OR @K | 173 i or Vite ne on Nw ber 1 In This Issue the Preliminary Evalu- ation of Psuedomonas solanacearum asa Potential Biological Control Agent for the Alien Weed Kahili Ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) in Hawaiian Forests by Robert C. Anderson and Donald E. Gardner ......... 1 Shoot Proliferation in Micropropagated Jacquemontia ovalifolia (Choisy) H. Hallier ssp. sandwicensis (A. Gray) K. Robertson by Kay MEIC ctor crcethessesscasonsesaees 7 Urgent Genetic Conservation Program by Gary RAY wees 10 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Revised List of “Candidates” for Endangered Species eESG oe Si! sa ae: 12 News and Anouncements ........ 14 Minutes of the Hawaiian Botanica! LIRPARIES ~~ ** iian Botanical Society March, 1996 Preliminary Evaluation of Psuedomonas LBB solanacearuM as a Potential Biological Control Agent for the Alien Weed Kahili Ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) in Hawaiian Forests Robert C. Anderson and Donald E. Gardner Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit Department of Botany University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum Ker-Gawl), native to the Himalayas (Neal, 1965), is a pest in Hawaiian forests (Smith, 1985; Santos et al., 1986; Nagata, 1990). Brought to Hawai‘ by the horticultural industry, it has escaped cul- tivation and is now natural- ized in the state. First col- lected in 1954 at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) (Wester, 1992), populations are now found on all islands between sea | jevel and 1,700 m (Smith, 1985). Smith (1985) lists it as a pest on the islands of Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘1; and present but not a pest on O‘ahu and Moloka‘1. Nagata (1990) reported that kahili ginger 1s now also naturalized on Lana‘. Kahili ginger is a cold-tol- erant species found in its native habitat at elevations up to 2,500 m. Open inflo- rescences, 2bout 25 cm in length, deveiop at the tips oi the pseudosteins, which themseives can reach over 2 min height (Neal, 1965). In Hawai‘, flowering oc- curs from July through Continued on page 3 Z Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society : re President Published by the Hawaiian Guede Botanical Society, which was (UH Botany Department) founded in 1924 to “advance Vice-President f ; Wisteria Loeffler the science of botany in all (UH Botany Department) its applications, encourage Treasurer research in botany in all its Ron Fenstemacher phases, promote the welfare a a geal a of its members and develop Loe cretany pak : Vickie Caraway the spirit of good fellowship (UH Botany Department) and cooperation among Directors them.” Any person Leilani Pyle : dieters oor (Bishop Museum, Herbarium Pacificum) interested 1n the plant life o Alvin Yoshinaga the Hawaiian Islands is (Ctr. for Conservation Research & Training) eligible for membership. Committees Information may be Appointed by the Executive Committee obtained from the Society: Membership c/o Department of Botany Alvin Yoshinaga 3190 Maile Way (Ctr. for Conservation Research & Training) University of Hawai‘ Newsletter Honolulu, HI 96822 Editor: Gregory A. Koob (Harold L. Lyon Arboretum) Conservation Steve Montgomery Membership | (UH) The Society year is from December 1 Science Fair through November 30. Benton Pang (UH, Botany Department) Membership Cost per Year ( icra tenet ee Individual $10.00 eee ative Plants Saar 1,000 m). The ability of this disease to survive diurnal temperature changes at higher eleva- tions is a crucial factor for its success as a biological control agent, because many infestations of kahili ginger in Hawai‘i occur between 1,000-1,500 m. The development of differ- ent protocols for field ap- plication of P. solan- acearum in natural areas should also be investigated. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Dr. Eduardo Trujillo and Dr. David Norman, Department of Plant Pa- thology, University of Hawai‘1 for their help and use of materials during this project. We would also like to thank Tom Meninzes, commercial ginger grower, for donating ginger rhi- zomes diseased with P. solanacearum. This project was supported through the Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit by National Biological Service biological research fund- ing. Newsletter of the Hawatian Botanical Society Literature Cited Nagata, K. M. 1990. Zingiberaceae: Ginger family. In W. L. Wagner, D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer, (eds.), Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai ‘i. pp. 1621- 1623. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Hono- lulu. Neal, M. C. 1965. Jn Gardens of Hawaii. B.P. Bishop Museum Spec. Pub. 50. Bishop Mu- seum Press, Honolulu. Santos, G. L., D. Kageler, D. E. Gardner, and C. P. Stone. 1986. Herbicidal control of selected alien plant species in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: a preliminary report. Technical report 60. Cooperative Na- tional Park Resources Studies Unit/University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Honolulu. Smith, C. W. 1985. Impact of alien plants on Hawai‘i’s native biota. In C. P. Stone and J. M. Scott (eds.), Hawai ‘i’s terrestrial ecosystems: Preservation and Management. pp. 180- 250. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit/University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Honolulu. Wester, L. 1992. Origin and distribution of adventive alien flowering plants in Hawai‘1. In C. P. Stone, C. W. Smith, and J. Timothy Tunison (eds.), Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawai ‘i: management and research. pp. 99- 154. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit/University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Honolulu. Plant Raffle Scheduled for May Meeting At our May meeting we will be holding our traditional Plant Raffle. Please bring in any plants you would like to donate. In the past we have had both exotic species and native Hawaiian plants donated for the raffle. If you have extra plants you would like to share with Society members and help us raise badly needed funds, bring your plants to the May meeting. If you don't have any plants to donate, bring your money. Raffle tickets are only $3.00 a ticket and when your number is called you can choose any plant out of those available. Everyone goes away happy. Volume 35 (1) Shoot Proliferation in Micropropagated Jacquemontia ovalifolia (Choisy) H. Hallier ssp. sandwicensis (A. Gray) K. Robertson Kay Lynch Tissue Culture Directed Study with Dr. Yoneo Sagawa University of Hawai‘i, Spring, 1995 Abstract In two trials with medium containing different con- centrations of BA to achieve shoot proliferation in Jacquemontia ovalifolia (Choisy) H. Hallier ssp. sandwicensis (A. Gray) K. Robertson, the medium with the higher level of BA (1.0 mg/L) produced better results. Explants taken from terminal vine sections produced clean cultures, side shoots, and vigorous plantlets with greater fre- quency than explants taken from older vine sections. The results suggest that J. ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis may be a good candidate for micropropagation to attain quantities of plantlets for landscape use studies. Introduction J. ovalifolia is an indig- enous coastal-strand vine, similar to morning glory but with smaller leaves, of the family Convolvulaceae. The subspecies, sandwicen- sis, is endemic (Wagner et al. 1990). It is found on all of the main Hawaiian is- lands. The plant’s Hawaiian name is pa‘tohi‘iaka, skirt of Hi‘iaka. Its leaves and stems formerly were used medicinally by Hawaiians. J. ovalifolia ssp. sand- wicensis 1s attractive — sprawling sparsely over black lava rock or sandy areas. It produces tiny, pale-blue or white flowers throughout the year. J. ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis may have landscape uses as a ground accent in native plantings. Once a plant has been suc- cessfully established in in vitro culture shoot multipli- cation can be attempted by subculturing the plantlets onto new medium contain- ing the plant growth regula- tor (PGR) BA. Plants re- spond differently to exog- enous-hormone treatments. Too much BA can inhibit shoot proliferation in some species. The purpose of this experiment was to assess the sensitivity to BA of J. ovalifolia ssp. sandwicen- sis, to begin to establish a protocol for microprop- agation. Materials and Methods Set 1. On March 1, 1995, terminal vine sections of J. ovaliformis ssp. sandwicen- sis were collected from a southern O‘ahu shoreline. Axillary and terminal buds were disinfested with 10 percent and 5 percent con- centration Clorox (bleach) soaks. Buds were placed in modified Murashige and 8 Newsletter of the Hawatian Botanical Society Table 1. Results of two attempts, using BA in different concentrations, to achieve prolif- eration of shoots from meristems of Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis Total With mul- Number of shoots Number Callus Explants tipleshoots ,) 3 4 w/roots only Set 1 0.5 mg BA 6 50% 3 3 — — — — 1.0 mg BA 7 66% ] 4 — — — Z Set 2 0.5 mg BA Ze 27% 15 3 3 — 3 1 1.0 mg BA 22 50% 8 9 1 1 3 — Skoog (MS) medium, 20 grams sucrose, without PGRs, using standard ster- ile technique. After one week, half of the cultures were contaminated. All of the contaminated explants were older buds from far- ther back on the vines. Surviving shoots from Set 1 were subcultured after three weeks. Apical and axillary buds, leaf sections, petiole sections, and intern- ode sections were placed on modified MS medium containing BA at a concen- tration of either 0.5 mg/L or 1.0 mg/L. Set 2. Cuttings for Set 2 were taken on March 22, disinfested by the same procedure, and also placed on plain, modified MS me- dium without PGRs. Only apical buds and younger axillary buds were selected for explants. After one week, all cultures remained clean. Shoots were subcul- tured after two weeks; buds and leaf sections were placed on BA medium of either 0.5 mg/L or 1.0 mg/ L concentration. Results Data were taken April 26. Set 1 had been in culture a total of eight weeks; Set 2, four and a half weeks. In both sets, buds in 1.0 mg/L BA medium produced more shoot proliferation and growth than those in 0.5 mg/L BA medium. The dif- ference in shoot prolifera- tion was dramatic in Set 2. Table 1 shows percentages and numbers of plantlets that developed multiple shoots. Some leaf, stem and petiole sections on 1.0 mg/L BA medium pro- duced small amounts of callus. Shoot proliferation on 0.5 mg/L BA. In Set 1, three of six explants produced two shoots each. The other three produced one shoot. In Set 2, six of 22 explants produced multiple shoots. Shoot proliferation on 1.0 mg/L BA. In Set 1, four of seven explants produced two shoots each. In Set 2, 11 of 22 explants produced either two, three, or four shoots. Volume 35 (1) Shoot vigor. New shoots of Set 1 ranged in height from Y, inch to 1% inches in both BA treatments, but those in the 0.5 mg/L BA medium were spindly. New shoots of Set 2 explants in 0.5 mg/L were the same height and more vigorous, al- though they had been on BA medium only three weeks, as opposed to five for Set 1. New shoots of Set 2 explants in 1.0 mg/L BA showed vigorous growth and ranged to 34 inches in height. Roots. The experimental objective did not include root proliferation but roots were observed on six of 44 cultures in Set 2. Three of the rooting plantlets were on the weaker BA medium and three were on the stronger-concentration BA medium. An anomaly. Not included in the above results was one plantlet from Set 1 that was never subcultured or transferred to medium con- taining BA. Without benefit of hormones, it produced side shoots, one of which had basal branching, and a number of roots. Discussion The experiment was per- formed twice because of the possibility that one or two culture tubes were mislabeled as to BA con- centration during the first trial. If they were, it might explain the proportionally high number of branching shoots in the 0.5 mg/L BA treatment in Set 1, com- pared to the low proportion of shoots from the same treatment in Set 2. The Set 2 results, involving no chance of mix-ups and a larger number of explants, are considered reliable. The greater vigor of shoots in Set 2 may have been due to the fact that each culture tube contained three or four explants rather than two. Ethylene is known to affect plant development in ways not well understood (Hartmann et al. 1990; Mudge 1988). Incidental rooting of plant- lets in Set 2 (even while not on a rooting medium) con- tributes to the impression that J. ovalifolia ssp. sand- wicensis will respond well to micropropagation tech- niques. Conclusion J. ovalifolia ssp. sand- wicensis proliferates shoots more readily in medium with a concentration of 1.0 mg/L BA than in medium with 0.5 mg/L concentra- tion. These trials prepared the way for rooting studies to develop a complete pro- tocol for micropropagation. Literature Cited Hartmann, H.T., D.E. Kester and F.T. Davies Jr. 1990. Plant propaga- tion: principles and practices. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Mudge, K.W. 1988. Effect of ethylene on rooting. pp. 150-161 In: Davis, T.D., B.E. Haissig and N. Sankhla (eds.) Adventitious root formation in cuttings. Dioscorides Press, Portland, Ore. Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst, S.H. Sohmer and S.W. Mill. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai‘1. University of Hawaii Press, Bishop Museum Press, Hono- lulu. 10 Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society Urgent Genetic Conservation Program Gary Ray Executive Summary Center for Plant Conservation — Hawai‘i The Hawai‘i Office of the Center for Plant Conserva- tion (CPC-Hawai‘1) is de- veloping an emergency ini- tiative aimed at preventing the total genetic loss of 129 of the state’s most critically endangered plant species. The program consists of 14 interdependent funding proposals designed to col- lect, propagate, or store all taxa on the priority list. The initiative seeks to upgrade germplasm banks and liv- ing collections, and in- cludes a plan to construct nurseries at higher eleva- tions on most of the main islands. The new network of nurseries will create ge- netic reservoirs vital to the survival of most of the im- periled species. The “Urgent Genetic Con- servation Program” for critically endangered Ha- waiian plants has evolved out of strategy sessions from a multi-agency body called the Hawaii-Pacific Plant Recovery Coordinat- ing Committee, created and currently chaired by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. With the CPC-Hawai‘i Of- fice in a lead role, the ini- tiative is benefiting from the cooperation and support of the Hawai‘i Rare Plant Restoration Group, a large coalition of off-site and on- site conservation partners. Hawai‘ has already lost approximately 100 plant taxa to extinction. Habitat alteration from develop- ment, exotic plant and in- sect infestation, conflicting managerial mandates for controlling destructive feral ungulates, and the cascad- ing effects of these factors on plant reproductive biol- ogy are creating enormous difficulties for Hawaiian plant conservation. While state, federal, and private organizations are investing in the protection of rare and endangered plant habitat, threats to most plant spe- cies can not be controlled for various political and technical reasons. It is es- sential that off-site strate- gies (protective cultivation in gardens and nurseries) become central to plant conservation planning in Hawai‘i. Off-site plant con- servation is our most potent weapon against the total genetic loss of a species. A fully-funded Genetic Con- servation Program under- writes a sound insurance policy against the total ge- netic extinction of any more Hawaiian plants. Such a strategy effectively allows agencies charged with protecting the nation’s endangered plants the time to plan and execute habitat protection programs, and ultimately, the option, to fully recover a plant taxon that would otherwise be- come extinct. Natural population of 596 plant taxa are tracked by the conservation commu- nity in Hawai‘i — more that half of the indigenous flora. While approximately 375 taxa meet criteria for federal listing as endan- gered, only 199 have been Volume 35 (1) 1] listed to date. Congress has halted new endangered spe- cies listings, sharply reduc- ing funding opportunities under Sections 6 and 7 of the Endangered Species Act. The magnitude of the cri- sis, and the fiscal austerity at the state and federal lev- els, have prompted plant conservationists to shift their attention to 129 of our most critically endangered plants. Hawai‘i has 115 taxa consisting of 20 or fewer individuals (or a single population of 50 or fewer individuals) remain- ing in the wild. Virtually all of these plants are single- island endemics, most with only one natural population extant. Scores of these plants are not yet secure. For instance, a recent in- ventory has revealed that, of the 115 extant taxa on the Safety Net list, only 34 (30%) have been incorpo- rated into the Lyon Arboretum’s tissue culture storage facility, which is nearly filled to capacity. A massive budgetary shortfall within the Hawai‘i State Government has destabi- lized funding for a key micropropagation specialist position at Lyon. The Ur- gent Genetic Conservation Program intends for full funding for this position, which is tightly linked to the fate of endangered plants suffering reproduc- tive failure in the wild. The Urgent Genetic Con- servation Program invests in the three types of genetic reservoirs integral to off- site protection strategies: (1) germplasm banks, e.g., seed banks and in vitro storage, (2) living collec- tions at botanical gardens, and (3) remote “field gene banks” housed in a network of small nurseries at middle elevations. The Program calls for construction and operation of five mid-eleva- tion nurseries on Kaua‘1, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and Maui. Each nursery will employ a horticulturist skilled in the propagation of Hawaiian rare plants. Potential partners are a mixture of community- based non-profit groups, state agencies partnerships, two federal agencies (USFWS and the US Army), and large land- owning corporations. The initiative seeks to es- tablish a new system for monitoring natural popula- tions of critically endan- gered plants. By combining the talents of our best field botanists, exceptionally dedicated natural resource technicians, and student interns and volunteers, we will assemble a network of committed persons that will collect population data nec- essary for scientifically sound genetic sampling (off-site conservation) and specialized monitoring of natural populations (on-site conservation). In this way, a single management effort serves two indispensable facets of plant protection and recovery. CPC-Hawai‘i will function as a data center to track the movement of germplasm, to monitor the progress of the program, and to ensure that no vulnerable plants are overlooked. In most cases, CPC-Hawai‘i will facilitate the work of other organizations in imple- menting the initiative. In some instances, CPC- Hawai‘i will enter into con- tractual agreement to ex- ecute tasks. 12 Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Revised List of “Candidates” for Endangered Species List The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a notice of review for plant and ani- mal species that are candi- dates for listing as endan- gered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The revised list of “candidate species”—part of the Administration’s commitment to improve implementation of the En- dangered Species Act—is the result of a thorough re- view of the scientific infor- mation available on the species. In its notice of review, published in the February 28 Federal Regis- ter, the Service is asking for any new information on the status of the candidate spe- cles. “The revisions to the candi- date species list strengthen the scientific basis of the endangered species pro- gram,” said Service Deputy Director John Rogers. “The new candidate species list clearly identifies those species with strong scien- tific evidence indicating they are likely to be in need of listing as endangered or threatened. This will en- able the Service, other agencies, and private part- ners to focus attention and resources on the species that most need help and will therefore, ultimately reduce the costs and in- crease the effectiveness of species conservation.” The revised candidate no- tice identifies 182 species as “candidates” for listing. “Candidate species” are species for which the Fish and Wildlife Service has enough scientific informa- tion to warrant proposing them for listing as endan- gered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Identification of can- didate species helps re- source managers alleviate threats and thereby possi- bly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Conservation actions for candidate spe- cies are often the most ef- fective and least expensive means for restoring species. The revised candidate list replaces an old system that listed nearly 4,000 “‘candi- date” species under three separate categories. The old system led many people to the mistaken conclusion that the addition of thou- sands of species to the en- dangered list was immi- nent. Under the revised list, only those species for which there is enough in- formation to support a list- ing proposal will be called “candidates.” These were formerly known as “Cat- egory 1 Candidate Spe- cles.” With this announcement, the Service will no longer maintain a list of species formerly known as “Cat- egory 2 Candidates.” These are species for which the Service does not have enough scientific informa- tion to support a listing proposal. The Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Federal and state agencies, private conserva- tion groups, and the scien- tific community to develop Volume 35 (1) 13 data sharing arrangements and continue to assess the status of these species. “The Fish and Wildlife Ser- vice remains concerned about many of the species formerly on the ‘Category 2 Candidates’ list, and will continue working with states and others to gather information about these and other species that may be at risk,” Rogers said. “However, we currently do not have the type of infor- mation needed to warrant a candidate designation for these species.” In the 22-year history of the Endangered Species Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service has listed 960 U.S. species as endangered or threatened but has deter- mined that 2,400 others do not warrant protection at this time. Over 70 percent of all species reviewed were found not to warrant listing. None of the current candi- date species is likely to be listed as endangered or threatened in the near fu- ture because of an April 1995 Congressional mora- torium on adding new spe- cies to the official list. Pro- posals to list species also have been delayed by re- ductions in the Service’s endangered species budget. The Service is continuing efforts to stabilize the status of candidate species through conservation part- nerships but Congress has also cut funding for this program. Also in the February 28 Federal Register is a notice explaining the changes in the status of 96 candidate species under the terms of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed by the Fund for Animals. This notice explains that scientific re- view has indicated these 88 plants and 8 animals do not warrant proposal for listing as endangered or threat- ened. Most of the species were removed for taxo- nomic reasons, because of a lack of scientific informa- tion to support a proposal, or because they are more abundant or less threatened than previously believed. Several of the species were removed from “candidate” status as a result of success- ful conservation actions that have reduced threats and stabilized their popula- tions. Two species, both Hawaiian plants, were re- moved because they are believed to be extinct. Need to pay your dues for 1996? Have a friend you'd like to give a gift membership to? Contact Alvin Yoshinaga, membership chairman, for more informa- tion or send your check to: Hawaiian Botanical Society, c/o Department of Botany, 3190 Maile Way, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hl 96822 14 Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society News and Announcements If you have news or announcememtns that you think would be of interest to Society members please submit them for inclusion in later issues of this newsletter. Submissions can be made care of: Newsletter Editor, Gregory A. Koob, P.O. Box 12191, Honolulu, HI 96828-1191 or via e-mail at koob@hawaii.edu All Welcome to Join the E-Mail Group, SOS (Save Our Special) Hawaiian Flora. We have about 30 mem- bers, including one main- lander and we range from students, UH staff, and per- sonnel from state, federal and private organizations involved in learning about and saving our flora. So far, we operate basically as a networking group, where we can put out general questions to which mem- bers may respond to indi- vidually, general interest announcements and con- tacts with people whose expertise is of interest to us. If you want to join, February Field Trip to Wa‘ahila Ridge State Park Plant Check Lists Available On February 24, the Bo- tanical Society field trip met at the Wa‘ahila Ridge State Park. Dr. Deborah Woodcock of the UH Ge- ography Department took the group to a melaleuca stand just makai of the park, where she is studying native forest regeneration in exotic forestry plantings. Afterwards, Alvin Yoshinaga of the UH Cen- ter for Conservation Re- search and Training led a hike up Kolowalu Trail to see native mesic forest plants. Plant check lists and maps were distributed to the participants. Others wanting check lists can contact Dr. Woodcock at 956-7526 for the melalueca list, or Mr. Yoshinaga at 988-3177 for the Kolowalu list. please contact: Priscilla Millen at (pmillen @hawaii.edu) Hope to see you there. Interested in Asteraceae? Sterling Keeley is looking for someone interested in helping her out on a pos- sible project. If you enjoy “getting your nose dirty” in the library and herbarium this might be for you. She wants to work on a flora treatment of the Vernonieae for the Flora North America. If you would like to learn more about what goes into writing a flora, are interested in taxonomy and systematics ,or would just like to help out, contact Dr. Sterling Keeley at the botany department of UH- Manoa for more informa- tion. Volume 35 (1) 15 The Kaneohe Outdoor Circle In Cooperation with Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens proposes to start a Commu- nity Lei Garden. A plan- ning meeting will be held on March 21, 1996 at 10:30 a.m. at Ho‘omaluhia Bo- tanical Garden Visitor Cen- ter in Kaneohe. The pur- pose of this meeting is to prepare the groundwork for the selection, planting, and care of lei-producing plants in the Botanical Garden. We hope to include the building of a halau to be used by lei makers. Please bring lunch and join us in this planning session. If you are able to attend, call 233-7323 to let the staff at Ho‘omaluhia know you'll be there. Outings Sponsored by Lyon Arboretum For more information on the following outings, call the Lyon Arboretum at 988-3177, Monday through Saturday 9:00 to 3:00. All outings require prior regis- tration and group sizes are limited. Ka‘ena Point Nature Walk: Led by Charles Lamoureux, Arboretum director. Meet at 9:30 at the end of the paved road (Farrington Highway) just past Yokohama Beach on the west coast of O‘ahu. Saturday, April 20, 1996, 9:30 to 3:00. $12.00 ($6.00 members). Bird Walk at Lyon Arbo- retum: Ornithologist Sheila Conant will first give a brief lecture on the bird life at the Arboretum and then conduct a guided walk. Sat- urday, May 11, 1996. 8:00 to 11:00. $9.00 ($6.00 members). Job Anouncement Time: Fall semester, about August 20th to December 15, 1996. Location: One position on Maui, one or more on O‘ahu. Qualifications: College degree in botany or biol- ogy, or related science. Must have basic knowledge of Hawaiian native plants and of important intro- duced plants of Hawai‘i. Desired: Some teaching experience and familiarity of locations of native plants in botanic gardens and in the wilderness. Job Requirements: Teach 16, 3-hour lab sessions for Botany 130, (Plants in the Hawaiian Environment). The lecture portion will be televised. Labs given on Saturday mornings, 9-12. Contact Priscilla Millen at 455-0285, Math/Science Dept., Leeward Commu- nity College, 94-045 Ala Ike, Pearl City, 96782, or e-mail:pmillen@hawaii.edu 16 Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society Scientist Needs Marine Plants for Study Lionel Clowes of the De- partment of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, is in need of roots tips of mem- bers of the Hydrocharit- aceae for his work on root apical meristems. Appar- ently, species in the three genera of the Hydrocharit- aceae that float on fresh water (Enhalus, Thalassia, and Halophila) differ from most plants in having a dis- crete meristem for the root epidermis. The only other plants known to have this are Pistia (Araceae) and Lemna (Lemnaceae), all plants that float on fresh water. Dr. Clowes wants to find out whether any of the ma- rine Hydrocharitaceae have roots that are free in the sea water, ie. not growing in mud, sand, etc. Though all three genera (Enhalus, Thalassia, and Halophila) are found in the Pacific, only the last occurs in Hawai‘i [according to Dr. George Staples of the Bishop Museum -ed.]. If there are species of these genera that have free-float- ing roots, Dr. Clowes would like to have some actively-growing roots tips about 5 mm long fixed in any cytological fixative (such as FAA) so that he can microtome longitudinal serial sections through the meristems after embedding Write Your Representatives On the following page is a suggested letter, written by Alvin Keali‘i Chock that members may want to use to try to convince our rep- resentatives in Washinton, D.C. of the importance of the USFWS designating critical habitat for all spe- cies presently listed by the Endangered Species Act. Send letters to: Senator Daniel Inouye, 722 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 Senator Daniel Akaka, 109 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 in wax. Ten to 20 root tips would be adequate if they are in good condition when fixed. Any species would be welcomed but he would be grateful to have the proper name accompany it. Plants normally rooted in a substrate would probably not have the peculiar mer- istem but he might examine them if available. If anyone knows of any of theses plants and can help Dr. Clowes he can be reached at: Department of Plant Science, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB. Or you can phone him at Oxford (01865) 275000 or fax at (01865) 275074. Representative Neil Abercrombie, 1140 Longworth Building, Wash- ington, D.C. 20515 Represenative Patsy Mink, 2195 Rayburn Buidling, Washington, D.C. 20515 Volume 35 (1) 17 Dear ; The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) was designed to protect species which are in danger of extinction. As you know, Hawaii’s flora is extremely dis tinctive and outstanding because about 90% of the native plants are endemic, or found only in Hawai’ and nowhere else in the world. This has resulted in Hawai’i being considered by the National Geographic Society as the ‘endan- gered species capital of the world.’ We have a rich heritage of native plants and animals; these are Hawaii’s own and if they disappear, they can never be re- placed. One of the provisions of the ESA is Section 4(a)(3) which requires the Secre- tary of Interior (delegated to the Fish & Wildlife Service) to concurrently desig- nate an area which contains an endangered or threatened species, as a critical habitat. To date this has not been done. It is one thing to declare a species as threatened or endangered, and it is another thing to protect it. Because of the intertwined biological relationships and complex of plants, insects, land snails, and birds, it is essential that a number of Hawaiian ecosystems which contain these taxa be preserved. We urge you to request the Department of Interior to immediately designate those ecosystems containing endangered or threatened species as critical habitats. This would better protect Hawaii’s unique legacy. Thus far the Ser- vice has unfortunately determined that they do not need to designate such pro- tections, and even claim that these designations would lead to vandalism! This is far from the truth. The Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, on behalf of the Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Audubon Society, Hawaiian Botanical Society, and Conservation Council for Hawai‘i have in the past requested this action, but with no results to date. We are therefore asking you to assist in this matter which will result in the perpetu- ation and preservation of these rare species. We look forward to your cooperation in safeguarding Hawaii’s unique birth- right. Sincerely, 18 Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society Minutes of the Hawaiian Botanical Society December Meeting The December 4, 1995 meeting of the Hawaiian Botanical Society was called to order by Camille Barr, president. The min- utes were revised and ac- cepted. The membership chair re- ported three new members and one additional life membership. The treasurer, Ron Fenstemacher, reported $2911 in the Society’s checking account. Old business included the sale of remaining Botanical Society T-shirts and Con- servation Council posters. Proposed officers for 1996 were approved unani- mously by the membership and are as follows: M@ Camille Barr — President HM Wisteria Loeffler — Vice-president M@ Vickie Caraway — Secretary M Ron Fenstemacher — Treasurer Announcements included the suggestion by Priscilla Millen of the formation of a communication source via e-mail for the membership. Topics to be included are native flora and conservation. The plant of the month talk was given by Alvin Yoshinaga on the plants of Joseph Rock. The Main speaker was Paul Weissich, speaking about personal recollections of Joseph Rock. January Meeting The first 1996 meeting of the Botanical Society was called to order by Camille Barr on Jan. 15. One visi- tor, William Steiner, was introduced. The minutes were accepted as read. The treasurer’s report by Ron Fenstemacher reported a net loss of $363 for the 1995 year, ending with a balance of $2241 in the checking account. Lisa Stratton volunteered to au- dit the books for the year 1995. Alvin Yoshinaga reminded the members that dues are payable immediately. New business included a call for volunteers to sup- ply refreshments after meetings and the an- nouncement of the Waianae Kai hike on Jan. 28. Announcements made by Priscilla Millen were her ongoing work on an e-mail address and the Jan. 19 meeting discussing pro- posed changes to state laws pertaining to the Endan- gered Species Act. Rob Patteson announced future fund-raisers and en- couraged participation from the members. We enjoyed two plant of the month topics, one by Bob Green on Hoya imperalis from Malaysia and another presentation on Volume 35 (1) 19 mangroves, given by Orlo Steele. Our speaker for the month was Dr. Art Whistler, of the UH Botany Department, who spoke on the medici- nal plants of Samoa. February Meeting The February 2, 1996 meeting of the Hawaiian Botanical Society was called to order by Camille Barr, president. One guest was introduced. The January minutes were approved as read. The 1995 treasurer’s books were audited by Lisa Stratton and approved. One new member, Chris- tina Crooker, was intro- duced. Old business included the approval by the Botanical Society’s board to join other environmental groups in signing joint letter to the Attorney General, voicing objection to mining actions on Hawaiian Home Lands on the big island. These actions allow the destruc- tion of a large segment of the endangered species Lipochaeta venosa, nehe, by a commercial operation by declaring the Hawaiian Home Lands are exempt from state and federal en- dangered species laws due to the creation of “an eco- nomic hardship” by abiding by the law. The state attor- ney general concluded that the endangered species laws do apply in this case and no exemption would be granted. Other old business con- cerning the critical habitat law — Fish and Wildlife may not be held respon- sible for creating critical habitats of endangered spe- cies due to the moratorium on funding from Congress. Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund will be meeting with the clients of the lawsuit on Feb. 7. Don Gowing noted the passing of Botanical Soci- ety member Elizabeth Marks, one of the founders of Pacific Tropical Botani- cal Gardens, now known as National Tropical Botanical Gardens. New business included Arron Lowe requesting vol- unteers for Botanical Soci- ety hikes to contact him. The February Wa‘ahila Ridge hike will be the last Saturday in Feb. Greg Koob announced the need for newsletter articles. Priscilla Millen reported on the public hearing for pro- posed changes to the state Endangered Species Act, stating most attendees fa- vored loosening restrictions of ownership and decreas- ing paperwork involved. Alvin Yoshinaga moved to support proposed changes to the state Endangered Species Act and also to support modifications that private individuals can pos- sess plants providing that it does not endanger said plants. Lou Santiago sec- onded the motion. Plant of the month was given by Priscilla Millen on Hibiscus clayii and the con- nection between Horace Clay and Leeward Commu- nity College. Speaker of the month was Patrick Conant from the Hawai‘i State Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Control Branch, who spoke about the status of Miconia calvenscens containment on O‘ahu and Kaua‘1. 0 ARIES lI 40 73 5 {O DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY NIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA 90 MAILE WAY JNOLULU, HI 96822 in Mi i) 3 9088 SMITHSONIA wt EWSLETTER OF THE HAWAIIAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY ~~ \. 44314 ASONIAN INST, LIBIARY AQ@GU IS i TIEN SRE lOTA x con sTITUTION, AVE WASHINGTON DL @2e: