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BEN # 163
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No. 163 April 19, 1997
aceska@freenet.victoria.bc.ca Victoria, B.C.
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Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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1997 MEETING OF THE ALASKA RARE PLANT FORUM
From: Alan Batten & Carolyn Parker <fnclp1@aurora.alaska.edu>
originally published in the ALA [University of Alaska,
Anchorage, Herbarium] Newsletter
The meeting of the Alaska Rare Plant Forum in Anchorage on April
2-3 was an enjoyable opportunity to meet with other Alaskan and
Yukon botanists and to catch up on what everyone is doing. Alan
Batten presented results from the upland sites of last summer's
fieldwork for BLM in the Yukon-Tanana Uplands. Carolyn Parker
summarized the high points of the whole 3-year inventory of the
Yukon-Tanana Uplands alpine floristic survey as well as present-
ing her work with Yukon-Charley National Park in the Ogilvie
Mountains and along the Yukon River. These combined surveys have
resulted in a new species for the state flora, Draba ogilvien-
sis, and several new localities for species listed 'Species of
Concern' by USFWS and/or being tracked by the Alaska Natural
Heritage Program.
Mike Emers of the USFWS reported on the Porcupine River trip
that he and David and Barbara Murray took last June investigat-
ing the flora of the dry south-facing bluffs along the river.
The flora of these bluffs has some striking differences from
similar bluffs along the Yukon River. Two new species, a
fleabane (Erigeron) and a hepatic (Asterella) will eventually be
described from this area.
Bruce Bennett of the Canadian Wildlife Service, Whitehorse,
talked about issues affecting rare plants in the Yukon, and
about distributed a preliminary list of rare plants for the
Yukon.
Donna DiFolco of NPS reported on populations of Aster yukonensis
that have been located in the Brooks Range over the last couple
of years.
Randy Meyers of BLM in Kotzebue summarized the status of
Oxytropis arctica var. barnebyana and reported on her fieldwork
along the Squirrel River in northwest Alaska.
Rob DeVelice and Bev Shulz of the US Forest Service talked about
the ecosystem mapping project that the Forest Service is working
on.
Connie Hubbard of the Forest Service talked about their inven-
tory of Arnica norbergii, a taxonomic entity that may or may not
be distinct from A. lessingii, that occurs along the right of
way of the road being built from Portage to Whittier.
Steve Talbot, of USFWS, gave an account of the work he is doing
with CAFF. (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna). CAFF is an
international group trying to come up with a list of Arctic rare
species. Much of their effort has to do with reconciling dif-
ferent taxonomies as well as balancing different ideas of rare-
ness and different ideas of "arctic" espoused by different
nations. Dave Murray has also been involved in this work.
Rob gave us the latest list from the Alaska Natural Heritage
Program of Alaskan species ranked S3 and rarer. He also reported
on fieldwork with Dave Murray on the Seward Peninsula, and
described several rare taxa known from that area, including a
new species for Alaska, Douglasia beringensis."
[Thanks to Bruce Bennett <Bruce.Bennett@ec.gc.ca> for sending
me this article, and to the authors for permission to post it on
BEN. - AC]
SIX NEW INTRODUCED SPECIES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
From: Frank Lomer, Honourary Research Associate, UBC
Herbarium, Vancouver, B.C. c/o <ubc@unixg.ubc.ca>
1. Anchusa arvensis (L.) M. Bieb. - Boraginaceae
Found growing around a Post Office box at the corner of Highway
3 and Highway 41 (south to USA) next to Rilkofs Store, Almond
Gardens, a few km west of Grand Forks. A bristly hispid plant
that looks a lot like Amsinckia, but has clear blue flowers. A
few more plants were seen in an adjacent pumpkin field. Col-
lected September 20, 1996 (Lomer 96-157).
2. Chenopodium pumilio R.Br. - Chenopodiaceae
This Australian weed looks a lot like C. botrys except that the
flowers appear in small glomerules at the base of the reduced
upper leaves, instead of branched panicles as in the latter
species. First seen in Urands Nursery (a very good plant shop),
Highway 3 at the south end of Christina Lake, east of Grand
Forks. C. pumilio is sparsely established along the beach in
front of the private lots west of Christina Lake Provincial
Park. It grows in sandy ground when the lake has receded in late
summer. There were also quite a few large plants in soil piles
along a dirt road nearby. Collected September 20, l996 (Lomer
96-160).
3. Hordeum murinum L. ssp. glaucum (Steudel) Tzvelev - Poaceae
A small clump of this weedy annual grass was growing in sand by
the beach path in front of the tennis courts, Kitsilano Beach,
Vancouver. H. murinum ssp. murinum is abundant along the same
beach. Subspecies glaucum has a wider inflorescence that is
purplish tinted in summer. The central spikelet is stalked and
the central floret is somewhat less than the lateral florets.
Collected July 4,l996 (Lomer 96-099).
4. Rudbeckia laciniata L. - Asteraceae
Collected on Lion Island, west of Annacis Island in the south
arm of the Fraser River between Richmond and Delta, on October
16, 1996 (Lomer 96-181). About 6-10 plants were seen on this
uninhabited island along the tidal shore in swampy ground with
Phalaris arundinacea and cattails. Grown in gardens and fre-
quently escaped in temperate regions. A single plant was also
reported from the ponds at Jericho Beach Park in Vancouver.
5. Soliva sessilis Ruiz & Pavon - Asteraceae
A South American weed that has the appearance of a small umbel-
lifer. Growing on seasonal moist, trampled ground in a natural
grassy area near the amphitheater in Ruckle Point Provincial
Park, Saltspring Island. Collected May 18, 1996 (Lomer 96-007).
This species formed a relatively large patch with many hundreds
of small, more or less prostrate plants. This population has
achenes with slight wing margins formerly known as S. daucifolia
Nutt., but The Jepson Manual includes it along with S.
pterosperma (Juss.) Less. as been merely forms of S. sessilis.
More common in California.
6. Trifolium striatum L. - Fabaceae
Collected by Terry Taylor next to Village Bay Ferry booth, Mayne
Island, June 1, 1996 (Taylor 96-7).
NEW BOOK: THE NATURAL HISTORY OF POLLINATION
Proctor, M., P. Yeo, & A. Lack. 1996. The natural history of
pollination. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 479 p. ISBN 0-
88192-352-4 [Hardback], ISBN 0-88192-353-2 [Paperback] Cost:
US$ 42.95 [Hardback], US$24.95 [Paperback]
Ordering information: Toll-free number for credit card orders
(US+Canada) 1-800-327-5680; in Canada call Cavendish Books:
1-800-665-3166.
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