drew
special attention.

Roan Mountain was special for the abundance of some plants and the rarity of others.
Three plants took the prize for abundance: Michaux’s Saxifrage {Saxifraga michauxif),
Wine-leaved Cinquefoil {Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) and Tassel Rue {Trautvetteria caro-
linensis). Gray’s Lily {Lillium grayi) - the plant on the cover of Dick Smith’s book - was in
bloom, but not in the numbers reported on previous walks. Other special plants seen on
this trip were Senecio schweinitzianus, Veratrum viride in bloom, Lysimachia ciliata,
Geum radiatum, Potentilla argentea and Houstonia purpurea v. montana.

Haywood Gap lived up to its promise of a splendid display of Fly Poison {Amianthium
muscaetoxicum). Fire Pinks {Silene virginica) and Purple Bluets {Houstonia purpurea)
colored the meadow area, but the Phlox have nearly disappeared. Those limber enough
to stoop down examined the tiny Dwarf Enchanter’s Nightshade {Cirvaea alpina) through
a hand lens.

THOSE LATIN NAMES

Betty Jones

Folks have asked what authority I am using for the plant names I use for our botanical walk
checklists. Answer For scientific names I am using Dick Smith’s Wtidflowers of the Southern
Mountains and Wofford’s Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridoe f©1989) for those spe-
cies not included in Dick’s book. Common names come from a variety of sources: Dick’s book,
Newcomb, Wofford .. but I try to include a name that the club has used in the past. Often I will
show a second common name. If you are not native to this area (as few of us are), you may call
a plant by yet another name.

For those of us who are newcomers to the field of botany, the Latin names can be intimidating.
Why say Trifolium repens when White Clover seems so much easier? The reason, clearly, is that
the Latin names are universal, understandable by Italian, Japanese or English speaking people
alike. Not so the common names which are not even “common" to all parts of the English
speaking world. So Latin it is.

What’s in a name? ... a Latin name, that is. Quite a bit as it turns out. Let us consider a few sim-
ple Latin plant terms:

- florus, flora, florum

- folius -a -urn

- foliatus -a -urn

- phyllus -a -urn

- petalus -a -urn

- partrtus -a -urn

Refers to the flower. Derived English words: flower, floral, florid
Refers to the leaves. Derived English words: foliage, folio
Same as above.

Also refers to leaves, but the root of the term is Greek. Cooks will recog-
nize this term in “phyllo", that extremely thin pasty dough.

Refers to petals, of course.

Refers to parts

Next we learn the number fornis:

^-uni 2-di 3-tri 4-quad or quadri 5-quin or quinque 6-sex 7-sept 8-oct 9-nona ^0-dec
12-dodeca 1000-m;7/e

Now, let’s look for combinations of them in our checklist plants:

Monotropa uniflora (Indian Pipe) - uniflora tells us that this plant has one flower in contrast to
related species which have more.

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit) - triphyllum = three leaves.

Viola tripartita (Three-parted Violet) - Refers to the three parts into which the leaves are divided.
Panax trifolius (Dwarf Ginseng) and Panax quinquefolius (Ginseng). See how the names de-
scribe one obvious difference between them?

Consider these plant names. Do the names give you a clue to plant features?

Lycopus uniflorus
Orobanche uniflora
Cardamine diphylla
Angelica triquinata
Asimina triloba
Bidens tripartita
Delphinium tricorne
Galium triflorum
Magnolia tripetala
Porteranthus trifoliatus

Prenanthes trifoliata
Rudbeckia triloba
Sibbaldiopsis tridentata
Trifolium sp.

Trillium sp.

Zizia trifoliata
Asclepias quadrifolia
Lysimachia quadrifolia
Anemone quinquefolia
Angelica triquinata

Viola septemloba
Aesculus octandra
Agalinis decemloba
Dodecatheon meadia
Achillea millefolium

Next time:

Shapes and sizes

EASTATOE CREEK HERITAGE PRESERVE,

Erika S.Parmi

Last fail Anne Ulinski, Gisela Smith and 1 investigated one of the nearby South
Carolina natural heritage preserves, the Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve. The trail
into the preserve is a five mile round trip and follows old logging roads until the final
mile when it becomes very narrow, rough and steep as it descends into a deep gorge.
We were hoping to find three rare ferns which have been identified on rock faces in
the gorge.

The first mile of trail leads through a recently logged area in the early stages of
regrowth. Here one can catch a glimpse of the highest peak in S.C., Sassafras
Mountain at 3560 feet. Shortly thereafter the road descends to a scenic forest of large
old tulip, hemlock, American beech, birch and oak trees.There is a magnificent white
oak nearly three feet in diameter and later on a tulip tree reputed to be at least eight
feet in circumference.

Near the end of the trail are several rock faces where
constantly dripping water provides just the right high
humidity for ferns and a variety of liverworts. Here is the site
for three uncommon ferns, the very rare Tunbridge fern
Hymenophyllum tunbridgense, (Radford p. 15-1 6), and the
Eastern and Dwarf filmy ferns Trichomanes ssp. (Radford
p. 14-15). Anne and I believe we found the tiny Tunbridge
fern, but we would not stake our lives on it! We could not
identify the filmy ferns. According to the “Flora of North
America” (Vol 11. 1993), only about two dozen small
populations exist in North America and these are in this
river gorge in Pickens County, S.C.

Hymenophyllum tunbridgense
Tunbridge Fern

The trail finally descends to a large flat park-like area beside the creek-a
wonderful place for lunch. Large rocks offer resting spots and old hemlocks dominate
the canopy. It is this area that is supposed to be carpeted with trilliums in the spring.
According to the Preserve leaflet this last mile of trail also has varied spring
wildflowers including 16 species of violets.

The Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve trailhead can be reached at the Foothills Trail
off U.S. 178 about eight miles north of the intersection of S.C. 11 and U.S. 178. If you
would like more information on this trail, please call me at 883-8021.

Tunbridge fern drawing is by Pat Arnett

TENNESSEE CHICKWEED
Did We Overlook It Up to Now?,

Elisabeth Feil

I'd often seen the low carpet of opposite-leaf plants, but never paid any
attention to them. On our outing on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from Graybeard
Overlook to Glassmine Falls Overlook this spring, I noticed for the first time
white flowers on these plants that looked like crippled Giant Chickweed
(Stellaria pubera) flowers, and I dismissed them as just that. (My excuse: I was
late and in a hurry to meet the group.)

Upon Anne's suggestion, I started to look a bit closer. What I saw - as
Anne had suspected - is a different species: Tennessee Chickweed, Stellaria
core!. It is on the North Carolina Watch List.

The two species are not always easy to distinguish, so a close look is
required. Giant Chickweed grows in clumps, and the leaves are sessile. The
blunt sepals (4-6 mm) , which have ciliate margins and usually some hairs on
the back surface, are barely visible between the longer petals. Tennessee
Chickweed is stoloniferous, sometimes forming extensive "carpets" and has
the middle and lower leaves on 1-2 cm petioles. The pointed sepals (7-1 1 mm)
are equal to or longer than the petals; they have ciliate margins but are usually
glabrous on the back surface.

I think we need to keep our eyes open for this plant that has puzzled
researchers for a long time, as reflected in the many different scientific names
it was given over time:

Britton & Brown, 1913, Aisine iennesseensis

Britton & Brown, 1952, Stellaria silvatica

Gray's Manual, 1 950, Stellaria pubera var. silvatica

Radford, Ahles, Bell, 1968,
Strausbaugh & Core, 1971,
Wofford, 1989,

Gleason & Cronquist, 1991,

Stellaria corei
Stellaria corei
Stellaria corei

Stellaria pubera var. silvatica
They report the chromosome numbers for S. pubera var. pubera
as 2n=30, for S. pubera var. silvatica as 2n=60, but did not give
var. silvatica species rank.

Smith, 1998, Stellaria corei

Weakley, unpublished Stellaria corei

Tennessee Chickweed, Stellaria corei Shinners, was named after Earl
L. Core, who taught at the University of West Virginia from 1928 until 1972
where he was Curator of the Herbarium for 38 years until his retirement. He
was influential in founding The Southern Appalachian Botanical Club and
served as editor of its journal Castanea for 35 years. He was also involved in
civic affairs in his home town of Morganton. Among his many publications is
"The Flora of West Virginia" which he co-authored with P. D. Strausbaugh. Dr.
Core died in 1984. (Source.- Castanea, Vol. 50, 1985)

BOTANY AND GOOD LIVING

Dean Crawford

I remember visiting a large garden in England where each group of plants was
labeled not only by the common name, genus and species, but also the traditional
medicinal usages. You’ve probably noticed the rapidly increasing interest in the use of
herbs and medicinal plants, including many found in our area to the point where the
commercial farming of them is feasible. In fact, there’s a place in Brevard [GAIA] doing
just that. Sure, we’d often heard before about alleged benefits from a few plants like
ginseng...... but St. John’s-wort!

It used to be that the only places to buy botanical health and nutrition
supplements were health food stores or through a local herbalist who prepared them
from scratch such as our own member Peggy Ellis or our friend Cindy Carpenter who
knows some of the old-timey remedies. Now even the supermarket chains and
pharmacies find such supplements to be marketable.

Maybe the biggest challenge is to know which of the items is truly useful for
needs specific to each of us as individuals. Several sources are available: the
Internet, local herbalists whom one trusts, the few doctors who are open to so-called
“alternative medicine”, dietitians whom one knows, newspaper articles or relevant
books from the library. The goal in all of this is to find “natural” (i.e. nature’s) ways to
counteract or replace the effects of highly processed foods and chemically-assisted
production, as well as individual medical problems created by our polluted
environment.

It is alarming that a number of our most serious health problems seem to be
getting worse in spite of our vaunted progress in medical science. New strains of
harmful bacteria and viruses seem to be developing or mutating. It is scary to learn
that many of the foods advertised heavily as “fat free” may actually be more harmful
than the fats they replace in our diet. Now it’s beginning to look like cholesterol
control is not the most effective approach to heart disease and that counting calories
has little value without giving attention to the manner in which these calories are
burned. These are complex issues but foods produced with heavy uses of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides are surely part of the picture.

Botany is at the heart of production of food and fiber from the soil and air. Have
chemical alterations in the botanical simplicity of true food production become so
pervasive that it is now impossible to reverse negative effects of non-organic farming?
Few of us are qualified to do more than raise such questions. However, do not
believe, as 1 once did, that specific health problems that beset you are either unique or
inevitable. We all love to study wildflowers....but botany is so much more than that.
Botanical researchers are starting to prove that we may have brought many of our
diseases on ourselves. Is it too grandiose to think that in the future of botany lies the
future of the human race? I don’t think so.

LOOK AGAIN !

Only rarely do we find it necessary to resort to using a
hand lens in order to distinguish between two species of plants
that are as tall as we are, but the genus Cimicifuga, in the
buttercup family, proves that it can happen.

Cimicifuga racemosa (popularly known as Bugbane, Black
Cohosh or Black Snakeroo t) is so conspicuous and so familiar
that we feel confident of being able to call it from twenty feet
away without fear of contradiction, but in doing so we often
forget that there is another species, C_^ americana.

There are not many factors to help
us avoid misidentification, either,
Vegetatively, the two are very similar,
although C_^ americana does not achieve
the stature of the larger specimens of
C . racemosa. The former is strictly a
mountain species and is restricted to
the southern part of the Appalachians at
that - but of course they both share
that territory. It tends to bloom later,
but in a given area their blooming sea-
sons can pretty much coincide.

All this overlapping
would make it difficult to
separate them were it not for
the fact that a close look at
an .individual flower will
take care of the problem
quickly and positively 2

Cimicifuga racemosa has
but a single pistil, which is
stout and sessile, with a
truncate style. americana,

on the other hand, has from
three to eight pistils each
of which has a slender stalk,
and the styles are awl-shaped.

There are other slight differences, mostly in the follicles
and seeds, but if you have the plant in flower this is all you
need to know.

S.HQ.BI1A

Vol. XXI. No. 3

Autumn 1999

A quarterly publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club

Editor; AnneUlinski

Distribution: Ruth Hoerich

Editorial Assistant: Pat Arnett

Please submit contributions for the next issue by Dec, 1 , 1999 to; Anne Ulinski
1212 Chanteloupe Drive, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

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 $12. New members joining from the period July 1-
December 31 , pay $6. All memberships are renewable on January first of each year.
Please send dues to;

Rachel Conway, Treasurer
21 1 Alderj e Circle

Asheville, . 28803

SHORTIA
c/o Ruth Hoerich
215 Newport Road
Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

FIRST CLASS

’^^^Library
Att.: Dr. Buck .

New York Botanical Garden
Bronx NY 10458-5126

.H(>9

•XI

SHORTIA

NEWSLETTER OF THE

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB

WINTER 1999

Shortia galacifolia
Oconee Bells

WESTERN CAROLINA BOTANICAL CLUB - 1999

President: Anne Ulinski Recorder: Betty Jones

Vice President: Bonnie Arbuckle Historian: Anne Matthes

Secretary: Peggy Ellis

Treasurer: Rachel Conway

From the President Anne Ulinski

The underlying idea of Chinese medicine is the creative cycle as seen in the
seasons -- each season giving way in turn to the next. As with our understanding of
the seasonal cycle, Chinese medicine recognizes spring, summer, fall and winter.
Late summer and early fall they name as a separate season called “harvest time”.

If you were out with the Botanical Club this fall, especially the field trips to
Daniel Creek and to Coon Branch, you had an opportunity to enjoy the fall season to
the fullest. Different books were needed and Weeds in Winter and Winter Botany
came out of car trunks and backpacks. We were challenged to identify Joe-pye-weed,
Green-headed Coneflower, and everyone’s old favorite. Heal-all, without their blooms.
Gentians challenged us by holding their petals close. Grape ferns appeared with their
golden bead-like spores.

Some of us wanted to walk slowly -- to enjoy the brilliant colors around us and
the sense of quietness broken only by falling leaves and the flowing water of a nearby
stream. This quietness the Chinese would interpret as the energy of spring and
summer beginning to wane as the earth passes through fall into the deep quiet of
winter.

Following the idea of Chinese medicine we might want to try adapting our
personal energy to the seasonal cycle as we go through the botanical year. Winter is
a time for rest, a time to prepare for the surge of energy to come with spring and all
those trilliums and violets and the new green on shrubs and trees. We need to
sustain our energy through summer and late summer as we try to sort through the
composites, mints and early fruiting plants. And then we are back to fall. The days are
shorter. Seeds have buried themselves in the earth and become dormant. It is a time
to slow down and let go. It is a time to reflect and be thankful for another year of
enjoying our natural world as we watched the earth pass through the universal
seasonal cycle.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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.

Membership Dues are payable January 1, 2000. We don’t have the resources to
make a renewal mailing so please send your dues to Rachel Conway (address is on
back cover) or bring your dues to one of our indoor meetings. Dues are $12 per
individual/family.

Annual Meeting will be on Friday. January 14. 2000 at St. John’s in the Wilderness
Parish House, Flat Rock.The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and will include reports of the
past year, election of officers, and a preview of the year to come. A special award will
be made to one of our members, an award not made before in the history of the Club.

For one reason or another some of you have not been able to come on the field trips
this season. Please come to the Annual Meeting so we have an opportunity to see
you.

Reminder: This is a pot-luck affair and
the food is always wonderful. Stay after
lunch to see some slides of candid
shots taken on the field trips this year.

Learn and Share

The program committee has scheduled Learn and Share as an indoor meeting on
Friday, March 17, 2000. Learn and Share was an idea of Barbara haiiowell, now one
of our out-of-town members. The sessions were previously held in private homes but
we will experiment with holding the session at the First Citizens Bank Community
Room so there will be room for all.

We are inviting Club members to research a subject of interest to them and
prepare a short (no more than 10 minute) presentation. Props are welcome such as
charts, pictures, specimens. If you have learned of a new book or read an interesting
article, have heard of a new discovery in the plant or animal world or want to share
with the group your favorite plant or an unusual plant you have seen in your travels,
think about sharing those interests with the Club. As long as the subject is in the
realm of our natural world, anything and everything goes.

We need 5-6 members to volunteer as presenters. The program is open to
everyone. Those not presenting a subject we envision as a supporting audience free
to ask questions. Volunteer presenters; This will be an informal session. We plan to
arrange the chairs so everyone will feel comfortable.

Helen Smith has agreed to coordinate the volunteer presenters. We are giving
everyone plenty of time to think about a subject and come forward to make this
program a success. Just telephone Helen at 883-4946 to sign up.

Rhododendron leaf sketch by member Pat Arnett
2

RECORDER RAMBLINGS

Betty Jones

On the Buck Springs Nature Trail, the group reviewed the numbered stops that Elton
Hansens and Dick Smith designated several years ago. Things have changed in the
intervening years and it appears that an update is in order. Rosebay {Rhododendron
maximum) and Starry Campion (Silene stellata) made showy displays on this walk.

Fields of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), viewed from the old farm house,
were a pleasing sight indeed at the GAIA Herb Farm. This certified organic farm
grows 45 different plants used for extracts and ointments. We were favorably
impressed by the bright, clean, uncluttered processing plant.

Although blackberry brambles made part of the trail at Black Camp Gao impassable,
15 hikers identified 61 species, 49 of which were in bloom.

Skv Valiev Road offered up a variety of plants not often encountered on our walks. But
the hot dry weather had taken its toll on many plants and a veneer of dust covered
everything. Plants of special interest were Nuttall’s Lobelia, Grass-leaved Golden
Aster and Pale Corydalis.

At Holmes State Forest the group was instructed in the identification of insects and
ferns by Elton Hansens and Bonnie Arbuckle, respectively. After our lessons, we split
into “fern” and “insect” groups, walked the trails and applied what we had learned.

The blueberry picking was a bit disappointing for the 18 participants on the Tennent
Mountain walk, but the botanizing was good. Plants of note were the abundant White
Wood Asters {Aster divaricatus), Narrow-leaved Houstonia {Houstonia tenuifoHa)an6
Round-leaved Sundew {Drosera rotundifolia).

On a comfortably cool day, participants in the Lake Issaoueena walk compared two
species of Elephantopus and three species of Verbesina and identified a variety of
vines. A special treat was the floating fern called Water-clover (in the Marsilea family).

Twenty-five participants came out to enjoy the final Parkway field trip of the season.
Fall asters, gentians, goldenrods, turtleheads and Grass-of-Parnassus were among
the plants identified.

The Jackson Park wetlands area was a blaze of color this year. Cited as abundant
were “Ditch Daisy” {Bidens polylepis), Virgin’s Bower, Joe-Pye-Weed, Tearthumb,
Climbing False Buckwheat and New York Ironweed.

The late date (Oct 1) plus extensive mowing and installation of a fence reduced
botanizing opportunites along Butter Gao Trail. Witch Hazel was reported for the first
time this season.

THOSE LATIN NAMES

Betty Jones

In the summer issue of Shortia we looked at the Latin forms of numbers and the names of
some plant parts. Little did I know when I promised shapes and sizes for this issue that I
had selected such a large topic. Using the Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining
Forms, I found at least 40 different Latin forms that are used in plant names to describe
size or shape. About one-third of those have Greek origins.

Let’s look at a few size forms:

Form

Lang.

Meaning

Examples

gigant

gigantic

Helianthus giganteus - Tall Sunflower

grandi

large

Solidago gigantea - Late Goldenrod; why not Tall Gold...?

macro

large

Aristolochia macrophylla - Dutchman’s Pipe

maxim

largest

Rhododendron maximum - Great Laurel

long

Stellaria longifolia - Long-leaved Stitchwort

micro

small

Helianthus microcephalus - Small Wood Sunflower

parvi

small

Agrimonia parviflora - Small-flowered Agrimony

alti

tall

Prenanthes altissima - Tall White Lettuce

Other size forms are sub (less than or somewhat), brachy and brevi (short) and pusill
(small). Often the Latin name tells us more about the plant than the common name, as in
Late Goldenrod above.

Now to some shape forms:

obtus

blunt

Gnaphalium obtusifolium - Rabbit Tobacco

clavat

clubbed

Thalictrum clavatum - Lady Rue

crispi

curly

Rumex crispus - Curly Dock

cornut

horned

Corylus cornuta - Beaked Hazelnut

angust

narrow

Cardamine angustata - Slender Toothwort

acumi-

nat

pointed

Aster acuminatus - Whorled Wood Aster

Clethra acuminata - Mountain Sweet Pepperbush

gyro

round

Agrimony gyrosepala - Tall Agrimony

rotundi

round

Drosera rotundifolia - Round-leaved Sundew

acuti

sharp

Hepatica acutiloba - Sharp-lobed Hepatica

dicho

split

Silene dichotoma Forked Catchfly

lati

wide

Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel

tenui

slender

Stachys tenuifolia - (Hedge Nettle)

Other shape forms are cylind (cylindrical), ovat (egg-shaped), platy (flat or wide), acri and
oxy (sharp), obliqu (slanting), lepto {slender), pachy (thick), strobo (twisted) and undulat
(wavy). All of these forms can be found on our plant lists.

Next time: colors. This should be fun.

The Richard M. Smith Memorial

Lowell Orbison

Richard M. Smith grew up in Millersburg, Pennsylvania on the east bank of the
Susquehanna River in a home where art, gardening and nature were important parts
of daily life. Throughout his life Dick carried this love of art and nature with him. His
drawings and later his photographs were his principal means of artistic expression.
During all his years with Texaco in New York City, he and his wife Jeanne spent each
week-end traveling by train to sites for the study of nature, especially wild flowers.

His field notes were always precise and complete and formed the basis for his
two books Wild Plants of America and WIdflowers of the Southern Mountains. In the
first, his accurate and esthetically pleasing drawings and in the second his superb
photographs speak to his artistic talent. The dedication of each of his two books
provides us with an insight into Dick the man-the first “To Jeanne who shared it all”
and the second “In memory of my mother who would have loved this book and my
father who could have done it better”. Fortunately for all of us WIdflowers of the
Southern Mountains was published just a few months before his death.

When he retired and he and Jeanne moved to Connestee Falls his hobby
became his full time occupation. The results of his work, his experience, his
knowledge and expertise, he shared generously with his new friends in the area,
especially those in the Western Carolina Botanical Club and the Botanical Gardens of
Asheville.

In memory of Dick, both his accomplishments and friendships, many have
made gifts to the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. These gifts make it clear that Dick’s
extensive and precise knowledge of wildflowers as well as his enthusiasm and love
of plants had been shared with many.

It is to the memory of this man that the Botanical Gardens at Asheville will
dedicate a new Bog Garden with its community of plants.

The resources made available in Dick’s memory have coincided with the
Botanical Gardens’ plans to develop typical plant communities that characterize the
Southern Appalachian Mountains. As one of the first of these, the aquatic and bog
garden will illustrate the diversity and beauty of one of these communities. It is
anticipated that many plants will flourish here. Some of these. White and Yellow
Water Lilies, Water Shield and Cattails will grow directly in the water. Others such as
Arrow Arum, Pickerel Weed, Golden Club, Swamp Pink, Pitcher Plants and Skunk
Cabbage will thrive at the water’s edge. And in the drier areas Cardinal Flowers,
Honey Cups, Leather Leaf, Leatherwood and Titi will grow. Even trees typical of wet
areas such as Bald and Pond Cypress, Water Elm and perhaps even Ogeeche Plum
will find a place here.

The Richard M. Smith memorial (continued)

It is hoped that this variety of plants, all lovers of water, will compose a
community that will epitomize Dick’s dedication to our plant world.

Orontium aquaticum, Golden Club, one of the plants which will find
a home in the new Bog Garden
(Line drawing by Richard M. Smith from “Wild Plants in America”)

eoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeooooo

“Identifying a specimen is often a long, tedious and frustrating task. A curator
must have a good knowledge of the type of specimen at hand, a library of appropriate
reference texts, scientific articles if possible, and a comprehensive collection for
comparison.” - - A legend copied from an exhibit in the City Museum, St. John’s,
Newfoundland.

ooooooeoooooooeooooooooodooooooooooooooo

The real voyage of discovery rests not in seeking new
landscapes, but in having new eyes

-Marcel Proust

Notes From White Squirrel

Charles R. Gunn

On April 23, 1999, the front page of the Hendersonville Times News featured an
article about the upcoming pollen season. Illustrated and named in a box on the front
page were five plants;

Bermuda grass blooms from June through September and is widely
distributed in the southern United States as a lawn and golf course greens grass. It
is a noxious weed. If you have it you do not want it.

English plantain (May through September) is an introduced plant used mainly
for lawns.

Giant ragweed (August through September) when well developed can be over
six feet tall. It and its brother, small ragweed, are the two worst plants for those who
suffer from pollen allergies.

Orchard grass (May through July) is a crop plant and much of it is produced in
Virginia and used in pastures and orchards.

Timothy {Phleum pratense) is the basis of this article. It is listed as one of the
five worst plants for pollen allergy sufferers, yet I wonder how many have seen this
plant. Imported from Europe, it was planted throughout the United States and Canada.
But have you seen a timothy plant? I have seen some near the restrooms along the
path to Clingman's Dome but few other places.

What happened to timothy which blooms from May through
July and is one of the worst pollen producers? It slowly
stopped being planted by farmers before World War II and
tapered out of favor in the 1950's. It is a tall annual that has
no weedy characteristics so it does not spread from the
fields. It fell out of favor as a crop plant because horses fell
out of favor with farmers. With no horses, there is no need
for timothy hay. Timothy seeds can still be purchased from
places like Southern States (on US25 in Fletcher) and
occasionally may be planted. Your best chance to see
timothy is along roadsides (or paths) where work has been
done and the margins reseeded.

A timothy "seed", really a fruit called a caryopsis, is
roundish and harvested naked. That is the "seed" is not
covered by a lemna and palea and/or glumes like the
majority of grass "seeds". The "flowering head" resembles
a miniature cattail head, and the plant resembles a
miniature corn plant.

And please remember that insect-pollinated flowers do not
cause allergies. Only wind pollinated plants like the above
and most apetalous trees, but not pine trees with their
heavy, large pollen.

Timothy

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT: Evergreen Ginger.

Paul Myers

Most people are familiar with the well know Wild Ginger {Asarum canadense)
which occurs in rich cove hardwood forests and on rocky slopes. The large, soft heart-
shaped leaves of this species are deciduous and arise from an underground rhizome
in the early spring, remain for the summer, then wither in the fall. In the Southern
Appalachians, there are several other WId Ginger species which have dark, thick,
evergreen leaves that remain above ground through the winter. These plants, called
Evergreen Wood Gingers, are all in the genus Hexastylis, which is closely related to
the genus Asarum of the deciduous WId Ginger.

The flowers of both the deciduous and evergreen WId Gingers usually lack
petals, but display three fairly large maroon or puce sepals. (Sepals in most flowers
in other families are typically green and occur as bract-like structures whorled just
beneath the petals.) These sepals may also be mottled, or variegated with streaks. In
both the deciduous WId Ginger and the species of Evergreen Wood Ginger, these
flowers can often be found resting on the ground at, or just beneath, the leaf litter. This
is a good strategy since most of the WId Gingers are pollinated by ants. In spring and
early summer, it’s always a thrill for me to pull away the leaf litter from the leaf base to
find these hidden flowers.

Three of the species of Evergreen WId Gingers occurring in our region are
federally listed as being rare by the U.S. Fish and WIdlife Service. Hexastylis
contracta, or Mountain Heartleaf, is endemir; to the Cumberland Plateau in ceritrai
Tennessee but some disjunct populations occur in the Blue Ridge Mountains of
western North Carolina. This species prefers highly acidic soils and is often found
growing under and along with Rhododendron {R. maximum) and Mountain Laurel.

Two others. Dwarf Flowered Heartleaf {H. naniflora){\JS Threatened) and
French Broad Heartleaf {H.rhombiformis){\J.S. Species of Concern) also occur in the
upper Piedmont and Blue Ridge respectively. Both of these species also prefer acidic
soils and are found associated with Mountain Laurel. The French Broad Heartleaf is
endemic to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains and is found in only a few counties
(Henderson, Polk, Buncombe and Transylvania) near the French Broad watershed in
N.C. Since their habitat is common in our area, there is a real potential for discovery of
additional populations of these rare species.

Note: The French Broad Heartleaf (H. rhombiformis) was first identified as a separate
species by botanist. Chick Gaddy, a resident of nearby Walhalla, S.C. whom some of
you may know.

This article was excerpted with permission from “Wild Mountain Times” published
bimonthly by the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, headquartered in
Asheville. Paul Myers, the author of this article, is a botanist living in Hendersonville.

He will present a program to the Botanical Club on Friday, January 7, 2000.

S HO RTiA

Vol. XXI. No. 4

Winter 1 999

A quarterly publication of the Western Carolina Botanical Club

Editor; Anne Ulinski

Distribution: Ruth Hoerich

Editorial Assistant: Pat Arnett

Please submit contributions for the next issue by January 31 , 2000 to: Anne Ulinski
1212 Chanteloupe Drive, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

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 $12. New members joining from the period July 1-
December 31 , pay $6. All memberships are renewable on January first of each year.
Please send dues to:

Rachel Conway, Treasurer
21 1 Aldersgate Circle
Asheville, N.C. 28803

SHORTIA
c/o Ruth Hoerich
215 Newport Road
Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

FIRST CLASS

***L1brdry

Att.: Dr. Buc.k

New York Botanical Garden

Bronx NY in458-.5I26

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