Sage notes: Idaho Native Plant Society newsletter.

ID.4H0 N^TIl'E PL.4NT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

VOL. IX NO. 5

JUNE- JULY 1986

JUNE (fro* Alan Chadwick's Enchantsd Cardan)

The festival we have developed here at the garden for solstice
consists of two parts. One, a quiet, simple ceremony for the
members of the garden community, takes place in the late morning,
lasting until about noon. Then there is a period for personal
reflection and observation, when the gardeners can walk in the
garden and think about all that has come to fruition and flower
there. Then, in late afternoon, people from the surrounding area
are invited to visit, to enjoy entertainments such as music,
pantomimed fairy tales, and juggling. After that there is a
great meal, with dishes prepared by all the gardeners, and an
evening of folk songs, dancing, and socializing. A wonderful
feeling grows all day long.

PAHOVE ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

Who is invited on these Pahove field trips? How much do you need
to know about plants? Everyone is welcome - you, your friends,
your children. We have all ranges of experience in our member-
ship, so all you need is interest. If you've never been on one
of our field trips, now is the time when the flowers (and bugs
and birds) are out, so we hope you'll join us. And invite a
friend !

June 14 Saturday field trip to Craters of the Moon National
Monument. Leave from Grants Truck Stop, Hwy 84
(Broadway exit) in Boise, at 8:30. If you wish to
join us there, meet at the Monument Visitor Center at
noon. Or plan to camp with us Friday night at the
Monument group campground, and go on a hike Saturday
morning. RSVP to trip leader Steve Caicco at 334-3402
(work) or 344-3148 (home) . Bring lots of water and
sunscreen, as it will probably be hot.

June 28: Saturday field trip to Ponderosa State Park by McCall.

A variety of vegetation types including wetlands,
mature forests, and open sagebrush slopes makes this an
exciting location. We've reserved the Pavilion at the
Park for a picnic after the field trip: bring a dish
to pass. Meet at the Perkins Restaurant on State
Street and Glenwood at 8:30. RSVP Michelle Stevens at
334-9488 (work) or 344-3148 (home).

July 12: Idaho Botanical Garden work day. Meet at the Japanese
Garden at 9:00 a. a. with your garden tools.

July 26: Saturday field trip to Mt. Harrison in the Albion Range
south of Burley, in search of Castllleia christi i .
Cymopterus davisi i and Machaer anther a laetevirens .

See Bob Moseley's article in this issue for sore
information on the area. Meet at the Grants Truck Stop
on Hwy 84 in Boise at 8:00. R5VP Steve Caicco at
334-3402 (work) or 344-3148 (home) . Some of us will be
camping in the area, and you're welcome to join us.

FROM THE EDITOR

You will probably see some changes this issue, as there is a
new editor. The first thing you will probably note is format
changes; Joe Duft is a word processor wizard, and it will take
a while to live up to his excellent standards. Hopefully we will
continue to hear from him in articles in the newsletter; rumour
has it he's going to use this next year for travel, global
botanizing, and adventure.

It seems appropriate to use this first issue to thank Joe
for his efforts on the newsletter and in organizing the Idaho
Native Plant Society. Many people have been reminded of things
they've forgotten by a phone call from Joe. Thanks from all of
us, Joe. We wish you a very good year.

Editorial changes often reflect the interests of the
editor. I am by training a wetland ecologist, so there will be
a column on wetlands. It also seems relevant to consider a broad
perspective when looking at plants. What is the community like
where they live? What environmental influences affect the plant
community or plant population? I would also like to include
articles from the readers on revegetation and restoration,
gardening, your favorite plant (for whatever reason), or anything
else you're interested in.

This is your newsletter. I would very much like to know
what you're interested in. Write or call and tell me any ideas
for articles or fieldtrips. Also, we need your help to increase
our membership. Bring a friend on a field trip. It would be
nice to send out complimentary copies of our newsletter to
prospective members; we just need to know names and addresses.

Contact Michelle at 334-9488 (work) or 344-3148 (home) .

2

CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT by Steve Caicco

“An area of about 60 miles in diameter, where nothing
meets the eye but a desolate and awful waste, where
no grass grows, nor water runs, and where nothing is
to be seen but lava.” from The Adventures of Captain
Bonneville, by Washington Irving (1868).

Cratera of the Moon National Monument lies adjacent to the
foothills of the Pioneer Mountains along the northern edge of the
Snake River Plain. The cinder cones and lava flows within the
Monument lie at the northern terminus of a series of fractures
known to geologists as The Great Rift. This volcanic feature
includes two major lava fields known as the Craters of the Moon
Flow and the Wapi Flow. The southern terminus of the rift lies
over 50 miles south near Minidoka. Included are more than 1000
square miles of lava.

Contrary to Irving's bleak landscape, the lava flows within the
monument abound with plant and animal life. In fact, much of the
the National Monument and the Craters of the Moon Wilderness,
which surrounds it, is quite densely covered with plant life.

This vegetation can be divided into two broad types: a shrub
community in which bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) and mountain
big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vasevana ) predominate
over a mixture of bunchgrasses and herbaceous plants, and a
limber pine (Pinus f lexilis) woodland. This is a unique ecologi-
cal role for limber pine which is commonly found on the drier
slopes of the adjacent foothills.

More barren areas do occur, however, but even these are not
devoid of plant life. Cinder fields have a unique, though sparse
assemblage of bristly cryptantha (Cryptantha interrupta ) , dwarf
and Suksdorf's monkeyf lowers (Mimulus nanus and M. suksdorf i i ) .
and dwarf buckwheat (Eriogonum oval if ol ium var. depressum ) . The
presence of the latter plant is unusual, since it is generally
found at much higher elevations. Even the lava flows, which
appear to harbor no life at all, on closer inspection can be seen
to be covered with a variety of brightly colored lichens.

Also included within the National Monument, but unknown to many,
is a lush riparian vegetation with black cottonwood (Populus
trichocarpa . quaking aspen (P. tremuloides ) , chokecherry (Prunus
virqiniana . mountain alder ( Alnus incana) , and water birch
(Betula glandulosa) .

We have reserved the group campground for Friday evening and
Saturday. The entrance is on the north side of the highway about
1/4 mile past the turn-off to the visitor's center. As an
educational group, we will probably qualify for a waiver of the
campground and park entrance fees. Remember to bring boots, sun
screen, water bottles, and light-colored clothing.

3

i

IDAHO NATURAL AREAS by Bob Moaeley

Mount Harrison - Sawtooth National Forest

The Albion Mountains, located in Cassia County, is a narrow
massif rising nearly 6000 feet out of the Snake River Plain south
of Burley, The highest peak in the northern end of the range is
Mount Harrison, which at 9265 feet, commands a spectacular view
of southern Idaho and northern Utah, The road from Albion leads
to the lookout tower on the very summit of the mountain. Above
8800 feet in elevation, the road emerge® from the forest and
traverses gently-sloping, subalpin© meadows containing a rich
assortment of grasses and f orbs . These meadow© are habitat for
two of Idaho's rarest plants, Christ's indian paintbrush (Cast i 1 -
leia Christ i i > and Davis' wavewing (Cymoptarus davisi i ) .

Christ's indian paintbrush is endemic to these meadows on Mount
Harrison. Extensive searches over the last 20 years in neigh-
boring ranges and peak® of the same range have produced no other
population®. John H. Christ was the first to recognize it as an
undescribed species while on a collecting trip to the mountain
with James Reveal on July 16, 1966. Noel Holmgren named the new
species in honor of John Christ, who, in addition to being its
first collector, has probably collected more plants in Idaho than
any other botanist.

Davis' wavewing is only slightly more widespread than Christ's
indian paintbrush. In addition to Mount Harrison, it is known
only from the summit of Cache Peak, 10 mile® to the south and the
highest peak in the Albion Mountains. After 50 years of confu-
sion among plant taxonomists, Ron Hartman, of the Untv . of
Wyoming, determined this Cvmopterus new to science and published
the new name in 1985. He named it in honor of its first collec-
tor Dr. Ray J, Davis, for the significant contribution he has
mad© to knowledge of the flora of Idaho.

Although the meadows on top of Mount Harrison have been grazed by
cattle and sheep during th© last century, a small basin on the
southeast ©id© of th© mountain remained relatively undisturbed.
Th© Idaho Natural Areas Coordinating Committee has recommended
that this area b® designated a Research Natural Area CRNA) by the
Sawtooth National Forest. The basin is a steep-walled cirque
with a vernal pool at th© bottom. Most of the area Is cliff,
boulder, and sere© slopes, although stands of sagebrush-grass,
subalpin© fir and limber pine, and a krummholz forest on the
cirque rim add to th© habitat diversity. Also, there Is evidence
that another Idaho rarity, vivid green aster ( Machaeranthera
iaetevirens) , may occur in the RNA . This plant, historically
known from only a few sites in Idaho and Nevada, has not been
seen by Idaho botanist® for many years. Th© flowering period
coincides with our field trip and a thorough search of the RNA
may produce a rediscovery of this aster.

4

MORE BOTANICAL PUBLICATIONS by Nancy Shaw

McArthur, E. Durant; Welsh, B.L., compilers. Proceedings: sym-
posium on the biology of Artemisia and Chrvsothamnus : 1984 July
9-13; Provo, UT; General Technical Report INT-200. U.S.D.A.,

Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Federal Building
324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401

Third in a series of proceedings of symposia on wildland shrubs,
this publication brings together current knowledge of plants
belonging to two important genera. Topics addressed by the 54
papers include distribution, systematics, genetics, revegetation
and control, animal relationships, ecological relationships,
entomology, pathology, and physiology.

» * *

McPherson, E.G.: Graves, G.H. Ornamental and shade trees for
Utah; A tree guide for Intermountain communities. Utah State
University, Cooperative Extension Service; 1984. 144 pp. (Cooper
ative Extension Service, Extension Bulletin Room, UMC-50B, Utah
State Univ., Logan, Utah 84322. $15.00 mail order, $10.00 at
the window) .

Detailed information is provided for 15 native and 85 exotic
trees growing in the Intermountain area; they are classified by
size, form, and appropriate uses in home and community landscap-
ing. Descriptions provide information on tolerance to Intermoun
tain climatic or microclimatic conditions, plant availability in
the area, and characteristics including aesthetics, utility and
problems with the species. Maps of Utah campuses pinpoint
specimen plants of each species.

FIRST SPRING FIELD TRIP by Cindy Hohenleitner

We began the field trip season on one of the first warm,
sunny days of spring at Steck Park near downstream on the Snake
River from Weiser. Only the earliest of the spring flowers were
in evidence: Brassica campestris. with its many bright yellow
flowers, sparkling blue Chor ispora tenel la . and Balsamorhiza
sagittate splashing yellow across the sagebrush steppe foothills
Phlox species, Draba verna , Microster is gracilis, and Astragalus
purshi i were also in bloom. These wildland flowers often get
dismissed as weeds; the word reflects an opinion. A burst of
spring color, regardless of its reputation, is always welcome
after a long winter.

5

MAKING GARDENING MORE FUN by Robert Rodale (excerpted from

Organic Gardening. June 1986)

There are sources of garden satisfaction that exist beneath
the surface, deep in the spirit of both the gardeners and the
garden. You can see evidence of those hidden garden values if
you watch long enough, and are a keen observer. But the happiest
gardeners feel the deep, inner pleasures every day. They sense
through the enhancement of their spirit a kind of pleasure that
is far more stimulating and renewing than the good feeling that
comes from satisfying work. In their gardens, they learn to
touch the life rhythm of the earth itself, and that renews them.

I feel that regeneration la the word (and the idea) moat
able to lead ua to a more clear understanding of the inner
pleasure of gardening. A garden is a place for continual
renewal, regrowth, and rebirth. If you look at a garden once,
you will not see that. But watch it over the seasons - or for
just one season - and the process of regeneration becomes clear.

Just think of the word flower, for example. It mean both a
bloom, and the act of blooming. Flower ia both a noun and a
verb. We watch gardens not only to see f lowers, but to see buds
become flowers. And in a way, we flower inside as we watch those
buds open.

We react in a aimilar way to the growth of trees and the
sprouting of seeds. Our purpose as gardeners is not only to get
plants to flourish, but to watch them achieve their potential.

We flourish as our plant grow. That realization is the first
step into regeneration gardening.

FIELD TRIP TO OOLITIC LIMESTONE SITE by Cindy Hohenleitner and

Roger Rosentreter

The May 3 Pahove field trip went to Mudflat Oolitic Limestone
site. The main distinguishing features of the Mudflat site are
its unusually high diversity and the presence of numerous
uncommon plant species including (Murphy milkvetch. Astragalus
camptopus : Federal Category 2; Mulford's milkvetch. Astragalus
mulf ordae. Federal Category 2; Elmore milkvetch. Astragalus
purshi i var. ophiogenes. Federal Category 3c; Bristly langloisia,
Langloisia puncata ; False sunflower, Encel iopsis nudicaul is; and
Matted cowpie buckwheat, Eriogonum shocklevi var. shockley .

Most of the Mudflat site is located within the Chalk Hills
Formation, a lake bottom deposit of interbedded sands, silts, and
volcanic ashes. The Chalk Hills Formation is overlain by beds of
coarse sand and oolitic limestone which mark the base of the
Glenns Ferry Formation. Oolitic limestones, which are comprised

Oolitic Limestone Site <cont#d)

of ‘"B-B” size spheres of calcium carbonate, form where gently
oscillating wave© wash the shore. The sands are ancient beaches.
The Shoofly oolite, as it i® known, crops out along a 30-mil©
bolt from southwest of Murphy to south of Grandview. Silts and
ashes deposited in deeper water overlie the oolitic limestone
locally, indicating that, about 4 million years ago, the lake was
expanding in size*

The variety of substrates provided by the ash, silt, sand, and
limestone beds produce physical and chemical differences that
result in a unique assemblage of plant species. In addition to
those listed above, the following specie© were seen on the

field trips

Abronia ael lifers
Allium nevadense
Amsinckia teasel lata
Arabia holboellii
Arenaria franklinii
Artemisia tridentata
Atriplex spir.oaa
A. canescens
A. confartifolia
Brickellia microphylla
Bromus tectorum
Castilleja angustif olia
Caulanthus pilosus
Chaenactis douglasii
Choriapora tenella
Ohrysothamnus spp .
Cleome lutea
Coldenio nuttallii
Gryptantha spp .
Descurainia sophia
Delphinium sp.

Elymue cinereus
Gilia leptomeria
Glyptopleura marginata

Gutierrezia aarothrae
Halogeton glomeratus
Lepidium perf oiiatum
LeucocrinuR montanum
Lomatium disaectum
Lupinus leucophyllu©
Mentzeli® albicaulis
Mi mu l us nanus
Hama denau*

Oenothera elaviformis
0. caeapitoaa
Orobancho fasciculate
Oryzopsi a hymenoides
Penstemon acumlnatus
Phlox hoodii
Purshia tridentata
Rhus trilobata
Sarcobatus vermiculatus
Sitanion hysfcix
Sphaeralcea coccinea
Stanleys pinnata
Tetradymia glabrata
Townsendia florifer
. . . plus a rattlesnake.

NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS

Members at the May meeting, held at Joe Duf t ' a house, elected
officers for next year. Their terms will begin in September
1986. Result® of the election® were:

President ........ Roger Roaentreter

Vic© President. ..... Carol Prentice

Administrative Assistant. Cindy Hohenleitner
Treasurer Wilma Gluch

‘U

7

EARTH FIRST'S ROUND RIVER RENDEZVOUS

Earth First'® Round River Rendevoua CRRR) will b* in Idaho this
year. Earth First is a progressive, innovative and action-orien-
ted organization that is perceived as being very radical.
Long-term solutions to global environmental problems, reduced
consumerism and increased recyclability and renewahility of
resources are central to their philosophy.

The RRR will be held June 30 - July 6 on the North fork of the
Big Lost River just over the hill from Sun Valley. For more
information writ© E.F., Box 5871, Tucson, AZ, 85703. The cost of
attending the rendezvous is @21.00. Environmental problem©
and solution® will b© discussed, including values of a healthy
flora and how to ensure its survival.

EF also distribute® environmentally-oriented literature. A
recently issued book i© Gathering the Desert, by Gary Paul
Nahblan, Alternatives for growing foods in the desert which are
naturally adapted to a hot, dry climate, ar© discussed with the
objective of reducing agricultural dependence on high energy and
water intensive crops.

LIVING WATERS - ELK CREEK FALLS by Michelle Stevens

In the early spring, a group of friends and I hiked through
the snow to Elk Creek Falls in the Palouse east of Moscow. The
falls cascaded over tiers of basalt. Early spring wildf lowers
were blooming yellow and purple on the slopes above the falls.

The beauty of the clear water tumbling down the steep canyon made
it obvious why this is northern Idaho's most visited waterfalls,
with over 4500 people visiting the site last year. In the
summer, the pool© formed by the fall ar® decorated with swimmers,
the fin© ©pray from the falls forming shimmering rainbows over
their head®.

An application has been submitted by the Hy - Tech Company to
develop the fall® for hydroelectric power. Elk Creek Falls has
been designated a recreational area by the Clearwater National
Forest; the proposed six foot diversion weir, the 20-foot intake
structure, th© 5,000-foot metal penstock, and the generating
plant and impounded lake ar© all incompatible with recreation.

Besides aesthetics, there are several other problems
with th© falls. Over 3,000 signatures and 40 letter® to the
Forest Service indicate that many people lov© th© falls a©
is. Th© adjacent community of Elk River voted against th©
project, despite a royalty offered on th® electricity generated.
Development of the sit© would result in an economic loss to
th© local community, which is attempting to develop a tourist-
based economy from a failing timber-based economy.

8

Elk Creek Falla (cont'd)

Hamulus cl i vicola . bank monkeyf lower , growing in the area
around the falls, has been recommended as a Category 2 candidate
species to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bank monkeyflower
is purple, with conspicuous yellow markings in the throat.
Considered very rare in Washington and Oregon, there is only one
recent siting in the state of Idaho, and that is at Elk Creek
Falls. There are only 5 additional historical locations in Idaho,
all of which are from the Clearwater Drainage. Before disrupting
the only known population in the state, further inventory should
be done to assess the distribution and status of this species.

The biggest impact of hydroelectric construction is often
access road construction. The access road proposed is on a SO
percent slope on shallow basalt soils with high erosion poten-
tial. Revegetation and slope stabilization would be nearly
impossible, with resultant runoff, erosion, and mass-wasting
fouling the waters of Elk Creek.

Three hydroelectric projects have been proposed on Elk
Creek, with cumulative impacts on the watershed. The big
question: is there a need for the electricity? Dworshak Reser-
voir, withing 50 miles of Elk Creek Falls, contains a large
hydroelectric generating plant which is producing at much less
than its potential. Since flow in Elk Creek is not sufficient to
generate electricity and maintain a minimum flow during summer
months (the peak demand period), establishment of a need for the
power generated should be mandatory before such a controversial
project is approved.

Idaho has over 300 applications for small hydro-electricity
projects, more than any other state in the country. Yet the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has only denied one permit.
The Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 made it manda-
tory for the public utility in the area to buy electricity from
these small generators, despite the fact that there is an energy
surplus in the Pacific Northwest. We ultimately pay for the
environmental damage; we pay more for our energy, and we pay more
taxes as the developers get tax write-offs. They call it liquid
gold, and every river, stream and waterfall in the state is
vulnerable. Elk Creek Falls is just one example of a much bigger
problem .

m m m

“The one process that will take millions of years to correct is
the loss of species diversity by the destruction of natural
habitats. This is the folly our descendents are least likely to
forgive us.” E.Q. Wilson, Harvard University

9

ABOUT

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OUR IDAHO NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

Off leers

President-Roger Rosentreter
Vic© President-Steve Caicco
Secretary- Agnes Miller. . .
Treasurer-Wilma Gluch . . .
Board Chr-Lynda Smithman. .

334-1927

334-3402

343-6234

343- 3026

344- 2650

Technical Committee
Dotty Douglas, Pat Packard, Bob
Parenti, Bob Steele, and Nancy Shaw

Lay Representatives
Freda Younger and Jerry Wood

Newsletter Editor
Associate Editor
Technical Editor

Michelle Stevens
Steve Caicco
Bob Steele

Sage Notes is published bimonthly by
the Idaho Native Plant Society,
incorporated since 1977 under the
laws of the State of Idaho.

Membership in the Society is open
to all interested in our native flora.
Dues are $6.00 per year on an anniver-
sary month basis. Send dues and all
correspondence to I.N.P.S., Box 9451,
Boise, ID 83707

Red dots beside due dates indicate
that your dues have expired. You
will receive only two issues after
expiration .

DUE DATE FOR COPY MATERIALS FOR NEXT (AUGUST) NEWSLETTER IS JULY 20.

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