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Wyo.ming I'iATivE Plant Society

WYOMING NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWS LETTER, Vol. 3 in November 1933

NOTICE: The 1983 dues were due by the 4th of July passed. Only 14 of the 58
members from last year renewed their dues. If your name has a black
spot behind it on the address label, you need to renew your member-
ship with $3.00. This will be the last notice, RWL

Minutes of 1983 Annual Meeting : R, Dorn called the meeting to order on 3 July
1983 along the Sweetwater River at WY Rt . 28 (relocated the night before
because of rain). Members in attendance were R. Dorn, J. Dorn, D, Martin,

E. Evert, A. Aldrich, V, Wheeler, and R. Llchvar, Based on paid dues only 3
members were needed for a quorum. The 1982 minutes were approved as published.

The officers reported the following news: Vice President A, Aldrich had none;
Secretary /Treasurer R, Lichvar reported $281.60 currently in society checking
account and only 14 members had renewed their dues.

Old news was discussed next, Dugout Gulch was highlighted by R. Dorn, In
doing so, he reviewed Barry Johnston's recommendations to the USES (which were
middle of the road) and the Involvement of The Nature Conservancy, R. Llchvar
added to the Conservancy discussion. This unique area and others were
discussed in more detail later. Other topics such as Rare and Uncommon Areas
and Conservation Committees were also discussed. The members felt that a
society that was strictly a network of data exchange was a flop. Only a well
planned and active involvement could save some Wyoming native species or land-
scapes.

The following were elected the 1983-34 officers: President E, F, Evert,

Vice President M, Stromberg, Secretary /Treasurer V, Wheeler, Board Member A.
Aldrich.

The next topic was new business. Many members in attendance felt our
relaxed meetings were worthless. Some points brought up were: better maps to
meeting sites, better logistics, more things on the agenda (cash bar),
organized field trips, and at least a 3 day annual meeting,

A vote was then taken on the next year’s meeting place. The following
places were voted on: Beartooth Plateau 7 votes, Big Horn Mts, 0 votes, and
Minnie's Gap 0 votes. The Bear tooths won and will be hosted by the northwestern
Wyoming alpine expert himself, E. F. Evert. He will be aided by D, Martin and
R, Llchvar, Evert will plan an intense 3 day annual meeting on the Beartooths
next August.

The next topic was the newsletter. The following topics were discussed:
Beartooths, an introduction to the next annual meeting; botanical collectors,
keep writing in newsletters; dlsjuncts and rare species, discussion of life
history of these species in Wyoming; unique plant communities, same as rare
species; fieldwork, keep publishing in newsletter; references, on Wyoming plants;
odd balls, like Lyslchiton americana and Rhododendron albiflorum in Wyoming and
what is the real story behind these reports; more UW Input, more news from the
Rocky Mountain Herbarium so we don't think someone put them in the jar with
Bessey; and finally a more active conservation effort from the society,

A motion to adjourn was made and the meeting then adjourned. RWL

Treasurer’s Report : The last balance was $253.60. Deposits = $63,00; Cost of
Newsletter 2(4) = $16.00. New balance - $300.60, RWL for VW

Draft EIS for the MX : In the recently released DEIS for the MX missile system
in southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska, a candidate endangered plant species
has been identified as being significantly and adversely affected by the
development of the system. This plant, Gaura neomexicana ssp, coloradensis
(Colorado Butterfly Plant), is located within and adjacent to Warren Air Force
Base and will be impacted by new roads being built to transport the missiles
from Che storage area to the deployment area. In section 1-14 to 1-20 of the
DEIS, three proposed alternatives for new roads are given. They are: proposed
action R2, a new road through the habitat; alternative R1 , to use existing
roads but two overpasses have to be dug beneath to get transports under 1-25;
alternative R3 , move roads to the north and south to avoid overpasses but still
put the new road through the habitat.

2

We would like everyone to write to: Major Peter Walsh, AFRCE-BMS/DEV , Norton
AFB, CA 92409. In doing so (as a member of the society), please explain that
bisecting the habitat of this species would adversely affect its habitat. Some
reasons for this are: restricted distribution of the species, alteration of
stream flow, changing water saturation levels in the soil during germination
periods, siltation, permenent removal of known habitat, unknown water require-
ments could be changed during growing season, and the species may require natural
flooding of habitat which could be eliminated through flood control to protect
these roads.

The society chooses alternative Rl which doesn't put new roads through the
habitat and, if possible, to adapt alternative R3 to avoid overpass problems.

If a road is necessary through the habitat, then further studies need to address
the above mentioned problems. We do not wish to stop the road but only protect
the species. Again, everyone must write. RWL

System of Natural Areas Needed for Wyoming : Wyoming has been fortunate. Less
than 11 :, only 7 species, of its vascular plants are considered endangered or
threatened. Furthermore, since the state's Inception, no vascular plant species
are known to have suffered extinction. Wyoming has ostensibly untouched wide
open spaces, magnificent forests, and majestic alplands — all still basically
intact. Will Wyoming continue to be so fortunate?

Experience with older states in more advanced stages of development-degradation
suggest otherwise. The state of Illinois furnishes an example, with about the
same number of vascular plant species in its Indigenous flora as Wyoming; Illinois
has 14% of its vascular plants, about 370 species, on its threatened and
endangered list and 2%, about 50 species, have been extirpated. Of course,
development and degradation has elapsed over a much longer time in Illinois than
in Wyoming so these figures are not surprising. Clearly, Illinois has not been
as fortunate as Wyoming. However, Illinois implemented in 1963, perhaps too
belatedly to do much good, a preservation system. The Illinois Nature Preserve
System was established to secure, of what remained, the benefits of land in its
natural condition. Certainly, Illinois is not unique in this regard. We all
know that scores of states have established similar systems. Wyoming, on the
other hand, despite increasing population and development has not seen fit to
create any such system for the preservation of its natural diversity. Must
Wyoming compile statistics comparable to the Illinois situation before it acts?

I hope not. Certainly nothing will be gained by waiting. I would think that
most of us would agree that there is certainly a need, perhaps urgent need, for
the establishment of state mandated natural or scientific areas to insure the
continued existence free from development and exploitation of unusual, significant,
or outstanding examples of Wyoming’s natural environment.

Future issues of the WNPSKL will be devoted in part to exploring ways by
which the WXPS and its members can be instrumental in bringing some sort of
preservation system into existence and will also focus on various lands that
are worthy of inclusion in such a system. Your comments and suggestions on
candidates for inclusion in the system and how to effectively go about implementing
and shepherding legislation for this worthy endeavor are needed- Hopefully ,
some sort of forum can be fostered on these pages concerning these issues. EFE

Botanical Novelties ; The last episode left F. V. Hayden returning from the
Raynold's Expedition in 1860. This was the last major exploring expedition in
the West conducted by the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. The Civil War
broke out in 1361 and in the midst of it, the Corps was legislated out of
existence. Western botanical collecting came to a virtual standstill until
about 1867. At this time there began a political struggle between civilian
geologists and the Army for the action in the West. Clarence King, a civilian,
somehow obtained money from Washington in 1867 for geological exploration of the
40th parallel. William Bailey was appointed botanist but he took sick after about
9 months and was forced to return to the East. He was replaced by Sereno Watson,
one of Che camp workers- Watson visited southwest Wyoming in 1869, His results
were published in 1871 as Part 5 of King's "Report of the Geological Exploration
of the Fortieth Parallel." Watson described many new species including
Cymopterus longlpes and Progenia linearif olia . He is remembered for Penstemon
watsonll , Cryptantha watsonii , and others. Not bad for the camp dish washer!

Hayden got back in action in 1869 as United States Geologist conducting the
United States Geological Survey of the Territories. In 1869 and 1870 he covered
the area from Cheyenne to the Uintas. In 1871 and 1872 he worked in the
Yellows Cone-Tetoit area. Hayden was now concentrating on geology but had with
him in 1871 and 1872, John Coulter and Thomas C- Porter, respectively, to collect
plants.

Coulter is remembered for his Manual of the Botany of the Rocky Mountain
Region , 1SS5, the first such work covering the area. He actually described very
few species and few were named after him (like Erlgeron coulterl ) . But as
editor of the Botanical Gazette, he was extremely helpful in getting Aven
Nelson well on his way to a successful career in botany. He ultimately asked
Aven Co revise hiS 1885 Manual. The "New Manual" (popularly known as Coulter 6
Nelson) was printed in 1909,

3

Porter (not to be confused with C. L, Porter who was at Laramie in later years)
was a Professor of Botany at Lafayette College, Pennsylvania. He also collected
out of Ft. Bridger in 1873, He described Trif olium li_aydenii and Anemone tetonensis
and is remembered for Ligusticum porter! and Porterella carnosula^ ~ “

The Hayden expeditions, as they were called, continued in other western states
and returned to Wyoming in 1877 when they visited the Red Desert, the Wind Rivers,
the Green River Basin, and the western edge of the .state. The Yellowstone-Teton
country was visited again in 1878. Botany became of lesser importance and
political battles between the civilian geologists, primarily Hayden and John
Wesley Powell, resulted in Congress consolidating the various geological surveys
into one in 1879 with Powell arranging for Clarence King to be the new director.
King resigned a year later and Powell replaced him. Botany had one last fling
in the "Survey" as we will see in a later episode. RDD

^me Notable Collections for 1963 : Continuing field work in the N. Fk. Shoshone
River drainage uncovered the following interesting material: Hedeoma drummondii
and Juncus interior — first collections west of the Bighorn Mts . ; Carex diandra,

Li St era borealis , Arabis microphylla , Muhlenbergla andina, Adoxa moschatellina
and Sparganium angustif olium — seldom collected in the state or new for Park Co,;
Eragrostis pectinacea — a range extension from the se. part of the state;

Artemisia arbuscula the most easterly collection to date for this species; and
two new stations for the rare Carex incurvlf ormis . A trip Into the seldom
botanized overly "seismosized" Kerwln mining area {Wood River drainage) yielded
a spate of interesting species so far not collected either this far east, west,
north, or south in the Absarokas; these included Erlgeron leiomerus [Editor's
nots: collected there in 1980 by RWL and RDDj, Potentilla brevifolia, Angelica
roseana , Aquilegia caerulea . Primula parry! , ^epis elegans, Erigeron humilis,
incurvif ormis , and Carex bipartita . Also in the Absarokas, Dave Martin
and I managed to find among the hordes of sheep on Carter Mtn. the seldom
collected Thalictrum alpinum , Helictotrichon hookeri, and Viola canadensis
(we managed to find them before the sheep did) ,

A two day field trip on the other side of the Bighorn Basin produced the
following new records for the Bighorn Range alpine zone; Juncus biglumis ,

;J' castaneus , Isoet es bolanderi , Carex yes Ica r ia , Eleocharls pauciflora,

Kobresia bellardii , Poa lettermanii , Agrostis borealis , Gentianella tenella ,
Gentiana prostrata , Draba apiculata , Salix rotundifolia , and Saxif raga cernua .

With additional collecting, the Bighorn alpine (certainly under-collected) is
looking less and less depauperate each year. The Beartooths on the other hand,
certainly have had their fair share of collecting and thus display one of the
richest documented alpine floras in the state; nevertheless, the following
first collections were taken: Arnica rydbergli , Gaultheria liuintf usa , Juncus
parryi , Parnassia kotzebuei , Polygonum douglasii, Poa arctica., and Vaccinium
scoparlum . ~

Finally, a trip through Yellowstone Park and Into the Togowotee-Bonneville
Pass area brought to light De s champ sia danthonioldes and Juncus fillformis —
both new for the park and Kobresia bellardii , Draba crassa , Luzula wahlenbergii
and Ranunculus pedatif idus — these four previously uncollected in the Togowotee
area. EFE

RWL=Robert W. Lichvar
VW=Virginia Wheeler
EFE=E. F, Evert
RDD=Rohert D. Dorn