Phlox Phlyer
Volume 21, Number 2 November 2015
the
Columbia Basin Chapter, Washington Native Plant Society
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P.O. Box 221, Richland, WA 99352
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www.cbwnps.org
Access to Rattlesnake Mountain The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages the portion of the Hanford Monument containing Rattlesnake Mountain. The 2015 Defense Appropriations Act includes a provision stating in part “The Secretary of the Interior shall provide public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain in the Hanford Reach National Monument for educational, recreational, historical, scientific, cultural, and other purposes, including--(1) motor vehicle access; and (2) pedestrian and other nonmotorized access.” The USFWS is asking the public for opinions and recommendation on how to implement this provision. The USFWS mission is to “Work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” Rattlesnake Mountain and its surrounding slopes are amazing for their beauty and part of that beauty is provided by the wide diversity of plants across such a large area. Native plants are the “backbone” of natural habitats, providing food and shelter for everything from micro-organisms and insects to large mammals. But that “backbone” is fragile, susceptible to fires, invasive weeds, and being loved to death. The board of the Columbia Basin Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society feels very strongly that however the USFWS decides to allow access, one of their highest priorities needs to be protection of native plants and habitats. Whatever your opinion, we hope you’ll provide your comments by NOVEMBER 13 to USFWS. You can find additional information on providing your comments at http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/2015/2015-24193.html.
The Heritage Garden Program – Fall Lecture Series (Free) Saturday, November 14, 2015 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Richland Library (955 Northgate Drive; Richland WA). Registration deadline November 5, to print out a form go to: http://bit.ly/1jqAS3z , to register online go to http://bit.ly/1P29hSd or contact Erin Hightower at 509-736-6000. The series will feature talks by: Gail Redberg ~ Umatilla Tribal Native Plant, Bruce Bjornstad ~ Geologist, and Pamela Pavek ~ United States Department of Agriculture Plant Materials Center
Photographing WSU Herbarium Specimens – Mickie Chamness and Gretchen Graber
Many thanks to everyone that helped photograph herbarium specimens at WSU this month! We photographed all of the WSU collection and part of the PNNL collection. The equipment has to be returned, but we’ll borrow it again in a few months and finish the job. Let Mickie know if you would like to participate.
2016 WNPS Native Plant Calendar. Enjoy the beauty of Washington’s wildflowers
throughout 2016 with our WNPS calendar. The 2016 Calendar offers 13 months of terrific photos and a whole year of floral splendor. Buy one for yourself and some for those on your gift list. Calendars may be purchased at chapter meetings this fall and winter, or you may buy online with a credit card, or send in the order form at the end of the newsletter. 1
To buy online go to www.wnps.org . Each calendar is just $10.00, plus $2.00 for shipping (one flat rate of $2.00 shipping even for multiple calendar orders). Support the conservation work of the Society and its efforts to educate others about the value of native plants.
Chapter Photo contest
You’ve still got a little time to look through your photos and submit your favorite of plants growing in lithosols (rocky soils). The deadline for submitting photos to Mickie Chamness for this year’s contest is November 8. Winners will be announced and receive their award and calendar at the December 2 meeting/potluck.
WNPS Call for Education Grant Proposals – Due November 15, 2015 Grants for WNPS members, funded by WNPS member dues, are available for education projects that further the goals of the Society. For additional information, please see: http://www.wnps.org/education/education_grant.html
MEETINGS
The Phlox Phlyer is the newsletter of the Columbia Basin Chapter, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla, Washington Native Plant Society. Chapter Officers Co-Presidents — Mickie Chamness, mickiec@charter.net & Janelle Downs, sagejld@aol.com Vice-President — Rik Smith,
rsmith@columbiabasin.edu
Secretary — Marilyn Lemar, dwlemar@hotmail.com Treasurer — Cheryl Smith
cyankee@charter.net
Chapter Committees
Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 7:00 pm at Columbia Basin College, Room TD 439 – Monthly Meeting: CBC Herbarium Inventory with Dr. Rik Smith At this month’s meeting we will visit the CBC Herbarium in the Science Building. We will help the CBC Botanists by cataloging the pressed plants in their collection. The specimens are organized by family, so all we will need to do is carefully sort through the files and record the information on the specimen labels. You will get the chance to see how a herbarium works, why they are important, and learn about some of the plants in CBC’s collection. Also, it is a great opportunity to help the college get a better handle on their collection and determine future collecting needs. Maps and directions are available at: http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/pdf/maps/CBC_mtg_room_maps.pdf At 6:30 pm, we will continue with our “What is THAT Plant?” feature. Bring in your unknown plant (non-ornamental) and we will attempt to identify it. This is also an opportunity to socialize before our meeting.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES and ITEMS OF INTEREST
Monday, November 2, 2015, 7:00 to 9:00 pm Attend a presentation at the Walla Walla Community College/Water and Environment Center on the re-envisioning of the Mill Creek Flood Control Channel from 4th Street in downtown Walla Walla to Whitman College. The purpose of this meeting will be to present preliminary ideas as drafted by the Washington State University Landscape Architecture Class. The students are seeking input from community members to create Landscape Architectural designs and graphics for an urban Mill Creek Reconstructed Channel for a public presentation to the Walla Walla City Council on December 14, 2015. Monday – Thursday. November 2 - 5, 2015 [Tenative] Help plant forbs around marmot enclosures at McNary Wildlife Refuge (http://www.friendsofmcrwr.org/volunteer/marmot-forb-planting-2015.pdf ). Planting may not take 4 days. Contact Allison_Hall-Mullen@fws.gov or 509-546-8324. Saturday November 14, 2015 9:00 am to noon. First Annual Collective Community Clean Up on Bateman Island. A WSU Tri-City Environmental Club Event. Please join the WSU TC Environmental Club and many other like-minded community groups in the Tri Cities. We will be picking up trash! Please bring gloves, snacks, and a re-fillable water bottle and a five gallon bucket of you have one. Please be prepared for cold, rainy, 2
Program Chair — Kim Hamblin-Hart,
kimhamblinhart@gmail.com
Field Trips — Ernie Crediford, ernest_crediford@live.com & Gretchen Graber gretchen.graber@gmail.com Restoration/Salvage — Bill Mast, bmast1@live.com
Heritage Garden Program — Donna Lucas, donna_lucas@hotmail.com Education — Gretchen Graber,
gretchen.graber@gmail.com
Newsletter Editor — Mary Ann Simmons, msimmons_1@charter.net Publicity — Mickie Chamness, mickiec@charter.net Books — Carmen Wooten, canoecarmen@yahoo.com
Web Site Editor — Mary Ann Simmons msimmons_1@charter.net
Walla Walla Subchapter Darcy Dauble, Walla Walla, dadauble@gmail.com This issue reproduced by
THE DIGITAL IMAGE Richland Washington 509-375-6001
windy weather. Bags, buckets will be provided by City of Richland. No Need to RSVP, family friendly event. Meet: WYE Park at Columbia Park Trail / Contact: Gretchen Graber 206-265-0430, gretchen.graber@wsu.edu Monday – Thursday November 16 - 19, 2015 [Tenative] Help plant milkweed seedlings (http://www.friendsofmcrwr.org/volunteer/volunteer-project-milkweed-seedling-planting-2015.pdf . Contact Allison_HallMullen@fws.gov or 509-546-8324. FACEBOOK – Check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaBasinWNPS ) for current news and pictures; you don’t have to join Facebook to see items posted.
PLANT OF THE MONTH - PHLOX
The Phlox genera belong to the Polemoniaceae family and are small perennial plants with narrow, alternate or opposite leaves. The flowers have 5 united sepals, 5 united petals, and 5 stamens. Worldwide there are 18 genera and around 300 species, the Burke site lists 13 genera occurring in Washington of which 12 occur locally. Other genera in this family include gilia and Jacob’s ladder. There are 4 species of phlox native to Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties. Phlox longiflora is the most widespread occurring in all 3 counties, P. hoodia occurs in Benton and Walla Walla counties, while P. speciosa has been documented in Benton county, and P. viscida in Walla Walla county.
http://www.wildflowers-and-
Phlox longifolia (long-leaved phlox) is 10-40 cm tall and often weeds.com/Plant_Families/Pole woody at the base. It is found in arid shrub-steppe environments, moniaceae.htm typically with sagebrush. The flowers range from pink to white, and while the plants are typically low growing, those growing near shrubs sometimes grow up and through the shrub.
Phlox longifolia Rattlesnake Mtn, 2010
Phlox hoodia (spiny phlox) grows in dry open spaces often in lithosols. This is a mat-forming perennial, usually with loose hairs along the leaf margins and calyx. Flowers are solitary and range from white to blue, or pink.
Phlox speciosa (showy phlox) occurs in shrub-steppe, often with sagebrush, and in ponderosa pine areas. The flower petals are usually notched and the plant is from 15 to 40 cm tall. The notched petals and a very short style (the long section of the pistal) separate this species from P. longifolia whose petals are not notched and where the style is at least 5mm long. Phlox viscida (sticky phlox) occurs in open areas in grasslands and ponderosa pine forests. Phlox can be grown in the garden in full sun and require some water to get them established but no supplemental water after that. P longifolia seems to be the most widely available. See the Heritage Garden website (http://www.bentoncd.org/docs/HG_Resources.pdf ) for a list of nurseries.
Phlox speciosa Image 2004, Ben Legler
References: Benton County Plant List: Combination of lists by Ron Savers (1986), Katie Beck & Florence Caplow (1997-97), and Janelle Downs (2003-04); Franklin County Plant List: Prepared by Don Knoke (2004); Walla Walla County Plant List: Prepared by Don Knoke (2004); Additional information from: Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Herbarium Site and http://www.reed.edu/biology/Courses/BIO332/plantfamily/family_info/Polemoniaceae.html.
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WNPS Photo Calendar Order Form Please send me the 2016 WNPS Photo Calendar Name____________________________________________ Address _________________________________________ City______________ State________ Zip Code__________ # _____ X $10.00 = ______ Shipping costs $ 2.00* = ______ TOTAL ______ *Pay only one flat rate of $2.00 for shipping whether you buy one calendar or 10 calendars. MAIL ORDER FORM TO: Washington Native Plant Society 6310 NE 74th Street, Suite 215E Seattle, WA 98115 (Expect delivery within 2 weeks)
Columbia Basin Chapter Washington Native Plant Society P.O. Box 221 Richland, Washington 99352
To receive the newsletter electronically – email msimmons_1@charter.net 4