Volume 21, Number 5 February 2016
the
Phlox Phlyer
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
WASHINGTON RARE PLANT CARE and CONSERVATION The Washington Rare Care and Conservation Program is part of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. It partners with 25 federal and state land holding agencies to monitor 900 rare plant populations in the State. Rare Care trains volunteers to monitor rare plant populations in order to assess growth trends and determine population threats across Washington. Monitoring is an essential component of conservation. It addresses the question, "What is needed to preserve species, communities, and ecological systems?" Monitoring provides for the acquisition of information to assess the status of biological populations and communities for the purpose of developing and directing management actions. This information is gathered as a critical first step in the conservation of rare plant species.
Lupinus sabinianus (Sabin’s lupine) John Gamon
An all-day Rare Plant Monitoring Training is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2016 in Seattle. If you’d like to take this training for the first time, or re-take it as a refresher, please email Rare Care (rarecare@uw.edu ) right away to reserve a space. The class often fills, and there’s been an exciting amount of interest this year!
Cryptantha leucophaea (grey cryptantha) Joe Arnett
For those of us in Eastern Washington, please let us Rare Care know (rarecare@uw.edu ) if you would like to re-take the training but can’t make it to Seattle, or if you would like to become rare plant monitoring volunteers. If there is enough interest they will schedule training on the east side. Eriogonumcodium (Umtanum desert buckwheat) Joe Arnett
The WNPS Photo Contest for the 2017 Calendar is here! Consider entering up to 5 of your best shots of Washington's native flora to the WNPS Photo Contest. 26 winners will be selected by a volunteer committee for the annual calendar. The calendar is a fundraiser for the local chapters around the state One winner will also be selected to support the Native Plant Appreciation Week 2016 poster. Photos must be submitted by March 14, 2016 to be considered. Additional information can be found at: http://www.wnps.org/photo_contest/index.html .
Volunteer Opportunity - Photographing WSU Herbarium Specimens Mickie Chamness will finish photographing the herbarium specimens at WSU starting sometime next week (February 1st through the 7th). If you’re interested in helping on weekdays or on the weekend, please contact her at mickiec@charter.net.
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MEETINGS/WORKSHOPS Wednesday, February 3, 2016, 7:00 p.m. Monthly Meeting at Columbia Basin College, Room TD 439 – The Effects of Select Herbicides on the Biological Soil Crust in Shrub Steppe. Biological soil crusts are an important component of desert ecosystems. They are a community of organisms living at the soil surface and include cyanobacteria, green algae, microfungi, mosses, liverworts and lichens. They help prevent erosion, increase water infiltration, and improve soil nutrients. Dr. vonReis will talk about whether herbicides, used in the managing of drylands, negatively impact the soil crust. Maps and directions are available at: http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/pdf/maps/CBC_mtg_room_maps.pdf
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 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. Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 7:00 p.m. Monthly Meeting at Columbia Basin College, Room TD 439 – Conserving and Restoring Washington’s Ecosystems: WNPS’s Native Plant Stewardship Program, Jim Evans. The Washington Native Plant Society’s Native Plant Stewardship Program is developing training programs for chapters around the state, and is rolling out its first pilot programs this year. The trainings combine classroom learning with field trips to educate stewards about their region’s native plants and their roles in local ecosystems, and how to use this knowledge to help protect and restore these ecosystems. The presentation will outline the history of the Native Plant Stewardship Program and describe the program’s current and projected future work. We will segue into an open discussion of how the program can help the Columbia Basin Chapter and its partners in the conservation of South Central Washington ecosystems. Maps and directions are available at: http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/pdf/maps/CBC_mtg_room_maps.pdf Friday through Sunday, May 13-15, 2016. Botany Washington at Fort Worden. Check the spring Douglasia for details. Friday through Sunday, June 17-19, 2016. WNPS Study Weekend at Leavenworth. Hosted by Central and Wenatchee Chapters. Check spring issue of Douglasia for details. Sunday, June 26, 2016, 9:00 a.m. to12:00 p.m. Pollinator Appreciation Week Program at the WSU Tri-Cities Wine Science Center Native plant and pollinator teaching garden. (access from Crimson Way off University Ave) 30 minute Garden Tours from 9:30-10:00 a.m., 10:30-11:00 a.m. , and 11:30-12:00 p.m. Also tables will be hosted by Heritage Garden Program along with Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society. If you would like to help out with this event please contact Gretchen Graber (gretchen.graber@gmail.com ).
Secretary — Marilyn Lemar, dwlemar@hotmail.com Treasurer — Cheryl Smith
cyankee@charter.net Chapter Committees Program Chair — Kim Hamblin-Hart,
kimhamblinhart@gmail.com Field Trips — Ernie Crediford, ernest_crediford@live.com Restoration/Salvage — Bill Mast, bmast1@live.com Heritage Garden Program — Donna Lucas, donna_lucas@hotmail.com Education — Open 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
2016 WNPS Native Plant Calendar Enjoy the beauty of Washington’s wildflowers and support local conservation 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. Each calendar is just $10.00.
Darcy Dauble, Walla Walla, dadauble@gmail.com
This issue reproduced by
Calendars may be purchased at our monthly meeting on February 3 or online at www.wnps.org. 2
THE DIGITAL IMAGE Richland Washington 509-375-6001
PLANT OF THE MONTH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) Sandberg bluegrass is a member of the Poaceae family and one of the first bunchgrasses to green up in the spring. This small coolseason native grass (generally <10 inches in our area) is widely distributed both in the State and in the western US. The leaves have the typical bluegrass characteristics of prow-shaped tip and double groove down the center of the leaf surface. Plants of the Sandberg bluegrass complex have extensive, deep penetrating, coarse, fibrous roots that make them drought tolerant. The Sandberg bluegrass complex has included up to 45 named species including eight species recognized by Hitchcock (1935): Canbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bluegrass (P. canbyi), big bluegrass(P. ampla), little mountain bluegrass (P. curtifolia), Pacific bluegrass (P. gracillima), alkali bluegrass (P. juncifolia), Nevada bluegrass (P. nevadensis), Pine bluegrass (P.scabrella),and the traditional Sandberg bluegrass (P. sandbergii). Presently only P. curtifolia is considered a separate species. The source of this confusion is that Sandberg bluegrass produces seed both sexually and asexually. While it appears the grass normally reproduces asexually, it outcrosses often enough to create new variations that are uniform not only morphologically but ecologically. Thus we have Sandberg bluegrass growing from 6 to 48 inches tall and found in all but 5 of Washington counties from sea level to alpine areas. Sandberg bluegrass also apparently is habitat for the rare woven-spore lichen (Texosporium sanctijacobi) . This lichen depends on organic matter as a substrate and, as referenced by Halvorson (http://www.npsoregon.org/kalmiopsis/kalmiopsis18/2halvorson.pdf ) mainly grows on dead clumps of P. secunda, along with small animal dung. Sandberg bluegrass occurs in open sun to partial shade, and is not harmed by fire or grazing. Also since it starts growing in the fall after the rains start it can compete with some of the exotic annuals. From a forage standpoint it ranks among the most important grasses for wildlife and livestock. Seeds are available from many of the native plant nurseries; see the Heritage Garden website (http://www.bentoncd.org/docs/HG_Resources.pdf ) for a list of nurseries.
Several weedy grasses also green up in late fall to early spring, one that may be mistaken for Sandberg bluegrass before it flowers is the introduced and weedy bulbous bluegrass, Poa bulbosa. It is the only grass to have true bulbs; bulbs are generally dormant from mid-May through early October. When weather begins to cool, leave emerge from the bulbs. Leaves grow to a height of 6 to 24 inches; leaf blades are narrow, flat or loosely rolled. Flowers are modified bulblets with a dark purple base. Bulbous bluegrass was introduced both accidently as a contaminant Ben Legler of alfalfa and clover seed and for research purposes. Some of the seeds were grown experimentally in Pullman WA in 1907. In 1916 bulblets were distributed by USDA to several experimental stations and by 1928, Medford OR was considered the center of production. During this time, the grass was used to compliment Bermuda grass but it was soon found to outcompete Bermuda grass .
Ben Legler
References: Halvorson, Ron, 2011. Sandberg Bluegrass (Poa secunda). Kalmiopsis 18:10-15; Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Herbarium Site (http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php ) and the USDA PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov/java/). Photos used with permission.
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Think Spring With all our rain, this should be a great year for wildflowers. In anticipation here are a few of the early bloomers to watch for:
Crocidium multicaule (gold star) M.A. Simmons, Twin Sisters, 2010
Lomatium gormanii (salt and pepper lomatium) M. Lemar, McBee Grade, 2014
Fritillaria pudica (yellow bells) D. Lucas, Mc Bee Grade 2008
These may be seen in the Wallula Gap area - Telephone House Hill, Two Sisters, and Hat Rock State, or McBee Grade near Benton City. Some wildflower hikes being planned this year are to: Twin Sisters, Badger Mountain, Cowiche Canyon-Snow Mountain, Basalt Garden, Frenchman Coulee, McBee Grade / Horn Rapids, and Bickleton. Others will be added later in the Blue Mountains.
Columbia Basin Chapter Washington Native Plant Society P.O. Box 221 Richland, Washington 99352
To receive the newsletter electronically â&#x20AC;&#x201C; email msimmons_1@charter.net 4