Vol. 15 No. 1 Long Island Botanical Society The Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2005 Orchids of Long Island Mike J. Parsons Long Island, on the eastern side of New York State, reaches out into the Adantic Ocean for about 120 miles in a horizontal fashion and is 25 miles wide near the island’s center. Most of the City of New York and suburbs are found on the western side of the island and it is a long way before the true countryside begins to appear. To find orchids in this envi- ronment would be virtually impossi- ble without some help. I had been a member of the Long Island Botani- cal Society and received several newsletters, so I knew what to ex- pect. There have been up to 40 spe- cies of orchid reported and 37 con- firmed, of which only 24 species are now extant. I managed to get The Atlas of the Orchids of Tong Island, New York from the author Eric E. Lamont, a well-known botanist from the New York Botanical Garden and past president of the Torrey Botanical Society. So with the help of our friend Linda de Castro, who had previ- ously been to some of the sites on the Island, we managed to contact Eric and he agreed to show us around for two days. My wife Carol and I flew into Newark from theggT.K., where we began our long journey through New Jersey and Staten Island to Long Island (JFK would have been a better choice). Long Island is well known for its huge traffic jams, but we were lucky, as it was the middle of a Thursday (more luck than judgment, really, as Internet prices were lower that day) and the commuters and weekenders had not started their eastward migration. Carol managed to navigate me around the maze of roads and we reached the Hamptons in good time. We had booked a very pleasant bed-and- breakfast called “Carole’s,” with rocking chairs on the porch and a swimming pool at the back. Carole wel- comed us with open arms and said that we were the only visitors until the weekend (apart from Linda, who finally managed to arrive at 6 p.m, hav- ing been caught in the traffic on Staten Island). Carole’s B & B is situated at East Quoque, near the Quoque Wildlife Refuge where Vlatanthera blephariglottis (white fringed orchid) persists. I could not resist a quick reconnoiter of the area, but de- cided to have a better look the following day. In the evening, Eric joined us for a slide show and gave us all t-shirts displaying the rare curly grass that we saw the following day with the seed heads of Calopogon tuherosus (grass pink). The following day we ar- ranged to meet Eric at 8 a.m. to get an early start. The first stop was the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, where Eric’s students have been managing a wetiand for or- chids. It was not long before we saw a great display of Vlatanthera blephariglottis (from the Greek blepharon mean- ing “eyelid” and glotta , “tongue,” hence a tongue like an eyelid, referring to the lip with finely fringed edges). Several years ago, the population had dwindled Photo by John Heidecker Platanthera ciliaris (Yellow fringed orchid) (Continued on page 3) Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 2 Long Island Botanical Society Founded: 1986 Incorporated: 1989 The Long Island Botanical Society is dedicated to the promotion of field bot- any and a greater understanding of the plants that grow wild on Long Island, New York. Visit the Society’s Web site www.libotanical.org Executive Board President Eric Lamont Vice President Skip Blanchard Treasurer Carol Johnston Recording Secretary Barbara Conolly Corresponding Secretary John Potente Committee Chairpersons Local Flora Steven Clemants Field Trips Jenny Ulsheimer Skip Blanchard Programs Rich Kelly Membership Lois Lindberg Conservation John Turner Education Mary Laura Lamont Thomas Stock Hospitality Jane Blanchard Zu Proly Dorothy Titus Newsletter Editor Margaret Conover Newsletter Layout & Design William Krol Webmaster Donald House Society News Our apologies to anyone who did not receive the fall edition of the Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter. A labeling error resulted in misdirected newsletters. Please contact Margaret Conover, the editor, if you did not receive this or any other issue. ♦ Daniel Karpen has nominated two more specimens to the Ameri- can Forestry Association Big Tree Register. They are a 24-foot-tall bay- berry (Myrica pensylvankd) and a 45-foot-tall Hazel alder {Aims serrulata). Both were found along the trail in Gardiner County Park in Babylon on August 7. He also reports black ash ( Fraxinus nigra ) on Harbor Hill Road in Lloyd Harbor, at Greentree in Manhasset, at Caumsett, and at Shu Swamp. Shagbark hickory (< Cary a ovata) was reported from Cold Spring Harbor by John Potente, in Lloyd Harbor by Daniel Karpen, and in Ridge by Skip Blanchard. Smooth blackberry (Rubus canadensis) was reported at Tiffany Creek by A1 Lindberg. Cutleaf blackberry ( Rubus laciniatus ), an invasive species from Eurasia, was reported at Pilgrim State Hospital by Skip Blanchard and Rich Kelly. Zu Proly has been monitoring a population of water hyacinth (Eichhomia crassipes) in Scudder’s Pond in Sea Cliff and reported that al- though it was winter-killed three years ago, it is now “back in force.” A similar population in a pond on East Island, Glen Cove, has not re- turned. Nodding ladies’ tresses {Spiranthes cernua) was reported from Fort Tilden (Queens) by Rich Kelly, from a swale near Fire Island Lighthouse by Barbara Conolly, and from the Piping Rock stabling area by Barbara Conolly. Eric Lamont and Steve Young reported that pyxie ( Pyxidanthera barbulata ) and orange polygala {Polygala luted) have returned to the Free- man Avenue site under the radio towers in Islip that had been bulldozed a few years ago. They noted the presence of nutsedge {Scleria triglomerata ), coastal goldenrod {Solidago elliottii ), showy aster {Aster spectabilis) and blaz- ing-star {Liatris scariosa var. novae-angliae) . They also reported a new state record for slimpod rush (Juncus diffusissimus). Barbara Conolly reported Nuttall’s polygala ( Polygala nuttallii ) at Piping Rock. Skip Blanchard reported cut-leaved grape fern ( Botychium dissec- tum) in Hubbard County Park. ♦ The Executive Board of the Long Island Botanical Society, at its November meeting, reluctantly decided to increase annual membership dues by $5. Basic membership is now $20. ♦ LIBS Educational Chairperson, Mary Laura Lamont, will be the field trip leader for a week-long field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains from April 24—30, 2005. The trip, which is sponsored by Cornell’s “Master Naturalist” program, will occur during the peak spring wild- flower season and will be open to a limited number of UBS members. The Great Smoky Mountains are unsurpassed for their wide range of both northern and southern plants and are considered a rich botanical paradise. For more information, contact Cornell’s Outdoor Education and Environmental Director, Eileen Gerle. Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 3 (Continued from page 1) down to just six individuals, but we counted about 36 flowering plants, so the conservation work at this site seems to be working. The orchids are pure white with a large fringed labellum and a long spur. They were growing amongst the seed heads of Pogonia ophioglossoides (rose pogonia) and Drosera rotundifolia (round leaved sundew). There has been a question whether these orchids are var. ble- phariglottis (northern version) or conspicua (southern ver- sion), which is larger and has a bigger spur. On my jour- ney south and upon seeing more of these orchids, it would appear that these were of the northern variety. In the past there had been areas around here displaying over 200 orchids of this species, so it does seem that it is in decline. As we were going through the reserve we saw lots of Dianthus armeria (Deptford pinks) so common here but rare in the tf.K., which was a surprise to Eric. The next stop was at Hub- bard County Park, east of Flanders, to see if we could find Corallorhi^a odontorhi^a (autumn coralroot), but it was too early for this one. This site has only recently been discovered and the count was over 400 orchids. It was a surprise that a large popula- tion could have been missed for so long, as the last time a coralroot had been seen on the Island was over 65 years ago. After a break, we carried on to Amagansett to see possibly the highlight of the trip — Platanthera pallida (pale fringed or- chid), an endemic orchid to Long Island named only recently by Paul Martin Brown. We stopped the car in a sandy area surrounded by the sea and in our rush to see the orchid we did not put on our insect repellent. We were, therefore, quickly introduced to the natives of the dunes lying in wait for us from the prostrate pines, in- cluding ticks — some with white spots on their backs and others with white spots round their necks — and many other insects, as well. However, this did not put us off as we soon found our quarry and noted how dif- ferent they were to their nearest relative Platanthera cristata (crested fringed orchid), which we saw later. They were not only paler but had larger stems and label- lum, as well as a distinctive shape as the lip folds out. These orchids were just coming into bloom, which is a lot different from Europe, where practically all orchids would be well over. As we were taking some pictures we found the seed heads of Cypripedium acaule (pink lady’s slipper). We decided to have an ice cream before going to the tip of the Island and seeing the lighthouse. On the way, Eric pointed out that orchids grow along the road- sides such as Spiranthes lacera var. lacera (northern slen- der/torn ladies’ tresses), S. ochroleuca (yellow ladies’ tresses), S. tuherosa (little ladies’ tresses), S. cemua (nodding ladies’ tresses) and S. vemalis (spring ladies’ tresses) as well as sites nearby for Arethusa bulbosa (dragon’s mouth) and Isotria ver- ticillata (large whorled pogonia) but these orchids had either bloomed earlier or were due to flower later. Our next stop was to see Platanthera ciliaris (yellow fringed orchid) that grew down on the roadside verge in a sub- urban area. At first we could not locate the exact site, but af- ter looking at the sides of the road that had large fence posts placed in the grass, we knew we were on the right track, as these posts had been placed by the East Hampton Garden Club to protect the orchids from the dreaded mower men so that the orchids had a great chance of survival. Obviously the Club members had done a good job, as there were over 20 orchids scattered amongst the posts, some already gone over, which was a surprise to me as they were in prime condition in the southern states. P. ciliaris also has a fringe and is very similar to P. blephariglottis except that the color is yellow. Farther down the road along the verges beside a wood we found two Platanthera cristata (crested fringed orchid) hiding within the woods margins. These orchids are very pretty and look like a smaller version of P. ciliaris with a hood. From the top looking down on the orchid, the symmetrical shape looked like a stairway with the spur acting as a bar. To compare them with P. pallida it would seem that these orchids were a lot smaller and more colorful than but not as orange as their cousins further south. We were hoping to find some hybrids that have been reported from the area, (Continued on page 4) Photo by John Heidecker Goodyera pubescens (Downy rattlesnake plantain) Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 4 (Continued from page 3) but no Platanthera x bicolor (P. ciliaris x P. blephariglottis) or Platanthera x channellii (P. cristata x P. ciliaris) or Pla- tanthera x canbji (P. cristata x P. blephariglottis) had been found recendy. It was now getting late so we returned back to our base at Carole’s B & B. Linda left us that night to return to New Jersey, but the next day, we persuaded Eric to continue to show us around the eastern part of the Island. We headed first to the beach and then on to Moores Woods at Greenport to see Tipularia discolor (crane-fly orchid). This was known as the most northerly site for this or- chid until a recent discovery on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. It was reported in all the lit- erature that although this was the only site, it had a siz- able colony, so it was quite disturbing when after a hefty search we could only find one orchid. Eric was amazed, but at least it was in full bloom and had a red tinge all through the stem and inflorescence. Although I saw this orchid in several places farther south, looking a greeny- brown color, nothing could compare to this red speci- men that glittered in the sun as it filtered through the trees lying along side a red fly-agaric toadstool. While photographing the orchid, which did look like a crane- fly with its unsymmetrical tepals, Eric looked for Good- yera pubescens (downy ratdesnake plantain) without much luck. It is not common in the nordi and the rosettes were not going to show up. As we were leaving the wood, Carol noticed an orchid that would make us feel at home. It was an alien, but it looked slightly different from the ones back home, as it had small cauline linear leaves up the stem that would seem like it had originated from either France or Germany and would probably be known as Epipactis helleborine subsp. minor or small leaved broad leaved helleborine, if you excuse the oxymoron. We still had time to visit more sites before join- ing Linda in New Jersey, so Eric took us to one of his favorite sites just on the outskirts of Riverhead where he resides. It was a good site for Platanthera blephariglottis and here they were in good numbers. The conservation- ists had obviously done a great job here, as there were about a hundred orchids scattered around an area sur- rounded by sweet pepper bushes. This area had been cleared originally to let the pylons through the marshes, but as long as the sweet pepper bushes do not get too tall or the phragmites take over, then this site looks well assured for a good future. To get into the center was difficult. At first we had to go along side a fast-running stream and then avoid a poison sumac tree, before wad- ing across into an area where the phragmites had taken over, then onto a small scythed path that led to an open area. It was well hidden and on the way we did find one Platanthera lacera (ragged fringed orchid), a greeny- white untidy orchid that was well past its best. I am sure there were more around if we had come at the appropri- ate time. We just had time for one last stop, which was another roadside verge, to see if we could find Malaxis unifolia (green adder’s mouth) but no luck. This is an or- chid that is difficult to find at the best of times and I would have loved to compare it with Malaxis bayardii , which is also reported from the Island. We thanked Eric for showing us around before setting off to tackle the maze of roads around the conurbation of New York. We would like to thank Eric Lamont, Linda de Castro, and Mark Larocque, for making this trip possi- ble. SO Orchid photographs are courtesy of John Heidecker http://johnheidecker. homestead, com/home, html Long Island Botanical Society \ V / to Mark 20th Anniversary in 2006 2006 marks the 20-year anniversary of the Long Island Botanical Society! In recognition of that milestone, we are in the early stages of planning a field trip to the west coast of New- foundland. The region is a botanist’s paradise. We would visit coastal limestone barrens, serpentine tableland, heath-crowberry barrens, coastal headlands and cliffs, conifer forest, and fen, bog, marsh and pond edges. Many of the plants are Arctic tundra species, including orchids, gentians, saxifrage, primrose, cinquefoil, and dwarf willows. We would also visit L’Anse aux Meadow, site of the first Viking settlement in North America, ca. 1000 A.D. The trip would take place around July 10—20, 2006. If interested, please contact Eric Lamont A minimum number of members must respond before we continue planning this extraordinary field trip. Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 5 Mile-a-minute continues to spread throughout Long Island Eric Lamont At the October 2004 meeting of the Long Island Botanical Society, nine new populations of the invasive mile-a-minute weed {Polygonum perfoliatum, in the Buck- wheat family) were reported from Nassau County in rapid-fire sequence: two populations from Glen Cove (Garvies Point and Welwyn Preserve), Greenvale (St. Francis Hospital’s Mattheis Center), Jericho (Underhill Farm), Locust Valley (Piping Rock Club), Old Westbury (private land), two populations from Oyster Bay (Planting Fields Arboretum and along Sandy Hill Road), and Port Washington (the field across from the en- trance to Sands Point Preserve). These reports were contributed by Skip Blanchard, Barbara Conolly, Andy Greller, Lois and Allan Lindberg, Zu Proly, and Bill and Dorothy Titus. Earlier in 2004, Guy Tudor reported that the population of mile-a-minute along Narrow River Road in Orient (originally reported by Steve Glenn in 2000) had significandy expanded in size and was smothering and eliminating native wildflowers and vegetation. Kathy Schwager, the invasive species specialist for the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, re- ported six additional populations in 2004: Lloyd Neck (Caumsett State Park and at the entrance to Watch Way, just west of Lloyd Lane), Montauk (Camp Hero and Montauk County Park), Noyac (Laurel Valley County Park), and Orient (Grandview Drive). A total of 19 populations of mile-a-minute have been reported from Long Island since 1998 (Fig. 1). FIG. 1. Current (2004) distribution of mile-a-minute weed (Polygonum perfoliatum) on Long Island, New York The Long Island Botanical Society has been closely monitoring the invasion of mile-a-minute on Long Island [see LIBS newsletter articles by Lamont (1998) and Hyatt (2002)], and has been providing infor- mation to the Long Island Weed Management Area Program, a cooperative effort by The Nature Conser- vancy, county, state and federal agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. I had the unfortunate privilege of reporting the first occurrence of mile-a-minute on Long Island in 1998 from along the Greenbelt Trail in Old Bethpage. Shortly thereafter, Lois Lindberg reported another nearby population from the Old Bethpage Village Res- toration preserve. Each summer following 1998, I eliminated young plants from the Greenbelt site. Plants continued to reappear each spring, but in small num- bers. I thought that I had the population under control. But in 2003, I poked around another section of the Greenbelt Trail and located a massive colony of mile-a- minute, festooning over shrubs and small trees. It can be discouraging to realize that even though botanists and weed management specialists have been aggressively trying to eradicate Long Island populations of mile-a-minute since the first report in 1998, the weed shows no signs of slowing its relendess spread and colo- nization of new habitats. There are several reasons for this difficulty in managing the spread of mile-a-minute. First, and foremost in my opinion, is the reproductive strategy of this annual weed. Unlike other Long Island members of the genus Polygonum , mile-a-minute pro- duces fleshy, berrylike fruits especially favored by birds that widely disperse the seeds throughout the region. Once the seeds germinate and seedlings become estab- lished, there are no apparent pest insects or herbivores to regulate population growth. As reported by Hyatt (2002), mile-a-minute is a noninvasive, native species in Asia where populations usually occur along the banks of rivers, lakes, and smaller tributaries. The regular flood- ing of these bodies of water kills most of the young plants, thus keeping population sizes in check. In the United States, because this species has escaped from its regularly flooded habitat, more young plants survive to reproduce and a sizable seed bank is rapidly established and ultimately dispersed. What is the projected future of mile-a-minute on Long Island? Since the physical removal of young plants from known sites has not slowed its spread on Long Island, it seems likely that mile-a-minute is here to stay and it will probably become more and more com- mon as time goes on. References: Hyatt, Laura, “Invasive plants at home and away: How mile-a-minute plays the game,” Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter 12: 25, 28-29 (2002). Lamont, Eric, “Mile-a-minute ( Polygonum perfoliatum) in- vades Long Island,” Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter 8: 43 (1998). Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 6 Grace Forest A Letter to Governor George Pataki Andrew Greller LIBS member Andy Greller recently sent the following letter to Governor George Pataki. He will keep us ap- prised of the governor’s response and any develop- ments regarding Grace Forest. October 28, 2004 The Honorable George E. Pataki, Governor Executive Chamber The State Capitol Albany, New York 12224 Honorable Governor Pataki: I am writing to alert you to the need to protect, as a Nature Preserve, an important parcel of land in the Village of North Hills, Nassau County, Long Island. It is located between the Long Island Expressway (LIE) and Northern Parkway, between New Hyde Park Road and Shelter Rock Road. The tract goes by the name of “Grace Forest,” the name I gave it in recognition of ownership by Margaret F. Grace (see: “Grace Forest, a mixed mesophytic stand on Long Island, New York,” in Botanical Gazette [now, International Journal of Plant Sciences] 139(4): 482-489, 1978, by A.M. Greller, R.E. Calhoon, and J.M. Mansky; a copy is attached to this letter). A western portion of Grace Forest has been fully developed recently with luxury townhouses. We need to protect the remaining forest from destruction, the plans for which have already been submitted to the Village of North Hills. Perhaps the most important reason to protect the Photo by Andrew M. Greller The interior of Grace Forest, Nassau County. site in perpetuity is that its vegetation has been docu- mented in structure and composition. The information is available to scientists in an international, peer- reviewed botanical journal. It should prove to be an invaluable “baseline” study, useful in comparing changes in biota over the decades. Such sites are of great importance in assessing the degree and rate of change of vegetation, in response to recent dramatic changes in climate. This forest is especially significant in that it is located a little over a mile east of the New York City, Queens County forest border. It can indi- cate plant responses to changes in the NYC urban cli- mate, which displays “heat island” phenomena. Specifically, the Grace Forest site has a number of biological, and perhaps geological, features that are unique for Long Island. Among these are the follow- ing: Unique forest composition of two leading dominants, tuliptree ( Uriodendron tulipifera ) and beech (Fagus grandifolia) . In addition, there are white ash, two hickories, red and sugar maples, sweet gum, black birch, sourgum, and hornbeam in the forest. Most other upland forests on Long Island are dominated by black, scarlet, and white oaks (Quercus spp.); or in the Pine Barrens, by pitch pine ( Firms rigida ). Grace Forest is a rare type (“mixed mesophytic” forest) and, thus, important for the maintenance of biodiversity on Long Island. Unique tree height: the tulip trees and red oaks may be the tallest on Long Island. In 1977, many ex- ceeded 120 feet in height. And they had not yet even reached full maturity. We were able to recognize six layers of vegetation within the forest: upper canopy, lower canopy, understory tree layer, tall shrub and me- dium shrub layers, and the herbaceous layer. I know of no more complex forest in the whole NYC area. Unique hydrology and geomorphology: it is near the meeting of the two Pleistocene terminal mo- raines (the Harbor Hill and Ronkonkoma moraines) that are the “backbones” of Long Island. This geo- graphic position is likely to contribute to the great growth and complex structure. The forest sits on a high water table (Greller et al.^ p. 483, paragraph 1), probably due to the geomorphology. The high water table alone makes it inappropriate for housing develop- ment. Further, a study of the topographic contours of the Lake Success, University Gardens, and Russell Gardens area of western Nassau County (Sea Cliff, N. (Continued on page 7) Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 7 (Continued from page 6) Y., quadrangle, U.S. Geolological Survey, rev. 1979) suggests that rainfall drainage from Grace Forest fol- lows the LIE west to the western portion of Fresh Meadows Country Club and then downhill through Russell Creek and Udalls Cove, a New York City park, in Littie Neck Bay. Negative consequences for flood- ing and pollution are to be expected from destruction of the forest, which now filters the groundwater and acts as a “sponge” for reducing storm water runoff. Although the biota has never been fully docu- mented, Grace Forest is certain to contain an unusual flora of higher plants, fungi and microorganisms, and perhaps rare fauna, as well. Albertson, one mile east, has been documented as a site for rare and unusual fungi (see: R. Hagelstein. 1940. Torreya 40(1): 25-27). Piecemeal development has already destroyed tracts of forest adjacent to this invaluable natural area, Grace Forest. Although none of the adjacent forested areas has received careful, scientific investigation, it is likely that other mixed mesophytic stands and ecologically re- lated types occur within the general area of North Hills. We believe it is imperative to preserve as much as possi- ble of the North Hills terminal moraines that remain forested, perhaps the most biologically diverse forested section on Long Island. We propose that this region, which sits on and near the two moraines, the last natural area remaining in western Nassau County, be preserved as the Two Moraines Natural Area. The designation should comprise the following tracts: (1) Lake Success Golf Course and remaining forests south of the lake along Northern Parkway, east to Lakeville Road; (2) for- ests and ponds south and east of Great Neck South Junior and Senior High Schools (the old Phipps estate); (3) obtain tide to the present housing tract at the west- ern portion of Grace Forest and allow it to return to natural forest; (4) Grace Forest and any remaining for- est around the Buckley School; (5) Fresh Meadow Country Club; (6) Deepdale Country Club; and (7) North Hills Country Club. The latter golf courses can remain as golf courses, but should be protected from destruction if sold. Federal funds should be sought, as well, since the significance of the area for Pleistocene geomorphology extends beyond the boundaries of Long Island and New York State. I know you have been a champion of environ- mental protection for New York State, adding many parks and natural areas to the bank of permanendy pre- served sites. I think the effort to establish the Two Moraines Natural Area is worthy of your time, energy and political skills. Please let me know how I can assist you in this important endeavor. Sincerely yours, Andrew M. Greller, Ph.D. Professor of Biology Emeritus Biology Department Queens College, CUNY Flushing, NY 11367 Evodia daniellii (Rutaceae) Ray Welch Late July, Lake Ronkonkoma. By the lake, at the site of Raynor’s Beach, now a county park, I saw a medium-sized, opposite-leaved, smooth-barked, white-flowering tree among weeds, tangled brush and native trees (oak, sumac, beech), and it appeared in no obvious way planted. I was baffled and unable to identify the tree, but a visit with Eric Lamont to collect samples, and work by Eric, found the genus, and my Web searching showed that we had Evodia daniellii (Rutaceae), Korean evodia. Why this tree, with its handsome, shining pinnate leaves, a mid-summer flowerer (not that common in trees), and large, fairly showy flower clusters, very attractive to in- sects, seems nearly unknown in cultivation is a mystery... like the presence of the tree where seen. Letters to the Editor, Articles, and News items may be submitted to: Margaret Conover Long Island Botanical Society PO Box 507 Aquebogue, NY 11931 Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 15 No. 1 Page 8 Upcoming Programs January 11, 2005* Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. MEMBERS Night: Members are welcome to bring slides, stories, specimens, and tales of peculiar sightings of favorite plants. A great opportunity to show what you have found while exploring on Long Island or else- where. Please call Rich Kelly in advance to advise as to the approximate number of slides/images that you would like to show. Thanks. Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich February 8, 2005* Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. JlNSHUANG MA: “METASEQUOIA.” Jinshuang is a research taxonomist at the Brooklyn Bo- tanic Garden. He will share with us some of his re- search on the Dawn Redwood, interesting in that it was described from fossils before its “recent” discovery in 1945. Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich March 8, 2005* Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Rick Cech: “Butterfly Food Plants.” Rick is the vice president of the New York City Butter- fly Club and a past president of the Linnaean Society of New York. A major area of interest for him is the lar- val food plants of butterflies. Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich April 12, 2005* Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Richard Stalter: “Southeastern Coastal Plant Communities.” Dick, a professor at St. John’s University, will fill us in on some of the Baruch Institute studies that he has conducted in South Carolina. Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich * Refreshments and informal talk begin at 7:30. Formal meeting starts at 8:00 PM. Woodnotes Ralph Waldo Emerson (an excerpt) It seemed that Nature could not raise A plant in any secret place, In quaking bog, on snowy hill, Beneath the grass that shades the rill, Under the snow, between the rocks, In damp fields known to bird and fox, But he would come in the very hour It opened in its virgin bower. As if a sunbeam showed the place, And tell its long-descended race. It seemed as if the bree 2 es brought him, It seemed as if the sparrows taught him; As if by secret sight he knew Where, in far fields, the orchis grew. Submitted by UBS member Ann Johnson m Join LIBS today! LIBS Annual Membership $20 payable to: Long Island Botanical Society Mail your dues to: Lois Lindberg Membership Chairperson This newsletter was printed by the AHRC (Association for the Help of Retarded Children).