Aquilegia Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society "■ ■ ■ dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora" Volume 13, Number 6 November/December 1989 A Place to Find Ferns Peter Root Colorado is not generally a good place to look for ferns. In 1938, Edgar Wher- ry, an eminent ptcridologist, wrote that it was possible to drive a hundred miles and see only an Eqitisetum or climb 500 feet and see only Cystoptens fragilis. He ^^^"4yas right. But there are a few good laces to find ferns in Colorado. One is the trail along Vallecito Creek running north from Vallecito Campground in the San Juan National Forest, At the beginning of the trail you will see some bladder ferns (Cystoptens sp.) on the rocks to your left, I haven't taken time to look closely at them because there are so many other things to see. The trail moves up through aspen and Douglas-fir and you wll see some large bracken (Ptendium aquilinum var. piibescens). As you go into a switchback section crossing a hill of gray granite you may find patches of Cystoptens reevesiana^ another bladder fern. I was last here in September, and these plants had been revived by rain. Farther along, as you go around the hill, you can find Cheilanthes fendleri, one of the south- western lipferns, and Woodsia mexicafWf a member of the confusing cliff fern genus. The trail is now following the creek north and you may see Mexican white pine (Pinus strobifonnis). Along the edge of the trail the feathery fertile leaves of Cfyptogramma acrostichoides, the parsley fern, can be seen rising above its parsley-like sterile leaves. The maidenhair spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) grows in rock crevices, as do a few male ferns (Dryopteris fdix- mas). In a wet pile of rocks you will see the ver- tical stems of the scouring rush (Equi- setum hyemak) and a large mossy rock face has a good colony of western polypody (Polypodium hesperium) Board News 3 Chapter Schedules 4 Ann Cooper, On Galls 5 Workshops 6 , 1 which in Colorado has been found only in the San Juan Mountains. Front Range polypodies are another species, P. amor- phum . If you look off the trail on a brushy talus slope, you will find large male ferns, and also the holly fern (Poly- stichum lonchitis). Bythistimeyou will have gone about two miles up the trail. The walk is not too dif- ficult. If you would go a few miles more, the walk would be harder, but you would probably make more fern discoveries. This is the best assortment of ferns I have seen in Colorado, I have been there three times, and vdll go again whenever I am in southwestern Colorado. Jennings on Orchids 8 Pueblo Trip Report 10 Monograph Order 11 Calendar Back Cover In This Issue . . . Page 2 Aquilegia Volume 13 A New Look for Aquilegia Over the last few years, AqiiiJegia has grown in size and in the variety and quality of the articles presented. In keep- ing with these improvements, we are upgrading our appearance for 1990. The change to three-column format, under consideration for several months, has been accomplished, and we have in- troduced a change in typeface to a warmer, more classic style. These chan- ges will increase space and add layout flexibility. We are continuing a trend toward more standardized features. Look for Board minutes and other Society information on page 2 in future issues. Page 4 will be devoted to Chapter news, and we earnestly solicit more regular columns from each of our chapters. Members are interested in reports on chapter events, as well as meeting schedules. This is a special opportunity for our new chapters to gain recognition of their activities. Masthead and related information has been moved from the back cover to this page; look for calendars and special an- nouncements on the back cover. We hope these changes will help make Aquilegia more readable and more use- ful to Society members, and we look for- ward to your thoughts on our efforts to provide a more finished newsletter. — The Editorial Committee: Peter Root Velma Richards Elizabeth Otto Sally White . . . and New Guidelines We publish a variety of articles of intc'^ est to members in Aqiiile^a. As we ini prove the newsletter, we ask your help in ensuring a quality publication. Short items (200 to 500 words) of all kinds of interest to plant enthusiasts are wel- come. Longer items will be printed as space is available. If articles are longer than two double-spaced typewritten pages (about 5(K) words), we prefer they be submitted on disk if possible. Remember that all items in the newslet- ter must be typed by volunteers. Please do initial editing before submitting to en- sure articles are direct and to the point. Concisely written materials are less like- ly to require cuts at our discretion. Plant illustrations are especially wel- come, and are always helpful to have! Schedule of Membership Fees Aquikgia is published six times per year by the Colorado Native Plant Society. This newsletter is available to members of the Society, and others with an inter- est in native plants. Contact the Society for subscription information. Articles from Aquilegia may be used by other native plant societies if fully cited to author and attributed to Aquiieffa. The Colorado Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora. Membership is open to all with an interest in our na- tive plants, and is comprised of plant en- thusiasts, both professional and non- professional. Please join us in helping to encourage interest in enjoying and protecting the variety of native plants in Colorado. The Society sponsors field trips, workshops and other activities through local chap- ters and statewide. Contact the Society or a chapter representative or commit- tee chair for more information. Life Family or Dual Supporting Indmdual Organization Student or Senior $250.{X) $ 12.00 $50.(X3 $8,00 $25.00 $4.00 Membership Renewals/Information Please direct all membership applica- tions, renewals and address changes to the Membership chairperson, in care of the Society’s mailing address. Please direct all other inquiries regard- ing the Society to the Secretary in care of the Society’s mailing address. Newsletter Contributions Please direct all contributions to the newsletter to: Peter Root 4915 West 31st Avenue Denver, CO 80212 Deadlines for newsletter materials are February 15, April 15, June 15, August 15, October 15 and December 15. Officers President Jim Borland 329-91^ Vice-President Will Moir ^ Secretary Rob Udall 482-982o Treasurer Myrna P. Steinkamp 226-3371 Board of Directors Betsy Meely (90) Boulder 443-8094 Jim Borland (90) Denver 329-919S Beth Painter (91) Ft Collins 482-2283 Brian W. Ceils (90) Ft Collins 482-8607 Tina Jones (91) Denver 759-9701 Tamara Naumann (91) Boulder Elizabeth Otto (90) Idaho Spg 567-2384 Velma Richards (90) Englewood 794-5432 Robert Udall (91) Ft Collins 482-9826 Gayle Weinstein (91) Denver 333-3024 Chapter Presidents Boulder Maif ie Woitznian 494-1640 Denver Metro Carol Damon 722-6758 Ft, Collins Jennifer Crane 493-2142 Yamparika Reed Kelley 678-4666 San Juan Peggy Lyon 626-5526 Committees Conservation Sue Martin 226-3371 Editorial Peter Root 433-9340 Education Miriam Denham 442-1020 Field Trips Jeff Dawson 722-6758 Florissant Mary Edwanls 233.813>->, Horticulture/ Rehabilitation Dorothy Udall 482-9826 Membership Myrna Steinkamp 226-3371 Publicity Tina Jones 759-9701 Workshops Bill Jennings ^6-8348 Number 6 Aquilegia Pages Thanks! It has been an honor and a privilege for me to have served the Colorado Native Plant Society, as president during the last four years. All of you have helped to make my tasks easy and enjoyable. For that, I wish to ex- tend my sincere thanks. I look forward to seeing the Society grow in new and exciting ways during the coming years. There is much work to be done, and it will provide a challenge for all of US, — Eleanor Von Bargen BOARD NOTES The Board has met three times since the last newsletter and lots of changes have occurred. The Annual meeting has come and gone. And we have elected new Board members and officers for the up- coming year (see the new listing on page 2). Eleanor Von Bargen, after four years of leading the Society through thick and thin, but primarily through the Rare Plant Monograph, has stepped down. Meg Van Ness, long time Secretary, has also retired to spend more time with her new baby. Our new officers are: Jim Borland President Will Muir Vice President Robert Udall Secretary Myrna Steinkamp Treasurer Our numerous Society Committees have been active. Miriam Denham, heading up the Education Committee, coor- dinated the production of a poster dis- play on the Rose Family. This was displayed at the Home and Garden Show this past spring in Denver and again at the State Convention of Federated Garden Clubs in Longmont in June. Jennifer Crane of the Fort Col- lins Chapter helped out with that con- vention. If you would like to use this exhibit (it was on display at the Annual Meeting), please call Miriam. The Conservation Committee has been busy commenting on our behalf on numerous Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plans, environ- mental assessments, and proposals for expansions to the Colorado and Gun- nison National Monuments. If you are interested in helping out on this commit- tee, please give Sue Martin or Tamara Naumann a call. A group of Society members have been working in Rocky Mountain National Park on the Restoration Research Project. Work on this project started this past summer and will continue for several years. Call Velma Richards if you have an interest in studying vegeta- tive restoration in the Park. And the Rare Plant Mongraph is selling moderately to well in bookstores and at National Parks and Monuments around the state. The biggest news, though, is the Society has approved two new Chapters, both on the West Slope. The Yamparika has been organized by Reed Kelly who is now serving as Chapter president. Members in the Meeker area who are in- terested in attending Chapter meetings and other actmties should give Reed a call. The Chapter has been named after the Native Americans who inhabited the area between the Yampa and Green Rivers and fed on the yampa plant. The next issue of the newsletter should in- clude an article explaining all of this. The San Juan Chapter has been or- ganized by Peggy Lyon and includes the area around Montrose. Peggy has some great things planned for this Chapter so give her a call if you live in that area. (Sec page 2 for phone numbers.) As you can sec, the Board and Commit- tees have been active over the past few months, but our activity depends upon you. We’ve got a great bunch of people keeping the Society growing and a strong voice in the conservation com- munity, but wc can always use more. Think about how you can contribute to your Society as wc continue to expand. Thanks, Page 4 Aquilegia Volume 13 Chapter News and Schedules All Chapters! Please continue to share meeting notices, as well as reports of field trips and other activities! We look forward to hearing more from our local groups. Next Issue . . . Look for Information on the new Yamparika Chapter - and the story of how they got their name! Denver Activities Itecember 20th: Classroom A. Diana Tomback, Dept, of Biology, University of Colorado at Denver, will present a program concerning her research on the status of the white bark pine, Pinus al- bicauUs, Note; this Is 3rd Wednesday, January 24th; Classroom C. Bob Heapes, well-known wildflower photog- rapher, will present a program entitled "Our wildflower heritage — a look at the western landscape through the eyes of some early explorers." The Denver Chapter usually meets on the fourth Wednesday of the each month at the Denver Botanic Gardens (Classroom A or C) at 7:30 PM, Lists of speakers for future meetings will be available at each meeting. Contact Carol Dawson (722-6758) for informa- tion on chapter activities. Boulder Meetings Tuesday I^cember 12th: Winter Twig Identification, presented by Miriam Denham. On a winter’s walk, you are apt to notice many woody plants and wonder what they are. In the growing season, flowers, fruits and leaves permit identification. In winter with a hand lens and appropriate keys, many of these woody plants can also be identified. Bring a hand lens and a book on winter botany, Tuesday, January 9th: The Ecolo^ Pro^am of the Pike and San Isabel Na- tional Forests in Re^on 2 presented by Judy von Ahlefeldt. Judy is a graduate student in the Biolo^Dept. at CSU and is completing a PhD program in Plant Ecology. She worked as an ecologist for the Pike-San Isabel National Forest in Pueblo for the summer of 1989, develop*^ ing programs for threatened and e. j dangered species, riparian area surveys, and use of remote sensing for location and management of sensitive species and habitats. Boulder meetings are held at 7:30 PM at the Foothills Nature Center, 4201 No. Broadway, Boulder, unless otherwise specified. Call Nan Lederer (447-1899) or Margie Wortzman (494-1640) for ad- ditional information on chapter ac- tivities. Illustrations by Ann Coope Number 6 Aquitegia Pages INK MARBLES AND OTHER MARVELS ^ nn C Cooper 'What gaO!" you might say as someone pushes in front of you in the mo\ie line or "How very galling," as you arrh’e, flushed and bedraggled, at the bus stop only to see the bus pulling away, the driver oblivious of your frustrated yells. What you are expressing is extreme an- noyance and irritation. The very same word, gall, is used in the world of plants to describe the results of an irritation. It's impossible to botanize without noticing the bumps and lumps of various shapes and sizes on the leaves, stems, flowers, or roots of certain plants. Many people dismiss these growths as "just galls" without speculating on their origin or cause, and thereby miss a by-road of fairly useless but fascinating informa- tion! The occupants of galls are mostly in- ects, but can be mites, fungi, bacteria, r others. The galls grow as a result of the irritation caused by the chemicals released by the inhabitants of the gall (or the creatures who deposited the in- habitants there in the first place). Galls have been likened to "cancers" of animal tissue, but this is a misleading parallel Can- cers, once started, are self-perpetuat- ing, whereas galls continue growing only as long as the chemical irritant continues to be released by the gall home-owner. Why would insects form galls anyway? It’s almost like a small child’s dream of living in a candy factory! The gall be- comes an edible home and safe-house for its resident. Follow a typical life cycle. The adult insect lays an e^, or many eggs, cither on, or injected into, the plant which is to be the unwitting host and nursery. After a while this e^ hatches into a larva in this safe place. The larva, secreting a chemical irritant that causes the gall to grow, grows as the gall grows, eating away at the inside of the gall chamber. Sometimes it is the larva that burrows out of the gall to move onto another host or a free-form life. Sometimes the larva pupates and later the adult insect emerges to find a male and a suitable place to lay her eggs and so carry on the perpetual cycle. Either way, the gall provides an edible safe- house for the growing creature. It’s not always a safe house though! Na- ture is full of controls. Gall insects themselves can be preyed upon by yet other insects which devour eggs or lar- vae, or lay eggs inside the larvae to parasitize them as the two species go through their parallel growth cycles. Open up a gall! You may be lucky and find one or several larvae inside, or there maybe nothing left, either because the resident has been eaten or moved out, A remarkable variety of galls can be found growing on almost any part of many plants. Some grow as formless swellings, others have intricate struc- tures. The shape of the gall is primarily determined by the insect that causes it. Because the insect selects not only a cer- tain kind of plant, but also a specific part of that plant on which to lay the eggs, the galls caused by a particular insect (or mite, or fungus...) are remarkably con- stant in form. They provide a better means of identifying the gall-maker than most of us would get by looking at the insect in question! Two groups of in- sects are responsible for a high percent- age of the galls found, the gall midges (Cecidomydae), and the gall wasps (Cynipidac). Within these groups arc many look-alike species. They are best identified by the architecture they create. Most galls don’t do much harm to the plant they grow on-that would be self- defeating. Some, like the galls on our Colorado blue spruces (those brown swellings on the lips of the branches that are so often mistaken for cones by people new to trees), are regarded as unsightly. But unless the tree is already w^cak from some other cause, the spruce galls serve only to prune the tree a little. Other galls that cause the leaves of cer- tain apple and cherry trees to curl and shrivel slightly reduce the plant’s capacity to manufacture food, but are usually not life-threatening. More serious damage is done by gall-makers like hessian flies. Their eggs hatch into voracious larvae, which live in galls at the leaf-stem junctions of the grasses they inhabit, A heavy infestation stunts or kills the hosts, often species of wheat. continued, page 11 Page 6 Aqullegia Volume 13 CONPS Workshops for Fall Bryophytes: An Introduction Bill Jennings The Colorado Native Plant Society workshop series was established with the objective of having something to do during the winter when field trips are impossible. Since the first workshop in January 1985, thirty-five have been held. Our concept of a workshop means bringing together plant lovers and a well-informed instructor who has photographs, herbarium specimens and live plants for the attendees to study hands-on, with opportunities for one- on-one interaction with the instructor as well as lectures to the group as a whole. No special skills or requirements, other than a love of plants and a desire to learn, are necessary for attending a workshop. Even though the descrip- tions may make these workshops sound highly technical, the case is exactly the opposite. The objective is to demystify plant identification and to allow the con- fused but sincere plant lover to better enjoy and understand our native plants. Saturday, February 3, 1990 Dr. David Jamieson The bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) are an interesting, but problematic, group because the structures that must be studied for identification are so small Dr. Jamieson, of Fort Lewis Col- lege in Durango, has been studying the bryophytes in southwestern Colorado for many years. In this workshop, an im- portant complement to our previous ex- cursions into the lower plants (lichens, ferns, and fern allies), he will show us the diagnostic features of the mosses and liverworts, and the distinctions between the genera that can be found in Colorado. Location to be announced, but will be somewhere in the Denver metro area, not in Durango, Number 6 Aquilegia Page? More Winter Workshops Primroses and their relatives in the Rocky Mountains Saturday, February 24, 1990 Dr. Tass Kelso Although there are rather few repre- sentatives of the Primulaceae in Colorado, as one proceeds onto the Colorado Plateau or into the Inter- mountain region, there are a number of interesting rare endemics^ Dr. Kelso will take a regional view in this workshop and cover the genera Frimuia, Andmsace, and Dodecatheon in this family known for its attractive flowers. She is currently working on a key for the western species. If you ever wanted to help construct a key, this is your chance. To be held at Colorado College, Colorado Springs. T Rocky Mountain Moonworts Saturday, March 17, 1990 Peter Root Have you seen a Botrychiuml If you have, you have had an experience many professional botanists have missed. Colorado is the home of perhaps a dozen species of these elusive ferns whose taxonomy has changed much in recent years. We wilt learn how to locate suitable habitats, look for Bottychiiims, and identify them. If time permits, we will also look at Equisetiun and Lycopodium, two genera .of fern-like plants also found in the state. A possible summer trip to a Botrychium location near Denver will also be discussed. Registration for Workshops Enrollment in workshops is always limited, usually due to room constraints, so you must register in advance. Con- tact CONPS workshop coordinator for registration and workshop information: Bill Jennings, P.O. Box 952, Louisville, 80027, phone 303/666-8348. Be sure to include your mailing address and phone number if you mail in your registration. Registrants will be notified by mail about two weeks prior to the workshop regarding final location, time, lunch, suggested references, etc. Please register promptly, as workshops tend to fill up fast. However, cancellations sometimes create openings, so you might want to check with Bill up to the night before the workshop if you want to T try to register at the last minute. Unless otherwise noted, the fee for each full-day workshop is $8 for members and $16 for non-members. Half-day workshops are $5 and $10, respectively. Unless the workshop notice specifies, workshops are full-day and lunch is on your own. If you plan to attend more than one workshop per year as a non- member, it is cheaper to join CONPS as an individual member {$8 per year) and come to workshops as a member. Please hold payments until the day of the workshop. It takes considerable time and effort for the instructors to plan and develop workshops and field trips. Please let us know how you like the workshops and field trips offered by CONPS. We need your suggestions for other workshops and trips, as well as your feedback on whether you found them informative and exciting or dull and uninteresting. We need to know whether we are serv- ing you, our members, the way you wish. B. hesperlum Pages Aquifegia Volume 13 Bill Jennings Included below are the latest develop- ments in the search for the elusive wild orchids of Colorado. There are 24 species known for Colorado, with 3 more likely to be found someday in the state. None is common as wildflowers go and many are very rare and seldom seen by the wildflower-loving public. During 1989, another orchid was iden- tified for Colorado: Habenaria zothecim Higgins & Welsh. This rela- tive of the common green bog orchid seems to be confined to hanging gardens and seepy areas in ’’canyon country," and was previously known only from Utah. During the CONPS Yampa River raft trip in June, Dr. William A, Weber, Tamara Naumann, and I saw this orchid in bud in Bull Canyon near Harding Hole in Dinosaur National Monument. After the trip, Dr. Weber uncovered two herbarium specimens, also from Dinosaur, that undoubtably were the same taxon: one collected by Steve O’Kane in 1987 at a different locality in Harding Hole, and one collected by Rodeck in 1948 at Barn Cave in Redrock Canyon. Specimens collected at Colorado National Monument may also be this species. On July 25, 1 visited Higgins & Welsh’s type locality near Moab, Utah, and collected a specimen for the University of Colorado her- barium. The Barn Cave site was visited September 1, and plants were seen in late bloom and fruit. For most of the twentieth century, the majority of American taxonomists have placed the bog orchids in genus Habenaria^ but Carlyle Luer, in his 1975 book "The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada" used Platanthera, The bog orchids of the western moun- tains were treated by him as the section Limnorchis within genus Platanthera. Limnorchis as an entirely separate genus was proposed by Rydberg in 1900. Dr. Weber has used Limnorchis as the generic name for the bog orchids in his "Rocky Mountain Flora" and "Colorado Flora: Western Slope". THE SEARCH FOR ORCHIDS In the west, the taxa that should be in- cluded InLimnorchis arc;/., hyperborea, L. stricta, L. sparsiflora, L, ensiflora, L. dilatata, L, leucostachys, L. arizonica, L. brevifolia, and Habenaria zothecina. The Colorado species are L, hyperborea, L. stricta, L. ensifoliat L, dilatata^ and H. zothecina. Tamara Naumann discovered a popula- tion of Spiranthes diluvialis in Dinosaur National Monument, just across the state line in Uintah County, Utah, not far from the Dinosaur Quarry. Tamara and I counted 48 plants, mostly in fruit, on August 31. In addition, new popula- tions of S, diluvialis in Boulder County were confirmed. Dr. David Cooper, a specialist in wetland plants, called to my attention a population in an upland tallgrass prairie area near Cherryvale Road (5 plants seen) and along main Boulder Creek just east of the city (19 plants seen), Mark Gershman, a Boulder City Open Space ranger, reported a single plant in 1988 in an upland location similar to the Cher- ryvale Road site, but nothing was found in 1989, The large population near the Denver-Boulder Turnpike only had about 200 plants this year. Over 5(X)0 were seen in 1986, At Prospect Park in Wheat Ridge, over 500 plants were counted, the largest bloom known at that locality. Along Clear Creek at the west edge of Golden, only 5 plants were seen, while in the early 1980’s hundreds were at this spot. continued next page Number 6 Aquilegia Page 9 continued from previous page Al Unaweep Seep in Unaweep Canyon, Mesa County, Scott ElHs and I checked the identity of the Spiranthes that grows there. On July 24, a few dozen orchids were in full bloom on the springy hillside, but they turned out to be Spiranthes romanozoffiana, Unaweep Seep is about 2000 feet lower than any other known S. romanozoffima locality in Colorado. Malaxis brachypoda was seen in "abun- dance" in Colorado this year. In Boulder County, after intensive search, Harold Dahnke, Tim Hogan, and I found 7 plants. In Jeffer.son County, 6 plants were found. In some recent years, only one plant has been seen. There are only three sites known in Colorado, and one has not been revisited since 1895. Two other Malaxis orchids may someday be found in Colorado: M ehrenberpi and M. souiei (M. macrostachya). Both have been found less than five miles south of the Colorado state line near Raton. Epipactis pgantea was found by Tamara Naumann in the Colorado portion of Dinosaur National Monument in 1988, adding Moffat County to the list of West Slope counties where it is known. It turns out to be fairly easy to find in the Utah portion of the Monument, being seen regularly in the canyons in the general area of the Dinosaur Quarry. Mark Gershman discovered a new population at Valleyview Hot Springs in Saguache County. Although no specimen was taken, his excellent photographs confirmed the identifica- tion. A specimen will be sought in 1990. In Escalante Canyon, in the area where Mesa, Delta, and Montrose Counties join, there are at least three hanging gar- dens where can be found. The orchid should be sought in other canyons in this area as well as in the Dolores River Canyon. Persons interested in rare plants arc ad- vised to obtain a copy of the CONPS guidelines for collection of plant specimens, the Colorado Natural Areas Program’s list of plant species of special concern, and then thoroughly know the rare plants before attempting to make herbarium specimens. Any collections cited above have been placed or were seen at the University of Colorado, Brigham Young University, or other western herbaria. Articles cited were seen at the University of Colorado or Denver Botanic Gardens libraries or were obtained through inter-library loan. Pag© 10 Aquilegia Volume 13 PUEBLO WEST/ARKANSAS VALLEY FIELD TRIP, JULY 8, 1989 Rick Brune Although the official temperature in Pueblo was 105®, Jim Borland’s group of asbestos-skinned botanists suffered no ill effects exploring the Niobrara shale hills west of Pueblo, Colorado. Our trip began with an interesting presentation on cement manufacturing at the Ideal Basic Industries cement plant at Portland west of Pueblo. Jim Borland and Ray Patterson (quarry su^ per^sof for Ideal Basic) then led us on a search for rare plants on Ideal Basic property. Here we located the rare MirabU'is mtundifoHa which is endemic to shale hills between Pueblo and Canon City. Because of the extremely dry, hot weather most plants had not flowered and were only about 10 cm tall. They were quickly becoming dry and dor- mant. Without flowers, M rotimdifolia looks very much like M. rnultiflora with which it grows. The leaf differences dis- tinguishing the two species are as- sociated primarily with the lowest leaves, M, rotimdifolia having rounder leaves at the base. These lowest leaves are also the first leaves shed during drought which results in a plant easily mistaken for M multiflora (and vice versa). Another look-alike growing here is M. hirsuta. Both M hirsuta and M rotun- difolia have hirsute stems. Based on vegetative characteristics alone (which may be all that’s present during summer drought), these three Mirabtlis species are very easily misidentified. The rare Parthenium tetraneuris is local- ly abundant on cement plant property on shale knolls. This species was also nearing dormancy due to drought. Flowerless, it is easily overlooked and dismissed as just another low form of Astragalus, Hytnenoxys, Phlox, etc. The range of P, tetraneuris \s mostly limited to the area between Pueblo and Canon City. Here it associates with Frankenia jamesii, Junipems monosperma, Pinits edulis, andArtemisia spp. The F. jamesii appeared least affected by the drought of all species observed. Several Frankenia plants were still producing their delightfully fragrant white blos- soms. Both M rotundifolia and P. tetraneuris are threatened by residential expansion and mining for cement production. Ray Patterson appeared very aware and in- terested in the presence of these two species on Ideal Basic property and he is experimenting with seeding of P, tetraneuris. In addition to rare species, these shale and limestone hills support many other plants including Eriogonum lack- nogynum, Lesquerella fendleri, L. ovaiifolia, Hymenoxys acaulis. Melon- podium leucanthum, Stanleya pinnata, Stipa neomexicana, et al After a few hours on the hot shale, a small nearby stream lured our hot- footed group for a little foot-cooling relief. Here Jim Borland soon dis- covered a new, previously unknown site for a spectacular member of Colorado’s rare flora - Eustoma grandiflora (tulip gentian), A quick search of the im- mediate area turned up two additional plants. The plants had buds but no blos- soms. A more thorough search later in July should determine population size. The only other Eustoma site in the area now lies buried under the dam on the Arkansas River which created Pueblo Reservoir. This new site may be threatened by a proposed mining road in the immediate area. Our plans for a cool lunch break along the Arkansas River were ruined by thousands of people who took over the river and park for a raft race. After a congenial lunch break in the rapidly diminishing shade of the convenience store at Pueblo West, we explored the surrounding area and found drought-in- duced dormancy in most species. A trip to the University of Southern Colorado campus provided us with a look at a small, high quality prairie. Dominated by Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) and Hilaria jamesii (galleta), along with Opunlia imbricata (can- X delabra cactus), this small tract of prairie has amazingly escaped the abuse inflicted on the surrounding landscape. It survives as a weed-free tract of natural vegetation in an otherwise weedy, dis- turbed area. A few wilting purple flowers on the Opuntia provided some color, but again the vegetation was doing what comes naturally during drought — it was dormant. In spite of the drought conditions, Jim Borland again led us on a CONPS field trip to fascinating areas most people sel- dom, if ever, have an opportunity to visit. In addition to rare plants, the Pueblo area has many interesting species and plant communities worth discovering. Many plants, such as Frankenia jamesii, Melampodium leucanthum (hlackfoot daisy), Mirabilis spp. (four o’clock), Stipa neomexicana (New Mexico feathergrass). Zinnia grandiflora and others, are attractive landscape plants. It is unfortunate that our field trips are seldom attended by people from th landscape and nursery trade since man^' fine native species are always seen that can be used in landscaping. Number 6 Aquilegia Page 1 1 _Yet other galls are useful in various The root galls or nodules on the roots of legumes are caused by bacteria. These bacteria use nitrogen (normally biologically inert) to synthesize nitrogen compounds that are usable by their hosts--and other plants. This nitrogen fixation is a vital step in the eventual production of proteins. Think of these galls as fertilizer factories! Some galls produce a high percentage of carbohydrate (63%) and protein (9,3%) and have been used as animal food, especially in the southern states. Some produce a kind of honeydew that is gathered by bees and imparts a special flavor to the honey. Most curious of all is the Aleppo gall, which grows on oak trees in the Middle East. It has a high content (65%) of tannic acid and has been used for generations in the manufacture of dyes and inks. It probably has a longer history of use than any other gall. The Greeks used it to dye wool and even hair. It has long been a required ingredient in the highest "^'"^uality of inks (hence its alternative name of ink marble) and some countries have statutes that require that ink used for court records and currency must be made with the Aleppo gall, so that the documents will never fade. This How to Order Rare Plant Monograph Rare Plants of Colorado is now available at Colorado State Park or National Park visitor centers, the Denver Botanic Gardens gift shop and selected bookstores in the area, including the Tat- tered Cover. You may also order direct from the Rocky Moun- tain Nature Association at $7.95 per copy plus 3% sales tax. Shipping charges are: Order under $10 — $2.50 $10420 - $3.00 over $20.00 - $3.50 Colorado Native Plant Society. .1989. Rare Plants of Colorado. Published in cooperation with the Rocky Mountain Nature As- sociation. Designed by Ann E. Green. ISBN-0-930-487-21-4. 73 pages. Color photographs, line drawings. Order from: Rocky Mountain Nature Association Rocky Mountain National Park Estes Park, CO 80517 country, Germany and England all claim this rule, but whether it is still upheld is another matter! When people don't fully understand the causes and presence of a natural phenomena, legends very often grow to explain them. Galls are no exception. Back in the Middle Ages galls were regarded as supernatural growths (very hard to understand the origin of some- thing caused by an agent so small you can’t even sec it properly!) They were employed to foretell future events. If, when the gall was opened, it contained a maggot, the year would bring Famine. If a fly was found, war was forecast. And, God forbid, if a spider was found! That betokened pestilence. There were no happy outcomes! Anything with so many magical proper- ties was assumed to be something of a cure-all, too! Pliny, in the fifth century BC, recorded twenty three remedies from gall-nuts, including treatment for ulcers, hemorrhages, fevers and burns. This last use is the easiest to understand considering the high tannic acid content of many galls, and even two thousand years later the Aleppo gall is mentioned in the US pharmacopoeia as an in- gredient of burn ointment. There you have it! Don’t say, ”Just a gall..." Galls have added to our folk- lore, have been used to write the docu- ments of history, have contributed to our language, have fed livestock (and in some parts of the world people), and have piqued the curiosity of countryside observers who have noticed those strange bumps and lumps. Quite a story for such tiny and unspectacular insects, mites, fungi, and bacteria and the edible homes they inhabit. Calendar Overview (Xk^CmMa RETURN AND MAILING ADDRESS Colorado Native Plant Society P.O. Box 2oa Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 Additional information about calendar Items will be found throughout this Issue. Winter Workshops February 3rd Bryophytes Leader: Or. David Jamieson February 24th Primroses Leader: Dr. Tass Kelso March 17th Moonworts Leader: Peter Root Other Events Chapter Activities Page 4 Denver Meetings: December 20th, January 24th Boulder Meetings: December 1 2th, January 9th Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit #1475 Denver, Colorado Time Value Material - Mailed on or about December 12 1.273 paid DR- pf Ave- 2.202 CO 8105® jUNtA 1990