Oregon flora newsletter

18 Pages·1995·1.5 MB·English

by  Oregon State University. Department of Botany & Plant Pathology

OREGON FLORA
NEWSLETTER
Volume 4 Number 1 • Oregon State University • February 1998
Checklist: Asteraceae
Clay Gautier
by Scott Sundberg and Kenton L. Chambers
by Rhoda Love
We are pleased to announce the completion of the
Clay Gautier is the newest member of the Oregon
checklist of Oregon composites (Asteraceae) by the
Atlas Project Leaders group. He has volunteered with Oregon Vascular Plant Checklist Project. The
Scott Sundberg and others since 1996. “Clay has been
Asteraceae checklist was written by Kenton Chambers
instrumental in developing an electronic version of the
and Scott Sundberg and is currently being reviewed by
Oregon Plant Atlas that will be fully interactive and
Checklist project members. It is a portion of the Oregon
accessible to the public via the Internet,” says Scott.
Vascular Plant Checklist, which is preparatory to a new
Clay, who commutes to OSU from Eugene, brings a
Flora of Oregon. The Asteraceae Checklist includes
special combination of skills to this task: undergraduate
accepted names of all Oregon taxa (species, subspecies
and graduate work in ecology and 12 years of experience
and varieties) growing outside of cultivation, as well as
as a professional software developer.
common names, plant origin (native or introduced) and
Clay was bom in San Francisco in the mid-fifties comments on taxonomic problems and hybridization.
and grew up in California and Nevada. He says, “My
Each record is backed up by annotated herbarium
wife, Gail Baker, and I both went to Redwood High
specimens or by reference to a published monograph or
School in Marin County when I was a freshman, but we
revision. The accepted names will be cross-referenced to
didn’t actually meet until 11 years later in San Diego.”
names appearing in ten standard floras and lists of
In college. Clay majored in biology, receiving his BS
Oregon species.
from the University of Nevada at Reno. He moved on to
The Asteraceae, or Compositae, comprises one of
graduate school at San Diego State University, earning
the largest, most rapidly evolving, and most successful
his MS in 1981 with a thesis on the impact of post-fire
families of flowering plants. It is also the most diverse
seeding with ryegrass on soil erosion and regrowth of
family in Oregon, with 574 taxa in 124 genera. Some
native vegetation.
Oregon Asteraceae are dominant members of their
See Gautier, page 4
communities, for example sagebrush and rabbitbmsh
which are familiar components of arid landscapes east of
the Cascade Mountains. The Asteraceae family also
encompasses some of our worst non-native weeds,
including dandelion, Canada thistle, tansy ragwort, and
several species of knapweed. A surprising 22 percent of
Oregon composites are non-native species.
The nomenclature (naming) of the Asteraceae has
been especially dynamic over the past twenty years and
this is reflected by a number of new and unfamiliar
names for Oregon plants. Also, recent studies in
biosystematics and molecular systematics have, in some
cases, yielded results that necessitate name changes.
Readers who are familiar with the Jepson Manual or the
PLANTS database of North American plants will not be
surprised by most of these changes. We have spent
Clay Gautier, Gail Baker and daughter Nicole hundreds of hours examining thousands of specimens
and reviewing taxonomic literature to produce the
See Checklist, page 5
Project News A new name for Chamaesaracha in Oregon
by Scott Sundberg by Kenton L. Chambers
In the past four months we have accomplished a The nightshade family Solanaceae is represented in
great deal. The Atlas project is progressing rapidly, Oregon’s flora by approximately 28 taxa, but it seems
thanks to the efforts of Clay Gautier, ten student likely that only five of these are native in the state. The
workers, and all of you who have sent in species lists. rest are weedy, non-native species—some rare, some
We have produced a mockup of the online Atlas to use common—which have high dispersal capabilities and
for design purposes. A number of technical challenges thrive in the disturbed soils of farms, rangelands,
with the electronic version of the Atlas have recently gardens, and roadsides. Various species of ground-
been addressed. The Atlas database now has over cherry (Physalis), nightshade (Solanum), jimson-weed
82,500 records. (Datura), and tobacco (Nicotiana) that are native
The Checklist continues to progress. The elsewhere in North America have established themselves
Asteraceae treatment is soon to be released and we plan as weeds in Oregon, along with other introduced taxa of
to follow this with treatments of other families. We now European and Asian origin such as henbane
list 4,432 plant taxa for Oregon. (Hyoscyamus) and matrimony-vine (Lycium).
The newsletter is now in its fourth year thanks to the Given the large number of undesirable weeds in this
hard work of Rhoda Love and Production assistants family, it is understandable that we prize the small group
Alisa Anderson and Camille Tipton. Ken Chambers of innocuous native Solanaceae in our flora. One such
deserves special recognition for submitting articles on species is called “dwarf chamaesaracha,” an awkward
the taxonomy of a number of interesting groups. common name which simply repeats the Latin name of
the genus. The plants are perennial herbs with white or
pinkish dish-shaped corollas about 1.5-2 cm across. The
The Oregon Flora Newsletter is published three times a year species is common along the east flank of the Cascade
by the Oregon Slate University Herbarium and the Oregon
Range, in the ponderosa-pine/juniper zone, and extends
Flora Project. The Editor is Rhoda Love and the Production
south into California and Nevada. In nearly every
Assistant is Alisa Anderson.
reference manual for Oregon and California the scientific
Oregon Flora Project Coordinator: name is given as Chamaesaracha natia A. Gray.
Scott Sundberg
However, in Vol. 5 of Intermountain Flora (1984) the
Checklist Project Leaders:
species is named Leucophysalis nana (A. Gray) Averett.
Kenton Chambers Rhoda Love Karl Urban
Richard Halsc Robert Mcinkc David Wagner Curious about this change of names, I looked into the
Jimmy Kagan Brad Smith Peter Zika taxonomic literature relating to this plant and its relatives
Aaron Liston Scott Sundberg and have concluded that there is indeed good reason to
Checklist Advisory Board: move this species from Chamaesaracha into
Ed Alverson John Christy Frank Lang
Leucophysalis.
Karen Anlell Tom Kaye Don Mansfield
Henrietta Chambers Susan Kcphart Karccn Sturgeon Typical chamaesarachas are arid-habitat plants
Adas Project Leaders: ranging from the southern California deserts east to the
Robert Frenkel George Lewis Dick Straw southern Great Plains and northern Mexico. Their berry¬
Clay Gautier Aaron Liston Peter Zika
like fruits, with seeds on a basal placenta, become dryish
Manuela Huso Bruce Ncwhouse Don Zobcl
when ripe. In Leucophysalis the berries remain fleshy,
Tom Kaye Charlene Simpson
Jon Kimcrling Scott Sundberg and seeds are located all along the central axis of the
Adas Project Regional Coordinators: fruit. Only one other species of Leucophysalis occurs in
Bruce Barnes Lucile Housley Vcva Stanscll North America—L. grandiflora (Hook.) Rydb., of open
Dick Braincrd Jerry Igo Dick Straw
woodlands in the northeastern United States and adjacent
Paula Brooks Andy Robinson Faye Streicr
Canada. These distinctions in morphology and habitat
Katie Grenier Charlene Simpson Lisa Wolf
were noted in publications by John E. Averett as early as
Address correspondence to:
Scott Sundberg, Coordinator, Oregon Flora Project 1970, but the taxonomic changes involved are only now
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology becoming widely accepted. My question to you readers
Oregon Slate University Cordlcy Hall 2082 is: should we keep the common name “dwarf
Corvallis, OR 97331-2902 chamaesaracha” for Leucophysalis nana, or is it time to
E-mail: [email protected]
invent a new English name for the species? Your
[phone]; FAX [phone]
comments will be welcome. ^
http://www.orst.edu/dept/lxitany/herbarium
Printed on Recycled Paper
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(1) 1998 2
Some Taxonomic Notes on Oregon Goldenrods,
Solidago missouriensis Nutt., Missouri goldenrod, is
Part II
common throughout much of eastern Oregon, except alpine
by Kenton L. Chambers
regions, and is recognized by its glabrous stems and widely

(Editor’s note: Part I of Dr. Chambers’ article on the genus Solidago spreading lower inflorescence branches, thus resembling S.
appeared in the October, 1997 issue of OFN.)
gigantea and forms of S. canadensis. It has elongate, rather
Here I continue my review of taxonomic changes in narrow leaves which decrease in size up the stem. In
the genus Solidago which arose during my treatment for Hitchcock's Flora, the Oregon specimens are placed in var.
the Oregon Vascular Plant Checklist. extraria A. Gray, but in the more recent Intermountain
In a major generic realignment, one Oregon goldenrod Flora, Vol. 5, Cronquist changed his mind and said it was
species has been moved to the genus Euthamia, namely E. “no longer useful” to recognize this variety. Solidago
occidentalis Nutt, (western goldenrod), which in Peck’s missouriensis at one time occurred in prairies of the Puget
Manual and Hitchcock's Flora is called Solidago Sound area of Washington, as var. tolmieana (A. Gray)
occidentalis (Nutt.) Torr. & A. Gray. Cronquist, but I did not find any old
This change, based on leaf anatomy collections suggesting it was also
and overall growth form, is now in western Oregon in the early days.
widely accepted among experts on the It would be interesting to know
two genera, and I chose to follow their whether the relict prairies near
advice for our Checklist. In Oregon Olympia still contain this
this species grows along streams, goldenrod.
mainly east of the Cascades, and is Another species of eastern
distinctive in having tall stems, linear, Oregon, closely related to Solidago
resinous-dotted leaves, and a much- missouriensis, is S. spectabilis
branched, flat-topped inflorescence. (D.C. Eaton) A. Gray, basin
On bluffs and dunes of the goldenrod. The only difference I
immediate Oregon coast is a low- could see between these two taxa
growing, densely-flowered species, is that S. spectabilis has short lateral
sticky goldenrod. The new taxonomy inflorescence branches and thus a
places it in Solidago simplex Kunth, tall but narrow (not pyramidal)
as var. spathulata (DC.) Cronquist. inflorescence shape. Its stems and
Away from the coast this gives way leaves are glabrous, as in S.
to var. simplex (which Hitchcock missouriensis, and most specimens
called S. spathulata var. were collected from alkaline
neomexicana)’, the two varieties meadows near relict Pleistocene
intergrade in Tillamook and Clatsop lake basins. Perhaps this habitat
counties. In The Jepson Manual, the preference allows it to remain
coastal race is made a separate genetically separate from Missouri
species, S. spathulata, but in Oregon goldenrod.
it behaves as a coastal ecotype of S. The final species in our
simplex. In its range from Mexico to Checklist also finds its northern
Alaska and east to Maine, S. simplex limit in southern Oregon; this is
also contains a dwarf alpr ine race, ^olldago *impl('* var' sim plcx' 1,ns taxon was formerly ca]ifornia goldenrod, Solidago
known asS. spathulata var.neomexicana It intergrades with b °
which in Oregon extends from Mt. the coastal var. spathulata m Tillamook and Clatsop Counties, califomica Nutt. In it, the stems and
Hood to the Three Sisters; this is now (See als° "^p, page 6.) illustration by John h. Rumely from leaves are covered by a minute,
called S. simplex var. nana (A. Gray) courtesy of university of Washington Press. harsh pubescence, and the
G.S. Ringius (formerly it was S. inflorescence tends not to have
spathulata var. nana). widely spreading lower branches. The leaves decrease in
In the high mountains of eastern Oregon a different size from stem base to apex, as in basin goldenrod. This
goldenrod occurs—Solidago multiradiata Alton (northern taxon is related to other hairy-leaved goldenrods of the
goldenrod). Its heads are larger than in S. simplex, are not Solidago velutina DC. group, occurring south and east of
sticky, and form a tight apical cluster. Also distinctive are Oregon, and in Intermountain Flora, Cronquist used the
ciliate hairs on both edges of the basal leaf petioles. latter species name for what I call S. califomica.
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(1) 1998 3
Rare Plants and the Oregon Flora Project throughout their range. ODA staff have conducted field
As the Oregon Checklist progresses and work on the research on some species to determine elements of risk.
Oregon Atlas gathers steam, we are beginning to turn our At present, ODA lists include 30 Endangered and 31
attention to the Oregon Flora. We plan a Flora which will Threatened species, as well as 78 Candidate species under
be available in two versions: a hard copy in traditional review for possible listing.
book form and an updatable electronic version, to be fully In addition to the above, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
accessible to the public. Both versions of the Flora will Service (USFWS) maintains a list of endangered species
give users information about Oregon’s rare plants. used by federal agencies; and the Lane County Chapter of
Oregon was among the first to identify her rare NPSO maintains a list of rare plants that is used in that
species. Even before the passage of the 1973 Federal county.
Endangered Species Act, Ken Chambers and Jean Siddall The Oregon Flora Project will use information from
began to list our rare plants. In 1976 they began a series the above lists to give users information about rarity. The
of statewide conferences to gather information on printed version of the Flora will provide general
threatened species (see OFN 3(2): 10). Today, both the indications of rarity. The electronic version however can
Oregon Natural Heritage Program (housed at The Nature be specific as to categories of rarity and will be able to
Conservancy in Portland) and the Oregon Department of provide constantly updated information from ONHP,
Agriculture (housed in Salem and at OSU) maintain ODA and USFWS.
updated lists of Oregon rare plants. Readers may wonder
how the two programs are similar, how they differ, and Gautier, from front page
what categories and criteria of rarity are used. Following the completion of his degree. Clay moved
Oregon Natural Heritage Program (ONHP) bases to Oregon. Here is how he describes the move:
its extensive lists on rare plant sighting reports and “Research funding was becoming increasingly hard to
information gathered at rare plant conferences organized find, and I was tired of living in a big city, so after
by Chambers, Siddall, David Wagner, Jimmy Kagan and finishing my MS I moved to Eugene and found a job as a
others, and continued every other year from 1982 to the computer programmer.” This was no small feat
present. At these conferences, information on a long list considering that he had no formal training in computer
of species is provided by field botanists and land science and very little experience as a programmer.
managers from federal and state agencies as well as Life in Eugene in the early 80s was wonderful
academic botanists and members of such groups as the according to Clay. Important events took place in his life.
Native Plant Society of Oregon (NPSO). Based on He and Gail Baker were married and Gail began to teach
information from these conferences, ONHP maintains biology part-time at Lane Community College. They
four lists of rare plants (see box). Approximately 768 bought a house, planted a beautiful garden and their
plant species are tracked in the ONHP lists. (To view daughter, Nicole, was bom. Then, in 1988, while he was
information on ONHP lists, visit web site: taking courses in the Department of Computer Sciences
www.abi.org/nhp/us/or). at OSU, Clay was contacted by Microsoft. “We didn’t
want to leave Oregon, but Microsoft made me an offer I
Oregon Natural Heritage Program lists: couldn’t refuse, so we sold our house, packed our things
(Based on The Nature Conservancy global and state ranks) and moved to Redmond, Washington.” However, Clay
List 1 Species endangered or threatened throughout range - 165 spp.
adds, “We knew that some day we would find a way to
List 2 Species threatened, endangered or possibly extinct in Oregon,
get back to Eugene and we did.” They returned in 1994
but more common elsewhere ~ 230 spp.
List 3 Species for which more information is needed ~ 238 spp. when Gail was offered a teaching position at Lane
List 4 Species of concern which need to be watched -135 spp. Community College.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Clay first heard Scott Sundberg describe the Oregon
Flora Project at a Eugene meeting of the Native Plant
Plant Conservation Biology Program began after the 1987
Society. He realized that his own background in biology
passage of Oregon Senate Bill 533, commonly known as
and computer science might make him useful to the
the Oregon Endangered Species Act. This legislation,
project and began to volunteer almost at once. Clay
which was initiated by NPSO, provides statutory
states, “Publishing an interactive web-based atlas is an
protection for vulnerable plants on state land. The ODA
interesting challenge, and I have really enjoyed
rare plant program is currently overseen by Dr. Robert
researching and working with the new technologies that
Meinke from offices in Salem and at OSU. Under state
need to be woven together to make it a reality.” He adds,
law, a plant may be listed as endangered or threatened if it
“It has really been great working with Scott and everyone
is native and there is evidence of risk to populations or
else at OSU.” .
habitats. Generally, plants listed by ODA are threatened
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(1) 1998 4
Thanks
Checklist, from front page
Asteraceae Checklist. The greatest number of Thanks to the Native Plant Society of Oregon, which
nomenclatural differences are with older floras, such as has renewed its commitment to the Flora Project. We
Peck’s Manual of the Higher Plants of Oregon (216 have received generous contributions from the state
name changes in Asteraceae) and the Abrams’ organization and from the William Cusick and Blue
Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States (206 changes). In Mountain chapters. Thanks also to the following
Hitchcock and Cronquist’s Flora of the Pacific individuals who have recently contributed to the project:
Northwest, which was published 25 years ago, 156 Glen Cole, Jan & Dave Dobak, Florence Ebeling, Nancy
names have been changed. The genus name has been Eid, Wayland Ezell & Yvette Villeneuve-Ezell, Mike &
changed in about one fourth of these; varieties or Nancy Fahey, Linda Hardison, Aileen Ho (in memory of
subspecies are submerged in one third; and the rest Leighton Ho), John Koenig, Shane Latimer, Aaron &
consist of species name changes and changes in Sara Liston, Kenneth & Robin Lodewick, Rhoda & Glen
taxonomic rank (e.g. varieties changed to subspecies, or Love, Cheryl McCaffrey, Esther & Peter McEvoy,
elevation of varieties to species). Margaret & Stan Meierhenry, Theodore & Laramie
The Asteraceae checklist is the first of many such Palmer, Ginny & Jim Post, Don Roberts, Charlene
lists of Oregon plants to be distributed by the Checklist Simpson, Veva Stansell, Kareen Sturgeon, Mildred
group. Watch for announcements on our web site Thiele, Karl & Elaine Urban, Jim & Nancy Weber,
(http://www.orst.edu/dept/botany/herbarium) and in this Carolyn Wright and Jo Ann Yeager.
newsletter. Thanks to the following who have helped by
volunteering, sending species lists or specimens, or
How to Get Your Copy of the Asteraceae Checklist
providing information on Oregon plants: Ed Alverson,
• For those of you who have participated in or donated to
Wilbur Bluhm, Mike Fahey, Ron Halvorson, Don
the Oregon Flora Project, the Asteraceae Checklist is
Heinze, Daryl Ianni, Jay Lunn, Danna Lytjen, Esther
available free of charge upon request. Please use the
McEvoy, Margaret Meierhenry, Rich Old, Nick Otting,
form below.
Joyce Owen, Hawk Rondeau, Cliff Schmidt, Gail Smith,
• Or you may receive a copy in return for a donation of
Marcia Wineteer and Michael Woodbridge.
any amount to the Oregon Flora Project. Please use the
form below and enclose your check to the OSU
Foundation. (The cost of printing and postage is
approximately $4.00.)
• Bonus: When we mail your Asteraceae checklist, we
Illustrations of Erythronium oregonum on the front and
will include a list of name changes and their page
back covers by Linda Ann Vorobik.
numbers in the Flora of the Pacific Northwest by
Hitchcock and Cronquist.,
Map on the back cover was produced with the assistance of
A. Jon Kimerling.
Would you like to make a donation?
Name
Address Tax-deductable donations can be made to the
Oregon Flora Project by sending a check made
out to the Oregon State University Foundation to
Scott Sundberg. Please note on the check that it
Phone and/or e-mail is for the Oregon Flora Project. Your donations
go primarily toward newsletter expenses and
Mail to: student wages.
Scott Sundberg
Oregon Flora Project Please send the Asteraceae Checklist
Dept, of Botany & Plant Pathology (include check if appropriate).
Oregon State University
Please put me on the Oregon Flora Newsletter
2082 Cordley Hall
- mailing list.
Corvallis, OR 97331-2902
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(1) 1998 5
Did you know?
(Asteraceae Checklist Facts)
• Asteraceae is the largest family in Oregon
with 574 taxa. (Second is Poaceae with 378).
• Erigeron is the largest Asteraceae genus in
Oregon with 48 taxa; Aster is second with 33;
Artemisia is third with 29.
• Oregon Asteraceae includes 448 native
taxa, 125 introduced taxa and one, Achillea
millefolium, which has both native and
introduced populations.
• The genus Haplopappus has been split into
six genera: Columbiadoria, Ericameria,
Hazardia, Pyrrocoma, Stenotus, and
Tonestus.
However, in the Oregon Vascular Plant
• Oregon distributions of Solidago simplex var.
Checklist the genus Aster was not split into
simplex (triangles) and S. simplex var. spathulata
Brachyactis, Canadanthus, Eucephalus,
(squares) based on herbarium specimens at OSU.
Eurybia, lonactis, Oreostemma, Sericocarpus,
We would appreciate receiving additional
and Symphyotrichum, as proposed by some
specimens of var. simplex.
other authors.
OREGON FLORA
NEWSLETTER
Volume 4 Number 2 • Oregon State University • June 1998
Richard Halse, Curator of the Amelasorbus: An intergeneric hybrid and a
OSU Herbarium new taxon for the Oregon Checklist
by Rhoda Love
Richard Halse was rescued from a life of
Last spring I worked on treatments of the Rose Family
mathematics teaching by a pair of superb botany
genera Amelanchier and Sorbus for the Oregon Checklist.
teachers at Northern State College in Aberdeen,
Both groups have pome fruits, but the leaves are quite
South Dakota. different. While species of Amelanchier, the serviceberries,
Richard was bom and raised in Clear Lake, have simple leaves which are often toothed near the apex,
South Dakota where his family owned a store. He is our members of Sorbus, the mountain ashes, have pinnately
the second botanist associated with Oregon from compound leaves. As I began the project, Aaron Liston
Clear Lake. Ethel I. Sanborn, from the same home walked into the Herbarium with the latest volume of the
town, was at the University of Oregon from 1914 to Intermountain Flora (See OFN 3(3): 16,1997).
Reading the introduction to Amelanchier in the new
1917 and at OSU from 1928 to 1948.
volume, I noted the existence of a named intergeneric
Richard entered college expecting to get a degree
hybrid between serviccberry and mountain ash from Idaho.
in mathematics. However, during his second
The Intermountain Flora reported that the taxon had been
semester he fell under the spell of Mrs. Evelyn
named XAtnclasorbus jackii by Alfred Rehder in 1925,
Roberts, a botanist with an interest in plant
based on a 1918 collection by J. G. Jack from Clearwater
taxonomy, who convinced him to change his major
County, Idaho. Intrigued, I checked Hitchcock’s 1961
to biology. Later he took his first plant taxonomy Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest to see if the hybrid
class from Dr. Gertude Miller and that, in his words, was known from Oregon. Hitchcock noted the existence of
"... convinced me to stay in the field. It was a great the hybrid in his introduction to Sorbus, but mentioned only
class and a lot of fun." Richard graduated from the Idaho collection.
Northern State with a BS in secondary education in I turned next to a 1939 monograph of Sorbus, by G. N.
Jones in the Journal of the Arnold Arboretum, and was
See Halse, page 10 excited by his report that pioneer Oregon collector, William
Conklin Cusick, had collected the hybrid in the Wallowa
Mountains of northeastern Oregon near the mining
settlement of Cornucopia, Baker County. Cusick called the
entity Pyrus sambucifolia, a name used in Howell’s 1898
Flora of Northwest America for Sorbus scopulina. Jones
reported that a Cusick sheet had been seen at the University
of Minnesota and commented on in 1927 by P. A. Rydberg
in the Journal of the New York Botanical Garden. Rydberg
recognized the specimen as an AmelanchierXSorbus hybrid,
but was apparently unaware that Rehder had named the
hybrid two years earlier. Rydberg’s note includes the
illustration reproduced here.
Despite Rydberg’s note and Jones’ monograph, it had
apparently been overlooked for years that the hybrid had
been collected in Oregon and I wondered if the OSU
Herbarium had any specimens. I started in the Peck
Herbarium where the last sheet in Peck’s Amelanchier
folder was XAmelasorbus. The specimen was annotated
Richard Halse hard at work in the taxonomy lab
See Amelasorbus, page 8
Amelasorbus, continued from front page
Amelasorbus jackii Rehder by an unknown person with the He collected the specimen bearing immature fruits “in
initials E. L. N. in 1936. It is Peck’s number 4169, collected mountains west of Cornucopia.” The sheet was not
2 miles northeast of Cornucopia in 1915 (three years before specifically dated, however Cusick’s label suggests it was
the Jack type collection from Idaho). Although the Peck collected in the 1880s. Like the specimen seen by Rydberg,
specimen is sterile, the foliage is much like the illustration it bears the name Pyrus sambucifolia. It seems likely that
in the Rydberg article, with the general appearance of Cusick collected the hybrid at least 25 years before Peck.
Amelartchier — leaves and leaflets toothed near the tips — Taxonomists agree that XAmelasorbus jackii is most
but with most of the leaves pinnately compound as in likely a hybrid between Amelanchier alnifolia and Sorbus
Sorbus. Peck did not mention the entity in his Manual of scopulina, both of which are found in the Wallowa and
the Higher Plants of Oregon. Clearwater Mountains. The hybrid could thus be expected
At this point I began to suspect that the OSU Herbarium to occur wherever the parent species come in contact.
might also own a Cusick collection of the hybrid, as I was Rehder based his 1925 description in part on plants then
aware that the University of Oregon had purchased growing at the Arnold Arboretum, which he reported had
approximately 10,000 sheets from Cusick around the year been raised from seeds from Jack’s original Idaho
1913. Indeed we do have a Cusick specimen, which I collection. It is unusual for an intergeneric hybrid to
located filed with Sorbus. It was a duplicate of the one seen produce fertile seed, but apparently nothing is yet known
by Rydberg at Minnesota, Cusick’s number 1380. about the ploidy level or breeding system of the hybrids.
Thus the very interesting intergeneric hybrid,
Illustrations of Erythronium oregonum on the front and
XAmelasorbus jackii (common name amelasorbus),
back covers by Linda Ann Vorobik. Drawing of Azolla
although collected in Oregon at least as early as 1915, and
from Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest courtesy of
probably in the 1880s, named in 1925, and noted in print in
University of Washington Press.
1927 and 1939 to have been collected in Oregon, will now,
after over 100 years, be recognized as part of the Oregon
The Oregon Flora Newsletter is published three times a year
flora.
by the Oregon State University Herbarium and the Oregon
I wonder if XAmelasorbus can still be found in the
Flora Project. The Editor is Rhoda Love and the Production
Wallowas near Cornucopia?
Assistant is Alisa Anderson.
Oregon Flora Project Coordinator: [Note: After XAmelasorbus jackii Rehder was added to the
Scott Sundberg Oregon Checklist on the basis of this investigation, it was
Checklist Project Leaders: discovered that the taxon is noted to occur in Oregon in the
Kenton Chambers Rhoda Love Karl Urban PLANTS database.]
Richard Halse Robert Meinkc David Wagner
Jimmy Kagan Brad Smith Peter Zika
Aaron Liston Scott Sundberg
Checklist Advisory Board:
Ed Alverson John Christy Frank Lang
Karen Antell Tom Kaye Don Mansfield
Henrietta Chambers Susan Kcphart Karcen Sturgeon
Atlas Project Leaders:
Robert Frenkel George Lewis Dick Straw
Clay Gautier Aaron Liston Peter Zika
Manuela Huso Bruce Newhouse Don Zobel
Tom Kaye Charlene Simpson
Jon Kimerling Scott Sundberg
Atlas Project Regional Coordinators:
Bruce Barnes Lucile Housley Veva Stansell
Dick Brainerd Jerry Igo Dick Straw
Paula Brooks Andy Robinson Faye Streier
Katie Grenier Charlene Simpson Lisa Wolf
Address correspondence to:
Scott Sundbcrg, Coordinator, Oregon Flora Project
XAmelasorbus jackii, Rehder is intermediate between its putative parents,
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology
Sorbus sitchensis and Amelanchier alnifolia. Drawing from an article by
Oregon State University Cordley Hall 2082
P.A. Rydberg reprinted with permission from the Journal of the New York
Corvallis, OR 97331-2902
Botanical Garden, (28)333 copyright 1927. It is based on a William C. Cusick
E-mail: [email protected] collection from northeastern Oregon, at the University of Minnesota. A
[phone]; FAX [phone] duplicate specimen is filed in the OSU Herbarium.
http://www.orst.edu/dcpt/botany/hcrbarium
Printed on Recycled Paper
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(2) 1998 8
Beware the hybrid gumplant!
by Kenton L. Chambers
abundance of hybrid populations.
I thought of subtitling this article, “How Morton Peck In Oregon we can recognize just five species, one of
was right even when he was wrong.” This would help me which (Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal, curlycup
combine two themes: first, that much of the difficulty in gumweed) may be an adventive weed from farther east in
assigning names to specimens of the genus Grindelia North America, not an original Oregon native. Natural
(gumplants of family Asteraceae) in western Oregon is due wetlands in the Willamette Valley are home to the very
to rampant hybridization between two common species distinctive species, G. integrifolia (Willamette gumweed),
there, and second, that Peck’s Manual of the Higher Plants which ranges from Lane County northward to the Puget
of Oregon does not have the correct name for one of these Sound region. In the latter area it hybridizes abundantly
species, namely Grindelia with the coastal species G.
integrifolia DC. Both of stricta DC. (Oregon
these themes became gumplant), but the
apparent to me recently Willamette Valley
during the preparation of a populations are isolated from
treatment of Grindelia for the coastal ones in Oregon
the Oregon Vascular Plant and there is no intergradation
Checklist. possible.
I have known for many Nonetheless, outside of
years that the genus the valley’s marshlands,
exhibits both hybridization often in pastures and on
and polyploidy, and that in disturbed roadsides, are
fact nearly every species is many gumplants which
able to form hybrids with somewhat resemble G.
related ones where there is integrifolia but clearly do not
geographical contact and fit comfortably into that
disturbed habitat available species. it turns out,
for their interspecific according to Dr. Lane, that
offspring. But that this these are hybrids whose
could be happening in the other parent is a weedy
Willamette Valley did not species, G. nana Nutt. var.
sink in until I read the nana (Idaho gumweed),
comments which Dr. which may have entered the
Meredith Lane attached to valley from east of the
herbarium specimens at Cascades or from the
Oregon State University southwestern parts of the
when she prepared the state. Grindelia nana differs
treatment of the genus for from G. integrifolia in many
The Jepson Manual. morphological traits, but the
Only six species of Grindelia integrifolia, Willamette gumweed, ranges from Lane County hybrids recombine all their

northward to Puget Sound. Hybrids between this species and G. nana var.
Grindelia are recognized nana can be found along roadsides and in pastures in the Willamette Valley. differences and blur one

by Dr. Lane for California, Illustration by John H. Rumely from Hitchcock el al. 1969,Vascular Plants of species into the other.
the Pacific Northwest, courtesy of University of Washington Press.
although nearly twice that For the Oregon Flora
number had been listed in Checklist I have created a
the earlier reference manual A California Flora, by Philip hybrid category for the intermediates, using a formula with
Munz and David Keck. Lane reduced some of Munz & an “x” between the names of the parents: Grindelia
Keck’s “extra” species to varieties, and others she explicitly integrifolia x G. nana var. nana. This will greatly simplify
called interspecific hybrids. Some of the varieties are the naming of many specimens and perhaps will satisfy those
themselves intermediates which blend one species into readers who have been uncomfortable trying to fit the
another. Earlier botanists in California had simply named various hybrid forms into either of the parental species.
too many species of gumplants; they were misled by the
See Gumplant. page 10
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(2) 1998 9
Halse, continued from front page Gumplant, continued from page 9
With the encouragement of Roberts and Miller, Serendipity means discovering the truth through accident.
Richard entered graduate school in botany at the In his Manual of the Higher Plants of Oregon, Morton Peck
University of Arizona in Tucson. Working under accidently confused two different gumplants bearing the
Dr. Charles Mason, he earned his MS in 1973 with a name “integrifolia He should have used the name G.
. ”
thesis on the flora of Canyon de Chelly National integrifolia (proposed by the botanist DeCandolle) as a
Monument. specific epithet for the Willamette gumweed; instead he used
Richard came to Oregon in the 70s to work with a varietal name G. nana var. integrifolia (proposed by the
Kenton Chambers at OSU. He completed his PhD botanist Nuttall for a completely different plant!). Yet, in
here in 1980 with a thesis on the systematics of genus using the name of a variety of G. nana—by mistake—for
Phacelia Section Miltitzia. plants of the Willamette Valley, Dr. Peck was actually
Asked to name the botanists who have most expressing a truth, namely that many gumplants in the valley
inspired him, Richard named Ken Chambers and are hybrids between the wetlands species G. integrifolia
LaRea Johnston at OSU, Dr. Charles Mason, at the and the eastern drylands species G. nana. Although he was
University of Arizona, and his original mentors in technically incorrect in his choice of a name, Morton Peck
South Dakota. understood quite well the mixed-up nature of our western
Richard is currently Curator of the OSU Oregon gumweeds. >'
Herbarium as well as an Instructor in biology and
botany. In addition he holds an appointment in OSU
Extension. In the latter capacity he identifies plants
for the Extension Service and for the general public.
As Herbarium Curator he is responsible for the daily
Wanted: floating ferns and duckweeds
operation of the Herbarium. He explains, “I take care
of the loans, borrowing of specimens and exchanges.
A lot of paperwork is involved in these operations.”
For the Oregon Vascular Plant Checklist Project,
Richard has completed or is currently working on
treatments of a large number of groups including the
Hydrocharitaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae,
Lythraceae, Zosteraceae, Capparidaceae and parts or Azolla
all of the Malvaceae, Hydrophyllaceae,
In Oregon we have two species of floating ferns, or
Ranunculaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Brassicaceae and
water ferns: Azolla filiculoides Lam. and A. mexicana
others. He is currently working on the Boraginaceae.
Presl. These are difficult to identify and previous
Richard was asked what rules govern submission
identifications, which were based on characters that are
of pressed material to the Herbarium. He explained,
not reliable, are suspect. In the Flora of North America
“If a person wishes to submit plants, they must have a
Volume 2, Thomas Lumpkin uses characters of the spores
properly pressed specimen with a sufficient amount of
and leaf hairs to distinguish the two species. The leaf
material - a scrap is unacceptable. A label must
hairs are best observed in fresh material. The floating
accompany the specimen and it must be detailed
ferns are small (usually one to two centimeters in
enough so one may relocate the site.” Minimal
diameter) branching plants that float on the surface of
information is location, collector's name and date.
ponds. They are typically green but often turn red, when
Richard emphasizes that visitors are welcome at
they are most visible from a distance.
the Herbarium. He asks however that they check with
We still have very few records of duckweeds (Family
him at the time of their visit so that the rules
Lemnaceae) from Oregon. If you see floating ferns or
governing the examination of specimens can be
duckweeds (they often grow together) please send
explained. The herbarium is located on the ground
material to me in a moist paper towel inside a sealed
floor of Cordley Hall (Room 1045) on the OSU
plastic bag. A mixed collection is perfectly acceptable. I
campus, and is generally open from 9:00 am to 5:00
will provide an identification and you will be helping us
pm Monday through Friday. Richard's phone number
unravel some of the mysteries of our smallest vascular
is [phone]. V
plants! - Scott Sundberg
OREGON FLORA NEWSLETTER 4(2) 1998 10