Issues #61 to #74 (January 1993 to May 1994)
BOTANICAL COMMUNITY MOURNS DEATH OF LEADING BOTANIST
From: Janine Adams
kama@mobot.mobot.org & biodiv-l@bdt.ftpt.br
ST. LOUIS - Dr. Alwyn Gentry, the world's leading expert on the
plants of Latin America, was killed August 3 in a plane crash in
Ecuador. Three other people, including American ornithologist
Ted Parker, were killed in the crash in the Pacific lowlands
coast of Ecuador. Three biologists survived the crash.
The scientific group was doing an aerial survey of the coastal
area of Ecuador, 350 miles southwest of Quito, when the crash
occurred. They were on a reconnaissance trip for Conservation
International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP).
Gentry began working at the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1971.
He was revered for his botanical knowledge of South America and
was recognized as one of the world's leading field biologists.
He made more than 70,000 botanical collections during his
lifetime. His understanding of woody tropical plants, a subject
about which he had recently published a major volume, was unsur-
passed.
"We feel Al's loss very deeply," said Dr. Peter H. Raven, direc-
tor of the Missouri Botanical Garden. "He was undoubtedly one of
the most knowledgeable people in the world about the complex
flora of Latin America. With the passing of Al Gentry, the
botanical community, and indeed the world, has lost an invalu-
able resource. And the Garden has lost a valued, long-time staff
member."
Gentry is survived by his wife, Rosa Ortiz de Gentry; a son,
Darrell Gentry; two daughters, Diane Gentry and Maria Liana
Gentry; two sisters and his mother.
(BEN # 61 7-August-1993)
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CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE LAYOFFS [see BEN # 59]
From: grapevine (various unofficial sources)
The Museum of Nature lay-offs have happened and they can be
described as an "intellectual massacre". Eight scientists will
lose their jobs: five zoologists and three botanists are going.
The botanists are Dr. Robert Ireland, one of Canada's few moss
experts; Dr. Erich Haber, who is an expert on Pyrola and rare
and endangered plants; and Dr. K.A. Pirozynski, a palaeobotanist
who has unique knowledge of fossil fungi. There is a rumour
about yet another layoff notice that could not be delivered to a
botanist who is on a field trip. Among the zoologists was Dr.
Francis R. Cook, editor of The Canadian Field-Naturalist.
We do not know the duties of the 10 technicians who are being
laid off, but since he says there is no museum in Canada that
has sufficient technical staff to maintain its biological col-
lections properly, the cuts must be serious.
Maintenance of the Museum of Nature collections and access to
them are also problems. They hold the Canadian moss collection,
for example, but will now not have anyone on staff with exper-
tise in that field. They have apparently suggested that the
Ottawa collections could be sent out to provincial museums, but
as we know that is impossible in British Columbia because the
Royal B.C. Museum is also short-staffed and uncertain about its
future role.
In many museums "the exhibition people have taken over" (Science
258, 16 Oct 1992 p. 396). The museum directors seem to want to
be in the entertainment business and have forgotten why museums
were established and have lasted 400 years.
(BEN # 61 7-August-1993)
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BOTANY IN CANADA
"Botany is at a low ebb in Canada, at a lower ebb than in most
civilized or half civilized countries on the face of the earth."
George Lawson 1860
(BEN # 61 7-August-1993)
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RE: HAYNES' LEASE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE FIRE [BEN # 60]
From: Jane Bock <BOCK_J@CUBLDR.Colorado.EDU>
One thing bothered me about the fire description you sent. My
colleague, Yan Linhart, and I are very concerned with two
aspects of restoration of vegetation.My concerns are that using
exotic plants, even if sterile, slows plant success- ion as a
natural process because the natives must find some way to re-
place the exotics. Linhart is always worried about revegetation
discouraging maintenance of the naturally occurring gene pool. I
was very impressed with your weed disposal efforts up there from
volunteers. What if a volunteer party were organized to collect
seeds from indigenous species that were on the land pre-burned
from the closest seed sources. This is very labor intensive, but
if done by volunteers, this helps. We are trying to get the
National Park Service here to stop revegetating lands from
central nursery stock. It is not sufficient to use the same
species in our opinion. The best job is using stock from nearby.
I have lots more to say about this topic if it interests you.
(BEN # 61 7-August-1993)
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CLAYOQUOT BLOCKADE NEWS UPDATE
From: Student Enviro-Link <env-link+@andrew.cmu.edu>
August 20 1993 - The Friends of Clayoquot Sound
As the number of arrests on the Clayoquot blockade climbs
towards 600, the NDP government has quietly promised to give
MacMillan Bloedel permission to begin blasting a road into the
Clayoquot Valley within a month. A Forest Ministry memorandum
[the existence of this "leaked" memorandum was denied by the
government - AC] states that the new forestry guidelines
promised by the Harcourt regime in its unpopular decision will
be waived for a period of 12 months in order to expedite logging
in one of the last untouched valleys in Clayoquot Sound. Despite
post-election assurances of public participation, no public
input will be allowed during the first year of clearcut logging
in this vital valley.
"After all the expensive PR from our corporate-led government,
its logging-as-usual in Clayoquot Sound," an angry Friends of
Clayoquot Sound director, Valerie Langer said today. "MacBlo has
flagged its road across 45 degree slopes along an important
salmon spawning stream and we're supposed to trust a company
with 25 convictions for damaging fisheries?"
Nuu-chah-nulth nation chiefs and B.C.'s biggest environmental
organizations have re-affirmed their pledge to keep the big
multinational logging companies out of the pristine Clayoquot
Valley. But the Forest Ministry has told MB to expect its road-
building permit by Sept. 14, 1993.
This morning saw 180 rain forest protectors blockading a fog-
shrouded Kennedy River bridge. Eighteen people - including a
longshoreman and a disabled World War II vet - were arrested for
refusing to allow Interfor and MacMillan Bloedel logging trucks
to pass. "This is where patriots belong," 73 year old Austin
Delany stated before being taken into police custody. "An I'm
calling on patriots and veterans particularly in B.C. to come
and stand on guard."
In related developments, an application before B.C. Supreme
Court to quash MacMillan Bloedel's anti-blockade injunction
enters its second day of hearings. Friends' lawyers hope to
convince the judge that MacMillan Bloedel should not be allowed
to use Crown, RCMP and court resources to enforce a private
dispute.
Though Clayoquot fallers are set to begin a two week holiday
today, grapple-yarding, road building and other rainforest-
unfriendly activities will continue at 20 locations throughout
Clayoquot Sound. "We will remain on the road until Harcourt
reverses his unfortunate decision," Langer declared.
[For more information call Garth Lenz or Valerie Langer 604-725-
4218]
(BEN # 62 21-August-1993)
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RE: HAYNES' LEASE FIRE [BEN # 60] - I
From: Robert Scheer 371-6400 <RSCHEER@galaxy.gov.bc.ca>
I just realized I goofed on the year of the previous fire at
Haynes ' Lease. It was in 1989, four years ago not 2 as I
stated.
Please pass along to Jane Bock that BC Parks has at no time
considered seeding the burn at Haines Lease with sterile or any
other seeds, for exactly the reasons she stated.
RE: HAYNES' LEASE FIRE [BEN # 60] - II
From: Kelly McGrew <72075.1615@CompuServe.COM>
The idea that Jane Bock had in BEN #61 was an interesting one:
to use native seeds to revegetate the burn area. Perhaps an
option that could be explored is to work jointly between the
USA, Canada, and Mexico to form "Native Seed Banks" by floristic
area. There are two similar vegetative areas to that of the fire
area and both are in the USA. If some seeds were gathered there
as well as from the areas nearby in BC which have the same
general floristic types, perhaps that would aid in the regenera-
tion of the area.
Taking the idea a step further, perhaps various native plant
societies can start to work together to form seed banks of a
regional or floristic-zone type. For example, the Artemisia and
Purshia seeds from southern BC and northern Washington could go
into one regional bank, while the same species seeds from the
Lower Columbia Basin would go into another bank, perhaps with
seeds from North Eastern Oregon. It may take a decade to define
the floristic zones, put the logistics together and to determine
the viability period for the seeds, but once those steps are
accomplished a rotating schedule could be set up to insure that
there are always viable seeds of the general stocks desired.
As an example, on a recent trip to my high school home town
(Quincy, Wash.) I collected some seeds from Pediocactus
simpsonii var robustior Coult. While there are only a few seeds
(perhaps a couple of dozen) that I was going to send to the
herbarium at the Univ. of Washington (Doug Eqing, Greenhouse
Manager) I would be happy to send them to you if they will help
to revegetate the area.
[Pediocactus simpsonii does not extend to British Columbia. -
AC]
(BEN # 62 7-August-1993)
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NIGHT POLLINATION OF FIREWEED ?
From: "Robert A. Raguso" <Robert.A.Raguso@UM.CC.UMICH.EDU>
reposted from POLPAL-L DISCUSSION LIST <POLPAL-
L@UOGUELPH.BITNET>
I am studying floral scent and hawkmoth pollination in the
Onagraceae. I just came across an anecdote in one of Bernd
Heinrich's books about sphingid moths visiting Epilobium angus-
tifolium at night... Does anyone have any further observations
on this or know of any papers that discuss moth visits and
pollination in fireweed?
(BEN # 62 7-August-1993)
------------------------------------------
EDITORIAL NOTE
From: Adolf Ceska <aceska@cue.bc.ca>
My mother-in-law died after a short illness. My wife Oluna and I
will leave for Prague tomorrow. We will stay in Czech Republic
till September 20. I want to look at some critical vascular
plant species with circumpolar distribution and trace out
specimens collected by my countryman Tadeas Haenke in the
Pacific Northwest in 1791. I would also like to collect more
material on spinach and civilization, and to study beginnings of
automation in medieval Prague. (Robot GOLEM was built in Prague
by rabbi Judah Loew b. Bezalel in 16th century, but it failed,
mostly due to the software problems.)
Na shledanou in September.
(BEN # 62 7-August-1993)
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NEW BOOK NEEDS PHOTOS
From: Andy MacKinnon <AMACKINNON@galaxy.gov.bc.ca>
Jim Pojar, Andy MacKinnon and a whole host of others have a book
coming out next spring (1994) on the plants of the Pacific coast
from Alaska to Oregon, the ocean to the height of land in the
Coast and Cascade Mountains. It will be similar in format to
1992's "Plants of Northern B.C." and, like that book, will be
co-published by the Ministry of Forests, Forestry Canada and
Lone Pine Publishing. We'll need about 1000 colour photographs
(35 mm slides preferred) of individual plant species for the
book. We have perhaps 75% of the slides we need in our own
collections, but still need those pesky other 25%, and are
always looking for slides better than those in our collections.
We will accept donated slides (in exchange for a copy of the
book when it's out), or will discuss payment for permission to
reproduce photos if you prefer. All slides will be carefully
documented and transported, and returned to you ASAP. All photos
will be credited.
If you're interested, please contact Andy MacKinnon at: B.C.
Forest Service, Research Branch, 31 Bastion Square, Victoria,
B.C., Canada V8W 3E7. Phone: (604-) 387-6536, fax: (604-) 387-
0046, e-mail: AMACKINNON@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA
(BEN # 63 26-October-1993)
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PROF. VLADIMIR J. KRAJINA - ERRATUM [BEN #56]
Prof. Vladimir Krajina died June 1, 1993 and not May 31, 1993.
(BEN # 63 26-October-1993)
------------------------------------------
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY HERBARIUM - JOB OPPORTUNITY
From: Aaron Liston <listona@BCC.ORST.EDU> via TAXACOM
Two curatorial assistant positions are available in the Oregon
State University Herbarium. One position is full time, the other
is half-time. Primary responsibilities include the integration
of the OSU and University of Oregon vascular plant, bryophyte,
and lichen herbaria into a newly installed mobile storage sys-
tem. This will involve the specimen by specimen comparison of
the collections, assessment and de-accessioning of duplicates,
nomenclatural verification, and specimen re-filing. These posi-
tions are funded for two years by the National Science Founda-
tion Research Collections in Systematics and Ecology Program.
Minimum qualifications include a B.Sc. degree in botany, biol-
ogy, or related discipline and prior experience in herbarium
curation. Although the majority of the work will involve vas-
cular plant curation, some lichen and bryophyte curation is also
required. Applicants should submit a cover letter stating inter-
est in the full and/or half-time position, a curriculum vitae
and three letters of reference (have sent directly) to: Dr.
Aaron Liston, Herbarium Director, Department of Botany and Plant
Pathology, Cordley Hall 2082, Oregon State University, Corval-
lis, OR 97331-2902 (tel: 503 737 5301, FAX: 503 737 3573).
Closing date for the receipt of applications is December 1,1993.
Oregon State University is an affirmative action equal oppor-
tunity employer and is responsive to the needs of dual-career
couples.
(BEN # 63 26-October-1993)
------------------------------------------
A GUIDE TO THE CANADIAN SYSTEMATICS/PHYTOGEOGRAPHY
Dr. Ernie Small started to compile a literature guide to the
Canadian vascular plant taxonomy and phytogeography for the
Canadian Botanical Association. He is interested in your career
lists of publications suitable for inclusion into the guide. He
would also like to hear from the zoologists with publications
related to vascular plants and phytogeography, and from consult-
ants who produced unpublished reports for government (and other)
agencies. Please send your lists to
Dr. Ernest Small
Saunders Building
Central Experimental Farm
Ottawa, Ont.
Canada K1A 0C6
Phone: 613-996-1665
Sample of the format (please use italics for genera and
species!):
Adolf Ceska, Royal British Columbia Museum
675 Belleville Street, Victoria, B.C.,
Canada V8V 1X4
Ceska, A., and Bell, M.A.M. 1973. Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae)
in the Pacific Northwest. Madrono 22:74-84.
Ceska, A. 1975. Additions to the adventive flora of Vancouver
Island, British Columbia. Canad. Field-Naturalist 89:451-453.
Ceska, A., and Warrington, P.D. 1976. Myriophyllum farwellii
(Haloragaceae) in British Columbia. Rhodora 78:75-78.
(BEN # 63 26-October-1993)
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DR. KOJIMA'S LETTER FROM JAPAN
From: Satoru Kojima <kojima%jpntyavm.bitnet@utcc.utoronto.ca>
[A few days ago I got a letter from Dr. Satoru Kojima. He was a
student of Prof. V.J. Krajina at the University of British
Columbia and he is now Professor of Plant Ecology at the Toyama
University in Japan. - AC]
Last April, we had some re-organization of our university. It is
a sort of fashion in these days in Japan. Every university talks
about re-organization and re-structuring. As a result, I was
transferred to the Faculty of Science, the same faculty where
[plant taxonomist] Dr. Naruhasi is stationed. But in reality,
nothing has changed. I am in the same office doing exactly the
same job, and so on. This is what they call "innovation of
university".
Japan's economy is slowing down. The unemployment rate is in-
creasing and young people such as university graduates are
facing some difficulty obtaining jobs.
In terms of research, I keep myself somehow moving. This year I
spent some time in Hokkaido studying an interesting wetland
vegetation and Betula ermanii forest. As I told you in the last
message, I made some observation on the vegetation of
Kamtchatka. There the Betula forest is predominant and very
characteristic. I want to do some comparative studies of the
forest between Kamtchatka and northern Japan. The flora of the
peninsula is very interesting as pointed out by Hulten. That of
the lowland is very similar to that of northern Japan but that
of the high elevation may include a substantial number of Berin-
gian elements hence somewhat resembles that of Alaska-Yukon. For
the Kamtchatka, I tentatively recognized five biogeoclimatic
zones, i.e. from low elevation to high: 1) Larix kamtchatica
zone, 2) Picea jezoensis zone, 3) Betula ermanii zone, 4) Pinus
pumila zone, and 5) alpine tundra zone. Except 1) and 5), we
have similar or the same zones in Hokkaido.
My dream is to cover the entire northern Pacific region from
northern Japan, Kurile Islands, Kamtchatka Peninsula, Aleutian
Islands, Alaska-Yukon, to the Pacific western North America with
the biogeoclimatic classification together with some floristic
gradient.
As a part of this personal project, I would like to spend some
time in the Yukon next summer (1994), though nothing is final-
ized yet. I need to find some finance and time to do so. Any
way, I will keep you informed.
I would appreciate any news about you and your wife, Victoria,
and Canada.
All the best. Bye for now. Satoru
(BEN # 64 9-November-1993)
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VICTORIA (VANCOUVER ISLAND) MYCOLOGICAL GROUP
We are trying to establish an organization for people interested
in fungi and mushrooms in Victoria, B.C. If you are interested
in joining this group, please give your name and address to
Hannah Nadel (phone 721-4291) or leave her a message c/o
rcannings@galaxy.gov.bc.ca .
(BEN # 64 9-November-1993)
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JOB: PLANT DEMOGRAPHY/CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
From: Robert Meinke <meinker@BCC.ORST.EDU>
In 4-6 weeks the State of Oregon will be recruiting for a
botanist with expertise in stage-based demographic
monitoring/modelling of rare and endangered plant populations.
Experience with transition matrix modelling, including field
set-up, data collection, and analysis (employing Ramas-stage or
something comparable) will be required. General statistical
proficiency is also necessary (ANOVA, various non-parametrics,
etc.), as well as an ability to use D-base and Quatro pro or
their equivalents. The individual selected will be continuing or
expanding field projects already in progress, and will oversee
2-4 conservation biology interns. Additional assignments may
include field supervision of a re-introduction study for an
endangered dune species on the Oregon coast.
The position is presently set for 18 months (beginning in
January 1994), with the possibility of extension. Compensation
will include full benefits and $ 25-30k annually. Duty station
will be Corvallis, Oregon, with extensive spring/summer travel
within the state, often to remote areas.
If you wish to be put on a mailing list to receive the full
announcement for this position reply electronically or by post
to:
Bob Meinke
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, OR 97331
(503)737-2317
internet: meinker@bcc.orst.edu
(BEN # 64 9-November-1993)
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DISEASES AND PESTS OF VEGETABLE CROPS IN CANADA
From: Peter Kevan <pkevan@uoguelph.ca>
(Originally posted on entomo-l@uoguelph.ca)
This magnum opus, sponsored by the Entomological Society of
Canada and the Canadian Phytopathological Society, will be
available very shortly. The book, over 400 pages with 136
colour plates can be purchased from Marilyn Dykstra, Pest
Diagnostic Clinic, POBox 3650, 95 Stone Rd. W., Zone 2,
Guelph, Ontario N1G 8J7. FAX 519-767-6240. The price is not
yet available, but Marilyn will be able to advise if you
FAX her.
(BEN # 64 9-November-1993)
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EDITORIAL MEDITATION
During the long pause between BEN # 62 and BEN # 63 I got a
record number of requests from people who wanted to sub-
scribe to BEN and no request to unsubscribe. As soon as I
produced a new issue, the number of new subscribers dropped
and two people wanted to unsubscribe. You can see that BEN
is much more successful when it does not appear than when
it does. Please don't be discouraged by this fact and send
me whatever interesting botanical news you have. Many
thanks for your support. - Adolf Ceska
(BEN # 64 9-November-1993)
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BIODIVERSITY SEMINAR SERIES # 1
From: Trudy Chatwin <TCHATWIN@wildlife.env.gov.bc.ca>
FOREST INVERTEBRATE BIODIVERSITY
Monday, December 6, 1993 from 8:30 am - 12:00 noon
Maritime Museum, Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C.
This Forest Invertebrate Biodiversity Seminar is the first in a
series of biodiversity related seminars sponsored by the Inter-
Ministry Biodiversity Group. The objective of the series is to
facilitate communication within the biodiversity research com-
munity and others interested in this field. Join us for an
interesting and stimulating morning!
Contact: Trudy Chatwin, Wildlife Branch 387-9756 or Carol
Rosskam, Research Branch 356-6813 for further details
(BEN # 65 30-November-1993)
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OOPS - A WRONG NUMBER FOR THE VICTORIA MYCOLOGY [BEN #64]
I gave you a wrong number of Hannah Nadel in BEN #64. Her cor-
rect phone number is 721-1386.
(BEN # 65 30-November-1993)
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NEW RECORDS OF VASCULAR PLANTS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA
From: Frank Lomer c/o <USERLABL@mtsa.ubc.ca>
Over the last couple of years I have found a few specimens of
interests in the UBC Herbarium:
Atriplex nuttallii Wats. - Collected at Clayhurst crossing on
the North bank of Peace by Al Rose, s.n., June 29, 197. K.
Beamish determined it correctly March 12, 1981 and I'm not
sure if it has ever been collected before in B.C., al-
though this species and Atriplex canescens both approach
B.C. in northwest Alberta. [A single specimen of A. nut-
tallii in the Royal British Columbia Museum (V) was col-
lected in Clayhurst Ecological Reserve #8, Peace River
District, by R.D. Kabzems, #16, August 1989 and identified
by R.T. Ogilvie, November 1989.]
Senecio squalidus L. - Collected in ballast at the foot of
Nanaimo St., Vancouver by W. Taylor, s.n., July 1950. Not
known since. Labelled as S. erucifolius L. Native to
Canada and S. Europe but now a common weed in England
since its introduction 200 years ago.
Polygonum minus Hudson - Collected at Hatzic Lake by V.J.
Krajina, Aug. 2, 1949, and labelled as P. persicaria L.
Now fairly common on mud shore of Fraser in the Lower
Fraser Valley. Also abundant around a pond at Tranquille.
Introduced from Europe.
Polygonum sawatchense Small - Collected on the road up to Windy
Joe, Manning Park by K. Beamish, # 7856, Aug. 4, 1957 and
identified as P. minumum. Native in the North Central
Cascades South to California.
Hypericum boreale (Britt.) Bickn. - Collected at Pitt Polder by
K. Beamish, s.n., Sept. 25, 1961, and now known from
numerous locations in the lower mainland. Probably intro-
duced in B.C. in cranberry bogs where it is sometimes
abundant. Also naturalized on mud banks of the Fraser
River.
Chenopodium foliosum (Moench) Asch. - Collected from Redstone,
Chilcotin by J.W. Eastham, s.n., July 24, 1944.
Cryptantha watsonii (Gray) Greene - Collected from Osoyoos by
J.W. Eastham, 71V6, May 11, 1940. Since collected by
myself 6 June 1993 by Ashnola River near Lakeview
campsite, Cathedral Park area.
(BEN # 65 30-November-1993)
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MOSSES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ON THE LIST [BEN # 50]
From: Tara Steigenberger <TSTEIGENBERG@galaxy.gov.bc.ca>,
We were recently informed that our book, Some Common Mosses of
B.C., was selected for the School Library Book Purchase plan.
What that means is that Mosses will be on a list of books that
has been given a "stamp of approval" by a committee of teachers.
This list will be given to school boards, and the librarians
will read through the list to decide which titles they wish to
purchase. Being on the Library Purchase Plan list brings our
title to the attention of the librarians, who may not have
considered our book without the list.
We repeat the ordering information from BEN # 50:
Schofield: Some common mosses of British Columbia - 2nd Edition
The second (revised and expanded) edition of the popular Museum
Handbook no. 28 was published by the Royal B.C. Museum in Vic-
toria and costs $12.95 Canadian.
Individuals order from The Royal Museum Shop at 675 Belleville
Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 1X4, Tel (604) 356-0505, Fax (604)
356-8197. The Shop charges $1.50 shipping and handling per book.
Please add 7% GST to total order. Major credit cards, purchase
orders, personal cheques, money orders accepted.
Resale outlets and institutions order from CROWN Publications,
Inc. at 546 Yates Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1K8, Tel (604) 386-
4636, Fax (604) 386-0221. Major credit cards, purchase orders,
personal cheques, money orders accepted.
(BEN # 65 30-November-1993)
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VANCOUVER ISLAND MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Several conspirators met on December 9 in the house of Hannah
Nadel in Victoria and decided to establish "Vancouver Island
Mycological Society" (please note that the name is provisional).
The society will have its monthly meetings each first Thursday
of the month, starting on February 3, 1994. Meeting place will
be announced, but it is highly probable that it will be the
Pacific Forestry Centre on West Burnside Road. Watch for further
announcements.
(BEN # 66 14-December-1993)
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BOTANY BC RAFTING TRIP LANDED IN COURTS
From: "Gail M. Berg" <GBERG@MFOR01.gov.bc.ca>
The rafting company I hired to take us down the Columbia for the
Botany BC field trip has been charged with taking a trip down
that river without having a licence to do so on that particular
piece of waterway. They refused to pay a $100.00 fine (for some
reason) so the Conservation Officer out of Golden has taken them
to court. Peter Holmes (the Habitat Biologist from here) and
myself have been subpoenaed to go to court on February 22, 1994
to act as witnesses. Hopefully I will make it to the meeting
next year in the Queen Charlotte Islands and will be able to
show some slides complete with me being led into court in hand-
cuffs. Does Botany BC have any sort of a defence fund for this
type of incident ?
(BEN # 66 14-December-1993)
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SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN DOES NOT WORK
From: J. Sigg's article, Fremontia 21, No. 4.
San Bruno Mountain is a long ridge (1,314 feet) in northern San
Mateo County adjacent to San Francisco. The area has long been
of interest of botanists because of the presence of many plants
that reach either the northern or the southern limit of their
ranges. It has geographic variants of widespread species,
several rare or uncommon plants and two or three endangered
butterflies. The majority of the mountain is a state and county
park, with several hundred privately owned acres on the lower
slopes and ridges. Much of the prime habitat for the three
butterflies is on private property. The specific goal of the
1982 Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), the first in the U.S., was
to protect the ecosystem of the entire remaining undeveloped
portions of the mountain.
Several large developments that would destroy butterfly habitat
had been proposed for the lower slopes and ridges of the moun-
tain. Using the new 1982 HCP process, development on San Bruno
Mountain could now proceed.
The main threat to the mountain ecosystem and its endangered
species - other than development - was and is the advance of
invasive exotic plants: gorse (Ulex europaeus), Tasmanian blue
gum (Eucalyptus globulus), French broom (Genista monspessulana),
Scotch and Mediterranean broom (Cytisus scoparius and C.
striatus), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and Andean pampas grass
(Cortaderia jubata). Other alien species scattered over the
mountain are Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Monterey cypress
(Cupressus macrocarpa), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus procerus),
cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.), pyracantha (Pyracantha sp.),
English ivy (Hedera helix) and German ivy (Senecio mikanioides).
Singly or in combination, these species are able to displace
even healthy native plant communities in this climatic regime.
Compared to 1982, there are greater numbers of invasive plants
on the mountain, and they occupy a larger area, displacing more
native plants. For eleven years the HCP has concerned almost
exclusively on gorse, ... but there is as much gorse today as in
1982, possibly more. The county has chained, bulldozed, sprayed,
burned, and mechanically removed acres of gorse, yet the stands
have remained essentially the same over the years because
patches are allowed to regenerate from roots and seeds. While
the HCP was locked into obsession with gorse, other aggressive
plants were freely proliferating and destroying prime habitat.
Once a weed has been extirpated, the area should not be aban-
doned. Native plants do not automatically recolonize a disturbed
area. The science of restoration must be employed if native
plants are to reclaim their rightful place. Otherwise the same
weed will return or others will replace them.
By 1990 the Yerba Buena Chapter of the California Native Plant
Society was disturbed that no one had looked at the HCP and its
results in the field since the plan began. For over the decades
the chapter members had been fighting weeds in natural areas in
the San Francisco area. Since September 1990 the chapter members
logged over 2,200 person-hours of weed control work. The Yerba
Buena Chapter has formed a San Bruno Mountain Committee to
comment on the gorse management draft and the HCP and offered
its knowledge and energy to revise, revitalize, or make San
Bruno Mountain HCP work to restore butterfly habitat.
(BEN # 66 14-December-1993)
------------------------------------------
THE MINI-JOURNAL OF IRREPRODUCIBLE RESULTS
From: JIR@MITVMA.BITNET (modified by BEN, without a permission!)
The mini-Journal of Irreproducible Results publishes news about
overly stimulating research and ideas. Specifically:
A) Haphazardly selected superficial (but advanced!) extracts of
research news and satire from the Journal of Ir-
reproducible Results (JIR).
B) News about the annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. Ig Nobel
Prizes honor "achievements that cannot or should not be
reproduced." A public ceremony is held at MIT, in
Cambridge Massachusetts, every autumn. The ceremony is
sponsored jointly by JIR and by the MIT Museum.
C) News about other science humor activities conducted by the
MIT Museum and JIR.
The mini-Journal of Irreproducible Results is an electronic
publication, available over the Internet, free of charge. It is
distributed as a LISTSERV application. We expect to publish 6-12
issues per year.
To subscribe, send a brief E-mail message to either one of these
addresses:
LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU or LISTSERV@MITVMA The body of
your message should contain ONLY the words "SUBSCRIBE MINI-JIR"
followed by your name.
Here are two examples:
SUBSCRIBE MINI-JIR Irene Curie Joliet
SUBSCRIBE MINI-JIR Nicholas Lobachevsky
To stop subscribing, send an unsubscribe message to the same
address. Here are two examples:
UNSUBSCRIBE MINI-JIR
UNSUBSCRIBE MINI-JIR
If you have questions about how to subscribe, or if you would
like to re-distribute mini-JIR, please send e-mail to:
mgeller@mit.edu
Back issues of mini-JIR will be available via LISTSERV and on
various gophers.
(BEN # 66 14-December-1993)
------------------------------------------
COMING EVENTS IN VICTORIA, B.C.
January 6, 1994 [Thursday] - Pacific Forestry Centre, Conference
Room, 10:30 a.m. till noon: "Pacific Yew and Taxol: A
Challenge for Sustainable Development" (A Seminar designed
to convey the broad range of research projects being
conducted on Pacific yew by scientists at the Pacific
Forestry Centre)
January 18, 1994 [Tuesday] - Swan Lake Nature House, 7:30 p.m.:
"Botany Night - Succulents" - Identification of B.C.
families: Crassulaceae and Saxifragaceae.
January 19, 1994 [Wednesday] - Newcombe Auditorium, 8:30 till
noon: "Natural History Colloquium." (A presentation on
research projects conducted by the natural history
curators of the Royal B.C. Museum)
(BEN # 67 4-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
POSITION AVAILABLE - MYCOLOGY - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
From: TAXACOM@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU
Assistant Professor, Mycology. -- A tenure-track, 9-month
faculty position is available in mycology. Teaching respon-
sibilities include introductory and advanced courses in mycol-
ogy, and contributions to the general biology curriculum. The
successful candidate is expected to develop an extramurally-
funded research program. Areas of research include, but are not
limited to, evolutionary biology, population genetics and sys-
tematics of fungi. The individual chosen will be responsible for
the oversight of the mycological collection which is housed in
the Oregon State University Herbarium within the Department of
Botany and Plant Pathology.
Application closing date: February 28, 1994
Position available: September 16, 1994
For more information contact:
Chairperson, Mycology Search Committee
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
Cordley Hall 2082
Corvallis, OR 97331-2902
Telephone: 503-737-5286 FAX: 503-737-3573
(BEN # 67 4-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
FOREST SUCCESSION AFTER 1480 ERUPTION OF MT. ST. HELENS
Ring counts on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stumps were
used to reconstruct the early development of old-growth forests
northeast of Mount St Helens, Washington, after catastrophic
forest disturbance by tephra fall from an eruption in 1480. In
addition to documenting volcanic and other disturbances in
forests near the volcano, this investigation tests the
hypotheses that distant seed sources, repeated disturbances, or
competition from shrubs and hardwoods caused Douglas-fir to
slowly (>90 years) recolonize sites in the western Cascade Range
400 to 500 years ago. Findings show that long distances from
seed sources could have contributed to the slow development of
regional old-growth Douglas-fir stands after catastrophic dis-
turbances, but not repeated disturbances during stand develop-
ment, and not competition from shrubs and hardwoods. The find-
ings also suggest an AD 2020-2160 timeline for natural refores-
tation of the Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument.
[Abstract from: Yamaguchi, D.K. 1993. Forest history, Mount St
Helens. Research & Exploration - A Scholarly Publication of the
National Geographic Society, 9(No. 3 - Summer 1993): 294-325.]
(BEN # 67 4-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
REPORTS ON POISONING BY GIANT HOGWEED, HERACLEUM MANTEGAZZIANUM
From: Medline
Andrews, A.H., Giles, C.J., Thomsett, L.R. 1985. Suspected
poisoning of a goat by giant hogweed. Vet-Rec. 116(8): 205-7.
A five-year-old male African pygmy goat became ill four weeks
after transfer from a zoological garden to a municipal park. The
animal was subdued, refused to eat and drink and showed profuse
salivation. Examination of the mouth revealed severe ulceration.
The condition gradually responded to nursing and supportive
therapy. Circumstantial evidence suggested the possibility that
the lesions were caused by giant hogweed (Heracleum
mantegazzianum). Supportive evidence that the plant could
produce lesions was provided by the application of a cut stem to
the hard palate and a solution of various dilutions to clipped
areas of the backs of two ewes. Both ewes produced reddened skin
when the concentrated solution was applied and both showed
marked reddening of the gingival mucosae and in one animal small
ulcers developed in the rostral part of the mouth. It is sug-
gested that H. mantegazzianum may be a potential hazard for
grazing ruminants.
Pira, E., Romano, C., Sulotto, F., Pavan, I., Monaco, E. 1989.
Heracleum mantegazzianum growth phases and furocoumarin content.
Contact-Dermatitis 21(5): 300-3.
The observation of photocontact dermatitis from Heracleum man-
tegazzianum Sommier et Levier in 2 gardeners at work prompted
the analysis of furocoumarin content of stem, leaves and fruits
of the plant during a period of 1 year. Their concentration was
found to be maximal in fruit, intermediate in leaf, and minimal
in stem. Psoralen was the most prevalent substance in the leaf
and bergapten in the fruit. In the stem, in contrast, individual
furocoumarins were found in lower but variable concentrations. 3
furocoumarin seasonal peaks were observed in the leaf: the
maximal peak occurred in June, the intermediate in August, the
minimal in November. This trend corresponds to 3 biological
phases of the weed.
Ippen, H. 1984. [Photodermatitis bullosa generalisata] Derm-
Beruf-Umwelt. 1984; 32(4): 134-7. [German]
Two observed cases indicate atypical forms of phyto-
photodermatitis. Unusual localisations or generalized outbreaks
have to be taken into account in cases of sunbathing without
clothes on. Power lawn mowers with rotating blades spread
Heracleum and other phototoxic juices via freshly cut grass,
causing diffuse - as opposed to striped - manifestations on the
uncovered skin areas. The most certain prevention of such a
reaction is to known which few plants are responsible for phyto-
photodermatitis and to avoid them in sunny weather. The plants
should by no means be exterminated, even those (such as
Heracleum mantegazzianum, "giant hogweed") which have a tendency
to spread.
Further references:
Prinz, V.L., Kostler, H. 1976. Ein Bericht uber 3 Falle von
toxischer Phytophotodermatitis durch Heracleum mantegazzianum
(Riesenherkulesstaude). Dermatol-Monatsschr. 162(11): 881-6.
Camm, E., Buck, H.W., Mitchell, J.C. 1976. Phytophotodermatitis
from Heracleum mantegazzianum. Contact-Dermatitis. 2(2): 68-72.
(BEN # 67 4-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
COMING EVENTS IN VICTORIA, B.C.
January 18, 1994 [Tuesday] - Swan Lake Nature House, 7:30 p.m.:
"Botany Night - Succulents" - Identification of B.C.
families: Crassulaceae and Saxifragaceae.
January 19, 1994 [Wednesday] - Newcombe Auditorium, 8:30 till
noon: "Natural History Symposium." (A presentation on
research projects conducted by the natural history
curators of the Royal B.C. Museum).
Continental breakfast will be served in the Newcombe Lobby
at 8:00 a.m.
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
FREE BOTANY WORKSHOPS - WASHINGTON NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
From: Kelly McGrew <72075.1615@CompuServe.COM>
The South Sound Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society
is sponsoring four workshops in Olympia during January and
February to help you learn more about native plants and their
environment.
January 15, 1994 - Fern Growth and Identification by Judith
Jones, manager of Fancy Fronds, a national wholesale
grower of ferns.
January 29, 1994 - Ecology of the Lowland Forest by Dave Peter,
Forest Ecologist with the Olympic National Forest.
February 19, 1994 - Moss Identification by Kelly McGrew, amateur
bryologist.
February 26, 1994 - Flora of the Puget Sound and It's Origins by
John Gamon, Botanist at the Natural Heritage Program of
the Department of Natural Resources.
All workshops will be held at South Puget Sound Community Col-
lege. Sessions begin at 8:30 AM and will last until ap-
proximately noon. If there is interest, some instructors will
offer a second workshop in the afternoon from 1:00 PM until
approximately 4:30 PM. There is no charge for these workshops
but priority seating will be given to WNPS members. Because
seating is limited you must sign up in advance. To sign up
please call Kelly McGrew at 206-953-8533 or e-mail to
72075.1615@compuserve.com.
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
1994 JOINT FIELD MEETING
of The Botanical Society of America, The Torrey Botanical Club,
and The Philadelphia Botanical Club.
The 1994 Joint Field Meeting will take place Sunday afternoon to
Thursday morning, June 26-30, at Frostburg State University in
western Maryland. The field trips will examine plants of shale
barrens, swamps, old-growth forests, bogs and Triassic uplands.
Evening programs will deal with aspects of the the flora
visited, with the geology of the region, and with the management
of the threatened species.
The price is $175.00 per person. This includes housing, meals,
bus transportation, trip leadership and evening programs.
For further information and a registration form, send e-mail to
kbilton@cap.gwu.edu (Kathy Bilton)
Kathy Bilton PO Box 886, Shepherdstown, WV 25443
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL
From: Aquaphyte, vol. 13, no. 2 - Fall 1993
Interest is being shown lately in the North American weevil,
Eurhychiopsis lecontei, as a biological control agent for
Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.). The weevil has
been associated with declining populations of watermilfoil in
the northeastern United States.
Robert Creed and Sallie Sheldon (Dept. of Biology, Middlebury
College, Vermont) found that all life stages of the weevil are
associated with Eurasian watermilfoil. Adults lay their eggs on
the meristems; larvae burrow into and feed on the meristems
before moving down and into the stem. Pupation occurs inside the
stem. Adults feed on the stems, leaves and leaflets of watermil-
foil, and mate on the plant. They appear to concentrate feeding
on the upper portions of the plant, removing significant amounts
of photosynthetic tissue. Also, stem damage from both adults and
larvae causes watermilfoil to lose its buoyancy and sink. The
researchers suggest that the loss of buoyancy may be more sig-
nificant in controlling the plant than the loss of leaves.
The weevils appear to prefer the exotic Myriophyllum spicatum
over the native milfoil (M. sibiricum = exalbescens). Creed and
Sheldon suggest that the weevil may have either expanded its
diet to include M. spicatum or undergone a host shift from the
native plant to the exotic one.
Ref.: Creed, R.P., Jr. & S.P. Sheldon. 1993. The effect of
feeding by a North American weevil, Eurhychiopsis lecontei on
Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). Aquatic Botany
45: 245-256.
[See also "Aquatic caterpillar may control water weed" in BEN #
49]
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
600-YEAR-OLD CIGARETTES
From: Aquaphyte, vol. 13, no. 2 - Fall 1993
At the Red Bow Cliff Dwelling in Arizona, hundreds of prehis-
toric cigarettes have been found, some wrapped in cotton, some
tied together, and others adorned with miniature bows.
K.R. Adams of the Crow Canyon Archeological Center in Cortez,
Colorado, sampled a dozen of cigarettes and confirmed previous
suggestions: the 600-year-old smokes are made from the stem of
the giant reed (Phragmites australis), and contain tobacco
(Nicotiana spp.). The reed "barrel" of the cigarette was stuffed
with tobacco. The tobacco was lit and smoked; the tough reed
exterior did not burn, and was used again.
In her review of other research, the author found that other
"historic North America groups" (Hopi, Comanche, etc.) smoked
parts of at least 13 kinds of plants and at least one kind of
bird feathers.
Ref.: Adams, K.R. 1990. Prehistoric reedgrass (Phragmites)
"cigarettes" with tobacco (Nicotiana) contents: a case study
from Red Bow Cliff Dwelling, Arizona. J. Ethnobiology 10: 123-
139.
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
AQUAPHYTE
Aquaphyte is a newsletter published by the Center for Aquatic
Plants and the Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System
(APIRS) of the University of Florida (7922 N.W. 71st Street,
Gainesville, FL 32606, USA). It is sent to 5,000 managers,
researchers and agencies in 87 countries [and it seems to be
free-of-charge !]. Besides articles on aquatic plants and
vegetation, Aquaphyte publishes excerpts from APIRS bibliog-
raphic data base, book reviews, and announcements of meetings.
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
THE ALASKA VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION
Viereck, L.A., C.T. Dyrness, A.R. Batten & K.J. Wenzlick. 1992.
The Alaska vegetation classification. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GRT-
286, Portland, OR. 278 p.
Abstract: The Alaska vegetation classification presented here is
a comprehensive, statewide system that has been under develop-
ment since 1976. The classification is based, as much as pos-
sible, on the characteristic s of the vegetation itself and is
designed to categorize existing vegetation, not potential
vegetation. A hierarchical system with five levels of resolution
is used for classifying Alaska vegetation. The system, an ag-
glomerative one, starts with 888 known Alaska plant communities,
which are listed and referenced ...
[Glossary of terms, list of species mentioned, and 480
references. Great book! Published by: USDA, Pacific Northwest
Research Station, 333 S.W. First Avenue, P.O.Box 3890, Portland,
Oregon 97208-3890, USA]
(BEN # 68 9-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
CONFLICT IN THE CLAYOQUOT: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS
From: Robert Froese <taganov@unixg.ubc.ca> on ECOLOG-L [abbrev.]
Saturday, January 29, 1994 from 8:30 to 4:30
in the Scarfe Building, Room 100, on the UBC Campus
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Free admission
Speakers at this day-long forum will include:
Clark Binkley, Dean of Faculty of Forestry
Mike Fenger, Forestry Specialist, Ministry of Environment,
Lands and Parks
Gordon Weetman, Professor of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry
John Borrows, Director, First Nations Law Programme
David Cohen, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law
Gary Bowden, Resource Economist, Clayton Associates
In the Afternoon the following Panel will discuss public policy
issues, and address the question "Did the Process Fail?"
Carol Reardon, Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law Association
George Hoberg, Associate Professor, Dept of Political Science
William Stanbury, Professor, Faculty of Commerce and
Business Administration
Hamish Kimmins, Professor of Forest Sciences
There will be an opportunity to ask questions after every ses-
sion. Facilities will be available for Coffee, snacks and Lunch.
For further information either contact the originator or call
UBC Continuing Studies directly at (604) 222-5203.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
RE: THE CLAYOQUOT ISSUE: FROM THE DISCUSSION ON ECOLOG-L
Question <mohenly@malahat.Library.UVic.CA>: Just curious. Were
representatives from the Friends of Clayoquot invited to speak
as part of this "comprehensive" analysis?
Answer <taganov@unixg.ubc.ca>: Nope. Neither were repre-
sentatives of International Forest Products, Macmillan Bloedel,
or MLA's. The focus of this forum is to provide an opportunity
for semi-academic analysis of many of the issues involved in the
controversy over forest land use in the Sound.
Admission is free, however, and any interested person, regard-
less of political or philosophical conviction, is welcome to
attend and join in question and answer sessions.
Question <fleck@horton.colorado.edu>: I don't want to play
net.cop here, but if we're going to have this thread on ECOLOG,
could *somebody* please provide some basic background informa-
tion? (E.g., what's a clayoquot? What's the conflict? Why should
we care?)
Answer (Vicki Husband, Sierra Club): Clayoquot Sound is 260,000
hectares of mostly pristine wilderness on the west coast of
Vancouver Island. It is the most southerly extent of any sig-
nificant remaining old growth temperate rainforest. In January
1992 the British Columbia government set up the Commission on
Resources and Environment (CORE). They were to look at solving
land use problems on Vancouver Island, but the issue of Clayo-
quot was deliberately excluded from their mandate.
On April 13, 1993, the NDP government announced their decision
on Clayoquot [see BEN # 54]. One third protected, two thirds to
be logged (in terms of old growth forest/merchantable timber 74%
was committed for logging). There was no consultation with the
Nuu Chah Nulth Nation who live in Clayoquot Sound.
During the summer of 1993, the environmental group, Friends of
Clayoquot Sound organized a major protest on logging road lead-
ing to an active logging site [see BEN # 62]. Over 850 people
have been arrested and charged with criminal contempt of court
(the largest civil disobedience action in Canadian history). The
court is still processing the blockaders and many have gone to
jail. There has been a major public outcry over the treatment of
the protesters.
In November of 1993 the government signed an interim agreement
with the Central Region Tribes who claim rights to Clayoquot
Sound. (The agreement is yet to be ratified.) The agreement gave
the Aboriginal people a right to veto logging decisions that
might threaten their values.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
NEW MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY, VICTORIA, ETC. - FEB. 3, 1994
The brand new mycological society will meet for the first time
on February 3, 1994, at 7:30 p.m., at the Pacific Forestry
Centre, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria. Paul Kroeger, our
guest from the Vancouver Mycological Society, will present a
slide show. BEN readers may remember Paul's account of the mass
mushroom poisoning of 77 Vancouver policemen [BEN # 29].
For more information phone Hannah Nadel at 544-1386.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
BOTANY B.C. ANNUAL MEETING 1994
The BOTANY BC 1994 meeting is tentatively scheduled for the week
of June 20 to 25 in Tlell, Queen Charlotte Islands. For more
information contact
Trudy Chatwin <tchatwin@wildlife.env.gov.bc.ca> or
Dr. Jim Pojar <jpojar@mfor01.for.gov.bc.ca>.
Dr. Hans Roemer <hroemer@galaxy.gov.bc.ca> made a cost estimate
and came to $600/person, if you bring your own tent, and about
$1100/person, if you go on a Post Meeting boat trip.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
RE: BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL [BEN # 68]
From: A. Ceska <aceska@cue.bc.ca>
I was interested to find out what is the original host plant of
a weevil found on introduced Eurasian watermilfoil.
Sallie Sheldon <SHELDON@middlebury.edu> wrote me:
"It looks like the native host is Myriophyllum sibiricum = M.
exalbescens, Northern watermilfoil. We have seen E. lecontei on
M. sibiricum in Vermont, and Rob Creed went to Alberta summer 92
and looked for the weevil there (M. spicatum hasn't gotten to
Alberta yet). It is also possible that it is on other native
watermilfoils. The problem is that normally weevil densities are
low, the larvae are endophytic, and the adults are small, thus
it is not easy to find them."
Robert Creed <creed@middlebury.edu> wrote:
"We believe that the North American host of E. lecontei is one
or more of the 'native' watermilfoils, i.e., the ones that were
here prior to the introduction of Eurasian watermilfoil. We have
collected it on M. sibiricum in Vermont, Alberta and Washington
state. Ray Newman has collected it in Minnesota. We have yet to
find it regularly on any other species. I have found two adults
on M. alterniflorum in Vermont. I am skeptical of any native
host use in Vermont due to the abundance of M. spicatum, i.e.,
M. spicatum host use might influence subsequent use of other
milfoil species."
While looking for the weevil in the literature, I realized that
the correct name of the beetle is Eubrychiopsis lecontei. The
name was misspelled in the Aquaphyte and the Aquatic Botany
title and in the BEN I twisted it even more.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
CACTI AND SUCCULENTS DISCUSSION LIST
From: bionet.plants
If you are interested in cacti and succulents, you can subscribe
to the CACTI_ETC list.
Send a message
subscribe cacti_etc FirstName LastName to
listserv@opus.hpl.hp.com
Good luck !
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA VOL. I + II IN PRINT !!!
From: FNA Newsletter Vol. 7, No. 4
We are delighted to announce the publication of Flora of North
America north of Mexico, Volume 1, Introduction and Volume 2,
Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. The list price of each volume is
US$75, but the special offer of US$60 may still be in effect.
To order write Oxford University Press (OUP), Biological
Sciences Marketing Department, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10016, or call 1-800-451-7556.
Canadians are encouraged to order through OPU, Toronto Branch,
70 Winford Drive, Toronto, Ont. M3C 1J9, tel.: 800-387-8020 or
416-441-2941, ask for order department or FAX: 416-441-0345.
(BEN # 69 26-January-1994)
------------------------------------------
DR. ROLF SINGER DIED
From: TAXACOM
Dr. Singer, a member of the Field Museum staff for many years,
died in Chicago late Tuesday evening, 18 January 1994, of heart
failure at age 87. Dr. Singer had a long and productive career
in mycology and published over 300 papers and several books,
among them "Agaricales in Modern Taxonomy" (now in the 4th
edition).
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
NEW MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY FORMED
The first meeting of Victoria's new mycological society held on
February 3, 1994 brought a crowd of 56 people. Paul Kroeger
showed slides that document activities of the Vancouver
Mycological Society. Ms. Hannah Nadel was elected the President.
Her address is: 7028 Bryrwood Court, R.R. # 2, Brentwood Bay,
B.C., V0S 1A0; phone 604-544-1386. Annual membership fee is
$15.00 for adults (one membership applies for the whole family
or household), and $10 for students and seniors.
Next meeting will be on Thursday, March 3, 1994 and the speaker
will be Dr. Scott Redhead.
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
"STERILE" PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE CULTIVARS ARE NOT STERILE
From: Journal Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 118: 851-858. 1993
Neil O. Anderson and Peter D. Ascher demonstrated that the
cultivars of purple loosestrife are highly fertile, producing
viable seeds and fertile progeny when crossed with wild purple
loosestrife populations, North American native Lythrum alatum,
or other cultivars. Thus, Lythrum cultivars grown in gardens
could serve as pollen or seed sources, thereby promoting the
continued spread of purple loosestrife. While this has unfor-
tunate implications for the sale of loosestrife cultivars, it is
necessary that the nursery industry and gardeners alike become
environmentally responsible and disavow cultivation of such
cultivars.
Anderson & Ascher propose that the assumptions of sterility have
been based largely on misinformation or a lack of knowledge
regarding the reproductive system operating in Lythrum.
[Lythrum salicaria is tristylous, i.e., plants differ in length
of their styles and anthers. Flowers on each plants have either
a short, medium, or long style and they have anthers of the two
complimentary lengths. E.g., flowers with short styles have only
medium and long anthers; flowers with medium styles have only
short and long anthers, etc. Flowers of a certain style length
can be pollinated only by the pollen that originated from an-
thers of the same length, i.e., the pollen has to come from a
plant belonging to a different style morph. If you grow plants
of only one style length, they may appear sterile.]
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
EXPLORE THE WORLD OF BOTANICAL GOPHERS !
Don't believe the English proverb that you don't get something
for nothing, gophers will prove you wrong. There is a wealth of
the most useful information on the computer network and it is
relatively easy to get what you want.
If you want to search the Gray Herbarium Index, you find it at
the Harvard University gopher. My gopher exploration usually
starts there. Type
gopher huh.harvard.edu
and you will get the Gray Herbarium Index, herbarium catalogues
of type specimens (in HUH - Harvard University Herbaria and in
other locations). Through this gopher I can get connected to
other gophers, and the Australian National Botanical Garden
gopher is the most complete botanical gopher I know.
For bryological information (lists of mosses and liverworts for
certain parts of the world, bryological news, taxonomical and
ecological software, etc.) go to
gopher unidui.uni-duisburg.de
For general information, religious books, world gazetteers, type
gopher sunsite.unc.edu
You can find Una Smith's Internet Guide for biologists here.
If you are interested in environmental information, go to En-
viroGopher; type
telnet envirolink.org
(login: gopher when you are connected).
Gophers are easy to use. VERONICA is an extension to gophers,
and you can use it to search for whatever topics through the
whole gopherspace. You can get the VERONICA search from any
gopher you enter.
You don't have to know, how the gopher works, but if you are
interested, read either of the following books:
Krol, Ed. 1992. The whole Internet: User's guide and catalogue.
O'Reilley & Associates, Sebastopol, California.
Fisher, Sharon. 1993. Riding the Internet highway. New Riders
Publishing, Carmel, Indiana.
If you get lost in the gopherspace, my internet guru Gary Shear-
man told me that you can get the internet address of a gopher
you are in by typing "=" (without apostrophes). I tried it and
it works. By using this internet address, you can get back to
the same gopher without going and searching through the maze of
other gophers.
There is a Czech proverb that says: "It is foolish to give
something for nothing, but it is even more foolish not to take
it." Remember, you would be foolish not to use gophers!
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
RARE PLANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ON A VICTORIA GOPHER
From: Adolf Ceska <aceska@cue.bc.ca>
"The rare vascular plants of British Columbia" (Straley, G. B.
et al. 1985. - Syllogeus 59: 1-165) is available on gopher
freenet.victoria.bc.ca . The data are WAIS searchable, i.e., you
can search for the plant name (no common names, though), or for
any words mentioned in the text (e.g., Victoria, Nanaimo, etc.).
The file will be expanded soon to contain Conservation Data
Centre rarity ratings. Synonyms will be included to facilitate
the search of problematic names or disputable orthographic
variants. Thanks to Bob Scheer, B.C. Ministry of Environment,
Kamloops Region, for getting the information from Straley et al.
onto the computer.
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
NEW PUBLICATION
McJannet, Cheryl, G. Argus, Sylvia Edlund & J. Cayouette. 1993.
Rare vascular plants in the Canadian Arctic. Syllogeus No. 72:
1-79. ISBN 0-660-13071-8 [paperback] Cost: about CDN $ 15.00
This publication can be ordered from the Canadian Museum of
Nature, P.O.Box 3443, Station "D", Ottawa, Ont. Canada K1P 6P4,
phone 800-263-4433.
About 235 vascular plants listed as rare in the Canadian Arctic
have been included in this publication. The map of distribution
in the Canadian Arctic and few phytogeographical data are given
for each species.
(BEN # 70 14-February-1994)
------------------------------------------
CHARTING THE BIOSPHERE - THE SYSTEMATIC SCIENCE AGENDA 2000
The annual meeting of the AAAS in San Francisco, February 1994,
proposed a bold program "Systematics Agenda 2000: Charting the
Biosphere." The objective of this action would be "to discover,
describe, and classify the world's species."
Meeting the challenges of the biodiversity crisis and success-
fully completing this agenda will require an intensive interna-
tional effort, involving three related research missions:
1. To discover, describe, and inventory global species diver-
sity.
2. To analyze and synthesize the information derived from this
global diversity effort into a predictive classification
system that reflect the history of life.
3. To organize the information from this global program in an
efficiently retrievable form that best meets the needs of
science and society.
The program was summarized in two documents: "Systematic Agenda
2000, Charting the Biosphere" and "Systematic Agenda 2000,
Charting the Biosphere - Technical Report." For these
documents
and more information please contact:
SA2000
Department of Ornithology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024
or
SA2000
Herbarium
New York Botanical Gardens
Bronx, NY 10458
Two audio tapes from the AAAS 94 Meeting, Symposium on "Charting
the Biosphere: The systematic Science Agenda" are available
(catalogue number S45) from
Nationwide recording services, Inc.
8500 N. Stemmons, Suite 3060
Dallas, TX 75247 Phone: 214-638-8273
The tapes are excellent, cost US$ 8.50 each, but are available
only until the middle of March !
(BEN # 71 7-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
ERAGROSTIS (POACEAE) IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
From: Frank Lomer c/o Olivia Lee <userlabl@mtsa.ubc.ca>
Eragrostis is a large genus (250-300 spp.) of mostly temperate
and tropical grasses. (Does anyone know how it got the name
LOVEGRASS ?) In British Columbia our species are all annual
weeds found mainly along railroad tracks, roadsides, and waste
places. They mature in late summer and often there is no sign of
them at all until mid-July.
Genus Eragrostis is a relatively recent introduction to B.C.,
but the 5 or 6 known species are collectively widespread. Most
specimens here at the UBC herbarium have been on loan to the
Smithsonian since February 1989, so the following list is com-
piled entirely from my own collections and observations.
Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Mosher - A rare casual around
Vancouver in gardens and waste areas. Much more abundant
around Penticton and Osoyoos.
Eragrostis minor Host. (= E. poaeoides Beauv.) - Much like a
smaller version of the preceding. It is by far the most
abundant member of the genus in B.C. Look around gravelly
railroad access roads in any southern B.C. town in October
and you will likely find this species.
Eragrostis multicaulis Steud. - Locally abundant around Van-
couver, especially New Westminster, where it frequently
grows in gaps between the road and sidewalk as well as
covering small areas along railroad tracks.
(Earlier I labeled all my collections E. pilosa which I
have not yet found in British Columbia. The specimens
labeled E. pilosa at UBC seem a mixture of E. pilosa, E.
pectinacea, and E. multicaulis. I am not yet sure of any
reliable means to tell them apart except E. multicaulis
seems mainly to lack hairs on the sheath margins.)
Eragrostis orcuttiana Vasey - Distinctive because of its large
size (up to one meter) and spreading panicle. It grows in
sandy ground in the CN yard in Surrey. A field in Kelowna
was covered with it. I also collected a few plants on a
vacant lot in Vernon.
Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) Nees - Distinguished from E.
multicaulis by minute differences in the size of various
parts. It grows along roadsides in Osoyoos. I also found a
few plants in Coquitlam.
Eragrostis diffusa Buckl. - Perhaps should be included in E.
pectinacea, but it is much more branched and generally a
larger plant and seems quite distinct. Many plants were
growing at the end of the east dyke road at the north end
of Osoyoos Lake in the Ecological Reserve.
If anyone knows of any other Eragrostis species in B.C., please
let me know in BEN.
(BEN # 71 7-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
COMMENTS ON ERAGROSTIS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
From: Paul Peterson, Botany Dept., Smithsonian Institution
E. orcuttiana Vasey is treated by Koch and Sanchez 1985 as E.
mexicana (See Phytologia 58:377-381). I have not seen this
species from BC, although it could be there.
E. multicaulis Steud. is treated by Koch 1974 as E. pilosa.
However in a recent paper by Scholz 1988, Willdenowia
18:217-222. it is treated as a good species from the Far
East.
Eros is Greek for love and Agrostis is Greek for grass. "Love
grass" said to be an illusion to the graceful dancing spikelets-
-see Bor 1968, Flora of Iraq, Gramineae.
I still would like to see a specimen of these two species to
include in "Vascular plants of British Columbia." Cheers!
(BEN # 71 7-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
MORE ON GOPHERS - BOOKMARKS
From: Kathy Bilton <kbilton@cap.gwu.edu>
In another BEN - you might also suggest that folks use book-
marks. I had known that this was possible - but didn't know how
to set them up. Just learned the other day - and it's very easy.
When you're at an entry you like - type: a (lower case) and
you'll be asked if you want that to be added to your bookmark
list. To call up your bookmark list when you're in gopherspace -
just type: v (and possibly hit enter - I'm not sure) and you'll
be presented with your very own personal gopherpage of book-
marks. [If you want to delete a bookmark, type d when you are in
your bookmark list.]
[This feature won't, unfortunately, work from those accounts
that don't allow you to save your own files to the disk, e.g.
FreeNet.Victoria; if you are not sure, give it a try anyway.]
[P.S. There are about 15 chapters of instructions, how to use
gophers on gopher freenet.victoria.bc.ca. You won't have too
much difficulty finding them.]
(BEN # 71 7-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
BOTANICAL HOLIDAYS IN THE TAURUS MOUNTAINS, TURKEY
From: Adolf Ceska <aceska@cue.bc.ca>
The Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society (VIRAGS) in
Victoria is organizing a botanical trip to the Taurus Mountains
in July 1994. The leader of the trip, Zdenek Zvolanek, is a
leading Czech rock gardener and seed collector, and he has
visited this area several times. There are two identical tours.
One leaves Istambul on July 2, 1994 and returns to Istambul on
July 16. The second tour leaves on July 16 and return on July
30. There is one spot left on the first tour, and two spots on
the second tour. (The BEN editor Adolf Ceska and a BC Ecological
Reserve botanist Hans Roemer are going with the second group.)
The cost of the trip from Istambul to Istambul (this includes
the accommodation, almost all meals, and the transportation in
Turkey - you have to get to and from Istambul on your own) will
be around US$ 500.00. With this price, nobody can consider this
note an unethical advertisement; we are trying to fill the
remaining spaces with botanically oriented people. If you are
interested, send me an e-mail message or give me a call at 604-
387-2423 (day) or 604-477-1211 (night).
(BEN # 71 7-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
COMING EVENTS - VICTORIA
March 17, 1994 [Thursday] - Dr. Harriet Cuhlein will present a
lecture on "Traditional foods of indigenous people's and
endangered heritage." Newcombe Auditorium, 8:00 p.m. FREE
March 20, 1994 [Sunday] - SVIMS (South Vancouver Island
Mycological Society) field trip with Bruce Norris. Meet at
11:00 a.m. in the Mill Bay mall - Royal Bank.
March 22, 1994 [Tuesday] - Royal British Columbia Museum. Dr.
Adolf Ceska will make a video presentation "Palaverer's
diary or How to make money with your video camera." Noon
hour, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Classroom. No charge.
March 27, 1994 [Sunday] - Royal British Columbia Museum, Weekend
Showcase: "Native Plant Festival." 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Friends' Gallery. Admission fee.
(BEN # 72 16-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
CORE: ANSWERS TO THE FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
From: Times-Colonist, March 8, 1994, page A5
On February 9, The Commission on Resources and Environment
(CORE) recommended a Vancouver Island Land Use Plan to the
British Columbia government, following a year of negotiation
among all key sectors of interest on the Island. The Commis-
sioner of CORE, Stephen Owen, answered some frequently-asked
questions:
Does the plan protect too much or too little of the Island?
"Some people claim that, by recommending protected status for 13
per cent of Island, the plan exceeds the 12 per cent target of
the government Protected Areas Strategy (PAS). Others feel that
the 7.8 per cent of low and middle elevation forested ecosystems
protected by the plan is far too low."
"At the present time 10.3 per cent of the Island is included in
Protected Areas (parks, ecological reserves and recreational
areas) with some types of ecosystems being well represented and
others poorly represented. Under the plan, 13 per cent of the
Island would be protected."
Does the plan meet the goals of the Protected Area Strategy?
"On Vancouver Island, representation of some types of land, such
as alpine and bog ecosystems, already exceeds the 12 per cent
target. However, only about 6 per cent of middle and low eleva-
tion forests are currently protected."
"The plan increases the representation of low to mid-elevation
ecosystems from 6 per cent to 7.8 per cent. This figure falls
short of the 12 per cent target."
What impact will the plan have on jobs ?
"During the last 10 years, the forest industry on Vancouver
Island has lost thousands of jobs, mainly as a result of tech-
nology that requires fewer workers for timber harvesting and
processing operations. ... The timber on the island is being cut
significantly in excess of sustainable levels. By promoting
diversification ... the plan offers an opportunity ... to create
more permanent jobs and to protect against short-term job loss."
LIBERAL PARTY LEADER'S COMMENTS ON CORE
From: Times-Colonist March 15, 1994
Liberal Opposition Leader Gordon Campbell said the government
shouldn't proceed at all with the CORE report.
"CORE has been a process that has polarized people to the ex-
treme, people's families feel threatened ... and there has been
no coming together of the common interests of people."
[A huge demonstration of loggers from all over Vancouver Island
will take place in Victoria on March 21.]
(BEN # 72 16-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
SUMMER JOBS--PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOREST ECOLOGY
From: ECOLOG-L
Field crew and crew leader positions are available to assist
with ecological studies of the effects of alternative methods of
forest harvest in the Gifford Pinchot and Umpqua National
Forests of Washington and Oregon. Tasks will include estab-
lishing permanent plots, sampling understory vegetation, measur-
ing trees, assessing site characteristics, quantifying
amounts/types of coarse woody debris, and additional measure-
ments to characterize vegetation composition and structure.
Familiarity with the flora of western Oregon and Washington;
previous experience in sampling vegetation or coursework in
botany and ecology; ability to identify plants and
collect/catalog specimens; attention to detail and legible
handwriting; ability and willingness to work long hours under
harsh field conditions.
Salary: $1400/month or more, depending experience and qualifica-
tions.
Duration: 13 June through early- to mid-September 1994
Closing date: 31 March 1994
To apply: Send handwritten letter; resume; copies of either
college transcripts or professional work products; and names and
phone numbers of two references to:
Charlie Halpern, Division of Ecosystem Science and Conservation,
College of Forest Resources, AR-10, University of Washington,
Seattle, WA 98195; phone: 206-543-2789 .
email: chalpern@u.washington.edu
(BEN # 72 16-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
TIMBERCREST DEVELOPMENT IN DUNCAN APPROVED [re: BEN # 36]
From: Cowichan Valley Naturalist's Soc. Newsletter, March 1994
February 16th, 1994 Council unanimously approved the rezoning of
the Timbercrest property. This means two portions will begin
immediate construction and will have Single Family Dwellings.
Two other portions have a maximum build out density of 113
units. This density includes Townhouses.
The area remaining has a no-build covenant for 2 years and is
6.9 hectars in size. The Environmental Assessment states that
9.4 hectares is necessary for preservation of the Garry Oaks.
The scientific evidence and the results of the study have
clearly been ignored by this council. Council has no plans to
manage the Parks area nor the no-build area.
[From BEN # 36 : An interesting Garry oak site in Duncan (Van-
couver Island) is threatened by a near-by subdivision. Although
the stand bears signs of heavy grazing (dominant ground cover is
orchard grass - Dactylis glomerata), it has some interesting
native plants, such as a large population of upland yellow
violet (Viola praemorsa). On the transition between the forest
edge and wetlands we found a large population of tall woolly-
heads (Psilocarphus elatior - the 3rd extant population in B.C.
I know) and a smaller population of needle-leaf navarretia
(Navarretia intertexta - less than 10 populations known in
B.C.).]
(BEN # 72 16-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
TOTAL SYNTHESIS OF TAXOL
From: Nature Vol. 367, 17 February 1994
The total synthesis of taxol has been accomplished by the scien-
tists from the Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research
Institute, and from the Department of Chemistry, University of
California in San Diego.
(BEN # 72 16-March-1994)
------------------------------------------
BOTANY BC IN COURT OVER THE WHITEWATER AFFAIR
From: "Gail M. Berg" <gberg@mfor01.for.gov.bc.ca>
A whitewater rafting company was taken to court in Golden,
British Columbia. Gail Berg was subpoenaed to appear as the
Crown's main witness regarding the Columbia River Raft trip
organized for the 1993 BOTANY BC meeting. She was cross examined
by Crown counsel and the defendant, Brad McLaren from Wet and
Wild Adventures. The issue was whether or not Wet and Wild
Adventures was permitted to run raft tours on the Columbia
river. It turns out that the company only has permits for the
Kicking Horse and the Blaeberry rivers. Even though one of the
guides on the expedition was licensed for the Columbia, it was
considered invalid because all arrangements were made with Brad
Mclaren and the money was also paid to him. He was ordered to
pay the $150.00 fine that was originally assessed in June.
Apparently one of the companies that was not hired by Gail to do
the trip became annoyed and made an anonymous phone call to the
CO officer in Golden to complain, which resulted in the fine.
The moral of the story is that if you are organizing tours that
involve transportation of some sort ensure that the operator has
the required permits, licences, insurance, etc. to operate
otherwise the organizing party (in this case BOTANY BC) would be
liable in a court case.
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA - BRITISH COLUMBIA TOO HOT TO HANDLE
From: Flora of North America, Vol. 1, p. 124.
In the review of North American vegetation, Michael Barbour and
Norman Christensen found the British Columbia vegetation far too
complex to include it in their review. They wrote: "This brief
summary does not do justice to the complexities of vegetation
within British Columbia. A fine vegetation map, at a scale of
1:2 million, identifies a dozen montane biogoeclimatic zones; we
have mentioned but a few (British Columbia Ministry of Forests
1988)."
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
ALASKA LOOKS FOR A MOLD EXPERT
From: anon015b@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Name withheld by request)
Newsgroups: bionet.mycology
State of Alaska needs a mold expert. May involve
travel/testimony.
Contact- J. Ron Sutcliffe , Assistant Attorney General
JSJRS1@acad1.alaska.edu
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
VANCOUVER ISLAND WOULD BE AN IDEAL PLACE FOR IT
From: Times-Colonist, Victoria - March 22, 1994, p. B3
Marijuana plantations could soon be legal under a proposed
[Canadian] federal law. Growing hemp - also known as cannabis -
would be kosher for commercial purposes like the manufacture of
rope and paper. Licences would be issued to commercial growers,
the federal Health Department said.
University of British Columbia botanist Bruce Bohm said it is
quite easy to gauge THC ["the psychotropic ingredient that gets
pot-smokers high"] levels in hemp. "The difference in concentra-
tion between the fibre plants and hemp plants is quite
remarkable," he said.
Activists on Vancouver Island and elsewhere in the country have
been pushing for permission to grow hemp as a commercial crop.
"Vancouver Island would be an ideal place for it," Bruce Bohm
told the reporters. Bohm said some of his colleagues have made a
sideline career of identifying pot plants in court for the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police.
New Democrat MP Nelson Riis said the party members have second
thoughts because of the potent strains of marijuana now avail-
able. More public education is needed about the bill or it might
be interpreted as an open invitation to grow marijuana, he told
Ottawa reporters.
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
REPORT OF POISONING WITH CLASSIC EDIBLE WILD MUSHROOMS
From: Bohumil Hrabal: "The Little Town Where Time Stood Still."
[A strange case of poisoning with edible mushrooms, after a long
conditioning to inedible and poisonous mushrooms, was described
by Bohumil Hrabal from the Czech Republic. The fierce competi-
tion among mushroom pickers in Bohemian forests forced Hrabal's
Dad and Uncle Pepin to start collecting both inedible and
suspect fungi and toadstools.]
"Dad took with him a saucepan and a pat of butter and he and
Uncle Pepin began to practise some experimental mycology. This
way they always had fungi almost from the late spring up to the
end of autumn. They started by picking grey tall amanita and
bunches of sulphur tuft, they kindled a fire, softened onion in
butter, and added a pinch of common earthball and panther cap.
Dad handed the fried concoction of fungi to Uncle Pepin first,
waited half an hour ... and since Uncle wasn't hearing any
ringing sounds, ... Dad ate some of the mixture too and
pronounced it quite excellent."
"Once however they stayed in the woods for whole five hours, Dad
had added a bit more earthball or truffle, and their legs had
gone numb. Uncle Pepin rejoiced that he wouldn't ever have to
walk again, but a couple of hour later Uncle Pepin was to be
disappointed. The strength returned to their limbs and they got
to the station and returned safely home."
"And one day they [found a red patch] and filled a basket piled
high with beautiful orange birch boletuses. And so it happened
that same evening, when Mum for the first time in ages cooked up
those classic edible mushrooms, all three of them were horribly
sick and Uncle Pepin had fainting fits and diarrhea, and then he
got a dreadful thirst and vomited again, and this was followed
by a dull headache, cramps in the calves and intermittent double
vision as well as continuous ringing sounds in the ears. When
they took them all off to hospital, the consultant said they'd
all been poisoned by edible fungi, the last person that had
happened to was Professor Smotlach [sic !] himself, found in a
deep coma after partaking of edible mushrooms."
[Czech Professor Smotlacha was known for his bold edibility
experiments. After he promoted Amanita pantherina as an excel-
lent edible mushroom, Czechoslovakia became a country with the
highest incidents of deadly mushroom poisonings, leaving Canada
in the second place. After the (otherwise natural) death of
Professor Smotlacha, his wife confessed to her colleagues that
she always threw away those really poisonous mushrooms, before
she cooked her husband's experimental meals. - AC]
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
BIRTH CONTROL IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
From: Archaeology, March/April 1994
Three specialists on contraception and abortion issues in the
Ancient and Medieval World described plants used as contracep-
tives in Ancient Greece and in the Middle Ages. The main atten-
tion is paid to the so-called "Cyrenaic juice." This juice was
derived from the now extinct silphium and it was used by the Old
Greeks and Romans to prevent unwanted conception.
Silphium belonged to the genus Ferula [Uphof's Dictionary of
Economical Plants lists Ferula narthex Boiss. as "Silphium of
the Ancients"]. The plant grew in a band about 125 miles long
and 35 miles wide on the North African dry mountainsides facing
the Mediterranean Sea. By the first century A.D., it was scarce
from overharvesting and by the third or fourth century A.D.
silphium was extinct.
The article gives a picture of "a sixth-fifth-century B.C.
Cyrenian coin with an image of the silphium plant." It is inter-
esting to note that the more conservative "British Museum Book
of Flowers" shows a very similar coin from Selenius, Sicily, and
identifies the plant as celery.
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
FOUR KILOGRAMS OF WASTED PAPER
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular
flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland. - Second
edition. Volume I: Checklist, 622 p.; Volume II: Thesaurus, 816
p. - Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. IBSN 0-88192-204-8 (2
volumes, hard cover). Price: US$ 149.95.
We all have been waiting for the second edition of the "Kartesz
& Kartesz," the reference one had to have on hand almost all the
time. For the last few years the Timber Press has kept an-
nouncing the second edition and numerous nomenclatural papers
published by Kartesz et al. in Phytologia and elsewhere indi-
cated that the work on the book was still in progress.
The book was finally published in February 1994, in two massive
volumes. The first volume contains the checklist and its ar-
rangement is similar to the first edition: it contains an al-
phabetical listings of species and infraspecific taxa (and their
respective synonyms) within genera and families. The second
volume lists all the names alphabetically and for synonyms it
gives their accepted valid names. If you look for the
authorities of the names (and this is what we used the old
"Kartesz & Kartesz" for), the second volume is enough and your
searches can be accomplished much faster than when you used the
first edition. You need, however, the first volume, because it
gives you the overview of the generic and species concept ac-
cepted by the author, but there is no doubt that the second (and
unfortunately also heavier) volume will be subject to faster
wear.
The book is type set using a nice distinct and very readable
font. It is a reference you will love to have and when you get
it, you will soon forget that you paid a small fortune for it.
My feeling is, however, that this is the last book of this kind
to be published in this old fashioned way, and it is an epitaph
to the traditional "hard copy" publishing. With our not too
stable nomenclature the only way you can update your copy is to
pencil the changes in it. The introduction of the book promises
yet another edition which would include basionyms and basic
bibliographic citations for each name. I cannot imagine that the
next edition will be published in the same way.
This book just cries for electronic publishing! The original
data file is stored at the sophisticated data base system in the
Biota of North American Program office, and I have to wonder,
why the author did not go directly to the CD-ROM publishing. It
would have been cheaper, faster and more flexible. What about
putting it on a gopher?
Meanwhile, you can, have to and should (if you have any doubts)
order the book from the publisher, Timber Press Ltd., 9999 SW
Wilshire, Portland, OR 97225, U.S.A., phone 800-327-5680 or 503-
292-0745 (from OR an outside US).
(BEN # 73 1-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
MELINDA FAY DENTON (1944-1994)
From: ASPT Newsletter, April 1994
The untimely death on 5 March 1994 of Professor Melinda Fay
Denton (1944-1994) from an unrelenting cancer saddens all whom
she touched. Her demise is particularly poignant for her col-
leagues in the American Society of Plant Taxonomists (ASPT),
which Society she served with distinction as Editor-in-Chief of
Systematic Botany (1984-1985) and as President (1990-1991). A
celebration of her rich and productive life will be held 30
April 1994 (11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) at the Center for Urban
Horticulture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Melinda Denton Fund in support
of student research in systematics; made payable to the Univer-
sity of Washington and sent to Department of Botany KB-15,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. A full reprise
of her botanical career will appear in a future number of
Taxon._Arthur R. Kruckeberg, Professor Emeritus, Department of
Botany KB-15, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Melinda Denton had a long association with and involvement in
the activities of the ASPT. In 1978 she won the Cooley Award for
her paper entitled "Endemism and evolutionary divergence in the
Sedum section Gormania complex (Crassulaceae)". She also served
as ASPT Secretary (1978-1979), ASPT Council Member (1981-1983),
Editor-in-Chief of Systematic Botany (1984-1985), ASPT President
Elect (1990), ASPT President (1991), and ASPT Past President
(1992). Behind the scenes she poured her energy into other,
equally important activities such as co-chairing the steering
committee for "Systematics Agenda 2000. Charting the Biosphere."
All of us are indebted to her for her many, generous contribu-
tions to our Society._Editor of the ASPT Newsletter.
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OZONE DEPLETION AND UV RADIATION
UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, APRIL 27 - APRIL 29, 1994
A Special Public Presentation will be held as a part of the
Conference in the University Centre Auditorium, Wednesday April
27, from 8:30 to 5:30 (NO BREAK FOR LUNCH !!!). Tickets for this
marathon of 30 minilectures cost $ 10.00 and are available at
door. The presentation will offer a wide array of topics on the
impact of UV radiation on human health, terrestrial biosphere,
aquatic system, forests, climate, etc.
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
------------------------------------------
BOTANY BC MEETING - QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS - JUNE 20-25, 1994
The registration forms for the BOTANY BC annual meeting have
been sent out and the deadline for registration is May 12. The
program of the meeting includes one morning of lectures and a
grand field trip (June 23-25) to Skidegate Narrows (and beyond).
The registration fee $ 125.00 includes many meals & on-island
transportation, the field trip fee is $ 150.00 (transportation
and meals included), but the numbers for the field trip may have
to be limited: REGISTER EARLY.
For more information contact Rosamund Pojar, Box 3089, Smithers,
B.C., VOJ 2N0 (phone: 847-9784) or
Jim Pojar <jpojar@mfor01@for.gov.bc.ca>.
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
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ANTI-CORE RALLY: TWELVE PERCENT WOULD BE FINE [BEN # 72]
From: N.J. Hewitt & Bristol Foster - Time-Colonist, Apr 3, 1994
The large logging companies' anti-CORE rally March 21 on the
legislative lawns [in Victoria] had its theme, "12 per cent, no
more." This referred, we presume, to the minimum of 12 per cent
of natural areas needed for protection in each country in the
world, as promoted by the Brundtland Commission and by the WWF
and now accepted by the [Canadian] federal and all provincial
governments.
Indeed, many environmentalists would be quite relieved if 12 per
cent of low and mid-elevation ancient (old-growth) forest on
Vancouver Island was protected. In fact only 4.4 per cent is now
protected, with another 1.4 per cent proposed for protection in
the CORE report.
If we are going to protect 12 per cent of all representative
ecosystems (as intended in the government's Protected Areas
Strategy), then some alpine and sub-alpine should be de-
gazetted, to raise the amount of protected ancient forest to 12
per cent. Would this please the forest companies? it is consis-
tent with their demand: "12 per cent, no more."
Less than 6 per cent of Vancouver Island's ancient forest is
protected or proposed for protection. This is insufficient to
protect the biodiversity of this particularly rich ecosystem.
To assure future generations of a healthy forest resource, we
need to adhere to world standards protecting a minimum of 12 per
cent of our ancient forests.
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
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SEEDS OF NATIVE FOOD PLANTS WANTED
From: Brian Compton <bcompton@unixg.ubc.ca>
I am seeking to obtain viable seeds (or other reproductive
materials) for several plants used as food by B.C. Native
groups. These are to be cultivated experimentally at the UBC
Botanical Garden in conjunction with ethnobiological initiatives
put forth by the First Nations House of Learning at UBC. If
anyone can supply native food plant seeds I would like to hear
from you:
Allium spp. (e.g., A. cernuum), Balsamorhiza sagitatta, Calo-
chortus macrocarpus, Camassia spp., Claytonia lanceolata, Cir-
sium undulatum, Conioselinum pacificum, Erythronium grandi-
florum, Fragaria spp., Fritillaria spp. (including F. pudica),
Hydrophyllum capitatum, Ledum glandulosum, Lewisia rediviva,
Lilium columbianum, Lomatium spp. (esp. L. macrocarpum, but just
about any other sp. as well), Lupinus littoralis, L. nootkaten-
sis, Mentha arvensis, Potentilla anserina, Potentilla pacifica,
Rubus pedatus, Rumex occidentalis, Sium suave, and Trifolium
wormskjoldii; also, any of the less commonly encountered Vacci-
nium spp. or Rubus spp.
Brian D. Compton
Ethnobiological Program Developer
First Nations House of Learning
E-mail: bcompton@unixg.ubc.ca
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
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NATIVE PLANTS IN FOREST RECLAMATION
From: Marty Kranabetter <mkranabe@mfor01.for.gov.bc.ca>
I am interested in information concerning the use of native
plants in forest reclamation. Sedges, grasses, legumes, shrubs
or other plants which colonize disturbed soil would be good
candidates. Also, any information concerning the biological
advantages of native plants over agronomic species would be
useful. My phone number is 604-565-6134.
[Check the following report:
Polster, D.F. 1989. Manual of plant species suitability for
reclamation in Alberta. 2nd edition. Prepared for the Alberta
Land Conservation and Reclamation Council by Hardy B.B.T. Ltd.]
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
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"BC VEGETATION TOO HOT" - FNA WAS TOLD [BEN # 73]
Jim Pojar sent me a copy of the correspondence he had with the
co-author of the FNA vegetation chapter Michael Barbour. The
exchange started with Jim's caustic comments on the "North
American Terrestrial Vegetation" in which Jim objected to the
lack of the "Canadian content." As a result, Dr. Barbour asked
Jim to review the FNA vegetation chapter and Jim made comments
to those parts that were written by Dr. Barbour and that dealt
mostly with the vegetation in the U.S.A. Jim did not get any
manuscript from Dr. Norm Christensen (Duke University, Durham,
North Carolina) who was responsible for the parts of the chapter
that dealt with Canada. It is a pity that no Canadian ecologist
was invited to collaborate on the FNA vegetation chapter. - AC
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)
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"FOUR KILOGRAMS OF WASTE PAPER" UPSET SOME READERS [BEN # 73]
From: Dr. Mary Barkworth <STIPOID@CC.USU.EDU>
Prices in Canada must sure be strange. We can find the money for
the book version of Kartesz' checklist, but we do not have a CD-
ROM reader, I am not sure when we shall be able to afford one,
and it is MUCH easier to look something up in the books than it
would be to get the right CD-ROM on the appropriate computer
(which we do not have) and then make the search. Les Watson had
a similar attitude to yours concerning grass genera of the
world. Our copy of that volume is almost worn out. I can take it
home and use it if I want to. .... I would rather have 5 floras
than 1 CD-ROM that would get occasional use.
The reader is on our wish list, for Watson and Dallwitz'
families of flowering plants and the Kew Index. But I find
myself thinking of smaller institutions, like Boise State
University, and of the number of institutions in the US that
have eliminated staff positions.
The title was more negative than the actual review. ... John
Strother told me that he uses 3x5 index cards and can nearly
always locate information faster than people who computerize. I
believe him, but I hate 3x5 cards.
(BEN # 74 19-April-1994)