Flora | Deer Canyon Folks.org

Fragrant Sand Verbena — June 2010

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:18:39 -0600

Snowballs in Deer Canyon Preserve in June? You bet! Just wander through our sandy-soiled open fields (for example along the trail leading east from the Preserve Center) and you are likely to come across fragrant sand verbena, oftentimes in great abundance. Abronia fragrans is also known as sweet sand verbena, snowball sand verbena, and my personal favorite, heart’s delight. The genus name comes from the Greek word abros meaning graceful or delicate. This attribute can be applied to many aspects of fragrant sand verbena such as the rounded, smooth leaves or the arching purplish stems that bear the new, unopened flower buds (seen to the right of the opened flower in the above photo), but it specifically refers to the whorl of paper-thin bracts that surrounds each developing flower cluster. The species epithet fragrans comes from the Latin word fragere, meaning sweet smelling.

Fragrant sand verbena, despite its delicate appearance, is a very hardy perennial that grows from a substantial taproot. Stems grow upright or more commonly in a widely sprawling pattern that gives the overall plant an open, somewhat unorganized look. Erect stem growth may produce a plant as tall as 3 feet, but usually these rambling plants are about half that tall. Both stems and leaves are covered with hairs that make the plant surfaces somewhat sticky. Oval or egg-shaped leaves arise rather sparsely along the stems in an opposite arrangement. Often the two leaves in each pair are distinctly different sizes with the largest leaves getting about three inches long. Each leaf is connected to the stem by a distinct stalk (or petiole) and the leaf surfaces have a somewhat blue-green color.

Round clusters, each consisting of 25-80 individual white flowers, adorn these plants from May to August. Some flowers may have a slight pink tint and the clusters measure two to three inches across. Each individual flower is a long trumpet-shaped funnel with both male and female parts located inside the floral tube. The flowers typically open in the late afternoon emitting a sweet fragrance and close sometime the next morning. Hawkmoths are the most probable pollinators.

Despite its common name, fragrant sand verbena is not a member of the verbena family; rather it is a member of the Nyctaginaceae, or four o’clock family (desert four o’clock was our July 2009 plant of the month). Tubular flowers that technically have no petals characterize members of the four o’clock family. What appear to be petals are actually colored sepals fused into a tube. The taproot of Abronia fragrans is edible and Native Americans are known to have ground the roots and mixed it with corn meal. The resulting food was thought to stimulate the appetite and keep one from becoming greedy. Eating the fresh flowers was believed to be good for stomachaches. And a cold infusion of the plant was used as a lotion to treat sores, boils, and insect bites. Like an unexpected burst of fireworks, let this distinctive wildflower delight your heart and stimulate all your senses.

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Fendler’s Penstemon — May 2010

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:27:25 -0600

This month many open areas of the Preserve are decorated with erect stalks sporting regularly-spaced tubular flowers that are somewhat reminiscent of miniature lavender signposts pointing in all directions; like dry gulch - 22 miles, or big cat butte – 7 miles (if you dare). This sturdy perennial wildflower is Fendler’s penstemon, also known as Fendler’s beardtongue, with the comparatively easy to remember scientific name Penstemon fendleri. Penstemon comes from two Greek words, pente meaning five, and stemon the name of the male flower part we call a stamen. So this genus name means having five stamens and one of those five stamens in a penstemon flower is sterile and looks different than the other four pollen- producing stamens. Called a staminoid, this oddball has a hairy tip and is located at the throat of the floral tube, hence the other common name for flowers in this genus, beardtongue. The specific epithet is for Augustus Fendler, the same prolific German plant collector introduced in our March 2009 essay (Fendler’s bladderpod).

Fendler’s penstemon is easily recognized even when it’s not flowering by its triangular, thick, waxy, almost succulent gray-green leaves. The larger basal leaves have short petioles and smooth edges. The leaves along the stem arise in a paired, opposite pattern and lack petioles, sometimes with the leaf bases clasping the stem. All the leaves appear somewhat folded upward and their size diminishes up the stem until the leaves subtending the whorls of one to three flowers are small bracts. Fendler’s penstemon plants typically have one or very few stalks that can grow up to two feet tall. It is not unusual to find over half the length of these slender, erect stems bearing flowers.

The flowers of Fendler’s penstemon begin opening in late April and continue well into June. Their color may range from violet to blue, most commonly soft lavender. Individual flowers consist of five outer sepals fused into a cup with five lobes, and five petals fused into a narrow tube up to one inch long. The five lobes at the end of the floral tube are organized into two lips that are bent backwards. The upper lip has two lobes and the lower lip has three lobes. Purple lines decorate the inside the floral tube and the hairless anthers at the tips of the four fertile stamens do not protrude from the tube. Also visible inside the floral tube is the single staminoid with its hairy yellow tip. The fruit of Fendler’s penstemon develops as a dry olive-shaped capsule containing many seeds.

The genus Penstemon is unusually large with about 275 species all of which are endemic to North America. The 42 native species in New Mexico make Penstemon the third largest genus in our state in terms of number of species. To date, I have identified six species on the Preserve. The genus has traditionally been classified in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), however recent DNA evidence has necessitated moving this genus into the family Plantaginaceae. Of course you will still find penstemons listed in the family Scrophulariaceae in all but the very latest reference books. The only traditional use of Penstemon fendleri by Native Americans that I turned up was for the treatment of arrow or gunshot wounds by Navajos. Nonetheless Fendler’s penstemon and other penstemon species will continue to stand out as boldly colorful signal plants of our Southwestern American flora.

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Easter Daisy — April 2010

Thu, 20 May 2010 11:14:29 -0600

Those who walk the Preserve in the spring with eyes carefully scanning the surface of the ground are occasionally rewarded by a bright clump of flowers appearing to emerge directly from the earth. What might look like a bouquet of silk flowers that had been cut off near the top with its stem stumps stuck straight into the ground is actually a striking spring bloomer called Easter daisy, stemless daisy, or stemless Townsend daisy. Townsendia exscapa was named to honor the American banker and botanist from West Chester, Pennsylvania, David Townsend (1787-1858). There are ten species of the genus Townsendia that are native in New Mexico; the species name exscapa refers to the absence of visible stems in this species from the Latin words ex (without) and scapus (a stalk). The Easter daisy can be found in dry plains, hillsides, and openings in piñon-juniper woodlands throughout much of Western North America, from Mexico to Canada.

Easter daisy is a perennial with a thick, branching taproot. A cluster of basal leaves emerges from the root crown with a gray color owing to a covering of microscopic hairs. Individual leaves are linear, up to two inches long and about 1/8 inch in width with smooth edges and a pointed tip. Typically obscured by the flowers, the leaves are evergreen, therefore they can be observed throughout the year, after the flowering season and even during the winter months.

An array of tightly clustered flowers covers the leafy mound from March to June. Another member of our largest family of wildflowers, the Asteraceae, each Easter daisy flower is actually a head made up of dozens of tightly packed smaller individual flowers. The outer ring consists of ray flowers each sporting a single white petal about 3/4 inch long that may be tinged with lavender. The numerous inner disk flowers have a much smaller tube of yellow petals surrounding both male and female sex organs. Each floral head measures up to two inches across and the effect of several overlapping floral heads completely covering the plant is quite striking. The fruits produced by the disk flowers have rigid bristles emerging from one end that facilitate dispersal by wind.

Easter daisies have relatively few, but quite diverse uses by Native Americans. Navajos used the plant as a gynecological aid; leaves were chewed directly or used to prepare an infusion to be taken during childbirth to ease the delivery. They were also used as part of the Navajo unraveling ceremony, a healing ritual designed to remove “ugly things” from the patient’s body. Blackfoot Indians prepared a decoction of Easter daisy roots which they gave to tired horses to help them recover.

I have come to regard the Easter daisy as a somewhat odd and mysterious plant. It has attributes of an alpine plant such as diminished stature (rarely exceeding two inches in height) and a tightly mounded growth habit, yet it grows in the desert. The bold, artificial-looking blooms appear rather out of place hugging the ground and seemingly arising out of nowhere. Adding to the unusual nature of the Easter daisy is the fact that in my experience the plants are solitary; I have yet to find multiple individuals in the same locale. So it is always a special treat to come across one of these remarkable “ground bouquets,” not only does the Easter daisy brighten my day, it invariably provides me cause to wonder.

PDF of this essay here.

Blackfoot Daisy — March 2010

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:09:32 -0600

The recent unusually wet winter promises an abundance of flowers this year: especially great news for the cheery blackfoot daisy which has one of the longest blooming periods of any of our native wildflowers. Also known as the plains blackfoot or sometimes rock daisy, this plant favors rocky soil in dry hills and canyons and pops up in a variety of open spaces throughout the Preserve. A member of the daisy, or composite family (Asteraceae), its genus name, Melampodium, means black foot from the Greek words mela, black, and podion, foot. Melampodium leucanthum is one of three native blackfoot species in New Mexico and the only one I have found thus far on the Preserve. Leucanthum describes the flowers from the Greek leukos meaning white and anthos meaning flower.

Blackfoot daisy is a low growing perennial that tends to form round, bushy plants rarely more than a foot high and sometimes up to two feet wide. The stems may be reddish in color and become woody at the base of the plant. Leaves are straplike in shape with smooth edges, less than a quarter inch wide and up to two inches long. They are arranged in an opposite pattern on the stem and are covered with stiff hairs lying flat on the surface of the leaf. The effect of the hairs is to give the plant’s herbage a grayish color.

Plants are typically covered with honey-scented white flowers all summer and into the fall. Single flowers about one inch in diameter occur at the ends of hairless stalks up to four inches long. As a member of the daisy family (remember golden crownbeard and tansy aster), the flowers we recognize are actually “composites” of many individual flowers tightly clustered into a single head. Blackfoot daisies have 8-10 outer white ray flowers on each head. A single ray flower has a broad petal with a notched end and a much smaller female pistil. When pollinated, relatively large black seeds will develop in the base of each ray flower; hence the name blackfoot. Dozens of yellow disk flowers form the center of the head and release pollen from male stamens. Pistils are also present on the disk flowers, but they are sterile and therefore do not develop seeds.

Although my searching did not turn up any references to uses of this plant by Native Americans, I have to surmise that these compact rounded plants with abundant perky flowers must have been plucked out of the ground whole for use as a readymade bouquet by many folks over the years. And individual flowers on long stalks certainly would lend themselves to be woven into hair, headdresses, or other decorative items. Fortunately one does not have to pick the flowers or pull up the plant to appreciate the blackfoot daisy’s jovial nature as it makes an effective border decoration in any native plant garden and is most effective in rock gardens. At the very least it smiles joyfully to all who happen upon it in the wild, so be sure to be on watch for this merry friend on your summer strolls through the Preserve.

A pdf of this essay is available here.

White Stem Evening Primrose — February 2010

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:25:34 -0600

Sporting unusually large white blooms on relatively small plants, the white stem evening primrose is one of our most conspicuous spring wildflowers. This widespread plant prefers sandy soil and sunny openings of foothills or semi-desert regions. There are 34 native evening primrose species in New Mexico classified in the genus Oenothera. Linneaus adopted the Greek name for the genus of these plants, a name arising from the Greek words oinos, meaning wine, and therao, meaning to seek or to imbibe. Apparently the Greeks commonly used the root of one evening primrose species to flavor wine. The white stem evening primrose (also called prairie evening primrose, palestem evening primrose, and whitest evening primrose) is the speciesOenothera albicaulis. The species epithet derives from the Latin words albus, meaning white, and caulis, meaning stem.

White stem evening primrose is an annual with upright stems that may be branched. The stems are covered with light hairs that give the stems their distinctive whitish cast. Plants tend to grow in a spreading habit that gives them a clumped appearance, rarely exceeding 20 inches in height. The basal leaves grow to two inches in length with variable shapes and may have smooth or lobed edges. The leaves growing from the stems are long and thin, with evenly spaced short projections giving those leaves a comb-like appearance.

Flowers arise individually from upper leaf axils (where the leaf joins the stem) starting in late April and some plants may bloom sporadically throughout much of the growing season. An individual flower typically opens in the late afternoon and remains open through the night when moths, the primary pollinators, are active. Flowers tend to turn pink as they begin to wither the next morning. Each flower has four sepals that bend backwards as the flower opens and four somewhat heart-shaped white petals about one inch in length and width. Eight protruding stamens surround a single pistil that bears four conspicuous linear lobes at its tip. The fruits are cylindrical capsules containing many seeds.

The evening primrose family, Onagraceae, is well-represented in the Southwestern United States. In addition to Oenothera, there are eight other genera and about two dozen other species found in New Mexico alone. Clearly the family is well-suited to arid conditions. Native Americans are known to have prepared a poultice from white stem evening primrose used to treat swellings and for throat problems. A decoction of the roots was applied as a lotion for sore muscles. Some Apaches gathered and ate the fruits as well as collecting seeds that were ground and used as an ingredient in gravy. And the lovely white flowers were commonly used in weddings and other ceremonies. Such a bright, yet delicate blossom is indeed a fitting symbol of innocence and purity; we are most fortunate to have this reminder of nature’s grace just outside our doorstep.

Downloadable pdf of this essay is here.

Claret Cup Cactus — January 2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:18:51 -0700

In the midst of this unusually snowy winter we would all welcome some vibrant color in the landscape and no plant on the Preserve provides that commodity like the claret cup cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus. Also known as kingcup cactus and Mojave mound cactus, this beauty is usually found at the base of an accommodating juniper tree as claret cup is one of the few cacti that prefers a little shade. It can be found in many parts of New Mexico, tucked into rocky slopes, mountain woodlands, as well as lower desert areas. Members of the genus Echinocereus (from the Greek echinos meaning hedgehog or sea urchin and cereus meaning waxy) are commonly referred to as the hedgehog cacti. One of 11 New Mexico native species in this genus, the species name triglochidiatus, also derives from Greek words that mean bearing three spines.

Individual stems of claret cup cacti are barrel shaped, 3-6” wide and up to one foot tall. It is a mounding cactus, sometimes found with dozens of stems in a cluster. Stems have a variable number of prominent ribs (usually seven) that bear groups of spines from distinct raised spots called areoles. A few prominent gray spines grow from each areole that are up to three inches long and quite hefty. The number of large spines/areole varies from one to six (rarely more), with groups of three, as suggested by the species epithet, being quite common on some individuals.

The earliest of our local cactus species to flower, claret cup produces its brilliant scarlet flowers in May. Individual flowers typically arise just below the top of the stem and remain open for 2-3 days. Somewhat funnel- shaped, each flower is about two inches wide and three inches long. The distinctive red petals are thick and waxy with rounded ends. A tight cluster of thin-stalked pink stamens can be found in the center of the flower surrounding a substantial pistil with a green stigma to receive pollen. Claret cup flowers have a nectar chamber at the inside base of the flower and are pollinated by hummingbirds. The hummers must push their face into the mass of stamens to receive their reward, ensuring they will leave the flower with a dusting of pollen on their cheeks.

Claret cup cactus produces fleshy rounded fruits about one inch long and variable in color from green to yellow to pink. The outside of each fruit has spines that typically fall off (or may be rubbed off) and the inside consists of a juicy white edible pulp surrounding the black seeds. In addition to the fruits, Native Americans are known to have eaten the stems. After burning off the spines, claret cup stems were mashed and baked with sugar to produce sweet cakes: most fitting, in my view, for a plant with such a delicious and captivating floral display.

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Ponderosa Pine — December 2009

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:15:46 -0700

Ponderosa pine is found only in the higher elevations of Deer Canyon Preserve. But it grows in so many areas throughout the western United States that it is generally recognized as the most common and widespread of all our western conifers. The famous Scottish botanist David Douglas first discovered this species in Washington in 1826. Its scientific name, Pinus ponderosa, is identical to its common name; Pinus is the Latin word for pine and ponderosa is Latin for large (or ponderous). This name is particularly appropriate as ponderosa pine is the tallest of all North American pines. The New Mexico state champion stands 129 feet tall, however ponderosa pines in other parts of the West grow more than 100 feet taller than that. It is also a relatively long-lived pine, sometimes reaching over 650 years old.

The bark of young trees is rather dark, but when the tree approaches 100 years of age the bark typically lightens and forms distinct yellow-orange plates that often have the appearance of jigsaw puzzle pieces. The bark is thick, fire resistant, resinous, and often has a pleasant aroma reminiscent of vanilla. Branches, which are typically lacking on the bottom portion of older trees, have dark colored twigs that bear needles in clusters of three. The long, yellow-green needles grow up to ten inches in length.

Male cones can be found in short dense clusters at the tips of some twigs in the spring. These small yellow or orange cones release their pollen in May and quickly wither and fall from the tree. Female cones, located near the tips of other twigs will receive the wind-blown pollen and begin a slow maturation process that takes over 16 months. During this developmental period the sperm carried inside the pollen grains fertilizes egg cells, then embryos develop surrounded by food reserves forming mature seeds ready for release in the fall of the second year. By this time the overall cone will have developed dozens of somewhat flexible woody scales and grown to an overall size of three to six inches. Each scale will bear a short prickle at its tip that is typically curved downward.

One might expect that such a common tree would have been used in many ways over the years and ponderosa pine does not disappoint. Native Americans used this tree for food, building materials, medicines, and ceremonial purposes. Seeds, buds, and the living inner bark tissue were eaten. Wood was used to construct buildings, fence posts, canoes and specialty items such as snowshoes and cradleboards. Resin was used as a waterproofing agent as well as for the preparation of ointments for sores and other ailments. Pollen and needles were used in healing ceremonies and branches were often burned in sweat lodges.

Ponderosa pine is ever as important today. It provides food, shelter, and nesting materials for a wide range of birds and other wildlife species. It is also a very effective plant for erosion control purposes. Ponderosa is regarded as the most commercially valuable pine species in the West. For example Oregon, the largest supplier of ponderosa pine lumber in the country, produces approximately 1.3 billion board feet annually. Indeed one need look no further than the attractive and functional vigas in many of the homes in Deer Canyon to see dramatic examples of the value and beauty of this tree.

Downloadable essay here.

Winterfat — November 2009

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:50:56 -0700

Every fall the open areas of Deer Canyon Preserve are decorated with low-growing shrubs topped with erect stems that resemble long fingers of silvery cotton candy. Known as winterfat because of its value as winter browse, this playful plant also goes by the common names white sage, winter sage, feather sage, sweet sage, and lambstail. Its scientific name is much less fanciful: Krascheninnikovia lanata. The genus honors Stephan Petrovich Krascheninnikov, a Russian botanist who accompanied the Danish explorer Bering on the Great Northern Expedition to Siberia from 1733 to 1743. The species epithet is particularly descriptive, meaning wooly, from the Latin word for wool, lana.

Winterfat is a perennial shrub that can be found in deserts, arid grasslands, woodland edges at almost all but the highest elevations throughout western North America. With both a long taproot and a network of fibrous roots near the surface it is a highly successful plant and can be unusually long-lived; one plant in Idaho was documented at 136 years old. A number of hairy stems arise from a central woody stem, but the plant rarely exceeds two feet in height. The leaves are up to 2” long and narrow with rolled edges. A dense covering of hairs gives the leaves a light gray color and they tend to remain on the plant throughout the winter. A new set of leaves will replace them in the spring.

As a member of the Chenopodiaceae, the goosefoot family, winterfat typically has separate male and female plants (like four-winged saltbush, another member of the Chenopodiaceae that was featured last November). Sometimes, however, the plants are monoecious with the male flowers positioned at the end of the stems and the female flowers below them on the same stem. Both male and female flowers are highly reduced in size, with no petals present. The left photo above shows clusters of male flowers that release pollen to the wind in mid summer at the ends of the longer branches. Other plants, like the one in the right photo above, bear clusters of female flowers that receive the pollen and develop small fruits each with one seed. The seed coats are covered with white silky hairs about 1/2” long, hence the wooly appearance. Seeds may be easily collected from the “cottony fingers” of female plants (photo below), but the seeds only remain viable for one or two years.

With a protein content above 10%, winterfat is a very good winter food source for cattle and a variety of wildlife species including antelope, deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. Its high seed germination rate and relatively fast growth rate make winterfat a good choice for erosion control projects and for efforts to reclaim areas of disturbed soil. Hopi Indians used powdered winterfat roots to dress burns and a decoction of its leaves to treat fevers. Navajos would apply chewed winterfat leaves to poison ivy and also used the plant to treat sores, boils, and smallpox. There’s no questioning the utility of this common shrub, and its value as a native landscape plant, but I must confess I like to have it around simply because it makes me smile.

Downloadable essay here.

Blue grama — October 2009

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:19:36 -0700

Our native plant for this month may not be the most eye-catching or conspicuous plant of Deer Canyon Preserve, but if we were to rate all our native plants according to the number of individuals growing on the Preserve, blue grama grass would clearly be at the top of the list. It is the dominant grass in the rangelands of our region and it grows profusely in virtually all open areas of the Preserve. The scientific name of blue grama is Bouteloua gracilis. Bouteloua honors the brothers Claudio and Esteban Boutelou, Spanish gardeners who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Boutelou brothers planted and maintained the living collections brought back to Spain from the New World by the Spanish botanists Sesse and Mocino who headed the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain from 1787–1803. The species name, gracilis, is a Latin word meaning slender and graceful which aptly describes the leaves of blue grama. Bouteloua gracilis is also known by the common names graceful grama grass, signal-arm grass, eyelash grass, and mosquito grass.

Blue grama is a warm season perennial grass that tolerates drought, salinity, and modest alkalinity. It does not grow in dense shade, flooded areas, or acid soils. The highly branched, shallow root system of blue grama is able to quickly absorb any available moisture. Its bluish green leaves are relatively short (3–6”), flat, narrow, and taper to a point.

In the late summer blue grama sends up 7-18 inch tall flowering stems that bear 1 to 3 branches which stick out at a right angle from the stem (hence the name signal-arm). Each of these side branches is adorned with 20-90 tiny flowers called spikelets. The flowers of grass plants are specialized for wind pollination and produce anthers (pollen-bearing structures) that dangle from each flower which appear light green in the photo above. After pollination, a small seed develops in each flower and when mature, the branch bends forming an arc that helps to separate and disperse the seeds (hence the name eyelash – see the photo below). Like many bunchgrasses, blue grama also reproduces asexually by a process called tillering which involves sending out stems from the base of the plant that may establish new clumps of leaves.

In 1973, Bouteloua gracilis was designated as the official state grass of New Mexico. A most appropriate choice, blue grama has long been recognized as an excellent livestock food with a high protein content. In addition, it tolerates close grazing and is palatable all year. Blue grama also provided nourishment for some Native Americans when the seeds were ground with corn meal and water to produce mush. Other records indicate that its stems were tied together to make a fine brush used to clean metates. Local lore has it that blue grama is useful in forecasting the severity of the upcoming winter. When most of the flowering stems bear one spike, a mild winter is anticipated, but when two or more spikes appear on most of the flowering stems, prepare for the worst. According to my brief and completely unscientific recent survey, I have no plans to invest in snowshoes for this winter.

A Botanical View – The Grasses: A Particularly Important Family of Plants.

The grass family, Poaceae (formerly Gramineae), while often overlooked, is a widespread and extremely useful group of plants. In New Mexico the Poaceae, with 118 genera and 424 species, is second only to the Asteraceae (see last month’s essay) with respect to statewide diversity. The genus Bouteloua, by the way, has 16 native species in New Mexico. On a global scale, grasses are the fourth most diverse family based on number of species (approximately 9,700), but they are unsurpassed among the world’s flowering plants in terms of the amount of land surface area dominated. And some species of grass even thrive in aquatic habitats.

The extensive ecological success of grasses is perhaps exceeded by their economic significance. More than any other plant family, grasses feed the human population. Humans have cultivated cereals for over 10,000 years and the advent of agriculture is widely regarded as the key to the development of civilization. Today, the majority of the calories consumed by the human population come from members of the Poaceae. The four most important crops in terms of worldwide production are all grasses (wheat, rice, maize, and sugarcane). Beyond feeding humanity, grasses are used for food and habitat by countless animals, both wild and domesticated. Bamboo is becoming increasingly important as a construction material as well as providing fiber for paper and pulp for rayon. Grasses are particularly useful in erosion control efforts, preventing the loss of valuable topsoil. We play most of our games, both professionally and recreationally, on grass and the presence of natural expanses of meadows and other grasslands significantly enhances our enjoyment and appreciation of many natural habitats. So many aspects of our way of life, perhaps our very existence, rely directly on this unassuming, often inconspicuous group of plants. I wonder when the last time was that any of us thanked a grass?

Downloadable essay here.

Tansy Aster — September 2009

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:55:44 -0600

Many roadsides and open areas of Deer Canyon Preserve are painted with mounds of purple this fall owing to a profusion of purple aster species. One prevalent such species is Machaeranthera tanacetifolia, the tansy aster. This genus name is derivedfrom the Greek word for sword, “machaira,” noting the tiny sword-shaped anthers (pollen sacs) in the flowers of members of this genus. The species epithet is based on a more easily observed characteristic of the plant, its leaves which are quite similar to those of the tansy plant (genus Tanacetum). Other common names for tansy aster are tansyleaf tansyaster, tansyleaf aster, prairie aster, and Tahoka daisy (seeds of this species are collected around Tahoka, Texas for commercial use).

The tansy aster is an annual plant that typically grows in open, dry habitats and prefers sandy soil. Below ground it forms a taproot to acquire and store water and above ground the plant tends to branch extensively from its base. Consequently tansy aster plants are low-growing bushy plants, rarely exceeding 18 inches in height. Leaves are positioned in an alternate pattern along the stems and are highly dissected, giving the leaves a fern- like appearance. The leaves are a gray-green in color and form small spines at their tips.

Flowers arise at the ends of stems and branches from June through October. As a member of the aster (or daisy, or sunflower) family, Asteraceae, each tansy aster flower is actually composed of dozens of individual flowers tightly compressed into a flattened head. Consequently, botanists have traditionally referred to this large group of plants as the “composites.” The outer ring of flowers (called ray flowers) each develops a long narrow petal or ray that is a pale purple to lavender color. The yellow central flowers are called disk flowers and each one has both male and female parts. After pollination, each female structure will develop a seed that will become surrounded with a dry protective fruit covering. Consequently after the other floral parts wither and fall away, the original flower head is left with a fuzzy round cluster of dry fruits, each containing a seed ready to be carried off by the wind (or some accommodating animal) as evident in the center of the photo below. This fruit structural arrangement and dispersal mechanism is reminiscent of the common dandelion, which is also a member of the aster family.

Because of its long flowering period, colorful flowers, and drought resistance, tansy aster is good choice for a native wildflower garden in Deer Canyon Preserve. It is available in local nurseries that feature native plants, but would have to be planted each spring since it is an annual (alternatively, one could rely on the tansy aster’s self-seeding abilities). It has been reported that tansy aster was used as a respiratory aid (dried root used as snuff to induce sneezing) by Navajo Indians and they used a decoction of the plant to treat stomachache. Hopi Indians also used a decoction of this plant as a general stimulant. Personally, I see no need to ingest this plant; its delightful and abundant flowers are perfectly sufficient to stimulate good cheer.

A Botanical View – The Asteraceae: An Evolutionary Success Story.

How does one measure the evolutionary success of a particular group of organisms? There is no one single answer to this intriguing biological question, but one key factor must be diversity. And if number of different species is considered to be a meaningful measure of diversity then the Asteraceae (formerly Compositae) is the most evolutionarily successful of all plant families with 1535 genera and approximately 23,000 different species worldwide. It is clearly the most diverse plant family in New Mexico with 135 genera and 629 species. And of the 214 species of vascular plants on my far from complete Deer Canyon Preserve inventory, 53, roughly 25%, are members of the Asteraceae.

As would be expected in a family with such diversity, there are relatively few general features that all species have in common. Members of the Asteraceae are mostly herbaceous plants, but several are shrubs and a few are trees. And they are found in a wide range of habitats, but are especially prevalent in temperate regions and open and/or dry habitats. The feature that all members of the family share is that their flowers are more or less densely aggregated into “heads” usually containing an indeterminate number of individual flowers. These heads often appear to be single flowers with a ring of “petals” (each such petal is actually an individual ray flower) that are subtended by one or more rows of “sepals” (each sepal is actually a bract, or modified leaf structure associated with a flower). The actual sepals associated with each individual flower in the head are highly modified usually into microscopic hair like structures forming what is called a pappus.

Fortunately it is not necessary to be familiar with all the details and terminology associated with the floral structures to recognize most members of this family. The floral heads of familiar garden plants such as asters, zinnias, marigolds, chrysanthemums, dahlias, and sunflowers are all readily apparent as “composites.” For such a large family, it is surprising that relatively few species are of commercial importance other than as garden plants. The few food crops in the family include lettuce, endive, artichoke, and sunflower (seeds and oil). And among the Asteraceae there are only a few spice plants such as tarragon, chicory, and wormwood. Nevertheless members of this family contribute immensely to the diversity of plants in our natural landscape with their ubiquitous displays of evolutionary success.

Download this essay here.

Blue Trumpets — August 2009

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:22:25 -0600

It only takes one look at the flowers of Ipomopsis longiflora to understand why the name blue trumpets is so appropriate for this plant. Still I prefer the common name pale trumpets because it is more suggestive of the delicate appearance of the plant and the subtle color of its flowers. Other common names for this plant are flax-flowered ipomopsis, long- flowered gilly, trumpet gilia, blue gilia, and pale-flowered gilia (Ipomopsis longiflora had previously been classified as Gilia longiflora, which helps explain some of its common names). Whatever common name you prefer, it denotes a plant with a wispy character and a delightfully shaped flower. The unusual flower shape is the basis for its species epithet, longiflora, and its genus name, Ipomopsis, implies a resemblance to flowers in the genus Ipomoea, which contains the morning glories.

Blue trumpets are annual, or sometimes biennial plants that occasionally reach two feet in height. They tend to branch extensively at the base, producing many thin stems. The open branching pattern makes the plants appear spindly, usually growing more outward than upward. The leaves are quite thin and sparsely positioned in an alternate arrangement on the stems. Overall blue trumpet plants have a flimsy, almost frail appearance which belies their hardy nature. The plants are actually very drought resistant and flourish in semi-desert hillsides and dry woodland openings.

Flowers appear at the tips of most branches forming loose clusters starting in June and continuing through the end of summer. Each flower has five sepals fused into a short tube. The five petals are also fused forming a long, thin tube up to two inches in length. At the end of the tube, the five petals flatten out forming individual lobes with pointed tips. Flower color ranges from white to light violet blue. There are also five stamens of uneven length some of which may just barely protrude from the floral tube. The single pistil has a three-lobed stigma (the surface that receives pollen). The light color and tubular shape suggests blue trumpets are moth pollinated. Successful reproduction leads to the formation of a capsule about long containing numerous seeds.

2009 has been a particularly good year for Ipomopsis longiflora on the Preserve as we have enjoyed expansive stands of flowering plants all summer long. I. longiflora is one of 13 species of Ipomopsis that are native to New Mexico; to date I have found three other species growing at Deer Canyon. A member of the phlox family (Polemoniaceae), blue trumpets have been used in Native American medicine for stomachache and other intestinal problems, as a disinfectant and a hair tonic, and for treating arthritis. Contrary to their trumpet moniker (which would imply a bold, even daring announcement), the presence of blue trumpets in the landscape makes a very light, almost whimsical statement adding a most valuable component to our ensemble of southwestern native wildflowers.

A Botanical View – Plant diversity in New Mexico.

As I begin the second year of these monthly native plant descriptions, it seems appropriate to consider the topic of plant diversity. The botanist in me made it important to have the first 12 plants in the series represent different families. I can’t explain exactly why that was an important goal, but it somehow satisfied a need to pay tribute to the diversity of plants at Deer Canyon Preserve, a diversity that is much higher than one might expect (especially in light of the fact that probably over 95% of the trees on the Preserve are one of only two species). This month we encounter the first repeat family, Polemoniaceae, the phlox family.

Plant diversity is usually measured in terms of the number of different species growing in a given space so one of the things I have been working on is accumulating a species list for the Preserve (I had a great start on this project during my second year here from Gene Jercinovic, author of “Wildflowers of the Manzanos,” who helped me identify over 150 species, primarily in Goat Canyon). My list is currently over 225 species and the end is nowhere in sight. Botanists have traditionally focused at the family level in describing diversity and I can report that my list includes 51 plant families.

The diversity of plants in the state of New Mexico is also quite high with a total of 156 families and 3,696 species of vascular plants growing in our state. If we exclude the 12% of species that are exotic, the numbers of native plants are 148 families and 3,236 species. It is noteworthy that among those native plants are 104 species endemic to New Mexico from 30 different families. This rich diversity of native plants is largely a result of the fact that a variety of plant communities from surrounding states converge in our state. So New Mexico has portions of the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Chihuahuan Desert, Mogollon Mountains, and the Colorado Plateau. Our elevation ranges from 2,817 to 13,161 feet and average annual precipitation from about 8 inches to 30 inches. These and many additional geological, topographic, and climatic factors combine to produce a surprising range of habitats supporting such an impressive array of plant species in our state.

Reference - Kelly W. Allred, 2008, “Flora Neomexicana I: The Vascular Plants of New Mexico,” lulu.com.

PDF of this essay here.

Desert Four O’Clock — July 2009

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:17:50 -0600

Perhaps the showiest wildflower on the Preserve, the desert four o’clock does its best to live up to its scientific name, Mirabilis multiflora, which translates to many-flowered marvelous (or wonderful, or astonishing) plant. In full bloom it is eye-catching, to say the least. Often found growing at the base of a juniper tree, this beauty also turns up in more open, less protected spots. Other common names for this plant include wild four o’clock, Colorado four o’clock, showy four o’clock, giant four o’clock, and maravilla, the Spanish word for marvelous.

Desert four o’clock is a perennial that grows from a substantial, almost woody root and typically forms spreading clumps up to three feet tall and several feet wide. Plants have several stems that tend to grow outward rather than upward. Dark green somewhat heart-shaped leaves are arranged in an opposite pattern along the stems. Each leaf may grow up to four inches in length on a rather short petiole. Both stems and leaves are usually smooth, but sometimes have sticky hairs.

Showy, magenta flowers are typically produced from June to September, arising in small clusters from the leaf axils (point where leaf petioles are attached to the stem). Each individual flower consists of five brightly colored sepals fused into a funnel shape with an open end about one inch across. Five pollen-producing stamens stick out at slightly different lengths from the floral tube surrounding an even longer pistil. The flowers open in the later afternoon and by nightfall emit a musky aroma to attract hawkmoths. Once the sun is up the next morning, the flowers close.

Mirabilis multiflora is one of nine native species of Mirabilis in New Mexico and it belongs to the Nyctaginaceae (four o’clock) family. Perhaps the most familiar member of this family is the ornamental Bougainvillea. The Navajos boiled desert four o’clock flowers to produce a dye for wool and the Hopis used the roots to produce a medicinal tea for treating soreness, rheumatism and colic. Any practical value of this plant pales, in my estimation, in comparison to the comfort and pleasure we derive from encountering such a welcome display of color in our summer landscape.

PDF of this essay here.

Indian Paintbrush — June 2009

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:23:18 -0600

Indian paintbrushes are among the most familiar southwestern wildflowers and they actually do look very much like the plant was plucked out of the ground, inverted, and carefully dipped in a bucket of paint. Of the 20 native species of Indian paintbrushes in New Mexico, the Southwestern Indian paintbrush, Castilleja integra, is the most common in Deer Canyon. The genus name honors the 18th century Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo, and the species epitaph means whole or unbroken, describing the lack of lobes or teeth on the leaves and most of the bracts. Other common names for Castilleja integra include foothills paintbrush, wholeleaf Indian paintbrush, and squawfeather.

Southwestern Indian paintbrush is a perennial with one to several erect stems growing to about 16 inches in height. The stems have whitish woolly hairs and bear thin leaves up to two inches long in an alternate arrangement. Each leaf is sessile (attached directly to the stem, therefore lacking a petiole) with a smooth upper surface and a fuzzy underside. The main root is woody and the feeder roots are capable of tapping into the roots of nearby plants as they grow through the soil. Because such roots are able to acquire water and nutrients from their neighbors, Indian paintbrushes are classified as hemiparasites. They are certainly capable of making their own food photosynthetically, but they also rely on neighboring “host” plants (usually grasses, such as the blue grama in the photo below) to complete their nutritional requirements. Because of their hemiparasitic lifestyle, Indian paintbrushes are notoriously difficult to transplant, and reputable nurseries will only sell them growing in association with an appropriate “nurse plant.”

In addition to their somewhat deceptive nutritional strategy, the flowers of Indian paintbrushes are also not exactly what they appear to be. What most would call the showy colored petals are actually bracts (modified leaves found at the base of flowers) and technically not part of the actual flower. These bracts appear at the end of the stems and are red-orange in Castilleja integra: they may be red, orange, or even yellow in other species. The true petals of Indian paintbrushes form tubular green structures that partially emerge from the uppermost bracts, or in some cases the colored sepals. The pollen is produced by four stamens located inside each of the green floral tubes and is usually transferred by hummingbirds. The fruit is a dry capsule containing many small seeds. Indian paintbrushes are also known to be hosts for checkerspot butterflies.

Indian paintbrushes have traditionally been classified in the snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae), but recent DNA analyses have necessitated moving the genus Castilleja to the related broomrape family (Orobanchaceae) which includes a number of completely parasitic plants. Southwestern Indian paintbrush has several traditional uses including as an ingredient in paints and dyes, such as those used to dye deerskins. The dried bracts are mixed with chile seeds to prevent spoilage. And a poultice made from the leaves has been used to treat burns. Despite a number of curious and interesting aspects of this plant, I find its primary value in its ability to paint dry gray-brown grassy expanses with delightful splotches of vibrant color.

Printable pdf of this essay here.

Soapweed Yucca — May 2009

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:12:52 -0600

On March 14, 1927, the yucca was officially declared as the state flower of New Mexico citing this plant as a symbol of sturdiness and beauty. Indeed yuccas are among the iconic plants of the American Southwest and their historic and cultural significance make them an excellent choice as a state symbol. Unlike most other state flowers, however, a particular species of yucca was not designated so any of the 11 native yucca species qualify as our state flower. This essay focuses on Yucca glauca, one of the two species (Yucca baccata, the banana yucca, is the other) that are prevalent on the Preserve. Yucca is derived from the Carib name for cassava, the tropical plant from which tapioca is made but which is botanically completely unrelated to yuccas. Somehow the same name was inappropriately applied to the plants known as yuccas today, and that usage became so widespread that the local name yuca was used as the basis for the plant’s scientific name. The specific epithet, glauca, describes the bluish-green, powdery coating on the surface of the leaves.

Yucca glauca is known by the common names soapweed yucca, plains yucca, narrowleaf yucca, Spanish bayonet, beargrass, and "lamparas de dios” (lamps of the Lord). It is a perennial evergreen shrub with a short, stubby, mostly underground stem. A starburst of many long thin leaves with sharp tips emerges from the top of the stem. Individual leaves may be up to two feet long and about 1/2” wide with a flat upper surface and a convex back surface. The leaf edges are often whitish with curled filaments. Soapweed yucca has thick roots capable of growing side branches that become new plants. This type of vegetative reproduction results in clumps of yuccas scattered over our sandy plains and other open areas.

Flower stalks grow from the center of the leaf cluster and may extend up to three feet high. Dozens of large fleshy somewhat bell-shaped flowers open along the stalk in the late spring. Each flower has three petal-like sepals with varying degrees of purple color and three slightly wider petals that are typically ivory to white. The center of the flower is made up of six sepals surrounding a pistil with a three-chambered ovary.

Yuccas have a most interesting relationship and highly specific with their moth pollinators. The female yucca moth will visit a flower and collect a mass of pollen grains with its specializedmouthparts (yuccas, unlike most flowers, do not release individual pollen grains). The moth will fly off with its wad of pollen, find another yucca flower and deposit an egg in the flower’s ovary. Then she will climb to the tip of the pistil and push the mass of pollen into the cup-like stigma. Successful pollination will lead to the development of dozens of seeds within the ovary. When the moth egg hatches, the larva feeds on some of the developing seeds, but most of the seeds continue their development and are later released from a three-part seed capsule. This highly specific symbiotic relationship allows both species to flourish. Indeed, when yuccas, which are native to the New World, are grown in the Eastern Hemisphere where there are no yucca moths, growers must hand pollinate their plants to get seeds.

Yucca and Agave are the two genera of the family Agavaceae native to New Mexico. This family is characterized by plants that produce a rosette of fibrous basal leaves surrounding a central flowering stalk. Members of this family have clearly long been important to indigenous peoples, as evidenced by the fact that such plants are represented in some petroglyphs. The fibers from their leaves and flower stalks were useful in basketry, rope-making, thatching and for producing paintbrushes, headdresses, belts, mats, and footwear. Flowers, young flower stalks, and fruits were all eaten either raw or cooked. Roots were used to produce soap and shampoo. A decoction from roots treated hair loss, stomachaches, skin irritations, and bleeding cuts.

Yuccas remain useful to people today, particularly in the production of fibers and soaps. They are even more useful to local wildlife as food; in fact our longhorns are so fond of the flowers and fruits that intact yucca flower stalks are pretty hard to come by on the Preserve. Various birds and small mammals also use dead yuccas either as nesting sites or a source of nesting materials. Yes, yuccas are unquestionably sturdy and beautiful, certainly sufficient reason for their selection as our state flower; but in my view the utilitarian value of yuccas make their choice even more appropriate for a state in which the ability to survive by using natural materials is such an essential aspect of our past heritage and present lifestyle.

For a printable pdf of this essay, click here.

Dakota vervain — April 2009

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:01:38 -0600

This month many of our Deer Canyon roads are highlighted with blue edges. The abundant wildflower responsible for what might appear to be purple breakdown lanes is called Dakota vervain. Other common names for this plant include Western pink vervain, prairie vervain, Mexican vervain, fernleaf verbena, fern verbena, small-flowered verbena, and Dakota mock vervain. The abundance of common names in this case might suggest that there really is some value in the precision of botanical nomenclature. Glandularia bipinnatifida may be a mouthful, but it does clearly designate one specific plant (or does it? See “The Botanical View” below). Glandularia derives from the Latin word glandula, which means a small acorn-shaped gland, a reference to the shape of the fruits. The epithet bipinnatifida, indicating one of the 8 different species of the genus Glandularia found in New Mexico, describes a plant with twice-divided, or “feathery” leaves.

The Dakota vervain is a perennial plant that belongs to the verbena family (Verbenaceae). Although most of the 1,035 species of this family (worldwide) are herbaceous or shrubby plants, probably the best known and certainly the most economically important member of the family is the Southeast Asian timber tree that yields teak wood. Dakota vervain is commonly found in open, dry habitats, and particularly in places where the soil has been disturbed. Its stems are square in cross section and covered with stiff hairs. The branching stems often spread out over the ground and turn upright to bear flower clusters. Leaves have an opposite arrangement on the stem and are highly dissected. They have sunken veins and hairs that lie flat on the leaf surface.

Dakota vervain has a long flowering period (March to October) with the flowers occurring in rounded clusters 6-12 inches off the ground. The five petals of each flower are partially fused to form a tube that contains nectar and accommodates butterfly pollination. The free ends of the petals are notched and spread into a star shape ranging in color from pink to violet. Small glandular hairs cover the green bracts and fused sepals found at the base of each flower. The fruits are small nutlets.

The names vervain and verbena are essentially synonymous. Verbena is a Latin word that refers to leafy twigs used to make wreaths that have ritual and/or medicinal applications. There are records suggesting that the Acoma and Laguna Indians crushed the leaves of Dakota vervain to rub on snakebites and also made an infusion from the leaves to gargle for sore throats. The traditional Spanish name for this colorful and widespread plant is Moradilla meaning “little purple one,” a particularly fitting description for this plant that decorates our roadsides and much of the rest of our landscape for over six months every year.

A Botanical View – How can one plant have so many names?

It is not surprising that the same plant often has more than one common name. There are no rules for the establishment of such names, indeed anyone is free to call any plant whatever name they deem appropriate. Sometimes the name sticks and others find it useful as well. However as we have seen in the case of the Dakota vervain, frequently many such names are in use at the same time by different groups of people. As long as the different groups do not need to communicate with each other, or if they do some imprecision is both expected and tolerable, no problems arise.

A scientist, however, must be able to refer to a specific organism in a way that has precise meaning to any other scientist anywhere in the world. Consequently there are rules governing the establishment of scientific names for organisms. Therefore Glandularia bipinnatifida will mean the same species of plant to any botanist anywhere. The system usually works, but sometimes there is a legitimate need to change or revise scientific names. Verbena bipinnatifida and Verbena ambrosifolia are both proper scientific names for the same plant as Glandularia bipinnatifida. How can this be?

The same species may be discovered independently by two different scientists at two different times and/or in two different parts of the world. This may result in two different names for the same species especially if one or both of the scientists involved was unable to complete a thorough review of all previous relevant literature (in all languages). Usually another scientist interested in similar plants comes along at a later time and turns up the discrepancy resolving it by announcing the earliest properly proposed name as the official one. However the other name does not necessarily immediately disappear.

Perhaps more commonly today, new information about one or more previously named species arises (often based on DNA analyses) necessitating a reinterpretation of proposed evolutionary relationships. What were assumed to be two different species may be merged into one or vice versa. Sometimes, as was probably the case with Verbena bipinnatifida, a genus that might contain 30 different species will be reevaluated based on new evidence and split into two genera. Perhaps the original genus will keep 20 of the species with their names unchanged, but the other 10 will be found to be fundamentally different in some way that necessitates the creation of a new genus (such as Glandularia).

Consequently scientific names may not always be absolutely precise (no system is perfect). Sometimes the same plant may be called two different scientific names in two different references. This can be a source of considerable frustration and confusion to scientists and non-scientists alike; however we must cope with our imperfect system as best we can. To illustrate this point here are three examples of how the same plant (Dakota vervain) is named in three different references intended for non-scientists:

Reference	Scientific Name	Common Name
1	Verbena ambrosifolia	Western pink vervain, Moradilla
2	Verbena bipinnatifida	Fern verbena
3	Glandularia bipinnatifida	Fernleaf verbena

1 - The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers – Western Region by Richard Spellenberg, Eighth printing, 1988.

2 – Plants for Natural Gardens by Judith Phillips, 1995.

3 – Central New Mexico Gardens: A Native Plant Selection Guide by Carolyn Dodson & Peggy Wells, 2005.

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Fendler’s Bladderpod — March 2009

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:37:05 -0600

With the coming of spring, we eagerly anticipate the appearance of wildflowers and usually one of the first to appear in Deer Canyon Preserve is Fendler’s bladderpod, Physaria fendleri. I noticed a rather early single bloom along a trail in Goat Canyon on March 1 this year, and now that we are at the end of the month, these bright yellow flowers are turning up much more frequently. This perennial herb will bloom throughout the spring and sometimes plants will flower again in the summer after a rain. The name bladderpod refers to the shape of the small fruits (inflated spherical pods that are between 1⁄4” and 1⁄2” in diameter). Other common names for this plant are yellowtop and popweed, the latter for the sound that may result from stepping on the pods. The genus name comes from the Greek word physa meaning bellows (another reference to the inflated pods) and the specific epithet honors Augustus Fendler, a German plant collector who arrived in Santa Fe in 1846 and collected over 1,000 specimens in New Mexico.

Fendler’s bladderpod is fairly easy to recognize even when it is not flowering because of the silvery cast on its stems and leaves. This small, spreading plant rarely grows above one foot high and can be found in creek beds, canyons, sandy openings, and shrublands throughout the middle elevations of our area. It is especially prevalent in disturbed soils where it first appears as a clump of lance–shaped oblong gray green leaves. As the plant matures additional branches grow forming a low, rounded clump of leaf-covered stems. The plant’s distinctive silvery gray color results from microscopic hairs that cover the leaves and stems forming delicate starburst patterns.

The flowers are borne in loose elongated clusters along the end of stems, an arrangement that botanists call a panicle. Each flower has four yellow petals usually with orange at their center and along the inner veins. As is typical of all members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), there are six stamens surrounding a single pistil; two of the stamens are distinctly shorter than the other four. Individual bladderpod flowers are almost one inch in diameter. Fruits are nearly spherical with smooth outer surfaces. They stand erect on the stem and often have the remnant of the style (stalk of the pistil) still attached to the fruit. Inside each fruit there will usually be 10 – 26 seeds.

Bladderpods have made news in the botanical world recently for two different reasons. This species had previously been named Lesquerella fendleri after the American born, Swiss educated botanist Leo Lesquereux. Members of the genus Lesquerella were merged into the genus Physaria in 2002, so one will frequently see Fendler’s bladderpod still listed as Lesquerella fendleri in many references. According to the most recent nomenclature, there are 16 species of Physaria occurring in New Mexico. The second reason involves suggestions for developing bladderpod as a crop plant. Bladderpod oil, which makes up 24% of the seed contents, is very similar to castor oil and consequently may have applications in the cosmetics, plastics and lubricant industries. In addition a natural gum may be extracted from the seed coat that has potential as a food additive. And to top it off, the mash that remains after processing the seeds is particularly high in protein making it a good candidate for use as animal fodder. Whether or not bladderpods ever become a commercially viable crop remains to be seen.

It is perhaps instructive that there is no evidence of Native Americans using bladderpods as a food. The only references are a few medicinal uses such as for rubbing on swellings and to treat spider bites. For me, utility need not be measured exclusively in a cash product or an effective medical application. The joy and satisfaction I find in seeing these small tufts of silver tucked like mosses among the rocks and then their brilliant display of flowers in the early spring announcing the promise of many more colors to come are most meaningful rewards.

To download this essay as a pdf, click here.

One–seed Juniper — February 2009

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:58:17 -0700

Late winter is a time when many are reminded of one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), not just because it is easily the most abundant tree on the Preserve, but also because the air fills with juniper pollen for a couple weeks sometime between late February and late March. Juniperus is an old Latin word for this type of tree and monosperma means one seed, so the scientific name of this plant is the same as its common name. This species is sometimes also called cherrystone juniper, New Mexico cedar, or Sabina (a Spanish word for juniper). It thrives in dry, rocky soil up to an elevation of about 7,000 feet.

One-seed juniper is a slow growing, long-lived tree that usually reaches a height of 10–20 feet. The largest one on record is found in New Mexico, in the

Jicarilla Mountains northeast of Alamagordo, and is 29 feet tall with a trunk circumference of 168 inches and a crown spread of 28 feet. Juniper trunks are frequently branched near the base and have gray-brown bark that detaches in long thin strips revealing a cinnamon color under the bark. The root systems of junipers often grow deep taproots giving the trees access to water that is not available to neighboring plants. Unlike many conifers, juniper leaves are scalelike, rather than needlelike. In fact, junipers are characterized by having two types of leaves. Most of the leaves are small and flattened with tiny glands that produce a white exudate. Leaves at the tips of some branches are twice as long as the scalelike leaves and sharply pointed, like tiny awls, making new branches prickly to the touch.

Junipers also differ from other conifers in that their seed cones are small and spherical with fleshy outer scales; consequently they are often called berries (although botanically, they are not fruits). Like other conifers junipers have separate male and female cones, but unlike pines the cones are produced on separate trees (the dioecious condition). The male trees produce small pollen cones in large numbers, and release pollen in the late winter or early spring. The female cones of one-seed juniper are also quite small and typically develop a single seed, although two or three seeds may form in rare cases. By the fall, the seeds are fully developed and surrounded by the fleshy scales making the “berry” which measures about blue whereupon they are typically eaten by a variety of birds and mammals, a most effective means of seed dispersal.

Juniperus monosperma was a true multipurpose plant for Native Americans. The wood is extremely rot-resistant making it good for construction and for fuel. That same property may be why it was preferred for rites associated with funerals such as fumigating homes to expel evil spirits after a death, and to fumigate the deceased’s property. Berries were used to season meats and stews or roasted in a deer stomach. They were also strung as beads and used in children’s rattle toys. Juniper charcoal was mixed with chewed melon seeds to produce body paint. Finely shredded bark is said to have been the earliest diaper material. And there are a host of medicinal uses such as: infusion of the male cones for stomach problems, leaf infusions to ease childbirth and treat colds and aches, and chewed bark for spider bites and other wounds.

One-seed juniper is widely considered to be a weed tree because it grows just about everywhere (I see that as a testament to its adaptability and its seed dispersal strategy) and it is bad-mouthed for using a lot of water. However from my recollection of plant physiology I cannot think of any reason why junipers would use more water than any comparable tree such as piñon and they certainly don’t use as much water during the growing season as broad-leaved trees like the non-native Siberian elm or the Tree-of-Heaven. Furthermore water that passes through trees is not necessarily lost to the ecosystem, in fact some is passed directly to various herbivores. I certainly understand that junipers are unwanted in rangeland where they frequently turn up and are a pain to remove. And junipers tend to grow together forming thickets with lots of dead trunks and branches that become a significant fire hazard. In our fire-prone territory thinning and removal of dead wood is certainly necessary especially in areas near homes and other structures.

Rather than regard it as the poor sister in the piñon-juniper woodland plant association that dominates the Preserve, I would place one-seed juniper at least on par with its partner piñon pine. Both tree species are critical to maintaining the stability of our woodland system. Both provide food, protective cover, nesting sites, and water to dozens of wildlife species. Junipers, perhaps more so than pines, create a suitable habitat for the growth of other plants. For example, I find it much more common to see a small piñon growing at the base of a juniper than vice versa. And there are several of our showy wildflowers that are much more likely to thrive growing at the base of a juniper tree than out in the open. Along those same lines, when I walk my dogs they spend a lot more time sniffing around juniper trees than they do in open areas of the Preserve. So let us appreciate one-seed juniper for the critical role it plays in nurturing the many other organisms that are vital parts of web of life around us.

A Botanical View – Are junipers and cedars the same tree?

It is very common to hear one-seed juniper, and other juniper species being called cedars. In common parlance there is nothing wrong with this practice. As long as the common name of an organism is effective in distinguishing one type of organism from another there is nothing wrong with that usage. It is certainly the case that almost all plants have more than one common name. If the person or persons you are talking to understand the type of tree you mean when you say cedar, then it is certainly appropriate to use that name.

To a botanist, however, calling a juniper a cedar is clearly incorrect. Botanists recognize junipers as trees that belong to the genus Juniperus. This genus is part of the Cupressaceae (the cypress or redwood family) and is characterized by scalelike leaves and fleshy cones. There are over 60 different species of junipers worldwide of which seven are native to New Mexico. True cedars belong to the genus Cedrus which is part of the pine family (Pinaceae) and has woody cones. All species of Cedrus (such as the famous Cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani) are native to Asia or North Africa. Whereas both junipers and cedars belong to the same major plant group, conifers, they are members of distinctly different families making them quite different types of trees.

Why then is it so common for non-scientists to refer to junipers as cedars?

Probably because juniper wood and cedar wood are quite similar and are used for similar purposes. The heartwood of both cedars and junipers is red colored and highly aromatic, filled with chemicals that make it highly resistant to decay. And since there are no true cedar trees native to the Western Hemisphere, when someone calls a tree a cedar around here much of the potential confusion is moot. Indeed the most widely accepted common name for Juniperus virginiana, the juniper I encountered most frequently in Rhode Island, is eastern red cedar. So feel free to use the names juniper and cedar interchangeably, and understand that my botanical training requires that I avoid using the name cedar for a juniper without a caveat.

To download this essay as a pdf, click here.

Tree Cholla — January 2009

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:06:25 -0700

Cholla flower

When we find ourselves in the midst of winter, many of us especially appreciate a robust and vibrant flower such as the one produced by the tree cholla, Cylindropuntia imbricata. Even though we will not see these flowers in the flesh for at least another four months (assuming we receive some spring precipitation), the tree cholla is a signature plant of the Preserve and much of New Mexico that stands out at all times of the year. It is a long-lived perennial that grows in deserts, dry plains, and in piñon-juniper woodlands to an altitude of about 7500 feet. Closely related to the prickly pear cacti characterized by flat paddle-like stems (genus Opuntia, named after a Greek city), the chollas have only recently been separated from Opuntia into their own genus, Cylindropuntia, which is characterized by cylindrical stems. Consequently you will often see the scientific name Opuntia imbricata still being used to indicate the tree cholla. Imbricata refers to the overlapping, shingle-like appearance of the stem surface. Other common names used for this plant are cane cholla, chainlink cactus, cholla, walking stick cholla, and even teddy-bear cholla, leading to confusion with similar names for some of the other six species of Cylindropuntia native to New Mexico.

Cholla plant

Tree cholla is probably the most appropriate name for this plant as it is quite tree-like in appearance with its much-branched cylindrical stems and the fact that it can grow to 15 feet tall, but it usually ranges from 3 to 8 feet in height. Close inspection of the stems reveals a distinct jointed growth pattern and the presence of raised knobs along the surface, each bearing a cluster of 10-30 sharp one inch-long spines. Like most cacti, the tree cholla has a rather small root system consisting of many thin surface roots capable of quickly taking up rainwater. The fleshy stems are able to store significant amounts of water to sustain the plant between rainfalls. The plants bear large (2-3 inch wide) deep red/magenta flowers on the ends of terminal joints in the late spring to early summer. Each flower has many petals and numerous stamens surrounding the thick, cylindrical central pistil. After pollination, seeds develop in the base of the flower contained in a berry-like fruit structure that turns yellow when ripe. This 1-2 inch barrel-shaped fleshy fruit lacks spines and is often referred to as a “tuna.” The tunas persist on the ends of branches throughout the winter adding interesting specks of color to our winter landscape and making the tree cholla even more conspicuous at this time of year.

Cholla tunas

Cholla skeleton

When tree cholla stems die, an interesting lattice-shaped woody skeleton persists. Such dead stems have been traditionally used as walking sticks and in a variety of decorative items such as crosses. Cholla stems are a favorite natural material utilized in various ways by many Southwest artisans. When live stems are harvested they can be assembled (with appropriate care) into substantial stockade fences. Native Americans have used cholla in a variety of ways, but not so much for food. Fruits and stems were harvested and usually roasted before eating, but cholla was generally considered as a “famine food,” routinely collected and stored, but only eaten when other food was scarce. Cholla stems were undoubtedly used to make various useful items and the spines have been used as sewing needles. Among the medicinal uses of tree cholla, dried stem pith was applied to earaches and thorn coverings were pounded into a paste used to treat boils.

Although some regard the tree cholla as a nuisance, especially after an unexpected encounter with its barbed spines; when this plant is treated with the respect due any cactus its rugged character and dogged persistence may be fully appreciated. Its abundance and stature combine to make the tree cholla a most appropriate symbol of the southwestern landscape. And the unusual bold colors provided by both the flowers and fruits of this plant are an unexpected and welcome additional bonus.

For a downloadable pdf of this flora essay, click here.

Piñon Pine — December 2008

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:02:41 -0700

In the midst of the Holiday Season, what better time to turn our attention to the most common needle-leaved tree on the Preserve and the official New Mexico state tree, the piñon pine? Indeed the plant community type that dominates the Deer Canyon Preserve landscape is designated as piñon-juniper woodland. Also known as New Mexico pine, nut pine, mesa pine, two-leaved pine, pinyon pine, Rocky Mountain pinyon, and pinón, the species Pinus edulis is undoubtedly the most abundant pine in the state and perhaps the entire Southwest as piñon-juniper woodlands occur on most dry mountain slopes, mesas, and plateaus at elevations between 5,000 and 8,500 feet. It is fitting that the largest living piñon on record grows in Cuba, New Mexico and stands almost 70 feet tall with a trunk diameter of over 5.5 feet. The oldest documented piñon was found in 1956 in northeast Utah and was 973 years old.

The piñon is a relatively short tree (usually 30-45 feet tall) with a rounded, dense crown that often spreads wider than the height of the tree. The trunk and main branches are typically somewhat crooked and have a dark gray, rough bark with reddish irregular furrows.

The tree grows slowly, usually taking about 180 years to produce a trunk of one foot in diameter; consequently the wood is quite hard and brittle resulting in a fuelwood that burns hot and slowly. Piñons commonly grow to be 400-500 years old and may produce taproots that reach 20 feet deep. Pine leaves (needles) grow in clusters called fascicles enclosed at the base by a tiny brown, paper-like sheath and piñon needles grow two/fascicle. The needles are usually curved, somewhat blue-green in color, 1–2 inches long, with a lifespan of 4-6 years.

Piñons begin producing cones when they are around 25 years old with male and female parts located in different cones on the same tree, therefore the botanical term monoecious applies. The male pollen-producing cones grow in clusters at the tips of twigs (a cluster of about 20 male cones appears in the upper right of the photo above). Each male cone is about one-half inch long and yellow in color turning to red-brown. Soon after releasing large amounts of pollen in May the male cones wither and drop from the twigs. Female seed-producing cones are produced at the tips of other branches in much smaller numbers that the male cones (two young female cones may be seen in the upper left of the above photo). Initially green in color, these female cones will receive pollen spread by the wind and begin a long, developmental process that requires over two years before the seeds (piñon nuts) are mature. At that time (late summer of their second year) the highly resinous, rounded cones will be about 1.5-2 inches long with fully developed thick, woody cone scales each housing two mature seeds. A single female cone may produce 10-20 brown, wingless seeds (one seed remains in the cone in the second photo below).

Members of the pine family (Pinaceae) are trees characterized by needle- like leaves, resin-containing tissues, and male and female reproductive structures produced in separate cones on the same tree. Four genera of the pine family are native to New Mexico; pines (Pinus) with 9 species, spruces (Picea) with 2 species, firs (Abies) with 2 species, and Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga) with 1 species. The scientific name of piñon, Pinus edulis, means edible pine and indeed the seeds of this species are the largest and most nutritious of all pine seeds. They have been collected and eaten either raw, ground, or roasted by the earliest Native Americans and continue to be prized today for their exquisite flavor as well as their nutritional value. With a protein quality higher than any harvested nut except cashews, piñon seeds are also high in niacin and riboflavin. Yielding 3,000 calories per pound, they are also harvested by numerous birds, notably scrub jays, and mammals, especially squirrels and chipmunks. Perhaps as a mechanism to limit the population size of such nut-gathering species, piñons are known to have seed production cycles in which large quantities of seeds are produced by all trees in an area once every five or six years with minimal seed production in the intervening years.

In addition to the piñon’s value as a source of food, fuel, and construction material, its pitch has also been used traditionally as an antiseptic, and melted with red clay as a salve to soothe irritated skin. The pitch is also used to waterproof containers such as baskets and clay bottles, and warm pitch may be applied as cement in crafting turquoise jewelry. Mixing the resin with leaves of three-leaf sumac produces a black dye, whereas a yellow dye results from mixing piñon resin with lichens. The resin (pitch) is useful to the tree in plugging up cracks or holes produced by weather and/or boring insects. However in periods of extended drought piñons may become so stressed that they produce insufficient resin to plug all the holes and consequently become susceptible to insect infestations. That appears to be the case in recent years in some areas of northern New Mexico where the Ips beetle has caused significant piñon mortality.

I am not aware of such beetle damage to piñons in our area, but the situation certainly bears watching (be on the lookout for small round holes in the bark). There are plans for an experimental investigation to be conducted in a remote area of Deer Canyon Preserve by researchers from the University of New Mexico on the effect of the loss of adult piñons to the overall health of a piñon-juniper woodland. This study is an effort to help scientists gain a better understanding of the consequences of major beetle infestations. It is possible then, that the Preserve may contribute in some way to the status of the New Mexico state tree — so that the piñon may continue to nourish and comfort humans and a host of wildlife species long into the future.

A Botanical View – Gymnosperms and Angiosperms

The more different plants one learns about, the more important plant classification becomes to help sort them out and understand their relationships. Since piñon is the first non-flowering plant we have considered, now would be an appropriate time to consider the distinction between seed plants that flower and those that do not produce flowers. Pines, like all gymnosperms, produced seeds in cones, whereas flowering plants (angiosperms) produce seeds that are completely enclosed in fruits that develop from flowers. These are the two categories of seed-producing plants: the more ancient gymnosperms (the name means “naked seeds”) and the more recently-evolved angiosperms (plants with “covered seeds”).

Whether or not a seed is “naked” or “covered” has nothing to do with the presence of a seed coat. All seeds have a protective outer coating that developmentally is part of the seed itself. Seeds are considered “covered” when they are protected by a structure outside of the seed coat that completely surrounds them during the entire course of their development. The end result of that protective covering is what botanists call a fruit. All angiosperms produce some type of fruit structure. Seeds are considered “naked” when they are not completely covered during the entire course of their development. In most gymnosperms the structure that ultimately becomes the seed is not completely enclosed during the time that pollination occurs and usually the mature seed is exposed. There is no fruit structure in a gymnosperm (and since the fruit develops from a flower, gymnosperms have no flowers).

Click here to download this essay as a pdf.

Four–Wing Saltbush — November 2008

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:13:44 -0700

The approaching cold season means colorful flowers no longer adorn our landscape, but there are still many plants evident at this time of year that are worthy of our attention. This month we’ll look at what is probably the most abundant and significant shrub on the Preserve, four-wing saltbush. The name refers to the distinctively winged fruits and the plant’s ability to thrive on salty soil. Perhaps the most common shrub west of the Mississippi, it is understandable that four-wing saltbush is known by several other common names including saltsage, four-wing shadscale, bushy atriplex, white greasewood, as well as the Spanish name chamiso (and its derivatives chamise and chamize). Its scientific name, Atriplex canescens, comes from first, the Greek name for orache (atraphaxis), an edible weed; and second, the descriptor canescent meaning “turning hoary white.”

Four-wing saltbush is a thickly-branched, long-lived perennial that grows up to five feet tall. Its main stems are whitish in color, woody, and may become quite substantial in diameter. The root system is deep, accounting for the plant’s drought tolerance and significant value for erosion control. The gray appearance of four-wing saltbush is primarily a result of fine whitish hairs that cover the leaf surfaces. Rather small, elongated leaves are distributed along the branches in an alternate, often somewhat sparse pattern. In salty conditions the plants take up and accumulate salt from the soil, secreting excess salt as crusty deposits on the leaf surfaces.

Four-wing male flowers

Four-wing female flowers

The yellowish flowers of four-wing saltbush are rather inconspicuous and appear in the summer. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants; botanists call such plants dioecious. Clusters of pollen-bearing male flowers are produced along the tips of the branches of male plants (left photo above). Female plants produce clusters of even tinier flowers from the tips of branches to points farther down along the branches, consequently many female flowers occur at the base of leaves (right photo above). After successful wind pollination, each female flower will develop a single seed within a fruit structure that forms four thin, flat outgrowths. These dry fruits tend to persist on the stems throughout the winter (right photo below). The presence of these distinctive four-winged seed pods makes it easy to distinguish female from male plants as in the left photo below of two plants growing side-by-side along Jumano Trail, in this case the male is the plant on the left.

Four-wing male & female bushes

Four-wing fruits

Four-wing saltbush is a member of the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), plants with small flowers generally growing in disturbed, saline, and/or dry habitats and therefore the family is well-represented in New Mexico (19 genera and 71 species). Several food crops including spinach, beets, chard, sugar beets, and quinoa are members of the goosefoot family. The locally-abundant introduced noxious weeds lambsquarters, Russian thistle (tumbleweed), and kochia are also members of this family. Four-wing saltbush is a particularly valuable wildlife plant in our area providing nutritious winter forage for deer, antelope and elk (as well as cattle) and cover for numerous birds, rabbits, and various small mammals.

Such a widespread and abundant plant might be expected to have many traditional human uses and indeed Native Americans found uses for virtually all parts of the four-wing saltbush plant. Fresh roots were boiled to produce a drink for stomach pain or use as a laxative and dried ground roots were applied to toothaches. Leaves contain saponins and produce a soapy lather used to relieve itches and rashes. Dried leaves were ground and added to flour mixes. Crushed flowers were used in soap making and to produce a poultice applied to ant bites. Seeds are edible and were ground for use a baking powder or cooked in cereal. Even the ashes from four-wing saltbush were used in breadmaking recipes, as a food coloring, and in the production of lye. Clearly a plant does not need to have pretty flowers to be worthy of our respect and admiration.

A Botanical View – Dioecious or Deciduous?

These two completely unrelated terms have caused untold confusion among generations of botany students. Since the term dioecious was introduced in the above essay, I will attempt to head off any potential misunderstanding. Many people are familiar with the term deciduous, which is defined as “describing woody perennial plants that shed their leaves before the winter or dry season.” The opposite of a deciduous plant is an evergreen plant.

Fewer people are familiar with the term dioecious, which has nothing to do with leaves or seasonality. The term dioecious is defined as “describing plants in which the female and male reproductive organs are separated on different individuals.” The opposite of dioecious is monoecious which is defined as “describing plants in which the female and male reproductive organs are separated in different floral structures on the same plant.” The majority of flowering plants are neither dioecious nor monoecious because their flowers are bisexual, having both female and male reproductive organs in the same flower.

Therefore the terms monoecious and dioecious apply only to those plants with separate male and female flowers. An example of a monoecious plant that most people are familiar with is corn. The pollen-producing male flowers are located in the tassel at the top of the plant. The female flowers are usually not visible because they occur in clusters at the base of a large corn leaf, each one producing a single silk that extends away from the leaf to catch pollen grains. An example of a dioecious plant is four-wing saltbush. Incidentally four-wing saltbush is also a deciduous plant, but it does not necessarily shed all its leaves each winter. I have seen the term semi-deciduous used in such cases (the natural world is not black and white).