VOLUME 19, NUMBER 5 TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER February 1998 President’s Message by Kay Jones The Board of Directors of TNPS met January 31 to make plans for the organization for this year. Approval was given to provide again this year a scholarship to a botany student to attend the Cullowhee conference; board member Larry Wilson of Memphis is Scholarship Chairman. We will continue our membership in the Tennessee Environmental Action Fund; board member David Duhl of Nashville is our representative to that body. Thanks to board member, Jane Norris of Nashville, who improved and revised our membership brochure. And secretary and board member, Nita Heilman of Clarksville, is working toward a new design for tee shirts, in celebration of TNPS twentieth anniversary! We began tentative planning for our annual meeting, to be held in September in Monteagle, TN so look for more details in the next newsletter. Dennis Horn, vice-president and trip committee chairman, presented the 1998 field trip schedule which you will find in this issue. He and his committee of David Duhl, Bertha Chrietzberg and Carl Nordman have worked hard to put together a full schedule. They are well spread over the whole state and over the whole growing season. Be sure to put all the dates on your calendar and come to as many as you can. I guarantee that you will enjoy them all. Jack Carman, general chairman for the Wildflowers of Tennessee, announced that the content of the book is essentially complete, and he presented a proposal for funding, publication, and marketing of the book. Although all possibilities for grant funding have not been exhausted, contributions to date are $7,363.24 and are much appreciated but we have $1 10,000 to go. Board members will be investigating proposals and prices from various publishers and printers, and the board will meet again March 7 to evaluate them all. It does look like the end is in sight. Many members have devoted much time and talent to making this the professional publication that it will soon be. The nominating committee is presenting a slate of nominees to fill the three board positions for 1998-1999. The nominees are Bertha Chrietzberg, Jane Norris and Charles Warfield. According to the by-laws, the membership may make additional nominations. If there are none, the above named candidates will be selected. In this issue : Upcoming Field Trips 1998 pages 3,4,5 and 6 Status of Wildf lower Book - Year end contributors page 7 2-Tennessee Native Plant Society / February 1 998 TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER May 1997 VOLUME 21, NUMBER 2 This Newsletter is a publication of the Tennessee Native Plant Society and is published four times a year, generally in March, June, September, December, The T ennessee Native Plant Society (TNPS) was founded in 1978. Its purposes are to assist in the exchange of information and encourage fellow- ship among Tennessee's botanists, both amateur and professional; to promote public education about Tennessee flora, and wild plants in general; to provide, through publication of a newsletter or journal, a formal means of documenting information on Tennessee flora and of informing the public about wild plants; and to promote the protection and enhancement of Tennessee's wild plant communities. Dues for each calendar year are: Regular: $15 Student/Senior: $10 Institution: $20 Life: $150 Dues may be sent to: TN PS/DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN 37996-1 1 00. TNPS OFFICERS Kay Jones, President Dennis Horn, Vice-President Andrea Shea, Corresponding Secretary Nita Heilman, Recording Secretary Susan Sweetser, Treasurer DIRECTORS Bertha Chrietzburg - Middle Tennesse Shirley Nicholson - East Tennessee Jane Norris - Middle Tennessee Mary Priestly - East Tennessee Larry Wilson - West Tennessee EXOFFICIO Dot Carman Jack Carman HalDeSelm David Duhl Ruth Ann Henry MHoPyne Susan Stahl, Editor 1763 Needmore Rd. Old Hickory TN 37138 Susanstahl@juno.com 615/768-9111 miscellany From the editor: TNPS is compiling a membership list to be published with the summer issue. If you do not want your name, address in this list, please let your editor know. An organization called Friends of Warner Parks has developed a brochure with the aid of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation called “Landscaping with Native Plants.” There will be ultimately three brochures describing the three areas of Tennessee. Available now is the Middle Tennessee brochure. I have a limited number of them to distribute to members in this middle area and if you are interested in recieving one, please let your editor know. News from Sewanee: During 1997, the Herbarium at Sewanee continued to build up the plant collection, computer databases and began education and outreach projects. Approximately 800 plant specimens were processed and added to the database, including over 200 new collections, of which about three- fourths are from the Domain. About one-third of those are new species additions, not previously collected on the Domain. The Herbarium maintains three computer databases. There are now over 2 1 00 records in the Herbarium Collection database, over 500 in Sightings, and over 1000 in Plant Species Information. A website has been designed for the Herbarium as part of the Department of Biology page. The databases should soon be internet accessible. Looking ahead, around 500 species of vascular plants have been identified as likely to occur on the Domain and as absent from the collection. This list will be the focus of the ongoing effort to complete the Flora of the Domain. Taken from the Annual Report published in The Plant Press by Yolande Gottfried, Associate Curator WE MOURN THE PASSING: “Aaron J. Sharp, 93, Botanist and Master of Moss” was the headline in the New York Times Sunday November 23, 1997. Dr. Sharp was indeed a legend at UT and in the hearts of all plant enthusiasts. He was an internationally recognized botany professor and co-author of the popular guide book. Great Smoky Mountains-Wildflowers . Dr. Sharp had been a member of the faculty at UT since 1929 and worked in his office until recently although he retired in 1974. Dr. Sharp was one of the founders of the UT Arboretum Society and helped initiate the annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage to the Smokies. He was bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun by the government of Japan in 1991 and in 1992 was inducted as a fellow in the Linnean Society in London. Dr. Sharp’s specialty was bryology, the study of mosses and liverworts. The publication in 1994 of the two volume Mom Flora of Mexico which he co-authored represented the culmination of 50 years of study and research. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn. They had five children. Dr. Sharp had asked that instead of flowers, memorial donations could be made to the Aaron Jack Sharp Endowment Fund, Tyson Alumni House, 1609 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996- 1 1 00. 1998 TNPS FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE This Is the only complete schedule of field trips that you will receive, please keep a copy! ! Some trips will be described in more detail in future issues of the Newsletter. Trips are led by persons familiar with native plants of the area. These trips provide an opportunity to observe, photograph, and learn about our native flora. Since plant protection and conservation are primary objectives of our organization , digging and collecting is NOT PERMITTED. DATE EVENT/LOCATION/COORDINATOR March 28 Cloudland Canyon State Park/Dade County, Georgia Spring comes early to the canyon floor, with a wide variety of wildflowers to enjoy, including Trailing Trillium ( Trillium decumbens ) . Come join us as we explore this unique area just a few miles south of Chattanooga. Time : 1 : 00 p . m . eastern time Place : McDonald's in Trenton, GA off 1-59 Leader : Dennis Horn (931)455-5742 April (9 Burnt Mill Bridge/Morgan County A 4.3 mile loop along Clear Fork River. This stream joins the New River a few miles east of Rugby to form the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River . Expectto see Gaywings ( Polyqala paucifolia ) . Golden Club ( Orontium aquaticum ) and Cumberland Rosemary. Time : 10:00 a.m. central Place : Meet at only restaurant in Rugby, TN on Hwy 52 Leader : Robert Emmott (because of the winter damage in the park, call Andrea Shea at (615) 532-0439 in case trip has to be cancelled) April 11 Flat Rock Glade/Rutherford County Near Murfreesboro, TN Along Factory Road, east of Murfreesboro, there are extensive Cedar Glades which contain many endemics. We should see a variety of glade plants which flower before the thin soils loose their moisture, including Pyne's Ground Plum ( Astragalus bibullatus ). Time : 10:00 a.m. central time Place : McDonalds at Exit 78 off 1-24 east Leader : Bertha Chrietzberg (615)896-1146 April 18 Taylor Hollow/Sumner County A combined hike with the Nature Conservancy to one of the richest ravines in Tenn. Expect to possibly see Blue-Eyed Mary, Least Trillum ( T. pusillum ) . and a host of other spring flowers. The Nature Conservancy is charging a $5.00 fee for each hiker. Time : 9:30 till 1:00 central Place: Russell Ward's property (take I-65N to Vietnam Veteran's Pky Route 386. Go NE toward Gallatin, joins RT 31E, continue NE (don't take 31E.) Drive through Bethpage and cross Bledsoe creek twice. After 2nd crossing, go R on Phillips Hollow Rd. Drive 1.4 miles passing Bear Carr Rd. On left side look for white house with red roof and front porch. Park in yard off driveway near road. Leader : Carl Nordman (615)532-0440 (w) April 18 Murfreesboro Greenway/Murfreesboro, TN This is the dedication day for the new Greenway in Murfreesboro. The trails go through the heart of the city and wildflowers are found along this riverine area. Time : 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. central Place .-Fortress Rosecrans entrance. From 1-24, take Exit 78 onto Old Fort Parkway, take an immediate left onto Thompson Lane. After you cross the intersection at Broad St. , the parking lot will be 1/8 mile farther on your right, before crossing Stones River Bridge. April 23,24,25 Smoky Mt. Wlldflower Pilgrimage Three days with over 90 field trips both half-day and all day to all parts of the park. Place : Registration at Mills Auditorium, Gatlinburg,Ten.n April 26 To Be Determined That Day Time : 9:30 a.m. eastern Place: Sugarlands Visitor Center Leader : Dennis Horn (913)455-5742 May 9 Cumberland Springs Wildlife Mgmt Area/ Moore County Exploratory trip to examine the flora of the TWRA Management Area. If time permits, we will visit Hickory Flat in the afternoon , near Manchester. This newly acquired area by the state is near May Prairie. Time : 10:00 a.m. central Place : Meet at the Dairy Queen in Tullahoma. It is one block past 1st light coming from Manchester on Hwy. 55. Leader : Carl Nordman (615)532-0440(w) May 30 Reelf oot Lake/Lake/Obion Counties/ A visit to this well-known lake to see various aquatic plant communities. Expect to see Copper Iris ( Iris fulva ) . Feather Foil ( Hottonia inflata ) , and possibly Lake Cress ( Amoracia lacustris ) on pontoon boat trip. Time : 10:00 a.m. central Place : Reelfoot Lake State Park visitors center a few miles east of Tiptonville TN Leader : David Haggard June 13 Time : 10:00 a.m. central Place : Meet at State Park Headquarters Visitor's center. Leader : Smoot Major (615)532-0431(w) Big Hill Pond State Park/McNairy County/ South of Selmer,TN This is an aquatic plant community with access by boardwalk. In the afternoon, we will visit Walker Branch, a TWRA/Division of Natural Heritage Area. Plant to see Lamance Iris ( Iris brevicaulis ) . July 18 Time : 9:00 central Place : La Grange, TN off Hwy 57 Trip to Wolf River with Wolf River Conservancy. A canoe trip that will put in at LaGrange and take out at Bateman Bridge. This part of the river is called the Ghost River. Canoe rentals at $20/person or $40/canoe can be reserved by July 11 with Chris Stahl (901) 877-9954 at Ghost River Canoe Rentals or P.O. Box 815, Moscow, TN July 18 Native Garden native plant nursery This will be a tour of Meredith & Ed Clebsch's nursery. Many native plants are propagated here. Time : 10:00 a.m. eastern Place : Fisher Lane in Greenback, TN in Loudon Co. Go to Lenoir City, cross Fort Loudon dam. Follow 95 to the right when US321 and TN95 separate. Turn right on the 3rd road to the right- Axley's Chapel Rd. Turn right on the first road to the right-Fisher Ln. Approximately 3/4 mile to only house on right on Fisher Ln. There will be signs for parking. July 19 Hike/Drive on new highway from Tellico Plains to Robblnsville NC This will be at approximately 5,000 ft. and Turk's Cap lilies should be in bloom. Time : 10:00 a.m. eastern Place : Carden's Restaurant in Tellico Plains, TN Leader : Ed Clebsch Susan Sweetser has also provided a list of places to lodge in Tellico Plains. Tellico Plains Hotel has 6 rooms (423-253-2644); Magnolia Inn has 5 rooms (423-253-3446) and Tellico Riverside Cabins (423-253-7360). August 8 Bark Camp Fork/Coffee County A Highland Rim barrens community with many unique plants including Redroot ( Lachanthes caroliniana) , Iris-leaved Yellow Eyed Grass ( Xyris iridifolia ) . and many St. Johnwort species. Time : 9:00 a.m. central Place : McDonalds in Manchester near 1-24 at Exit 114. Leader : Jack Carman (913) 455-2585 (h) August 15 Spencer Powerlines/ VanBuren County and Rifle Range/Warren County Summer orchid trip on the Cumberland Plateau to see Monkey Face ( Platanthera inteorilabia ) , Yellow Fringed Orchid ( P. ciliaris ) , and possibly Yellow Fringeless Orchid ( P. integra l if we are not too early. Also Canby's Lobelia and two different Yellow Eyed Grasses. Time : 1:00 p.m. central Place : Courthouse in Spencer, TN. on Hwy. 30 Leader : Margaret Rhinehart (931)946-2381 August 22 Ragsdale Road in Coffee County This is an ecologically diverse wetland. Leader will be Jack Carman . More details in next newsletter . September 19 May Prairie/Coffee County Joint outing with Georgia Botanical Society. This is prime time for the late summer flora. Expect to see 5 species of Gerardia ( Aqalinis ) Nodding Ladies' Tresses ( Spiranthes cernua l and many late summer composites. Time : 9:30 a.m. central Place : McDonald's in Manchester at Exit 114 off 1-24. Leader : Dennis Horn (931)455-5742 TNPS Annual Meeting The annual meeting will be at Dubose Conference Center in Monteagle, TN. More details in next newsletter September 25-26 “Keeping Nature at Arm’s Length By Andy Wasowski Face it, we’re all ignorant. Butthere’s a big difference between not knowing any-thing about, say astro- physics and not knowing anything about the natural world we inhabit. The sad fact is, when it comes to nature, the average American is clueless about some very basic stuff. For example, a recent poll taken at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., revealed that over 7 5 percent of visitors did not know the purpose of pollination. Then there was the company that went to great pains to preserve the natural landscape around their new corporate headquarters in North Texas, which included a profusion of indigenous wildflowers. But because of ignorance of how things grow, they made two fatal mis-takes. First, they installed a sprinkler system. Their second mistake? They used it. The wildflowers drowned and have never come back. Ignorance breeds misunderstanding, discomfort — even fear. My own sweet Aunt Inka, who lives in New York, won’t come to visit us here in northern New Mexico because, in her own words, “When I see two bushes together, I get nervous.” She informed me that she would feel safer in Times Square at midnightthan in a woodsat noon. When an elementary school in Wisconsin wanted to put in a natural landscape around the building, the parents strongly objected because they were afraid rabbits would jump out and scare the kids. And if you think that kids are more savvy about naturethan theirparents, think again. During a school field trip through a demonstration vegetable garden in Dallas, at least half the fourth-graders expressed amazement that carrots grew in the ground. And when a university tested youngsters to see how well they could identify various botanical smells, most of the kids identified grated lemon peel as dishwashing detergent. Where have we gone wrong? and what are we teaching our kids? Did you know a Boy Scout can get a merit badge in Forestry without learning about a single native tree? If we have any hope of pulling our environmental chestnuts out of the fire, we'd bettertake a hard look at what we’re teaching our youngsters about nature. After all, they’re the generation that is going to have to fix the mess we’ve made of this planet. And the biggest lesson they need to know is that we do not live apart from nature.. we are a part of nature. Reprinted from the Nov/Dec 1997 issue of the Native Plant Society of Texas NEWS. 7-Tennessee Native Plant Society / February 1998 AND WITH GREAT THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS: The money raised for the TNPS book Tennessee Flora 2001 has reached $7,363.24. Here is a list of the contributors for the year 1997. Pink Lady Slippers - $500 & up Ed and Shirley Nicholson Jack and Dot Carman Perennial Plant Society of Middle TN Robert Brown Crested Iris - $250 & up Moore & Moore Garden Center Harriet Waller Lichterman Nature Center TN Federation Garden Club District II Elizabeth Porter Trailing Arbutus - $100 and up Dr. and Mrs. John Oates William and Mary Sullivan Emily Wright Cheryl Priest Susan Stahl Harold Scott William Manier III Elsie Quarterman TN Wildflower Society Bertha Chrietzberg Mary Priestley Josephine Von Nieda Myrtle Seno Cheryl Priest CarlNordman EdHoniker Jane Norris Allen and Susan Sweetser Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nokes Birdfoot Violet - $50 & up Susan Finger Duane Houck EileenNeiler Wendell Norman Otto Hirsch Flower Lover’ s Circle Kenneth S. Warren Purple Coneflower - $10 & up Donald Newton Lamar Field Flora Yando Carol Shelton Clay and Mary Myers Grace Foster Ronald Arildsen Tommie Slayden W.B. Rogers Beasley Julia Ann Walker Moki r/foei J / TU £ AFTE f>7PM 8-Tennessee Native Plant Society / February 1998 Spring Happenings around Chattanooga: Mark your calendars for the Spring Wildflower Celebration, March 30 through April 5, 1998 to view the abundance of wildflowers that cover Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. This event is sponsored by the Tennessee Wildflower Society, Tennessee Aquarium and North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy. A week of scheduled programs have been planned including Wildflower Identification and Propagation classes, Wildflower photography and Wildflower walks. You may preregister by phone, Fax, or mail through the Tennessee Aquarium. To register or for information ( -7-7 {-/ noo yt\ - 77 54 !6cf call (423)267-FISH or Fax (423)265-2871. The toll free number is 1-800-262-0695. Registration for any activity or walk includes an invitation to attend, at no cost, a special wildflower evening at the Aquarium, Friday, April 3, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Martha Sundquist has been invited to open the ceremonies. These include a reception; auditorium talk by Jack Carman of TNPS, a showing of the film Identification of Spring Wildflowers ; and sale of wildflower seeds and books. You may attend this program without any other activity for $5/member of any sponsoring organization or $10 for non-members. The money raised at this Friday night program will be donated to help publish the TNPS Wildflower book, Tennessee Flora 2001. TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1763 Needmore Road Old Hickory TN 37138 615/758-9111 VOLUME 20, NUMBER 6 TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANTE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER June 1998 President's Message by Kay Jones We can now confidently state that we as an organization, with the wonderful participation of numerous volunteers, have produced the premier state-wide wildflower guide in the Southeast - if not the entire country! Wildflowers of Tennessee contains 752 photographs, covering almost as many species, with brief descriptions of 300-400 more, such that about 40 percent of the 2787 known Tennessee vascular plant species are mentioned. The book contains very good flora coverage of the state and national parksand of all the state’s diverse geographic regions. Because of Tennessee’sdiverse geographical nature, the book will be of use in many other statesin the region as well. You are probably asking where you can find this wonderful book. This stage of production is over, and now the process of getting it into enthusiasts’ hands is beginning. In order to go to press, we must haveat least $60,000 in hand; printers don’t work on credit ! This is a minimum, for a minimum run, and of course our cost per book will be reduced if we can print as many as 10,000 books at one time, requiring approximately $90,000. We have had contributions of around $40,000, including an anticipated $30,000 from the state legislature. We have made an appeal to the membership for funds before, but if you have just been putting it off until the money was really needed, now is the time! In addition, if you have any contacts with businesses or foundations that might give a grant, a call to them would be very much in order. Mary Priestly, a board member from Sewanee, is working on a push to corporate givers and will be eager to talk to you about the best method to approach such potential donors. Her telephone number is 93 1-598-0 1 57 hand her address is SPO 1217, University of the South, Sewanee, TN 37383, e-mail mpriestl@seraphl sewanee.edu. As soon as a price is set (dependent on printing cost), we will begin mail order marketing, with a priority to TNPS members, and soon thereafter it will hit the bookstores. If all goes well, we may have a supply at the annual meeting in September! PLAN TO ATTEND TNPS ANNUAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 25-27 Details on page 8 I hope that you will all celebrate, with me, the completion of this phase of production, with a check, to TNPS Book Fund, sent to TNPS Treasurer Susan Sweetser, 227 Brushy Valley Road, Powell, TN 37849. 2-Tennessee Native Plant Society / JUNE 1 998 miscellany TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER June, 1998 VOLUME 20, NUMBER 6 This Newsletter is a publication of the T ennessee Native Plant Society and is published four times a year, generally in March, June, September, December. The Tennessee Native Plant Society (TNPS) was founded in 1978. Its purposes are to assist in the exchange of information and encourage fellow- ship among Tennessee's botanists, both amateur and professional; to promote public education about Tennessee flora, and wild plants in general; to provide, through publication of a newsletter or journal, a forma! means of documenting information on Tennessee flora and of informing the public about wild plants; and to promote the protection and enhancement of Tennessee's wild plant communities. Web Pages of Interest: 1. http://www.ultranet.com/~newfs/ newfs.html — This is the site of the New England Wild Flower Society. It also allows one to visit the museum shop and library. 2. http://www.wildflower.org/ index.html --This is the homepage of the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, TX. 3. http://www.aqd.nps.gov/natnet/ npci — This is the homepage of the National Plant Conservation Initia- tive. There is news on grant pro- grams, conferences, and activities of other native plant conservation groups. (This information was taken from an article by Jean Haley in The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society Newslet- ter , Sept. 1997) plant. Later, a group from the Nature Conservancy found one additional plant. The Conservancy now leases the land surrounding and including the sinkhole. Upcoming Events: Conference on NORTH AMERI- CAN NATIVE ORCHIDS is planned for July 8,9,10 &1 1 at Lake Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Space is lim- ited so if interested write to North American Native Orchid Alliance, PO Box 772 1 2 1 , Ocala, FL 34477-2 121. PLANT RESCUE at Motlow State College on June 20. Details in the revised field trip schedule. Dues for each calendar year are: Regular: $15 Student/Senior: $10 Institution: $20 Life: $150 Dues may be sent to: TN PS/DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN 37996-1 1 00. TNPS OFFICERS Kay Jones, President Dennis Horn, Vice-President Andrea Shea, Corresponding Secretary Nita Heilman, Recording Secretary Susan Sweetser, Treasurer DIRECTORS Bertha Chrietzburg - Middle Tennesse Shirley Nicholson - East Tennessee Jane Norris - Middle Tennessee Charles Warfield - Middle T ennessee Mary Priestley - East Tennessee Larry Wilson - West Tennessee EX OFFICIO Dot Carman Jack Carman HalDeSelm David Duhl Ruth Ann Henry Milo Pyne Susan Stahl, Editor 1763 Needmore Rd. Old Hickory TN 37138 Susanstahl@juno.com 616/768-9111 News from Sewanee: A note from Mary Priestley in the Plant Press on what may be the rarest of Tennessee’s plants. Our single known population of Hart’s tongue fern ( Asplenium scolopendriunt var. aniericanum (Fem.) Kartesz & Ghandhi) inhabits a sinkhole on the side of the Cumberland Plateau in Marion County. First discovered in 1878 when the territory was being prospected for coal, the population decreased from approximately 200 plants to “only a few left” in 1925. In an effort to bolster the waning population, spores from plants originally glowing in Ontario, Canada were sprinkled into the sinkhole in 1929. About 20 new plants resulted. Hart’s tongue’s spotty distri- bution is the result of its particular environmental requirements: constant low temperatures; plenty of shade and moisture; and rich, limestone- based soil. A boreal plant, it was forced southward during the ice ages. A 1 996 search of the moss- and liverwort-covered ledges and sticky clay soil produced only one \ , An illustration from the ' TNPS note cards 3-Tennessee Native Plant Society / June 1 998 WHY DO THEY KEEP CHANGING THE NAMES ? In order to understand why some plants have their names changed from time to time, it is good to review a little about plant nomenclature in general. Despite an elaborate system for assigning names to plants and making sure that they are correct, differing lines of scientific evidence as well as varying opinions of scientists enter into the picture. The Latin names that botanists use for plants may seem some- what intimidating, but they are necessary to facilitate communica- tion. Botanists conduct research on plant naming (nomenclature) and classification (taxonomy) to determine the most appropriate scientific name for a plant. This depends on which name was first validly published, in what genus a plant is most appropriately placed, and whether it is a species in its own right or a variety or subspecies of another. There are international rules which guide researchers as to what names are best applied to plants. New studies, or changes in convention or opinion, may cause botanists to differ over what name is best. Common names are much less stable, there are no agreed upon rules as to their application, and a plant may have a variety of common names in different regions or languages. Listed rare plants have “common names” which are used by government agencies concerned with their management, even though tv se may not be the most commonly used name in the area where the plant grows. In many cases, rare plants are so little known that they have no real “common” name. The full scientific name consists of two names, those of the genus and the species, followed by the name or names of the persons responsible for naming the plant. The name of the author is call the “authority”. The plant’s name is underlined or printed in italics, the authority in regular type. The species part of the name is called the specific epithet, or trivial name. When two plants are placed in the same genus, it means that they have the same genus name because they are related . One the other hand, plants which are not at all related, may share a specific epithet; this may be due to the fact that they share a superficial characteristic, range or habitat, but are not necessarily related. For instance, “americana” and ‘canadensis” are common specific epithets describing large geo- graphic areas where those plants grow; likewise “tomentosa” means hairy, so numerous unrelated plants share this characteristic and name. Similarly “palustris” means that the plant is found in swamps, but plants with this species name do not share it because of any genetic relatedness. The matter of what scientific name is best for a particular plant is fundamentally a matter of opinion. Scientists conduct different types of research and may come to different conclusions based on different types of data. In the last few decades, many new tech- niques have become available to help determine lines of related- ness. Ideally, any taxonomic grouping (genus, family, order, class, etc.) should represent one line of descent; if this is the case, the group would be called “monophyletic”. This means that all the members of the group are truly related, sharing a common ancestor, and do not just happen to resemble each other due to convergent evolution. In this latter case, plants may share morphological characteristics due to common environmental factors, but they are not related. Of course, all plants are related at some level; the point is that the members of one group should be more closely related to each other than they are to members of another group. Where there is a lack of consensus and uniformity is in deter- mining how broadly to delimit families, genera or species. Concepts of these taxonomic units have arisen over time, and there is no uniformity as to how broad or narrow they should be. It is a bit like dividing a pie; do you want large or small slices? The tendencies to create large or small families and large or small genera seem to ebb and flow over time; maybe it is a bit like hemlines. Or perhaps there really are two tendencies among taxonomists-the “lumpers” and the “splitters”-and their in- fluence changes over time. J.K. Small’s Manual of the Southeastern Flora (pub- lished in 1933) looks very unfamiliar to those of us who used Radford’s Manual (published 1968). Small used more nar- rowly drawn families and genera than Radford. This is very evident in what Radford called the Liliaceae; Small divides this into seven families, including Smilacaceae, Trillaceae, and Convallariaceae. In addition, he did not utilize the con- cept of a variety. If Small recognized a plant, he did so at the species level, the great irony of all this is that now more modem techniques are tending to validate many of Small’s concepts. Of the three cases mentioned above (which name was first validly published, in what genus a plant is more appropriately placed, and whether it is a species in its own right or a variety or subspecies of another), the Conoclinium Eupatorium problem represents the second one. In this case, over time various names had been applied to the plants in broad genus Eupatorium. Some botanists had named various ‘segregate’ genera such as Conoclinium, Eupatoridadelphus, Fleishmannia , and so forth. These botanists were of the opinion that these smaller genera represented distinct groups which deserved to be taxonomically recognized. In the 1970’s and 1 980’s, two gentlemen named King and Robinson under- took a worldwide treatment of the genus Eupatorium They decided to recognize many of the segregate genera and began to “fill in the gaps” in terms of the nomenclature, providing names in the segregate genera to species which only had names in Eupatorium. Their articles were published in a botanical journal called Phytologia. The work of King and Robinson made the information about the smaller genera available to a wider audience, and got it organized where these concepts could be globally applied. Some authors of floras began to use their concepts. In a matter like this there is not final answer; the names in the smaller genera maybe “new” as in the case of King and Robinson’s transfers, or they may be the older name. A similar process is underway in regard to the large genus Aster, which may be subdivided into many smaller genera. There is a continuum involving Aster and Solidago, one way to understand the continuum is to spread the taxa out into more genera. For further information, Timber Press has published a two volume work titled “A Synonymized Checklist ofthe Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland” (second edition published in 1994) by John Kartesz. By Milo Pyne, SCS Ecoregional Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy and past president of TNPS. (Reprinted from Botsoc News of the Georgia Botanical Society.) 4-Tennessee Native Plant Society / JUNE 1 998 FIELD TRIP REPORT Cloudland Canyon Sta te Park/Dade Coun ty .. GA . Fifteen of us gathered at Trenton, GA on March 28 for this outing. Spring comes early to the lower canyon which was the destination for this trip. Dennis Horn was assisted by Bob and Joann Kramer in leading the group. The Kramers lived in Dade County, GA for many years before moving to Tennessee, so they were at home in Cloudland Canyon. Our start into the Canyon was delayed, however, because the park now requires a $2 parking permit and we were unaware of this new requirement. We waited at the bottom while Bob and Jane drove to the top of the mountain to obtain our permits. Upon entering the Canyon we were greeted immediately with a fine display of spring flora. Some of the noteworthy plants in flower included Baby Blue Eyes ( Nemophila triloba ), Trailing Trillium (T. decumbens ), Fine-leaf Toothwort ( Dentaria mullijida). Long Spur Violet ( Viola rotrata ), Yellow Trout Lily ( Erythronium americanum ), Smooth Rock Cress ( Arabis laevigata). Star Chickweed ( Stellaria pubera), and many more. A plant, rare in Tennessee, was beginning to flower, the Three-parted Yellow Violet ( Viola tripartita var. tripartita). By coincidence l saw the other variety ( Viola tripartita var. glaberrima) blooming in North Alabama four days later. Deeper into the canyon, we found Purple Phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatiftda), Yellow Mandarin ( Disporum lanuginosum) and Dwarf Larkspur ( Delphinium tricorne) just beginning to flower. The Large Flowered Bellwort ( Uvularia grandijlora) was in prime condition. Returning we found Pennywort ( Obolaria virgintca) in bloom and Green Violet ( Hybanthus concolor) in bud. All in all, a good start for the new season. By Dennis Horn New TNPS T-Shirts Available, along with Decals and Hats New TNPS T-shirts are now a\ ailable for sale. Nita Heilman reports that design and colors are new this year. She even has designed a special shirt commemorating the 20th anniversary of TNPS. The shirts can be ordered with either of two designs: the six -color design of the field of flowers or the three-color passion flower The shirts are short sleeve and are chambray blue (50% cotton) or medium willow green (100% cotton). Nita has several sizes from medium to XX large The shirts are $1 1.00. The short sleeve anniversary' shirt with the passion flower design comes in medium willow green or ecru. These shirts are also S 1 1 00. She also has some long sleeve grey shirts with mock or regular neck with the passion flower design. These shirts are $13.00. If you are in the mood to save money, order the old shirts which are on sale for $8.00 or the all cotton, all white shirts for $6.00. Nita also has sweatshirts, hats and decals for sale as well as notecards. Nita is your all around source for TNPS stuff. So order some today. It is recommended you call her with your order at (913)645-9338 after 5:30 in the afternoon. Or, if you must, send your order to Nita Heilman, 429 Rivermont Drive, Clarksville, TN 37043. 1998 TNPS FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE DATE EVENT /LOCATION /COORDINATOR June 20 Plant Rescue at Motlow College Call Alice Jensen at (931)684-7851 for more information about variety of plants to be dug up . Bring appropriate tools to dig and to carry back to your garden . Time : 9:00 a.m. (central) Place: Meet at the Dairy Queen in Tullahoma. It is one block past 1st light coming from Manchester on Hwy. 55. July 18 Trip to Wolf River with Wolf River Conservancy. A canoe trip that will put in at LaGrange (where there is only one bridge) and take out at Bateman Bridge. Trip will begin at 9:00 a.m. Larry Smith at (901)452-6500 will lead trip. The outfitter is Chris Stahl ( 901 ) 877-9954 who has six canoes . Call him by early July to reserve your canoe . Canoe experience is necessary. Habitats will includebottomland hardwoods , cypress swamp and freshwater marsh . Big Hill State Pond has camping 40 miles east of La Grange. Time : 9:00 a.m. central Place : La Grange, TN off Hwy 57 July 18 Native Garden native plant nursery This will be a tour of Meredith & Ed Clebsch's nursery. Many native plants are propagated here. Time : 10:00 a.m. eastern Place : Fisher Ln in Greenback TN in Loudon Co. Go to Lenoir City, cross Fort Loudon dam. Follow 95 to the right when US321 and TN95 separate. Turn right on the 3rd road to the right- Axley’s Chapel Rd. Turn right on the first road to the right- Fisher Ln. Approximately 3/4 mile only house on right on Fisher Ln. There will be signs for parking. July 19 Hike/Drive on new highway from Tellico Plains to Robbinsvllle NC This will be at approximately 5000 ft and Turk's Cap lilies should be in bloom. Time : 10:00 a.m. eastern Place : Carden's Restaurant in Tellico Plains, TN Leader : Ed Clebsch Susan Sweetser has also provided a list of places to lodge in Tellico Plains. Tellico Plains Hotel has 6 rooms (423-253-2644); Magnolia Inn has 5 rooms (423-253-3446) and Tellico Riverside Cabins (423-253-7360). August 8 Bark Camp Fork/Coffee County A Highland Rim barrens community with many unique plants including Redroot ( Lachanthes caroliniana ) , Iris-leaved Yellow Eyed Grass ( Xyris iridifolia ) . and many St. John wort species. Time : 9:00 a.m. central Place : McDonalds in Manchester near 1-24 at Exit 114. Leader : Jack Carman (913)455-2585(h) August 15 Spencer Powerlines/ VanBuren County and Rifle Range/Warren County Summer orchid trip on the Cumberland Plateua to see Monkey Face ( Platanthera integrilabia ) , Yellow Fringed Orchid ( P . ciliaris ) , and possibly Yellow Fringeless Orchid ( P. integra l if we are not too early. Also Canby's Lobelia and two different Yellow Eyed Grasses. Time : 1:00 p.m. central Place : Courthouse in Spencer, TN. on Hwy. 30 Leader : Margaret Rhinehart (931)946-2381 August 22 Ragsdale Road in Coffee County This is an ecologically diverse wetland. Leader will be Jack Carman at (931)455-2585 for more information. September 19 May Prairie/Coffee County Joint outing with Georgia Botanical Society. This is prime time for the late summer flora. Expect to see 5 species of Gerardia ( Aqalinis ) Nodding Ladies' Tresses ( Spiranthes cernua 1 and many late summer composites. Time : 9:30 a.m. central Place : McDonalds in Manchester at Exit 114 off 1-24. Leader : Dennis Horn (931)455-5742 September 25-27 TNPS Annual Meeting See page 8 for details 7-Tennessee Native Plant Society / June 1 998 Free to members: TNPS along with Warner Park Nature Center and TN Department of Environment and Conservation has supported the printing of brochures promoting the use of natives in landscaping. The brochures have a list of recommended native plants as H-well as their growing requirements. There are three brochures available describing the three areas of Tennessee, Middle, West and East Tennessee. If you are interested in receiving a brochure describing your area, write or call the editor ^nd I will send you one. Pale green flowers appear around the first of April and soon turn a unique maroon, sometimes before its leaves appear or concurrent with them. The two inch bisexual flower has two setsofthree petals, inspiring its Latin name triloba. The aromatic pawpaw is the largest native fruit inNorth America and everything about it is odd and unforgettable. It comes in pear-shaped, oblong form, 3 to 5 inches long as a single fruit orcluster. The skin is light green, tumingyellow. The flesh can be white to yellow in color, the yellower even tastier. Hidden in the sweet pulp are several shiny, dark, brown, flattened seeds. They contain an alkaloid that is said to have a stupefying effect on the brains of animals. Could this be why the opposum never makes it across the road? The fruit shouldbe gathered while still green and alio wed to ripen beyond the yellow stage to an almost unappetizing black. If it is eaten at the time of picking, it should be only after the first frost. It is high in unsaturated fats, vitamins A & C, proteins, carbohydrates, phosphorus, sulfur and very high in amino acids. Only recently have botanists realized that the pawpaw tree was pollinated primarily by various species ofcarrion flies. If these insects are not around, the plant will not produce fruit. To solve this problem, commercial growers have gone to slaughterhouses and brought the entrails of animals and strung them over the tops of the pawpawtrees. The stench draws the carrion flies who then pollinate the flowers. Fruit is subsequently borne in copious amounts. If you live next to a shady creek or floodplain, you may want to consider starting your own pawpaw patch. Youcan obtain help from the experts by writing to the Pawpaw Foundation, P. O. Box 23467, Washington, DC 20026. But if you find that the carrion flies are not around in suitable numbers, you may want to talk the matter over with your neighbors before taking more serious action. By Dave Owen (From the Wild/lower, Newsletter of the North Carolina Wild Flower Preservation Society in Summer of 1997.) PAWPAW TREES Have a Rich History Around the first of April a very unusual flower blooms in the midst of our riverine forest flood plains that few have noticed. It belongs to the pawpawtree. Its favorite habitat is the shady forest understory in rich, moist soils of river margins. Native Americans gathered both wild and cultivated pawpaw, selecting them for the yellowest, creamy fruit. But because the pawpaw did not develop a reputation for medicinal properties, its fascination among Europeans coming to the new world was limited. The Spanish explorer Desoto first mentions it in his chronicles in 1 54 1 as he moved up the Mississippi valley. The sweet fruit was of significant consequence to conquistadors who were always on the edge of starvation. The pawpawis the northernmost member of a group of mostly tropical plants know as Annonaceae, with more than 2,000 species known throughout the world. Other related fruits from this family are quite popular in tropical America: the custard apple, the sugar apple and the soursop. As one moves south into Florida, the related and slightly aromatic pond apple replaces the pawpawinthe floodplain habitat. The pawpawtree grows to a maximum height of35 feet and maybe as much as a foot in diameter. It is stoloniferous, forming colonies branching underground that produce plants identical to the parent. The trunk is ususally slender and opens up into a dense, rounded top. 8-Tennessee Native Plant Society / JUNE 1 998 ANNUAL MEETING AT DUBOSE CENTER September 25 through 27 The DuBose Conference Center is located in Monteagle, on top of the Cumberland Plateau, about five miles from Sewanee. Monteagle is about an hour from Chattanooga and two hours from Nashville on 1-24. The conference center is on 65 acres of woodlands and open fields, just down the road from South Cumberland State Recreation Area which has truly breathtaking overlooks, beautiful waterfalls, and wonderful hiking trails. There will be hikes on Saturday and Sunday. The University of the South is worth seeing, with its unique sandstone architecture, including beautiful All Saints’ Chapel. Golf and tennis are available at Sewanee. The DuBose Center has a pool. The towns of Monteagle and Sewanee boast several local arts and crafts shops. Two additional landmarks in the vicinity are the Dutch Maid Bakery, Tennessee’s oldest private bakery and the Monteagle Winery. - The price for the weekend will be $90 to $ 1 1 5 per person for two nights and five meals. There are ' \ * ' two lodging choices: Bishop’s Hall, which has motel style rooms, each with a private bath and double *» beds, is $38 single occupancy, $27 double. Claiborne Hall, the main building, has rooms with one or two * single beds which are served by bathrooms in the hall. Rooms here are $26 single and $19.50 for a double. Meals are $23.50/day (breakfast $6.00, lunch $7.50 and dinner $10.00). Plan to be there. If yon • want any more information call Mary Priestley at (931)598-1324 (w) or write her at y ^ . mprier" 1 ^ J " TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1763 Needmore Road Old Hickory TN 37138 615/758-9111 VOLUME 20, NUMBER 7 t-lenm TENNESSEE NATIVI PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER August 1998 ANNUAL MEETING / AT DUBOSE CENTER The annual meetingisthe onlyofficial gathering oftheTennesseeNative Plant Society. It is a chance for members to gather and share stories and knowledge. The meeting dates are from Friday evening, September 25 through Sunday afternoon, September27. OnFriday we will have the Erin Kelley, the lobbyist from the Environmental Action Fund, speak to us. She will reviewthe recent accomplishments of the organization and talk about current issues regarding the environment. Some of these issues, like forestry, have a direct link to TNPS core values. Saturday will be the day for several different hikesaround thisbeautiful mountainous territory. The hikes will range from very easy to more strenuous. Mary Priestley of Sewanee has also invited us to tour the herbarium and peruse the collection of presses and mounted specimens from Sewanee and the immediate area. Saturday night is the time for eating and sharing slides from members’ trips to Alaska, Sweden and beyond. On Sunday the board meets and encourages any and all members to attend. Ifthere is interest, we might have another hike on Sunday. Members may come for an afternoon or a day or both days. The DuBose Conference Center is located in Monteagle, on top of the Cumberland Plateau, about five miles from Sewanee. Monteagle is about an hour from Chattanooga and two hours from Nashville on 1-24. The conference center is on 65 acres of woodlands and open fields, j ust down the road from the South Cumberland State Recreation Area which has truly breathtaking overlooks, beautiful waterfalls, and wonderful hiking trails. The University ofthe South at Sewanee is worth seeing, with its unique sandstone architecture, includingbeautiful All Saints’ Chapel. Golf and tennis are availableat Sewanee. The Dubose Center has apool. The towns ofMonteagle and Sewanee boast several local arts and crafts shops. T wo additional landmarks in the vicinity are theDutchMaidBakery, Tennessee’ s oldest private bakery and the Monteagle winery. The price for the weekend will be $90 to $ 1 1 5 perperson fortwo nights and five meals. There are two lodging choices: Bishop’ s Hall, which has motel style rooms, each with a private bath and double beds, is $3 8 single occupancy, $27 double. Claiborne Hall, the main building, has rooms with one or two single beds which are served by bathrooms down the hall. Rooms here are $26 single and $19.50 double. Meals are $23.50/day (breakfast $6.00, lunch $7.50, and dinner$ 10.00). You can adjust this to fit your schedule and needs. Please call Mary Priestley at (93 1 )598- 1 324 to make reservations. F riday , September 1 8 is the deadline for reserving a room at DuBose for the annual meeting. Mary’s address is 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37383. PLAN TO ATTEND TNPS ANNUAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 25-27 2-Tennessee Native Plant Society /AUGUST 1998 miscellany / BOOK REVIEW TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER June, 1998 VOLUME 20, NUMBER 6 This Newsletter is a publication of the Tennessee Native Plant Society and is published four times a year, generally in March, June, September, December. The Tennessee Native Plant Society (TNPS) was founded in 1 978. Its purposes are to assist in the exchange of information and encourage fellow- ship among Tennessee's botanists, both amateur and professional; to promote public education about Tennessee flora, and wild plants in general; to provide, through publication of a newsletter or journal, a formal means of documenting information on Tennessee flora and of informing the public about wild plants; and to promote the protection and enhancement of Tennessee's wild plant communities. Dues for each calendar year are: Regular: $15 Student/Senior: $10 Institution: $20 Life: $150 Dues may be sent to: TN PS/DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN 37996-1 100. TNPS OFFICERS Kay Jones, President Dennis Horn, Vice-President Andrea Shea, Corresponding Secretary Nita Heilman, Recording Secretary Susan Sweetser, Treasurer DIRECTORS Bertha Chrietzburg - Middle Tennesse Shirley Nicholson - East Tennessee Jane Norris - Middle Tennessee Charles Warfield - Middle Tennessee Mary Priestley - East T ennessee Larry Wilson - West Tennessee EX OFFICIO Dot Carman Jack Carman HalDeSelm David Duhl Ruth Ann Henry MiloPyne Susan Stahl, Editor 1763 Needmore Rd. Old Hickory TN 37138 Susanstahl@juno.com 615/758-9111 The Green Pharmacy by Dr. James A. Duke Duke has done it again. He has provided the consumer interested in medicinal plants a source that covers some 120 symptoms of the human body, from Athlete’s foot to Yeast infections. Part one of the book is a guide to The Green Pharmacy. This section includes the safety aspects of using herbals for medicinal purposes (these pages should be read carefully by the inexperienced before using herbals), buying, harvesting, growing and storing medicinal plants. This section also contains information and instructions for making herbal tea, tinctures, poultices, and salves. Part two covers some 120 symptoms of the human body and how and what plants are used to treat them. There is a short general overview at the beginning of each symptom, followed by the plants that are useful for it. Each plant is given by common name, with scientific name in parentheses. This is followed by a variety of useful information concerning the plant species. And in some cases, the author provides a generalized recipe. Throughout the book are boxes that illustrate a particular plant or provide interesting anecdotes about the plant or symptom. At the end of section two, the author provides an overview of his life with plants. This is a most interesting section because in several ways it parallels the lives of many of us whose world seems to center on plants and the seemingly endless wonders of nature. The only disappointment in the book is the index. Under some entries it will refer the reader to another entiy. For examples, if the reader looks in the index for coneflower, it will refer them to see Echinacea. Under Echinacea it provides the page number. This is an annoying process when it seems that a page number could be put under coneflower as well as referring to Echinacea. The book provides a wealth of information concerning medicinal plants whether one is a professional, amateur, or just enjoys a general interest in medicine. It is presented with solid research data and often with the author’s own botanical humor. I highly recommend the book for anyone. Stephen L. Timme, Ph.D Associate Professor of Botany Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS 66762 (Reprinted from the newsletter of the Mississippi Native Plant Society) 3-Tennessee Native Plant Society / AUGUST 1 998 Trip Report to Murfreesboro Glades April 11, 1998 / I was a bit surprised by the interest in the trip. Thirty eight people met me at the MacDonalds in Murfreesboro. We were joined by members of the Nature Conservancy with Beth Board to represent them and I was glad for the extra hand. That group were to stay only until lunch time. Jack Carman and Dennis Home were also present to help with identification along with others from our group. We carpooled through the city out to the area where the Nature Conservancy recently purchased 150 acres. Pyne’s Ground Plum was in full bloom. We proceeded to another glade on Factory Road belonging to Mr. Bell and with his permission we parked the 15 or so cars along the country road. Everyone was up on the hillside photographing and identifying various plants when the Sheriff came by and stopped. Neighbors had become concerned about all our cars, and he was called to investigate. He was very nice and guessed we were legitimate, but I don’t think he could understand all the interest in all those “weeds”. I was told that they thought it was a funeral procession but it had a funny looking hearse which was my gold colored van. From that glade, the Nature Conservancy group left and we came back to the MTSU campus to have lunch. After lunch, we went back to another area owned by Kenneth Evins. He has been taking care of his glades for about 50 years, and has a nice trail through the area He had an unusually large amount of Pyne’s Ground Plum scattered through the area along with Tennessee Milk Vetch ( Astragalus tennessenis). Other plants found in bloom were Nashville Mustard (Leave nworthia stylosa), Eggleston’s violet ( Viola egglesloni), Price’s wood-sorrel (Oxalis priceae ), Blue-eyes grass (Sisyriachium augustifolium). Yellow-star grass ( Hyopoxis hirsuta), Glade Sandwort (Arenaria patula), American Columbo ( Swerlia caroliniensis). Large Houstonia (Houstonia purpurea), Nashville Breadroot (Psolralea subacaulis). Hoary Puccoon (Lithospormum canescens), Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon media) and Bastard Toadflax (Comandra umbellata). Our group had begun to dwindle and the last six went with me to a “rescue glade” as I am calling it. It has been zoned commercial and has already been partly bulldozed. We rescued a few plants. It was a very successful trip. Since that time, I have worked with the Murfreesboro Greenway Group and a Garden club, and we have rescued many plants from that area and made a small glade on the Greenway. A Visit to Native Garden Nursery and a Drive up the Cheohala Skyway A few hardy TNPS members assembled at Native Gardens, Ed and Meredith Clebsch’ s native plant nursery in Loudon County for a 2 1 /2 hour tour on Saturday morning, July 1 8. they saw some 200 species and cultivars of native (and a few non-native) plants being propagated and grown for sale. They included herbaceous perennials, shrubs, grasses, sedges and ferns. TNPS members are welcome to come back on their own. Our phone number is (423)856-0220. On Sunday morning, adozen souls representing TNPS, the GeorgiaNative Plant Society and the Georgia Botanical Society and other regional organizations gathered at T ellico Plains for a ride up the Cheohala Skyway to the trailhead to Falls Branch. N jceMonarda didyma and M. chnopodia and multi- colored hybrids greeted us on the walk toward the falls through the old growth northern hardwoods forest. There was one lone indian pipe in flower and not muchelse. We stopped short of the falls for lunch, retraced our steps, and drove into North Carolina past roadbanks of Phlox Carolina to the trailhead to Hooper Bald. Again, not a lot in bl oom but a pleasant walk and good views ofHuckleberry Knob bald. Saw a puzzling Stachys species but which ones aren’t? No time for the loop hike past Bald River Falls, but any of these are worth spring trips. Ed Clebsch Bertha Chrietzberg 4-Tennessee Native Plant Society /AUGUST 1998 J UPCOMING EVENT: The Environmental Action Fund (EAF) is a coalition of environmental groups and concerned citizens in Tennessee who lobby the state legislature on behalf of the environmental community. EAF is having their annual business meeting October 7 at 6 : 00 p.m. The meeting is in Nashville at the Council of Community Services Building . 2012 21st Avenue South . Tennessee Native Plant Society (TNPS) is a member organization and all members are welcome to attend. The by- laws of EAF will be discussed and possibly amended . New TNPS T-Shirts Available New TNPS T-shirts are now available for sale. Nita Heilman reports that design and colors are new this year. She even has designed a special shirt commemorating the 20th anniversary of TNPS. The shirts can be ordered with either oftwo designs; the six - color design of the field of flowers or the three-color passion flower. The shirts are short sleeve and are chambray blue (50% cotton) or medium wi llo w green (100% cotton). Nita has several sizes from medium to XX large. The shirts are $ 1 1 .00. The short sleeve anniversary shirt with the passion flower design comes in medium willow green or ecru. These shirts are also $ 11 . 00 . She also has some long sleeve grey shirts with mockor regular neck with the passion flower design. These shirts are $ 1 3 .00. If you are in the mood to save money, order the old shirts which are on sale for $8.00 or the all cotton, all white shirts for $6.00. Nita also has sweatshirts, hats and decals for sale as well as notecards. Nita is your all around source for TNPS stuff. So order some today. It is recommended you call her with your order at (913)645- 9338 after 5:30 in the afternoon. Or, if you must, send your order to Nita Heilman, 429 Ri Vermont Drive, Clarksvil le, TN 3 7043 . GARDENING WITH NATIVES October and composites are almost synonymous in my mind. The composites include the asters, sunflowers, golden- rods, coneflowers, and some other really good fall garden plants. We won’t cover but a few. We’ve chosen the composites because the family is big - 15,000 species worldwide, and even in Tennessee it offers much diversity of size, color, form, habitat and texture for either traditional or naturalized gardens. Howbigisthe choice among the asters? Arthur Cronquist list sixty-six species in his recent book on the Asteraceae of the Southeast, and Eugene Wofford lists thirty-eight species for the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and southward. That offers more diversity than we currently know how to use. Since the flowers of asters are of two types, there is at least a chance of getting a double dose of color. The ray flowers commonly come in white, blue, pink, lavender, rose and purple, and the disk flowers are commonly yellow or reddish. Of the ones we know, there is variation in flowering time from late s ummer to frost, some that begin flowering in late summer and bloom into fall are Aster curtisii (Curtis’ s aster, blue), A. divaricates (vA rite wood aster), A. linarifolius (stiff-leaved aster), A. novaeangliae (New England aster, blue andpink-purple), and A.patens (late purple aster). More strictly fall species are A carolinianus (climbing aster, purple and pink-purple), A grandiflorus (great aster, pink-purple), A oblongifolius (aromatic aster), andd. undulates (wavy aster, blue). Aromatic aster is the last to bloom, even after frost. The climbing aster is woody, scrambles, and get up to four meters tall. A trellis aster! Curtis’s and the stiff-leaved asters get only one to two feel tall, the white wood aster and aromatic and late purple asters get to three feet, and New England aster will get to four feet tall. None of them require the best in soils, and climbing aster, Curtis’s, great, stiff-leaved, late purple, and wavy asters all can be grown in poorer than average soil. Though most do best in bright sun, white wood aster does very well in full, deep shade. It and New England aster require moisture. On the other hand, climbing aster will stand conditions ranging from wet to dry, Curtis’s, stiff-leaved, aromatic, wavy, and late purple are happy in moist to dry soils, and great aster does well in dry soils. What a wide diversity in one genus, and 5-Tennessee Native Plant Society / AUGUST 1 998 we’ ve mentioned only nine species. Before you run out and grab any aster you see, though, be warned that some species are pretty weedy and can be invasive. Tbesunfbwas flelicmthus spp.) offer as much diversity of vegetative form, size and habitat as the asters, but the range of flower colors is severely limited. You have to like yellow, but within yellow you can find lots of shades The disk flowers are either red-purple or yellow. The genus has only half the number of species of asters in the Southeast, according to Cronquist. The ones we know and can recommend (H. atrorubens, hairy wood sunflower, H. maximilliani Maximillian’s sunflower, H. simulans (H. angustif alius), swamp or narrow-leaved sunflower, and H . tomentosus (hairy sunflower) are all big (six to ten feet or even fifteen feet tall if well care for) and all do best in moist, average quality soiL The birds like them all for seeds but esp4cially like hairy sunflower H. armuus, the common one from which oil seed and bird seed sunflowers were derived, and H. tuberosus, Jerusalem artichoke, are invasive. Other, less hoisterous yellow composites, up to two feet tall and able to take partial shade and moist to dry conditions are two species of Chrysopsis. Maryland golden aster (C. mariana) has many long lasting flowering head and requires low maintenance . Its relative, silk- grass (C. graminifolia), has silvery grey, long and narrow leaves and will take the driest, sandiest place you can find and will still produce prolifically. Our Tennessee endemic, Ruth’s golden aster (C. ruthii), is not in the trade yet but shows some promise as a garden plant. The best white composite around is a selectionfromacommonTennessee plant, Boltonia asteroides ‘Snowbank’. It requires full sun, gets up to four feet tall, prefers about average soil, tolerates dry periods well, and mixes well with other plants and other colors. Untried in our experience are the several white species of the boneset Euratorium. They can brighten moist, shady situations. The Joe-pye Eupatorium species are generally too big and overpowering for most gardens. They do produce a wonderful pink to mauve bundle of flowers that are long lasting, the dry well, and that get gray to white as they mature. Shorter (four feet tall) selections like ‘Gateway’, with deep mauve flowers and dark stems, are in the trade now. A blue native composite?Yes, Eupatorium coelestimm\ Wild ageraturm is the name taken from its European look alike and l like the poetry of ‘ mist flower’ better. A bit invasive, it needs to be boxed in with other plants. Growing up in semi-rural middle Tarcssa^feiorweeds RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN TNPS Your dues are current if your mailing label reads 1 999 or later. If not, please keep your membership current by sending a check to: Tennessee Native Plant Society Department ofBotany University ofTennessee Knoxville, TN37996-1 100 Membership categories are: Regular $15 Student and Senior $10 Institutional $20 Life $150 & PM A f ALWAYS TENNESSEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1763 Needmore Road Old Hickory TN 37138 ~n| io D^c 615/758-9111 greetings 32 -'USA •DE r H ulliinilullilnliliiluililliltmliliililnlilulil 1 1I1II