NATIVE NOTES
Bill Grafton – Editor Daniel Grafton – Assistant Editor
The annual meeting was held on Sept. 17 at Greenbrier State Forest. Emily Grafton presided.
Those attending were Lawrence Beckerle, Donna Ford-Werntz, Carl and Shannon Werntz, Chad Kirschbaum, Chris Gatens, Neil & Helen Gibbins, Patrick Anderson, Kevin Campbell, Lois Kuhl, Mary Sansom, Mary Anderson, Jeff & Anna Patton, Clara Crank, Romie Hughart, and Bill Grafton.
The Tri-State Chapter conducted 4 field trips during the year. They have also joined with the Ohio Invasive Plants Council to acquire $8000 for mapping invasive species on the Wayne National Forest. A grant has also been submitted to establish Native Plant Gardens at two Ranger District Offices.
The Eastern Panhandle Chapter has disbanded. What a shame. It was such an active group.
Chris Gatens of the Kanawha Valley Chapter is working with Boy Scouts to monitor and plant giant cane at Kanawha State Forest. Lois Kuhl & Mary Sansom are continuing to plant and maintain a native plant garden at the South Charleston Library.
Emily Grafton has spent $800 of a $1200 grant to establish a butterfly garden in Morgantown that features native plants.
Our website needs more info: fact sheets, other good websites, your observations, news articles, etc. Send to Mike Breiding at mike@Mbreiding.us
We have 157 members.
Lawrence Beckerle chaired an ad hoc committee with Donna Ford-Werntz and Bill Grafton to compile a list of the 25 worst invasive plants in WV.
Note: That list is included later in this Native Notes.
Lawrence Beckerle reported that the NRCS federal agency is promoting non-native grasses that are destroying habitat for quail, turkey and grouse. He will try to get them to recommend native grasses to landowners.
Lawrence Beckerle moved that our next Trustees meeting be held in conjunction with the WV Wildflower Pilgrimage that will be held at Blackwater Falls State Park on May 11-14, 2006 (motion approved).
Jeff Patton & Clara Crank staff Master Gardeners’ tables at various events in the Huntington area and need Membership Brochures to hand out to prospective members. Emily Grafton was given permission to spend $500 for new membership brochures.
Emily Grafton passed out copies of a brochure titled, Ferns and Fern Allies of the Deckers Creek Rail-trail” written by WV-NPS web master Mike Breiding.
Lawrence Beckerle passed out an article he had published in “Quail Unlimited” title is “Butterflies, Hummingbirds, and Quail in the Flower Garden”.
Donna Ford-Werntz showed those present a book written by WV-NPS charter member, Eleanor Bush, titled, “A Checklist of the Flora of Barbour County, West Virginia”. See article in this Native Notes.
Elections:
The present officers and Trustees were re-elected to another term. Chad Kirschbaum will fill the vacant Vice President office if his agency will approve.
After considerable discussion, a motion by Mary Sansom was approved to submit a position statement to the US Forest Service to support Alternative 3 with modifications, of the next Monongahela National Forest Plan. Note: this statement is in this Native Notes issue for your information.
This field trip was to the mecca of botanical areas in West Virginia known as Kate’s Mountain. In the mid-1800s several famous botanists visited the Greenbrier Resort and discovered plants new to the world on Kate’s Mountain. We started near the Resort and drove up the steep dusty road on the north end of the mountain to the overlook where you can see the Greenbrier Resort, I-64, and the Howards Creek Valley down below. The recent drought was very evident as most plants were severely wilted. The Dept. of Highways also had a big impact because they had brush hogged both sides of the road from top to bottom the day before. Yet, we did see quite a few neat plants.
Red maple Common Serviceberry
Pignut hickory Black gum
Chestnut oak Scrub oak
Table mountain Pine Virginia pine
Striped maple New Jersey tea
Beaked hazelnut Allegheny Menziesia
Summer grape Pasture rose
Black cohosh Maidenhair fern
Hog peanut Smooth yellow foxglove
Southern bellflower Upland boneset
Blazing star Nevius’ stonecrop
Wild pink Smooth sunflower
Silverrod Heart-leaved skullcap
Nodding Wild Onion Shale Bindweed
Kate’s Mtn. Clover White-haired leatherflower
Shale Goldenrod
A total of 80 taxa were listed by Chad Kirschbaum.
By early afternoon we were up to our keisters” in wildflowers on the Greenbrier River Trail. Yes, we drove to the little town of Keister and walked down the former railroad about 1 mile. Along the way we saw the southernmost site of oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris). We also saw shingle oak and an oak that appeared to be a hybrid between Quercus falcata and Q. stellata. Along the trail and nearby woods we found Oval Ladies Tresses, Rock Skullcap, and lots of Hairy Alumroot. In the ditch we relocated several plants of Isoetes (Quillwort) that “ye ole editor” had seen nearly 10 years ago. This plant will have to be sent away to a quillwort expert for correct identification.
On the way back several hardy souls scrambled along the steep, rocky riverbank of the Greenbrier River. These areas sometimes appear to be minature prairies of native warm season grasses, such as, switch grass, Indian grass, big bluestem, and prairie cordgrass. There were beautiful plants of cardinal flower, and royal fern. At the river’s margin we found small snapdragon (Dracocephalum ganulosum), water-willow (Justicia americana) and lots of lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus). We also identified jointed grass and Japanese stilt grass (both are exotic invasive grasses).
As we arrived back near our cars, a local “character”, Earl Morton who professed to be the Mayor of Keister, inquired to see if we were lost. After a long chat about Keister, WVU football, wildflowers, etc., we were invited to look at a bush to see if we could identify it for Mayor Morton’s neighbor. It was Japanese bushclover. By the way, Mr. Morton owned a copy of the “Flora of West Virginia” and knew quite a bit about botany. We were impressed!!
A second stop on the way up the hill from Keister proved interesting and productive. We saw box huckleberry growing on the road bank. This plant was found in the early 1800s, was lost to scientists for over 100 years, before it was rediscovered in Monroe County. Meanwhile, during the 100 years of being lost, to science, the local folks enjoyed pies made from “juniper berries”. The tasty fruits were not lost by the locals. Here we also met a good friend, Dan Greene, who teaches in Greenbrier County and had recently completed a Master Naturalist class that Emily and I were involved with. We also saw sweet fern and stiff aster on the roadbank.
Additional plants seen were:
Red maple Sugar maple
Mountain maple Striped maple
Yellow buckeye River birch
American chestnut Shagbark hickory
Honeylocust Mountain magnolia
Brookside alder Alternate-leaved dogwood
Winterberry Allegheny Menziesia
Ninebark Dutchman’s pipe
Blue monkshood white snakeroot
Thimbleweed Groundnut
American spikenard Wild sensitive plant
Bloodroot White-flowered leafcup
False blue indigo Wild indigo
Goat’s rue Yellow sneezeweed
Giant sunflower Thin-leaved sunflower
Gaura Lopseed
Great blue lobelia Cardinal-flower
A total of 132 taxa were listed by Chad Kirschbaum for this field trip.
The morning was spent on the DNR Meadow River Wildlife Management Area near Dawson (I-64). It was a short walk through old fields where at times the tall autumn goldenrods, grasses, agrimony, and asters were almost too thick to push a pathway through.
Near the entrance, we saw Nodding and Oval Ladies’ Tresses, and an unusual variety of Whorled Milkwort (var. ambigua). On entering, we turned right through a low open field. It was loaded with Colicroot, Andropogon glomeratus, Rhyncospora capitellata, Maleberry, Canada goldenrod, and Spiked Blazing Star. We also identified Crossleaf Milkwort, and Rydberg’s Poison Ivy in nearby areas.
Earlier in the summer, while studying wetlands, I had identified Swamp Azalea, Grass Pink Orchid, and Ragged Fringed Orchid in old fields near the old tumblin’ down farm house.
These wetlands and fields are great places to look for Swamp White Oak, Pin Oak, Black Ash, Burnet, and Purple Fringeless Orchid.
All to soon we were on our way home. To drown our sorrows, we stopped at Tamarack in Beckley, where a half dozen of us indulged in the excellent cuisine prepared by chefs from the Greenbrier Resort. It is a treat and very reasonably priced.
Eleanor Bush = Barbour County Botany
Eleanor Bush was a charter member of WV-NPS and as long as I can remember (39 years) she has studied the plants of her home county. She now has published a very nice116-page book, titled, “A checklist of the Flora of Barbour County, West Virginia.
The book lists all vascular plants in the county by Family, Current Scientific Name, Common Name, and Habitat. Four pages are devoted to plant associations and lists locations where you can go to see certain species. Forty-seven pages are devoted to color photographs of many of the species.
This is a must buy!!
The cost is $12 per copy. Include your mailing address.
Mail to: Eleanor Bush
5 Bush Avenue
Philippi, WV 26416
Phone: 304 457-3460
This list was compiled by Lawrence Beckerle (Chair), Donna Ford-Werntz, Larry Stritch, and Bill Grafton. Before it is finalized, you can have input. Send your comments to Lawrence at POB 118, Craigsville, WV 26205-0118
Tree of heaven Morrow’s honeysuckle Japanese stilt grass
Bradford pear Autumn olive Kentucky 31 fescue
Amur corktree Multiflora rose Jointed grass
Amur honeysuckle Reed Canary grass
European privet
Japanese barberry
Winged Euonymus
Oriental bittersweet Purple loosestrife
Japanese honeysuckle Garlic mustard
Kudzu Japanese knotweed
Mile-a-minute Crown vetch
Yellow iris
Spotted knapweed
Periwinkle
We have attempted to select these invasive exotics based on their ability to invade our natural areas, such as, shale barrens, limestone barrens, grass balds, forests, cliffs, riverbanks, bogs, swamps, seeps, springs, etc. Plants left off that are very invasive were: wineberry, Sachalin, some buttercups, Amur maple, shiny buckthorn, & Japanese hop.
Let Lawrence know what you think!!!! Would you add or delete species???
By: Romie Hughart & Richard Thompson
This was year six for our study at East Lynn WMA. As usual the study area was wild and wonderful, consisting of various rock structures and a large variety of plants.
We recorded 125 herbaceous plants in bloom. Of these, 9 were county records.
One area was used to observe spring wildflowers. An open area close by was used for summer flower observation. The spring flower area consisted of hiking up Alum Fork Hollow, crossing over a hill, then walking down another hollow in order to return to the starting point.
We found both hollows to be full of Trillium erectum. We encountered a patch of about a dozen Panax quinquefolius. They are always fun to find. We found another growth of odd plants. It took a couple of observations to figure they were Clintonia, probably C. umbellata. We found one Cypripedium pubescens (Yellow Lady Slipper). We found three unusual looking plants. A photograph was taken and the plants turned out to be young Lilium superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily). The hill between the two hollows was checked for Hexalectris spicata (Crested Coral Root) in early August. None were found, but two patches of Isotria verticillata (Large Whorled Pogonia), were observed in close proximity to each other. This was the first time we had encountered Isotria at East Lynn.
Our summer flower study area consisted of a 7-mile strip of rough road along Kiah Creek. We would drive the road and stop to observe flowers where field areas were found. One shrub of interest was the Euonymus americanus (Strawberry Bush). We were surprised to find a couple of Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort), growing along a wooded, shady area of the road. Other plants of interest were Arisaema dracontium (Green Dragon), and Senna marilandica (Wild Senna)). We finally found Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower). We also found Perilla frutescens (Beefsteak Plant) and Polygonum convolvulus (Black Bindweed).
Plants preserved and turned in to the WVU Herbarium:
Panax quinquefolius Anemonella thalactroides
Polygonum convolvulus Viola pallens
Thalictrum polygamum Aster divaricatus
Calystegia sepium Myosotis verna
Eupatorium rotundifolium Cicuta maculata
Emily Grafton
President, West Virginia Native Plant Society
456 West Virginia Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
Monongahela Forest Planning Team
200 Sycamore Street
Elkins, WV 26241
Dear Forest Planning Team Members:
I am writing to you on behalf of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Native Plant Society. We discussed the proposed ten-year management plan (Alternative 2) preferred by The Forest Service and Alternatives 1 and 3. The majority of the Board Members favors Alternative 3 as the most ecologically and economically sound management plan for the future. We would encourage the Forest Service to expand the Dolly Sods Wilderness and create new Wilderness designations for North Fork Mountain, Lower Laurel Fork, Roaring Plains, and Laurel Run.
One of the greatest concerns to members of the West Virginia Native Plant Society is the loss of forest health and integrity when exotic invasive plants invade forests following logging operations. Disturbance of the soil and native vegetation particularly during the construction of logging roads provides a natural corridor over which exotic invasive plants rapidly move. The primary vectors include tires, equipment, seed mixes for regeneration, and wildlife which subsequently utilize the new openings as travel corridors.
Two years ago I observed the insidious spread of Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) along a huge network of logging roads adjacent to the Briery Mountain Wildlife Management Area within the Camp Dawson National Guard Armory located in Preston County. The area had been timbered approximately three years prior to my survey. Nearly every logging road was virtually covered, in some cases waist high (I’m 5’4” tall). At that time the population of Japanese stiltgrass was restricted almost exclusively to the logging roads.
Japanese stiltgrass has the potential to spread throughout the hundred or so acres of this recently timbered area. The consequences of such an invasion would be staggering. The stiltgrass will smother out most existing native plant populations including tree seedlings. Forest succession will be virtually halted. Habitat for small mammals and birds will be eliminated.
Japanese stiltgrass occurs in several locations throughout the Monongahela National Forest. Elimination of this plant from an ecosystem where it has produced a seed bank is extremely expensive and labor intensive, if not impossible. Preventing the spread of exotic invasive plants like Japanese stiltgrass is best achieved by eliminating or minimizing disturbance within and adjacent to forests. Maintaining roadless areas will have a long term positive impact to the sustainability of the entire Monongahela National Forest ecosystems.
The Monongahela National Forest was originally established in the 1930’s to prevent further soil erosion and cycles of drought and flooding which followed the expansive and rapid clear cutting of the Northern Hardwoods and Spruce Forests of the Allegheny Mountains. As the forests began to expand by mid-1950, again the market forces of our society shifted the values back to timbering. Our society has come a long way and modern silvicultural philosophies favor methodologies to enhance soil protection, habitat diversity and wildlife protection. However, our current use of increased road-building for large trucks has increased forest fragmentation, edge habitat and thus increased corridors for invasions of exotic plants, animals and diseases.
Another major objection to Alternative 2 is the increased size limit for clear cuts. Large clear cut areas increase the potential for soil erosion and local disruptions to the hydrologic cycle. Large clear cut areas also generate increased risk for exotic plants and animals to become firmly established. Larger clear cuts increase the edge habitat from which exotics may invade the forest interior. Clear cut areas smaller than 10 acres may more closely mimic the natural forest interior breaks from tree fall and small fires.
The economic value of an expanse of mature forest may soon outweigh that of the short term payoff of timbering. The expanding urban population in the eastern United States has generated an increased demand for recreational retreats for back country hiking, fishing, wildlife observation and hunting. Also, the expanding human population and wealth in other cultures has created a market demand for unique forest products from our part of the world. The demand for the value-added products of native nuts, berries, and other forest products may provide a richer more sustainable income over the next few decades than timbering as demand increases for native forest products.
On the other hand, the wild plants and several native wildlife species abundant in the Monongahela National Forest are currently under siege by the vast market demands coming from the domestic craft industry and from Asian cultures. Increased road building only provides easier access for these wildlife poachers. The wildlife species that the billion plus Asian populations are targeting includes bear, bobcat, beaver and turtles.
Please consider the long-term needs for water, secondary
forest products and the wildlife supported by native plant diversity when
considering which long-term management plans to implement. The true wealth of this nation and the fuel
for the machine of capitalism was fueled by the vast and abundant resources of
this nation. Only time can generate
this richness again. Maintaining
wilderness and roadless areas within our nation’s National Forests will ensure
continued clean water, recharged aquifers, fish and wildlife for hunting and
expanses of wilderness trails for wildlife viewing, hiking and spiritual
healing from the many who need wilderness.
COMMENTS FROM THE WV NATIVE PLANT
SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGARDING
The Monongahela National Forest Alternative Management Plans
(The following comments are listed in the order in which they were given during our discussion.)
(Bogs, balds, and beaver ponds to barrens, bedrock, and bluffs)
Kate’s Mountain is about 6 miles long and starts at the headwaters of Harts Run south of Greenbrier State Forest and ends south of I-64 eastward of White Sulphur Springs. Kates Mountain Road (County Rt. 60/32) starts at US Route 60 near the famous Greenbrier Resort and climbs up the dry shale barren slopes to the top. Near the top of the mountain is a nice overlook that provides sweeping vistas of White Sulphur Springs and Howards Creek Valley.
For botanists this area of Kate’s Mountain is a botanical treasure. The road actually continues south along the summit to near the Monroe County border, where you can complete the circle by turning north along Harts Run Road through Greenbrier State Forest. There are many nice hiking trails in Greenbrier State Forest where you can explore the dry oak-pine forests. Also on upper Hart’s Run, on Mead-Westvaco property, is a nice stand of box huckleberry. Box huckleberry was first found in 1800 and the lost to science” for over 100 years.
Swordleaf phlox, sometimes listed as a shale barren endemic, can be found in the dry lower slopes in Greenbrier State Forest. Dynamite Hollow is an excellent place to look for this rare plant.
The north section of Kate’s Mountain Road is a great place to look for many shale barren plant species and that includes a number of the endemics. By the way, an endemic is a plant or animal that occurs in a very restricted geographic range. In our case, shale barrens only occur in eastern WV, western VA, and small areas of PA and MD. They are most often found on Devonian shales that face south or west and frequently are undercut by a stream or road.
Other well known WV shale barrens in the area are Slaty Mountain in Monroe County, and White’s Draft and Anthony Creek in Greenbrier County.
As you drive the Kate’s Mountain Road, the best strategy is to park on the wide spots where you see dry, open shale banks of shrubs or forests. Then walk along the road checking above and below the road.
Common dry (xeric) plants that grow on the north end of Kate’s Mountain are:
Scrub pine Chestnut oak
Scrub oak Downy arrowwood
One-flowered hawthorn
Wild pink (Silene pensylvanica)
Slender knotweed Birdsfoot violet
Whorled milkweed Hairy Forked-chickweed
Hairy beardtongue Grass-leaved Blazing star
Mosspink Large blazing star
Feverfew Mountain phlox
Cliff stonecrop Smooth sunflower
Green’s hawkweed
Scutellaria ovata ssp. ovata
Scutellaria ovata ssp. rugosa
Scutellaria ovata ssp. virginiana
Earl Core listed 15 shale barren endemics which occur in WV in his book,”Vegetation of West Virginia”. They are as follows:
Allium oxyphilum** Eriogonum alleni
Anychiastrum montanum Clematis albicoma**
Arabis serotina** Trifolium virginicum**
Oenothera argillicola Pseudotaenidia montana
Convolvulus purshianus** Phlox buckleyi**
Scutellaria leonardi Solidago harrisii**
Aster oblongifolius Antennaria virginica**
Senecio antennariifolius
** These endemics have been seen on Kate’s Mountain in the past 10 years.
Jim Vanderhorst, DNR ecologist, wrote an article in the Fall 2005 issue of “West Virgina Wildlife” magazine about shale barrens. It is titled,”The Hot Zone: The Shale Barrens of Eastern West Virginia”. He only lists 6 plants as endemics, as follows:
Shale barren rock cress----------------- Arabis serotina
White-haired leather flower-----------Clematis albicoma
Shale barren wild buckwheat----------Eriogonum allenii
Shale barren evening primrose--------Oenothera argillicola
Pussytoes ragwort-----------------------Senecio antennariifolius
Kate’s Mountain clover----------------Trifolium virginicum
Other useful info:
Check the WVDNR website : www.wvdnr.gov to order the free “WV Wildlife” magazine OR
Send a signed letter with the following info: Date TO: WV Wildlife Magazine
Name Elkins Operations Ctr.
Address PO Box 67
Signature Elkins, WV 26241
By: Daniel J. Grafton
NATURE
What is nature? According to most humans it is a primitive and ignorant place. Where our backyards end, nature begins and we may visit and leave it at our own will. There exist two worlds on earth: the civilized human world and the savagery of nature whence we came. We have stepped above nature and rule over it.
Now I happen to find this idea quite ridiculous in every sense. For starters, we live right in nature. It doesn’t stop anywhere. Does a tornado ask before it destroys a city? No, because nature goes where it wants and does what it wants.
Our civilized world is not much different from any other species. We still fight each other and other species for room on this planet. We still consume resources and breath air just like all the ‘savage’ beasts. All creatures have a culture, even if it’s just a social ladder. We just do everything better, in our opinion, than other species, but we are just as savage as the lion. Civilization just means we conquer other species better than they do us, so we ourselves are a part of nature.
If anything, nature as we know it is the cleaner, more pure essence of life, while our civilization is the contaminated parts of life. It is also more complex, or is it? “Nature” is a deep system of millions of species all fighting amongst themselves to stay alive. Humanity is billions of humans fighting themselves and everything else. No, I must say that in truth nature is more advanced and complex than us, as well. Civilization? A sad joke made by a pretentious species.
GIANT SWALLOWTAIL NEEDS PRICKLY ASH SHRUBS: By: Helen Gibbins
On August 18, a surprise visitor appeared in Neil and Helen Gibbins’ garden – a Giant Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes). Why are we including a butterfly in a wildflower publication? We believe the alteration of a nearby habitat, accounts for the appearance of this butterfly in Cabell County. Tom Allen’s book, “The Butterflies of West Virginia and Their Caterpillars” lists only 10 counties in WV where there have been sightings. Cabell County was not on that list.
After several trees were cut next door, prickly ash or toothache tree(Zanthoxylum americanum) shrubs have taken over. Prickly ash and wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliate) are hosts for Giant Swallowtail caterpillars.
NOTE: Helen and Neil later got a note from Jim Arnold stating that Opler and Malkuil’s butterfly distribution map includes Cabell, along the Ohio River as a site where the butterfly was found. But the Gibbin’s do not live near the Ohio River.
So when you see altered habitats look for different flora and fauna that will inhabit the new site.
By: Judy Dumke & Helen Gibbins
Participants in this April 30, 2005 outing were: Judy Dumke Rose Riter
Helen & Neil Gibbins Chad Kirschbaum Mary Anderson
Romie Hughart Connie Carey Jeff &Anna Patton Dick Thompson
The weather was rotten but a list of 98 taxa were identified. Some of the more interesting plants are listed below:
Grape fern Rattlesnake fern Spinulose shield fern
Sensitive fern Broad beech fern Christmas fern
Yellow star grass Crested iris Spring iris
Yellow trout lily Mealy bellwort Large-flower trillium
Japanese stilt grass Pawpaw Cynthia
Burning bush/Wahoo Fire pink Mayapple
Redbud Dittany Cancer root
Violet wood sorrel Bloodroot Greek valerian
False rue anemone Goldenseal Round-lobe Hepatica
Bluets Hoptree Wood betony
Canada violet Arrowleaf violet Virginia creeper
By: Tara Tuckwiller of the Charleston Gazette on 12/11/2005 with editorial comments by Bill Grafton
Earl Core discovered crested coralroot (Hexalectris spicata) in the Smokehole of Pendleton County. For many years people searched the steep limestone barren for this beautiful orchid. Emily & I led a WVNPS field trip to this site about 20 years ago when our son Daniel was still a baby. I and others scrambled around on the steep and slippery slopes near Smokehole Cave and finally found a couple of plants in bloom. Emily had stayed on the road because it was too dangerous to try to carry Daniel in his backpack on the hillside. Once I photographed the plants, I headed to the bottom to take care of Daniel and let Emily go up to see the crested coralroots. I then walked down the Smokehole Road (an excellent strategy to keep young ones happy) and about 200 feet down the road found myself literally “eyeball to eyeball” with a crested coralroot. There were 2 other plants a little higher on the hill. As you might imagine, everyone was glad to see the orchids when they had clamored back off the barren.
Unfortunately, you can no longer see Crested coralroots along the Smokehole Road. Smokehole Canyon was devastated the following year by the November floods of 1985 so you must still climb the slippery slopes to enjoy crested coralroot today.
Now back the Gazette article: this past year 2 Nature Conservancy interns were mowing Japanese stilt grass and had the privilege of finding a new site for crested coralroot. Ashton Berdine, of The Nature Conservancy, noted that crested coralroot lives only in dry, open woodlands with rich soil that is very uncommon in West Virginia. Japanese stilt grass also likes these same habitats and is a bigger threat than development or “orchid hunters”.
A previously known location of crested coralroot in Grant County was destroyed in the expansion of a stone quarry about 20 years ago.
Note: Two years ago the grandson of Bernard Cyrus was scouting for a good place to hunt squirrels in Wayne County. He recognized several crested coralroots in a forest recently burned by a wildfire. While this site is a long way from the Smokehole, it is much closer to the Midwest prairies where crested coralroot is a bit more common.
From the Core Arboretum Newsletter (John Weems), WVA Herbarium Newsletter (Donna Ford-Werntz) and Sue Studlar (WVA Bryophyte Herbarium)
Norway maple seedlings have invaded the Arboretum, as much as 500 feet toward the interior areas. These will be removed when they are found. A smelly problem originating from de-icing fluids used on the PRT (people mover) continues to leak through the ground and has apparently killed salamanders in a small stream in the Arboretum. University workers have tried a couple of preventive measures but the problem still persists.
The parking lot has finally been paved (adding 4 new parking spaces) and new signs have been added at the entrance.
Donna Ford-Werntz has completed a 12-month sabbatical during which she and Bruce Barnes (Oregon) developed a computerized identification key for West Virginia’s 2345 non-cultivated species. She also taught a “Flora of West Virginia” course, led wildflower walks, supervised the studies of 2 master degree students, managed the Herbarium, and has worked diligently on the Flora Checklist and Atlas.
Sue Studlar also notes that the $250 gift from WVNPS has helped immensely in providing essential supplies to repacket the peat moss collection in the Bryophyte Herbarium. Sue led a moss walk at the WV Botanic Garden and presented a paper on moss harvesting in WV, at a conference in Saskatchewan, Canada.
NOTE: It would be great to get some reports about the status and happenings of herbaria at Marshall, WV Wesleyan, Shepherdstown, Concord, etc. *****
This is a neat place for a visit if you live in the Morgantown area or are passing through. The garden is located on the eastern outskirts of Morgantown on Tyrone Road.
Check it out at www.wvbg.org
The garden had a full slate of field trips led by local experts. Some of the field trips this year were on birds, wetlands, old growth forests, ferns, moths/butterflies, summer wildflowers, grasses, mushrooms, wetland mosses, fall colors. WVNPS members who led some of these field trips were Bob Burrell, Jim Anderson, Emily Grafton, Donna Ford-Werntz, Susan Studlar, and John Weems.
Woody Plants of the Southeastern United States, 2004, by Ron Lance
This winter guide published by the University of Georgia Press includes 695 native and 189 exotic species and varieties. It covers the geographic areas north of Florida and south of Pennsylvania. Excellent book for woody plants in dormant conditions of winter.
The officers of the club would absolutely like to hear from you. They would like to know if there are other activities in which you would like to be involved. Would you like to see more field trips (where, when)? Would you like to get involved in a conservation issue or campaign relative to native plants?
Emily Grafton – President Helen Gibbins – Recording Secretary
456 West Virginia Avenue 6128 Gideon Road
Morgantown, WV 26501 Huntington, WV 25705
Phone: 304 292-0229 Phone: 304 736-6387
Email: egrafton@labyrinth.net Email: gibbins@verizon.net
Steve Mace Donna Ford-Werntz – Treasurer
PO Box 122 621 North Street
New Haven, WV 252654-0122 Morgantown, WV 26505-4728
Phone: 304 882-2450 Phone: 304 293-5201 Ext. 31549
Email: sdmace@citynet.net Email: dford2@wvu.edu
Bill Grafton – Editor Native Notes
456 West Virginia Ave.
Morgantown, WV 26501
Email: wgrafton@wvu.edu
The Native Notes Editor is always asking for your observations, thoughts, articles, good books you have read. I would love to hear from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOUTH CHARLESTON LIBRARY GARDEN A HUGH SUCCESS: By Mary Sansom & Lois Kuhl
A year makes all the difference when it comes to gardens.
When Lois Kuhl of Big Chimney and I (Mary Sansom of Cross Lanes) established a native plant garden at the South Charleston Public Library last summer, we feared none of our plants would survive the heat.
The Kanawha Valley Native Plant Society and the West Virginia Native Plant Society had each donated $100 to the project during the winter, but we had gotten off to a late start. Before we began the garden project for children ages 6-12, we had met with the library board to get permission to turn a narrow strip in front of the library into a native plant garden. Then we coordinated with Director Jennifer Soule to arrange the gardening sessions. After that we traveled to Porterbrook Native Plants in Pomeroy, Ohio, where owner and native plant expert Frank Porter helped us to select a variety of about two dozen grasses, flowers and shrubs. Finally, we picked up a free load of mulch from the city of Charleston, assembled all our tools and began planting the garden during five one-hour sessions beginning in late May and wrapping up in mid-August.
During the opening session with the children we talked about what a native plant is and why it is important to keep natural habitats for wildlife. To learn more about our garden site, we showed the children how to make compasses with string and magnetized sewing needles to help us determine the amount of sunlight the plants would receive. Heading outside, everyone put a scoop of dirt in a jar of water, shook it vigorously and let the soil settle to reveal the different layers of clay, sand, loam, etc. Newspaper flower pots were made and everyone planted coreopsis to take home.
After the children headed home with their plants, Lois and I, along with three of my co-workers from West Virginia Medical Institute in Charleston, prepared the garden for planting. When we began digging, we ran into some unexpected difficulty. The area in front of the library had been filled with construction debris and covered over by dirt, so the work took about four times longer than it normally would have. Because of the poor soil, we replaced the dirt we had dug out, with soil we had purchased.
Each session included a learning activity as well as working in the garden. One week, we brought in examples of invasive plants. We discussed the problems caused when exotic plants overtake a habitat. Another day, leaf rubs were made by placing all the different leaf types between paper and rubbing with a crayon. Handouts explaining the different leaf types were included.
Volunteers turned out for every session to help plant the garden. Younger children and their parents worked together, and some older students participated to get community service credit for high school. In mid-August, we held a final session to weed, stake, water and mulch the garden.
After work and on weekends, Lois and I watered the garden, but the sun took its toll on the newly planted natives, which had only a small dogwood for shade. All the same, many of the plants thrived.
This summer, Lois and I weeded and mulched the garden on our own. The director, Jennifer, ordered some name tags, and we labeled the plants so passersby would know the name of the plants they were looking at, which included Liatris spicata (Blazing Star); Erigonum allenii (Yellow Buckwheat); Scutellaria ovata (Shale Skullcap); Vernonia fasciculate (Smooth ironweed); Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset); Antennaria virginica (Shale-barren pussytoes); Oenthera argillicola (Shale-barren primrose); Helianthus mollis (Downy sunflower); Aster shortii (Short’s Aster); Lupinus perennis (Wild Lupine); and Solidago juncea (Early Goldenrod), among others.
With a year to get established, the plants grew and flourished, tolerating the summer heat much better than they did the first year. And Lois and I, along with the library director, thank the native plant societies’ for their generous donations, which allow us to look forward to another summer of mulching, weeding and seeing how the garden grows.
Aralia racemosa (Spikenard): 3-6 feet, relative of ginseng, compound leaves, heart-shaped leaflets
Ruellia humilis (Wild Petunia): 1 foot, Dry open woods, sessile leaves and blue flowers
Liatris spicata (Blazing Star): 3 feet, upright spikes of deep purple flowers
Erigonum allenii (Yellow Buckwheat)
Silene regia (Royal Catchfly): 18 inches, bright red flowers slightly toothed
Asarum canadense (Ginger): heart-shaped leaves, shade
Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh): Hardy perennial 3-8 feet Woodland plant for shade garden. 3-foot spikes of white flowers
Eryngium yuccafolium (Rattlesnake Master): 4-feet, Toothed serpentine leaves with small white flowers
Anenome virginiana (Thimbleweed): 2 feet, Cream flowers on long slender stems. Thimble-like seed heads.
Scutellaria ovata (Shale Skullcap): 1 foot, Found on dry shale barrens. Blue flowers. Purplish leaves.
Vernonia fasciculate (Smooth ironweed)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset): 4-5 feet, Used as a febrifuge, laxative, stimulant and diaphoretic
Penstemon smallii (Beard Tongue): 2 feet, Vivid pink flowers with white purple-striped throats
Filipendula rubra (Queen of the Prairie): 2-8 feet, Cotton-candy pink flowers crown this spectacular plant.
Aster divaracatus (White Woodland Aster): 2-4 feet, Aug. Sept. bloom, part shade to shade. White blooms
Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine): 12-36 inches. Best in most shady areas.
Antennaria virginica (Shale-barren pussytoes): Low spreading plant with rosettes of silvery leaves.
Oenthera argillicola (Shale-barren primrose): 2 feet Showy yellow flowers. Found mostly on shale barrens
Helianthus mollis (Downy sunflower): 3-5 feet, Showy yellow flowers and velvety leaves. Good for dry areas.
Thermopsis villosa (Carolina Bush Pea): Resembles a tall yellow lupine with pea-like leaves.
Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea): shrub, knee high and 3-feet wide, round balls of showy white flowers.
Moonvine
Aster shortii (Short’s Aster): 1 foot bright blue petals on slender stems. Open woods and woodland borders.
Zizia aptera, Heart-leaved golden Alexanders: 1 foot, heart-shaped leaves topped by umbels of golden yellow flowers
Lupinus perennis (Wild Lupine): 1 foot high. Prefers dry sandy soil. Blue flowers in terminal spikes.
Coreopsis spp., Cone flower
Lilium superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily): 3-8 feet, Nodding orange red flowers, green star at center of flower
Coreopsis pubescens (Star Tickseed): 2 feet, large yellow flowers bloom over a long period
Solidago juncea (Early Goldenrod): 3 feet, one-sided cluster, golden flowers, toothed leaves
Manfreda virginiana (False aloe): 6 feet , yellow flower radiating from basal leaves
Aster lanceolatus(White Panicled Aster): 2 feet, smooth leaves with numerous white flowers
Sedum glaucophyllum (Cliff Stonecrop): 2 by 8 inches forms a mat of low-spreading compact rosettes
Parthenium integrifolium (Wild Quinine): 3 feet, Prairie species with toothed leaves and white flowers
Porteranthus stipulata (American Ipecac): 18 inches, White flowers with long narrow petals. Distinguished by stipules.
Ratibida Pinnata (Prairie Coneflower): 4-feet Divided leaves with pale-gold flowers
Send any note or articles for the website to: mike@Mbreiding.us
August 13, 2005 – Boyd County, Kentucky List by: Judy Dumke & Helen Gibbins
This is a partial list of some of the more interesting plants.
Japanese stilt grass Switch grass
Carrion flower Ruellia caroliniensis
Green-flowered milkweed Matelea oblique-Anglepod
Lance-leaved ragweed Yellow-flowered leafcup
Western catalpa White-flowered leafcup
Partridge pea Wild sensitive plant
Black jack oak Chinquapin/Yellow oak
Rose pink American
ipecac
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