DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE FLORA

NEWSLETTER

Vol. 4, No. ?l July 1985

NEXT MEETING

Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 p.m., at the Baptist Church Social Hall at Wall Street and Highway 395, Indepen- dence. It will begin with a potluck dinner. Coffee, tea and dessert will be furnished. The program will be a double-screen slide presentation by Mary DeDecker.

PRESIDENT '.S MESSAGE:

When the thermometer tops 100°, come to the almost empty high country of the White Mountains up beyond Schulman Grove. There you will find sweeps of sages and grasses where nothing but sky, mountain bluebirds and hawks are overhead. The road is not paved beyond Schulman, but, oh, what views!

.... Doris Fredendall FIELD TRIP REPORTS

SILVER CANYON, WHITE MOUNTAINS.

A delightful day was spent in Silver Canyon on the June 15 field trip. Leader Doris Fredendall had prepared a plant checklist which enabled us to identify a great number of species in the limited time. The 5-mile route crisscrossed the stream as it took us from 4500 feet to the foot of the switchbacks at about 6500 feet. Thr list included riparian plants as well as those of the dry canyon slopes. The high point of the day was the discovery of coralroot, Corallorhiza m a c u l a t a , under the birches along the stream. It is a new addition to the White Mountain flora. A pleasant social hour was spent in the shade of a pinyon tree, thanks to Ray Moser who selected and cleared the spot.

BISHOP CREEK.

A refreshing spring day was enjoyed July 13 when we visited the subalpine lakes high on the forks of Bishop Creek. The flowers were at their peak. At Lake Sabrina on the middle fork, we walked about 3/4 mile along the Blue Lake trail where there were both dry and wet habitats. From there we traveled to South Lake on the south fork, where we had lunch under the lodgepole pines. The walk there was mostly along wet habitats, lush green with a wealth of blooms. (See the plant list An this issue.) On our return to Bishop we had a creative salad potluck at the home of Pat and Jack Crowther, followed by a fine slide show. That made a perfect ending to a beautiful day. Appreciation goes to the Crowthers who planned it all.

Page 2.

D i c e n t r a u n i f Steer's head (Papaveraceae

1 o r a

)

D r a b a p r a e a l t a Dana draba. (Brassicaceae)

L a r r e a t r i d e n t a t a Creosote bush. (~ygophyllaceae)

M e n t z e l i a t o r r e y i L a v a mentzelia. ' ; .n-saceae )

POSSIBLE RANGE EXTENSIONS

Piute Pass trail, north Creek, Loch Leven Lake, also above Piute Lake,

fork of Bishop 10,744 feet, and 10,900 feet.

Reported by Pat and ~ a c k Crowther.

Above South Lake, south fork drainage, on pipeline to Brown Lake, 10,000 feet. Reported by Pat and Jack Crowther.

Chalfant Valley on slope of White Mountains, sw. of Sacramento Mine, in SW4 Section 3, T 5 S, R 33 E, MDM, Mono County, 4700 feet. Reported by James Wilson.

Owens Valley, between Calvert Slough and the Los Angeles Aqueduct Intake, in Wl Section 24, T 1 1 S, R 34 E, MDM, 3832 feet. Reported by Mary DeDecxcr.

IN REMEMBRANCE

W e a r e s a d t o r e p o r t t h e t r a g i c d e a t h o f W i l l a r d ( B i l l ) G r a t e , 2 5 , o f I n d e p e n d e n c e . B e w a s a g i f t e d y o u n g e n g i n e e r , e m p l o y e d b y I n y o C o u n t y , one w h o a p p r e c i a t e d e n v i r o n m e n t a l v a l u e s . B e w a s k i l l e d i n s t a n t l y i n a h i g h w a y a c c i d e n t n o r t h o f I n d e p e n d e n c e , w h e n a n o t h e r .- v e h i c l e c r o s s e d t h e l i n e a n d h i t h i s h e a d - o n . He d i d n ' t h a v e a c h a n c e . R e l e a v e s h i s w i f e , D o n n a , a m e m b e r o f t h e B r i s t l e c o n e C h a p t e r , CNPS .

T h o s e w h o e n j o y e d a shor t a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h C a r o l H o l e u f f e r on t h e A r g u s - C o s o f i e l d t r i p w i l l s h a r e o u r s a d n e s s over her d e a t h on J u l y 7 . She d i d no t s u r v i v e a s e c o n d l i v e r a n d K i d n e y t r a n s p l a n t w i t h i n a w e e k a t B a y l o r U n i v e r s i t y B o s p i t a l i n D a l l a s , T e x a s . A n o t e f r o m her m o t h e r r e p o r t e d , * C a r o l h a s g o n e o n , a f t e r l i v i n g a f u l l a n d b e a u t i f u l l i f e : She t o l d h o w m u c h C a r o l h a d e n j o y e d t h e f i e l d t r i p . C a r o l h a d c o m e t o O w e n s V A l l e y i n t h e s p r i n g on a p r o j e c t f o r t he B a n c r o f t L i b r a r y . She e n j o y e d i t so m u c h t h a t she j o i n e d t he B r i s t l e - cone C h a p t e r . Her h o m e w a s i n L a f a y e t t e .

GOOD NEWS

Doris Fredendall is happy to report that water is again flowing into the watering trough at Toll House Springs. (See Vol. 4, No. 2) It is mostly due t.c he? persistence and Ray Moser's support that the place can be enjoyea once more by desert travelers. The white dolomite boulder, from which the bronze plaque was stolen, has been moved to the road junction north of Big Pine, by the tall Sequoia. There a new historical plaque, installed by E Clampus Vitus, tells the Story. The responsible attendants at the Inyo County Campground across the road keep a watchful eye on it. This area Just off the - highway provides a favorite meeting place for field trips.

.- Pane 3

Plants noted on a

Bristlecone Chapter, CNPS,

field trip to LAKE SABRINA (9132 ft )

and SOUTH LAKE ( 9 7 5 0 f t ) on the north

I and south forks of Bishop Creek. July 13, 1 9 8 5 .

Leaders: Pat and Jack Crowther. 0.

ADIANTACEAE . Bracken Fern Family. Cryptogramma crispa var. acrostichoides S Y = C r y p t o g r a m m a acrostichoides Rock-brake, parsley fern

P e l l a e a breweri Brewer cliff-brake

APIACEAE. Parsley or Carrot Family.

Angelica lineariloba Sierra soda-straw, tall angelica

Perideridia parishii ssp. latifolia Parish yampa

Sphenosciadium capitqllatum Ranger's buttons, woolly parsnip

ASTERACEAE . Sunflower Family.

Achillea millefolium var. alpicola SY=Achillea lanulosa ssp. alpicola Yarrow

Antennaria alpina var. media Match plant, alpine everlasting

Antennaria microphylla SY =Antennaria rosea Rosy everlasting

Lake South Sabrina Lake

Arnica mollis Cordilleran arnica

Page 4

Artemisia 1 udoviciana ssp. incomp ta Western mugwort

Artemisia tridentata Big sagebrush

Aster occidentalis var. occidentalis Western mountain aster

Chaenactis douglasii var. rubricaulis R&d stemmed pincushion

Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Curly-leaved rabbitbrush

Circium tioganum Rosette thistle, Tioga thistle

Dugaldia hoopsii SY=~elenium hoopesii Hoopes dugaldia, tall helenium

Eupatorium occidentale Pink plume

Haplopappus aparagioides Golden aster

Haplopappus peirsonii Peirson gold

Machaeranthera shastensis var. montana Shasta aster

Senecio canus Woolly butterweed

Senecio integerrimus Single-stemmed butterweed

Senecio pauciflorus Orange butterweed

Senecio triangularis Arrow butterweed

Solidago mu1 tiradiata Alpine goldenrod

Taraxacum off icinale Dandelion

BRASSICACEAE. Mustard Family.

Arabis drummondii Drummond rock-cress

Arabis holboellii var. pinetorum Holboell arched rock-cress

Arabis hol boell ii var. retrof racta Holboell reflexed rock-cress

Arabis lemmonii var. lemmonii Lemmon rock-cress

take South Sabrina Lake -

X X

Arabis pla tysperma Broad-podded rock-cress

Arabis repanda var. greenei Broad-leaved rock-cress

Descurainia californica California tansy mustard

Erysimum perenne Mountain wallflower

CAPRIFOLIACEAE. Honeysuckle Family.

Sambucus caerulea Blue elderberry

Symphoricarpos oreophilus SYzSymphoricarpos vaccinoides Mountain snowberry

CARYOPHYLLACEAE. Pink Family.

Arenaria macradenia ssp. ferrisae Ferris sandwort, baby's breath

Sagina saginoides Arctic pearlwort

Silene bernardina ssp. maguirei SY=Sil ene montana Maguire campion

Stellaria longipes Creek stellaria

CORNACEAE. Dogwood Family.

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea SY=Cornus stolonifera American dogwood

CUPRESSACEAE. Cypress Family.

Juniperus occidental is var. auktralis Western juniper

CYPERACEAE. Sedge Family.

Carex aurea Golden sedge

Carex rossii Ross sedge

Carex spectabil is Showy sedge

ERICACEAE. Heath Family.

Ledum gl andulosum var. cal ifornicum Labrador tea

Page 5 Lake South

Sabrina Lake

Page 6

Lake S o u t h S a b r i n a Lake

X - P t e r o s p o r a andromedea Pine drops

FABACEAE. Pea Family.

L o t u s c o r n i c u l a t u s Bird's-foot trefoil

L u p i n u s p r a t e n s i s Inyo meadow lupine

T r i f o l i u m monanthum Carpet clover

FAGACEAE. Oak Family.

C a s t a n o p s i s s e m p e r v i r e n s S Y z C h r y s o l e p i s s e m p e r v i r e n s Bush chinquapin

HYDRYPHYLLACEAE. Waterleaf or Phacelia Family.

P h a c e l i a f r i g i d a s s p . d a s y p h y l l a Rock phacelia

IRIDACEAE. Iris Family.

Iris m i s s o u r i e n s i s Wild iris

JUNCACEAE. Rush Family.

J u n c u s b a l t i c u s Wire grass

L u z u l a mu1 t i f l o r a s s p . comosa SY = L u z u l a o r e s t e r a , L u z u l a comosa Common wood-rush

LAMIACEAE. Mint Family.

M o n a r d e l l a o d o r a t i s s i m a Pennyroyal, monardella

LILIACEAE. Lily Family.

A l l i u m v a l i d u m Swamp onion

L i l i u m k e l l e y a n u m Small tiger lily

S m i l a c i n a s t e l l a t a Star-flower

ONAGRACEAE. Evening Primrose Family.

E p i l o b i u m a n g u s t i f o l i u m Fireweed

E p i l o b i u m h a l l e a n u m Hall willow-herb

Page 7

Lake S a b r i n a

S o u t h Lake

E p i l o b i u m h o r n e m a n n i i Baby buttons, purplish epilobium

E p i l o b i u m oregonum S Y = E p i l o b i u m e x a l t a t u m Oregon epilobium

Gayophytum racemosum Reddish gayophytum

ORCHIDACEAE. Orchid Family.

P l a t a n t h e r a d i l a t a t a v a r . l e u c o s t a c h y s SY=Habenar ia d i l a t a t a v a r . l e u c o s t a c h y s White rein orchid

P l a t a n t h e t a s p a r s i f l o r a SY=Habenar ia s p a r s i f l o r a Green canyon orchid

PINACEAE. Pine Family.

P i n u s a l b i c a u l i s White-bark pine

P i n u s c o n t o r t a v a r . murrayana Lodgepole pine

P i n u s f 1 e x i l i s Limberpine

P i n u s m o n o p h y l l a Pinyon

POACEAE. Grass Family.

A g r o s t i s f i l i c u m i s S Y = A g r o s t i s i d a h o e n s i s Idaho bent, purple mist

M e l i c a s t r i c t a Rock melic

M u h l e n b e r g i a r i c h a r d s o n i s Mat muhly

O r y z o p s i s h y m e n o i d e s Indian rice grass

Phleum a l p i n u m Mountain timothy

S i t a n i o n h y s t r i x Squirreltail

POLEMONIACEAE. Phlox Family.

G i l i a ~ g g r e g a t a S Y = I p o m o p s i s a g g r e g a t a Skyrocket

L e p t o d a c t y l o n pungens v a r . p u n g e n s

Page 8

SY=Leptodactylon Granite gilia

Linanthus nuttal Bushy linanthus

pungens ssp. pu'lchrif lorum

lii ssp. pubescens

POLYGONACEAE. Buckwheat Family.

Eriogonum nudum var. deductum Nude buckwheat

Eriogonum umbellatum var. umbellatum Sulphur flower

Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum Wright buckwheat

Rumex paucifolius var. paucifolius Mountain dock

PRIMULACEAE. Primrose Family.

Dodeca theon jef f reyi Meadow shooting star, Jeffrey shooting star

Dodeca theon redolens Bog shooting star, aromatic shooting star

RANUNCULACEAE. Buttercup Family.

Aconi tum col umbianum Monkshood

Aquilegia formosa Red columbine

Aquilegia pubescens Alpine columbine

Delphinium glaucum Tall larkspur

Thal ictrum fendleri Tasseled meadow-rue

RHAMNACEAE. Buckthorn Family.

Ceanothus velutinus Tobacco bush

ROSACEAE. Rose Family.

Cercocarpus ledifol ius Mountain mahogany

Chamaebatiaria m l l l e f o ~ ~ m Desert-sweet, fern buzh

Hol odiscus dumosus var. gl abrescens Cream bush

potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis White potentilla

Lake Sabrina

Sbuth Lake

Page 9

Lake Sabrina

South Lake

X Potentilla gracil is var. glabrata SY=Potentilla gracilis ssp. nuttallii Slender cinquefoil

Purshia tridentata Bitterbrush

Rosa woodsii var. ul tramontana Wild rose

RUBIACEAE. Madder Family.

Kelloggia gal ioides Kellogia

SALICACEAE. Willow Family.

Popul us tremul oides Quaking aspen

Salix drummondiana var. subcoerulea Blue willow

Salix eastwoodiae Eastwood willow

Salix lemmoni Lemmon willow

Sal ix orestra Sierra Willow

Salix planifolia ssp, planifolia Mono Willow

Sal ix scouleriana Nuttall Willow

SAXIFRAGACEAE. Saxi, rage Family.

Heuchera rubescens var. alpicola Alum root

Parnassia pal ustris var. cal ifornica Grass-of-Parnassus

Ribes cereum Wax currant

Ribes montigenum Straggly Mountain gooseberry

Saxifraga odontoloma SY=Saxifraga punctata ssp. arguta Brook saxifrage

SCROPHULARIACEAE. Figwort or Snapdragon Family.

Castilleja applegatei Wavy-leaved paintbrush

Castilleja linariaefolia Long-leaved paintbrush

Page 10

Lake Sabrina

X

South Lake

X Castilleja minista Streamside paintbrush

Xeckiel la rothrockii Buckskin keckiella

Mimul us breweri Pink mimulus

Mimul us primuloides Meadow mimulus

Mimul us ti1 inqii Large monkey flower

Pedicularis attollens Little elephant heads

Penstemon heterodoxus Whorlf lower penstemon

Penstemon laetus ssp. roezlii Gay penstemon

Penstemon newberryi Pride of the Mountains

Pens temon papill a tus Big Pine penstemon

Penstemon rostriflorus SY=Penstemon bridgesii Penstemon bridgesii

SELAGINELLACEAE. Spike-moss Family.

Selaginella watsonii Alpine moss-fern

COMING TRIPS

August 17-18: WHITE MOUNTAINS.

Meet Saturday at the Triangle Campground, the junction of Highway 395 and the turnoff to the Bristlecone Pine Forest, at 9:00 a.m. We will caravan, not to a reserved group campground as previously announced, but to the Grandview Campground on the White Mountain Road, 8500 feet. Camp spaces are not reserved, but there should be plenty for all. Be prepared for chilly evenings, and possible showers. High clearance vehicle are recommended, but not essential. The road is paved to the campground. Leaders: Mary and Paul DeDecker. (619) 878-2389.

September 1 4 ; ONION VALLEY.

Meet. at 9330 in the parking lot across the street (north) from the Independence Post Office. We will caravan to Onion Valley, paved all the way. Activites there will be tuned to the group. Onion Valley is beautiful any time of the Year- Leader: To be announced.

Page 1 1

ASTRAGALUS CLASS

The first sessiononMay 25-26 provided a full week end of fun and learning. Saturday was spent in the Inyo Mountains, with an additional run over to Sand Springs in the upper Death Valley drainage. The trip to Fish Slough nnw. from Bishop on Sunday was less strenuous but of great interest. Two A s t r a g a l i not in the California floras were found there. Fish Slough resembles Nevada's Ash Meadows with springs and pupfish ponds and a rich assemblage of high groundwater vegetation. The week end class found and keyed out about one fourth of the list of 47 species and varieties of A s t r a g a l i for Inyo-Mono, including some rare ones. The second session, August 3-4, will visit higher elevations to find still different species.

We are happy to report that Fish Slough is doing well. A worrisome parcel of private land, a development threat, was acquired through a land exchange with BLM. That took an act of Congress. BLM has now designated Fish Slough as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). A join& management plan will be implemented by the Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, University of California, and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

AIR AND WATER

Air pollution remains an ever present problem. The critical sources are the white alkali surface of dry Owens Lake and the similar dry borders of Mono Lake, along with barren surfaces ofthevalley floor where even moderate winds pick up clouds of brown dust.

Under SB 270 the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) is required to conduct air quality studies, mitigation studies, and actual mitigation projects. At the present time the DWP is working on vegetation studies at Mono Lake and hydrology studies at Owens Lake. It is typical of the differences in interpretation that the DWP considers these mitigation projects, while Inyo-Mono considers them mitigation studies. They will yield valuable data, of course. In the meantime, those who can see the dust clouds and who are breathing the dust will have to wait until their existence is proven by 3-year studies before any mitigation is begun.

The Great Basin Air Pollution Control District has been able to increase its monitoring stations from 6 to 9 sites. This is a strong step toward gathering the necessary data for enforcement.

Dust and water problems are so closely related that the issues become entangled. The Inyo-Los Angeles water agreement is now going through the testing stage. In Inyo its flaws are becoming apparent, but it appears that both parties are making an effort to keep it going. The mitigation measures, however, called for by the Appellate Court, are slow in coming. The political plums seem to be going through the complicated approval process better than measures which would actually mitigate the effects of water withdrawal. There is considerable concern over the fact that most mitigation projects would require additional wells. While this could provide more flexibility in management, there is fear that new wells may mean more water export. There is also the question as to whose share of water is to be used in each case. Each detail may become an issue for long and tedious debate. One dust abatement project is actually under way. Whether it satisfies an obligation under SB 270 or has been slipped in as a mitigation measure under the water agreement has not been clarified. It will, however, relieve the dust problem on the highway between Independence and Manzanar which has caused hours of delay for highway traffic, and caused serious pileups of vehicles. Of course native plants are affected by every decision. If plants could only speak!

NEW MEMBERS

We extend a friendly welcome to:

Adolph B. Amster P.O. Box 1106 Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Sara Lee Baxter 14046 Ibbetson Ave. Bellflower, CA 90706

Rod and Judy Ditzler 1303 Essex Circle Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Ruth Elwonger P.O. Box 236 one Pine, CA 93545

Judith C. Fraser 381 Peralta Ave. Long Beach, CA 90803

David P. Groeneveld 618 Keough Street Bishop, CA 93514

Kathleen Nelson P.O:Box 1775 Bishop, CA 93514

A A A A A A A A A A A

The BRISTLECONE NEWSLETTER comes out bimonthly. It ismailed free to members of the Bristlecone Chapter, CNPS. The subscription is $5.00 per year for non-members. Editor: Mary DeDecker.

alifornia Native Plant Society NON-PROFIT ORQ. U. S. POSTAGE

INDEPENDENCE CALIF. 93526 PERMIT NO. 7 n

1b0 West Pavilion Streer independence, CA 93526