The Newsletter
of the Wyoming
Native Piant Society

October 1998
Volume 17, No. 3

In this issue:

WNPSNews 2

Plant Oriented Web Sites 2

Summer Field Trip Reports 3

Desert Yellowhead fact sheet 4

Botany Briefs 5

Dr Reed RolHns 191 1-1998
USDA Deems Salsa a Vegetable
lUCN Study Documents International
Rare Plant Crisis

Upcoming Colorado Native Plant Society

Workshops

Wyoming’s Shirty Mountains 6

Botanist’s Bookshelf 7

The Botany Songbook 8

A trio of mUStBrdS, described by the late Reed
Rollins (see page 5). Top: Small rock cress (Arabis jntsiUa) is
restricted to pegmatite granite outcrops near South Pass,
Wyoming, and is a candidate for listing under the Endangered
Species Act, Center: Daggett rock cress (Arabis pendulma
var. russeola) occurs on limey soils on diy hill slopes, rock
outcrops, and sagebrush communities in southern and central
Wyoming, northern Utah, and western Olorado.

Bottom: Arabis demissa var. languida (also called Daggett
rock cress) occurs in foothills and basin areas of Wyoming,
Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. All three of these species are
closely related and distinguishable only by subtle differences in
leaf pubescence and ffuit position. Illustrations by Isobel
Nichols (top) and Kaye Thome (middle and bottom).

WNPS NEWS

1QQS Annual Meeting : The WNPS annua) mecUng and
field trip were held on Saturday, August 1, 1998 in the Green
River Lakes area of the Wind River Range. Twenty members,
guests, and 2 small dogs attended the meeting and were
treated to a fine day of botanizing and botanically-orienled
socializing (see full report on jrage 3). Members travelled
from as far away as New York and Washington DC to attend
this year’s event, clearly a new long-distance record.

A brief business meeting was held in the morning at the
Bridger-Teton Forest boundaiy near the banks of the Green
River. Charmaine Refsdal Delmatier displayed the society’s
new membership brochure and announced a major donation to
the Society’s scholarship fund from the Green River Chapter
of the Garden Club. Charmaine also discussed her ideas for a
color poster to be produced by the Society for fund-raising and
to raise the awareness of native plants. A committee was
drafted to explore the poster idea. (Anyone else interested in
this committee should contact Char for more information 875-
6437). In other business, progress on the Society’s home page
was discussed, as was the possibility of developing a
membership ^address book” to facilitate contact between
members.

With all the unpredictability of an election in the former
Eastern Bloc, the results of the 1998 elecUon of Society
officers was announced by the Secretary. Officers for 1998/99
are: President - Charmaine Refsdal Delmatier, Vice President
^ Jim Ozenberger, Secretaiy-Tieasurer - Wall Fcrtig, and 2-
year Board Member - Nina Haas. Jennifer Whipple continues
as the second Board member. Thanks were extended to our
out-going Board members Dick Scott and Katy Duffy for their
service the past year.

Members in attendance voted on a list of potential sites for
next years annual meeting and field trips. In a close and
spirited vote, two sites were selected. The desert country of
southwest Wyoming vras chosen for the annual meeting/field
trip (tentatively slated for early June) and the alpine country of
the Beartooth Mountains was chosen for a second field trip in
early to mid August. Look for more details on these trips in a
future issue of the newsletter.

1999 Student Scholarship : Once again, the Society’s
smdent scholarship is available to qualified junior college or
university undergraduates or graduate students studying the
native flora and fimgi of Wyoming. One to three scholarships
will be awarded this spring in the amounts of $300-500,
Interested students should contact the Secretary of the Society
for an application form. Applications are due by 26 Feb. 1999.

New Members * Please welcome the following new
members of WNPS: Margaret Breimeman (Ranchester), Mike
Dauemheim (Cody), Frank (joodyear (Bryn Mawr, PA), Green
River Garden Club (Green River), Deb Tirmenstein (Missoula,
MT), Toni Vigil (Laramie), and Mary Lou Zimmerman
(Douglas)

We're looking for new members : Do you know
someone who would be interested in joining WNPS? Send
their name or encourage them to contact the Society for a
complimentary newsletter.

Attention Readers : We are always looking for articles and
illustrations for the newsletter. Items for the December issue
are needed by 10 December 1998.

Treasurer’s Report : Balance as of 10 October 1998:
General Fund $557.37; 1998-99 Student Scholarship Fund
$1005.00; Total funds: 1562.37 WF

Wyoming Native Plant Society
16G4 Grand Ave., Laramie, WY 82070

President: Charmaine Refsdal Delmatier (Green River)

Vice President: Jim Ozenberger (Jackson)

Secretary-Treasurer: Walt Fertig (Laramie)

Board Members: Nina Haas (Cheyenne)

Jennifer Whipple (Manunoth)

Newsletter Editor: Walt Fcrtig (307) 745-5026 (wk)/e-mail:
clyde@uwyo.edu .

Teton Chapter: PO Box 82, Wilson, WY 83014 (Joan Lucas,
Treasurer). For general information on events, call Katy Duffy
(543-2959).

Contributors to this issue: John “Barney” Baxter, J.F.

Davidson, Walter Fertig (WF), Robin Jonra, Isobel Nichols,
and Kaye Thome.

Plant Oriented Websites : For computer sawy members,
the following websites are available for botanical browsing;

Wyoming Natural Diversity Database : The Wyoming
Natural Diversity Database was established by The Nature
Conservancy in the late 1970s to provide information on the
rare flora and fauna of Wyoming. This program became
affiliated with the University of Wyoming in July 1998. The
database has a new and improved web page with complete lists
of animal and plant species of special concern for Wyoming.
These lists contain information on distribution by county and
management area, natural heritage ranks, and prot^ed status.
The web site can be reached at http://www.uwy0.edu/w5Tidd/.

National Wildflower Research Center : Established by Lady
Bird Johnson in 1982, the center promotes research and
education on the economic and aesthetic values of wildflowers.
Their web site is www.wildflower.org.

Native Plant Conservation Initiative : The initiative is a
consortium of national organizations interested in the
conservation of native plants. Their new site (still under
construction) is http://www'.aqd.nps.gov/natnet/npci.

WNPS homepage : Our page is still under construction, but
hopefully will be ready by January 1999!

2

Summer Field Trip Reports

Annual Meeting/Field Trip (August 1-2) : The annual
field trip to the Wind River Range kicked off with a visit to
Kendall Warm Springs on the banks of the Green River. The
w'ann springs are best known as the home of the Endangered
Kendall Warm Springs dace, a tiny, minnow-like fish. Several
uncommon plants also occur in the area, including Payson’s
bladderpod {Lesquerella paysorjii\ a low-growing mustard
with flattened pods and gray foliage found on travertine cliffs
and bare soil patches. Other plants found along the banks
included w'estem St. John’s w'ort {Hypericum formosum var.
scouleri% an orangish-yellow flowered relative of the
medicinal St. Johns* wort, purple flow'ered Rocky Mountain
fringed gentian {Gentimopsis detonsa var. elegans), and the
lavender-rayed Eaton’s aster i^ster bracteolatus). A matted,
purplish-green plant with irregularly-lobcd leaves perplexed
the group until the discovery of a few flowers and fiuits
revealed it as watercress {Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum).

The Kendall Warm Springs area also contains an
interesting ** 00 ^ water” wetland associated with non-thermal,
calcareous springs. This wetland has a number of uncommon
boreal disjunct species restricted to saturated peats, Wc
observed a number of these species, including the diminuitive
hoary willow {Salix Candida), dagger-fruited Carex
microglochin, and tiny alpine meadow-rue {ThaUctrum
alpinum). The group also located a new aquatic species for the
area, Lemna trisulca.

After lunch, we proceeded to the Green River Lakes at the
upper end of the spectacular Green River valley. Looming
above us were three of the most scenic peaks of the Wind
River Range - Osborn Mountain, Big Sheep Mountain, and
Squaietop Mountain. Our destination, however, was a fen just
north of the lakes. En route we passed through a forest of
lodgepole pine and subalpine fir carpeted with blooming
milkvetches, fireweed, and stonecrop. Just before the Green
River Bridge we encountered a low-growing rabbitbrush-like
plant with larger than normal flower heads. Instead of a
Chrysothamnus, we had stumbled upon a previously unknown
population of narrowleaf goldenweed {Haplopappus
macronetna var. linearis), a Forest Sensitive plant! At the
wetland itself we found another Sensitive plant, the Greenland
primrose {Primula egaliksensis). It took sharp eyes to find the
tiny plants amid the dense grasses and quaking hummocks at
the center of the fen. Other unusual discoveries included baby
boreal toads and a patch of swamp willow-herb {Epilobium
palustre var, palustre), two other specks considered rare in
Wyoming.

The group had diimer and camped at the Green River
Lakes campground at a site reserved for the Society by Jim
Ozenberger. On Sunday morning the meeting ended with the
remaining participants splitting into smaller groups to explore
the Green River Lake trail. One hardy group braved the
unseasonably cool weather and climbed 1 1,800 foot Osborn
Mountain to search for alpine mustards and sedges.

National Elk Refuse wetlands : On July 31, 1998, over 40
nature lovers descended upon the National Elk Refuge for a
tour of wetland plants lead by Walt Fertig, The group first
visited the wetlands along Nowlin Creek to find flatleaf
bladderpod {Utricularia intermedia), a carnivorous aquatic
herb with specialized leaf bladders to capture tiny prey. The
entire Wyoming population of this plant is restricted to the Elk
Refuge. Other interesting species at the site included boreal
aster (Aster borealis), hoary willow (Salix Candida), and
mealy primrose {Primula incana). Our second stop was near
the Flat Creek bridge, where wc searched on hands and knees
for pygmy bulrush {Scirpus rollandii), one of the smallest
plants in the Wyoming flora. This 2-4 inch tall plant consists
of a yellowish green stem, tiny bract-like leaves, and a
lemunal rounded spike of 3-5 dark brown achenes. The entire
plant looks like a vegetable malchstick! After much
searching, we finally located a sizeable patch, one of only 3
known in the state.

Ferris Mount ains/B caver Rim : On June 20, WNPS
members convened at the Three Forits Service Station for a
weekend ofCentral Wyoming botanizing. Our first
destination was the multi-colored slopes on the east side of
Muddy Gap. This high desert site contains a number of
cushion plant species adapted to the diy soils and harsh, windy
climate of the area. One of the more noteworthy species we
observed was the Devils Gate twinpod {Physaria ebumijlora),
a low-growing mustard with silvery balloon-like pods. This
species is restricted to the Sweetwater River Plateau where it
occurs on mudstones, conglomerates, sandstones, limestones,
and granitic rocks. Also present were a number of other
cushion plants, including Phlox muscoides, Cryptantha
caespitosQ, Astragalus simplicifolius, and Oxytropis nana (the
latter two species being endemic to Central Wyoming).

The group then proceeded to the Ferris Mountains via the
Cheny Creek Road. Bob Dom lead the ascent of the north
side of the mountain, where we encountered a rich variety of
flowering foibs, such as bluebells, golden peas (Thermopsis),
woodland-stars (Lithophragma), and lupines.

After ^)ending the night in the Green Mountains, we
proceeded to Cedm Rim on Sunday to locate desert yeliow-
head (Yermo xanthocephalus) and other desert oddites. Cedar
Rim contains the world’s only known population of desert
yellowhead as well as colonies of many other state and
regional endemics, including the Beaver Rim phlox {Phlox
pungens). Cedar Rim thistle {Cirsium aridum), Payson’s
beardtongue {Penstemon paysoniorum), Nuttall’s biscuitrool
{Lomatium nuttatlii), and Devil’s Gate twinpod. Bob Dom
recounted his discoveiy of Yermo while surveying the Beaver
Rim area by dirt bike in 1990. When he first saw them, the
plants were in bud and initially appeared to be a new type of
milkweed iAsclepias), Only when he returned later to collect
flowering material did Bob realize his plant was a new species
(and genus) of Asteraceae. (See page 4 for more on this
species). WF

3

Editors Note: Desert yellowhcad is one of three Wyoming
plant species that are candidates for listing under the
Endangered Species Act. A formal proposal to list this species
as Endangered is being prepared this fall, with a public
comment period to follow. The Bureau of Land Management
is currently working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service
and other stakeholders to develop a management straiegj' for
this species and its limited habitat. To find out more about the
listing proposal or the BLM’s draft conservation plan, contact
Jeff Carroll, BLM state botanist (307-775-6090), Connie
Breckinridge, BLM Lander Resource Area (307-332-8401) or
Mary Jennings, US Fish and Wildlife Service (307-772-2374).
WF

Desert Yellowhead
Yermo xanthocephalus
Fact Sheet

Status: Desert yellowhead was designated a candidate for
listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1996. A proposal
to list it as Endangered is expected by late 1998. The entire
global distribution of the species is limited to about 6 acres of
habitat in the Beaver Rim area of southeastern Fremont
County, Wyoming. 1998 censuses by Dick and Bev Scott of
Central Wyoming College have determined the population to
be approximately 1 1,600 flowering and vegetative individuals.

Description; Desert yellowhead is a tap-rooted, glabrous
perennial heib with leafy stems to 12 inches tall. The leathery
leaves are alternate, lance-shaped to oval, 1 ‘/ 2 -IO inches long,
and often folded along the midvein. edges are smooth or
toothed. Flower heads number 25-180 and are crowded at the
top of the stem. Each head contains 4-6 yellow disk flowers
(ray flowers are absent) surrounded by 5 yellow, keeled,
involucre bracts. The fruits are slightly flattened brown
achenes topped by numerous white pappus bristles. Desert
yellowhead is the only known member of its genus, and is
essentially unique in the entire sunflower family ( Asteraceae)
in having yellow involucre bracts.

Look-alikes: Rosettes superficially resemble those of
broad-leaved species of plantain (Plantago). Rayless Senec/os
differ in having green involucre bracts.

Flowering Period: Flowering occurs from mid-May to
mid-August. Fruits are present from mid-Juiy to early
September.

Habitat; Yermo xanthocephalus occurs on low slopes and
colluvial fans on the Miocene-age Split Rock Formation. It is
restricted to poorly developed soils derived from white or tan
sandstones and clays. Vegetative cover is usually under 5%
and consists of widely scattered cushion plants and bunch-
grasses. Associated species include Cedar Rim thistle
{Cirsium aridum). Hooker’s sandwort Qirenaria hookeri),
Gordon’s ivesia (Ivesia gordortii), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis
hymenoides). Round-leaved goldenpea {Thermopsis
rkombifoiiaX Shortstem wildbuckwheat {Eriogonum
brevicauleX and Squarestem phlox {Phlox muscoides).

Current Management; Desert yellowhead is found
entirely on BLM lands managed primarily for cattle grazing,
oil and gas development, and recreation (mostly hunting and
off road vehicle use).

Potential Threats: This species is considered vulnerable to
extinction due to its restricted habitat, moderate population
size, and impacts from ground disturbing activities. Foremost
among these threats is soil erosion and plant dislodgement by
recreational vehicles using the network of roads in the area.
Disturbance from seismic exploration and development of oil
and wellpads and pipelines are also potential threats.
Livestock trail through the area but do not regularly feed on
Yermo and do not congregate in the area due to a lack of water
and forage.

Conservation Needs: Existing BLM regulations protect
the immediate habitat of Yermo through no-surface occupancj^
regulations on mineral development. The BLM is formulating
a conservation strategy for the species in which the habitat will
be withdrawn from mineral location, existing roads through
the site will be closed, and the establishment of permanent
water tanks or salt blocks for cattle will be banned. Additional
monitoring of the population and the establishment of off-site
seed banks and new colonies will also be a)nducted. There are
no plans presently to designate the population as a special
management area.

Below: Desert yellowhead. Illustration by Robin Jones.

4

Botany Briefe

Reed Rollins 191 M 998 : Reed Rollins, one of the world’s
foremost authorities on the mustard family (Brassicaceae) died
this spring at the age of 86, Rollins, a native of L 3 fTnan,
Wyoming, began his botanical career at the Universi^’ of
Wyoming under the tutelage of Aven Nelson in the 1930s.
From Wyoming, he went on to attain a Masters Degree and
PhD in botany from Washington State and Harvard
universities. During World War II, Rollins worked for the US
Department of Agriculture on the Emergency Guayule Rubber
Research Project studying alternative, domestic sources of
natural rubber. In 1948 Rollins was hired as Director of the
prestigious Gray Herbarium at Harvard, a post he held until
retiring in 1978.

Rollins spent most of his academic career investigating the
systematics of the mustard family. Among his most important
works were monographs of Arab is, Haiimohbos, Lesquerella
(with Elizabeth Shaw), Physaria, Schoenocrambe, Smelowskia
(with W.H. Drury), Stanleya, and Thelypodiopsis, Rollins
described more than 200 new mustard taxa from the United
States, Mexico, and central America. Many of the taxa he
described are Wyoming endemics (or near-endemics),
including demissa var. languida, A. penduUna var*

russeola, A. pusiUa, A. mUiamsii, Descurainia torulosa,

Draba pectinipila, D, porsildii var. brevicuia^ Lepidium
paysonii, Lesquerella arenosa var. argilhsa, L. carinata, L
Jremontii, L paysonii, Physaria coadensata, P. ebumifiora,
and P. saximontana. In addition to naming these species,
Rollins had numerous species and a mustard genus (Rollinsid)
named in his honor.

Rollins’ major, lasting contribution may be his 1993
publication “The Craciferae of Continental North America,
systematics of the mustard family from the Arctic to Panama",
This 976 page tome is a synthesis of the taxonomy of the
entire Brassicaceae in North America and should serve as the
standard reference on his favorite family for many years to
come. WF

USDA Deems Salsa a Vegetable : Seventeen years after the
Reagan administration proposed that ketchup was a vegetable,
the US Department of Agriculture recently declared ketchup’s
culinary cousin, salsa, to be a vegetable. Salsa may now be
used by school districts in developing nutritionally balanced
lunch programs (source; Casper Star-Tribune, 1 July 1998).
WF

lUCN Study Documents International Rare Plant Crisis : At

least one plant species in eight on Earth is in danger of
extinction, according to a new study released by the World
Conservation Union (lUCN) this past April. The lUCN’s "red
book” for plants indicates that 34,000 vascular plant species
worldwide (out of 270,000 documented species) are at risk,
due largely to habitat destruction and competition from exotic
species. According to the report this number may be “just the
tip of the iceberg” because little data are available for nian>'
countries experiencing rapid habitat loss (such as Brazil and
nations of the Caribbean and central Africa).

To qualify for the threatened list, a species had to be known
from fewer than 100 locations and have fewer tlian 10,000
individuals. Based on these criteria, approximately 29% of the
flora of the United States made the list, figures that are
comparable to the 25% estimate of numbers of US species in
danger cited in a 1987 study by the Center for Plant
Conservation.

The “1997 lUCN Red List of Threatened Plants” is the
product of more than 20 years of study and was produced in
collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, World Wildlife
Fund, Nature Conser\'anc>', Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew
and Edinburgh, and 10 other international government and
private research groups. The complete list is available on the
internet at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre’s home
page (www.wcmc.org.uk), WF

Upcoming Colorado Native Plant Society Workshops : Our
sister society “south of the border" has a number of w-orkshops
planned for the fall and winter to assist botanists in improving
their botanical skills. These workshops are taught by local
experts who require only a love of plants and a desire to learn
as prerequisites. To register for these workshops, contact Bill
Jennings of the Colorado Native Plant Society at 303-665-
6903 or PO Box 952, Louisville, CO, 80027. Workshop fees
are $12 for CNPS members and $24 for non-members ($12 of
which goes towards a membership).

Workshops scheduled for Fall 1998-Winter 1999 include
the following:

“The Helleboraceae in Colorado”. Leaders: Bill Jennings
& Bob Nold. Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder.
Dates: Sat., 7 November 1998 & Sun., 8 November 1998. The
Helleboraceae is a segregate family split from the
Ranimculaceae and includes genera with follicular fruits, such
^Aconitum, Aquilegia, Delphinium, dc Troliius.

“The Poaccae: how to know the tribes in the grass family”.
Leader: Dr. David Buckner. Location; Foothills Nature
Center, Boulder. Dates: Sat., 5 December 1998 and Sun., 6
Dec. 1998. Focus on idendficalion of tribes within the grass
family.

“Chenopodiaceae: the goosefoot family”. Leader; Dr. Hugh
Wilson. Location: University of Colorado, Boulder, Dates;
Sat., 16 January 1999 and Sun., 17 January 1999,

Identification of members of the goosefoot family, with an
emphasis on plains species.

“Colorado’s missing flora". Leader: Susan Spackman.
Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder. Dates; Sat., 13
February 1999 and Sun., 14 February 1999. Discussion of
plant species thought to be extirpated in Colorado by the
botanist for the state natural heritage program.

“Polemoniaceae of Colorado”. Leader: Dr. J. Mark Porter.
Location; University of Colorado, Boulder. Dates: Sat., 6
March 1999 and Sun., 7 March 1999, Recent research on the
genus Gilia and a segregate taxon, Alicella,

“Botanical illustration; field sketching”. Leader: Carolyn
Crawford. Location; Foothills Nature Center, Boulder. Dates:
Sat., 17 April 1999 and Sun,, 18 April 1999. Focus on
drawing plants and plant parts in the field with dry media
presented by a leading Rocky Mountain area artist.

5

Wyoming’s Shirley Mountains

By Walter Fertig

Conventional mountain ranges in Wyoming are
characterized by high, snow-capped peaks, large expanses of
conifer forests, and an abundance of water. These areas are
often well protected in national parks or wilderness areas, or if
not, arc usually managed with at least some emphasis on
recreation and wildlife values. Far less attention is given to
the *‘unconvent!onar desert mountains of the state, especially
the ranges that dot the central basins between the Laramie
Range and the Wind Rivers. These bastions of rock and trees
are important islands of habitat for montane plants and
animals in a sea of semi-desert sagebrush grasslands.

The Shirley Mountains of northern Carbon County, are
one such example of an unheralded but biologically significant
desert mountain range in central Wyoming, The Shirleys are
an uplift of Precambrian granite and Paleozoic sandstone and
limestone. Atbough they rise only 1800 feet above the
surrounding Shirley Basin and Sweetwater Plateau, this
elevation gain is sufficient to effect changes in the vegetation
of the range. While the adjacent basins are dominated by’
greasewood, saltbush, and sagebrush oommumties, the Shirley
Mountains contain a mosaic of montane grassland, shrub,
aspen, and conifer vegetation types that contain over 300
species of vascular plants. Th^ commumties provide
important habitat for animals, including elk, mule deer,
pronghorn antelope, sage grouse, and raptors.

The most extensive plant communities in the Shirley
Mountains are forests of subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and
lodgepole pine. Common understory species include grouse
whortleberry, common juniper, Canada buffalobeny, Oregon-
grape, Ross’ sedge, interior bluegrass, and Sidebells pyrola.
These forests may be interspersed with groves of aspen in
areas that are moister or have more fertile soils. Although
limited in area, aspen woodlands are especially rich in
understory shrubs, grasses, and foibs, such as snowbeny,
Woods’ rose, elk sedge, northern bedstraw, Fendler’s meadow-
rue, and sweet-cicely.

Woodlands of limber pine become abundant on south
facing slopes and rocky exposures of limestone in the Shirleys.
These communities typically have a more open understory
than other conifer types and may intergrade into drier
shrubland vegetation. Metamorphosed rock outcrops within
the limber pine zone may support a variety' of “ledge" plants
capable of exploiting sh^ow pockets of soil in boulder and
cliff crevices. Ferns such as the woolly Fee’s lipfem. Brewer’s
cliff-brake, and bladder fern may grow in these sites.
Brandegee’s Jacob’s- ladder {Folemonium brandegei\ an
aromatic whitish-flowered cousin of the purple alpine sky-
pilot, may also occur here. This species has a patchy
distribution elsehwere in the southern Rocky Mountains.

The ShirlQ^ Mountains are relatively dry and have few
permanent ponds or perennial streams. Wetland vegetation
types are thus quite uncommon. Occasional stands of water
birch and mountain alder are found on alluvial soils and

support a rich association of sedges and foibs. One of the
more unusual species in this community’ is the twisted-stalk
{Streptopus amplexifolius). This member of the lily family has
broad, clasping leaves each with a single, small, creamy flower
borne on a thin stalk that is bent at 90 degrees.

Shrub communities are prominent in rocky' meadows and
slopes on granitic and lim estone substrates. Mountain big
sagebrush grasslands with Idaho fescue or bludmnch
wheatgrass are especially widespread in opemngs amid limber
pine or lodgepole pine. In vall^ sites. Great Basin wild lye or
western wheatgrass may become the most important grass
species. Black sagebrush or thieetip sagebrush may become
locally important on limestone dipslopes with thin soils.
Mountain mahogany and chokccherry may also predominate
on rockier sites and talus slopes.

Some sites at the northwest end of the mountains have soils
that are too dry, shallow, and wind exposed to support
extensive shrub or grass cover. These areas are dominated by
cushion plants, although threetip sagebrush and Sandberg
bluegrass may be locally present. The low suture, clustered
gray-hairy leaves, and deep roots of cushion plants allow them
to secure and retain enough moisture to survive in this rugged
microenvironment. Among the mat species present here are
Alpine bladderpod, few-seeded draba, Scribner’s fleabane,
stemless goldcnwced, and spoonleaf niilkvetch.

Another cushion plant found sporadically in the Shirley
Mountains is the Laramie false sagebrush {Sphaeromeria
simplex). This species is restricted to calcareous ridges and
foothill slopes of the Laramie Range, Shirley Mountains, and
other isolated ridges rimming the Shirley Basin and was once
a candidate for potential listing as Threatened or Endangered.
Surveys in 1995-1996 by Walt Fertig and Bob Dom indicate
that the Shirley Mountain population contains 15,000-18,000
individuals in 7 main subpopulations. Even larger populations
have been discovered at other sites in the Laramie Range by
Etom, Ron Hartman, Ernie Nelson, and Amy Roderick since
1997. The Shirely Mountain populations are potentially
threatened by road construction and habitat damage from off-
road vehicles.

Most of the Shirley Mountains are managed primarily by
the Bureau of Land Management, although a number of small,
isolated private tracts are also present. Large areas of forest
have recently been clearcut on some private inholdings,
creating significant erosion problems and degradation of
wildlife habitat. The BLM has scaled back its own plans for
logging in the area and has taken measures to close two track
roads in deference to wildlife habitat concerns and non-
motorized recreation. Hopefully these changes will ensure the
continued viability of the Shirl^ Mountain ecosystem for all
to enjoy.

6

1998. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx* NY, 937 pp.
$125.00 hardcover.

Above: Brandegee’s-Jaoob’s ladder by J, F, Davidson (from
Univ. California Publ. Botany 23:209-282 (1950).

Botanist's Bookshelf

Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual
- Illustrations of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern
United States and Adjacent Canada. By Noel Holmgren*
with artistic and editorial assistance of Patricia K. Holmgren*
Robin A. Jess, Kathleen M. McCauley* and Laura Vogel.

No matter what level of plant identificaticn skills a botanist
possesses, he or she is always glad to haw a good picture to go
along with a key or species description. Although there is no
“picture book” that covers the entire Wyoming flora, there are
a number of books that cover parts of the state or certain
taxonomic groups. Tlie Northwest Flora and Intermountain
Flora cover much of the state, but do not cover many of the
Great Plains or Eastern Deciduous Forest species found
commonly in the eastern third of Wyoming. The new^
“Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquisi’s Manual"
helps fill this void.

As its title implies, The “Illustrated Companioii” is
intended to supplement the second edition of Gibson and
Cronquist’s “Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern
United States and Adjacent Canada” published by the New
York Botanical Garden in 1991. While the older book
contains keys and brief descriptions* the new “Companion”
consists solely of line drawings. Each drawing is cross-
referenced to the appropriate species and page number from
the manual, facilitating comparisons between the two books.

Most of the drawings were originally prepared for the three
volume “New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora of the
Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada” published
in 1952, This series has long been out of print and significant
changes in nomenclature have occurred since its publication.
The original plates from 1952 have been reproduced in a new
format, reorganized following more current taxonomic
concepts, and often supplemented with new close-up drawings
of diagnostic features.

In addition to its sdentifre value, the “Illustrated
Companion" is a worthy addition to one’s library simply for
the beauty of the line drawings. The drawings are almost all
of exceptionally high quality, being both accurate and
beautiful. It is c^ous that most of the artists based their work
on living material* rather than folded and flattened herbarium
specimens (this is especially evident in the wonderful
drawings of the Asteraceae). The layout of the book is also
very attractive and the large size of the drawings makes the
work easy to use. I did, however, find it distracting when the
scale of drawings differed greatly between plates (such as
Orobanche unijlora shown at natural size but towering over
its much larger relatives shown at size), and when drawings
of the same genus are spread over many pages and intermixed
with other genera (as was done with Danthonia and
Muhienbergia).

Although this book is intended for a noitheastem US
audience, Wyoming botanists wiU find it extremely useful in
that II 17 of the approximately 4400 illustrated taxa occur in
the state (40% of Wyoming’s flora). It is a worthwhile
companion to other illustrated regional floras. WF

7

The Botany Song book
Pistii'Packin Mama’

By John “Barney" Baxter, with apologies to “Bing" Crosby

Bing Crosby, one of the pioneers of radio crooning,
would be compietely forgotten today except for the fact
that his recording of White Christmas is played every
year from November 1 until December 26 (last year I
heard it exactly 1,687 times).

Actually Bing chalked up quite a few hit songs. Once
in the dim and distant past he recorded one called
“Pistol-packin’ Mama" which inciuded the words “Lay that
pistol down, babe, lay that pistol down, pistol-packin'
mama’. I'm always reminded of that song when I think
about the amazing yucca moth {Pronuba yuccasetia).

Dainty little yucca moth, moth of pearly white,
You keep working frantically through the day and
night.

Gathering that pollen, babe, and laying lots of
eggs.

Work that's very stressful on your slender little
legs.

Pack that pistil full, babe,

Pack that pistil full,

Pistil-packin’ mama,

Pack that pistil full.

The Wyoming Native Plant Society, established in 1981, is a
non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the
appreciation and conservation of the native flora and plant
communities of Wyoming. The Society promotes education
and research on native plants of the state through its
newsletter, field trips, and annual student scholarship award.
Membership is open to individuals, families, or organizations
with an interest in Wyoming’s flora. Members receive
Castiileja, the Society^s quarterly newsletter, and may take
part in all of the Society’s programs and projects, including
the annual meeting/field trip held each summer. Dues are $5
annually.

To join the Wyoming Native Plant Society, return the
membership form below to:

Wyoming Native Plant Society
1604 Grand Ave.

Laramie, WY 82070

Wyoming Native Plant Society

Name:

Address:

$5.00 Regular Membership

$15.00 Scholarship Supporting Member

0.00 goes lo the annual scholarship fund)

Wyoming Native Plant Society
1604 Grand Ave,

Laramie, WY 82070

S