Volume 7, Number 1 e Turk's Ca> The newsletter Of The Delaware native plant Society Spring 2004 In This Issue A Call For Articles Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 A Call for Articles New Members Letter From the President ' Letter From the Editor ' Plant-animal Highlight ' Letter From the President continued ' Feature Article ' Native Plant Highlight ' Natural Community Highlight ' Event Highlights ' Thoughts From The Edge... ' Annual Meeting Announcement ' Feature Article continued ' Resources and Reviews Page 7 " Upcoming Events o o o o o How Can I Get Involved? If you would like to write an article for The Turk’s Cap, we would love to print it. With like minded individuals as an audience. The Turk’s Cap is a great venue for plant or habitat oriented writings. We’ll take just about anything from gardening tips to book reviews to poetry. Of course, it has to be about native plants, or issues related to native plants; just a minor constraint. Your imagination is the real key. Contact Eric Zuelke (ezuelke@juno.com), or Keith Clancy at 302.674.5187 for more information. A Breezy Warm Sunshine On Your Face Welcome To Our Newest Members January through March Clifford Allgor Christopher Bason & Chantal Bouchard Bobby e Barlow Denise Gaal Kerry Godwin Rob Line Jeff Lynch Bill & Kate Rohrer Elaine Schmerling Rhonda Tyndall The Delaware Native Plant Society is open to everyone ranging from the novice gardener to the professional botanist. One of the primary goals of the society is to involve as many individuals as possible. The DNPS is working on some significant projects at this time. We are in the midst of several reforestation projects, using a “direct-seeding” ap- proach at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, and along Blackbird and Cedar Creeks that took place in October and November, 2003. In addition, help is needed at our native plant nursery at the St. Jones Reserve with the monitoring and watering of plants along with many other nursery activities. For more information, E-mail us at dnps@delawarenativeplants.org. Or visit our web- site at www.delawarenativeplants. org. Our website will have all of the past issues of The Turk ’s Cap along with a large section on native plants, as well as links to other environmental and plant related organizations. Letter From The President Its finally that time of year again - Spring, and I, for one, am happy. The winter was long and dreary and this year I was unable to take a break from it by getting away to a warmer climate. Spring in the Mid- Atlantic never ceases to excite me. The change of seasons from winter to spring in this area of the world can be quite dramatic as plants resume then* growth and the woods can be a carpet of wildflowers. I lived in Mississippi and Florida for years, and sure the climate is milder, but there’s just nothing like the explosion of spring wildflowers that marks spring in our area. And spring for me arrives earlier than it does on the calendar; i.e., when the skunk cabbage is bloom- ing. In early March I took a short jaunt to a narrow stream. The DNPS Vision T he purpose of the Delaware Native Plant Society (DNPS) is to participate in and encourage the preservation, conservation, restoration, and propagation of Delaware’s native plants and plant communities. The Society provides information to government officials, business people, educators, and the general public on the protection, management, and restoration of native plant ecosystems. The DNPS encourages the use of native plants in the landscape by homeowners, businesses, and local and state governments through an on-going distribution of information and knowledge by various means that includes periodic publications, symposia, conferences, workshops, field trips, and a growing statewide membership organized by the DNPS. The Turk's Qp , Volume 7 , Number 1 Letter From The Editor Look out gardens, here we come! Winter is being stubborn this year isn’t it? T don’t know about you, but as winter hangs on. I’m making lots of plans for my native plant gardens in my yard for this spring. Edging, trimming, pruning, mulching and planting are all some of my favorite springtime activities. For those of you who plant vegetable gardens, spring is a time of action also. Buying seeds, getting seedlings started in window nurseries, spreading manure, and tilling all come with the changing temperatures. And if any gardeners out there are interested in biological pest control, then you may glean some useful information from the Plant- Animal Highlight. And if anyone out there has an interest in medicinal plants, or even grows medicinal plants, then this theme issue of the Turk’s Cap may be of interest. We’re focus- ing on medicinal plants this time and our Feature Article was written by a new member to the Society who has a professional interest in medicinals. I hope you like her article. Our Native Plant Highlight is about a great little plant that can be used me- dicinally. We have a lot of exciting things planned for our nurse- ry this year, and some great field trips planned, as well as a lot of work on our reforestation sites. I hope everyone can make it out to some of these events. Have a fun spring, and take some time away from work and go swing on a swing set, or fly a kite, or just lay on the grass and enjoy the sun on your face! c\i 0000 Eric Zuelke, Editor 000000 Plant-animal Highlight Biological pest control in the garden Sometimes when you put plants and animals together you get one big happy family. One of the best places for hu- mans to glean happy rewards from this situation is in the gar- den. And the best way to reach this happy medium is to intro- duce plants into the garden that either deter pests through chem- ical means and/or attract beneficial insects at the same time. Beneficial insectary planting refers to intentionally introducing certain plants into agricultural situations to increase pollen, nectar, and reproductive resources that stimulate the influx of populations of the natural enemies of insect pests. Natural enemies of insect pests depend on pollen, nectar, and other specific plant characteristics for their reproductive success and longevity. Because of agricultural practices like frequent cultivation and herbicide applications, many farm fields and gardens have few if any flowering plants present, limiting the possibilities for biological control. Several studies have demon- strated the successful establishment of flowering plants in or around farm fields to attract natural enemies and enhance bio- logical control of crop pests; however, many beneficial insects are quite selective and show preferences for certain plant spe- cies. Some of the beneficial insects that can be attracted with certain plants are: ladybug, honey bee, syiphid (or hover) fly, ground beetle, dragonfly, and parasitic wasp. The following is a list of some of these beneficial plants: • Basil (non-native) planted alongside tomato plants helps con- trol tomato horn worms. Psge 2 • Thyme (non -native) planted with cabbage helps control flea beetles, cabbage worm and white cabbage butterflies. • Mint (non-native, but native alternative could be Mentha canadensis [Canadian mint]) repels mosquitoes and produces an odor that aphids and cabbage pests dislike. • Garlic (non-native, but native alternative could be A Hum canadense [meadow onion] ) planted close to roses can protect bushes from black spot, a fungus disease; can be grown in rings around a crop to repel aphids; spray garlic tea on plants to elim- inate fungus and mildew. It also deters codling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. • Bee Balm (non-native, but native alternative could be Monca r - da c/inopodia [basil bee-balm]) attracts bees to a garden. It is another plant that you can grow with your tomatoes. • Catnip (non-native) repels just about everything! Use it to keep away flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants, and weevils. • Chives (non-native) repel Japanese beetles and carrot rust flies. It has also been said that chives will help prevent scab when planted among apple trees. • Chrysanthemums (non- native) can be made into an all- natural pesticide (pyrethrum) and can help control things like roaches, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, and ants. In the garden white flowering chrysanthemums are said to drive away Japanese beetles and kills root nematodes. • Dili (non-native) is best planted with cucumbers and onions, and with lettuce during the cool season. Dill attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps, and its foliage is used as food by swal- lowtail butterfly caterpillars. Tomato hornworms are also at- tracted to dill, so if you plant it at a distance, you can help draw these destructive insects away from your tomatoes. Dill repels aphids and spider mites. Sprinkle dill leaves on squash plant to repel squash bugs. • Favender (non-native) Favender is a favorite among many beneficial insects and also repels fleas and moths. • Marigolds (non-native, but a native alternative could be Bidens laevis [smooth bur-marigold]) are probably the most well known plant for repelling insects. French mari golds repel whiteflies and kill nematodes. Mexican marigolds are said to offend a host of destructive insects and wild rabbits as well. If you choose marigolds for your garden they must be scented to work as a repellant. And while this plant drives away many bad bugs, it also attracts spider mites and snails. • Nasturtiums (non-native) planted with tomatoes and cucum- bers is a way to fight off wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bugs, and cucumber beetles. The flowers, especially the yellow blooming varieties, act as a trap for aphids. • Sunflowers (native species) draw aphids away from other plants. Ants colonize into them without hurting these hardy plants. Although this article does include many non-native species (I tried to only list non-invasive species) the intent of this article is to show that there is an alternative to using pesti- cides in the garden. I also challenge readers to come up with additional natives that would be excellent alternatives to those listed above. 0000 Eric Zuelke, Editor The Turk's Cap, Volume 1 , Number 1 Continued on page 3 Letter From The President Continued from page 1 Puncheon Run, on the edge of Dover, to look for and photo- graph the unusual skunk cabbage (in milder winters this species may be blooming in early February). I found dozen of plants in flower, many just slightly past anthesis, but plenty that were right at their peak. The skunk cabbage is related to the familiar Jack-in-the-pulpit, arrow arum, and golden club in our area, as well as those familiar houseplants such as anthuriums, dieffen- bachias, and philodendrons. All are characterized by tissues with raphides (bundles of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals), that can cause painful injury to the throat and mouth to any un- wary consumer. In fact, the common name for the houseplant Dieffenbachia is dumb-cane, a name that appropriately de- scribes what may happen to one's ability to talk if consuming this plant. But, I digress, I really wanted to say a word or two about the skunk cabbage’s inflorescence (which may, errone- ously, be referred to as its flower). The skunk cabbage, as typi- cal of all members of the family Araceae, produces an inflo- rescence composed of many small flowers packed onto a cylin- drical, fleshy axis called a spadix. This spadix is subtended by a large, leaf-like or petaloid bract called a spathe, and in the skunk cabbage this spathe is incurved at the apex, fleshy and foliaceous, partly subterranean, and may be green, purplish, spotted or striped or both. The individual flowers are very small and are, in the case of the skunk cabbage, bisexual (i.e., both male and female parts in the same flower), possess 4 so-called tepals (as there is no distinction between sepal and petal) and 4 stamens, and a uni-ovulate ovary embedded in the fleshy spa- dix. The inflorescences of the skunk cabbage, if developed when there is a covering of snow, produces enough heat to thaw the frozen earth and melt the snow in a circle around the inflo- rescence. The plants give off a fetid odor that attracts insects, especially flies, critical to its successful pollination. I hope you will be able to get out and observe this phenomenon (next year). When I finish with this letter I am off to look for and photo- graph the rare and attractive dwarf trillium ( Trillium pusiUum var. v irginicinum) and sweet pinesap ( Monotropsis odorata), both of which should be in bloom at this time. So, therefore, since its getting late in the morning and I want to get in the woods I will conclude this letter shortly. But before I go, I just want to invite everyone to come out and participate in our upcoming events. The next Society sponsored event is our field trip, on April 24, to the Mt. Cuba Center for the Study of the Piedmont Flora. The center, located off Barley Mill Road and along the Red Clay Creek, in northern Delaware (see elsewhere in this newsletter for details) is a spec- tacular place and the spring flora should be near its peak. And then on May 22 we will have a field trip, also along the Red Clay Creek, as part of our annual meeting. But if you are unable to attend these outings I hope you will be able to get out on your own to enjoy the beauty of the spring wildflower display. I will also let everyone know when we will be out at our native plant nursery and at our 4 reforestation sites this spring and summer; we will definitely need your help with these projects. Best dlf* wishes for a floriferously colorful spring, and one full of discovery. 1 l Natural Quotes “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” John Burroughs 1 1 Feature Article Native medicines When I reflect on this important movement toward a preservation of native plants, it is important to understand a bit about how this lack of native plants came about. One aspect of this involves medicines. Many European species not native to the New World were brought to this country due to their medi- cal necessity for the migrating peoples. Moving to a new land, they were sure to bring along familiar remedies and crucial plants for their health. Our modern world has moved away from herbal medi- cine. However, today, there is more and more general ac- ceptance of nature’s healing gifts. My profession is the only doctorate level training available in this country which focuses on building expertise in natural medicines. In my herbal prac- tice, it is of foremost importance that we culti vate and wildcraft herbs in an environmentally responsible manner. Many reme- dies that I use on an everyday basis are native to the Delmarva Peninsula. As people learned from Natives and from experi- mentation and study, native plants slowly but surely were added to our common medicines. And so let’s start down an adven- ture. I invite us to embrace our desire to re-populate the region with native plants. Let us also remind ourselves that we live in relationship to these plants. By finding a wholesome use for the plants, we do more to anchor their presence in our world. A plant’s medicinal use is a viable way to create an avenue for preservation, respect and conservation of our native plant herit- age. Below I will introduce you to the common uses of some of the native plants. It goes without saying that this does not con- stitute medical advice, and before you begin to use these plants for medicinal purposes, please seek the care of a trained herbal- ist or Naturopathic Physician for specific herbal recommenda- tions. Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage) Commonly known for its attention getting aroma, skunk cabbage is an extremely useful medicine. I use it mostly in my asthma patients in combination with other herbs used for lung illnesses. Its specific indication is for tense or spasmodic conditions in the lung. It may be used for asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough. Generally, the root and rhizome of the plant are collected in the fall and made into tincture or tea. Specific actions of the herb are anti-spasmodic, expectorant, and diaphoretic. Ulmus rubra (Slippery elm) This by far is one of my favorite gastrointestinal reme- dies. I find it helpful in many situations, and this includes Best wishes, Psge 4 The Turk's Qp, Volume 7 , Number 1 Natural Community Highlight Piedmont floodplain forest Along the larger streams of the Delaware Piedmont, particularly White Clay Creek and Brandywine Creek, is a rich and diverse community that blurs the line between wetland and upland. These areas — floodplains — are flat terraces that are found adjacent to the river and just above the typical water level of the stream. However, during periods of high rainfall or snowmelt, these areas become inundated by the rising waters of the river. This periodic flooding has two important functions in the devel- opment of the floodplain community: it creates very rich, loamy soils through the deposition of alluvial sediments, and it func- tions as a frequent disturbance of natural community processes. W hil e these soils provide habitat for some of our most diverse plant communities, this combination of nutrient-rich soils and frequent disturbance also creates ideal conditions for the estab- lishment of invasive non-native species. Unfortunately, much of Delaware’s floodplain habitats have become overrun with these invasive non-natives, and nowhere in the state are the threats posed by non-natives more apparent than our floodplain forests. Description The canopy of Piedmont floodplain forests is typically dominat- ed by Platanus occidentalis (sycamore) and Fraxinus pennsyf- vanica (green ash), with Acer negimdo (box elder) predominat- ing in the subcanopy. Other trees frequently encountered in- clude Juglans nigra (black walnut), Betula nigra (river birch), Acer saccharinum (silver maple), Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree), A cer nib rum (red maple), and Cornusflorida (flowering dogwood). Lindera benzoin (spicebush) is typically abundant in the shrub layer. The herb layer can be quite diverse, with com- mon species including Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple), Hy- drophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf), Arisaema triphyl- lum (jack-in-the-pulpit), Po/emonium reptans (Greek valerian), Symplocarpus foetid us (skunk cabbage), Boehmerici cyhndnca (false nettle), Impatiens capensis (orange jewel weed), and Viola spp. (violets). One of our most spectacular wildflowers, Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells), is essentially restrict- ed to these Piedmont floodplains. However, the herb layer of this community is prone to invasion by non-native species, which may reduce the diversity of native species. Common invasive non-natives include Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose), Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass), Ranunculus //- caria (lesser celandine), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honey- suckle), Celastnis orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet), and A 1- liaria petiolata (garlic mustard). Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy) is a common native vine that frequently climbs into the canopy. Distribution As previously noted, this community can be found in areas along White Clay Creek, but it is most well-developed along the Brandywine, which has the highest quality examples in the state. Although there are floodplain forests along streams on the Coastal Plain, they often have different dominant spe- cies, and are generally not as species rich. 0000 Peter Bowman, DE Natural Heritage Program Ecologist Native Plant Highlight Vanilla grass In keeping with the “herbal” theme of this issue of the newsletter, I would like to discuss a grass that is rare in Dela- ware and is known as “vanilla grass,” or “holy grass.” The sci- entific name of this grass is Hierochfoe odorata and it is known from only a single population in the Inland Bay’s region of Sus- sex County. It was first discovered in Delaware in 1994 and at the time was a new addition to the flora, as well as the Delmar- va Peninsula. The native distribution of vanilla grass in the northeastern U.S. is from Maine, south to northern Pennsylva- nia, and southern New Jersey. As the species name of the plant implies, odorata , vanilla grass, when crushed or bruised has a strong and very sweet odor of vanilla. Vanilla grass was, and is still used by Native Americans as a perfume, and in weaving baskets and incense ropes. Native Americans also consider va- nilla grass to be a holy grass and is used in ceremonies as an incense to purify the soul, prevent evil, and invoke positive powers for peace. It is interesting to note that archeological studies have been conducted on the site where vanilla grass grows in Sussex County and many ancient Native American artifacts have been discovered. It is estimated that Native Americans utilized this area as early as 8000 to 9000 years ago and continued up until the time of European contact (1600s to 1700s). In addition, a small burial ground has also been discov- ered at this site. The question arises, is the presence of vanilla grass in Delaware a result of seed being dispersed by Native Americans? This question is difficult to determine, but intri- guing when one considers the phenomenon of plant migration and establish- ment. oooo iy l i] iam McAvoy, DNPS Vice-President o o o o o o Event Highlight All taxa field trip to fair hill nra, Cecil, co., md Fourteen people attended this trip on 20 March 2004. It was a beautiful introduction to Spring which officially began on the day of our trip. We saw dozens of species of plants in the natural areas of this Piedmont forest, including the diminutive vegetative sprigs of some spring ephemerals that hadn’t quite gotten big enough to flower yet. William McAvoy (our Vice- president) and Jack Holt co-led the trip and with the help of Janet Ebert, everyone involved was treated to a stupendous show of adept botanizing. If you’ve never experienced the ex- pertise of Jack and Janet, then you should indulge yourself by coming to the Annual Meeting where we will be challenging them with a slide show quiz. Anyhow, some of the highlights of this trip were Trichophorum plcrnifolium (bashful bulrush) which is state rare in MD and DE, a Dryopteris hybrid (carthusiana x cristata ) which is a hybrid between a spinulose wood fern and a crested wood fern, Hedwigia ciliata, which is a rare moss that only occurs on rocks, and some very nice or- chids. We also had a relaxing lunch break on the bank of the Elk River. And of course, anytime you've got Eric and Rick McCorkle together, you have to include animals! So, we also found some very nice red-backed salamanders, wood frogs with numerous egg masses in a pond, and we identified some of the common winter resident birds. The Turk's Csp, Volume 7, Number 1 Upcoming Event Page 5 Thoughts From The Edge Of The Garden DNPS NURSERY UPDATE After our most successful plant sale yet last Novem- ber, the nursery has been resting quietly in a dormant slumber. But it’s time wake it up, and we’ve got some very exciting plans for this nursery season. Keith and I have already replaced the old 4 mil plastic on our greenhouse with new, stronger 6 mil plastic which we’re hoping will weather a little better. We also made some improvements to the structural integrity of the greenhouse as a result of some lessons learned from hurricane Isabelle last September. We also are going to be adding a new bed to the nursery. This one will be an aquatic bed! We are in the process of buying an 8.5 foot x 4.5 foot, 100 Gallon pre- formed pond from MacCourt Industries (through Lowe’s). We have seeds of numerous aquatic and semi-aquatic native plants collected last Autumn all ready to germinate and grow for the next native plant sale. DNPS ELECTRONIC MAIL POLICY AND SPAM The DE Native Plant Society uses e-mail as a way to keep all of our members informed of short-term Society news and events that can’t be covered in our quarterly newsletters. We are constantly doing quality control on our membership database, especially the e-mail addresses, and we’ve been notic- ing recently that a handful of DNPS members have e-mail service providers that are blocking emails sent to them by DNPS. The advent of Internet spam has prompted almost all Internet Service Providers to add some type of spam filtering system to their software. Some of these systems comprise of blocking everything except for what is on a list that you manu- ally add “safe”, or “known” addresses to, some route all un- known addresses to a “spam folder” that you can browse in separately from your inbox, while other systems allow you to add a wanted addresses to an address book with a few mouse clicks, still other allow you to block unwanted addresses by adding them to a “blocked list”, or using “mail assistants” to organize messages. Whatever system you have in your soft- ware, we just wanted to make sure that everyone who wants to receive e-mails from us can get them, so please check your spam filter settings and add dnp s @delawarenati veplants . or g to your “safe list.” If you haven’t been receiving e-mails from us and want to make sure that you do, please contact us and we can make sure we have your correct address and we can make sure that you are able to receive messages through your filtering mechanism. Conversely, if you gave us your e-mail address when you first joined and do not want to continue receiving our e-mail updates, inform Eric at ezuelke@juno.com and I will remove your address from your membership database entry. Call for nominations for officers This year we have three officers whose terms are ex- piring. Therefore, we are looking for members that might be interested in serving as President, Vice-president, or Secretary. If you are interested in taking a more active role in the society and would be interested in serving a two-year term, or would like information about the duties of each office please contact us at dnps@delawarenativeplants.org, or 302.674.5187. We will be having elections at the annual meeting in May. 2Q0i M m! M eeting Dela ware na tive Plant Society’s 6th Annual Meeting: The Geology and Flora of Dela ware’s Piedmont Where: Ashland Nature Center, located off Barley Mill Road at the intersection of Brackenville Road. From Rt. 41 in Hockessin take Brackenville Road north to DNS approximately 2 miles, look for entrance to nature center on left side of road just before Barley Mill Road. You can also find directions at www.delawarenaturesociety.com. When: Saturday, 22 May 2004, 10 AM to 4 PM Schedule: 10:00: Opening remarks 10:15-11:00: Lecture from our keynote speaker Sandy Schenk, Director, Earth Science Information Center, DE Geological Society, “Delaware Piedmont Geology” 11:15 to noon: Piedmont plant slide show challenge with Janet Ebert and Jack Holt. A slide presentation whereby Jack and Janet will be shown a series of plants that they will have to identify and then discuss what they know about each species Noon to 1 PM: Lunch 1 PM to 1:30: Society Updates 1:30 to 4:00: Field trip, led by Jack Holt and Janet Ebert, to the diverse habitats along Red Clay Creek. For more information and to register: email us at dnps@delawarenativeplants.org, or call us at 302.674.5187. DNPS members on the field trip to Fair Hill Nat. Resource Area The Turk's Qp, Volume 7, Number 1 Continued on page 6 Feature Article Continued from page 3 the GI tract, respiratoiy concerns, and urinary tract symptoms. Ulmus is a small tree, the inner bark is the medicinal part. My favorite form of use is simply the powdered inner bark which can be found easily at most good health food stores in the bulk spice section. I consider it a “must have” for the natural medi- cine cabinet at home. It is very soothing to any inflamed mu- cous membrane. Especially useful for gastritis, colitis, diarrhea, heartburn. It is well-tolerated in situations of gastric upset and nausea/vomiting. Through a reflex action, it also is a respiratory soothing expectorant. Ulmus is extremely nutritious as well. Elderly persons, adults and infants with infl ammation of the tract can benefit from what we call “Slippery Elm Gruel.” (1 tsp powdered Ulmus in a small amount of cold water to make a paste, add hot water and cinnamon or sugar to taste. Best liked if taken as a bolus on tongue rather than chew the paste. Many people attest to the weird texture, but reliable effectiveness of this gruel) Ulmus works best if dosed frequently. It soothes and astringes the inflamed and hypersecreting intestinal mucosa. Sambucus canadensis (Elderberry) What medicine we are gifted by the Elderberry! Dif- ferent uses for different parts of the plant, so respect is needed to understand this medicine fully. Flowers: The Sambucus flowers are excellent diaphoretics, or inducers of sweating off a fever. They are excellent remedies for treatment of colds, fever, headache, and nausea. Sambucus is useful in someone who has a lot of phlegm which needs to be softened and expectorated. Also, Sambucus will work well in someone who has a dry, irritated cough without congestion. The flowers are also an antispasmodic, so cough and asthma are indications. The flowers contain tannins which astringe (dry out) the mucosa of the sinuses, thus relieving congestion. Sam- bucus will also cause constriction of the blood vessels supply- ing the sinuses and therefore should be used with caution over the long-term. Discontinue use if a sinus headache develops or worsens. Berries: Raw fresh berries are emetic (vomit-inducing), be- ware. But dried cooked berries are not emetic. The berries con- tain anthocyanidins (a potent antioxidant family). These func- tion as antioxidants in the collagen fibers (connective tissue) and prevent the enzymatic cleavage of collagen during inflam- mation. Thus the release and synthesis of compounds that cause inflammation (like histamine, prostaglandins, and Jeukotrienes) are prevented. The berries are useful anti-inflammatories by also improving collagen biosynthesis, not simply by blocking inflammation. They are useful for joint diseases, allergic condi- tions (such as sinusitis, and asthma), colds and coughs, diar- rhea. They are also high in Vitamin C content, which makes their beneficial effects on collagen and mast cells even more potent. Leaves, root, and bark: These are toxic, so internal use is not recommended. However, external application of the cooked leaves, root and bark are useful for hemorrhoids and labial tears, bites, wounds, stings, sunburn, boils, abcesses, sore joints, bruises, sprains, ulcerations, splinters (draws them out) Psge 6 and weeping eczema. They are vulnerary (wound healing) and astringent. These three potential plants are introduced for you to create more habitat for native species. You could grow them and provide some wonderful home remedies for yourself and family. Please read more about the plants once you invite them onto your property to really grow in your ability to respect the medicines they contain. In this way, we can all return native plants to Delaware, one back yard at a time! Dr. Kim Furtado, N.D., is a Naturopathic Physician on the allied health staff at Beebe Medical Center. For more infor- mation or an appointment, call 302.945.2107. To find out more about the local holistic commu- nity, visit www.delmarvacommunitywellnet.net. o o o o o o Resources And Reviews Flora of Delaware and the eastern shore, by Robert TATNALL This is the first comprehensive survey of Delaware plants and was published in 1 946 by The Society of Natural History of Delaware. Tatnall covers plants from purple love-grass, and dog fennel, to bald cypress. Flora of Delaware is invaluable because it is an annotated list of the historical locations of plants found on the Eastern Shore and includes collector’s records. One of the collectors is Albert Commons (see our last newsletter), re- sponsible for assembling the most extensive collection of Dela- ware plants. The intent of William McAvoy and Karen Bennett’s The Flora of Delaware; an annotated checklist 2001, “is to supplement Tatnall’ s work and to provide a systematic approach to deliver- ing taxonomic, status, habitat and physiographic distribution information on each species.” While Tatnall documented the loss of the fringed gentian, this checklist also documents the disappearance of species such as two of our three native roses listed in Tatnall. Rosa Carolina (Carolina rose) was listed in Tatnall as frequent in swampy places and in sandy pinelands, Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. Rosavirginiana ( Virginia rose) was listed as rare on the Coastal Plain but one specimen was collected in Rehoboth by Commons in 1895. The checklist lists these two species as “historical” as they have not been seen in Delaware for at least 15 years. “Disappearing Diversity” by William McAvoy [Outdoor Delaware Spring/Summer 2002] gives an o venae w of the problems with Delaware plants today. Tatnall and McAvoy /Bennett publications are available at pub- lic libraries or can be purchased. Flora of Delaware and the Eastern Shore by Tatnall: $35.00 plus $5.00 for shipping/ handling and is available from: Claude E. Phillips Herbarium at Delaware State Univ. Call to order: 302.857.6452 M-F, 8:30 - 4:30. The Flora of Delaware by McAvoy/Bennett: $17.00 in- cludes shipping and is available from: Delaware Natural Herit- age Program, 4876 Haypoint Landing Rd., Smyrna, DE 19977, 302.653.2880. dk% 0000 Gwendolyn Elliott, DNPS Member The Turk's Qp, Volume 7, Number 1 ZfpeonwjTG £^V£jrrs Psge7 i Saturday, 17 April 2004 - Earth Day Festival at Killens Pond State Park from 10 AM to 3 PM. Sponsored by DSWA, this event features fun events for the entire family including the popular “eco-trail”. Contact Wendy Pizzadili at 302.739.5361 or on the web at www.dswa.com for more INFORMATION. THE DNPS WILL HAVE THEIR DISPLAY SET-UP AT THIS EVENT. Saturday, 17 April 2004 - Christina River Clean-up from 8 AM to 12 Noon. Contact 302.328.9436 TO REGISTER. Tuesday, 20 April and Wednesday, 21 April 2004 - Delaware Wetlands and Stream Restoration Conference at the Dover Sheraton Hotel. Contact Mark Biddle at 302.739.4590 for more infor- mation. Wednesday, 21 April 2004 - Fifth annual meeting of the DE Invasive Species Council from 8:30 AM to 3 PM. Hosted by the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium at DE state University. Many presenters AND A TOUR OF THE HERBARIUM ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS. CONTACT CATHERINE MARTIN AT 302.653.2887, OR Catherine.Martin@state.de by 16 April 2004 for more information. Saturday, 24 April 2004 - DNPS field trip with a tour of the gardens and adjacent natural AREAS AT THE MT. CUBA CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE PIEDMONT FLORA, NEAR MT. CUBA, DE, 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM. For directions and to sign-up for this trip email us at DNPS@DELAWARENATIVEPLANTS.ORG, OR CONTACT KEITH CLANCY AT 302.674.5187. Saturday, 24 April 2004 - Ag day at the University of Delaware, and the Botanic Garden Plant Sale from 10 AM to 4 PM. On the web at http://bluehen.ags.udel.edu/udbg/Plant_Sale_2004/ for MORE INFORMATION. Saturday, 01 May and Sunday, 02 May 2004 - Delaware Nature society, annual native plant SALE AT THE COVERDALE FARM IN GREENVILLE, DE. OVER 10,000 PLANTS OF OVER 240 SPECIES. CALL 302.239.2334, OR ON THE web at www.delawarenaturesociety.org for more information. Saturday, 08 May 2004 - Adkins arboretum, annual native plant sale from 9 AM to 1 PM. Farge VARIETY OF NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND HERBACEOUS PLANTS. CALL 410.634.2847, OR ON THE WEB AT WWW.ADKINSARORETUM.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. Saturday, 14-16 May 2004 - Wintergreen nature Foundation, 21st Annual Spring wildflower Symposium. Events will feature nationally known speakers and wildflower gardening and na- tive LANDSCAPING IDEAS FOR BOTH MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY HABITATS. CONTACT EMILY THAYER AT 434.325.7453, OR EMAIL AT DEVELOPMENT@TWNF.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. 3-5 June 2004 - Native Plant Conference at Millersville University. Call 310.869.9756, or on the WEB AT WWW.MILLERSVILLENATIVEPLANTS.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. DNPS Bi-monthly meetings for 2004 - are currently scheduled the 3rd Tuesday of every other month. Our next meetings will be: 20 July, 21 September, 16 November. Meetings will take place (UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED) AT 7 PM AT THE ST. JONES RESERVE, KlTTS HUMMOCK RD. ABOUT 3/4 MILE EAST OF THE RT. 9/1 13/KlTTS HUMMOCK ROAD INTERCHANGE JUST AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF DOVER AlR Force Base. We plan to have guest speakers at each meeting (speakers and their topics will be ANNOUNCED AT LATER DATES). CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS OR EMAIL US AT DNPS @ DELAW ARENATIVEPLANTS.ORG. The Turk's Cap, Volume 7, Number 1 Page 8 l Membership Application I L ». ». ». ». ». _ , Member Information i Delaware native Plant Society , i Name: Business Name or Organization: Address: City and Zip Code: Telephone (home/work): E-mail address: " Full-time Student $10.00 " Individual $15.00 " Family or Household $18.00 " Contributing $50.00 " Business $100.00 " Lifetime $500.00 " Donations are also welcome $_ Membership benefits include: * The DNPS quarterly newsletter, The Turk’s Cap * Native plant gardening and landscaping information * Speakers, field trips, native plant nursery and sales Total Amount Enclosed: $ Make check payable to: DE Native Plant Society P.O. Box 369, Dover, DE 19903 Delaware Native Plant Society P.O. Box 369 Dover, Delaware 19903 Complimentary Copy