VOLUME 37 NO. 1 March 2015 Newsletter of the Idaho Native Plant Society Promoting an Interest in Idaho’s Native Flora Buckwheats and Botanists - A Reminiscence Idaho Native Plant Society 2014 Annual Meeting Report By Stephen Love, University of Idaho, Aberdeen I find it fascinating that people can encounter the same event and come away telling entirely dif- ferent tales. Our perceptions are so dependent on point of view, frame of mind, past experiences, and myriad other factors. The Idaho Native Plant Society meet- ing held last June in Twin Falls, was a stimulating and educational occasion that left me with a score of personal memories. For those of you lucky enough to attend the conference, I am sure you have some of your own, likely very dif- ferent from mine. Here is my ver- sion of the story. For me, the meeting started more than a year prior to my arri- val in Twin Falls. At that time I was serving as president of the Eriogonum Society, a fairly new society with the stated mission to increase appreciation of - and education about - the wild buck- wheats. My good friend and fellow native plant connoisseur, LaMar Orton was simultaneously presi- dent of the Idaho Native Plant So- ciety. Hoping to create a special learning opportunity for members of both societies, we initiated dis- cussions about the possibility of a joint meeting. The idea of combin- ing world class expertise on buck- wheats with extensive knowledge of local botany and ecology made sense. Discussions led to board approvals and in February 2013 INPS issued a letter of invitation to the Eriogonum Society to partici- pate in a joint meeting. LaMar volunteered to tackle the job of chairing the meeting or- ganization committee. Having just wrapped up the 2013 meeting I was grateful for his willingness to take on this huge task. Besides, I knew LaMar had the skills neces- sary to pull together a first-rate conference. Dates were sched- uled, facilities reserved, programs and tours organized, speakers invited, meals arranged, and reg- istration materials distributed. The table was set for a fantastic meet- ing. Details: meeting in Twin Falls, events centered at College of Southern Idaho and LaMar’s own Plantasia Cactus Gardens, field trips into the South Hills and Gooding City of Rocks, and a Monday post-meeting tour to Cra- ters of the Moon. I was excited. One of the special features organized for the 2014 meeting was two concurrent Friday after- noon workshops presented by members of the Eriogonum Soci- ety on topics related to Idaho buckwheat species. Though held earlier than the historic norm, on the last day of the work week, at- tendance at CSI-based classes was fantastic. I had a unique view of one of the workshops, from be- hind the eyes of the instructor. I taught a class on growing buck- wheats from seed. It was a hands- on class where we talked about good garden species, cleaned some seed, and handed out some potted plants. I had a great time and like to think my students did as well. Maybe, as a result, more (Continued on page 3) In this Issue: Buckwheats and Botanists 1 Letter from the President 2 Botany Puzzle 2 Announcements 5 Annual Meeting Information 6 Tribute: Vernon “Dick” Anderson 9 Idaho Mystery Plant 9 Report on Botany 2014 Conference 10 New Idaho Wildflower App 11 Diversity Within Sagebrush Species 12 Great Places to See Idaho Wildflowers 14 INPS History 16 Chapter News 18 Photographers Wanted 19 Letter from the President Dear Idaho Native Plant Society Members, It looks like 2015 is shaping up to be a very good year for INPS members. There has been more moisture this winter than last and if good precipitation continues there should be a good Spring wildflower display. As the temperatures in February have been quite mild, that display could come earlier than usual. In our garden here in Twin Falls as of Feb 13 th , the fern bushes are greening up and the early blooming buckwheats such as Eriogonum caespitosum are starting to show some growth. When one sees such activity in the garden, the excitement of Spring and the desire to wander Idaho wild areas substantially increases. I’m sure many mem- bers and chapters are already planning exciting field trips. The annual meeting looks to be very exciting with many field trips planned offering a wide variety of botanical experiences to different types of plant habitat. The annual meeting will be held July 10-13, 2015 and will be centered in Driggs, Idaho with our base camp about 10 miles from Driggs at the Forest Service Reunion Flats Campground in Teton Canyon in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. This will be a joint meeting of the Idaho and Wyoming Native Plant Societies. Field trips will be offered to both the east and west slopes of the Tetons. Please check out the infor- mation provided about the annual meeting in this issue of Sage Notes and on the INPS website for the latest updates. At our 2014 annual meeting held jointly with the Eriogonum Society we had the privilege of having Dr. James Reveal with us. Dr. Reveal not only provided a class on Eriogonum identification and a complete Eriogonum key, but also provided us with a field guide to all the species and varieties of wild buckwheats and their related genera in Idaho. During our field trips he gave us amazing historical and botanical information. Sadly, Dr. Reveal suddenly passed away on Jan 9, 2015. This fine man and wonderful teacher will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known him. The very best to you all in your botanical and life adventures. LaMar N. Orton President, Idaho Native Plant Society Botany Puzzle This Word Search puzzle tests your knowledge of fruit types. Can you find 10 botanical fruit types hidden in the puzzle? Examples of fruit types not in the puzzle include nut and legume. Puzzle answers are on page 7. e t s I v i u I I s r i peg aye c a r a m a c e I o y r r I o n w e e I c t y e r a I c i I r e b men n i s i r t q u e t o p i s a t s a t u m m a v u e m h z e e p I p e t u p u r o w dap 0 p a 1 n g IDAHO NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY PO Box 9451, Boise, ID 83707 www.idahonativeplants.org public3@idahonativeplants.org INPS BOARD President: LaMar Orton Vice-president: Stephen Love Secretary: Alan Crockett Treasurer: Elaine Walker Past-president: Janet Benoit Member-at-Large: Mel Nicholls Chapter Presidents CALYPSO CHAPTER 821 W. Mustang Ave. Hayden, ID 83835 President: Derek Antonelli Vice President: Vacant Secretary: Karen Williams Treasurer: Janet Benoit Newsletter: Vacant LOASA CHAPTER 340 E 520 N, Shoshone, ID 83352 President: Kelvin Jones Vice President: Valdon Hancock Secretary/Treasurer: Lois Rohay PAHOVE CHAPTER PO Box 9451, Boise, ID 83707 Pahove.chapter@amail.com President: Karie Pappani Vice President: Elaine Walker Secretary: Daniel Murphy Treasurer: Caroline Morris SAWABI CHAPTER 5901 Country Club Drive Pocatello, ID 83204 President: Bob McCoy Vice President: Dick Anderson & LaRue Gregersen Secretary: Barbara Nicholls Treasurer: Grant Thomas UPPER SNAKE CHAPTER President: Rose Lehman Vice President: Sue Braastad Secretary: Alan Crockett Treasurer: Dave Godfrey WHITE PINE CHAPTER PO Box 8481, Moscow, ID 83843 whitepine.chapter@gmail.com President: Susan Rounds Vice President: Judy Ferguson Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Helen Stroebel WOOD RIVER CHAPTER PO Box 3093, Hailey, ID 83333 President: Carol Blackburn Vice President: Vacant Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Vacant Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 2 (Continued from page 1) buckwheats grow in gardens to- day. In the next room, James Re- veal, the unmitigated world expert on buckwheats, taught the second workshop on the subject of identi- fying and keying Idaho’s large as- sortment of buckwheat species. For obvious reasons, I am not in a position to report on Jim’s class. But having attended his discus- sions in the past, I’m pretty sure he imparted a portion of his im- mense botanical knowledge while throwing in a few interesting sto- ries about fellow botanists. The sharpest students may have actu- ally learned to identify a stipe or recognize an involucre. As things turned out, we were very lucky to learn at the feet of James Reveal. In January, 2015, Jim suddenly and unexpectedly passed away, taking a lifetime of knowledge with him. When the workshops ad- journed, we migrated to LaMar’s place - Plantasia Cactus Gardens - for an opening reception. The Ortons have created a delightful place on Filer Ave W in Twin Falls; five acres of the most diverse and interesting desert plants imagin- able, including a significant collec- tion of buckwheats. All in one lo- cation were cacti of every sort, agaves, yuccas, penstemons, paintbrushes, globemallows, a few choice shrubs, and around it all a big fence to keep the deer at bay. One of the amazing things LaMar has accomplished is identi- fication and collection of hardy accessions of plants that just should not grow in frigid southern Idaho, including Joshua trees, chollas, and some really interest- ing barrel cacti. The garden was magnificent, the weather perfect, the company good. The only sig- nificant problem of the evening was pulling people away from the gardens for long enough to serve them a meal. In addition to every- thing else, I left the garden with seeds of some of LaMar’s unique collection securely tucked away in my pocket. That made the evening especially memorable. On Saturday and Sunday (June 21 st and 22 nd ), two concur- rent field trips were offered to meeting participants, one to the South Hills and the other to the Gooding City of Rocks. My wife (Monaquita) and I selected the South Hills trip for our first adven- ture. Dennis Pettygrove, a local amateur botanist, and Jim Reveal led the excursion. There was Jim Reveal instructing INPS and Eriogonum Society members on the intricacies of identifying Idaho’s native buckwheat species. Photo by Nancy Miller much to see as we sampled the diversity at elevations ranging from 4,000 to 7,200 feet; the lower areas festooned with dry grasses and desert scrub, the higher spots inhabited by pockets of conifers surrounded by tall sagebrush, snowberry, and other high desert shrubs. My memories of the trip are six months old, but I still hold on to distinct images, such as: • Bill Adams on his stomach in the dust intently photographing a clump of the largest Pedio- cactus simpsonii (Simpson’s foot cactus) I have ever seen • Admiring a bonsai-like plant of Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (rock buckwheat) tucked into a rock crevice, just waiting to be immortalized in a photograph • Jim Reveal walking at the head of his “class of students” as he provided interesting in- sights into the local flora • The din of cicadas serenading our walk through the cheat- grass and the Amelanchier alnifolia (serviceberry) bushes • Barbara Ertter in a meadow along the Oakley-Rogerson Road instructing me on the intricacies of morphological diversity in the species Poten- tilla gracilis (slender cinquefoil) • Exploring an aspen grove in search of just one more strik- ingly beautiful Penstemon per- pulcher (Minidoka beard- tongue) plant in full azure bloom • Wondering if there was any- where in the world with larger or more attractive populations of Linum lewisii (Lewis flax) • Pleasurable sensations of lei- sure as I sat in the shade with a peanut butter and jelly sand- wich watching the humming- birds come and go from an isolated feeding station. • The comfort and peace of the cool, verdant grotto where tumbles the waters of Ross Falls Saturday evening brought a rest from dust and bright sun; not that native plant folks need much respite from the great outdoors. However, in honor of tradition we gathered at Canyon Crest Confer- ence Center for an annual busi- ness meeting and keynote speech. I found the business ele- ment of the evening to be a little tedious. But I kept quiet knowing I was probably alone in that senti- ment. On the other hand, it was a real pleasure to sit with like- (Continued on page 4) 3 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 (Continued from page 3) minded people and enjoy good food. After the meal, we were treated to a fascinating Steven Lubinski lecture about the geologi- cal implications of the Bonneville flood. I found the speech espe- cially stimulating because I discov- ered clues to many of the geologi- cal anomalies I had observed around the region I call home. Things like the lack of topsoil on the lava bedrock in the Portneuf Valley, the unanticipated beach sand layer (complete with snail shells) just under the topsoil Annual meeting participants checking out the wonders of LaMar and Rosalie Orton’s Plantasia Cactus Gardens in Twin Falls. Photo by Nancy Miller around Aberdeen, the channel and dune formations west of American Falls, and the melon boulders mounded near King Hill. After the dinner, my wife and I loi- tered around the terraces over- looking the Snake River canyon and watched the purple shades of dusk rise up from the depths. Great evening. On Sunday morning, I led a caravan north on ID-46 to the junction with Gooding City of Rocks Road. There we met our tour leader, Carol Blackburn, bota- nist for the Sawtooth Botanical Garden in Hailey. Our ultimate destination, Gooding City of Rocks, is a surreal formation of igneous rocks in the parched Ben- nett Hills. But first, we made a de- tour to a botanically diverse rocky flat west of the preserve. After lunch on the rocks, we hiked into the prominent ravine that forms the backbone of Gooding City of Rocks. Again, I have some very distinct images of this excursion, as clear as if the field trip was held yesterday: • Watching tour participants spread out over the rocky slopes, as singles or small groups, physically contorted into every imaginable plant- observing posture • Finding a single spot where I could stand and frame five dif- ferent species of buckwheats into a single photograph • Successfully collecting a few seeds of the intriguing, golden to maroon-flowered plants of Eriogonum ovalifolium (cushion buckwheat) • Deciding that “charming” is the best word to describe the cottony, peppermint-striped flower heads of Eriogonum thymoides (thymeleaf buck- wheat) • Conducting a stare-off with one of the local inhabitants, a plump but spiny horny toad • Standing in awe at the massed beauty and fragrance of Phila- delphus lewisii (syringa) shrubs that filled each narrow, black-walled ravine • Enjoying the solitude that re- sulted from a stronger need to examine the workings of na- ture than to keep up with the group Monday was a bonus; an extra chance to celebrate interesting plants and good company. The event was a post-meeting field trip to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Fish Creek Can- yon. We left Twin Falls early to ensure plenty of time amongst the plants of this unique region. At Craters of the Moon, the staff obligingly allowed INPS members to explore the Monument without paying the usual fee - much ap- preciated. There we met Steven Bekedam (Monument Ecologist) and Steve Popovich (former BLM botanist in the area) who intro- duced us to the spectacle of flora on the cinders. After a half-day at the Monument, we headed north up Fish Creek Canyon, over the top into Leadbelt Creek and ended up in upper Antelope Creek Can- yon. Remote, rough, and steep, the road on this last leg of the journey was a challenge to both driver and steed. At the end of the tour, most participants chose a longer, but more sedate drive down Antelope Creek and out through Arco. It was an enjoyable educational day, with a few more unforgettable moments, namely: • Listening to Jim Reveal dis- cuss the morphological uniqueness of the small, silver- leafed Eriogonum ovalifolium var. focarium (Craters of the Moon buckwheat) that grows ubiquitously, but only on cin- ders at the Monument • T rying to find just the right spot to shoot a photograph that would capture the freckled fa- cade created by sparsely ar- ranged plants of Craters of the Moon buckwheat scattered across the monotone color of the cinder flats • Marveling one more time at the ability of syringa (also called Lewis mockorange), Idaho’s state flower, to rise up out of cracks in the barren, unbroken lava fields • Carefully memorizing the loca- tion of a single plant of Paeo- nia brownii (Brown’s peony) Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 4 observed on the way up Fish Creek Road, so I could stop and take a closer look on the return trip, then feeling the frustration of not being able to find it the second time around Sitting atop a rocky buttress in Antelope Creek Valley, observ- ing petite mounds of yellow- flowered buckwheats and try- ing to decide whether they were a better morphological match to Eriogonum capistra- tum (hidden buckwheat) or to Eriogonum verrucosum Feeling a touch of remorse as one-by-one the final group of participants said their good- byes and faded into the dusty cloud hovering over Antelope Creek Road Due to the efforts of the dedi- cated people who worked to pro- vide this unforgettable experience, the meeting was a success in every way. Kudos to the organiza- tion committee: LaMar Orton, Rosalie Orton, Dennis Pettygrove, Carol Blackburn, Kelvin Jones, Alan Crockett, Sue Braastad, Stephen Love. And a special credit goes to James Reveal, a friend and colleague we will never forget. As a result of the committee’s diligence, 90 attendees left the meeting with a greater apprecia- tion of Idaho’s diverse flora, stronger bonds with new and old friends, and revitalized hearts and minds. Craters of the Moon buckwheat scat- tered across the cinder fields at Cra- ters of the Moon National Monument. Photo by Stephen Love Announcements Idaho Botany Foray: Save the Date! The 8th An- nual Idaho Botanical Foray will be held in the Selway River drainage of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest from June 18-22, 2015. We look forward to exploring the early season flora of our northern Idaho disjunct temperate rainforest, and contributing new collections from this amazing ecosystem. More de- tailed information about camping and logistics will be available soon on the INPS webpage. Please contact Dr. David Tank ( dtank@uidaho.edu ) at the University of Idaho for questions. Advanced Field Botany class: Advanced Field Botany (BIOL 460/560) at the University of Idaho McCall Field Campus, June 28-July 1 1 , 201 5. Two weeks of botany on Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho. Learn the flora of Idaho during a two-week field ex- perience in the Inland Northwest. This 3-credit course is open to upper division undergraduates and early career graduate students that want to enhance their botanical knowledge and field skills. More infor- mation and how to apply at: www.webpaqes.uidaho.edu/dtank/AFB . Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair: The an- nual Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair will be held in Caldwell Park, Pocatello, on Saturday, April 18, 2015, from 1 1 :00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Last year 7,000 people attended this yearly event that features booths for groups that emphasize the environment and environmental issues. This year the Sawabi Chapter booth will provide information about our chapter, INPS in general, and information about growing native plants in the area. We will give away small pots of native plants (mainly donated by the University of Idaho Aberdeen Research Station) and will provide a children's activity. With music and food and the outdoors, this fair is a fun way to celebrate and be informed about our environment and the benefits of preserving habitat and native flora and fauna. New Publication - Grasses of Idaho: The Idaho Museum of Natural History (IMNH) has pub- lished a revision and update of the Grasses section of The Flora of Idaho, originally published by Ray J. Davis in 1952. This publication is the result of several years of work by Karl E. Holte, Bruce P. Ronald, and James M. Glennon. The manual is entitled "A No- menclatural Revision of Ray J. Davis' Flora of Idaho Poaceae (Gramineae) Including New Additions and Revised Keys" and is available for $17.99 at IMNH, with all profits going to the Ray J. Davis Herbarium at Idaho State University. To order a copy, the mailing address is 921 S. 8 th Ave., Stop 8096, Pocatello, ID 83209-8096, telephone 208-282-3168. Contact Dr. Karl Holte, 208-241-8358, olantprof@live.com : or Jim Glennon, 307-389-1 1 18, , for ques- tions about the content or format of the revised keys. More details about this publication will be included in the next Sage Notes. 5 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 Two Sides Of The Tetons 2015 Annual Meeting of the Idaho and Wyoming Native Plant Societies This year’s annual meeting, July 10-13, is meant to draw from the expertise and resources of the Wyo- ming and Idaho Native Plant Societies and provide their members with a chance to mingle, socialize, botanize and explore one of the world’s most beauti- ful alpine areas while doing so. There will be numer- ous field trips, five each day, plus an optional all-day auto tour on Monday. The trips will range from valley riparian areas to high alpine ridges, from easy walks to arduous all-day hikes. Group sizes will be kept as small as possible to maximize the interface with our botany experts. The same field trips will be offered both Saturday and Sunday. Four of the trips will feature two destina- tions for the day; the fifth outing will be an all-day hike into a high alpine area. The time spent botaniz- ing on the all day hikes may be limited by the dis- tances to be covered. The Monday all-day auto tour will be along the Flagg Ranch road where it crosses the mountains between Ashton, ID and Flagg Ranch (WY). The USFS has a twenty-person limit on groups entering wilderness areas, so if too many people sign up for any one of the outings we may have to do some shuffling around. We will do our best to accom- modate everyone and will finalize at the Friday eve- ning get-together. Note that these mountains make their own weather and summer thunderstorms are common, BE PREPARED! Field trips and other outdoor func- Gatherings Friday, July 10: 12:00 p.m. The weekend begins with an informal gathering at Reunion Flat Camp- ground (Group Site C), located in beautiful Teton Canyon of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Sign-in and information packet handout will start 12:00 p.m. Karl Holte, Professor Emeritus, Botany, Idaho State University, will be leading guided plant walks Friday afternoon and early evening in the campground area. There will be a potluck starting at 7:00 p.m.; bring your own dinner and socialize with old and new friends. Directions: Reunion Flat Campground is approxi- mately 10 miles east of Driggs. From the intersection with Hwy 33 in Driggs take Ski Hill Rd 4.0 miles to W Alta Ski Hill Rd. Follow W Alta Ski Hill Rd 7.0 miles to Teton Canyon Rd in Alta, WY. Turn right on Teton Canyon Rd. Go approximately 3.4 miles to Group Site C. tions may be modified or cancelled due to weather conditions. Download and make a copy of the plant lists that will be made available on the registration website. You can register for the meeting no later than June 15 at http://idahonativeplants.org/ statewide-annual-meetinq/ or by mailing in the regis- tration form along with payment. We have reserved the Reunion Flat Camp- ground Group Camp “C” for Thursday through Sun- day night. The camping fee covers those four nights. You will need to make other arrangements for Mon- day night if necessary. There are water and pit toilets but no hookups. The campsite will accommodate 34 vehicles. An auto/trailer combo counts as one vehi- cle. There are additional, reservable campsites in the area through the US Forest Service and dispersed campsites along the canyon. There are a small num- ber of cabins near Driggs that can be reserved at Te- ton Valley Cabins (208-354-8153), be sure to call (as the website will show no cabins available) and men- tion you are with the Native Plant Society. For further information please contact one of the following: Amy Taylor (WYNPS) tetonplants@qmail.com 307-699-1314 Grant Thomas (INPS) thomasqm60@qmail.com 208-237-5317 Ann L. Boelter (WYNPS) Boelter@uwvo.edu 307-745-5487 Janet Bala (INPS) balaiane@isu.edu 208-232-2815 Saturday, July 11: 6:30 p.m. The (optional) Satur- day evening buffet starts at 6:30 p.m. for those choosing to participate (the chef has an excellent reputation). The doors will open at 6:00 p.m. You may bring your own alcoholic beverage but they will not be available for purchase at the Driggs City Cen- ter. The Saturday evening guest speaker will be Den- nis Knight, Professor Emeritus, Vegetation Ecology, University of Wyoming. The subject of Dr. Knight’s presentation, starting at 7:30 p.m. will be "The Ecol- ogy of Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho: Twenty Years of Change and New Research," based on the newly released 2nd edition of the book, Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes (Knight, et al., 2014). Sunday, July 12: 6:30 p.m. An informal get- together at the Reunion Flat Campground at 6:30 p.m. Nothing provided except an evening in the Te- tons with good company. Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 6 Field Trips Saturday, July 11 You should have a lunch, water, sun protection and insect repellent for all field trips. Good walking/hiking shoes will be necessary and hiking poles should be considered for the more strenuous hikes. WEST SIDE Trip #1: Grand Targhee Resort: half day: Chairlift ride to the 9,862 ft. summit of Fred’s Peak to explore the subal- pine/alpine communities. Excellent Teton views. Price of the chairlift ticket is additional and is not in- cluded in the registration fee. Difficulty rating: Lei- surely walk but moderate due to altitude. Woods Creek Fen: half-day: Tour of Teton Regional Land Trust’s 60 acre parcel. Learn about the hydrol- ogy, geology and botany of this unique wetland. Home to over 107 plant species including 6 rare plants. Wear shoes/sandals that can get wet. Diffi- culty rating: Easy Trip #2: Darby Canyon: Explore the amazing flora of Darby Canyon. Options exist for different destinations. As a group, we will focus on the lower portions of the trail and hike to Wind Cave. The cave is 2.7 miles one- way with 1 ,800 elevation gain. Participants have the option to return to the trailhead early or continue on to Ice Cave and beyond to the alpine flora of Fossil Mountain. The Wind Cave/Ice Cave area in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness supports incredible plant diversity. Difficulty rating: Easy to moderate to strenuous; based on turn-around point. Horseshoe Canyon: Located in the Big Holes, this option offers an opportunity to see the eastern side of Teton Valley. Active beaver ponds, good bird- watching and wildflower peeping. Depending on the group, we may or may not have time for this field trip after the Darby hike. Difficulty rating: Easy. Trip #3: Table Mountain: A full day hike to 1 1,106 ft. Eleva- tion change is approximately 4,100 ft. Distance is 12.8 miles round trip. Classic Teton hike with spec- tacular views of Tetons and their U-shaped valleys and canyons. Lots of hiking with judicious botanizing. Good hiking boots and poles recommended. Diffi- culty rating: Difficult EAST SIDE Trip #4: Teton Village Tram: half day: Start the morning with an aerial tram ride at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The tram arrives at the top of Rendezvous Mountain, 10,450 ft. where we will enjoy the alpine flora. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at JHMR ticket office. Driggs to Teton village is approximately 1 hour. Price of tram ticket is additional and is not included in registration fee. Diffi- culty rating: Moderate due to altitude. Teton Pass: half day: There will be the option to spend the afternoon exploring Jackson on your own or the chance to see the wildflowers of Teton Pass with naturalist and writer, Susan Marsh. At 12:30, Susan will lead a 2-3 hour hike at some of the best spots along Teton Pass. Come for the first part even if you don’t want to hike the entire afternoon. Diffi- culty rating: moderate. Trip #5: Grand Teton National Park Driving Tour: Spend the day touring glorious Grand Teton National Park with stops at different habitats, areas of interest, and research sites. Botanist Frances Clark is busy plan- ning a great day for us! We will meet at Stilson Park- ing lot in Wilson to coordinate a carpool. Allow at least 45 minutes to drive from Driggs, ID to Wilson, WY. Park pass per vehicle required. Difficulty rating: Easy Sunday, July 12 A repeat of Saturday’s trips but Trip #3 will be as fol- lows: Trip #3: Taylor Mountain (tentative): Day-long hike to 10,068 ft. summit of Taylor Mountain; 7.4 miles round trip with 2,780 ft. elevation gain; impressive views of the area’s mountain ranges. Steady pace with limited botanizing. Difficulty rating: Difficult Monday, July 13 Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road Driving Tour: This area has some of the best botanizing sites to be found in this part of Idaho and Wyoming. Possible stops could include the fen at Loon Lake and pond lilies and other interesting plants at Indian Lake. Difficulty rat- ing: Easy Botany puzzle answers (page 2): acorn, berry, capsule, drupe, loment, pepo, pome, samara, silicle, utricle 7 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 TWO SIDES OF THE TETONS — July 10-13, 2015 Joint Annual Meeting of the Idaho and Wyoming Native Plant Societies Registration Form (due no later than June 15) Name: Name: Address: Phone#: E-Mail: Please print information clearly, if we can’t read it, we can’t register you. Registration and Fees: The registration fee is $20 per person and includes participation in any/all parts of the agenda including the Friday potluck, the three days of field trips and the Saturday evening program. The Sat- urday evening buffet dinner is a separate cost of $15 per person. If you wish to take advantage of the re- served Reunion Flat Group Camp, Site C, (tent or RV, no hookups) the fee is $15 per vehicle whether for one day or for all four days (Thursday through Sunday, vehicle rate includes auto/trailer combos). Registration Fee $20.00 X = Dinner $15.00 X = Please list any dietary restrictions/preferences: Camping Fee (if using Group Camp): $15.00 Total Fees: You may register online at http://idahonativeplants.org/statewide-annual-meetinq/ or by using this form. If you use this form, please make checks payable to “INPS Sawabi Chapter”. Mail payment and completed form to: Idaho Native Plant Society, Sawabi Chapter, 933 Bryan Rd., Pocatello, ID 83201 See the exciting field trip descriptions, and register for your choices now (below). Some group sizes are lim- ited and we may not be able to accommodate everyone on their first choice. Gathering times and places for field trips will be in the registration packets, available Friday and Saturday evenings. Saturday Field Trips: WEST SIDE Grand Targhee (am) and Woods Creek Fen (pm) Darby Canyon (am) and Horseshoe Canyon (pm) Table Mountain (all day) Saturday Field Trips: EAST SIDE Teton Village Tram (am) and Teton Pass (pm) Grand Teton National Park driving tour (all day; PARK PASS REQUIRED) Sunday Field Trips: WEST SIDE Grand Targhee (am) and Woods Creek Fen (pm) Darby Canyon (am) and Horseshoe Canyon (pm) Taylor Mountain (all day) Sunday Field Trips: EAST SIDE Teton Village Tram (am) and Teton Pass (pm) Grand Teton National Park driving tour (all day; PARK PASS REQUIRED) Monday Field Trip: Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road Driving Tour (am and early afternoon) Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 8 Tribute to Vernor “Dick” Anderson (May 14, 1930 - January 30, 2015) Vernor “Dick” Anderson, a valued member of the Sawabi Chapter INPS, expert photographer and ex- pert self-taught botanist, passed away on January 30, 2015. Prostatic bone cancer had taken its toll. Dick’s early life was spent in Berkeley, Califor- nia, where he was involved in various high school activities including musical groups and photograph- ing for the city newspaper. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a Navy pho- tographer at its School of Photography. After his four- year stint in the Navy, he married his first wife, Pat, also a Navy-trained photographer. He continued his photography interests by working in retail photo- graphic sales in California his entire career. His pro- fessional association with photography ended with his retirement, but he remained an ac- tive photographer for the rest of his life. After retire- ment, he and Pat spent a few years with family mem- bers on a farm in Texas where he enjoyed studying and photographing the local wildlife and plant life. Upon the death of his wife and his sister's husband, he and his sister moved to Pocatello to be near family. Thus began a new chapter in his life. Because of his life-long interest in birds and flowers, he became active in the Sawabi Chapter of INPS and the Portneuf Valley Audubon Society. Through those connections, he met and married his second wife, Joan Bergstrom, with whom he enjoyed seven years before her untimely death. When Dick discovered digital cameras, he wrote, “I was fascinated because with this new system I could do the whole process, from taking the photos to making the prints myself, doing it all on my com- puter.” Many of his excellent photos of native plants were entered in the INPS photo contest a few years ago, and were featured among winning entries. He was generous with his flower photos, often contribut- ing framed prints for door prizes at special meetings. Dick enhanced his botanical interests by taking plant keying classes from Dr. Karl Holte at the Idaho Mu- seum of Natural History (IMNH), which fostered a strong friendship with Karl and others in the class and the IMNH staff. He became an expert botanist himself and for a number of years assisted Karl in the keying classes. They also team-taught summer Elderhostel classes with Malheur Field Station per- sonnel in southeast Oregon. In recent years Dick was a regular volunteer in the IMNH Ray J. Davis herbarium, photographing for digitization more than 55,000 sheets of plant speci- mens stored in the herbarium. On Sawabi field trips he was extremely helpful in assisting the leaders and participants in the identification and recognition of characteristics of native plants, along the way photo- graphing the flowers. He stated that if he couldn't be found with the group, he was the one on his knees taking close-up photos of whatever flower and inter- esting foliage he encountered. He always partici- pated in as many field trips as he could throughout Idaho. Dick will be missed for his expert skills, for his many contributions to the Sawabi Chapter, and for his quiet and subtle sense of humor. He was a great friend. The Sawabi Chapter will hold a memorial/ celebration of life and tree-planting in Dick Ander- son's honor in late May 2015. - Shirley Rodgers and Ardys Holte, Sawabi Chapter Idaho Mystery Plant This photo was taken by Jessica Irwin in the Salmon River Mountains north of Stanley, Idaho. The species is a mat- ted perennial with striking magenta flowers found in rocky, high elevation habitats. What is your guess? The answer will be revealed in the next edition of Sage Notes. The Idaho Mystery Plant in the September-December is- sue was Anelsonia eurycarpa (daggerpod) in the Mustard family (Brassicaceae). Named in honor of Dr. Aven Nel- son (1859 — 1952) a leading authority on the Rocky Moun- tain flora during his long tenure with the University of Wyo- ming and the Rocky Mountain Herbarium. Have an Idaho Mystery Plant to share? Send it in to the Sage Notes edi- tor: (saqe-editor@idahonativeplants.org ). - M. Mancuso 9 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 Report on Botany 2014 Conference By Beth Corbin, Pahove Chapter Botany 2014: New Frontiers in Botany was a nationally and inter- nationally attended conference held in Boise in July 2014. This conference is the annual meeting of the Botanical Society of Amer- ica, International Association for Plant Taxonomy, American Bry- ological and Lichenological Soci- ety, Society of Herbarium Cura- tors, the American Fern Society, and American Society of Plant Taxonomists. The Pahove Chap- ter of Idaho Native Plant Society sponsored my registration fee un- der their new Education and En- richment Award grant, for which I am most grateful for the opportu- nity to have attended this fine con- ference. The conference began with a number of optional field trips over the weekend. I helped Don Mans- field (College of Idaho botany pro- fessor) lead a trip to Silver City in the Owyhee Mountains, which gave visitors from as far as Singa- pore, Taiwan, Florida, and New Jersey a view of our vegetation and geology across an elevation transect, plus some interesting mining history. Conference pres- entations started on Monday morning and ran through Wednes- day, with a dizzying selection of presentations and symposia to select from. For example, on Mon- day alone I counted 189 different talks offered in the program, in addition to what were probably a hundred (perhaps more) poster presentations, plus business meetings, alumni lunches, work- shops, etc. Most talks were 15 minutes long, and graduate stu- dents, researchers, professors, and the occasional non-academic professional spoke on an incredi- ble diversity of plant-related sub- jects. My strategy was to sample from a wide selection of talks, as well as hitting talks most relevant to Idaho’s botany. Following is just a subset of some of the more memorable talks I attended: • One study was on modeling future habitat for rare plants in the western United States un- der predicted climate change, using climate data and occur- rence records. They found that about half of the species would show an increase and half a decrease in suitable habitat under projected climate change, but there were not clear directional (like all spe- cies heading north) or eleva- tion shifts because of individ- ual species’ requirements. If climate shifted habitat out of the species’ current range, then plants may or may not be able to migrate, depending on their dispersal ability and other factors. • I was interested in a talk on the status of the Flora of North America project. There have been 16 out of 30 planned vol- umes published to date, since 1993, with three more to go to the publisher in 2014 and an- other 3 or 4 in 2015. Each ge- nus is illustrated, along with one of six species in large genera. This has been an in- credibly ambitious undertaking to document the flora on that scale, and completed volumes have been an excellent re- source. • A study on fire ants and hen- bane found a mutualistic rela- tionship between these two invasive species, with the seeds providing food for the ants, and the ants dispersing the seeds and creating small clearings (microhabitat) fa- vored by the henbit. • Boise State University’s Carly Prior gave a good talk on the invasive grass Medusahead, comparing native populations from Bulgaria, Greece, Mace- donia, Turkey, and Romania to invasive populations in Idaho, Oregon, and California. She found there was not a lot of difference in the amount of self pollination versus outcrossing between the two types of populations. Another BSU student, Jay Zimmers, gave a good talk on his morphological and genetic work on varieties of Astragalus cusickii. It appears that variety packardiae is well supported as a taxon, as is var. sterilis, but keeping them and varieties cusickii and flexilipes together under A. cusickii is problem- atic because another species (A. whitneyi ) falls between them in the cladogram (an evolutionary tree of related- ness, based on certain genetic markers). Inmates are being used in Logan, Utah, to re-mount, digi- tize, and database herbarium specimens and photos for Utah State University herbar- ium. It’s a win-win situation as the herbarium gets work done and inmates get biological and computer experience, a little money, and the pride of ac- complishment. Studies are underway on po- tential fungi controls for cheat- grass. The “black fingers of death” fungus has some po- tential, but only works on dor- mant (not fall-germinating) seeds, and some strains of cheatgrass are more resistant to it. A newly-found pathogen produced “bleached blonde syndrome” which causes cheatgrass plants to flower but not set seed; it appears to be an un-named fungus. I heard various talks on ferns, pollen, grasses, fossils, bego- nias, cucurbits, sedges, li- Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1 ) March 201 5 10 chens, Penstemons, and lots of genetics - phylogenetic charts and cladograms one after another. The hot topics within botany have changed quite a bit since I was in school, and it was both inspir- ing and humbling to hear a little bit about all the advances. Of course, another value of the conference is to make and re- new acquaintances of extremely knowledgeable folks, and it is gratifying to be around others as interested in plants as yourself. It’s fun to put a name to a face of someone I’ve read about, and hear them explain new research themselves. It’s also heart- warming to see young people in- terested in and passionate about plants, coming from all over the world. It was a rare opportunity to have the botany meeting in Boise this year (last year it was in New Orleans, and next year it will be in Edmonton, Alberta), and I think it showed off our fine state in a very favorable light. It was also good for Boiseans to get a taste of the larger botanical world. I appreci- ate the Pahove Chapter’s spon- sorship for me to attend the Bot- any 2014 conference. New Idaho Wildflowers App By David Giblin, University of Washington Herbarium, Burke Museum The University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum has partnered with the University of Idaho's Stillinger Herbarium, Idaho State University's Ray J. Davis Herbarium, wildflower photographer Mark Turner, and High Country Apps to produce Idaho Wildflowers, a plant identification app for smart phones and tablets. The app provides images, spe- cies descriptions, range maps, and bloom period information for 805 common wildflowers, shrubs, and vines that occur in Idaho and adja- cent areas of Montana, Washington, Utah, and Oregon. Designed for everyone from budding wildflower enthusiast to ex- perienced experts, Idaho Wildflow- ers provides users with images, names, and the natural history of the wild growing plants that they fre- quently encounter in natural areas. Idaho is home to diverse land- scapes containing a wealth of wild- flowers, shrubs, and vines. Idaho Wildflowers is also a great educa- tional tool for learning more about plant communities, botanical terms, and how to identify plants in gen- eral. The majority of species in- cluded are native, but introduced species common to the region are also covered in order to expand the app's usefulness. Once downloaded, the app does not need an Internet or network connection to run, so you can use it no matter how remote your wanderings take you. Users can browse the species list by common or scientific name, or by family, to locate a plant and access the related information. However, most users will likely use the app's identification key to get the correct name for a plant of interest. The key's interface is broken down into 1 1 sim- ple categories: growth habit (e.g., wildflower, shrub, vine), flower color, flower shape, petal number, month of year, geographic region, habitat, leaf ar- rangement, leaf type, duration (annual, biennial, per- ennial), and origin (native or intro- duced). Users mark choices only in those categories for which they are certain (e.g., flowers blue, petals 5, month = June) and leave the rest blank. The number of species to which the overall list has been re- duced appears at the top of the key and changes each time that a selec- tion reduces it further. Idaho Wildflowers includes sup- porting documents with extensive information on the ecoregions of Idaho. Users will also find an exten- sive glossary of botanical terms, along with labeled diagrams. Finally, detailed descriptions can be found for each family contained in Idaho Wildflowers. Tapping on a family name brings up a list of images and names for all species in the app be- longing to that family. You can also create a list of favorites, whether just for the day or ongoing, that you can email to yourself or others or upload to the cloud. Idaho Wildflowers is available at Amazon, Apple, and Google app stores for $7.99. You can also find links to these online stores through the High Country Apps Web site (www.hiqhcountrvapps.com ). A portion of revenues from the app's sales supports conservation efforts and further botanical study in the region. Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 11 Diversity within a Species: Studying Sagebrush Morphotypes By Marcella R. Fremgen, Graduate Student, Boise State University Driving along the highway at 65 mph, looking out across a shrub- steppe landscape, it all looks re- markably homogenous. However, to an ecologist or botanist, there are subtle differences - the sage- brush high on the hills is generally shorter often with sticky, greenish leaves, and the sagebrush low in the drainage is tall, with long silver leaves. There is actually a large amount of diversity in sagebrush, from the species level down to the individuals within patches and the chemicals that individuals or spe- cific leaves produce. This has im- portant implications for sagebrush- obligate herbivores like the Greater Sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter, sage-grouse). Sage-grouse rely on sagebrush for food and cover throughout their life. During the winter months, sage-grouse rely entirely on sage- brush for food resources. Sage- brush, however, produces a suite of secondary metabolites for de- fense, including monoterpenes, phenolics, and sesquiterpene lac- tones. These chemicals have negative physiological effects that deter herbivory. Sage-grouse se- lect plants with lower chemical defenses when they are foraging, searching for the least toxic food to consume. As a master's-degree student at Boise State University, I am studying how herbivores select certain plants to consume based on their chemistry. This research is affiliated with my major profes- sor Dr. Jennifer Forbey's chemical ecology laboratory. John Connelly, recently retired from Idaho Depart- ment of Fish and Game, is an- other collaborator for the project. I study how herbivores select cer- tain plants to consume based on the plants’ chemistry. We track sage-grouse with radio transmit- ters (Fig. 1 ) to their foraging site and identify browsed plants that we then analyze in the lab. By studying the sagebrush plants that were selected by sage- grouse as food and those that were not, we have identified the importance of diversity below the species level. Plants were split into different size classes or mor- photype, which reflect the species and age of the plant. These mor- photypes include identifying mor- phology for the species itself, as well as structural (height, stem branching) characteristics that fur- ther separate species by size class (Fig. 2). These morphotypes are not only structurally different, but they also differ in their chemistry, with different size classes showing variation even within a single spe- cies (Figs. 3 and 4). The figures show the difference in profile of monoterpenes (Fig. 3) which are the volatile compounds you smell in sagebrush after it rains, and coumarins (Fig. 4), a class of ultra -violet fluorescent compounds. Sage-grouse can see ultraviolet light (all birds can!) and we are learning that more and more birds can even smell their food. So sage -grouse can potentially see the light emitted by chemicals or smell the volatiles released when they are foraging! This diversity in chemicals may provide important cues for foraging animals that are trying to avoid or minimize the in- take of plant toxins. It is important to maintain this chemical diversity across the land- scape as it provides a wide range of foraging resources for herbi- vores, including sage-grouse, pygmy rabbits, pronghorn and wintering mule deer. This diversity also improves habitat resilience to climate change as increased car- bon dioxide and increased tem- peratures are likely to result in higher chemical defenses. There- fore, having a wide range of chemistry may provide some high- quality forage resources for wild- life in the future as toxins in- crease. It is important to preserve this diversity for the future. Editor’s Note: One of my goals while editor of Sage Notes is to include at least one student-generated article in each issue. I see this as a way to raise awareness of the diverse and interest- ing botanical/ecological research being conducted by students at Idaho col- leges and universities with a state-wide audience. If you want to share your research, please contact me at: saqe-editor@idahonativeplants.org Figure 1. Idaho Fish and Game employee Lisa Cross tracks sage-grouse with radio transmitters. Plants browsed at the foraging site were then identified. Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 12 Medium arbuscula SS> h > 16 cm Multiple stems Large wyomingeosis & h>56cm Multiple stems Large leaves * Small i(’*ives h < 15 cm Single stem Small leaves Me dium wyomlngensis 55> h > 16 cm Multiple stems Large leaves Figure 2. Morphotypes of sagebrush found at a Raft River site in Cassia County, Idaho. Left: a large A. tridentata wyo- mingensis plant. Center: a medium A. t. wyomingensis plant in front of a medium A. arbuscula. Right: a small A. arbus- cula on the bottom right and a medium A. arbuscula in the center. Figure 3. Monoterpene profiles for each morphotype are unique. Each species has a unique chemical profile (different peaks), but there is also variation within a spe- cies that is related to size (or age) of the plant. The differ- ent peaks (different compounds) also represent a type of diversity - chemical diversity. By diversifying the toxic com- pounds in the diet, animals utilize more detoxification path- ways, meaning they can digest the food more quickly and experience fewer negative effects. Therefore, diversity is important even at the chemical level! Mean Coumarin Content For Morphotypes 3900 t -C '5 S Large Medium Small 4, r, wy wnj'ffpenyjs 4. ofbmcufo A- vrbitKufQ Morphotype Figure 4. Coumarin content varies by morphotype and spe- cies. Coumarins are UV-fluorescent compounds that are more abundant in more palatable plants. Large A. t. wyo- mingensis is significantly different (less palatable) from me- dium A. arbuscula (more palatable). This graph shows that the coumarin content is also reflected by morphotype, which suggests that each morphotype has different palat- ability. Bars show mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). 13 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 Great Places to See Idaho Wildflowers By Lynn Kinter, Botanist, Idaho Natural Heritage Program, Idaho Department of Fish and Game Idaho has many wonderful places to see wildflowers. Here are a few favorites of mine and my colleagues (Derek Antonelli, Sue Birnbaum, Alexia Cochrane, Wendy Hoffman, Juanita Lichthardt, Dave Lingle, Jennifer Miller, Chris Murphy, Marilyn Olsen, Kristen Pekas, Kyra Povirk, Beth Waterbury, and Ross Winton). These sites are at their peak during spring and early summer. Look for a late summer list in the next issue of Sage Notes. Also, Deniz Aygen, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and I are putting together a brochure or booklet of spectacular wildflower viewing sites based on input from INPS members and others. Over the past year, we received nearly 30 recommendations, but would like to have more. If you would like to suggest a site, con- tact Deniz at deniz.avqen@idfq.idaho.gov . Site County Peak Showy species sampler Homestead/Watchman Trails, Boise Foothills Ada early-mid- May lupine, balsamroot, biscuitroot, bitterroot, phlox, woodland star, penstemon, milkvetch Jackson Cr. & Goodrich Cr. roads, near Council Adams mid-late May camas, groundsel, penstemon, mariposa lily, mules ears Bear Basin, NW of McCall Adams/ Valley late May- early July camas, shooting star, mules ears, balsamroot, bistort, onion Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park Benewah/ Latah late May- early June sticky geranium, wild hyacinth, shooting star, larkspur, sugarbowl, prairiesmoke, balsamroot Craters of the Moon National Monument Blaine May-June buckwheat, bitterroot, biscuitroot, balsamroot, dwarf monkeyflower, sticky cinquefoil Warm Springs Trail to Eightmile Mountain Boise late May balsamroot, monkshood Red Mountain Lookout Boise late May- June balsamroot, lupine, penstemon, paintbrush, geranium, scarlet gilia, cornlily Wapiti Creek Trail Boise late May balsamroot, paintbrush, yellowbells Morris Ck. & Regal Ck. Bonner mid-May- July roundleaf alumroot, Indianpipe, devilsclub, drops-of- gold, yellowdot saxifrage, rose spirea Pass Creek Road (USFS Road 122) Butte/Custer late June mules ears, paintbrush, lupine, phlox, phacelia, larkspur Camas Prairie Centen- nial Marsh WMA Camas late May- early June camas, mules ears, groundsel City of Rocks & Castle Rocks State Park Cassia May balsamroot, bluebell, stonecrop, lupine, goldenpea, steershead, sticky geranium, yellowbells Weippe Prairie Clearwater mid-May- mid-June camas, bistort, buttercup Tubbs Hill, in Coeur d'Alene Kootenai April-May shooting star, checker lily, Oregon grape, clarkia, fairy slipper, glacier lily, blue-eyed grass Blue Creek Bay, Lake Coeur d'Alene Kootenai May-June oceanspray, white spirea, spreading dogbane, heart- leaf arnica, harebell, orange honeysuckle Marie Creek Kootenai May-July monkshood, phantom orchid, showy aster, tall blue- bells, false hellebore, orange honeysuckle Q'emiln Park Kootenai April-May sagebrush buttercup, shootingstar, glacier lily, checker lily, yellowbells, blue-eyed grass Discovery Hill/Slump Gulch/Owl Canyon Lemhi May-June bitterroot, false dandelion, hawksbeard, phlox, onion, paintbrush, lava aster Wagonhammer & Big Silverlead creeks Lemhi mid-May- early June cushion cactus, lupine, balsamroot, penstemon Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 14 Site County Peak Showy species sampler North Fork Lemhi May balsamroot, scarlet gilia, phacelia, penstemon Salmon River Trail down- stream from Corn Ck. Lemhi mid-April- May syringa, thimbleberry, balsamroot, phacelia, penstemon Little Sawmill Cr./lower Hayden Cr. Lemhi late May- early July cinquefoil, milkvetch, phlox, mock goldenweed, buckwheat, penstemon, bitterroot, fleabane Divide between Cow Cr. & Yearian Cr. Lemhi early June -July fleabane, milkvetch, paintbrush, locoweed, lark- spur, stonecrop, prairiesmoke, penstemon Bench btwn Mollie Gulch & Little Eightmile Cr. Lemhi early June -July paintbrush, locoweed, milkvetch, penstemon Hot Springs Ridge, SE of Salmon Lemhi May-June paintbrush, milkvetch, phlox, blazingstar, onion, fleabane, larkspur Barracks Ln trails from Cheney public access Lemhi May-June buttercup, milkvetch, cats-eye, cleomella, pha- celia, buckwheat, penstemon Agency Cr./Pattee Cr./ Warm Springs roads Lemhi mid-May- early July penstemon, milkvetch, groundsel, currant, buck- wheat, blazingstar Badger Basin near Car- men Creek Road Lemhi May-June prairiesmoke, mock goldenweed, milkvetch, penstemon, lava aster, buckwheat, paintbrush Henry Creek Trail, particularly at basin Lemhi May-June paintbrush, phlox, milkvetch, larkspur, lupine, bitterroot, buckwheat, cushion cactus Williams Cr. picnic area/ Perreau Cr./Horse Mtn. Lemhi May-June aster, milkvetch, penstemon, paintbrush, lupine, cushion cactus Craig Mountain Nez Perce May-early June ballhead waterleaf, mariposa lily, penstemon, phlox, false dandelion, buckwheat Owyhee Uplands Byway/ Mud Flat Road Owyhee late May- early June mules ears, camas, phlox, monkeyflower, iris, penstemon, milkvetch Bruneau Dunes State Park Owyhee April-May bitterbrush, buckwheat, nakedstem sunray, sand lily, white blazingstar Duck Valley Owyhee late May- early June camas, mules ears, groundsel Meadows around Clarkia Shoshone late May camas, red kittentails, trillium, buttercup Cecil Andrus WMA & Brownlee Summit Washington May biscuitroot, balsamroot, bitterbrush, hawthorn, lupine, buckwheat, penstemon, syringa Camas at Weippe Prairie. Photo by Junaita Lichthardt Trout-lily at Lemhi Pass. Photo by Beth Waterbury 15 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 Idaho Native Plant Society History By Lynda Smithman with assistance from Carol Prentice, Pahove Chapter Pat Packard, College of Idaho faculty member and botanist, after attending several regional confer- ences on rare plants, realized that in the 1970s, botanists may have been more rare in Idaho than the plants which needed further study. During a summer field trip with Carol Prentice and Billie Ann Far- ley, Pat asked if they would help organize a native plant society. They agreed to serve two-year terms as President and Vice- President/Secretary. Next Pat asked Bob Steele, Research For- ester with the U.S. Forest Service Mentzelia mollis Intermountain Research Station and fellow member of the Rare Plant Technical Committee, Idaho Natural Areas Council, to serve with her as technical advisors to the fledgling native plant society. Bob also was appointed Chairman of the Board. Members were re- cruited from among the College of Idaho alumni and the Southern Idaho Mycological Society. These first members then invited friends interested in the natural sciences to join INPS. When Pahove (Paiute name for sagebrush) was initiated in 1977 there were no other chapters. Bob Steele en- couraged us to incorporate as Idaho Native Plant Society so that there would be a statewide asso- ciation. This model for lay and pro- fessional members working to- gether clearly had been success- ful in surrounding states and it proved to be in Idaho as well. The earliest lecture series took place in the Tucker Herbarium at the College of Idaho which was centrally located for members who, for example, resided in Boise, Caldwell, Nampa, New Ply- mouth, Payette and Weiser. By the mid-80s the large number of Boise-based members necessi- tated the change of meeting place to Boise State University. Detailed records of activities and partici- pants in the early years were kept, but later lost when Pahove changed its venue from Caldwell to Boise. Carol Prentice, Mary Trail and Lynda Smithman have made their personal files of the early years available for a series of Sage Notes articles to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the news- letter and for inclusion in the INPS collection at the Idaho State His- torical Society Archives. Early Pahove Field Trips September 1977 Council Area, Adams County The first official field trip was led by INPS technical advisor Bob Steele. Ceanothus prostratus (prostrate ceanothus) was the fo- cus, for at that time it was known from only one Idaho location near Council, even though it was more common elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest as well as Nevada and California. Participants included several of Pat’s former students. Additionally, Jerry Cross, Joe Duft, Lynda and Jay Smithman were invited as Pat was acquainted with them through the Southern Idaho Mycological Society and had known Lynda’s mother, Ruth Col- pin, as a re-entry student at the College of Idaho. Unfortunately neither Lynda, Jay nor Ruth were able to attend. They were however very interested and recruited their friends Gordon and Barbara Pierce to attend in their place. The Pierces reported that they had been warmly welcomed, were im- pressed with their knowledgeable guides and thoroughly enjoyed the field trip. Some years later after more investigation, Bob Steele recom- mended dropping Ceanothus prostratus from the Rare Plant Technical Committee’s list as it appeared to be introduced into Idaho. October 1977 Snake River Birds of Prey Natural Area Other individuals must have been as impressed as the Pierces, Eriogonum shockleyi var. packardiae for there was a much larger crowd in attendance for the second field trip The focus for this trip was the recently discovered Packard’s va- riety of Shockley’s buckwheat (Eriogonum shockleyi var. pack- 16 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 ardiae) known at that time from only one site on the rim of the Snake River Canyon in the Birds of Prey Natural Area. Pat’s collaborators Carol Pren- tice and Billie Ann Farley were there to help. The group consisted of College of Idaho alumni plus Lynda and Jay Smithman, Mary Trail, her brother, Jon Trail, Ruth Colpin and her guest Myrtle Free- burg. (Myrtle was interested to learn more about native plants as she and her neighbors had gath- ered and used both edible and medicinal plants during the De- pression.) Newcomers were intro- duced to various Chenopodaceae such as Saltbush (Atriplex spp.) Mentzelia torreyi var .acerosa as well as the Compositae espe- cially sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) of the high desert. A few of our new members, needed to be trained not to step on our study plants, but by-and-large everyone enjoyed the day. Carol and Billie Ann asked Lynda to be the group’s Historian. Pat encouraged participants to adopt a rare plant and conduct field searches for more sites. Lynda, Jay and Mary decided to adopt E. shockleyi var. packardiae which was also known as “Packard’s cowpies.” The follow- ing weekend they returned to the Snake River Canyon armed with notebooks and topographical maps. Within an hour they re- treated to their vehicle drenched by a sudden rainstorm. Blue sky however could be seen in Owyhee County on the other side of the canyon. They decided to give up the Eriogonum search and visit the old stage station on the Mud Flat Road out of Grandview. While walking around on the ancient lakebed formations, Mary became very excited. She had stumbled unexpectedly onto E. shockleyi var. packardiae. Before the day was over the group had docu- mented two new sites for that taxon and a range extension for Mentzelia torreyi var. acerosa (Torrey’s mentzelia). This orange- flowered variety is only known from Owyhee County east to Twin Falls County. In winter form the mentzelia would have would not have been noticed except for Smithmans’ Cairn Terrier, Tor, who showed up with velcro-like leaves stuck to his fur. The Idaho Stateman published an interview with Pat Packard on the “cowpie-like" plants named in her honor and in the process cre- ated a new entity known as “Lynda Mary Train” which pro- vided no end of amusement for Lynda and Mary. In the years to come, more sites were found for these “cowpie-like" plants, some of which seemed similar to E. shockleyi var. shockleyi which pro- vided new perspectives on the taxonomy and distribution. November 1977 Succor Creek Miocene Flora, Malheur County Oregon Those of us who live and work in Southwest Idaho consider East- ern Oregon ours to explore. So no one thought it unusual for Pahove to botanize across the state line. Pat Packard introduced us to the fossil flora of an earlier age. She also provided an overview of the white and brown ash beds of Suc- cor Creek as well as the green Chaenactis douglasii ash in Leslie Gulch, all of which are associated with various Mentzelia species (blazing star) such as M. mollis (soft blazing star) and other rare plants. The common M. laevicaulis (smoothstem blazing star) was still in bloom, along with the intro- duced Erodium cicutarium (redstem filaree), which in folklore Pat told us is associated with strychnine. Rosettes of the com- mon Chaenactis douglasii (Douglas’ dustymaiden) were still visible at this late date. The trip concluded with picnic lunch in sce- nic Succor Creek Canyon. Water- cress was growing abundantly in the creek, but Pat cautioned all of us that the cress most likely con- tained liver fluke and should not be added to our sandwiches. This was a little too late for one person who shall remain nameless. Historic photographs courtesy Jay and Lynda Smithman 17 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 INPS Chapter News CALYPSO CHAPTER When: Meetings are the first Wednesdays of March, April, May and October at 7 p.m. Field trips are sched- uled during the spring, summer, and early fall months. Where: Meeting are held in the conference room of Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Contact: Derek Antonelli, antonelli8@frontier.com March 4: Chapter meeting will include a presentation on the Blackwell Island Native Plant and Pollinator Garden by LeAnn Abell, Botanist, BLM. April 1 : Chapter meeting will include a presentation on local members of the Lily and Saxifrage families by Derek Antonelli, Calypso Chapter President. May 2: Native Plant Appreciation Hike around Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene. Meet at 1 1 th Street parking lot at 10 a.m. May 6: Chapter meeting presentation still to be deter- mined. May 23: Tour of Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society’s Sandpoint Arboretum led by Sylvia Chatburn. We can attend presentation on Scotchman Peaks Wilderness and have lunch in Sandpoint prior to the tour. Meet at the Hayden Walmart at the northeast corner of park- ing lot at 8:45 a.m. to carpool May 30: Plant hike at the Tall Pines IDFG property east of Hayden Lake. Meet at the Hayden Walmart, northeast corner of parking lot at 9 a.m. to carpool. June 28: Plant hike in the area of Benard Peak. Meet at the Hayden Walmart at the northeast corner of parking lot at 9 a.m. to carpool. August 8: Plant hike to Harrison or Beehive Lakes. Meet at the Hayden Walmart at the northeast corner of parking lot at 8 a.m. to carpool. LOASA CHAPTER All members and the public are welcome to attend chapter events. When: Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month. Where: Taylor Building, Room 258, College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls Contact: Kelvin Jones, (208) 886-7051 PAHOVE CHAPTER We hope to see you at our upcoming presentations. When: September- April on the second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 p.m. The following dates and topics are tentative. More current information will be sent to members via postcard and email. Events are also posted on the Pahove Chapter page of the INPS web- site: http://idahonativeplants.org/local-chapters/ pahove/ Where: Meetings are held at the MK Nature Center Auditorium, 600 S. Walnut St, Boise. Contact: For more information about Pahove Chapter activities visit the website or email Karie Pappani at pahove. chapter.president at gmail dot com. March 10: Barbara Ertter will speak about an Alaska Transect: Kenai Peninsula to North Side of Brooks Range. April 7: Paul Castrovillo will speak about Japanese beetles in the Treasure Valley April 24-25: “Go Native!” Annual Plant Sale This event celebrates Earth Day, is a fundraiser for our chapter, and helps to promote and perpetuate the use of Idaho’s native plants in our own landscapes. This year we have a theme: Monarchs and Milkweed. We are keeping the format the same as the past few years with a “Members Only” sale in the evening on Friday the 24 th (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and an “Open to the Public” sale on Saturday the 25 th (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Pahove donates 25% of Plant Sale profit to MK Na- ture Center, in appreciation for our use of the facilities throughout the year. We are planning to hold a “Turf Alternative Tour” in late spring. We will be visiting various sites in the Boise area and discussing alternatives to conven- tional lawn. Date and time to be determined. Mem- bers will be informed by email, and further information will be available on the website. SAWABI CHAPTER Fall/Winter Meetings: We welcome the public to our chapter's informative programs. When: The first Monday of each month, October through March, 7:00 p.m. Where: The Pond Student Union Building, Room 308, Idaho State University Campus, Pocatello. Contact: (208) 241-5851 , or sawabi.inps@qmail.com . March 2: Jim Smith of Boise State University will speak on "Idaho endemics and molecular systemat- ics: Does morphological data match the DNA?" April 6: Sawabi Chapter annual dinner meeting for election of officers and planning field trips for the up- coming warm months. Location: Puerto Vallarta, 160 W. Cedar, Pocatello, 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 18: Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair. See details elsewhere in Sage Notes. May 4: Stephanie Zorio, Master's degree candidate in the Biological Sciences Department at Idaho State University, will discuss the results of her research titled "65 years of Vegetation Change in the East River Basin, Colorado." Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 18 May 30: Tentative date for Vernor "Dick" Anderson memorial/celebration of life and tree planting in Edson Fichter Park, Pocatello. For additional information, contact Karl Holte (241-8358). May 30: Tentative date for Vernor "Dick" Anderson memorial/celebration of life and tree planting in Edson Fichter Park, Pocatello. For additional information, contact Karl Holte (241-8358). UPPER SNAKE CHAPTER Please come to an Upper Snake chapter meeting/ social and a short presentation about Project Bud- Burst, a great national network of citizen scientists monitoring plants as the seasons change. When: April 21, 2015 (this is the 3rd TUESDAY), at 7:00 p.m. Where: Bonneville County Extension Office Meeting Room, Rollandet Ave. Contact: Sue Braastad, braastads@vahoo.com . WHITE PINE CHAPTER When: Meetings are held once a month during the spring and fall. Field trips occur most any month. Please check the chapter website for events which may be scheduled or finalized after Sage Notes is printed: www.whitepineinps.org . Or email the chapter officers at whitepine.chapter@qmail.com . Where: 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow (between Adams and Van Buren) Contact: INPS, White Pine Chapter, PO Box 8481 , Moscow, ID 83843 or whitepine.chapter@qmail.com WOOD RIVER CHAPTER Contact: Carol Blackburn, blackburncrl@vahoo.com for information on activities. New Volunteers INPS would like to welcome some new volun- teers who will be joining our Membership and Website Committees. Their assistance with this work is greatly appreciated. Derek Duval, a non-plant field service engineer who does exquisite high desert flora and fauna pho- tos, is unraveling some of the email list confusion. Sarah Funk, an Idaho Power vegetation ecolo- gist and INPS member since 2007, will collect and distribute INPS mail and assist with membership da- tabase management. Jessica Irwin, a botanist who studies central Idaho flora, will manage the statewide membership database. Diane Jones, enthusiast and grower of native and water-wise plants, has volunteered to join the website committee. Photographers (and there are a lot of good ones among us!) Wanted If you have photos of Idaho native plants or INPS activities to share, please consider uploading them to Flickr which is a photo-sharing application used by people all over the world. Flickr is also a free application, unless you choose to get the Pro version in order to upload more and larger photos. It works with Windows and Mac devices and even your smart phones and tablets have capability to upload and view. It’s very easy to set up an account using Yahoo or Facebook accounts - possibly others. For more about Flickr go to www.flickr.com/about . One Flickr group INPS uses is Idaho Native Plants and it can be found at www.flickr.com/qroups/ idaho native plants/ (note the underscores). This group (like an album) has numerous photos of Idaho na- tives, but really could benefit from many more. So join this group of photographers and share your photos from field trips, annual meetings, walks in the woods or desert, or wherever your favorite native plants are found. The second Flickr group INPS uses is called Idaho Native Plant Society and it can be found at www.flickr.com/ q roups/1 492892@N21/ . Only a few members have uploaded about 350 photos to this group. It is a great way to document our chapter and state activities so you can help us present a good his- tory of the diverse activities of INPS members. The group descriptions and rules can be found on the URLs listed. Photos from each of these groups are often included in Sage Notes and could be used on the webpages as well. While you are in Flickr (www.flickr.com ), check out some of the other groups. Use the photos to study birds, to research your next trip to a location documented in Flickr, and to just be stunned by the awe- some creativity of Flickr members. - Nancy Miller, White Pine Chapter 19 Sage Notes Vol. 37 (1) March 2015 IDAHO NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY PO Box 9451, Boise, ID 83707 www.idahonativeplants.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Planlasia Cactus ,vgr* solmioo or Idaho A Croat Basin native plant*. Cold-hardy cacti, y uccas, noliiws aod other succulents. Our S-acTt dmc^hwnter3nr botanical garden is 14*11 by appointment April 1 -Nov.lS. 867 Filer Ave W, Twin Falls, Idaho 81301 Phone iU8-?j4-79»» Cell /U8- HB-SlMO Web: planlavacaclusi^rdenv.cunfi ^ F mail : lucto*» I •macum ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ ◄ A AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA A DRAGGIN’ WING HIGH DESERT NURSERY Growing native and xeric landscape plants for the Intermountain West OPEN APRIL THROUGH JUNE AND SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY 10 am to 5 pm Come and see our extensive demonstration gardens! Our nursery is located at the end of Stinger Street, off of Castle Drive, near Hill Road, Boise For plant lists, photos, directions and more see www.waterthriftyplants.com . We can help you design your landscape and choose the appropriate plants! fTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTy V YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYTYTTTTTTTTTTTTTYY^