Winter 2017-2018 t The Quarterly of the Virginia Native Plant Society

Mount Joy Pond

Society Receives

I t has been more than 50 years since
the DuPont fiber manufacturing
facility in Waynesboro last released
mercury into the South River. In
December, Virginia Governor Terry
McAuliffe announced the first
round of grant projects aimed at
mitigating that toxic contamination
from long ago. The Virginia
Native Plant Society is among the
many recipients of the $50 million
settlement designed to improve water
quality and habitat in order to offset
the environmental impacts of the
contamination.

The $1,275 million award from
the DuPont Waynesboro Natural
Resource Damage Assessment and
Restoration settlement will allow
the society, for the first time in its
35-year-history, to actively participate
in land acquisition in order to, among
other things, protect the habitat of
the globally rare Virginia Sneezeweed
(Helenium virginicum). One of the
world’s largest populations of the
plant is found at the Mount Joy Pond
Natural Area Preserve in southeastern
Augusta County.

The Mount Joy Special Area
Acquisition and Restoration Project
was one of 16 designated awards
announced in a special ceremony
attended by many local, state, and
federal leaders and held in the
Waynesboro city council chambers.
Included in the awards were three
projects within the city, where the
mercury contamination took place in
the first half of the 20th century.

Mercury Settlement Funding

A camouflaged crab spider waits for its next
meal while perched on Virginia Sneezeweed at
Mount Joy Pond. (Nancy Sorrells photo)

“With these grants, we are ad¬
dressing longstanding contamination,
restoring ecosystems, and continuing
Virginia's legacy of sound
environmental stewardship,” said
Governor Terry McAuliffe.

The 274-acre Mount Joy Natural
Area Preserve, owned by the Virginia
Department of Conservation and
Recreation’s Division of Natural
Heritage, is home to a rare sinkhole
pond where the water levels fluctuate
seasonally. The sandy, acidic soil,
combined with conditions that range
from very wet in the winter to very
dry in the summer, have created
unique flora evolved to thrive in
such harsh conditions. The ponds
are formed by carbonate rocks that
underlie an acidic colluvium and
alluvium from the Blue Ridge.

The conditions found in these rare
sinkhole ponds, located in Augusta
County and Rockingham County to
the north, replicate those found on
the coastal plain, giving rise to several
disjunct species found in eastern

Virginia and along the flanks of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, but nowhere
in between. Core borings in the pond
itself indicate that this habitat has
persisted for at least 15,000 years.

In addition to Virginia Sneezeweed,
Mount Joy is also home to several
other rare plant species including
Swamp Pink ( Helonias bullata)
and Prairie Loosestrife (. Lysimachia
quadriflora) , as well as the state
endangered Eastern Tiger Salamander
{Ambystoma tigrinum).

In addition to protecting the
globally rare habitat, the acquisition
will protect and enhance habitats for
migratory songbird species as well as
several threatened bat species.

Some other plants of interest at the
sinkhole pond are Winterberry Holly
{Ilex vertidllata) , Forked Bluecurls
('Trichostema dichotomum ), Virginia
Meadow Beauty {Rhexia virginica ),
and American Persimmon {Diospyros
virginiana ).

With the award, the Society
proposes to purchase and restore
about 120 acres of land surrounding
the current DCR parcel. The land will
create a buffer to the current sinkhole
pond complex as well as provide water
quality protection for over 8,000 feet
of headwaters streams. Work on the
project will take place in partnership
with DCR’s Division of Natural
Heritage, and eventually the proposed
purchases would become part of the
Mount Joy Preserve.

—Nancy Sorrells, Editor

2

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

Va. Natural Area
Preserves are
for Plant Lovers

The Virginia Natural Heritage Program
recently updated its brochure, which provides
a guide to our publicly accessible Natural Area
Preserves. (The brochure is available online
here: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-
heritage/document/napbook4web.pdf). I used
the new brochure to suggest an itinerary for
any of you who, like me, have limited time to
visit some of the botanical wonderlands in our
Natural Area Preserve system. The itinerary
will provide you with a chance to see many of
our beautiful native plants growing in some
of the commonwealth’s most pristine natural
habitat. If you take your time and aren’t afraid
to key out a few grasses and sedges, you can
observe more than 350 native plant species on
these six visits.

Trip i. Late April

Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve,

Russell County

Fact sheet: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/
natural-heritage/document/pgpinnacle.pdf

Late April is a magical time at the Pinnacle.
Everywhere you look, spring is bursting forth
with a great diversity of spring ephemerals.
Because the preserve is underlain by calcareous
bedrock, the soils are very rich and many
uncommon and rare species inhabit this preserve.
Along the three-plus miles of trails, look for
Kentucky Coffee-tree ( Gymnocladus dioicus ),
Spotted Mandarin ( Prosartes maculata ), Canby’s
Mountain-lover ( Paxistima canbyi ), and Carolina
Saxifrage ( Saxifraga caroliniana ).

Trip 2. Mid May

Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve, Stafford
County

Trail map: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-
heritage/ document/cnnap-trailmap.pdf

By mid-May, most plants of the forest and
marshes have emerged and the neotropical
migrant birds are back and setting up breeding
territories. The experience of this preserve

Rich forest at Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve. © DCR-DNH, Gary P. Fleming

Freshwater tidal marsh along Accokeek Creek at Crow’s Nest Natural Area
Preserve. ©DCR-DNH, Gary P. Fleming

Open summit at Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve. ©DCR-DNH, Gary P. Fleming

Sempervirens, ; Winter 2017-2018

3

From Your
Natural Heritage
Program

By Jason Bulluck

is greater than the sum of its parts.
Here, relatively close to Washington,
you can enjoy deep forest and
expansive tidal marsh views. One
bonus of a mid-May visit: a large
population of the rare Marsh Pea
(.Lathyrus palustris) grows in the marsh
on the east side of the boat-launch
boardwalk on Accokeek Creek.

Trip 3. Late June
Buffalo Mountain Natural Area
Preserve, Floyd County
Preserve guide: http://www.dcr.
virginia.gov/natural-heritage/
document/pgbuffalo.pdf

Any time of year deserves a visit
to Buffalo Mountain. The natural
communities of this preserve are
beautiful, and there are few if any
invasive plants over large tracts.

The summit is incredible with 360°
views and spectacular large, natural,
invasive-free, open, grassy barrens!

In the barrens, look for these rare or
uncommon plants: Three-toothed
Cinquefoil ( Sibbaldia tridentata ),
Rusty Woodsia ( Woodsia ilvensis ),
Silverling ( Paronychia argyrocoma ),
and Mountain Sandwort ( Minuartia
groenlandica).

Trip 4. Late July
Poor Mountain Natural Area
Preserve, Roanoke County
Preserve guide: http://www.dcr.
virginia.gov/natural-heritage/
document/pgbuffalo.pdf

Two features will stand out to the
botanist visiting this preserve. First,
the sprawling dry forests of Table
Mountain Pine ( Pinus pungens ) and
oak species are as beautiful as they
are sparse in species richness. The

soils here are highly acidic. Second,
in consolation for the low number of
species, there is a vibrant population
of an extremely rare large shrub,
Piratebush ( Buckleya distichophylla).
If it’s not too hot, you can try the
vigorous four-mile trail!

Trip 5. Late August

Chub Sandhill Natural Area Preserve,

Sussex County

Preserve guide: http://www.dcr.
virginia.gov/ natural-heritage/
document/pgchub.pdf

In contrast to the low number
of plant species found at Poor
Mountain, you will rack up
plant after plant at this preserve,
particularly legume species that are
most common in the drier, open,
sandy locations. This preserve
provides an opportunity to see our
native Longleaf Pine {Pinus palustris)
restoration—look for interpretive
signs and more than 200 acres of
young longleaf forest along the road
as you approach the Nottoway River
from the east. Don’t be surprised
to see char and signs of fire—we
use prescribed burning regularly to
promote the health of the Longleaf
Pine and its associated flora.

Trip 6. Late September
Savage Neck Natural Area Preserve,
Northampton County
Preserve guide, visit: http://www.
dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/
document/pgsavage.pdf
Savage Neck gives you a
chance to walk along a secluded
Chesapeake Bay beach and stroll
among high dunes sparsely wooded
with scattered Loblolly Pine {Pinus
taeda). You may be a bit late for the
large population of the federally
threatened northeastern beach tiger
beetle {Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis ),
but it will be a wonderful time for
migrating songbirds and monarch
butterflies. The beach and dune
vegetation is particularly interesting
and you should watch for Sand
Heather {Hudsonia tomentosa) in the
higher dunes and the globally rare
Sea-beach Knotweed {Polygonum
glaucum) near the beach in the lower
sandy dunes. ❖

Jason Bulluck is director of the
Virginia Natural Heritage Program,
a division of the Department of
Conservation and Recreation. Learn
more about Virginias Natural Area
Preserves at www.dcr.virginia.govI
natural-heritage

Open dune woodland at Savage Neck Natural Area Preserve. ©DCR-DNH, Gary P. Fleming

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

From the President

Kudos to

W hat a way for the Virginia
Native Plant Society to end
2017! As the lead story in this issue
indicates, the governor and secretary
of natural resources awarded a
grant to us of $1,275 million for
the purchase of 120 acres of land
adjoining Mount Joy Ponds Natural
Area Preserve in Augusta County.
Funds were part of a legal settlement
with DuPont for mercury poisoning
to the South River in Waynesboro
many years ago. We are charting new
territory here and will have much to
learn about the process of acquiring
the land in accordance with the grant
agreement. Stay tuned.

Many of you had the distinct
pleasure of attending our Tri-
State Native Plant Conference in
Shepherdstown, W.Va., at the end of
September. What an extraordinary
training facility and setting for
outdoor education! The planning
committee from Maryland, West
Virginia, and our own Potowmack
Chapter outdid themselves in
preparation and execution of this huge
event. Our original worry about filling
enough rooms to break even was for
naught as we wound up having to cap
participation and administer a waiting
list. In addition to fabulous field trips
to a variety of habitats, this time we
offered workshops and labs as well.
The food was abundant and varied; no
one could go hungry at this venue! The
250-seat auditorium for the evening
lectures was exceptional and there
was not a bad seat in the house. Many
thanks to our partners in West Virginia
and Maryland, especially Karyn
Moline, and kudos to Potowmack
Chapter President Alan Ford and his
able crew. Well done!

With the election for members of

our Society for

the Board of Directors at the annual
meeting, we welcome some new
faces and express our appreciation
to members who stepped off the
board as their final terms ended
Nov. 1. Congratulations to Janet
Pawlukiewicz, Kathleen Stasulis,

Peggy Troyer, and Laura Beaty, who
are all profiled in this issue. Thanks to
both Cathy Mayes and Joyce Wenger,
who are staying on the board, but in
different capacities. Cathy retired as
our longtime treasurer, but is staying
on as an at-large member who serves
on our Executive Committee along
with our officers. Joyce has moved
from Publicity Chair to an at-large
post, where she chairs the research
grant selection committee. She and
Cathy have served on that committee
since its inception a few years ago.

We also congratulate Second Vice
President Sally Anderson and Secretary
Betty Truax who were re-elected to a
three-year term.

Thanks go out to Nick Ferriter,
who volunteered to serve a one-year
appointment as First Vice President
when he saw that no one seemed
willing to fill that vacancy last year.
He brought a different perspective to
the Executive Committee and helped
us make better decisions. He also
worked hard to find someone to fill
the remainder of his term, a former
member of his Northern Neck
Chapter, Janet Pawlukiewicz.

We thank John Magee, a busy
native plant landscape designer who
served as our Horticulture Chair this
past term. One thing that he began is
a Native Plant Podcast, in which he
has hosted interviews with important
people in the native plant trade.

You can view these at https://www.
nativeplantpodcast.com/.

a job well done!

Kathi Mestayer of Williamsburg
served as an at-large director for several
terms. She has been a champion of
Doug Tallamy and his teachings about
the importance of native plant habitats.
Thank you, Kathi, for your years of
service on the board.

We were fortunate to have
Marcia Mabee, owner of Naked
Mountain Natural Area Preserve
and author of the memoir Naked
Mountain , serve as our Conservation
Committee Chair. She was a tireless
advocate for increased funding for the
Virginia Natural Heritage Program
and diligently built relationships
with General Assembly members
to advance our cause. She also
succeeded in having the Society join
coalitions in opposition to proposed
gas pipeline projects through our
western mountains. Marcia will be
sorely missed; we have yet to find
someone to take her position.

A longtime conservationist and
passionate environmentalist, Shirley
Gay, served on the board for many
terms in different positions and
decided to take a well-deserved break.
For many years Shirley was Education
Chair and, as such, coordinated
the annual workshops. She was
adamant that they should be science-
based botanical lectures rather than
gardening seminars. She created
a new niche for us. Shirley also
organized many of our field trips and
always seemed to know just the right
botanical leader. She has promised to
continue to help us with some field
trips. Thank you, Shirley.

As we look back over 2017 let’s
give ourselves a collective “Bravo!”
for a job well done and then look
forward to a new year filled with
productive conservation successes. ❖

Sempervirens, ; Winter 2017-2018

5

Welcome to our four new board members

A t our annual meeting held in
Shepherdstown, W.Va., on
September 29, we elected several new
members to the Board of Directors.
Please welcome them.

JANET PAWLUKIEWICZ

First Vice President (2017-2019)

Janet (her last name is pronounced
pahv-loo-KEV-itch)
is a member of both the Northern
Neck and South Hampton Roads
chapters. In 2013, she founded
the Plant Northern Neck Natives
campaign and was its director
through 2016. Now living in
Virginia Beach, she volunteers for
the Dolphin Discovery and Ocean
Collection tours at the Virginia
Aquarium and occasionally helps
with bird surveys at Back Bay
National Wildlife Refuge. At the
beginning of her career, she worked
at the Smithsonian Institution,
managing the Discovery Room, an
educational exhibit in the National
Museum of Natural History. Later,
she joined the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, where she
led efforts to foster watershed
partnerships across the country,
was chief of staff for the drinking
water program, and, following
9/11, was appointed as the first
director of EPA’s Water Security
Division. At the end of her career,
she became an EPA Fellow at the
Trust for Public Land, helping
local communities design land-
conservation programs aimed at
protecting water quality. Janet has
a B.A. degree in biology from Long
Island University and a master’s in
public administration from George
Washington University.

KATHLEEN STASULIS

Treasurer(2017-2020)

Kathleen has more than 30 years’
experience in accounting, computer
consulting, business management,
and taxation. She graduated from
UC-Berkeley with a B.S. in business
administration. She joined the tax
department of Cherry Bekaert LLP
in 1995. She is semiretired, working
primarily during the busy tax season.
Her professional affiliations include
the Virginia Society of Enrolled
Agents, where she is an active mem¬
ber and served as director of member¬
ship services for the Hampton Roads
Chapter. She is also the treasurer of
the South Hampton Roads Chapter
of the VNPS. She lives in Virginia
Beach with her husband, Steve.

MARGARET (PEGGY) TROYER

Fund-raising (2017-2018)

Directly from Peggy: “I come to
you from the mother ship of native
plant interest, the state of Texas,
where Lady Bird Johnson had the
medians and berms of the interstates
seeded with wildflowers and had
them hold off mowing until the flow¬
ers had a chance to reseed. That’s an
area where civilization is new enough,
if you just pull up the nonnatives then
all kinds of interesting seeds buried
under the hybrids will spring forth
with wonderful natural gifts. Here in
Norfolk, the gardens have been civi¬
lized for a long time, so that method
only gets you greenbrier and Bermuda
grass brought in by the birds! Still,
there is a plethora of natives, and
interest is growing. Shifting from dry
alkaline to wet acid soil, I’ve been in
need of guidance, and the VNPS has
been a great resource. While serving
on the fund-raising committee, I hope
to assist in the painless enhancement

New board members, left to right, Peggy
Troyer, Janet Pawlukiewicz, Laura Beaty,
and Kathleen Stasulis. (Nancy Vehrs photo)

of our scholarship opportunities, the
development of the Flora app, and
other fine projects as they arise.”

LAURA BEATY

Horticulture Chair (2017-2020)

Laura has been volunteering at the
Potowmack Chapter’s propagation
beds for more than 25 years, man¬
aging them for more than 15. She con¬
tinues to enjoy opportunities to talk
with groups about how native plants
in wild communities and in home
landscapes help support biodiversity,
with a special interest in pollinators.
She received a degree in horticulture
in 1986 from Northern Virginia Com¬
munity College.

RE-ELECTIONS, CHANGED CHAIRS,
AND EMPTY CHAIRS

Several members were re-elected
(2017-2020): Sally Anderson, Second
Vice President; Betty Truax, Secre¬
tary; Emily Ford, Education Chair;
Rod Simmons and Charles Smith,
Registry Site Co-Chairs. Two mem¬
bers switched to different positions,
for the same term: Joyce Wenger,
Director-at-Large, Research Grants,
from Publicity; Cathy Mayes, Direc¬
tor-at-Large, from Treasurer.

We are still looking for enthusias¬
tic volunteers for Conservation and
Publicity chairs. ❖

6

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

BLACK COHOSH

Seed Germination and Conservation

Article and illustrations by W. John Hayden, Botany Chair

L ike many plant enthusiasts, I have
spent a considerable amount of
time planting seeds. Every year I
grow many vegetables—my garden
always includes some annual bedding
plants—and I sow seeds of cover
crops (winter wheat, winter rye, and
buckwheat) by the tens of thousands.
While I have committed vast numbers
of propagules to moist soil, I cannot
say that I have watched every single
one sprout. Nevertheless, I certainly
have observed the germination
process many, many times for lots
of different seeds. For these seeds of
garden plants, germination is quite
rapid, just a few days to maybe as
much as two weeks, tops—provided
that temperature and moisture are
appropriate. Further, in the usual
case, the embryonic root (radicle)
emerges first, followed in short order
by embryonic leaves (cotyledons) and
the first bits of the seedling shoot
(epicotyl). Sometimes, as in Garden
Peas, the cotyledons stay below
ground, but the pattern of radicle
shortly before epicotyl is still the
typical situation.

In contrast, anyone who has grown
temperate zone trees, shrubs, or
wildflowers from seed knows that our
wild native plants do not always follow
the quick and straightforward pattern
described above for domesticated
plants. Often, germination of native
plant seeds can be a protracted process
requiring months of patient waiting.
Further, our native species may require
a particular sequence of moisture
and temperature exposure before
dormancy breaks and germination
begins. Usually, native species time
the germination processes to match

the natural progression of seasons.
Seeds that mature and disperse in late
summer or fall will be exposed, first
to warmth and moisture, and then to
the cold temperatures of winter, before
germinating in the warmth of spring.
The savvy native plant gardener
employs a process called stratification
to mimic this natural cycle; seeds sown
in moist soil, or merely wrapped in
moist paper towels, are given a winter¬
like cold treatment in order to prompt
germination when brought back to
warmth.

Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh),
our 2017 VNPS Wildflower of the
Year, exhibits an interesting twist
on the usual cold stratification
requirement: within each seed, the
radicle and epicotyl have different
requirements for breaking dormancy.
In nature, Black Cohosh seeds
(Figure 1) mature and disperse while
temperatures are still reasonably
warm. Sooner or later the seeds will
be moistened by autumnal rains, and
the germination process commences
with emergence of the radicle. The
epicotyl, however, at this time,
remains dormant. Time passes, fall
becomes winter, and winter brings
cold temperatures that provide the
necessary “stratification” effect
required by the epicotyl.

When warm spring temperatures
return, the epicotyl becomes active
and emerges, establishing the shoot
system of a Black Cohosh seedling.
Baskin and Baskin (1985) studied
seed germination in Black Cohosh.
For seeds sown in late September
and exposed to ambient temperature
conditions of Lexington, Kentucky,
radicles emerged in early November,

but epicotyls remained inactive
until mid-March. Seeds of Hepatica
(.Anemone acutiloba ), also studied
by Baskin and Baskin (1985), show a
similar pattern.

Baskin and Baskin (1985) offered
several hypotheses for the adaptive
value of epicotyl dormancy observed
in Black Cohosh and Hepatica. For
example, cotyledons that remain
inside the seed may suffer less
predation than would be the case if
these young and tender tissues were
exposed all winter long. Further,
retention in the seed may ameliorate
extreme fluctuations in winter
temperatures experienced by the
epicotyl meristem. Finally, the Baskins
noted that precocious development
of a root system could help provide
water and mineral nutrients for the
epicotyl in spring better than if both
root and shoot were developing
simultaneously.

It occurs to me that there
may be another perspective on
precocious radicle and delayed
epicotyl germination in Actaea and
Anemone. Both of these plants are
members of Ranunculaceae, a family
in which seeds characteristically
have “underdeveloped” embryos.
“Underdeveloped,” of course,
is in comparison with seeds of
other plants. Figure 2 shows a
Black Cohosh seed that has been
sectioned longitudinally with a razor
blade. Most of the seed consists of
endosperm cells full of stored food
for use by the embryo. The embryo
of this fully mature seed is the
remarkably small heart-shaped blob
near the narrow end of the seed, the
size and shape of which is much like a

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

7

Figure 1. Dormant seeds
of Actaea racemosa.

Figure 2. Dormant seed of Actaea rac¬
emosa, longitudinal section. Embryo is
the small heart-shaped structure (bot¬
tom), everything else contained by the
seed coat is food-storing endosperm.

Figure 3. Dormant seed of Ricinus
communis, longitudinal sections.
Endosperm is the gray shaded area
between the seed coat and the
well-developed embryo. Redrawn
from J. Sachs (1887) Die Vorlesungen
uber Pflanzenphysiologie, Wilhelm
Engelmann, Leipzig.

textbook example of an early embryo
shortly after fertilization of the egg.

In other plant families, seeds generally
have much larger embryos at maturity.
Castor Bean (. Ricinus communis)
(Figure 3) provides a convenient
example; though endosperm volume
is still greater than that of the
embryo, cotyledons of Castor Bean
embryos are well-developed, and the
whole embryo extends for nearly
the full length of the seed. Perhaps
epicotyls of Actaea racemosa have
delayed emergence from the seed
because they are anatomically and
physiologically too immature to
germinate when the seeds disperse in
autumn. I wonder if the cotyledons
and epicotyls of Black Cohosh are
truly dormant and inactive during
winter. Might they continue to
develop through the winter, whenever
temperatures are warm enough to
permit growth? There certainly is
ample food stored in the endosperm,
and the precociously developed root
would be able to supply water and
minerals. Perhaps it is not until spring
that the cotyledons and epicotyl
are developmentally competent
to emerge. It should be a simple
matter to monitor Black Cohosh
seed structure over the full course of

germination to determine whether
epicotyls are truly winter dormant or
whether they are opportunistically
active, following a cryptic post
dispersal developmental process
and getting ready for eventual
germination in spring.

Why do the details of Black
Cohosh seed germination matter?

As pointed out by Kaur et al. (2013),
the growing popularity of Black
Cohosh in herbal medicine threatens
unsustainable overharvesting of
wild populations for its roots and
rhizomes. Cultivation of Black
Cohosh could alleviate pressure
on wild populations; thus, efficient
propagation by seed could be
an important step to make that
conservation-worthy goal a reality. ❖

WORKS CITED

Baskin, J.M., and C. C. Baskin.
1985. Epicotyl dormancy in seeds
of Cimicifuga racemosa and
Hepatica acutiloba. Bull. Torrey
Botanical Club 112: 253-257.

Kaur, B., J. McCoy, and E. Eisen-
stein. 2013. Efficient, season-inde¬
pendent seed germination in Black
Cohosh (. Actaea racemosa L.).
Amer. J. Plant Sciences 4: 77-83.

Travelers on the Society’s upcoming trip to the Great
Smoky Mountains are in for vistas such as this one from
Clingman’s Dome. (Photo by Sally Anderson)

FIELD TRIPS:
SAVE THE DATES!

The Society is sponsor¬
ing two upcoming field
trips, the botanical
explorations of which
you won’t want to
miss. The Great Smoky
Mountains trip is April
8-14 and the journey to
Southwest Virginia and
the Grayson Highlands is
June 10-16.

For details, email
vnps.org@gmail.com or
call 540-837-1600.

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

Society mourns passing of beloved naturalist

Stan Shetler shares a natural history lesson with his son Stephen. (Shetler family photo)

F or lovers of Virginia’s natural
world, early December was
a time of sadness with the news
of the passing of Stanwyn G.
Shetler at age 84. A longtime
supporter of the Virginia Native
Plant Society, he was a man of
many talents. Born in Johnstown,
Pa., he became interested in the
natural world in the sixth grade
when he began bird watching.
After graduating as valedictorian
of Johnstown Christian School,
where his father was principal,
he attended Eastern Mennonite
College before going on to earn
bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from Cornell University.

Stan went to the Department
of Botany, National Museum
of Natural History of the
Smithsonian Institution in 1962,
directly from doctoral studies
at the University of Michigan,
where he earned a Ph.D. in
systematic botany. He spent his
whole professional career at the
Smithsonian before retiring at

the end of 1995. Beginning as an
assistant curator, he rose to serve
as associate director and then
deputy director of the National
Museum of Natural History.

Stan’s naturalist interests were
wide-ranging, but he was a recognized
expert on the bellflowers (genus
Campanula) and the flora of the
Arctic. His publications numbered
well over 100 scientific, technical, and
popular titles, and several books that
include Annotated Checklist of the
Vascular Plants of the Washington-
Baltimore Area.

Stan was program director of the
international Flora North America
Program, which pioneered the use of
computers for organizing taxonomic
information and set the stage for the
subsequent effort to prepare a modern
treatise of North American plants.
The data produced from this project
were among the first in the world to
document the climatic phenomenon
now known as global warming.

He was a frequent lecturer, teacher,
and consultant. He served on the

Piedmont Environmental Council
board (1985-1988) and several terms
on the board of directors of the
Audubon Naturalist Society, including
three years as president. He was a
charter member of the Virginia Native
Plant Society and served on the state
board of directors as Botany Chair
and Director at Large. He taught
plant identification courses for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Graduate
School and at Northern Virginia
Community College.

Honors include election as a
fellow of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science for
“contributions to the formation
of electronic data banks and the
computer registry of botanical
specimens” and as a fellow of the
Washington Academy of Sciences.
Upon retirement he was appointed
botanist emeritus at the Smithsonian.

In 1995, he received the Paul
Bartsch Medal, the Audubon
Naturalist Society’s top award for
contributions to natural history
and conservation. In 1988, he
was invited by the Chautauqua
Institution to present the featured
lecture at the celebration of Roger
Tory Peterson’s 80th birthday. Stan
received the Piedmont Environmental
Council’s Individual Award for
Contributions to Environmental
Improvement for his role in drafting
a Vegetation Preservation Policy for
Loudoun County. He was elected
to membership in the Washington
Biologists’ Field Club and served as
both vice president and president.

Stan is survived by Elaine, his wife
of 54 years, two children, and two
grandchildren and by two sisters, a
brother, and a stepmother.

—Information from Stephen Shetler

Sempervirens, ; Winter 2017-2018

Comus florida: A

B y vote of the Virginia Native Plant
Society Board of Directors, Flower¬
ing Dogwood, Comus florida , will be
the 2018 Virginia Native Plant Society
Wildflower of the Year. One hopes that
all Virginians are able to identify Flow¬
ering Dogwood because, after all, it is
our state flower (and state tree). This is
an appropriate time to summarize how
to recognize Comus florida in win¬
ter. First, as I like to tell my students,
“Dogwood can be recognized by its
distinctive bark.” After a brief pause
for laughter (or groans), I explain that
the bark of mature trees consists of
a densely tessellated pattern of small
plates, a pattern of scales finer than
that of any other local tree (Figure 1).

But this bark pattern is not
manifest until the tree is relatively
old. Younger specimens can also be
recognized in winter by their distinctive
flower buds; flower buds terminate
clusters of upturned branchlets, and
are roughly spherical with a small cen¬
tral point. Viewed closely, the four bud
scales that cover these flower buds will
be distinguished. And, if one watches
Dogwood bud break closely, one will
learn that these four bud scales first

winter look at the 2018 WOY

diverge slightly, then, by a process of
intercalary growth (i.e., expansion
from their bases) they enlarge to form
the characteristic four bracts that
many mistake for petals.

Finally, overall branch patterns of
Comus florida are distinctive. Each
lateral branch grows more or less
horizontally for a limited distance
before curving upward; subsequently,
these upturned branch tips undergo
only incremental growth each season.
Nevertheless, further lateral extension
of the branch does occur, but only
by stimulation of lateral buds below
the upturned slow-growing tips. The
process repeats over and over, cre¬
ating branch systems characterized
by successive horizontal segments
interrupted periodically by upturned
branchlet tips. This branch pattern
is best seen in winter when the basic
architecture is not obscured by leaves.
But it is worth noting in closing that it
is this distinctive branch pattern that
so effectively displays the early spring
bract-bordered flower clusters that are
the crowning glory of our 2018 Wild¬
flower of the Year.

— W. John Hayden, Botany Chair

Figure 1. Comus florida, bark of a mature
tree. Figure 2. Comus florida, next spring’s
flower buds in late fall, just before leaf drop.
(John Hayden photos)

expanded in mercury settlement

Cowbane Prairie

I n October, Gov. Terry McAuliffe
and Virginia Secretary of Natural
Resources Molly Ward helicoptered
into the Cowbane Prairie Natural
Area Preserve in Stuarts Draft,

Augusta County, to announce an
expansion of the preserve as the first
land acquisition to be made under the
DuPont Waynesboro Natural Resource
Damage Assessment and Restoration
settlement. One of the largest
environmental settlements in U.S.
history, it creates a fund of $50 million
to help offset damage caused by
dumping mercury into the South River
by Dupont in nearby Waynesboro.

Two new tracts, totaling 84 acres,
bring Cowbane Prairie to 147 acres.
The new tracts also add a half mile of
frontage on the South River.

DCR describes the site as follows:
“On the western slope of the Blue
Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley,
Cowbane Prairie Natural Area
Preserve protects the last remnants
of wet prairies and calcareous
spring marshes—now rare natural
communities that once blanketed
much of the Shenandoah Valley.”
Cowbane Prairie is home to 11 rare
plant species, and the adjacent South
River provides habitat for two rare

freshwater mussel species. Included
on the plant list are Queen-of-the-
Prairie ( Filipendula rubra) , Larger
Blue Flag ( Iris versicolor ), and
Marsh Speedwell ( Veronica scutellata ).

The site is the largest concen¬
tration in Virginia of critically
imperiled tall grass species; tail-
grass prairies have become a nearly
lost landscape in the state.

The Cowbane Prairie Natural Area
Preserve was established in 1997 as
a joint project between The Nature
Conservancy and the Virginia Natural
Heritage Program, a division of DCR.

—Nancy Sorrells, Editor

10

Sempervirens ; Winter 2017-2018

Tri-State Conference

C&O Canal walk brings botanical delights

Article by Richard Stromberg, Piedmont Chapter. Photos by Nancy Sorrells.

T he Appalachian Trail leaves
Harpers Ferry on a walkway on
the railroad bridge that crosses the
Shenandoah River at its junction
with the Potomac. From there the
AT continues on the C&O Canal
towpath, which lies between the
canal and the Potomac. At the start
of the walk, the river could not be
seen through the foliage, but farther
along it was as close as the canal.
Water could not be seen in the canal:
at some points it was dry and at other
places any water was completely
covered with Common Duckweed
(.Lemna minor ).

Three species of very large,
riverbank-loving trees dominated the
forest: Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).
Sycamore ( Platanus occidentals), and
Silver Maple (Acer sacchannum). The
walk was redolent of overripe pawpaws.

With the exception of a clump
of Orange Jewelweed ( Impatiens
capensis) , and out-of-season Star
Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) and
White Campion ( Silene latifolia) , the
only flowers were in the Aster family
(Asteraceae). We saw three yellow
daisy-type composites: Wingstem
('Verbesina alternifolia) , Thin-leaved
Sunflower ( Helianthus decapetalus),
and Cut-leaf Coneflower ( Rudbeckia
laciniata var. laciniata ); three asters:
Small White ( Symphyotrichum
racemosum var. racemosum),
Heart-leaved (S. cordifolium) , and
Calico (S. lateriflorum ); and three
goldenrods: Tall ( Solidago altissima
ssp. altissima) , Broad-leaved (S.
flexicaulis) , and Blue-stemmed (S.
caesia var. caesia).

We saw both Leafcups, White-
flowered ( Polymnia canadensis)

and Hairy ( Smallanthus uvedalia,
formerly Polymnia uvedalia ).
White-flowered Leafcup was seen
intermittently along the towpath,
but, as usual in my experience, it had
no ray flowers, just puffs of stamens
in the central disk. I have seldom
seen it have white rays. We saw a
large clump of Hairy Leafcup off the
towpath. It is also known as Yellow-
flowered Leafcup, and has always
had yellow rays when I have seen it,
but this time the rays had dried up.

I can identify these two species by
their large leaves, up to a foot long
and wide. White-flowered Leafcup
leaves have 3—5 pointed lobes, shaped
somewhat like an oak leaf. Hairy
Leafcup leaves are maple-leaf-shaped
and have winged petioles.

Turning off the towpath a few
times to get close to the Potomac
allowed us to see some wet-loving
plants. Mistflower ( Conoclinium
coelestinum) was still flowering.
Halberd-leaf Rose-mallow ( Hibiscus
laevis) had gone to seed but could
easily be identified by its leaves.

Unfortunately we ran out of
time and did not get to the Smooth
Wild-petunia (Ruellia strepens) and
Late Thoroughwort ( Eupatorium
serotinum) that I had seen on my
scouting trip. ♦>

Our 2017 Annual Meeting was part
of the Tri-State Native Plant Conference,
sponsored by the Virginia, West Virginia,
and Maryland native plant societies
and spearheaded in Virginia by the
Potowmack Chapter. It was held Sept.
29-0ct. 1 at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Services National Conservation Training
Center in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Scenes from along canal included (top
to bottom), Wild Bur Cucumber (Sicyos
angulatus ), Richard Stromberg helping
identify a goldenrod, a giant Silver Maple,
and two participants working on a plant ID.

Sempervirens ,; Winter 2017-2018

11

A Look Back at the
Tri-State Native
Plant Conference

Clockwise from top left: Carrie Blair
helps key out a tree ID on her group
walk; a hollow tree along the C&O
Canel; Carrie Blair illustrates her
discussion with seeds from Common
milkweed (Asclepias syriaca); milkweed
going to seed; a witness tree (American
Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis ) on the
Antietam Battlefield; and bonfire talk by
Kevin Dodge on the sounds of nature.
(Nancy Sorrells photos)

VIRGINIA NATIVE
PLANT SOCIETY

Sempervirens (ISSN 1085-9632) is the
quarterly newsletter of the Virginia Native
Plant Society, Blandy Experimental Farm,
400 Blandy Farm Fane, Unit 2, Boyce, Va.
22620,540-837-1600, info@vnps.org. Nan¬
cy Vehrs, President; Nancy Sorrells, Editor;
Karen York, Office Manager. Original
material in Sempervirens may be reprinted
if credit is given to the Virginia Native
Plant Society, to Sempervirens, and to the
author of the material, if named. Readers
are invited to send letters, news items, and
queries for consideration. E-mail items to
Nancy Sorrells at lotswife@comcast.net.

Next submission deadline: Feb. 20,2018

12

Sempervirens ,; Winter 2017-2018

Winter Workshop to focus on forests and trees

T rees will be the theme of the 2018
Virginia Native Plant Society
Winter Workshop on Saturday,
March 10, at the University of
Richmond.

An impressive slate of speak¬
ers will address participants in the
day-long event: John Seiler, Desiree
Narango, Lytton Musselman, and
Ryan Klopf.

Seiler, from Virginia Tech, will
speak on tree biology An Alumni Dis¬
tinguished Professor, Seiler has investi¬
gated the environmental stress effects
on woody plant physiology and delved
into relationships between forests and
developing climate concerns.

Narango, from the University of
Delaware, will discuss relationships
between trees, insects, and birds. She
studies the ways in which plants and

animals interact with each other,
their environment, and with humans.

Musselman, a longtime supporter
of the VNPS and a professor at Old
Dominion University, will talk about
the restoration of the Longleaf Pine.
Much of his work on the Longleaf
has taken place at the Blackwater
Ecological Preserve that is part of
the Zuni Pine Barrens Natural Area
Preserve.

Rounding out the day’s speakers
is Ryan Klopf, the Mountain Region
Steward of the Virginia Natural Her¬
itage Program. He will be enlighten
the group on old-growth forests in
the preserves that he stewards.

More information about the Win¬
ter Workshop, including registration
information, will be available at the
end of January.

Forests and trees, such as old growth
forest, (seen here in Ramseys Draft
Wilderness) will be the focus of the Winter
Workshop. (Lynn Cameron photo)

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