CUutonin

NEWSLETTER OF THE ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

SPRING 1990

FROM THE PRESIDENT * S DESK

I would like to thank Clementine Moore and all who helped to make 1989 a
most enjoyable and fruitful year for our Arkansas Native Plant Society.

Our elected secretary Glynis Hamlin, moved out of state and a new secretary,
Betty Speairs, of Mena was approved at the board meeting in January.

Elizabeth Fulton, in Little Rock has agreed to represent the Native Plant
Society with the Arkansas Conservation Coalition another year and to report on
their activities.

Dr. Eric Sundell in Monticello has agreed to chair a membership committee
to record our membership's names, addresses, and phone numbers, as an aid to
our treasurer and editor.

Many of our members have shown an interest in the Arkansas Roadside
Wild flower Program; therefore, I have asked Dr, Don Culwell to head a committee
or workshop to assist our members in this endeavor.

Carl Hunter was asked to research a color brochure for the Arkansas Native
Plant Society, and to report to the membership at the spring meeting.

The Arkansas State Parks Division is seeking comments on the Arkansas
Arboretum at Pinnacle Mountain State Park from several of our members. I have
asked Carl Amason to represent the A.N.P.S. in this endeavor.

The Carl R. Amason Conservation Award was awarded to Jane Stern at the fall
meeting of 1989- We were saddened, however, to learn that Jane Stern passed away
this winter, t

The executive committee recommended that the fall meeting be held in Eureka
Springs on Nov. 2,3, and H . Sue Clark has researched the accommodations and has
found them satisfactory.

Bruce Ewing President

SPECIAL VOTE

AT OUR SPRING MEETING, THOSE MEMBERS PRESENT WILL BE INFORMED AND ASKED TO VOTE
ON A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD HAVE A.N.P.S. DONATE TOWARD HELPING FINANCE THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF PINNACLE MOUNTAIN ARBORETUM IN WEST PULASKI COUNTY, ARKANSAS.
THIS PROPOSAL COULD POSSIBLY INVOLVE A DISCUSSION OF OUR BY-LAW INTENT IN REGARD
TO DISBURSEMENT OF GRANT MONIES.

SPRING FIELD TRIPS

If you are planning on going on a field trip PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE contact the
leader so they will know about how many to expect. There have been times, as
you know, that perhaps only one or two people would show up. I don’t think it
has happened this past year, but it has in the past. Even if it is the day of
the field trip, it would help the leader to know if you are coming or if you have
to cancel.

April 21: Meet at the courthouse at Lewisville, AR, 10:00 a.m, to see Halesia

diptera . two-winged silver bell, rediscovered after the absence of
a confirmed report since 1882, Also see Sebastian bush and blue
hawthorne. Bring a sack lunch. Led by Ray Erickson, 921 -*1950.

May 5: Meadowbrook Project, Fox, Arkansas. Meet at 10:00 at Rural Special

School parking lot, Fox, Arkansas. It is on the west side of Highway
263, pass the turnoff to Meadowbrook. We will leave most of the cars
here so there won’t be so many going down to Meadowbrook. Bring a
sack lunch. They do have drinks at the facility. They need to have
an approximate count about a week before, so please contact Sue
Clark, 329-8107 if you are going to be able to go, and for further
information.

May 12: Meet at Wal-Mart parking lot, Mena, at 10:00 a.m. Led by Bruce and

Lana Ewing. Bring a sack lunch. Call 394-4666,

June 9: Carl Amason’s annual spring field trip in the Calion vicinity. Meet

at Carl’s house at 9:30. Turn left off of Highway 167 at Stapler's
Store, go to County Road 44 (about half a mile), turn right on County
Road 44, go 1 1/4 mile south. Be sure and bring your lunch. Carl’s
number is 748-2362.

financial report
JANUARY 6, 1990

FUND

1. DWIGHT MOORE

2. A. McWILLIAMS, 3 ACCTS.

3. DELZEE DeMAREE

4. OPERATING, 2 ACCTS.

RECENT EXPENDITURES :

FALL MEETING EXPENSE
ARKANSAS NATURAL HERITAGE
JET LETTER

BAL. 1/21/89 EXPENSES BAL. 1/6/90

$ 883.20
4034.79
2251.33
3967.29

$ 100.00

550.00

570.00

805.52

$1105.52

5419.22

1995.49

3948.89

$ 86.51
200.00
519.01

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

CHAD GRAY

The Status of the South Arkansas Arboretum

The first arboretum in Arkansas was set up in the El Dorado Public School
District FROM 1967 to July 1970 under the vision of James Riley, El Dorado School
teacher of science with the direction of Dr. Dwight Moore. It was named the
South Arkansas Arboretum. It consisted of slightly more than 17 acres and was
adjacent to the El Dorado High School on the west side of town. The site was
a lovely but irregular parcel of land with high ground of white oaks, hickories
and pines with slopes where native American beeches had grown and some low drains
that remain quite wet all summer in spite of no permanent running water. In the
lowlands were some overcup oaks, willows and the only native palm, Sabal minor
was represented by one or two specimens. In cleaning out the under-brush so the
flowering dogwoods and other desireable understory plants could grow, some
naturally occurring Arkansas oaks ( Quercus arkansana ) were found and quite a
colony of dwarf pawpaw ( Asimina narviflora ) was in a section, and several
Cherokee bean or raamou ( Ervthrina herbacea ) were on a lightly shaded slope. In
fact, it was an excellent site for the beginnings of a small arboretum, A
network of asphalted roadway and paths and some treated-wood bridges and two
small ponds were built. Dr. and Mrs. Moore (Clemmy) went merrily about gathering
many native species such as sugar maples, bur oaks, and several other things from
the Ozark Mountain region, some native wild Azaleas ( Rhododendron canescens ) .
Nuttall's oaks, chalk maples, were gathered from the surrounding country side.
Various plant organizations contributed to the selections of several large
Camellia iaponica beds and azaleas were planted around all over the place to
create community interest in the beauty of the arboretum. As a matter of fact,
it had some elements of a botanical garden. Dr, Moore had contacts in Wooster,
Ohio, where an established arboretum was set up, and he returned with a dawn
redwood, some Chinese chestnuts and hybrids of Chinese Chestnut with the American
chestnuts.

Then the Arboretum went into a state of unuse-misuse, disrepair and vandals
worked their deeds. Several attempts were made to clean up the litter but the
place was just too large and litter too deep to be effective. Jodie Mahony, the
Representative from El Dorado had lingering mental pictures of the way it was
in its prime and about 1987, he pushed and obtained a grant for University of
South Arkansas, Magnolia and its El Dorado Branch to study the need of such an
urban area for educational, recreational, and just plain aesthetical needs under
the direction of Dr. James Lovell with graduate students Marsha C. Rowe and Ken
Ball.

The summer of 1989 was spent by myself. Miss Rowe and Mr. Ball in
enumerating the species and their numbers within the arboretum. There is a
wealth of plant material there and the items called previously are growing well
in spite of circumstances. More work has been done on the fence row, cutting
out much of the rank undergrowth and thick vines and getting ready for the next
venture in getting the arboretum back to a place of beauty. There is talk at
this time that the Arkansas State Parks is to maintain the place while the
University of South Arkansas is to regulate and care for it. The mission, as
proposed by Dr. Lovell, is to preserve the native, rare, and economically
important flora of the Delta and Coastal Plain for the people to view, study,
photograph, browse and enjoy. The goals are to provide an educational facility
and recreational site inside a city and to enhance the arboretum with beauty and

species diversity. There is a movement to get total community interests and
involvement in the arboretum, something that didn’t have twenty years ago because
the people didn’t seem to realize the importance and value of an arboretum. As
an educational devise, it has no substitute. In all, it is a noble monument to
the vision of James Riley, and to the educational purposes of Dr. Dwight Moore
and to the later day people such as Jodie Mahony, Dr. Lovell and graduate
students Miss Rowe and Mr. Ball who realize the real need of such an educational
and recreational facility.

by: Carl Amason

A Memorial for Jane Stern

Jane Stern died on Saturday, December 16, 1989 and in her passing all of
nature has lost a friend, a spokesperson, and an active environmentalist and
enthusiastic member. In short, she was a very knowledgeable person, who knew
facts, figures, plants, birds, streams, the air, and people. She was concerned
about so many things. Her affiliations with environmental organizations must
have included all facets of nature; she showed a brilliance in all of them. She
won honors from many organizations and she earned each and every one of them.
The Arkansas Native Plant Society gave her its Carl R. Amason Conservation Award
at its fall meeting in Mountain View, but she was unable to be there. Plans were
to have some public announcement of the presentation, but the situation at the
time prevented it from happening.

marlaThe choice of Jane Stern by the committee was well chosen. In the last
year she was instrumental in getting before botanical science a species of
Mesphilus for North America which she discovered about twenty years ago in the
Konecny Prairie. She is responsible for setting up the Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Project for the Arkansas Audubon Society. In one of the published newspaper
memorials it was mentioned that she frequently picked up litter at Byrd Lake,
one of her favorite natural areas in the Pine Bluff area. How many of us are
so dedicated as to pick up litter at an otherwise beau ^ifui spot? That certainly
does test the conviction of a total environmentalist. In all her activities she
had backing from a host of friends and in the final end, she was certainly helped
by her family, consisting of Dr, Howard Stern, son Arthur Stern and daughter,
Ellen Stern. And Jane has worked long and hard for plants, birds, other animals,
good streams and quality water, clean air, and just as importantly, all of
mankind. She will be missed for the simple reason she cannot be replaced.

by: Carl. Amason

SPRING GENERAL MEETING

A SPECTACULAR WEEKEND OF BQTMIZJMG-AlglLJEEU^^XP
CAMDEN. ARKANSAS APRIL 27-29. 1 990

Friday. April 27

3 to 7 p.m.

Registration Open, Cope's Cajun Kitchen
Registration fee - $2.00 (Also taking dues!)
Conversation, coffee, & cookies available

4:00 p.m.

Early Arrival's Field Trip (route to be announced)

7:00 p.m.

Dinner * Cope's Cajun Kitchen

Awards and Announcements

Program - "Propagation of Native Plants"

Mr. David Pittman, Pittman's Gardens

Business Session

Saturday, April 28

8:00 a.m.

Field Trips Departing American Family Inn parking lot to

(1) Indian Mound

(2) Sand Hill Area

(3) South Camden

12:00 p.m.

Lunch - your choice

1 : 30 p .m.

Field Trips - Repeat of morning routes on demand

4 : 30 p.m.

Executive Board Meeting

6:30 p.m.

Dinner - Cope's Cajun Kitchen
More Announcements and Awards
Program - To Be Announced

Sunday. April 29

8 to 9 a.m.

Yard Tour, coffee & rolls at Thera Lou Adams' home

9:00 a.m.

Field Trip - Poison Springs Trail

11:30 a.m.

Meeting adjourned

Please confirm your attendance by April 23, 1990, so that accurate number of
attendants may be made for banquet preparations. Confirmations may be sent or

telephoned to

Mrs. Thera Lou Adams
Rt. 1 Box 871
Camden, AR 71701
(501) 836-5221

***Both evening meals will cost $8.14 each - tax, tip & beverage included.

ACCOMMODATIONS

American Family Inn - Cope’s Cajun Kitchen (and meeting room)
Hwy 7 South & Goodgame St.

(501 ) 231-6661

Double or King, $27# 00 a night (Kitchenettes available also)
When reserving rooms, please identify yourself with the ANPS.
Rates are for any number of occupants.

Other Camden Accommodations Nearby :

Days Inn

942 Adams Ave. (Hwy 7 South)

1-800-325-2525 or 836-9372

Double or King, $34.00 for two or more occupants

Holiday Inn of Camden

950 California (Hwy 79 South)

836-8822

Single occupancy, $35.00 ($5.00 additional per person)

King, $40.00

ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

The Arkansas Native Plant Society was organized September 20, 1980, in Mena,
Arkansas, with the purpose of promoting the preservation, conservation, study,
and enjoyment of the wild plants and vegetation of Arkansas. Membership is open
to anyone interested enough in wildflowers, ferns, weeds, and trees to pay annual
dues. Among our members are both professional and amater botanists of all ages
from throughout the state, who are untied by an appreciation of nature and who
seem to enjoy each other's company enormously.

The Society has two general meetings each, in spring and fall. Field trips to
areas of unusual botanical interest are also scheduled throughout the year. The
newsletter, Clavtonia . is issued at least twice yearly, and a directory of
members is published periodically. In addition, ANPS supports several
scholarship and award funds for botanical endeavors relating to Arkansas plants.

There are four categories for membership:

$ 5 Regular membership

$10 Supporting Membership

$20 Contributing Membership

$100 Life Membership

If you would like to join the Arkansas Native Plant Society and begin receiving
our newsletter, please provide the required information below, check a membership
category and send this sheet with the appropriate dues to:

Fred Greenwood, Treasurer
Arkansas Native Plant Society
Route 3* Box 333 - A
Little Rock, AR 72211

Name

Address

Phone

New

Renewal

EPLZZ HV '^oag
ZZ *°N +IUJJ9J

QlVd

©Bdisoj ■(-,
‘£ j O 4!J-oJd uo[\j

f'i <* 3*Vv ; ;::- •• "• . ... v *;.

& '-A* , '■■ . ' ■(.'■, . ;v . V V •• •'■ L - 1 , ■

.-'.rtwr:' 'Ov , 5 1 -•. J. ;:*£

’ ■ ‘i-v r- jy >■• ; >; V. * v £ . v..-’- - • 'V

, - ;1 - ; -.V: - ■ ••

NEWSLETTER OF THE ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

FALL, 1990

FROM THE PRESIDENT: Bruce Ewing

Welcome to the Native Plant Society,
The purpose of our Society is to promote
the preservation, conservation, and the
study of the wild plants and vegetation of
Arkansas; the education of the public to
the value of the native flpra a.nd its
habitat; and the publication of related
information .

In order to achieve these goals,
membership fees are charged:

- $5-00 for General Membership, of
which $5.00 goes to the general fund
to pay for newsletters, etc.

- $10.00 for Supporting Membership, of
which $5.00 goes to the general fund
and $5.00 goes to the Dwight Moore
account .

- $20.00 for Contributing Membership,
of which $5.00 goes to the general
fund and $15.00 goes to the Delzie
Demaree fund.

- $100.00 for Life Membership, of which
$5.00 goes to the general fund and
$95.00 goes to the Delzie Demaree
fund .

Please send dues to :

Arkansas Native Plant Society
P.0. Box 250250
Little Rock, AR 72225

The Dwight Moore Award fund makes
awards for outstanding achievements in
both research and publications.

The Delzie Demaree fund provides
research grants to deserving students of
Arkansas Botany.

The Aileen McWilliams Scholarship Fund
provides scholarships to promising
students of Arkansas Botany. These funds
come from direct contributions and from
our fall auction.

In addition to the joy of fellowship
with people who enjoy our natural
heritage, and the personal gain of
knowledge of our flora, you can promote
the preservation, conservation, and study
of wild plants, help educate the public to
the value of our native flora and its
habitat and the publication of related
information .

Please join us at one of the membership

levels that is best for you.

I give my personal thanks to all the
officers, board members and others who
have made this a most enjoyable and
rewarding year.

Fall Field Trips

9/22/90 - To Bear Mountain in the Ozark
National Forest, led by Kent Bonar and
Herb Culver, Meet at Nail Store, 10:00
a.m., bring drink and sack lunch. Nail
Store is on Highway 16. If you are late,
going from the store about 1 1/2 mile we
on 16, at the first stop sign on the nor
side of the road, that T s Bear Mountain
Road. There will be signs or somebody
there to point the way. Wear good hiking
shoes - this is pretty rugged territory.

Kent Bonar and Herb Culver are trying
to get the area classified as a Research
Natural Area. They have documented many
unusual species including eight types of
orchids, French’s Shooting Star, and
Yellow Mandarin. At this time the USFS
has plans to drastically alter and destroy
the habitat through roading and
herbicides .

For further information, call 428-

5597.

9/29/90 - 4-H facility, Little Rock, led
by Carl Hunter. Meet at the 4-H
headquarters at Fernclif f at 1:00 p.m.
(Slides if it rains.)

10/3/90 - Warren prairie, Monticello, led
by Erie Sundell. Meet at the Warren
Prairie sign on Highway 8, two to three
miles south of Highway 4 at 9:00 a.m.

Call Eric at home for information on
directions. If no one calls, we will
assume no one is coming.

11/10/90 - Carl Amason T s house, meet at
Carl T s house at 9:30 a.m. Turn left off
of Highway 1 6 7 at Staple’s Store, go to
County Road 44 (about half a mile), turn
right on County Road 44, go 1 1/4 mile
south. Be sure and bring your lunch.
Carl’s number is 748-2362.

c+ Hi

Other programs of interest to members

10/12/90 - Hot Springs Village, 10:00 a.m.
(Slides, Carl Hunter)

10/26-28/90 - Mid-South Native Plant
Conference 1990 at Agricenter
International, Memphis, TN. Carl Amason,
Carl Hunter & other ANPS members are on
the program.

10/10/90 - Woolly Hollow State Park - Carl
Hunter. Walk at 2:00 p.m.; slides at 5:30

p .m .

FALL GENERAL MEETING

TENTH ANNIVERSARY
OF ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

WHEN : October 19-20, 1990

WHERE : The Narrows Inn on Greer's Ferry

Lake will be our headquarters.

The Inn is at Higden, Arkansas,
on Highway 16 just north of the
Narrows Bridge on the east side
of the highway. Twenty rooms are
being held for us. Phone: 825-

6246

Rates: $30.50 - 1 bed, 2 persons
$34.50 - 2 people, 2 beds

SCHEDULE :

FRIDAY, October 19:

4:00 Registration at the

Narrows Inn. Be sure to
bring objects for Saturday
night's auction. Look
over and sign up for field
trips ,

6:30 Dinner at Narrows Inn.

This is on your own.

There are other places in
the area to eat if you
wish.

7 : 30 Program , Narrows Inn
dining room. Charles
Garner - Greers Ferry
Resident Engineer
Don Culwell - Roadside
Wild flowers

SATURDAY, October 20:

Breakfast is on your own.

8:00 Field Trips - meet at
Narrows Inn.

6:30 Buffet Dinner at Narrows -
$8.50 per person, which
includes tip and tax
7:30 General business meeting
and election of officers
8:30 AUCTION - NARROWS INN
DINING ROOM

SUNDAY, October 21:

3:00 Field trip

ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE AREA

CAMPING

Corps of Engineers Parks

All are first come, first served, $5.00
per night, $8.00 with electricity.

Devil's Fork Campground - 32 sites

Narrows Park - Higden - very close to the
Narrows Inn

Shiloh Park

OTHER MOTELS

Fed Bird Inn - Highway 16, south of
Sdgemont Bridge. Ten rooms, 5 cottages.
Phone: 825-6256

Rates: $30.00 - 2 double beds

$37.00 - Kitchenettes w/2 dbl bed
$42.00 - 2/bedroom cottages with
double beds - $42.00

Lake front Lodge , Edgemont, Arkansas, near
Edgemont Bridge on Hwy 1 6 , north of
Narrows. Phone: 723-4243

Rates: $32.00 - Two double beds

$34.00 - Kitchenette, 2 dbi beds,
2-burner stove and
refrigerator

$36.00 - Efficiency - 2 dbl beds,
4-burner stove and oven,
full cabinets,
refrigerator-freezer

2

Vi on

Ozark Inn , Higden, Arkansas, just south of
Narrows Bridge,

Phone: 825-6607

Rates: $32.00 - One person, 1 double bed
$32.00 - Two persons, 1 dbl bed
$33.00 - Two persons, 2 dbl beds

RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA:

Lake front Lodge

Vee's Logcabin Barbecue - on hill east
side of Highway 16, Edgemont, south of
.ake front Lodge, Has good barbecue.

MINUTES OF SPRING MEETING
THE ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
April 28, 1990

The business meeting of the Spring
General Membership meeting of the Arkansas
Native Plant Society was called to order
by Bruce Ewing, President.

Chad Gray gave the treasurer's report.
He reported a balance of $11,233.81 in
total funds.

The President reported the
recommendation of the Executive Board that
$1200 be transferred from the general fund
into the Delzie Demaree Award Fund, It
was moved by Carl Amason and seconded by
Albert Higginbottom that this be done.

The motion carried.

The President announced the findings of
Carl Hunter, who did research on the cost
of a color brochure for the ANPS. The
cost would be $1,735.00 for 5#000 copies
of a color brochure. The cost for 10,000
copies of a black and white brochure would
be $500. The Executive Board recommended
that the ANPS spend $500 for 10,000 copies
of a brochure to be printed on colored
paper. Thera Lou Adams moved this
recommendation. It was seconded by Carl
Amason. The motion carried.

The fall meeting will be at The Narrows
Inn near Greers Ferry on October 19, 20,

21 instead of Eureka Springs on November
2, 3, 4 as first planned. The field trips
for the spring meeting will be at the
Hobbs Estate, with housing nearby.

Carl Hunter was presented with the
Dwight Moore Award, which is given for
outstanding achievements in both research
and publications of Arkansas Botany. His

book, Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of
Arkansas , was recently published. He was
presented with a check for $100, which he
returned with the request that it be used
for either the Delzie Demaree Fund or the
Dwight Moore Fund.

New members of the ANPS were introduced
by Sue Clark, Judy Lacefield was
introduced as a new life member.

Attention was brought to books by
members. Carl Hunter is the author of two
books, Wildflowers of Arkansas , and Trees ,
Shrubs, and Vines of Arkansas . Henry
Robison has published Fishes of Arkansas .
His book, Amphibians and Reptiles of
A rkansa s, will possibly be published next
year ,

The president announced that Susan
Hooks is the new botanist for the USFS in
the Ouachita National Forest.

Carl Amason announced that a Native
Plant Conference will be held in Ruston,
Louisiana, June 7, 8, 9. He also
announced the spring field trips, which
will be held in Lewisville on April 21,
Meadowcreek Project at Fox on May 5, Mena
on May 12, and Cal ion on June 9.

The President acknowledged the hosts
for the Camden meeting — Thera Lou Adams,
Nadine Abbott, Glynis Hamlin, and others -
- and expressed appreciation for their
efforts.

It was announced that on Sunday there
would be a yard tour, coffee, and rolls at
the home of Thera Lou Adams from 8:00 to
9:00 a.m., and a field trip to Poison
Springs Trail beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
It was followed by a slide show on
Roadside Wildflowers by Carl Hunter.

— Betty Speairs, Secretary

Letters to the Editor:

I am hoping that your members may be
able to help me. I am a professional
plant breeder and I am trying to locate
fresh seed of the WILD AMERICAN PASSION
VINE ( Passiflora Incarnata ) , also known as
the MAY POP, Because your members are
very knowledgeable about the native
Arkansas flora, I was hoping that some of
them could collect ripe fruits for me
later on in the summer. Please let me
know if you would be able to pass ray

3

request on to your membership. I am
trying to obtain samples from across the
State of Arkansas so that I can sample the
genetic variation. I thank you for your
time and I hope you will be able to assist
me. If you can suggest any other possible
collectors for this seed, please offer me
their names.

Kindest regards,

Frank C, Moser(Plant Breeder)

2121 Hamilton, Alva, FL 33920

An Account of the Field Trip in Lafayette
County at Lewisville - by Carl A*ason

The CLAYTONIA notice read: "April 21:
meet at the court-house in Lewisville at
10:00 AM to see Halesia diptera, two
winged silver bell, rediscovered after the
absence of a confirmed report since 1882,
Also, see Sebastian brush and blue
hawthorne." I could hardly wait!

The Saturday morning began clear,
partly cloudy and pleasant, but weather
reports told of heavy rains and flash
floods in Central Arkansas. I drove west
on OS 82, and saw only very scattered bits
of remnants of the Coreopsis lanceolata
that used to line the highway to Magnolia.
Through Magnolia and Columbia County the
highway had been sprayed with a herbicide
and from Stamps to Bayou Dorcheat, both
sides of the highway had been sprayed. I
did see one wet area, just out of the
right-of-way, that had a pretty population
of Iris virginica .

I got to the Lafayette County
Courthouse early and found a veterinarian
giving rabies shots to dogs which were
bought there at the appointed hour. Just
before 10 AM, Ray Erickson arrived, with
his wife, and the news that several
people, including Sue Clark, had called.
Heavy rains had made it impractical for
them to attend. It was soon obvious that
I was the only field trip participant, so
Ray took his wife home, and away the two
of us went. I got a private botanical
tour of the central part of the county.

It was not really dry, nor was it really
wet underfoot, so the terrain was in
splendid condition. The Lafayette County
Jack-in-the pulpits were just like those
in Union. County, having dark purplish
parallel lines inside the spathe. There

were many cinnamon, royal, sensitive and
netted chain ferns. At one of the first
destinations, Eric came to a stand of
silky willow which sent me to Dr. Smith’s
ATLAS. If it is silky willow, Eric should
get a specimen to Dr. Smith because he has
only a single county (Fulton in North
Arkansas) with a record.

I was unfamiliar with this willow,

Salix sericea which is whitish under the
leaf. Later, we did see much of the sand
bar willow ( Salix exegua ) in the Red River
valley. We saw several clumps of the blue
hawthorne ( Crataegus brachyacanthus )
without really leaving the truck. The
tall mature tree has an Oriental quality
about its structure which makes it a good
horticultural subject; they usually
occurred in little groups, or groves as we
would say in central Texas a mott. The
Sebastian bush is a small evergreen
shrublet of the Euphorbia Family and is
unique.

Did we find the rediscovered Halesia
diptera ? You bet we did! The mature tree
had several trunks at least 4 inches in
diameter, height about 25 feet, with a
spread of pendulouis limbs, probably over
30 feet. It was elegant even in the woods
with an understory of weeds and shrubs and
a road close by, complete with a road
ditch. There were only one or two silver
bell blossoms left on the tree, but it was
a moment to remember. What does the
Halesia diptera have in common with the
zoological order of insects that includes
house flies, mosquitoes, other flies and
gnats? Why, they have only two wings,
which is exactly what diptera means in
classical greek. Of the Halesia , it is
the large woody seed which has two wings.

One of the most pleasant surprises for
me were several roadside populations of
Thalictrum, which species I do not know as
Smith’s ATLAS does not have those tall
(over 4 feet) meadow ones growing in South
Arkansas. Again, Ray, send some specimens
to Dr. Smith. On our ride in central
Lafayette County we saw these four
Baptista species, (1) leucantha, with tall
white spires, (2) bracteata
( leucophaea ) with creamy outwardly
pointing clusters of flowers, (3) B.
mettalliana and (4) sphaerocarpa .

I shall always be grateful for Ray

4

Erickson for giving me a private field
trip about Lewisville. He is very
knowledgeable, enthusiastic and young. We
can expect a great future from this young
man as he is in a rather unique area of
the state where the red alkaline Permian
Basin soil has washed down in the Red
River Valley bringing West Texas and
Oklahoma species with it, naturalizing
exotic lime-loving plants, overlapping
Texas and Louisiana species and of course,
a few unique particles of the Arkansas
flora throughout it, Ray even tells me of
the mesquite tree in Arkansas. And, like
Rick Mountain, n I always want to return at
almost any season.” Thank you, Ray!

Some Simmer Impressions of the Spring
Meeting - by Carl Anas on

Those planning a convention and meeting
begin with great enthusiasm and greater
expectations. But, as the date
approaches, those feelings evaporate like
a light rain on a hot summer 1 s day or
disappear like some ghost of many years
past. Things happen, conditions develop
and some of the most unexpected things
occur, but as ones in show business always
say, "the show must go on."

The Camden meeting of the Arkansas
Native Plant Society on the 27th, 28th,
and 29th of April was a wonderful success
for the simple reasons that the weather
cooperated, the wildfiowers were there,
and a captive audience attended. One
always worries about the weather, but the
rains that fell came in just the right
amount and at the proper time as to give
no problems at all, although heavy rains
did fall to the north of Camden.

Nadine Abbott, one of the host
committee and a tour leader, was somewhat
perturbed; the crown jewel of her tour, a
big city block of Phlox drummondis in
Bluff City, was mowed down the day before!
Thera Lou Adams, another leader, was in
the situation of her husband having to go
to the hospital during the field trip.
However, Jason Anders kept his happy-go-
lucky attitude and the crowd was eager to
see the countryside. Things certainly did
go well for a successful meeting.

We began on Friday afternoon with one
field trip organized for that time close

to both Thera Lou's and Nadine's
residences. The grandest impression of
the meeting still lingers in the small
rich bottomland of a small creek where
there are some yellow lady-slippers in all
the regal splendor of spring flowering
beauty. For some it was a first time to
see them, for others it was another one of
those rarely seen woodland treasures, so
easily hiked to see. In the same general
area were small bellwort ( Uvualar ia
sessilifolia) , several species of fairly
common ferns and the entire forest floor
was covered with blooming partridge berry
(Mitchella repens). Its presence caused a
spontaneous conference between Bruce and
Lana Ewing and Dr. Eric Sundell, the
subject of the matter being that Mitchella
repens was one of those perfect flowering
plants that is termed heterostyly, where
the style (female part of the perfect
flowers) have styles, on the same plant,
with different lengths from those on other
plants. At the same time, those plants
that have flowers with enlarged stigma
(style) have small stamens (male parts)
and those which have small stigma have
large stamens. Only cross pollination
between the two plants of flowers will
produce fruit (berries). The flowers are
born in pairs, and each pair of flowers
will produce one fruit with two flowering
scars. And the berries will take two
years to mature so it is possible to have
flowers and ripe red berries at the same
time. The flower petals are extremely
rough and are very fragrant. All in all,
Mitchella re pens can be a first-class
garden plant. Enough said about a common
wildflower with extraordinary attributes.
On to Dr, Guthrie's place to see the silky
camellia. In Arkansas, it is known only
from several locations about Camden.

Saturday morning broke with cheering
sunshine after a night of thunder and
lightning with just enough rain to settle
what little dust that had formed. The
conventioneers were divided into three
field trip groups, one going directly to
the sand hill area of Chidester and Bluff
City led by Nadine Abbott; another through
the backwoods via the Indian Mound and
coming back in at Chidester in the sand
hills led by Thera Lou Adams; and the
third group south of town, led by

5

Jason Anders.

I went with Jason; the first stop was
at the entrance to Mr. Davis* residence.
Along the driveway we had ample time to
study Magnolia tripetala and Magnolia
virginiana . Magnolia tripetala Tumbrel la
magnolia) is fairly common in the Ouachita
Mountains and Boston Mountains of the
Ozarks, but is rare on the Coastal Plains,
while Magnolia virginiana is a
characteristic Coastal plain tree, found
near the headwaters and flowing streams
and springs.

The next stop was at the Fisher* s
Place, on the old El Dorado highway on a
deep sandy hill. The grounds were
literally a Persian carpet of Phlox
drummondii in full bloom, and no two
flowering plants had identical colorations
of the flowers, from pure white, shades of
pink to rose, red and cerise. Then we
went on to Elliott, to the home and
grounds of Mrs. Donie Thomas, who has a
wide range of trees, shrubs, aquatic
plants and wildflowers. Here we could
stroll, smell the flowers of Magnolia
tripetala (they stink!), and admire a
beautiful clump of yellow lady-slippers,
many ferns, and many unexpected plants
tucked into her wide ranging garden. What
she doesn 1 t know scientifically was more
than made up for in her enthusiasm.

We became aware of hunger as it was
lunch time, so everyone headed back to
Camden to eat. At the motel, everyone
congregated and a small delegation of the
Louisiana Native Plant from the Shreveport
area surfaced. The participants of the
two sand hill field trips were all aglow
with talk of Arkansas oaks, blue- jack
oaks, Pensternon murrayanus , Matelea
decipiens , Selaginella rlddellii ,
Hymenopappus artemissaefolius, and other
sand hill specialties. In the afternoon
the trips were all repeated. I can
remember well introducing to Dr. Kathleen
Hall and her daughter the sensations of
the tongue and mouth of the tooth-ache
tree ( Lanthoxylum clavaheraelis ) which was
in the Phlox drummondii area. Also
present in all the field trip areas were
flowering plants of the feared and
respected Cridoscolus texanus , the bull
nettle, whose spines can cause a painful
whelt, much like that from a wasp. Did

anyone get stung? I doubt it because I
heard of no complaints.

The Saturday night banquet dinner was
one more happy extended visit, Clemy
Moore got to meet Miss Marsha Rowe, the
SAU student from Chidester who has done so
much work on the South Arkansas Arboretium
in El Dorado. Randy Johnson from Pinnacle
Mountain State Park made a talk on the
Arkansas Arboretium Plans at Pinnacle
Mountain. Carl Hunter graciously
mentioned the cash award given him by the
Dwight Moore Award Fund for his books on
Arkansas botanical interests. Greg Cook
had his collection of pressed fern
specimens and in showing them to Dr. Jim
Peck, it developed that Dr. Peck needed
specimens of the Azolla from Cabon Lake.
Never a dull moment in plant collecting.

The Shreveport delegation was fortified
with the presence of Mr3. Hilda McEwen of
Warren, an old friend of Audubon Society
days.

Sunday morning broke clear and sunny
again - another good day for a field trip.
Members were to meet at the home of Thera
Lou Adams, off the Chidester Road. She
was in a very hospitable mood and was ably
helped by the ex-secretary, Glynis Hamlin,
who had moved to Witchita, Kansas and was
here with her mother, who lives in
Oklahoma. She had passed by something at
the Witchita Botanical Garden, which she
has joined, just to be with us. How much
of Thera Lou' 3 coffee and orange juice was
drank and how much of her fancy sweet
rolls were consumed I couldn f t say; it was
a fitting finale to the spring meeting. A
stroll through her garden with its mixture
of native and exotic was an inspiration to
those wishing to do similar things with
native plants. Dr. Jim Peck discovered
some cultivated tree that had become a
pernicious pest species in Florida and
Thera Lou destroyed it on the spot.

One more trip was to close out the
meeting; a field trip to Poison Spring
Battlefield State Park, scene of a Civil
War battle. This is just within the sand
hills and the state champion blue-jack oak
was just down the road, A very pleasant
walk on the park's nature walk found us
strolling through a small ravine with a
spring branch flowing and there were many
netted chain ferns and lizards tails. On

6

r

and is not well known even if it does have
a fairly wide distribution in the state.
Then neighbors Flo and Houston Sage (Sage
as in Salvia ) came. They are the owners
of the McCartney Rose (Rosa bracteata )
that Carl Hunter photographed for his
Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of Arkansas . And
then Arc ha lie Harman arrived with her
celebrated pound cake.

We walked over the place, and aside
from the Alophia drummondii , we took in
the site where Thelypteris torresiana
appeared out of the blue. And I am happy
to report that many sporelings have
appeared on the scene. The place is well
covered with areas carpeted in Mitchella
repens and I had to tell all that the pine
tree I purchased years ago as a longleaf
pine has turned out to be Pinus x
sondereggeri, the natural hybrid between
the longleaf pine and the loblolly pine.

I am amazed at the reluctance of people
newly introduced to the Vaccinium
ellottii, the coastal plains "high-bush
huckleberry, " to taste and sample the
berries. They are a highly flavored
blueberry, and used to be eagerly sought
after by local berry pickers. There are
several species of Vaccinium growing here
on the place naturally, and I value all of
them for their beauty and berries for food
and wildlife food. Those Vaccinium
species are all fairly common and I would
recommend them to any berry or wildlife
student. They are V. arboreum , the winter
huckleberry or farkleberry or
sparkleberry, which can be a valuable
horticultural addition to any garden; V.
stamineum, the deerberry which is usually
described by identification seekers as the
flowers look like ballerina tutus; V.
fuscatum, which grows in damper areas; and
V. virgatum , the coastal plains n low bush
huckleberry."

After a rest, we went in a small
caravan. One of the most distinctive
plants of the area, the Cherokee bean
( M am on of Louisiana) was late and sparse
in coming into bloom, but at the last
moment of the day before, I found some in
full bloom at the Camp Fire Girls Cabin on
Calion Lake. Yes, indeed, there were
several red and striking tall flowering
stems of Erythrina herbacea in the wild,
along with some shrubby Hypericum which I

haven't identified yet. In the margins of
Calion Lake are plenty of bald cypresses
(Taxodium distichum ) and water tupelo
grass" ( Nyssa aquatioa ) and on the
roadbanks were flowering pickleweeds
( Pontederia cordata) and in the sunny open
water, Mymphaea o do rata were blooming like
floating magnolia blossoms. We looked for
and found Clematis crispa , very common
about Calion in quite a range of colors.
Ilea virginica and Cephalanthus
occidentalis were studied in contrast and
in habital similarities. Only the
pressures of time caused the cessation of
the field trip and from all the happy
comments, I believe everyone enjoyed and
learned something on the field trip. I
know it was a great pleasure for me to
lead it.

8

the trail, much to my surprise were
several chinkapin trees and the usual
understory trees of flowering dogwood. A
lot of Aristolochia retlculaton were in
the sandy soil. This is one of the small
perennial Dutchman's pipe vine's
relatives, that grows about 6 to 8 inches
tall and has brownish-purple flowers under
the leafmold. It was coming into bloom.

At the end of the circuitous trail was a
nice specimen of an Arkansas Oak.

Finally, back at the visitors'
pavillion, we met and lingered as we
wished this wonderful experience could
last forever. We all got into our
automobiles and went our way. But for me,
the flavor was to linger as Lois Wilson of
Joiner, Arkansa and Larry Wilson, no
relation, both of the Nature Center in
Memphis, followed me home to "see my
place." I hope they were not disappointed
as I haven't really been able in two years
to do any real work on the place. But
that is another story.

Some final notes on the Camden spring
meeting at this time. I asked several
about their single most pleasant moments.
For Bill Shepard, it was the entire flora
of the Bluff City "Dumpyard." For Dr.
Jewel Moore, it was also the same place
with two very uncommon and rare
composites: Evax Candida and Hymenopappus
artemisaefoluis in the same spot. Dr.
Sundell's most memorable moments were the
yellow ladies slippers and the many
Matelia declepeus or climbing milkweeds.
Edith and Harry Bartholomew were in a
state of ecstacy on finding the carpet of
Phlox drummondii on their own, south of
Camden. The Louisiana visitors were
genuinely surprised at the open
friendliness of everyone. Favorable
remarks were common and I could go on and
on; everyone agreed it was a wonderful
meeting. And me? Oh fickle me, "I loved
every moment, everybody and every plant."

An Account of the Field Trip Near Calion
on 9 June 1990 - by Carl A*a3on

June heralds the beginning of summer,
and the summer-like weather truly begins
here in early June. But the weather was
sunny and while previously fallen rains
had left plenty of surface moisture in the

soil, it was dry underfoot. It was not a
bad day to have a field trip and there are
two native plants that make for an
interesting field trip in this area.

First is Alophia drummondii , a member
of the Iris Family. I am fortunate in
having several nice colonies here on my
place, including a group at the very front
gate. There were some in bloom and as
they are morning flowers, the spot,
situation, and flowers in bloom created a
good place for the field trippers to
congregate, meet, talk, admire, and to
begin the trip.

First to arrive was Cindy Ross from
Little Rock — the one who had the
farthest to travel was the first to
arrive. She had problems because the
bridge between my place and Colion, at the
lake, was washed out to a dangerous
condition; but she, as well as the others,
made a little detour through the
countryside to get here, Cindy was soon
met by her good friend, Alice Andrews of
El Dorado. It is a small world; Alice's
father, although a few years older than I
am, was a student at the small country
school, Quinn, where we knew each other
years ago. A neighbor, less than a mile
away, came and joined the Society, with
eagerness and great expectation, and even
though Evelyn Lloyd had to leave before
lunch, she seemed to have thoroughly
enjoyed the outing. Then a small
delegation from Camden arrived; they were
D. W. Daniel and his budding young field
tripper, Will Daniel, with Greg Robertson.
They had been with the Society some at its
spring meeting in Camden and they were so
impressed with the group and its
activities that they came for more
experiences and had many very good
comments to add to the current field trip.
They own some properties in Ouachita
County, near Chidester in the 3and hill
areas, that made for an outstanding spring
meeting. They asked about several plants
and one of which has to be Folygonella
americana , common name jointweed, another
common name that I dislike heartily
because this "weed" can be a most
attractive, pleasing and interesting
wildflower in and out of bloom. This is
the "heath" of Heathcliff of Rich
Mountain! It blooms late in the season

7