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FALL 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Native Wildflower Seed Collection in the Seven
Devils Mountains of West-Central Idaho

Through a 2007 ERIG grant, the Idaho Native Plant Society supported a
second year of seed collection activities for University of Idaho native
plant domestication program. The primary purpose of the program is to
find native plant materials that may be useful in home landscapes. The
target region for the 2007 collections was the Seven Devils region of
west-central Idaho. Species collected will be established in the field in
the spring of 2008 at the Aberdeen R & E Center and evaluated for
aesthetic value, hardiness, and other useful horticultural traits. Success
of this project will improve commercial availability of native plants for
landscape purposes and bring greater public awareness of the
exceptional beauty of Idaho’s native flora.

The goal of the collection activity was to take representative small
samples (50-200 seeds) of perennial wildflowers and small shrubs.
Specific plants sought included penstemons (Penstemon sp.),
paintbrushes ( Castilleja sp.), buckwheats (Eriogonum sp.), lupines
{Lupinus sp.), mints ( Agastache and Monardella sp.) asters and daisies
(various species), serviceberry ( Amelanchier alnifolia ), and ninebark
{Physocarpus malvaceus).

An initial scouting trip was completed June 26 through June 28, during the peak bloom season at the mid to high
elevations. Accompanying the author on the scouting trip was Phillip Waltman, a UI summer employee and future
horticulture student, Tony McCammon, Payette County Extension Educator, and Bill Loftus, UI Communications
Specialist. Searches were completed in three separate areas of the Seven Devils Mountain Range. The first day
was spent in the Southern Slopes, accessed via state highway 7 1 west of Cambridge. This took us into the lower
end of Hell’s Canyon from where we climbed the heart-stopping Kleinschmidt Grade to Cuprum and traveled back
east to Council. The second day was spent near the high peaks of the Seven Devils. Using the Seven Devils
campground as a base, we searched the dry ridges and rocky slopes just outside the wilderness boundary (avoiding
the complications of harvesting seed in a designated wilderness area). The third day was spent in the northern
reaches of the range in the hilly country above Pittsburg Landing. This somewhat late date for the scouting trip
allowed us to double up and actually harvest seed of some of the earlier wildflower species at the lowest elevations.
Most seed was collected on a return trip completed August 2 by the author and Phillip Waltman.

Continued on page 5

In this Issue

Letter from the President 2

Albert Stage Remembered 3

Native Plant Appreciation Week ....4

ERIG Awards Announced 7

A Tribute to John Muir 8

BSU Botanical Workshops 9

Tick-borne Relapsing Fever 10

Bio: NW Botanist William Baker... 11

Humor: Unless 13

INPS News 14

Chapter News 15

Check out Sage Notes in color on the INPS
website: http://www.idahonativeplants.org/

{Articles contributed to Sage Notes reflect the views of the authors and are not an official position of the Idaho Native Plant Society}

September 2008 1

Fall 2008 SAGE NOTES § A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Letter from the President

Dear INPS Members,

This year I issued a challenge to come make the
annual meeting larger than last year. A great many of
you responded by coming and making this a terrific
gathering. The field trips were great and the
companionship wonderful. Many, many kudos to
Chairperson Sylvia Chatburn and her team for putting
on such an informative, instructive and fun meeting.

Next year’ s annual meeting is scheduled for June 26
and 27. Sah-Wah-Be Chapter will be lead chapter for
this event. The 2009 annual meeting looks like it will
be held in a very interesting part of Idaho. Island Park
is the proposed place. So, mark your calendars now
for the 2009 annual meeting. There will be much
more information in future issues of Sage Notes.

The proposed changes in the bylaws were voted on at
the annual meeting and passed unanimously. Again,
many thanks to the bylaws committee and all the hard
work they put in on this revision.

As a short reminder, the INPS Board adopted an
official logo after our December meeting (printed in
the last Sage Notes) that is available in digital form
for putting on t-shirts or whatever you choose.

Pahove Chapter is organizing a committee for the
Rare Plant Conference that is scheduled to be held in
2009. If you have never been to a RPC, this is the
year you should schedule to come to the conference.
As a lay person I found the conference I attended to
be very informative and interesting. It was also,
surprisingly to me, very understandable. More news
will be in the next Sage Notes.

The nominating committee will begin its work this
Fall to find some new state officers. The state
organization is only as strong as the people who serve

as officers and committee members. Please think
about the skills you have and how you can serve the
Society Committee members are always needed.

Looking forward to meeting a number of you at the
next meetings.

Cheers !

Janet Benoit, INPS President

Steve Love collects Eriogonum compositum seeds in the
Seven Devil’s. Story starts on page 1.

September 2008

Fall 2008 SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

In Memoriam

Albert Stage Remembered for his Contributions to
Forestry and INPS

Many members of INPS will remember fondly A1
Stage of the White Pine chapter of INPS. We are
sad to report that A1 died of a brain tumor July 12,
2008 at his home in Moscow, Idaho. He grew up in
Massachusetts and received a M.S. in
mathematical statistics in 1961 and a Ph.D. in
forest mensuration in 1966, both from the
University of Michigan. He served in the U.S.
Army from 1952 to 1954 in the Philippines and the
South Pacific, and later served in the Army
Reserve.

From 1954 until his retirement in 1995 he gained
an extensive knowledge of and passion for Idaho
forests from his years working in Northern Idaho.
He was at the Moscow Forestry Sciences
Laboratory from its opening inl963 and was a
project leader until his retirement in 1995.

A1 received several awards and honors including
the Distinguished Alumni Award from the
University of Michigan’s School of Natural
Resources, the USDA Superior Service Award, the
Forest Service Forest Insect and Disease Award
for Research Excellence, and in 2006, the Society
of American Foresters (SAF) Award in Forest
Science. He was elected a Fellow of SAF in 2000.
The University of Idaho’s College of Natural
Resources honored him with an Associate Alumni
Award in 2001.

He was author of more than 100 publications on
basic mensuration, sampling, hydrology, plant
moisture stress, climate and disease, insect
population dynamics, root disease, fertilization,
fire effects, and modeling stand and tree dynamics.
He is well known in forestry circles for introducing
the Prognosis Model for Stand Development in
1973. The fact that this model is still used today
reflects how his research has influenced forestry.
He was acknowledged as well for his mentoring
and his encouragement of professional
development of many who worked with him.

A1 and his wife Marjory have been members from
the earliest days of the White Pine chapter, and A1
served as president of the chapter for three terms
from 2004 through 2006. His dedication kept the
chapter together during this period. As president
he also participated in numerous State INPS
board activities and was a primary organizer of a
very successful annual State INPS meeting held at
the upper end of Priest Lake. He ensured that
participants would learn more about forest
progressions. Steve Brunsfeld’s presentation at
this meeting on how and why our coastal
disjuncts occur was so popular that A1 made sure
the White Pine Chapter made a video recording
of Steve’s repeat presentation at the NW Herbaria
Conference.

Because he had an extensive knowledge of the
forests of Idaho and had many contacts with
foresters, botanists, and ecologists throughout the
country, he was able to organize numerous and
varied educational field trips for the chapter and
engage speakers on many subjects. He also
brought issues such as those raised by USFS
forest planning and conservation easements
before the chapter. Two special trips he organized
for the chapter were the campout at Priest River
Experimental Forest and a tour of his and
Marjory’s Moscow Mountain home and property,
which is complete with a gazebo for sleeping
under the stars and a view of the lights of
Moscow.

After Chuck Wellner's passing, A1 made a trip to
Coeur d'Alene to get special White Pine seedlings
to plant as a memorial in the native plant area of
Berman Creekside Park in Moscow. He also
helped transplant a native Tiger Lily beside the
tree.

Al’s dry humor, his knowledge and experience,
and his willingness to take on a task whether it be
planning a meeting or hiking a mountain trail will
be sorely missed. He mentored many in the
chapter and was always at the front of the line in
support of chapter activities.

White Pine chapter board and members

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Celebrated: Native Plant
Appreciation Week

Native Plant Appreciation Week was April 28-May 3.
Many members and chapters of INPS sponsored events,
wrote articles, and came together to acknowledge the
immutable force of Idaho’s native flora.

Calypso Chapter

Calypso Chapter held two events during NPAW to
which the pubhc was invited. The first event was a
walk on Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene. This is an annual
event which we advertise and attempt to get more
people interested in INPS. This year a small group
hiked the trail partially around the lake and then over
the summit of the hill and back to the parking lot.
Several Kinnikinnick members joined the group again
this year.

The second event was the annual Q’emiln Trails hike in
Post Falls. Q'emiln Trails is a 78 acre natural park
maintained by the city of Post Falls. The park is well
know for its natural climbing walls. Q'emiln was the
name of the Coeur d' Alene Indian village there at Post
Falls. The name means "Throat of the River". The
village was vacated in 1878. Several members of
Calypso and some guests hiked the trail there. Laura
and Bill Asbell once again hosted a pot luck on their
property along the Spokane River outside of Post Falls.
They have been diligently working to restore native
plants to their property. A short hike was taken on their
property to see how the native plants are faring for this
year.

Kinnikinnick Chapter

President Carol Jenkins, and past President and Bee
Editor Valle Novak, published articles in the Bonner
County Daily Bee about using native plants in
landscaping.

Pahove Chapter

The Pahove Chapter joined with the Idaho Botanical
Garden (IBG) to sponsor two events in honor of Native
Plant Appreciation Week in 2008. More than 40
members of the public showed up for a two-hour
Wildflower Walk in the foothills behind the Old
Penitentiary/Idaho Botanical Garden complex on a
Sunday morning in late April. A good time was had by
all as the flowers were in fantastic bloom this year, with
arrowleaf balsamroot and several biscuitroot species

September 2008

being of special note. The second event was a
Community Education-style class taught at IBG titled
“Common Wildflowers of the Boise Foothills” one
evening in early May. A special thanks goes to Ann
DeBolt for organizing and leading both of these events.
If you have ideas for next year’s Native Plant
Appreciation Week, be sure to share them with your
chapter president!

Sah-Wah-Be Chapter

To celebrate Native Plant Awareness Week, the Sah-
Wah-Be Chapter set up two tables at the Pocatello
Environmental Fair in Tydeman Park and prominently
displayed our eight-foot INPS banner. Available to fair-
goers were INPS brochures, handouts about our Sah-
Wah-Be chapter and its summer field trip schedule, 100
free starts of a variety of native plants, and a plant-a-
seed -to -take- home activity for all. During the week,
the Idaho State Journal printed an article about our
chapter and its purpose, plus a report on our annual
dinner and meeting with a photo of our newly-elected
board. The last day of this Week, May 3, was the
advertised kick-off event for members and the public of
our May through September field trips: Dr. Karl Holte
led 40 plus people on a plant walk along two trails in the
nearby Caribou National Forest, followed by a potluck
and socializing at the Holtes' home.

White Pine Chapter

On March 29, the White Pine chapter participated in
Moscow’s “Earth Week Kick-Off’ event at the Palouse
Mall. This event was sponsored by the Palouse Earth
Day Association. We had a display that described our
organization, activities, and resources for learning about
native plants. We were able to network with other local
groups that have an environmental focus, and added
some new members and contacts to our email list as a
result of this opportunity for publicity.

On April 10, we co-sponsored the presentation of
"Creating a Native Garden Esthetic,” presented by Tim
Eaton, owner of Prairie Bloom Nursery, a joint program
with the Palouse Prairie Foundation at the Neill Public
Library in Pullman, WA. Tim has owned/managed
Prairie Bloom Nursery for over 10 years, and through
his extensive experience and knowledge talked about the
role natives play in gardens of the Palouse and offered
garden design tips.

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Native Wildflower Seed Collection Continued from page 1

Phillip Waltman takes location notes for a collection area in the Seven Devil’s.

We found each of the search areas unique and all
three were rich and varied in the flora of interest.

Our travels through the Southern Slopes took us from
elevations of 2,100 feet along the Snake River in
Hell’s Canyon to 4,900 feet near Cuprum. The lower
elevations were typified by dry grassy slopes while
pine forests dominated the upper elevations. Shortly
after turning west from Cambridge, we entered the
Southern Slopes and quickly encountered one of the
outstanding wildflowers of the region, lovely
penstemon {Penstemon venustus). The plants were
large, covered with hundreds of light purple blooms,
and often formed huge populations along road cuts
and hillsides. This penstemon species was ubiquitous
throughout the Seven Devils region and we never
tired of seeing it. We sampled several of the largest,
most variable populations.

Another outstanding find in the lower end of Hell’s
Canyon was arrowleaf buckwheat (Eriogonum
compositum), a unique buckwheat with large, heart-
shaped leaves and tall umbels of dark yellow flowers.

About halfway up Kleinschmidt Grade we explored a
narrow, rocky gorge and discovered several treasures,
including whorled penstemon ( Penstemon triphyllus),
a small heuchera with tiny dark red leaves tentatively
identified as small-leaf alumroot ( Heuchera
micrantha), and a large thicket of a low-growing
form of ninebark. The last outstanding discoveries in
the Southern Slopes was a population of yarrow
{Achillea millefolium) with dark pink flowers, a tall,
graceful form of hot rock penstemon {Penstemon
deustus ), and several small populations of the
fascinating thyme buckwheat {Erigonoum
thymoides), all found along Cuprum-Council road
about 15 miles west of Council.

The second day was spent in the high peaks area of
the Seven Devils where the wildflowers were just
coming into bloom and large patches of beargrass
{Xerophyllum tenax ) located along the access road
were a photographers dream. Too bad this beautiful
plant is not adapted to soil and temperature
conditions outside its native mountain home. Most of

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

the scouting in the high peaks area was done at
elevations of 7,500 to 8,100 feet. One of the most
interesting plants found along the dry rocky ridges
around the trailhead was a remarkably beautiful form
of yellow buckwheat (. Eriogonum flavum . Unlike
the rangy, somewhat sparse flowering plants typical
of the species, these plants exhibited up to 30 flower
clusters on a plant, had short (maybe 5 inches tall)
flower stems, large flowering heads (up to 2 inches in
diameter), and came in colors ranging from whites
through yellows, pinks, and the occasional dark red.

I am interested to see what these plants look like in
cultivation. Other key finds included a compact form
of Wyth’s buckwheat ( Eriogonum heracleoides) with
scarlet flower buds, a variety of shrubby penstemon
{Penstemon fruticosus) with large mats of tiny
serrated leaves and large purple flowers, and a very
low-growing form of pennyroyal ( Monardella
odoratissima) with masses of pink and purple
flowers.

Exploration of the northern part of the mountain
range was limited to the grassy slopes on the west
side of the saddle that cradles the high point of the
road between White Bird and Pittsburg Landing. The
elevation of the area explored ranged from 3,600 to
4,100 feet. There was a less diverse flora in this area
in comparison with the two scouted earlier.

However, we did manage to find a small population
of Idaho native blanketflower ( Gaillardia aristata )
and a tall form of ninebark that seemed to have
limited tendency to spread and form thickets.

It was apparent in August upon return to collect seed
that very little or no rainfall occurred in the Seven
Devils region between June scouting and August
collection. As a result, many of the plant populations
marked for collection were stunted, parched, and
exhibited early dormancy. Some of these plants set
very little or no seed. This was especially true for the
paintbrushes and lupines. In spite of these harsh
conditions, seed was successfully recovered from
about 90% of the designated populations. This was
considered remarkable success given the climatically
imposed potential for failure.

The seed collected during the summer of 2007 will be
germinated in the greenhouse in spring of 2008 and
subsequently transplanted to field plots at the

University of Idaho’s Aberdeen R & E Center. They
will be evaluated for 2-6 years for hardiness,
adaptation, and horticultural value. Individual plants
with superior horticultural traits will be propagated
and evaluated at other locations in southern Idaho
and subsequently propagated for commercial
distribution. This approach, although different from
practices employed for in situ revegetation and
population enhancement, will provide the best chance
for success at introducing new landscape materials
and for educating the public to the value of our
beautiful Idaho natives.

Summary of the collections made in the Seven Devils
Region in 2007. Total species collected came to 31.
Multiple collections of some species brought the
accession total to 49.

Achillea millifolium, Agastache urticifolia,
Amelanchier alnifolia, Castilleja applegatei,
Castilleja hispida, Castilleja miniata, Castilleja
rhexifolia, Erigeron perigrinus, Eriogonum
compositum, Eriogon um flavum, Eriogon um
heracleoides, Eriogonum ovalifolium, Eriogonum
thymoides, Eriophyllum lanatum, Gaillardia aristata,
Heuchera micrantha, Iliamna rivularis, Lupinus
leucophyllus, Lupinus sericeus, Monardella
odoratissima, Penstemon deustus, Penstemon
fruticosus, Penstemon gairdneri, Penstemon
glandulosus, Penstemon venustus, Physocarpus
malvaceus, Senecio cana, Sidalcea oregano,

Spraguea umbellata.

About the Authors

Stephen L. Love is a consumer horticulture specialist for
the University of Idaho, located at the Research and
Extension Center at Aberdeen. His interests include native
plants, low water landscaping, and home production of
vegetables. Stephen is a member of the Sah-Wah-Be
chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society. He is an avid
gardener and recently created his first native plant garden
at his home in Aberdeen.

Tony McCammon is a County Educator in Payette
County. He develops educational programs to assist both
fruit growers and homeowners. He has a special interest in
native plants and low- water landscapes. Tony has
considerable knowledge in the area of ethnobotany. He
was involved in native plant landscape design research in
Utah before coming to Idaho in 2006.

September 2008

Fall 2008 SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Education, Research, and Inventory Grant Program 2008 Award Recipients

The Idaho Native Plant Society (INPS) initiated an
Education, Research, and Inventory Grant (ERIG)
program in 2003 to support projects contributing to
the appreciation, conservation, and advancement of
our knowledge of Idaho’s native flora and vegetation.
In 2008, four ERIG proposals, totaling approximately
$3300, were submitted to INPS. Proposals were
reviewed by the four ERIG committee members -
Jody Hull, Michael Mancuso, Annette Runnells, and
Sarah Walker. If INPS had unlimited funds, we
would have fully funded each proposal. All were
worthy projects that met the objectives of the ERIG
program. Instead, approximately half of the total
amount requested was available for the ERIG
program in 2008. Committee members collaborated
on a decision to fully fund one project, partially fund
two others, and not fund one project. Grants were
awarded for the following projects:

Flammulina velutipes, the winter mushroom or velvet foot,
fruits from dead hardwoods. These specimens braved the
snow in the South Hills, ID on May 25, 2008.

1. Macrofungi of the South Hills, Idaho -

Submitted by Dylan Levy-Boyd. This proposal
requested support for a project to produce a
preliminary macrofungi species list for multiple plant
community types in the Rock Creek Canyon area of
the South Hills, Twin Falls County. This would be
accomplished by multiple forays to Rock Creek
Canyon during spring, summer, and fall months. The
objective of this survey project is to improve the
understanding of fungi and community ecology in the

South Hills area. This will improve the understanding
of an under-appreciated part of the area’s
biodiversity, and provide land managers and
ecologists with a more detailed picture of the
resource they are charged with conserving. ERIG
funds were used for travel expenses to and from the
study area, and to purchase glass for a spore library.

2. Rabbit Creek trailhead wildflower
interpretation and conservation project -

Submitted by Kay Beall. This proposal had two parts,
both for the upper end of the Rabbit Creek Trail on
the Boise National Forest. One component included
the construction and installation of interpretive signs
regarding wildflowers and high elevation ecology of
the area. The signs will highlight local native
wildflowers and tree species, alert users in this
popular recreation area to the fragility of the high
elevation flora, and encourage responsible riding/trail
use to help conserve the native vegetation. The
second component of the proposal was the
construction of barriers to define parking, trail and
scenic view areas in order to reduce physical damage
to Sacajawea’s bitterroot ( Lewisia sacajaweana ) and
other native wildflowers in the vicinity of the upper
Rabbit Creek trailhead. ERIG funds were awarded
for the interpretive sign portion of the project.

3. Native plant guide to North Bannock
County/Southeastern Idaho - Submitted by Cathy
Frischmann. This proposal requested support for
compiling and printing a native plant guide
containing approximately 70 species found in
southeastern Idaho. The objective of the guide is to
educate an increasing number of people interested in
native plants growing in their yards, along the
greenway s, and paths and trails in southeastern Idaho.
ERIG funds were awarded largely to help pay a
portion of the plant guide printing costs.

A requirement of the ERIG program is that upon
completion of the project, successful applicants
submit an article to Sage Notes summarizing the
project and its accomplishments. So you can look
forward to reading about each of the three projects
listed above in more detail in future issues of Sage
Notes. (Submitted by Michael Mancuso)

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Let’s Do Something to Make the Mountains Glad
A tribute to John Muir

By Phil Hough, Kinnikinnick chapter

John Muir, American naturalist, was bom in Dunbar
Scotland on April 21 st , 1838. His very name conjures
up images of exploration, adventure and early
conservation advocacy. Muir’s name, and legacy,
live on today - the John Muir Trail, one of America’s
premier hiking trails, runs the length of the high
Sierra. The mgged, ice sculpted John Muir
Wilderness lies just south of Yosemite and Muir’s
image graces the 2005 California State Quarter.

His persuasion and persistence helped to create
Yosemite, Sequoia, Mt Rainer, Petrified Forest and
Grand Canyon National Parks. Muir is often called
the “father of the national park system.” Muir loved,
and revered the Redwoods and giant Sequoias. His
conservation ethic was as rooted in these groves as it
was in the Sierras. Muir wrote: " The thirsty
mountaineer knows well that in every Sequoia grove
he will find running water, but it is a mistake to
suppose that the water is the cause of the grove being
there; on the contrary, the grove is the cause of the
water being there. Drain off the water and the trees
will remain, but cut off the trees, and the streams will
vanish. Never was cause more completely mistaken
for effect than in the case of these related phenomena
of Sequoia woods and perennial streams. "

An influential and prolific author, Muir contributed
frequent articles and opinion pieces to every major
publication of his day. In more than 10 books, 300
articles and numerous letters, Muir recounted his
adventures, explorations, scientific observations and
beliefs on conservation. Muir’s 1901 book, Our
National Parks, so impressed Theodore Roosevelt
that he joined Muir for an extended hiking trip in
Yosemite. Muir helped to inspire Roosevelt’s own
conservation legacy - 150 national forests, 51 bird
refuges, four national game preserves, 18 national
monuments, 24 reclamation projects, and the
National Forest Service.

But Muir wasn’t satisfied with governmental actions
alone. He saw the need for citizens to engage their
voices in conservation, in order to assure that these
lands would continue to be protected. Muir wrote to
a magazine editor: “ Let us do something to make the
mountains glad.” With those words Muir went on to
found and lead the Sierra Club.

Muir’s career was so closely identified with his love
of the Sierras that most people are unaware that he
trained in botany. While attending the University of
Wisconsin, Muir was introduced to the study of
Botany by childhood friend Milton Griswold. And a
botanist he remained throughout his days. In almost
every page of every journal entry, Muir makes notes
or sketches about the plants, trees or flowers he
comes across.

In the summer of 1867 he embarked on a 1,000 mile
walk from his home in Indiana to the coast of
Georgia. Although he took few possessions with
him, Muir brought along a plant press on all his
travels. In his book about this walk Muir frequently
refers to himself as a botanist. On this, and many
later trips, he collected and pressed plants, keeping
them for later study or sending them to herbaria
collections through out the country. Bonnie Gisel
writes that John Muir was: “ Considered one of the
earliest plant ecologists and a purveyor of
biodiversity, his fondness for plants contribute
significantly to his understanding of the need to
preserve wilderness. ”

Muir took many trips to wild places, from Mexico to
the Sierras and Alaska. But he was more than an
adventurer and advocate, Muir was a scholar and
scientist. Muir praised the spirit of wild places; he
also studied them. From his trips to Alaska, as well
as the Sierra, Muir helped to shape emerging theories
about glacial formation and actions. Muir returned to
Alaska, fascinated by glaciers as well as the way
extremes of climate and latitude shaped the plant
world. Muir made the most significant
reconnaissance of his day of plants in the far north.

Muir’s conservation ethic, his need to preserve what
is wild for future generations, may be best summed
up by his views on plant reproduction: “ Nature’s
purpose seen strikingly in seeds and buds, plans of
another year, of thousands of years, wrapped up in
them. ”

Muir’s collection of plants has been studied and
reproduced in both a book and as a print collection.

In 2003 Bonnie Gisel, an internationally recognized
Muir historian, began traveling across the United
States in search of Muir’s plant specimens. Gisel

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ♦> A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

composed a list of plants from Muir’ s writings and
searched through thousands of plant specimens Muir
had found to match his writing to his collecting.
While Gisel undertook research and wrote the
account of Muir’s life as a botanist, Stephen Joseph
scanned and prepared prints of the flora Muir
collected. Gisel and Joseph have recorded the

discovery of John Muir’s North American herbarium.
Their book, Nature ’s Beloved Son, Rediscovering
John Muir’s Botanical Legacy , is due to be released
in the fall of 2008. For more information, check out:

http://www.i ohnmuirsbotany.com/

The Department of Biological Sciences of Boise State University hosted the
first Idaho Botanical Foray in August 2008.

Dr. Jim Smith of the Department of Biological Sciences at Boise
State University led the first Idaho Botanical Foray to Mt.

Harrison on August 7-10, 2008. Mt. Harrison is south of Burley,

Idaho and may be known to non-botanists as the home of
Pomerelle Ski Area. However, those with more of a botanical
background will recognize this as the home to Castilleja christii,

Christ's paintbrush. This species is known only from the summit
of Mt. Harrison and was in full flower at the time of the foray.

Botanical enthusiasts assisted in making over 200 collections
over the weekend. Permits allowed for the collection of 1
specimen per species in the Research Natural Area which was
the first day's destination. Over one hundred plant species were
found on this trip from the summit of Mt. Harrison down to the
pool at the bottom of the cirque.

During the second day participants traveled to nearby Mt. Independence which is directly south of Mt. Harrison in
the Albion Mountains. This collection was made to document the presence of similar and/or different species on
the two peaks. Large numbers of Cymopterus davisii were also found around the lowest of the Independence
Lakes, a species known only from the Albion and Independence Mountains.

We would now like to invite the public to workshops oriented toward identifying the material that was collected
during the foray. Each workshop will start with a brief introduction on terminology and characteristics of the
family/ies to be identified in each workshop. The remaining time will be spent keying the plants. Keys,
microscopes and necessary dissecting materials will be provided. These workshops will be an opportunity to learn
and practice keying as well a chance for those that missed the foray to see what occurs on Mt. Harrison. The
tentative schedule is listed below. We will be meeting in room 248, second floor of the Science & Nursing building
on the BSU campus (between the Morrison Center and the tallest building on campus). Workshops will be from
7:00-9:00 pm.

Workshop Calendar

October 16, 2008: grasses, sedges and rushes (Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae)

November 13, 2008: sunflower family (Asteraceae/Compositae)

December 11, 2008: shrubs and trees (Pinaceae, Rosaceae, Grossulariaceae, Caprifoliaceae)

January 8, 2009: paintbrushes and penstemons (Orobanchaceae/Plantaginaceae)

February 12, 2009: buckwheats (Polygonaceae)

March 12, 2009: miscellaneous fa mili es

Foray participants on Mt. Harrison

September 2008

Fall 2008 SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Tick-borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF)

By Nancy Miller, White Pine chapter

Identifying and photographing wildflowers, hiking, clearing brush, vacationing in rustic
cabins, working with wood and brush piles - all these and other favorite summer activities
in rural, wooded habitats can potentially put one at risk for being bitten by a soft-bodied
tick (usually Ornithodorus hermsii in this area) infected with a bacteria ( Borrelia hermsii )
which causes relapsing (i.e. recurring) fever in humans. Because a member of our family
and our chapter recently ended up in the hospital after being bitten, it seemed reasonable
to make Sage Notes readers more aware of this possibility.

Although the disease is uncommon and may be underreported, it has serious side effects
for humans. The tick/bacteria is known from Idaho and Eastern Washington but has been
reported in most of the western states. There are 1 to 12 cases reported yearly in Washington and approximately 25
in the Western United States. These soft-bodied ticks usually inhabit rodent nests (primarily nests of chipmunks
and squirrels although mouse nests and rabbit warrens have also been implicated). The tick comes out at night to
feed on its host so many cases are from people being bitten while sleeping in rodent infested cabins. Generally the
person bitten by an infected tick does not know he or she has been bitten, as the tick bites and then drops off, unlike
a hard-bodied tick which would usually stay attached. After an incubation period of 3-7 days the infected person
may suffer from high fever, chills, headaches, sweating, and muscle or joint pain for 4 to 7 days, then has a period
of recovery (4 to 14 days), followed by the relapsing fever again. Without medical treatment this can go on for
multiple cycles and can pose serious problems to the kidneys, spinal fluid, etc. and can be fatal in a small number of
cases.

• TBRF is not spread from human to human contact although it could in theory be passed by donated blood or
organs

• TBRF is usually diagnosed by identifying the spirochetes (spiral shaped bacteria) in a blood smear

• TBRF is treated by antibiotic therapy; there is a risk of Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction at the beginning of
antibiotic treatment so this is recommended while in a hospital. The reaction may cause severe chills, increased
temperature and pulse rate, and decreased blood pressure.

• Ticks can go for several years without feeding, but remain infective. They pass the infection to their progeny.
Uninfected ticks can become infected from feeding on infected rodents. The rodent does not die from the
disease.

• There is limited information on immunity to TBRF.

• These bacteria have a unique process of DNA rearrangement so are able to evade the immune system, thus the
recurring symptoms

• Many health professionals are unaware of TBRF and its symptoms
Some preventative measures include:

• Avoid being in rodent infested buildings

• Stack wood and brush piles away from buildings

• Wear insect repellent containing Deet when in rural, wooded habitats

• Rodent-proof buildings and remove rodent nesting materials

The information above is summarized from CDC and Washington State web pages. For more information please
see these and other web sites pertaining to Relapsing Fever.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/RelapsingFever/index.html
http://www.doh.wa. gov/notify/ guidelines/pdf/relapsing.pdf

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Northwest botanist William Hudson Baker (1911-1985): captivated by

isolated floras

By A. R. Kruckeberg and Rhoda M. Love

William Hudson Baker made significant
contributions to the knowledge of floras of Idaho and
Oregon during the mid 20 th century. Baker was born
and raised in Oregon and earned all his college
degrees at OSU (then Oregon State College). Baker
spent over twenty years at the University of Idaho,
teaching botany and adding substantially to the
herbarium. He also deposited approximately 2,000
specimens from Oregon in the Oregon State
University Herbarium.

William Baker was born in Portland on December 14,
1911, and grew up in The Dalles. His parents were
Helen Baker of The Dalles, and William T. Baker, a
railroad contractor. The two married in 1910 and set
up housekeeping in Portland where William was bom
a year later. When the boy was approximately four
years old, Helen Baker returned to the Dalles and
from then on raised him and his younger brother
Robert alone. Money was tight; Helen took in lodgers
and while in high school, Bill worked as a church
janitor.

The details of Baker’s life are limited. From OSU
records we know that he graduated from high school
in The Dalles and subsequently spent two years at
Los Angeles Junior College. He then returned to
Oregon to train himself for public school teaching,
enrolling at Oregon Normal School (now Western
Oregon University) in Monmouth where he spent
four years and probably met his future wife, Molly
Ann Cochran. She was a member of a Lane County
pioneer family who grew up on a farm north of
Eugene. Molly attended the University of Oregon,
and then the Normal School at Monmouth, and may
have been taking classes there in the fall of 1932
when 21 -year-old Bill Baker transferred from Los
Angeles.

During 1933 and 1934, Baker concentrated on his
education. This was a period of deep economic
depression, and he no doubt realized he would soon
need to support himself as well as a wife. He took
classes at Oregon State College, returning to
Monmouth for his practice teaching. He and Molly
were married inl934; he was 23 and she was 21. The
following year Bill completed his degree in

September 2008

William Hudson Baker, University of Idaho, circa 1950.

Education at OSC, and accepted a position with the
public schools in Burns, Harney County. He was
promoted to Principal in 1939.

We know from transcripts and OSU Herbarium
records that during this period William discovered his
life’s calling. In 1937 he attended summer school at
OSC, studying both General Botany and Systematic
Botany, no doubt with Professor Helen Gilkey, whom
we must assume awakened his interest in the study of
plants. Almost at once Baker began to collect
specimens throughout Oregon. The Flora Project
Atlas database shows us that from 1937 to 1942 he
collected in Wasco, Sherman, Wheeler, Gilliam,
Jefferson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Douglas, Curry,
Benton, and Linn Counties. In 1939 he took summer
term botany courses, including Advanced Taxonomy,
at the University of Idaho. In 1940 he collected at
Diamond Lake with 21 -year-old Arthur Cronquist
who was then completing his University of
Minnesota doctorate. In 1942 Baker left his
administrative position and returned to OSC to work
on a Master’s Degree in Education with a minor in
Biology. Once again under the direction of Helen
Gilkey, he wrote his thesis, “Key to the Flora of
Fairview Peak for Use in Teaching.” (Fairview Peak,

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

located in southeastern Lane County, supports a flora
more typical of the Rogue River area to the south.)

He successfully defended his thesis in 1942. In his
Masters thesis, Baker thanked his wife Molly for her
“. . .painstaking assistance in checking and proof-
reading the manuscript and also for assistance in
collecting plants on many field trips.”

Baker was now 31 years old, and, at this point, he
was either drafted or joined the United States Navy as
a Lieutenant and saw service stateside as well as in
the Pacific until 1944. Bill and Molly’s only child,
son James W. Baker, was born the following year.
Back in Oregon after his military service, Baker
returned to OSC and his mentor, Helen Gilkey, to
begin work on a doctorate in Botany. OSC
Herbarium records indicate that he botanized heavily
at Fairview Peak in Lane County and at Iron
Mountain in Coos County. (The flora of Iron
Mountain is said to be allied to that of California.)
During this time he earned advanced science credits
and worked as a graduate teaching assistant.

By 1948 Baker was far enough advanced with his
PhD thesis to apply for a college teaching
appointment. The University of Idaho was looking
for a botanist with his qualifications and that year he
was hired by their Department of Biological
Sciences. He moved his family to Moscow and began
work as an Assistant Professor of botany in the spring
of 1949. In April he successfully defended his PhD
thesis, “A Taxonomic and Ecologic Comparison of
the Floras of Iron and Fairview Mountains in
Oregon.” During his doctorate work, Baker had
discovered a new species of knotweed on Fairview
Mountain, which he subsequently named Polygonum
cascadense. He published the new name in Madrono
in 1949; the article includes drawings by Helen
Gilkey.

During the summers of 1949 and 1950, Baker worked
as a Ranger-Naturalist at Crater Lake National Park,
taking his family with him to live in the Park. Back in
Moscow he wrote to Gilkey, “I have 50 students
enrolled in grasses, which is more than last year, . . .
this with one section of General Forest Botany and
the responsibility for the weekly se min ar programs
round out the teaching load. Then there is the
Herbarium and the ten thousand odd plants I
collected this past season ...” In 1951 he published
“Plants of Fairview Mountain, Calapooya Range,
Oregon,” in American Midland Naturalist. The

September 2008

Bakers continued to spend summers in Oregon at a
house owned by Molly’ s family on the Rogue River
near Illahe. (The dwelling was washed away in the
winter floods of 1964.)

At Idaho in 1958 Baker became a full professor and
founded the Idaho Academy of Science, serving as its
first president. Later he became Chairman of Botany,
and in 1972, head of the Department of Biological
Sciences. Baker’s specialties included floristics, plant
distributions, flowering plants of Northwest America,
weeds, range and wildlife, and food plants of Idaho.
He was coauthor of the 1961 book Wildlife of the
Northern Rocky Mountains. In 1964 he was elected a
Fellow of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science. Baker is said to have built
up the Idaho Herbarium from around 8,000 sheets to
more than 50,000 specimens.

Sadly, in 1972 at the age of 61, Baker began to show
the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. His illness
forced him to retire from Idaho, and at this time he
and Molly moved back to Oregon. In Eugene, to the
best of his ability, Baker continued his botanical
pursuits including offering his talents as a botanical
consultant. As he gradually became more disabled, he
hired an attendant who helped him move about in a
wheel chair.

Molly Baker died in 1978 and is buried at Eugene’s
Gillespie Butte Cemetery amid the graves of her
pioneer ancestors. William Baker succumbed to the
effects of Parkinson’s on November 22, 1985, just
short of his 74 th birthday, and is buried next to his
wife. No obituary or eulogy appeared in a botanical
publication as far as is known. In 1986 the Idaho
Academy of Science established the William Baker
Memorial Award for student presentations at Idaho
Academy of Science meetings.

Arthur R. Kruckeberg has written, “Baker was
captivated by the floras of isolated mountain ranges
in southwestern Oregon. His Masters and PhD theses
both reflect this interest. Baker’s move back to
Oregon upon retirement brought him full circle to his
beginnings. His botanical output over his lifetime
was substantial. His thousands of collected specimens
are to be found in herbaria throughout the Pacific
Northwest.”

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

By Kent Fothergill

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ♦> A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

INPS NEWS

Summary of the 2008 INPS Annual Meeting

The meeting held the weekend of June 20 - 22 at Sam Owen Campground was a huge success. Four of the seven
chapters were represented. There were 46 people at dinner on Saturday night and attended the official annual
meeting. Twenty seven people camped for the weekend.

Everyone attended at least one of the three field trips that were offered. Sylvia Chatbum and Phil Hough led a trip
to the Lightning Creek washout on Saturday morning; Molly O'Reilly and Jim Dubuisson let the afternoon trip to
Lightning Creek; Thomas Woolf (Idaho Dept, of Agriculture Aquatic Plans Program Manager) led two aquatic
plant field trips - one in the morning and the other in the afternoon; Konrad Dahlstrom led a longer hike to Antelope
Lake. All of these hikes had a nice display of wildflowers in bloom. Some of the aquatic plants were also
blooming! Everyone seemed to be very pleased with what they saw.

The evening speakers were very informative. On Friday evening Chris Schnepf (U of I Extension Service) spoke
about white pine restoration, and on Saturday evening Dick Kramer (USFS Sandpoint District Ranger) spoke
about plans for the restoration of roads in the Lightning Creek drainage.

Meeting Minutes

The 2008 Annual Meeting was opened by President Janet Benoit about 7:00 p.m. Saturday June 21 in the pavilion
at the Sam Owens Campground, Hope, Idaho. A quorum was established. Chapters without a representative were
Pohave, White Pine, and Wood River. The minutes of the 2007 Annual Meeting were accepted. The treasurer’s
report was distributed to all. The current balance is $1 1,758.42. A decline in income compared to 2007 was
attributed to rescheduling the Rare Plant Conference as a biennial event. Dues notices are to be sent to the members
who have not paid their dues. The Membership Committee was asked to review when the last increase in dues
occurred.

Island Park, Idaho has been selected as the site for the 2009 State Conference. The 2009 meeting is tentatively
scheduled for June 26-27.

All nominees for the 2009 Offices were approved as accepted. The INPS state officers for 2009 are:

President Janet Benoit, Vice President Janet Bala, Secretary Lois Rohay, and Treasurer Jody Hull.

New Field Guide for Sedges Hits the Press

The Carex Working Group is pleased to announce the publication of the "Field Guide to the Sedges of the Pacific
Northwest." The book is an illustrated guide to all 164 species, subspecies, and varieties of Carex that occur in
Washington and Oregon. Botanists will find it useful throughout much of Idaho particularly in western Idaho and
in the mountains throughout the state. It contains identification keys, descriptions, color photographs, and
distribution maps for each species, along with information about sedge ecology, habitat, and management.

The field guide can be ordered by going to http://oregonstate.edu/dept/press/e-f/FieldGuideSedges.html and then
clicking on "Secure online ordering form."

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

CHAPTER NEWS

Calypso Chapter

PREVIOUS EVENTS

The Calypso Chapter continues to help the Friends of
Rathdrum Mountain (FRM) develop a plant list. The
list contains almost 120 plants found on the
mountain. Bob Wilson and Bob Lee went with a
FRM member to the mountain on May 17 to update
the list. The FRM have been holding fund raisers and
membership drives in order to keep 500+ acres of
city owned property as forest land.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
October 1: Gloria Wurm will give a program on the
Official Provincial Wildflowers of Canada.

Kinnikinnick Chapter

PREVIOUS EVENTS

Kinnikinnick Chapter Receives Grant - For the

second year the Idaho Community Foundation has
awarded the North Idaho Native Plant Arboretum
funding for educational signage. This will complete
an ambitious two year project to label plants and
habitat areas at the arboretum as well as places
landscaped by our chapter throughout the county.
Volunteer labor, donated materials, chapter
fundraising, and the two grants from ICF have made
this possible.

Our chapter has been actively advocating for
landscaping with native plants. We compiled a list of
native plants recommended for landscaping in
Bonner County for inclusion in the county land use
rules and regulations (see our website,
www.nativeplantsocietv.org for this list). We have
put in place a program with Panhandle Special Needs
to grow plants from this list and sell them in spring,
2009. Our landscape committee has been hard at
work landscaping public areas with native plants, and
maintaining these areas to show the beauty and
versatility of using these plants in landscaping. In
March, Pat Munts, WSU Spokane County Extension
Coordinator, presented on landscaping with native
plants, attended by 85 people. In April, KC member
Don Childress presented a PowerPoint program on
his landscaping projects using native plants to an
enthusiastic audience at Sandpoint’s Earth Day

Celebration. Our North Idaho Native Plant
Arboretum hosted the annual Arbor Day Celebration
for our county, giving out native plants to the
community.

Mycologist Tim Gerlitz presented on spring fungi in
North Idaho in April. This was well attended and
brought in folks new to our program. We are still
talking about the May program on potential effects of
global warming on native plants in our region
presented by retired USFS Jerry Rehfeldt. In June,
our chapter honored our founder, mentor, inspiration
and native plant champion, Lois Wythe. Folks from
all over the county turned out to highlight her many
accomplishments over the years.

Kinnikinnick Chapter Earth Day - Our chapter
participated in the first annual Earth Day Celebration
at Sandpoint Community Hall sponsored by Idaho
Conservation League. The all-day event was
enthusiastically received by the community. In fact,
it was delightfully crowded! Our chapter had a table
to share our mission, activities, and native plant list
and gave a presentation on using native plants in
landscaping. This program was put together and
presented by Don Childress, highlighting the
landscaping of his property. Don is a Master
Gardener and active member of our Landscape
Committee, and his knowledge and experience made
for an educational and memorable presentation.

Annual Meeting - The Kinnikinnick Chapter extends
appreciation to all who attended the Annual Meeting.
It was wonderful to catch up with folks and to make
new friends. We were pleased to offer a variety of
field trips and speakers, and received much interest in
the focus on aquatic species and threats.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Saturday, September . 27, at 9:45 AM. Chris
Schnepf, Kootenai County Extension Educator, will
speak on Forests.

Saturday, Oct. 25, at 9:45 AM. Larry Evans will
present the fall Fungi of Scotchmans Peak
Wilderness area, followed by a field trip to the
Scotchmans Peak Wilderness area.

Loasa Chapter

All INPS members and the public are welcome to
attend Loasa’ s events. If interested or for further
details contact Kelvin Jones at (208) 886-7051.

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

Pahove Chapter

PREVIOUS EVENTS

The Pahove Chapter had an exciting spring and we
couldn’t have done it without all of the amazing
volunteers who helped with our many events!

We would like to send out a special thanks to all of
these volunteers , as well as everyone who
participated- it is because of you that these events
are such a success!

Here are some highlights from these events and
others to look forward to:

Pahove Chapter’s 15 th Annual Earth Day Native
Plant Sale - Bright and early on the brisk morning of
April 19 th , about 30 Pahove Chapter volunteers
gathered at the IDFG MK Nature Center to haul
plants and set up the annual Earth Day Native Plant
Sale. Though cold, windy conditions prevailed
throughout the day, we had many eager shoppers and
managed to sell most of the 3,000 plants on hand. Of
particular note are the three ladies (pictured below)
who drove all the way from Council to be first in
line. And, they arrived nearly two hours early!

Kudos to them and many thanks to all who came out
to volunteer or purchase plants. And many thanks to
the great folks at the Nature Center who so
generously allow us to use their site and donate a
tremendous amount of effort to this event. We were
pleased again this year to donate a share of our profit
to them.

A recipe for smiles: pick up some native plants for your
home landscape or garden. Want to make your friends
smile - get them one too !

National Celebrating Wildflowers Month - The

annual spring wildflower walks which are held as
part of National Celebrating Wildflowers month were
also popular as always, with people of all ages
venturing out for an evening in the Boise foothills to
see and learn about the beautiful spring wildflowers
that were in bloom. This event, which is a
collaborative effort between the Idaho Native Plant
Society, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land
Management and others, was made possible by the
volunteer efforts of many local botanists and
enthusiasts.

Boise Flower and Garden Show and Idaho Green
Expo - This was our second year hosting a booth at
the Boise Flower and Garden Show. We also hosted
a booth at the first annual Idaho Green Expo. It was
great to see so many people interested in native plants
and native plant gardening.

Plant Identification Night - Jim Smith, of Boise
State University, hosted a fun and informative plant
identification night for our chapter at the BSU
Herbarium. We learned all about the mustard family
C Brassicaceae ) and received hands on experience
keying out specimens from this tricky family.

Juncus Identification Workshop - The Pahove
Chapter and the College of Idaho are currently
preparing for the Juncus workshop that we are
hosting on August 14 th and 15th. We are extremely
fortunate and excited to have Peter Zika, author of
Juncus for the new Jepson Manual of the California
Flora, instructing this class, which will include two
fun-filled days of lectures, labs, and field visits to
learn about our common and not so common local
rush species.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Idaho Rare Plant Conference - The Pahove Chapter
will be hosting the Idaho Rare Plant Conference this
year in February. This event is organized by
volunteers, therefore your support and time is greatly
appreciated. Please contact Karen Colson
(trilliumkc @ msn.com) if you are interested in
volunteering to help with this important event.
Annual Presentation Series
We are also gearing up for our fall and winter
presentation series. We will hold our season kick-off
pizza party again this year in September (Details
TBA). The Pahove Chapter hosts monthly
presentations from September through April on 3rd
Thursdays at the MK Nature Center Auditorium
(with few exceptions), 601 South Walnut in Boise.

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

For more information, please visit the website,
http://www.idahonativeplants.org/ , or contact Karen
Colson (trilliumkc at msn dot com ).

We hope you are having a fantastic summer and we
look forward to seeing you in September!

Sah-Wah-Be Chapter

From May through September our chapter hosts at
least one Monday evening field trip and one
Saturday/weekend field trip a month for our members
and the general public.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

May 3 - Kick-off field trip & potluck - Our field
trip season began on Cherry Springs trails and up the
Kinney Creek drainage, USFS areas south of
Pocatello. Plant guide Dr. Karl Holte, ISU Emeritus
Professor of Botany, provided a list of 86 area plants.
Prominent that day were leafy bluebells, sagebrush
buttercup, and much more. Afterwards, most of the
40-plus people in attendance headed to the Holtes’
house for a potluck meal and socializing.

May 19 - Field trip - Linda and Wendell Johnson
invited all to see the abundant spring native flora that
covered the hillsides and meadows of their property,
“Hurricane Hill,” located high atop a hill southwest
of Inkom. An Idaho State Journal reporter who
joined us subsequently ran a full-page story about
INPS and our chapter, with pictures of flowers and
people at this event.

May 31 - Pocatello Greenway - The Edson Fichter
portion of the Pocatello Greenway was the site for a
native plant walk co-sponsored by our local chapter,
the Idaho Museum of Natural History, and the
Pocatello Greenway Foundation. Janet Bala, botanist
and past president of our chapter, was the plant guide
for an enthusiastic group of 38 people.

June 2, July 7, & August 4- USFS trail - A series
of three guided plant walks along the West Fork of
Mink Creek trail covered a three-month period in
order to observe seasonal changes in the flora in one
area. A huge abundance of flowering serviceberry
and Oregon-grape dominated the June trip. The July
trip presented masses of flowering choke cherry and
arrowleaf balsamroot. On the August walk we saw
blooming and fruiting elderberry, much purple
fireweed, and tasted delicious serviceberries and
golden currants. The groups were guided by the
expertise of Kristin Fletcher, Ruth Moorhead, Mel

Nicholls, and Karl Holte, plus a list of almost 150
species.

June 7 - Hell's Half Acre - Our planned trip to the
top of Big Southern Butte had to be canceled due to
bad road conditions. Trip leader Wendy Velman, a
BLM botanist, opted instead to lead a walk along
Hell’s Half Acre by 1-15 between Blackfoot and
Idaho Falls. Wendy had group members smell and
compare all parts of a wild onion and foothills death
camas. Although the death camas looks similar to
the wild onion, Wendy emphasized that no part of the
death camas smells like an onion. Definitely an eat-
me-not! Wendy shared her vast knowledge of the
area flora, pollinators, and symbiotic relationships.
June 9 - Pebble Creek Ski Area - The Boundary
Trail in the Pebble Creek ski resort area south of
Inkom always is a floral treat. Over 44 flowering
plants and shrubs were observed and noted by trip
leader J anet B ala. Arrowleaf balsamroot and mule’ s
ears created a blanket of yellow with spots of other
colors in between from scarlet gilia, sticky purple
geraniums, many gorgeous tall chocolate lilies, and
more. One sorrel, unidentified that evening, was later
keyed out in the ISU Herbarium as Mountain Sorrel,
Rumex paucifolius.

INPS Annual Meeting - Our local chapter was
represented by Barbara Nicholls (Sah-Wah-Be
president), Mel Nicholls, Catalina Steckbauer
(chapter treasurer) and Bill Steckbauer, all of whom
enjoyed this lovely area.

June 23 - Aberdeen Plant Materials Center - What
a delight to the senses! Researcher Steve Love
showed the group many varieties of native plants
such as blooming columbines, test trials of yellow
poppies, and 70 - 80 species of penstemons of every
color and hue, including hot rock, Palmer’ s, sulphur,
and prairie. A bonus was a walk through the
Aberdeen Rotary Park Hardy Rose Garden.

Weekend of June 27 - Palisades Reservoir area -
A wonderful weekend was spent exploring the
shaded nature trails at Big Elk Campground in the
Palisades Reservoir area. Leader Ruth Moorhead not
only identified many of the 200 species noted in the
handout for this area but also pointed out the
characteristics that place them in one botanical family
or another. Due to the wet spring, the hills were
carpeted with flowers and along the trail were many
snowberry and thimbleberry bushes, budding sego
lilies, and more. Many camped the entire weekend
and enjoyed Dutch oven potluck, a birthday, and
socializing and singing around the campfire.

September 2008

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

July 12 - Big Springs nature trail- Dr. Karl Holte
led a fun trip in Big Springs Campground and shady
nature trail southeast of Lava Hot Springs. With the
aid of a walkie-talkie in each car caravanning to the
site, Karl pointed out the various plants, shrubs, and
trees along the roads to our destination. A total of 72
species were noted along the trail route. Special
finds were four species of orchid: rein, bog, and
spotted and striped coralroots. The blue-leaf
strawberries were small but ripe and tasty, fragrant
Jacob’s ladder pleased our noses, and the fringed
Grass-of-Parnassus was an amazing sight through our
hand lenses. The trip was topped off with a culinary
treat: lunch at Lava’s famed Thai restaurant.

July 21 - Inman Canyon - Plant guide Ruth
Moorhead lead our group along a shaded trail above
Inman Creek. Seen were the abundant white blooms
of Richardson’s geranium, the poisonous bright red
berries of the baneberry, and much more.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday Evening, September 8 - USFS trail - This
will be a guided plant walk along Gibson Jack Trail
bordering Pocatello’s south city limits. Phone 208-
233-0714 for details.

Saturday, September 13 - Goodenough Canyon
near McCammon- The final field trip of the season
will again be enjoyed in this beautiful canyon with a
flowing stream and many deciduous trees showing
great fall colors. A potluck chili feed will follow the
guided plant walk. Phone 208-233-0714.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The first Monday of each month, October through
March, our chapter will present a speaker or
interactive event at 7:00 pm in the Lecture Room of
the Idaho Museum of Natural History on Idaho State
University Campus for members and the general
public. Phone 208-233-0714.

2009 STATE MEETING. JUNE 26-27

We encourage you to mark your calendar and plan to
attend the June 2009 INPS Annual State Meeting in
the Island Park Area, 30 miles south of West
Yellowstone and the west entrance to Yellowstone
National Park. Sah-Wah-Be Chapter has reserved all
of a group site in Loop E in the Buffalo Campground
(5 minutes from Pond's Lodge in Island Park), for
Friday and Saturday, June 26 and 27. Reservations
can also be made there individually by anyone who
wants to stay longer before and/or after as well. Some
of the field trip locations we are considering for this

September 2008

state meeting are Harriman State Park; Upper/Lower
Mesa Falls; the Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch;
Sawtell Peak; and Big Springs river float to Mack's
Inn. Why not make this into a longer trip to enjoy the
area? A visit to Yellowstone Park is always
awesome. Float a river, fish in the famous Henry's
Fork, or visit the town of West Yellowstone. All
locations mentioned are very close to our
campground site, about a 30-minute drive or less.

White Pine Chapter

PREVIOUS EVENTS

A late June hike
into the Elk
Creek Falls
Recreation Area
was led by Pam
Brunsfeld,
manager of the
University of
Idaho Stillinger
Herbarium. This
lovely forested
area, located on
the edge of the
rolling hills of
the Palouse
prairie and about
three miles south
of the small
town of Elk

River, is a favorite destination for local hikers. A
three- mile trail network leads hikers to overlooks for
viewing a series of three separate falls, which drop a
total of 300 feet into a deeply dissected basalt gorge,
creating the highest falls in northern Idaho. The
basalt columns that edge the spectacular lower falls
are especially impressive and were flanked by
Clarkia pulchella. This past winter’s heavy
snowpack was evident by the deep pools beneath the
cascades.

A primary focus of this trip was to locate several
species of achlorophyllous orchids; there is an
abundance of mycorrhizal fungi in this coniferous
forest, supporting such orchid growth. Three
members of the genus Corallorhiza grow here: (C.
maculata, “spotted coral root”; C. mertensiana,
“Merten’s coral root”; and C. trifida, “early coral
root”). The “roots” of these plants are actually hard

Fall 2008 ❖ SAGE NOTES ❖ A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society Vol. 30 (3)

masses of rhizomes associated with a fungus that
assists in absorbing nutrients from the humus-rich
soil; technically, such a relationship can be termed
parasitic rather than saprophytic. Stems of C.
maculata tend to grow in masses of colonies, a
striking sight under the shade of Douglas fir
( Pseudotsuga menziesii ). While the individual
purplish flowers are rather inconspicuous at less than
3 A of an inch, the loose racemes cast a pink glow in
such a setting.

An exciting find was the
phantom orchid,

Cephalanthera austiniae
(formerly Eburophyton
austinae ), which was
breath-taking in the
white simplicity of its
stems and racemes
although it was not fully
opened yet.

A host of other flowering
plants were also
blooming at this time,
and Pam shared her extensive knowledge with a most
appreciative group.

It must also be noted that a trip to Elk Creek Falls
would not be complete without a stop in the town of
Elk River to cool off with a treat of huckleberry ice
cream or a shake at the local general store.

On April 24, we assisted in sponsoring the Rare
Plant Symposium, a joint program with the
University of Idaho Department of Rangeland
Ecology and the Stillinger Herbarium, at the UI.
Several speakers representing various agencies from
around the Northwest, including U.S. Fish and
Wildlife, addressed issues including livestock
management, conservation strategies and monitoring
approaches and data analysis for rare plants, with a
particular emphasis to Silene spaldingii.

On April 26, we had a very successful chapter field
trip to the Grande Ronde River, led by Nancy Miller
and Dr. Bill Rember, for a day discovering the
wildflowers and geology of the Grande Ronde. We
stopped briefly at Field Springs State Park where
there was still considerable snow (and no flowers)
and at one of the pull-offs along Rattlesnake Grade to
see the profusion of early spring flowers. We were
especially glad to have Pam Brunsfeld along to help

September 2008

with plant identification. At the bottom of the grade
we checked out the riparian vegetation along the
stream as well as the geologic features of the canyon.
We then proceeded towards Troy, OR along the
Grande Ronde River. Because of the lower elevation,

a different selection of flowers was blooming. We
then traveled from Troy to Flora, Oregon where again
there was too much snow still for viewing flowers;
then we proceeded to the Mima Mounds located on
the road to Enterprise (Hwy 3) where Bill explained
the theories relating to the formation of the Mima
Mounds and where we saw some emerging Brown’s
Peonies ( Paeonia brownii).

On June 24, a grass identification workshop was led
by Peggy Chevalier.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, September 20, noon: Annual Potluck at
Great White Pine Campground (about 45 min. from
Moscow; drive north from Moscow on HW 95; turn
right onto HW 6 at the Potlatch junction; continue
east past Potlatch, Harvard, and Princeton, past Laird
Park and on to the White Pine Campground parking
lot on the right). Meet at Rosauer's for carpooling
at 11 a.m. Bring: A dish to share, your own place
setting and beverage. There will be a brief chapter
meeting, followed by an opportunity to hike the trails.

Questions regarding White Pine happenings can be
directed to Janet Campbell, inacampbell at
roadrunner dot com , (208) 882-6409.

Wood River Chapter

Future Activities TBD: Contact chapter president
Tess O’Sullivan for updates

1 Idaho
k Native
Plant

Society

Idaho Native Plant Society
P.O.Box 9451
Boise, ID 83707

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Boise, ID
Permit No. 688

Sage Notes is published four times a year in February, May, September, and
December by the Idaho Native Plant Society, incorporated since 1977,
under the laws of the State of Idaho. Editor, Dylan Levy-Boyd. Newsletter
ads: personal ads $2; commercial ads $5 for 1/8 page, $8 for 1/4 page, $15
for 1/2 page, and $25 for full page. Ads should be sent with payment.
Submissions: members and others are invited to submit material for
publication. Articles in any form, even hand-written, are welcome, as is art
work. Please provide a phone number in case there are questions. Material
will not be returned. Send submissions directly to the editor, Dylan Levy-
Boyd, 506 Center St. West, Kimberly, ID 83341, or <dylan at csr-inc dot
com>. Submission deadlines are January 8, April 1, August 1, and
November 1.

Officers: President, Janet Benoit; Vice President, Janet Bala; Secretary,
Lois Rohay; Treasurer, Jody Hull. Calypso Chapter, P.O. Box 331,
Careywood, ID 83809. President, Bob Lee; Vice President, Roland Craft;
Secretary, VACANT; Treasurer, Janet Benoit; Newsletter, Phil Hruskocy.
Rinnikinnick Chapter, 206 N. 4 th Ave., PMB 162, Sandpoint, ID 83864.
President, Carol Jenkins; Vice President, Jim Stem; Secretary, Konrad
Dahlstrom; Treasurer, Ken Haag; Conservation, Carol Jenkins; Programs,
Don Childress; Newsletter, Adrienne Lilly; Lield Trips, Molly O’ Reilly;
Education, Nancy Lontaine. Loasa Chapter, 340 E 520 N, Shoshone, ID
83352. President, Kelvin Jones; Vice President, LaMar Orton; Secretary,
Lois Rohay; Treasurer, Steve Paulsen. Pahove Chapter, PO Box 9451,
Boise, ID 83707. President, Karen Colson; Vice President, Linda Mazzu;
Secretary, VACANT; Treasurer, Jody Hull; Conservation, Chris Colson;
Member- at-large, Susan Ziebarth. Sah-Wah-Be Chapter, 146 South 17 th
Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83201. President, Barbara Nicholls; Vice Presidents,
Penny Fazio and Pauline Havens; Secretary, Shirley Rodgers; Treasurer,
Catalina Steckbauer; News, Linda Johnson and Ardys Holte; Members-at-
Large, Mel Nicholls, Karl Holte, Dick Anderson; Past-President, Janet Bala.
White Pine Chapter, PO Box 8481, Moscow, ID 83843. President, Janet
Campbell & Nancy Miller; Vice President, David Pierce; Secretary, OPEN;
Treasurer, Nancy Sprague; Conservation, Juanita Lichthardt. Wood River
Chapter, PO Box 3093, Hailey, ID 83333. President, Tess O’Sullivan;
Vice President, Carol Blackburn; Secretary, VACANT; Treasurer,
VACANT.

The Idaho Native Plant Society (INPS) is dedicated to promoting interest in
native plants and plant communities and to collecting and sharing
information on all phases of the botany of native plants in Idaho, including
educating the public to the values of the native flora and its habitats. In
keeping with our mission, it is the intent of the INPS to educate its
membership and the public about current conservation issues that affect
Idaho’s native flora and habitats. Membership is open to anyone interested
in our native flora. Send dues to Jody Hull, INPS Treasurer, Box 9451,
Boise, ID 83707. Website address: IdahoNativePlants.org.

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