CLAYTONIA Volume 37, No 1 Spring 2017 Newsletter of the Arkansas Native Plant Society Special Theo Witsell in a glade in Baxter Co., rediscovering a lost milkweed for Feature the state: Asclepias stenophylla, narrow-leaf milkweed, previously known from a single, 1953 collection of Dwight Moore's from a similar habitat in Carroll Co., in north Arkansas. 2016 Fall Meeting Minutes Page 17 2017 Spring Treasurer 's Report Page 18 New Members and Life Members Page 19 2017 Spring Meeting Details Page 20 Membership Application Page 22 ( " ^ President's Message Page 23 ^ 1 White snakeroot, Eupatorium rugosum (Ageratino altissima). Photo by Michael Weatherford. LOVERS' LEAP TRAIL AN PS Fall Meeting, Mena September 24, 2016 By Eric Sundell With Arkansas' hot and droughty summers, woodlands on north- facing slopes are promising sites for an unusually rich diversity of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers-suggestive of the flora of much wetter places, like, say, the Smokey Mountains. The north-slope leg of Rich Moun- tain's Lovers' Leap Trail was not a disappointment. Eric Sundell and John Simpson led morning and after- noon walks there, with the help of Virginia McDaniel in the morning and Burnetta Hinterthuer and Travis Marsico in the afternoon. Thirty-two happy naturalists joined the two walks, and it was especially nice to see Robert Wright again, a charter member and past-president, and our first newsletter editor in the ear- ly 1980s. Under bitternut and mockernut hick- ories, white oak, basswood, black cherry, and cucumber magnolia [sic!], the understory comprised a dense layering of shrubs and smaller trees. Slippery elm, pawpaw, and witch-hazel grew in profusion, with occasional sassafras, the glorious silverbell (alas, none of the inter- esting inch-long, winged fruits were seen), and wahoo (Euonymus atro- purpureo- a treat for down-staters), with a few of its seed capsules starting to blush. Every elm sampled (chewed) passed the boiled okra slime test-an impressive concentra- tion of slippery elm, which takes its name from the texture of the inner bark, not the feel of the upper leaf surface, which is sandpaper-rough. We couldn't decide on the witch- hazel: As Virginia told the group, "If it flowers in November with yellow pet- als, it'll be common witch-hazel; if it flowers in February with more orange in the petals, its vernal witch- hazel." (Or words to that effect.) A wooded slope is common witch-hazel territory-vernal likes a rocky creek bed. But the site was so moist that spice bushes grew up and down the slope, a couple of them reaching heights of 10-15 feet (spice trees!). Ohio buckeyes (yellow-flowered in spring) were abundant, but only one of those bizarre, somewhat prickly, leathery capsules with the giant seeds was spotted (by eagle- eye John Perrin). In patches, the ground was covered with coral- berry or buckbrush, Symphoricar- pos orbiculatus, and a few of the bushes had their fruits starting to color. Wildflowers were sparse, typical of deep shade. The most fun was jumpseed (Virginia knotweed), Po- lygonum (Persicorio) virginianum, a herbaceous perennial with touch- sensitive fruits. If the little achenes are ready to fire, a stroke along the fruiting spike sends them flying a foot or two through the air. Closely related hedge smartweed, Polygo- num (Fallopio) scandens, appeared in clearings, a native like jumpseed, but like any vine, aggressively cover- ing neighboring vegetation when it had the chance. A third smartweed, lady's thumb, Polygonum persicaria (Persicaria maculosa), is an alien in- vasive annual with pretty pink flow- ering spikes. (Continuted on next page.) 2 (Continued from previous page.) In the sun at wood borders, the stems straggled out for 2-3 feet. Along the trail, in partial shade, it peeped coyly out from under the rocks, like a well-behaved native. So here were three closely related spe- cies of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), with three very different roles in the local habitat. White snakeroot, Eupotorium ru- gosum (Agerotino oltissimo), was in full bloom, especially in open woods, with beautiful, pure white flowering heads. The species is highly toxic, causing a disease in cattle called "trembles" and in humans, acquired by drinking the milk of infected cows, "milksickness." In Poisonous Plants of the United States and Can- ada, John M. Kingsbury writes that, historically, milksickness "occasionally reached epidemic pro- portions in certain areas of the Unit- ed States, locally and sporadically causing loss of human life second to no other disease." Fatalities of that magnitude, he says, are impossible today under current practices in dairy farming and animal husband- ry. And interestingly, the AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injuri- ous Plants, published by the Ameri- can Medical Association in 1985, does not mention either milksick- ness or white snakeroot. Other notables included two cohorts of the nettle family, clearweed and wood nettle, the former abundant, lovely (with translucent stems), and innocuous, the latter occasional and armed with stinging hairs. The sunflower family, Arkansas' largest in species numbers, was represented by white wood asters and rattle- snake root, Prenanthes altissima, in addition to the white snakeroot, and by two rare species that Virginia pointed out, Ouachita goldenrod, Solidago ouachitensis, and Wal- ter's crownbeard, Verbesina waiter i (in Arkansas, documented only from Polk Coun- ty). Ferns were not common for such a moist and shady habi- tat: we saw some broad beech fern, Christmas fern, north- ern maidenhair, and Burnetta noticed frag- ile fern, Cystopteris sp. At Lovers' Leap, the turn-around point for most of us, (a few completed the loop trail around to the south side of the mountain), there is a wooden deck with a pano- ramic view of the surrounding coun- tryside. And the view was grand-but most interesting was a foaming white plant that monopolized the steep, rocky slopes below us. This turned out to be jointweed, Polygonella americana, yet another member of the buckwheat family, and completely unexpected: the last time ANPSers got to admire this gor- geous, uncommon shrub (well, the last time I know about) was in Sep- tember, 2010, at a fall meeting in Ouachita County, when Meredith York led a walk through the Chidester sand barrens. There, it grew in deep sand; at Lovers' Leap, on thin, rocky soil. What a nice, sun- ny, beautiful climax to a fine walk in the deep, shady woods! Rich Mountain— View from Lovers' Leap includes blooming jointweed, Polygonella americana. Photo by Michael Weatherford. Typically one of the earliest of spring bloomers, these fall Dutchman's breeches were seen, apparently in fruit (of-the -loom, of course). Photo by John Simpson. AN PS 2016 Fall Meeting Pine-Bluestem Project Ouachita National Forest Field Trip Report By Burnetta Hinterthuer Susan Hooks and I co-led a trip to the USFS Pine Bluestem Project -a 200,000 acre habitat dominated by shortleaf pines, bluestem grasses and other native plants. This habitat is home to a thriving population of red-cockaded woodpeckers as well as many other species of plants and animals. Those of us who attended the field trip on Saturday morning were rewarded with an abundance of native plant species that have been regenerated since manage- ment practices to establish a diverse forest through use of selective thin- ning and prescribed fire have been implemented. Tail-grass prairie species in the aster family dominated the wildflowers. This was the first time I had ever seen Liatris elegans blooming; it was beautiful and plentiful along with other showy species such as the goldenrods Solidogo petiolaris, Soli- dogo nemoralis, Solidago ulmifolia; asters Symphyotrichum patens var. patens - late purple aster, lonactis lariifolia aka Aster linariifolius— stiff leaf aster; pale purple coneflower, Echinacea pallida , and Helianthus hirsutus, hairy sunflower. In several open areas, there was a fairly dense ground cover in basal rosettes of cudweed/rabbit tobacco and hawk- weed, respectively Gnaphalium ob- tusi folium and Hieracium gronovii. Fifty species of legumes have been recorded in this restoration project. We noted several species of Des- modium, beggars' lice, native lespedezas such as Lespedeza re- pens , and the introduced invasive Lespedeza cuneata prolific along the roadside, plus Chamaecrista nictitans, sensitive patridge pea, and Baptisia alba, white wild indi- go. Acalypha gracilens, three seed mercury, and Cunila origanoides , dittany, and Pityopsis gra minifolia var. latifolia , narrowleaf silkgrass were common species scattered throughout the area; one large Cal- licarpa americana was colorful in fruit with Aureolaria fiava, yellow false foxglove which was flowering. Pycnanthemum albescens, white- leaf mountain mint, was both color- ful and fragrant. Ceanothus ameri- cana, New Jersey tea, was one of the small shrubby plants along with fragrant sumac, Rhus aromatica. Grasses included Andropogon glomeratus - bushy bluestem, An- dropogon gerardii, big bluestem, and Andropogon virginicus, broom- sedge; Eragrostis perennans - pur- ple lovegrass; Indian grass- Sor- ghastrum nutans , Schizachyrium scoparium - little bluestem, and Vir- ginia wild rye - Elymus virginicus were the prominent grasses along the roadside and in the openings of the forest. Shortleaf pine is the na- tive pine to this area, and it is in the older trees that red-cockaded woodpecker nests have been de- signed that are made to exclude squirrels and snakes. We were able to get a close look at a couple of these trees, but we did not spot any woodpeckers. This field trip was in- teresting due to the high diversity of plants and easily accessible as we simply drove down the Forest Ser- vice Road from one stop to the next. Susan told us that the number of woodpeckers has gradually in- creased in the years she has watched this restoration evolve. The closed canopy sites are interspersed with the selectively cut sites, allowing one to compare them in diversity of spe- cies, along with the effects of pre- scribed fire vs. no burning, thinning vs. no thinning. By using prescribed fire as a management tool, the USFS determined that the forest would regenerate into an ecosystem that would support many native species including Bachman's sparrow. Other species of insects and animals in- clude the Diana fritillary. Gulf fritil- lary, bobwhite quail and many song- birds such as prairie warblers and field sparrows. This trip was very informative and we were able to review some com- mon wildflowers as we walked the sites. It was fun being in the field with Susan again as we had worked together on clearance for the pro- posed Buffalo River Trail in North- west Arkansas. Several sections of the trail were rerouted to avoid dis- rupting populations of sensitive plants such as ginseng, blue cohosh, etc. 4 Investigations into the evolution of the Micranthes of Arkansas By Rebecca Stubbs, University of Florida Florida Museum of Natural History In the definitive literature on saxifrages, Webb and Gornall remarked that the genus Micranthes is the "largest and potentially most confusing group of saxifrages in North America. "[1] This confusion is due to numerous factors including the extreme loca- tions of many species, the complicated genetics of this group, inconspicuous nature of some species, and a convoluted nomen- clatural history. Therefore, for my Ph.D. research at the University of Florida, co-advised by Dr. Nico Cellinese and Dr. Doug Soltis, I am working towards elucidating the uncertainties surrounding this enigmatic group of plants. With help from the Ar- kansas Native Plant Society I have completed fieldwork in 11 states in North America— including Arkansas— and China. I am very grateful for support and interest in my research from the Arkansas Native Plant Society and it is my pleasure to share rry love of this obscure, yet enigmatic, group of plants with members of ANPS. Background Botanizing around Arkansas, especially in glades, rocky outcrops, and stream sides, you have likely seen Micranthes— though you may not have known it. For one, you might have called it Saxifraga. The reason for this confusion dates back over 200 years and begins in 1812 with Adrian Haworth recognizing the genus Micranthes as distinct from Saxifraga citing morphological variation. Unfortunately, he also recognized 15 (!) other genera within 5ax//raga and subsequently this mass splitting was not widely accepted[2]. Only ten years later Don re-subsumed Micranthes back in Saxifraga as a distinct section, which was later corroborated by both Engler's, and later Gornall's, significant works with the genus[l,3,4]. Though there were some attempts over the next few centuries to keep Micranthes as a genus, it generally remained in Saxifraga as a section. Luckily, in the 1990s there was renewed interest in Saxifragaceae with the research of Dr. Doug Soltis and colleagues. Their molecular analyses com- bined with morphometric studies clearly showed that Saxifraga and Micranthes are distinct clades and Micranthes deserves elevation to generic status[5-7]. For the last thirty years Micranthes has been unequivocally accepted as a genus, supported by both morphology and DNA. Fieldwork Three major field seasons were completed in the contiguous United States (2014, 2016), China (2015), and Alaska (2016). This fieldwork resulted in collections from 131 populations of Micranthes. Additional samples not obtained from the field were re- trieved at herbariums or from colleagues (32 samples). In total, I have ~60 species, with most being represented in two or more populations, in my phylogenetic analysis. My fieldwork in Arkansas was very successful and I made seven collections of Micranthes in the state spanning Garland, Saline, Faulkner, and Pulaski Counties. I also greatly enjoyed my time staying at the Crossett Experimental forest, botanizing in Warren Prairie, and camping at the beautiful Lake Ouachita State Park. Further- more, I was beyond thrilled for the assistance I received in the field by ANPS members Virginia McDaniel, Eric Hunt, Gabe De Jong, Susan Hook, and Dr. Eric Sundell. Their knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm for the flora of Arkansas was invaluable and greatly enriched my time botanizing in the state. Phylogenetic Analysis Previous studies of Micranthes employed few genes and had a limited taxon sampling[8,9]. However, through my first round of high-throughput sequencing— targeting 596 putatively single copy nuclear genes and 88 plastid genes and spacers— I have es- tablished a much-improved phylogenetic framework. With this dataset I developed and honed workflows employing the latest phylogenomic and biogeographic methods and have demonstrated the utility of Micranthes. Identification Micranthes texana Likely the easiest of the three to distinguish, M. texana has a compact inflorescence head with very short pedicels. Perhaps most notably, M. texana is one of the few species of Micranthes that consistently has three or more carpels (most others taxa have two). Finally, compared to the other two species in Arkansas, M. texana has short, claw-shaped petals that barely exceed the (usually) pink-tinged sepals. 5 (Continued on next page.) (Continued from previous page.) Micranthes virginiensis A widespread species with a healthy dose of phenotypic plasticity, M. virginiensis has an open inflorescence with many long, ascending pedicels. The lanceolate petals are usually three times as long as the green sepals. The best way to tell M. vir- giniensis from M. palmeri is by getting out your hand lens and examining the hairs in the inflorescence— in M. virginiensis the hairs on the pedicels will be red or purple gland-tipped. Note the entire plant will be hairy, but you should look specifically in the inflorescence for the gland-tipped hairs. Micranthes palmeri A very restricted taxon found only in neighboring regions of Arkansas and Oklahoma, M. palmeri can be difficult to distinguish from M. virginiensis. For one, Micranthes palmeri also has an open inflorescences with lax, ascending pedicels and lanceolate petals greatly exceeding the sepals. The main difference is best seen with a hand lens— the longer white, hairs of M. palmeri will never be glandular. I should note here that some authors have used differences in leaf shape to help distinguish among these species (i.e., M. palmeri has entire to subentire leaves while M. virginiensis has crenate to serrate leaves), but I found that trait much too variable to be reliable. Significance An essential aspect of my research is the inclusion of endemic species like/W. palmeri. These highly restricted taxa are funda- mental for comparisons within the genus, and they serve as the baseline in assessing adaptability, distribution, and diversifica- tion. Additionally, they serve to address why some plants radiated out while others stayed in geographically restricted loca- tions. To answer this question, which has implications for conservation of these rare species, I will be providing the first com- prehensive evolutionary research for M. palmeri. Additionally, all three of the specimens of Micranthes collected in Arkansas will be used for addressing the evolution, radiation, and distribution of the temperate flora. With my initial phylogenetic work, I have shown strong support for both inter- and intra-continental disjunctions, and my biogeographic analyses have shown compelling evidence that many of the Micranthes found in geographically disparate areas do not conform to the traditional explanations for these disjunctions. I feel very fortunate to have support from the Arkansas Native Plant Society and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to botanize in Arkansas. Please contact me (StubbsRL@UFL.edu) if you have any questions or comments about my research and if you are interested check out my blog documenting my adventures as a botanist at www.RebeccaLStubbs.com. References in Webb DA, Gornall RJ. A manual of saxifrages and their cultivation. Portland, Or: Timber Press; 1989. [2] Haworth AH. Syn- opsis plantarum succulentarum. 1812. [3]Engler A and El. Das Pflanzenreich. 1916; IV. 117 (Heft 67). [4] Engler A. Monogra- phic der Gattung Saxifraga L., mit besonderer Berucksichtigung der geographischen Verhaltnisse, von A. Engler. Mit einer litho- graphirten Karte. 1872. [5] Mort ME, Soltis DE. Phylogenetic Relationships and the Evolution of Ovary Position in Saxifraga sec- tion Micranthes. Syst. Bot. 1999; 24:139-147. [6] Soltis DE, Kuzoff RK, Conti E, et al. matK and rbcLGene Sequence Data Indi- cate that Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae) is Polyphyletic. Am. J. Bot. 1996; 83:371. [7] Soltis DE, Kuzoff RK, Mort ME, et al. Elucidating Deep-Level Phylogenetic Relationships in Saxifragaceae Using Sequences for Six Chloroplastic and Nuclear DNA Regions. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 2001; 88:669-693. [8] Tkach N, Roser M, Hoffmann MH. Molecular phylogenetics, character evolution and sys- tematics of the genus Micranthes (Saxifragaceae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 2015. [9] Prieto JAF, Arjona JM, Sanna M, et al. Phylogeny and systematics of Micranthes (Saxifragaceae): an appraisal in European territories. J. Plant Res. 2013; 126:605-611. [10] Brouillet L, Elvander PE. Micranthes. Flora N. Am. North Mex. New York and Oxford; 2009. 6 (Continued on next page.) Top: Virginia McDaniel, Rebecca Stubbs, Susan Hooks study glade habitat. Below: Micranthes palmeri Right: Micranthes virginiensis 1 Above: Theo Witsell of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission leads a morning walk in the fog on top of Rich Mountain near Pio- neer Cemetery. Right: Dwayne Estes talks about the similarities between the vege- tation in the Ouachitas and the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee. Below left: Esteemed plant auction experts Eric Sundell and Mary Ann King expound upon the virtues of a plant during the annual fund raiser. 2016 ANPS Fall Meeting Mena, AR Photos by Jeannette Vogelphol Below right: Travis Marsico gives a presentation on his project digitization of Arkansas herbaria. 8 9 *.Vv < First Step Grant Update By Virginia McDaniel Top - Jungle of privet, Japanese honeysuckle and multiflora rose along the nature trail (note large snag as a reference to post photo). Middle - Cleared hillside ready for planting natives (note large snag as a reference to top photo). Right - Mound of privet and the creators (Berry Horner, Nick Finzer, Dennis Sharp, Ae- rah Hardin, Jim Baggenstoss, and Virginia McDaniel). The First Step RL Petty Development Center in Malvern is a non-profit that provides therapies for children and adults with disabilities. They were awarded an ANPS grant last spring to improve a recently built nature trail by invasive exotic plant removal, the planting of natives and development of signs. They are making great progress reducing the populations of invasive plants (privet, mimosa, chinaberry, Japa- nese honeysuckle, multiflora rose and Chinese holly to name a few). With the help of the Diamond Lake Master Naturalists, Forest Service, Arkansas State Forestry Commission, Abby Hill, and First Step, they have cleared nearly all the invasive ex- otics from the trail vicinity in three workdays. It looks amazing! Addi- tionally Director Aerah Hardin has built 3 pollinator gardens (one out- side each playground) where they will plant a variety of native plants with signs labeling each plant. An interpretive sign regarding the im- portance of native plants is in the works. Grant Update : Construction is progressing nicely on the Botany Re- search Building at the Uni- versity of Arkansas; Monti- cello. The building will house the Sundell Herbari- um; which will have space for nearly 60,000 speci- mens (current holdings number more than 28,000) as well as the Arkansas Na- tive Plant Society Library and Conference Room. Photo by Karen Fa w ley. Edwin Burnell Smith passed away on Saturday, January 28 th , 2017. Edwin, the third child of Sanford A. Smith and Zephalena Davis Smith, was born in Wellington, Kansas, Decem- ber 1, 1936. Edwin attended rural grade school near Halstead, Kansas with Florence Wolf of Bentley and Pearl Hansen of Halstead serving as Teachers. He graduated from Halstead High School, Halstead, Kansas, in 1954. Edwin attended Hutchinson Junior College for one semester before enlisting in the Army. He completed three years in the Army with 27 months service in Germany. In January, 1958, Edwin returned from Germany and en- rolled at the University of Kansas, remaining there until 1965, where he was awarded a PhD degree in Botany. During the last two years of study Edwin was named a National Science Foundation Scholar. Following a year as an assistant professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey he accepted a position at the University of Arkansas. During his tenure at the University of Arkansas Edwin published more than 100 scientific papers including two volumes entitled An Atlas and Annotated List of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas, and in 1994 a 363-page book entitled Keys to the Vascular Plants of Arkansas. This book is still being used today by scientists and students alike to identify Arkansas flora. To assist with his scientific studies Smith was the recipient of several National Science Foundation grants as well as grants from several Arkansas organizations. Edwin served on thesis committees of masters level students, and he served on PhD dissertation committees for doctoral levelstudents in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture. In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities, Edwin was also the curator of the University of Arkansas Herbarium Under his leadership the Herbarium grew to nearly 50,000 specimens. Many he collected himself; others, which he annotated and filed, were provid- ed by members of the Arkansas Native Plant Society and other individuals interested in the flora of Arkansas. In 1994, Edwin was awarded the Dwight Moore award for excellence in Botanical research by the Arkansas Native Plant Society. In 1974 Edwin attained the rank of full professor and he completed a three-year term as Chairman of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology. Smith retired from the UofA in 1998 after 32 years of service and he was awarded professor emeritus status upon his retirement. Upon his retirement, Edwin continued to enjoy collecting and identifying plants as well as reading and wood carving. Edwin is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Ellen Holmes Smith, and three children: Stephen of Houston, Texas, Sharon Mitchell and her husband Don of Rogers, Arkansas, and Frank Sanford, IV and his wife Sally of Fort Collins, Colorado, and six grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the University of Arkansas Herbarium, 401 Science-Engineering Build- ing, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; The Salvation Army 615 Slaters Lane, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, Virginia 22313, or Legacy Grcle of Life Hos- pice, 1201 NE Legacy Pkwy, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. 11 Botany in Barrow By Donno Hanke Before I tell of our field trip in the northernmost point of the western hemisphere, let me explain how Bru- no and I happened to find ourselves in this part of the world -- with kin- dred spirits. I began my retirement in June, 2015. One of the first tasks was to trade my postal, right-hand drive Jeep in on one that had the steering wheel on the left side -- where Bruno want- ed it. Because our trip north needed a lot of planning, it was scheduled for mid-summer, 2016. Why Alaska? Well, Bruno has three children who live there. Most of our visits to see them have been by air, but I have wanted to do the drive, via the Alcan Highway, for a long time. Having had a cousin who'd worked in Barrow during the mid- 1950s, I also wanted to visit that city. Bruno, being practical, informed me that there were no roads leading into the place and we would have to fly there. OK, I thought, that elimi- nates Barrow, realizing that we couldn't do everything. We budgeted about five weeks to make the trip, along with a relatively new vehicle to give us peace of mind, which was also augmented by a second spare tire - just in case. While we were still in the planning stages, I wondered if there was a native plant group in Alaska and, if there was, would they possibly have a field trip scheduled in the Anchor- age vicinity that we might join. Not only was there such an organization, the ANPS, they also had a number of trips scheduled, but one was special - Botany in Barrow. Finding this out in January, we were informed that we should make hotel reservations soon, because the rooms were al- ready 87% booked for the days we would be there. We also secured plane reservations and fulfilled the only other requirement -- becom- ing members few feet away from these wild ani- mals: moose, elk, bobcat, bison, black and grizzly bears, as well as others, who certainly didn't seem in the least bit wild. (But, we did stay in the Jeep!) When there were plants we didn't recognize, we took Bruno and Donna Hanke at the Chukchi Sea on the west side of Point Barrow in Alaska. of the Alaska Native Plant Society. That's the "why," now for the "how." Toward the end of June, we drove off Linker Moun- tain and head- ed north on Highway 7. We had only two stops planned for the way up and the way back. About fifty miles west of Grand Forks we spent about two hours visiting relatives where I had lived for three and a half years. On the return trip, we made a three- hour stop in Aurora, Colorado and renewed friendships with a couple I knew from my days in Turkey. Oth- er than these, we had no set reser- vations. As we drove northward, we could- n't help noticing the changing flora. Most was familiar to me, because I had lived up north, but when we crossed the border into Saskatche- wan, many questions arose. Fortu- nately we had along a field guide to plants along the Alcan Highway by Verna Pratt, a lady who I dubbed the "Carl Hunter of Alaska." Crossing into Alberta, then British Columbia where we embarked up- on the Alcan at Dawson Creek, we became aware of the fauna too. Much of the time we were only a 12 photos and asked questions later on. Once in Anchorage, there was plen- ty of visiting to be done, as well as a pre-Barrow meeting on July 6 th . A lot of questions were answered and made our final preparations much easier. The trip took place on July 20 -22 and we brought plenty of warm clothing, as well as bug spray and mosquito hats. We didn't need the latter two precautions. Our weather was unusually perfect, 35 degrees with a very-slight breeze and sunny the first two days, then overcast on the final day. There were fifteen people on the trip, plus another lady who worked at the college in Barrow, who had arranged some evening programs for our group. The first afternoon we mainly walked around town, but for the next two days we had ar- ranged to rent two vans for the group and were able to extend our trips further (Continued on next page) (Continued from previous page) palm trees! out in the tundra and up to Point Barrow. We were supplied with a list of about 238 plants that we might ex- pect to see in Barrow. Of these, we noted well over a hundred. That wasn't too bad, considering many of these had already, or had not yet, bloomed. On some of the evening programs we met with a few of the elders of the community, toured a museum and had lectures on permafrost and tundra. I was ready to write about the plants we saw "during the day/' when I re- membered this was not necessarily the case. Bruno took a photo from our hotel room's window, holding the alarm clock reading 2:30AM— outside there was bright sunlight! Many of the plants were unfamiliar to us, and we were fortunate to have experts with us. Others were species that were of the same genus as many of our local plants, but were indigenous to the area. I didn't get a chance to compare the Claytonia, because it had finished blooming. Mertensio was in bloom along the beach and, although its flowers were recognizable, the stems originated from the base, but were resting in a circle on the sand. Most of the Salix plants were only a few inches high, as were most of the other plants. Of course, there were no large trees! The standing local joke asked how does one who is lost in the forest in Barrow find their way out— the an- swer was simply to stand up! Oh yes, there was one instance of "trees." Some enterprising people with a great sense of humor had found driftwood with trunks about ten feet tall, to which they affixed whale baleen "stems" at the top. For all the world they looked like The participants, just as it is with our AN PS, were a large part of the trip to Barrow. It leads me to be- lieve that native plant enthusiasts are just about the same, no matter where they are located. Earlier I mentioned Verna Pratt. We spent a lot of time together. Early on, I asked her where she had grown up. That accent was unmistakable! It was Massachusetts, where I had spent many summer vacations growing up. I had also brought along a couple of Carl Hunter's books and while we were waiting to board the plane for the return trip to Anchor- age, she took time to go through each book, page by page, making comments or asking questions. They would have been good pals. It was with a great deal of sadness to hear that she passed away on January 8, 2017. She was 86 years young and thoroughly enjoyed her first-ever trip to Barrow -- as did the rest of us! Mertensia, photo by Donna Hanke. 13 ANPS 2017 Spring/Summer Events, Welcome All! April 15, 2017, 9:00 AM, Rock Creek Natural Area Explore rich botanical diversity found at Rock Creek Natural Area. We explore Bubbling Springs Trail, stop for a lunch break, and then regroup to explore the restored glades. The Rock Creek Natural Area is in Sharp County, southeast of Cher- okee Village. Meet along side Rock Creek Road where it cross- es Rock Creek. Access is from the south, off of Arkansas 58. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water, insect repellant and lunch. The trail is moderately strenuous and rocky. For questions or to reserve spot, contact Eric Hunt, ericinlr@gmail.com or 415-225-6561. May 13. 2017, 10:00 AM, Miller County Sandhills Explore one of the most botanically diverse areas in Arkansas. Mil- ler County Sandhills Natural Area, located in the Coastal Plain, is one of the few remaining examples of relatively undisturbed sandhill vegetation in southwestern Arkansas. The area is marked by rolling topography and dry sandy soils which support a distinc- tive flora, including a number of species characteristic of similar sites in eastern Texas. Some of the area is open and supports sandhill grasslands, the remainder supports wooded and open seeps, pine forest, and oak woodlands characterized by a number of "scrub species." This natural area supports more rare plant species than any other area in the System of Natural Areas. From Texarkana travel south on U.S. HWY 71 to State HWY 237. Travel south about 13.6 miles. The natural area is on the west side of State HWY 237. A primitive parking area is located about 0.8 mile south of the junction with State HWY 134 (County Road 434) on the west side of the road. Wear long pants, sturdy hiking shoes or boots and bring water, snacks, insect repellent. The terrain is gently roll- ing to flat but there are no trails so we will bushwhack through the area from some old logging roads. To reserve a spot, email Eric Hunt at ericinlr@gmail.com . May 26, 2017, 10:00 AM. Prairies & Woodlands in the Ouachita National Forest The Ouachita National Forest Seed Orchard is named for the variety of pine trees that were planted to provide seeds to grow superior pine trees. To maintain an open, manageable habitat the area has been burned nearly every year for over 30 years. This has resulted in a series of prairies and woodlands with diverse and showy under- story of forbs and grasses. We'll see elegant displays of pale purple coneflower, yellow tickseeds, wild indigos, beebalm, ragwort, goat's rue, milkweeds, several orchids and much more. Native grasses like little bluestem, big bluestem, Indian grass and panic grasses also abound. The Forest Service has begun collecting this native seed for use in both Forest and other organizations' restoration projects. Meet at Burl's Country Smokehouse in Crystal Springs. Bring lunch, plenty of water and bug spray. This is a fairly easy trip which in- volves some walking on flat ground. Contact Virginia McDaniel at virginiamcd31@vahoo.com, 828-545-2062 or Susan Hooks at shooks@fs.fed.us, 501-321-5323 for further instructions. May 27, 2017, 10:00 AM. Camp Robinson Special Use Area Auto Tour Explore the Woodlands Auto Tour at Camp Robinson Special Use Area along the eastern shores of Lake Conway which goes through an intensively restored woodland, featuring a diverse array of wildflowers and habitats. This is a driving tour with periodic stops to explore specific areas on foot. Wear sturdy shoes, bring insect repellant and lunch. Meet at the parking area on Nursery Pond Road at Clinton Road, Conway. Take 1-40 exit 135, drive east on Arkansas 89 for approx 4.3 miles, turn left on Clinton Road and drive approx 2.6 miles to Nursery Pond Road. Turn left onto Nursery Pond Road and the park- ing lot is to your right. Contact Eric Hunt at ericinlr@gmail.com to reserve a spot. June 3, 2017, 10:00 AM, Mt. Magazine State Park Wildflower Walk Explore the north rim of Mt. Magazine. We will start at Brown Springs Recreation Area and walk west along an old fire road. Late spring wildflowers will be in abundance, including many rare spe- cies such as Western Wallflower and Maple-leaf Oak. Wear sturdy shoes, bring insect repellant, water, snacks, and a lunch. The walk is almost completely flat. There is very limited parking at Brown Springs, we will meet at the parking lot for the Lodge at Mount Magazine and shuttle over to Brown Springs. Contact Eric Hunt, ericinlr@gmail.com, if you have questions or to sign up. June 16, 2017, 9:00 AM, Hwv 27 Glades This is a shale glade which is sparsely covered with tree species such as red cedar, post oak, blackjack oak and shortleaf pine. The shrub layer includes hawthorns, buckbrush, fragrant sumac, and winged elm. The open areas are diverse with lichens, and species such as corn salads, Houstonia nigricans, widow's crosses, umbrella plant, milk vetch, prickly pear cactus, false aloe, milkweed, alum root and Waterfall's sedge. There are some small drainages dis* secting the glade with riparian species. The glades also transition into a pine-hardwood community which will have other interesting plants. Meet at the intersection of AR 27 & 298 in the town of Story. Bring lunch, plenty of water, bug spray for the ticks/chiggers and will need to watch for snakes. This is a fairly easy trip which involves some walking on flat ground but we may get our feet wet if there are recent rains; so prepare accordingly. Contact Susan Hooks at shooks@fs.fed.us, 501-321-5323 or Virginia McDaniel at vir- giniamcd31@vahoo.com, 828-545-2062 for further instructions. July 1, 2017, 10:00 AM, Cherokee Prairie Natural Area Visit one of the largest remaining tallgrass prairies in Arkansas. Lo- cated in the Arkansas River Valley, north of Charleston in Franklin County, the natural area contains a diverse array of wildflowers in- cluding compass plant, purple prairie clover, and Indian paintbrush. Meet at the intersection of Arkansas 60 and Arkansas 217, approxi- mately 2 miles north of Charleston. Wear sturdy shoes, bring insect repellant, water and lunch. The walk is almost completely flat. Con- tact Eric Hunt at ericinlr@gmail.com to reserve your spot. 14 OZARKS CHAPTER ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY Thanks to all who agreed to lead a hike. We welcome everyone to attend hikes! Spring/Summer Schedule: Sunday, April 2nd, 1:00 PM-4:00 PM - Cave Springs, Benton Co. Meet at Cave Springs park. The spring is a site for Ozark trillium, Trillium pusillum which we hope to find in flower. The trail to the cave is considered easy to moderate. Directions: From interstate 49, go west on Hwy 264 to Hwy 112. Turn right (north) and go 1/2 mile to Midway Ave. Turn right (east) and go 1/4 mile to the NW corner of the natural area. Parking is along the road. Bring camera, binoculars, water, snacks and bug spray. Contact Linda Ellis 417-272- 3890, lindasel- lis@centurytel.net . Trip will cancelled for bad weather. May 6, 10:00 a.m.- Paris, AR , Field Trip to the Vogel- pohl's Place near Paris (Logan County). Habitats include ridge top, rock outcrop, hillside glades, woodlands, ri- parian and wetland. Along with paths and trails near the house, other trails and a county road provide access to the valley and creek 200 feet lower. The first part of the Field Trip will be at the house followed by a hike or drive to the valley. Bring a sack lunch! Attendees are asked to contact Burnetta at wbhint@gmail.com , 479- 582-0317 two days prior to the Field Trip for a vehicle count. Directions: From Paris Square, take Hwy 309 to the South. One mile from the Square, turn left (east) to stay on Highway 309. Continue 2 miles to address 2480 South Highway 309 (number on mailbox post). Drive is across from Pine Ridge Welding which has a brown pipe fence. Please phone Sid at 479-963-1528 if you have questions or are running late. May 13 th , 9 AM - 12 noon - Wilson Springs, Fayette- ville, AR. Join Sim Barrow of Northwest Arkansas Land Trust and the Arkansas Native Plant Society for a botany-themed hike through Wilson Springs Preserve, Fayetteville's largest wet prairie remnant. This easy hike will feature several tracked species of sedges and other native wet- land specialist plants. There will also be a discussion about how the property was preserved and how the land trust has implemented habitat restoration to en- hance the native plant community on the property. Meet at Void Vision (2783 N. Shiloh Drive Fayetteville, AR 72701) at 9 AM to join the hike. Please bring rubber boots, as some areas of the hike may be in water. Con- tact Burnetta at 479-430-0260. Saturday, May 20, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Devil's Eye- brow, Benton Co. This ANHC natural area was designated in 2012 and is considered to be a great botanical attraction. The trail is rated as strenuous, but we will only attempt the first 1.5 miles to a scenic spring. Directions: From Garfield, AR, travel east on US Hwy 62 4 miles to Gateway. Continue east on 62 and go 1/2 mile to the Natural Area gate on the south side of the road. Bring camera, binoculars, snacks, water, bug spray and walking sticks. Contact Linda Ellis 417-272- 3890 or lindasellis@centurytel.net . Saturday, May 27 th , 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Ninestone Judith Griffith & Don Matt will highlight progress on the glade restoration. Hopefully Barbara's buttons and fame flower will be in bloom. Directions to Ninestone Land Trust in southern Carroll County : 1. Coming from Berryville or North: From intersection of Hwy 62 E & Hwy 21 S just east of Berryville, take Hwy 21 South for 10 + miles to the site of former Cedar Creek Country Store (now converted to a residence) on RIGHT. Immediately after the store & parking lot turn RIGHT onto gravel road marked CR 512. Do not cross the bridge over Cedar Creek! Continue on gravel road CR 512 for 1 mile, staying LEFT at any choices. You will pass 3 mailboxes on the LEFT, one a large blue mailbox. Continue down drive to log cabin. 2. Coming from Fayetteville or South : From intersection of Hwy 412 & Hwy 21 N, take Hwy 21 North for 7+ miles. Cross the Cedar Creek Bridge & immediately turn LEFT onto the gravel road CR 512 before you get to the site of the former Cedar Creek Country Store (now con- verted to a residence) on LEFT. Continue on gravel road CR 512 for 1 mile, staying LEFT at any choices. You will pass 3 mailboxes on LEFT, one a large blue mailbox. Continue down drive to log cabin. Please contact Bur- netta at 479-582-0317 or wbhint@gmail.com if you have questions. Special Announcements: Trace the Steps of Thomas Nuttall through the Poteau River Valley April 29 th - 9:00-5:00 The Kiamichi Technology Cen- ter, Poteau, Oklahoma, is offering a short-term personal enrichment class that will retrace Thomas Nuttall's trip to the Poteau River Valley area in 1819. Steve Patter- son will be leading the excursion. Details follow: On Saturday April 29, 2017, come travel with us and view the landscape of eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas through the lens of the journal of the first sci- entist to visit the area. Whether your interests are natu- ral history, human history, or simply exploring, this trip will help you see this region with new eyes. taxonomist Nuttall accurately identified many plants still found here today. We'll follow his path at the same time of year and see what remains and what has changed after nearly 200 years of European-American settle- ment. We'll start our trip at Fort Smith, where the Po- teau River enters the Arkansas and make our way along the river and through the prairies and end our day near present-day Lake Wister. The day will begin with a brief introduction on the cam- pus of the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau. Then we'll travel to Fort Smith by bus and follow Nuttall's trail from there back through the Poteau River valley. *lf you’d like to read Nuttall's journal before the class, I strongly suggest the edition edited by Savoie Lottinville and published by the University of Oklahoma Press as "A Journal of Travels into the Arkansas Territory in the Year 1819." It is in print and available from Amazon and oth- er booksellers. This field class is being offered as a short-term personal enrichment class by the Kiamichi Technology Center, Poteau, Oklahoma. A box lunch and bus transportation are included. Cost: $50 Instructor: Steve Patterson, Ph.D To register, contact Nina Morgan at KTC, 918-647-5418 or nmmorgan@ktc.edu . For more information about the content of the trip, contact Steve Patterson, spatter- son@bioxdesign.com. This sketch of Cavanal Hill near Poteau was made by Thomas Nuttall in 1819. In 1819, when the English botanist and naturalist Thom- as Nuttall arrived in Fort Smith, after traveling up the Arkansas River from the Mississippi, the fort was only two years old. Nuttall's journal describes prairies in the flat river valleys, thick river-side vegetation, and sparse- ly wooded hillsides on Sugarloaf and Cavanal. As a plant "Know Your Natives" articles posted to the AN PS website during 2016, 2015 and 2013/2014 have been compiled in three books that can be re- viewed at anpsknowvournatives.shutterflv.com . The link to this Shutterfly site is available on the Community Projects page of the ANPS website. 16 Fall 2016 Meeting Minutes The Arkansas Native Plant Society held its 2016 Fall business meeting on Sep- tember 24 at the Ouachita Center on the Rich Moun- tain Community College campus of Mena, Arkan- sas. Approximately 74 members and guests were present. President Michael Weatherford called the meeting to order and welcomed the members and guests present. Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Don Ford, reported that we have a balance of $22,686.69 in our bank account as of August 31, 2016 of which $4998.97 is committed to open grants. This leaves $17,687.72 in available funds. Meredith York moved and Mary Ford se- conded that the treasurer's re- port be approved. The motion passed with a show of hands. Spring 2016 Minutes: Don Ford moved and Ann Gor- don seconded that the general business meeting minutes of the ANPS Spring Meeting be approved as posted in the Clay- tonia. The motion passed with a show of hands. Old Business: Karen Fawley provided an update on construction progress of the Eric Sundell Herbarium at the Universi- ty of Arkansas, Monticello. The her- barium will have room for nearly 60,000 specimens and will include an ANPS library and conference room. Karen Fawley also reported that hardwood flooring for the office, library/conference room and hallway areas of the Herbarium was donated by Tommy Maxwell (UAM alum) of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring., http:// www.maxwellhardwoodf1ooring.co m/about-us/ . A formal opening of the Eric Sun- dell Herbarium is scheduled for the Spring of 2017. New Business: Spring 2017 Meeting Plans - Susan Hooks reported that the ANPS Spring 2017 meeting will be in Little Rock. Jennifer Ogle and Betty Ow- en are assisting her. Guest speak- ers will be Sim Barrow and recent grant recipients, but we still need a keynote speaker. A central meeting site and area field trips are to be worked out. The ANPS Fall 2017 meeting is tentatively scheduled for Heber Springs New Slate of officers: President Mike Weatherford thanked outgoing officers for their service and introduced the slate of officers to fill open ANPS Board po- sitions: ♦ Treasurer - Kate Lincourt ♦ Vice President- Donna Hanke ♦ Memorial Awards Officer - Jennifer Ogle Eric Hunt moved, and Meredith York seconded that we approve the slate by acclamation. The motion passed by a show of hands. President Michael Weatherford re- minded members that signup sheets were available to help with our booth at the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show in Little Rock in Febru- ary, 2017. President Michael Weatherford thanked Virginia McDaniel for plan- ning and executing a "super" fall meeting. There being no further business President Weatherford adjourned the meeting. Respectfully submitted, Molly Jones, Secretary r* Remember to check out the full- color version of the Cloytonia by going to the ANPS website , h tip ://o nps.o rg/n e wsle tie rs/. Select the edition you are inter- ested in and enjoy! J 17 2016 FINAL Treasurer's Report 4 Jan 2017 2016 FINAL Treasurers Report Proposed 2017 1 Jan- 31 Dec 2016 Start 20 16 * $27,955.38 Budget 2015 2016 2016 Actual Budget Actual INCOME Membership Dues 4,560.00 $4,000 $3,630.00 $4,000.00 Meeting Registration 865.00 $500 $735.00 $500.00 Plant Auction 3,774.00 $2,000 $2,678.00 $3,000.00 T-Shirt and Hat Sales 540.00 $500 $949.00 $500.00 Contributions 170.00 $0 $545.00 $0.00 TOTAL 9,909.80 $7,000 $8,537.00 * $8,537.00 $8,000.00 EXPENDITURES ANPS.Org (website expenses) -43.00 -$50 -$43.00 -$50.00 Claytonia (Print & Distribute 2 Issues) -1,439.80 -$1,400 -$1,723.45 -$1,500.00 Directory (Print and Distribute) -799.05 -$750 -$847.76 -$800.00 Memorial Awards (Awards/Scholarships) -1,000.00 -$2,000 -$3,032.00 -$2,000.00 Grants/Support to Public Gardens -4,503.10 -$1,000 -$2,615.34 -$1,000.00 Meeting expenses (space, copies, speaker,etc.) -477.23 -$1,000 -$872.62 -$1,000.00 Ecology Camp -500.00 -$500 -$500.00 -$500.00 Bulk Mail -220.00 -$240 -$225.00 -$240.00 Supplies/postage/miscellaneous (Brochures) -255.91 -$300 -$1,375.79 * -$300.00 T-shirts/HATS 0.00 -$1,000 -$1,837.62 $0.00 TOTAL -9,238.09 -$8,240 -$13,072.58 * -$13,072.58 -$7,390.00 Total as of 31 Dec 2016 * $23,419.80 Respectfully submitted by Don Ford, Treasurer Note: 2016 Actual Supplies/postage/miscellaneous contains $1,199.35 for new ANPS brochures State of Arkansas Executive Department Proclamation! WHEREAS: Native plants have provided food, shelter and medicines to the inhabitants of Arkansas, from the earliest Native Americans to present-day Arkansans; and WHEREAS: Native plants have supported, and continue to support, the wide variety of wildlife that contribute to making Arkansas "The Natural State;" and WHEREAS: Native plants are uniquely adapted to live in our soils and climate and require less water, fertilizer, and other chemical supple- ments to grow and thrive; and WHEREAS: Many native plants have beautiful flowers, produce many useful, colorful fruits and seeds, and display brilliant foliage colors as the seasons change, providing Arkansas and visitors great pleasure; and WHEREAS: Native plants provide the oxygen that we breathe and other important ecological services such as building and stabilzing soil and facilitating water infiltration; and WHEREAS: The Arkansas Native Plant Society urges all Arkansans to plant native plants in their gardens and to enjoy them wherever they may be found; NOW, THEREFORE, I, ASA HUTCHINSON, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vesting in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim April 2017, as ARKANSAS NATIVE PLANT MONTH. 18 New Members (Through March 3, 2017) Britt Bailey (Nashville, AR) Judy Moore (Mena, AR) Carol Badsky (Henderson, AR) Jill and Arthur Morgan (Rogers, AR) Laura Cherry (El Dorado, AR) Anne Moses (El Dorado, AR) Kay Crutchfield (Little Rock, AR) Melanie Moses (El Dorado, AR) Joyce Dailey (Emerson, AR) Noah Moses III (El Dorado, AR) Diann Dennis (Cherokee Village, AR) Diane Murdock (Hot Springs, AR) David and Sarah Dodson (Little Rock, AR) Elizabeth and Matthew Olson (West Plains, MO) Ralph Doty (North Little Rock, AR) Christopher, Natalia and Benjamin Patterson (Greenbrier, AR) Annette Enderlin (Hot Springs, AR) Jane Purtle (El Dorado, AR) Jana Foster (El Dorado, AR) Karen Rader (Little Rock, AR) Larry and Pamela Frealy (Searcy, AR) Marie Reynolds (El Dorado, AR) Paula Furlough (Monticello, AR) Nancy Reynolds (El Dorado, AR) Linda Glass (Harrison, AR) Chantal Roberts (Little Rock, AR) Sandy Graue (Sand Springs, OK) Gary and Veronica Sammons (Hot Springs, AR) Anita Hayden (Mountain Home, AR) Dan P. Smith (Hot Springs, AR) Darrel Hill (Hot Springs Village, AR) Janice and James Smith (Wills Point, TX) Sonnia Hill (Ben Wheeler, TX) Deborah, Scott, Aaron, Kaela and Gehrett Thompson (Berryville, Darrell Hill (Hot Springs Village, AR) AR) Kerry Jackson (El Dorado, AR) Debbie Tripp (Royal, AR) Belinda Jonak (Hot Springs, AR) Mary S. Vestal (El Dorado, AR) John C. Jones (Hot Springs Village, AR) Joann Saraydarian (Hot Springs, AR) Ty Jones (El Dorado, AR) Shane Scott (Mount Ida, AR) Austin Klais (Fayetteville, AR) Janelle Stookey (Mountain Home, AR) Kay Crutchfield (Little Rock, AR) April and Billy Vaughn (Warm Springs, AR) Mike Kush (Hot Springs Village, AR) Ian Vickery (El Dorado, AR) Charlotte Littrell (Smithville, OK) Becky Ward (Little Rock, AR) Kay Lowery (Linden, TX) Becky Ward (El Dorado, AR) Alanna Mabus (Greenville, TX) Debbie Watson (El Dorado, AR) Diann Mabus (Jefferson City, TX) Karen Welch (Eureka Springs, AR) Uta Meyer (Little Rock, AR) Dan and Margaret West (Conway, AR) New Lifetime Members Patty S. Camp (Paragould, AR) Jane Doty (North Little Rock, AR) Cindy Franklin (Little Rock, AR) Rebecca Hardin (Little Rock, AR) Mary Ann Hicks (Ponca, AR) Becky Mainer (Fort Smith, AR) Janet L. Manes (Benton, AR) ANPS Spring Meeting April 21-23, 2017 Little Rock, Arkansas Everybody is welcome to attend! Meeting registration is only $5 with no pre-registration required. Registration will begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, April 21. Meeting Location: Little Rock Audubon Center, 4500 Springer Boulevard, Little Rock, Arkansas 72206 Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn West Little Rock, 10914 Kanis Road, Little Rock, Phone: (501) 227-4800 Thirty rooms (15 double queens and 15 kings) have been reserved at the reduced rate of $95.00 plus tax per night. Reservations must be received by April 17, 2017 to guarantee reduced rate. Be sure to mention you are with the Arkansas Native Plant Society when making your reservation. Rate includes breakfast up to two per room. Individu- als are responsible for their own room and tax. All cancelations must be made 48 hours prior to arrival. Reservations can be made using link specific to ANPS group. http://hiltonqardeninn.hilton.eom/en/qi/qroups/personalized/L/LITWSGFNPSAM-20170421/index.ihtml Dining Options: We will have a Potluck meal Friday evening. Bring a dish or just come and eat! There are also many dining options in the Little Rock area near the hotel. Field trips: Several field trips to local areas of top botanical interest will be scheduled for Saturday 8:00 AM-5:00PM and Sunday 8:00AM-12:00PM: They will include areas such as glades and bottomland hardwoods. We will offer something for everybody, whether you want to take it slow and easy or something more vigorous. You must sign up for field trips on Friday evening to allow for adequate logistical planning. Silent Auction : The meeting will feature the Third Annual Silent Auction Fundraiser. Please have your contributions there by 5:00PM Friday. Programs: Friday 5:00 to 7:00PM - Annual Silent Auction (bring plants, books or homemade jelly for auction!) Friday 7:00PM - Presentation: Eric Sundell "Love Life of the Milkweeds: Fifty Shades of Green." Saturday 7:00PM - Presentation: Sim Barrow with Northwest Arkansas Land Trust will discuss the Kessler Class- room and how ANPS grant was used. Rajaa Alanbagi, PhD Graduate Student, University of Arkansas grant recipient, will talk on " Macrofungi that De- compose Forest Floor Litter in the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas. " For complete and up-to-date details, go to www.anps.org or contact Susan Hooks, shooks@fs.fed. us, (501) 282-5365. Save the Date! ANPS Fall Meeting: Heber Springs, October 6-8, 2017 20 Letter y to- they Editor Dear Editor, I just received my Win- ter-Spring 2017 UAM Magazine, with a feature article on Sue Rownd, a lively 95-year old alumna "with near-perfect recall." One of her in- structors in the early 1940s was Del- zie Demaree, about whom she has this to say: "Dr. Demaree carried a snake in his pocket. He was a little bit crazy. He wanted to show us that snakes weren't dangerous to handle, so he put a baby copperhead inside his shirt and of course it bit him. His arm swelled up like a balloon." Observant Reader, Eric Sundell Dear Observant Reader, Thank you for the delightful story. I too found this story delightful. Thank you for sharing. I encourage members to submit all ANPS related anecdotes they come across to the editor for possible inclusion in upcoming Claytonia issues. Your Editor, Betty Owen (pjmbowen@gmail.com) Left: Judy Hunt could not resist sitting down to sketch what she was seeing during the Fall Meeting Sun- day morning field trip to the Ouachi- ta National Forest Glade. Susan Hooks and Virginia were trip leaders. Photo by Michael Weatherford. Right: Karen Fawley shows Mau- ry and Barbara Baker the pro- gress on the Botany Research Building at the University of Ar- kansas-Monticello campus. The BRB will house both the Sundell Herbarium and the Arkansas Native Plant Society Library and Conference Room. Photo by Michael Weatherford. ANPS MEMBERSHIP FORM Membership Categories $ 10 Student $ 15 Individual $ 20 Supporting $ 25 Family $ 30 Contributing $150 Lifetime (age 55+) $300 Lifetime (under age 55) Application Purpose New Member Renewal Address Change Opt out of receiving a paper copy of the Clayton ia newsletter Name Address City State Zip Phone Email Please mail this completed form with a check made payable to the Arkansas Native Plant Society to: Katherine Lincourt, Treasurer 2625 Charter Oak Drive Little Rock, Arkansas 72227 For other membership questions, please contact: Mike Burns, Membership Officer anps.membership@gmail.com (479) 229-2185 The Arkansas Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization. 22 Claytonia ^ ^ Spring 2017 Newsletter President Virginia McDaniel virginiamcd31@yahoo.com (828) 545-2062 Secretary Molly Jones mollyj46@icloud.com (501) 730-2861 President-Elect Memorial Awards Officer Susan Hooks Jennifer Ogle shooks@fs.fed. us ranunculus73@gmail.com Your dues status is on your mailing label. Vice President Membership Officer & Publisher On the mailing label there will be a number, for Donna Hanke Mike Burns example, "17", and this indicates that your dues djhanke@centurylink.net anps.membership@gmail.com are paid through 2017. (Life members will have an (479) 229-2185 "LF" on their label). Treasurer Editor To renew your membership, please fill in the appli- Katherine Lincourt Betty Owen cation for membership, changes of name, address. anps.membership@gmail.com pjmbowen@gmail.com e-mail or telephone number and mail your dues to (501) 454-7790 (501) 472-6920 the Treasurer: Nominating Committee Chair Internet & Social Media Officer Katherine Lincourt, Treasurer Mike Weatherford Eric Hunt 2625 Charter Oak Drive weatherfordm@sbcglobal.net arkansasnativeplantsociety@gmail.com Little Rock, Arkansas 72227 (870) 820-8300 (415) 225-6561 President's Message In 2008 I arrived in Jasper, Arkansas to work for the US Forest Service at the Koen Experimental Forest. Through a friend ofa friend I found a rustic 1930s three story Sears and Roebuck Kit House in need of a caretaker while the owner was away. The roof leaked, vines grew through the walls, and the 3-legged guard dog never quite took to me (even after I poured bacon grease on her food). But the house was the right price (free), close to work, friendly neighbors, and it had a Hedwig Wild microscope! It was with this microscope, Smith's Keys to the Flora of Arkansas, and hours each afternoon that I began to truly understand the botanical terminology that I had been dabbling in for the last decade. I learned to distinguish chaff from pappus. I could count nerves on lemmas. The giddiness I experienced when I found my first glandular stipitate hair was, well, let's just say it was good it was just me and the 3-legged dog. I eagerly awaited each day when a new flower would bloom so I could use my dichotomous key to learn its name. When my coworker, Jim Whiteside, saw my fascination with plants he brought me a copy of Claytonia and through it I found the Arkansas Native Plant Society. Sometimes when you meet a group of people, you know you are home. This is how I felt when I went to my first Arkansas Native Plant Society meeting. This is home. The idea that I would one day be the president of this organization was beyond my comprehension. But here we are. Without further ado, I would like to graciously thank our out-going President, Mike Weatherford. His competence and humor moved ANPS onward and upward. We really appreciate the dedication and efforts of several board members who are stepping down. Don Ford was our treasurer who had an incredible knack for balancing generosity with fiscal responsibility that enabled action but kept the books balanced. Many students and hardworking botanists have been awarded financial help though our Awards and Scholarships Program that has been headed up since the beginning of time by the legendary Mary Ann King. Her tireless efforts with plants and people do not go unnoticed. We welcome Katherine Lincourt as our new treasurer, Donna Hanke as our Vice President set to move through the ranks and Jennifer Ogle as the new head of Awards and Scholarships. Thanks to those doing great work in their positions, Molly Jones our diligent note-taker secretary, Mike Burns as membership chair and keeper of the ANPS knowledge chest, Internet and Social Media Officer Eric Hunt who keeps our social media up-to-date and enthusiastic, and Betty Owen without whose efforts this newsletter would not be in your hands now. Finally, President-elect Susan Hooks has a great meeting coming up in Little Rock April 21-23! Looking forward to seeing you all there! ‘Vvufima £. 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