NewsletterUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY

Friends of the Botanical Garden

- Spring 1987 Vol. XII No. 1

Tour Orientation Center

BOTANICALGARDEN OPENHOUSE

Celebrate Spring with a visit to the Botanical Gardenduring the Annual Open House on Sunday, April 26 from 12noon to 4 p.m. This is an event for the entire family. Docentswill be in each area of the Garden to answer questions andhelp children with a special treasure hunt. Storyteller BobKanegis will be telling stories in the Mather Grove from 1-2p.m. Exhibits in the Garden Meeting Room will incudeJapanese flower arrangements and Chinese Medicinal Herbs.Complimentary refreshments will be served by the Friendsof the Botancial Garden at the Tour Orientation Area. OpenHouse is free to the public, so invite your friends and joinwith us for this special event.

REPORT FROMTHE BOARD

It is a great pleasure to bring news of the fine supportwhich the Friends have been giving to the Garden. Therecent request for year-end contributions brought a wonder-ful response of almost $30,000! These gifts will make a bigdifference in the future of this superb institution. Onegenerous gift has made it possible to begin work on the newMexican area, which will incorporate about two more acresinto the developed part of the Garden. Gifts to the recentlyestablished Friends' endownments have now brought thetotal to over $20,000. These funds will help guarantee thefuture health of the Garden.

The Board is also moving ahead with the new TourOrientation Center, thanks to two major gifts. This Centerwill provide a convenient place for docent-led tours to beorganized away from the parking lot. It will also provide anarea in which outdoor lectures, hands-on demonstrations,and class discussions can be held. Since the space will bepartly covered, there will be some protection to visitorsfrom the rain.

The Board is currently developing ideas to make theGarden even finer as a public resource, and we will keep youinformed as these plans mature. We are most grateful for thecontribution which the Friends are making to the Garden,and we look forward to helping make this one of the finestbotanical gardens anywhere.

Con't. on p. 2

The Friends wish to express their gratitude to thefollowing contributors who have generously helped toimprove the Garden's collections, facilities, and programs.Mr. & Mrs. Michael Addison Mrs. Karoline D. LaibBayard W. Al!mond, Jr. MD

Mr. & Mrs. W. M. Laetsch

American Fuchsai Society Esther LandisMrs. Heath Angelo, Jr. James E. LattieMai Arbegast Mr. & Mrs. Lewis S. LawyerRobert Arnold

Mr. & Mrs. Wilber C. Leffler, Jr.Bailard, Biehl & Kaiser Elise LewMrs. Stephen Bechtel

Doris LumMr. & Mrs. Harmon C. Bell

Jo Lundberg

Edith Bergstrom Mr. & Mrs. Robert LundstromAl Biggs Neal MacGregorJudith M. Bloom Magic GardensMrs. Philip R. Bradley Mr. & Mrs. Henry MatsutaniHelen H. Bragg Mr. & Mrs. George MaslachMr. & Mrs. Samuel Breck

Errol W. MauchlanMr. & Mrs. Lawrence Brookes Mrs. Philip N. McCombsMr. & Mrs. Robert Brown Jane McKenzieJacqueline Browne Kathrine McKenzieGeorgia W. Brumbaugh

Joan R. MirovRobert K. Bryant Mr. & Mrs. James R. Moore

Leigh Bultman Mr. & Mrs. Elmo R. MorganBeth Burnside Tim MullerCalifornia Horticultural Society Murase AssociatesCalifornia Japanese Alumni Association Mrs. Herman D. NicholsGenevieve J. Calvin Adele R. NickelDaniel Campbell

Mr. & Mrs. Newell Nelson, Jr.Mrs. Elizabeth R. Carter Margaret M. NewellMelva S. E. Chang Mary Charles PageMrs. Albert Churchill

Eugene H. PeckMr. & Mrs. Robert Chyr Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. PetersonMr. & Mrs. Michael Ciraolo Mr. & Mrs. John PhillipsMr. & Mrs. Stanley Cocks Catherine C. PigfordL. H. Coleman Mrs. Victor Reiter, Jr.Robert E. Connick Joanne W. Richards

Mrs. E. Covey Mr. & Mrs. John RicksenMary Lynn Cox Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Riddell, Jr.Jim Daniel

Agnes R. RobbDr. & Mrs. Jonathan Dixon Mr. & Mrs. James RobinettLeo V. DosRemedios Elizabeth M. RoeslerBetty R. Dunlap Susan E. RogersEl Cerrito Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. Albert Rosenblatt

Dick Emory Lilo RosenmeyerDawn M. Erdelatz San Leandro Garden ClubJune Falkner Elizabeth P. SchmitzMarjory B. Farquhar Carl SchoenfelderKirby W. Fong Mr. & Mrs. Richard SchroterMr. & Mrs. David T Fujita Geraldine K. ScottGeorge A. Furniss Leo Simon & Paula MassengillEvelyn Givant Mr. & Mrs. Ronald K. SipherdMr. & Mrs. Carl Goetsch

Gary SmithWallace Gorell

Joyce SorensonMr. & Mrs. A. E. Graupner, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. George StraussEstate of Ruth Alice Greer Mr. & Mrs. Eric SutcliffeDr. & Mrs. Elmer Grossman Kuwake TakahashiKaren Gustafson & Gregory Kusnick

Ted Tawshunsky

Mr. & Mrs. S. Floyd Hammond, Jr. John H. ThomasFrances R. Hanna Marion L. ThompsonGordon J. Harrington Hatherly B. ToddMitchell Harvey Catherine M. TrefethenVirginia W. Havens Bertha S. UnderhillMargedant P. Hayakawa Leland Unsell

Mr. & Mrs. A. Carl Helmholz Mr. & Mrs. James W Uren

Ned G. Heringer Marian & Hans Ury

Eleanor J. Higson Inge Von Der Hude

Hoe & Hope Club Diane Wagner

Mrs. Edward A. Howard Eleanor Ely Wakefield

Justine Hume J. M. Walker

Frances H. Hussey Tanis Walters

Mrs. Gerda Isenberg Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Ward

James Jones Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Weller

Dorothy M. Kesseli Harry R. Wellman

Elizabeth F. Kimball Kitty Whiteside

Mrs. Samuel" Kimura Mr. & Mrs. Bernard E. Witkin

David Shaw King Prof. & Mrs. Frantisek Wolf

Peggy Klenz Helen Wright

Stella May Knouse Linda Wroth

Mr. & Mrs. Leonard V. Kuhi

ADULTEDUCATIONALCOURSE

The Botanical Garden's Education Program will offerIntroduction to the University of California BotanicalGarden, a six-part series featuring an in-depth look at theGarden. The series, given by the Docents, will meet from10:30 am - 12:30 pm in the Garden Meeting Room on sixconsecutive Saturdays, starting July 11th and runningthrough August 15th. Registration fee for the series will be$20.00. To register send a check made payable to UCRegents to: Education Program, UC Botanical Garden, Cen-tennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720.

NEW COMPUTERSThe Botanical Garden has received campus funds to pur-

chase two new IBM PC/AT personal computers and relatedhardware to upgrade its computer system. A plotter willmake it possible to print complex graphics, such as maps ofgarden beds and topographic surveys.

Extensive records are kept for each accession indicatingthe geographic origin of the specimen, the collector, loca-tion in the garden, etc. The computerization of the recordswhich took place three years ago has been enormouslyhelpful in managing this data base. Unfortunately, beforelong we outgrew our original hardware. The new IBM com-puters, with their much greater storage capacity, will enableus to keep the computerization up-to-date. The Administra-tive Information Service on campus is designing new pro-grams for us to further streamline the paperwork of acces-sioning new plants and keeping track of changes in thegarden as plants are moved between beds, planted-out, ordiscarded.

The new computer system will eventually be connectedto a campus-wide network. This will increase use of thegarden's data base by instructors and students and will pro-vide a new way for us to publicize the garden's holdings tothe campus community. The new programs we can use withthe IBM computers will make it much easier for us to pre-pare plant lists and catalogs of special collections for thepublic. In addition, the computers will be used to inventoryand analyze specific collections in the garden. This is animportant first step in our effort to develop long rangeconservation plans for the collection.

Our original CompuPro system will be used by the Educa-tion Program and the Friends of the Garden for word pro-cessing, preparation of mailing labels, and inventories.

2

Across the Garden BorderThe springtime burst of colors and scents throughout the

garden vividly illustrates the fascinating diversity of plant lifethroughout the world. With well over 8,000 plant speciesarranged geographically, the garden offers visitors an oppor-tunity to witness Nature's renewal and rebirth in far-awayplaces or as close to home as their own backyard.

A walk through the CALIFORNIAN section provides aspecial opportunity to view many of the state's 5,000 nativeplant species in naturalistic settings. The arrangement ofplants in natural associations, or "plant communities",transports the visitor from cool, sublime Redwood forests tosunny coastal beaches. Beyond the characteristic scent ofthe coastal beds and adjacent to the Pigmy Forest lies theVernal Pool, a bright splash of yellow and white springblossoms. Vernal Pools are part of the larger Valley Grasslandcommunity which occupies most of the floor of the CentralValley. This community has been greatly reduced in the pasttwo centuries, largely through agricultural practices. VernalPools occupy depressions in the grasslands that fill withwater during the winter months. As the pools dry up in thespring they are replaced by brilliant displays of annualsincluding meadowfoam ( Limnanthes douglasii) and gold-fields ( Lasthenia sp. ). Meadow wildflowers sprinkledthroughout adjacent beds in this section mimic the displaysin the fields, grasslands and foothill woodlands throughoutthe state. Especially notable are Chinese Houses ( Collinsiaheterophylla), Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum),Tidy Tips ( Layia platyglossa), and the perennial lupines.

At least a third of all plant species native to California areendemic—they occur naturally nowhere else on earth. Anincreasing number of endemics are now listed as rare orendangered species and the garden is actively participatingin their conservation (see CPC article in this issue). Theattractive endemic Pine Hill Flannel Bush (Fremontoden-dron californicum ssp. decumbens; beds 12B) is knownfrom only three northern California counties. The bulb bedslocated at the top of the Oak Knoll in the garden contain anumber of rare Brodiaea and Calochortus species, includ-ing one species restricted to a single preserve in MarinCounty ( Calochortus tiburonensis).

The high degree of endemism in California is due in part togeographical and climatic isolation: the deserts and moun-tains in the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west arebarriers to plant migration. The Cape region of South Africais isolated in a similar fashion from adjacent regions of theAfrican continent and, like California, it has a Mediterraneanclimate ( cool wet winters, warm dry summers). The plantcollection on AFRICAN HILL reflects the rich endemism ofthis South African flora. A stroll along the main path leadsone through waves of purple and yellow-flowered ice plants(Aizoaceae), drifts of daises (Arctotis spp.) and bulbs (Lili-

aceae) and fiery spikes of Aloes.A short walk across the main path through the ASIAN

section to the Japanese Pool, provides a rest stop and achance to experience for a moment a completely differentpart of the world. Here one is surrounded by rhododendronsand an understory of wild-collected irises, primulas andlilies. Like their counterparts in Yunnan or on the slopes ofMt. Omei, plants like the Dove Tree ( Davidia involucrata ;bed 220B) and Irisjaponica ( bed 245D) create a mysticalenvironment for those who pause by the creek.

On a clear day, there are panoramic views of the SanFrancisco Bay and surrounding counties from the top of theMEDITERRANEAN/EUROPEAN section. The NorthernEuropean woodland is in an early stage of development,already planted with Silver Birch ( Betula pendula), maplesand poplars and an understory flowering bellflowers, but-tercups and goldenrods. A descent back to the main paththrough Cistusand lavender provides a sense of hiking in thehills of Southern France or on the slopes of Mt. Taygetos inthe Peloponnese.

Complementing the two previous sections with a mixtureof East and West is the OLD ROSE DISPLAY, featuring manyhorticultural varieties from the nineteenth century and fore-runners of the modern Hybrid Tea Rose. Most of the oldervarieties of Albas, Gallicas, Damasks, and Centifolias do notbloom continuously through the summer. This is the time ofyear to see and smell them at their best.

Descending still further through a blanket of yellow, pink,and orange Peruvian lilies to the HERB GARDEN the visitordelights in a potpourri of scented geraniums, lavenders,lemon balm and sage. The colors are created by a patchworkof early spring flowering culinary, medicinal, and aromaticherbs such as the orange pot marigold ( Calendula sp. ), theblue-flowered rosemary and borage, and the pink, bold inflo-rescence of the clary sage.

The cacti in the NEW WORLD DESERT collection areinteresting any time of year, but late spring and early summerare particularly good times to see these species in flower.Cactus flowers tend to be showy and they are often brightlycolored. They bear a superficial resemblance to the flowersof the ice plants across the path on AFRICAN HILL, but theresemblance is deceiving. While the cactus flowers havenumerous true petals, botanists have determined that thepetals of ice plants are actually derived from stamens, themale, pollen-bearing organs of the flower. Furthermore, thesucculent tissues of cacti are derived from stems while thoseof ice plants are fleshy leaves. The stem succulents of theAfrican continent that resemble cacti are Euphorbias; but cactiare found only in the New World (North, Central, and SouthAmerica).

TOUR OF THE

MONTHSundays 11:00 am, free. Leave from the TourOrientation Area inside the Botanical Garden.

April 12 OLD ROSES by Ramona Davis

May 17 SHAKESPEARE'S GARDEN byJacqueline Woodfill

June 21 MEDICINAL HERBS by Mitchell Harvey

July 19 PLANT EXPLORERS by Leland Unsell

August 16 EXPLORING THE SOLANACEAE FAM-ILY by Pete Shell

Tour of the Month is a docent-led tour which concentrateson one particular aspect of the Garden.

The Friends of the Botanical Garden will hold aspecial tour of beautiful private gardens for its memberson Saturday, May 16 from 12:30 - 4 p.m. Tickets for thisspecial first-time event are $15.00 per person and maybe purchased at the Visitor Center or by sending acheck and self-addressed stamped envelope to: Friendsof the Botanical Garden, UC Botanical Garden, Centen-nial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720. Non-members areinvited to become members of the Friends for thisevent.

A CALENDAR OF FLOWERSVisitors to the garden are often interested in knowing

when a particular plant will be in flower. This information isalso important for instructors, researchers, docents, volun-teer propagators, and the garden staff. For example, wereceive scores of requests each year from scientists aroundthe world asking if we can send them seeds or preservedflowers of species in our collection. Sometimes we have noidea whether a particular plant sets seed, much less whenthe best time of year is to collect it. Information concerningwhen individual specimens flower has for the most part beencarried about in people's heads.

Last summer, in an effort to get this information down onpaper ( and eventually into the computer), the curatorialstaff developed a system to compile information on flower-ing and fruiting periods for individual specimens. Studentsand volunteers were enlisted to collect the data. It is one ofthe more pleasant record keeping tasks in the garden. Datacollectors stroll through a specific area, say African Hill orthe Redwood Grove, and note which species are in flower orproducing mature fruit. It is a great way to get to know theplant collection in depth since the system forces you to takea careful look at the plants and their names.

Eventually the information will become part of the maincomputer data base. It will then be a relatively simple task toanswer such questions as: What rhododendrons collectedfrom China usually flower in January?. . . When is the besttime of year to collect lupine seed?. . . When is the bestmonth to schedule a tour of spring wildflowers in the east-ern North American section? . . . Does that cactus that lookslike a squashed porcupine ever set seed?. . . ad infinitum.

IN MEMORY OFMARY WALKER

H. M. Ardley Agnes Kowal

Audrey Blakemore John Lawler FamilyKathie M. Blankenship Thomas Main

Martin Blazin Helen Mar

Gerald J. Bongard Richard Molineux

Richard T. Brakke Lee Neidleman

William Brickner Barbara Norwood

Gerald L. Brooks Thomas H. Pattern, Jr.

Richard G. Bruins Sylvia PeakerMona Carroll Eleanor Perez

Sheldon J. Coad Betty F. PrescottIsaac Cohen Gloria L. Renfro

David M. Craig Marilyn Rinzler

Nancy L. Donohue Marjorie M. Royce

Elizabeth Dostal Gail S. RyujinMr. & Mrs. Serge Dubicourt Ophelia N. Sampang

Abdel M. El-Shaieb Patricia A. Schonfeld

David & Denise Fane Kaye & Jerry Schoonhoven

Joseph W. Garbarino Robert J. SteinfieldLeonard M. Goldman Pearl Tidd

Nelson & Kathy Graburn Kelcie TinkerAnn Guihord Craig D. Walker

Joe & Carol Hart Dorothy & John WalkerJames M. Hill J. M. Walker

Jeffrey R. Hultman Judith Walker

Marissa Irlandez Lucy Walker

Byron 0. S. Johnson Stuart Wells

Patricia Johnson Patrick M. WilliamsNorman King

Allt■

4

98 New Members

Benefit WithFriends Membership

Membership in the Friends of the Botanical Gardenbrings numerous benefits in addition to giving support to theGarden.

All memberships include:• Newsletter• Lecture Series• Workshops & Tours• Spring Preview Plant Sale

• Discount on educational programs20% discount on selected UC Press books

• Volunteer opportunities

$150 Sponsor level includes all of the above, plus:• Membership in UC Campanile Club• Invitation to President's Fall Reception & Buffet

$750 Patron level includes all of the above, plus:• Membership in UC Sather Gate Club• Two complimentary tickets to the Wine-Tasting Festival

$1500 Benefactor level includes all of the above, plus:• Membership in Robert Gordon Sproul Associates• Eligibility for membership in Faculty Club• Invitation to Chancellor's Banquet• Parking permit for campus visits• Invitation to two pre-football luncheons

A hearty welcome to all new members. We are delighted to have you and hope you will enjoy your association with the Friendsof the LW, Botanical Garden. Welcome. Special thanks to those people who renewed their membership and continue to supportthe garden.

Dr. Constance F. Acton Peter Ehrlich Melinda Rodgers Lassman Curtis & Erdine SimicBarbara Addicott Arlene Enos Victoria Lauck Hal G. SimkoverPat Allison Gabor Fencsik Mark Leu Leonard SkinnerJean Backeberg Christine A. Finch Pat Lincoln Powell St. JohnSusan & Haskel Bazell Evelyn Givant Dean & Mrs. E. Gordon Linsley Lois StoneMrs. Doris T. Beatty Margaret Herscher Milton Loney Jeanne SultanMarc Berger Jackie Higginbotham Thomas Manning Tom & Lillian SweeneyJoseph Bertino Glenn Hirsch Lisa Mac Mr. & Mrs. N. C. Sweet, Jr.Prof. Phyllis B. Blair Anna Haynes Mr. & Mrs. A. R. McKay Jane SilvesterChristy Booze Gary Holloway Carol Mead John ThomasPeter Bowyer Robert Hohmann Anthony & Diana Meadow Lincoln ThorpMr. & Mrs. Samuel Breck Edy Norwood Chris Merola Jan VargoJacqueline Browne Frances H. Hussey Karen Morebeck Ben VerduinMrs. William W. Budge Bob & Jean Huston Bonnie Murphy Rachel WalboltMr. & Mrs. George B. Clifford Toussaint M. Jahi Pamela Myers-Moro Tanis WaltersMr. & Mrs. Robert Chyr Liz Jewell Tom McKeag Trudy WashburnBetty Coggins Elizabeth Hill Johnson Lisa Nelson Nancy WhaleyLouisa Crawford Karen Jones Jim Pence Michael WhartonDale Crichton Mrs. Ethel S. Kalin Lynn Richards Kitty WhitesideElizabeth Crowder Dr. Donald R. Kaplan Brent Rutherford Miriam C. WilkinsMrs. Grace Currier Robert & Imogene Kling Pamela Sawyer Francora L. WuesthoffGeorge Daher Tamara Krysl Steven Schlitt Mrs. Florence YaffeFrank Dobsons & Diane Kothe Kathryn A. Kulcher Rudi Schmid Jensen YoungBarbara Donald Michael & Sally Landis Phyllis M. Sheldon Patricia ZahorskyAlbert J. Duguay Susan Lang

5

In Honor of Mai ArbegastCatherine M. Trefethen

In Honor of Elizabeth Warner HammondJane Hammond Weller

In Honor of the UC Botanical Garden StaffMarion L. Thompson

In Honor of The Young Musicians ProgramMr. & Mrs. A. E. Graupner, Jr.

30-t14.1tiv

4r, +of Ar• 4.4 4.11 111.10 Ar. 411.0 a^ +.0 Ar, Gs+ ar'," 44+ .4^ Ar +.14r. 44. Ar- +Ho a- +#11 -4. +.0 qr. /1411 44-11 a.114+ Ar 11.41

GIFT AND GRANT FUNDEXPANSION OF MEXICAN-

CENTRAL AMERICANCOLLECTION

One of the most interesting collections in the garden hasbeen "on ice" for several years for lack of an appropriatelyprepared site. About 250 accessions of Mexican plants,mostly from the southern state of Chiapas, have been main-tained in containers in the propagation area awaiting devel-opment of a new series of outdoor beds to accommodate theplantings. The existing Mexican-Central American area, nearthe parking lot, is fully planted but the Master Plan proposeda new series of beds on a sloping, two-acre site at thesouthern boundary of the garden, between the researchgreenhouses and the fire trail.

Until recently the necessary expansion was obstructed bylack of funds. The situation improved dramatically inDecember when the garden received a substantial donationfor development of the Mexican collection. In January, wesubmitted a proposal to the Elvenia J. Slosson Fund forOrnamental Horticulture for $14,500, the balance needed tocomplete the project. The Slosson Fund approved ourrequest and the project is now fully funded and underway.

The preservation of the Chiapas collection is importantfor several reasons:

Conservation of endangered species. The existenceof many of the species we are growing is threatened in theirnatural habitat. Some are already extinct in the wild. One ofthe most dramatic examples is Magnolia sharpii Only twoor three individuals of this species are believed to exist in thewild. The UC garden has three of the only six specimens incultivation.

Introduction of species of economic and horticultu-ral importance. Several of the species have significant eco-nomic or horticultural potential. Stevia lucida and S.polycepbala belong to a genus that is the source of anartificial sweetener. Passiflora ligularis produces ediblefruits that could be grown commercially. Species of horticul-tural interest include Chiranthodendron pentadactylon( a handsome small tree important in Aztec mythology),Hoffmannla gbiesbrightil ( a ground cover), Dahliacoccinea, and several species of pines and evergreen oaks.

Botanical and horticultural research. Many of thespecimens belong to groups that are under study by profes-sional botanists seeking to improve our understanding of theMexican flora. As the plants mature, they will become an

important source of material to be shipped to researchers inneed of living material for study. All the specimens are ofdocumented wild origin.

Mayan Medicinal Garden. The Mayan ancestors of thepresent-day inhabitants of Chiapas developed one of therichest herbal pharmacopeias of any pre-Columbian culture.Several species in our Chiapas collection are still gathered bythe indigenous population. Members of the departments ofAnthropology and Botany at Berkeley, in cooperation withMexican public health officials, have recently initiated amajor research effort to document the medicinal uses ofplants by the Tzeltal and Tzotzil populations of highlandChiapas. Their project will employ several full-time plantcollectors in Chiapas for a period of three years. Theresearchers involved in the project are enthusiastic aboutdeveloping a living collection of medicinal plants at thebotanical garden for research, education, and display. Theirplant collectors will provide the wild-collected seed; thebotanical garden will add the plants to its permanent collec-tion. The high level of documentation of the collection willbe unique. There will be extensive field-documentationconcerning the afflictions for which the plants are said to beeffective, as well as detailed photographic information ontheir preparation and application.

We plan to incorporate the Mayan medicinal species inthe new Mexican-Central American plantings. Once theplants are in the ground, the collection will be publicizedand developed as an educational exhibit. Special labels willbe prepared for the medicinal plants and a catalog will beproduced, describing the collection for students and vis-itors. Other planned projects include a special docent tourand a symposium on Mexican medicinal plants.

The area where the new beds will be developed wassurveyed in January. An architectural firm will use the surveyto prepare a detailed design plan. Most of the existing trees( Coast Live Oaks and California Bay) will be removed,although a few oaks will be left as nurse trees to provideshade for the young plants and stabilize the soil. Garden staffwill then install the path, drainage, and irrigation systemsand build retaining walls where needed. The plants shouldbe in the ground by next winter.

6

In Memory of Harland FrederickKatherine & Philip Bradley

In Memory of Dr. & Mrs. E. K. FrenkelMrs. !Caroline D. Laib

In Memory of Avlina Kinhoon LumDoris Lum

In Memory of Kenneth C. MirovBailard, Biehl & Kaiser

Adele R. Nickel

In Memory of Brownie Lollar MitchellMr. & Mrs. Raymond N. Mitchell, Jr.

In Memory of Aurea RemediosLeo V. Dos Remedios

In Memory of Vera SeilerBetty R. DunlapEvelyn Givant

Mr. & Mrs. Ken SchmitzHelen & G. M. Wright

In Memory of Robert Gordon Sproul, Jr.Agnes R. Robb

Richard H. Ward

In Memory of Anna Walters TrommerDiane J. Wagner

In Memory of Katina ZagarisMr. & Mrs. Wilber C. Leffler, Jr.

SYSTEMWIDE MEETING OF UCBOTANICAL GARDENS

AND ARBORETAOn February 14, fifteen representatives of botanical

gardens and arboreta in the University of California systemassembled in the garden's meeting room to compare notesand discuss how the group might benefit by greater com-munication among institutions. The meeting was hosted byUC Berkeley and UC Irvine, and funded by the GeneticResources Conservation Program and Vice-ChancellorLaetsch. The campuses represented were Davis, Santa Cruz,Riverside, Los Angeles, Irvine, and Berkeley.

During the morning session, Dr. Calvin Qualset (UCDavis) described the University's recently organizedGenetic Resources Conservation Program and discussedhow the program might relate to garden and arboretumcollections. The afternoon discussions focused on the prob-lem of conserving rare and endangered species in gardensand arboreta. It was agreed that the UC system shouldexpand its role in the conservation of native as well as exoticspecies. The discussion was a reminder of the fantastic diver-sity of species maintained by the various University cam-puses, each with somewhat different climates and differentemphasis on their holdings. It was also a reminder of thebenefits of greater collaboration. At the conclusion of theafternoon session, the group voted to establish a consortiumof UC gardens and arboreta to address problems and pro-

,. grams of mutual interest. A second meeting will be held inMay, 1987, on the UC Irvine campus.

In Memory ofNancy Squire Hitch

Mr. & Mrs. Earl C. BoltonMr. & Mrs. Philip L. Boyd

Gloria L. CopelandDorothy E. Everett

Mr. & Mrs. Loren M. FurtadoMr. & Mrs. David P. GardnerMr. & Mrs. Ewald T. GretherMr. & Mrs. 0. B. Hammond

Mrs. Edward H. HellerMr. & Mrs. Roger W. Heyns

Mr. & Mrs. James B. Kendrick, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Clark Kerr

Ann L. KidnerMr. & Mrs. Elmo R. Morgan

Mr. & Mrs. Chester 0. McCorkle, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. John W. Oswald

Margaret H. PerkinsMr. & Mrs. Richard H. Peterson

Mr. & Mrs. Alan PostMr. & Mrs. Knowles A. Ryerson

Angus E. TaylorMr. & Mrs. Harry R. Wellman

Marjorie J. Woolman

$140k4---44.4%.0_In Memory of Hillyer Brown

Eric Sutcliffe

7

RESULTS OF THE GARDEN'S1985-1986 SEED EXCHANGE LIST

Every two years the garden publishes a list of wild-collected seeds which it offers free of charge to more than500 botanical institutions around the world. In return, thegarden receives seed lists from each of these institutions.Many of the plants currently in our collection were acquiredin this fashion. Our latest seed list was distributed in March,1986. It included 337 species of California native plants.Distribution of the seeds is now complete and we thoughtyou might be interested in a summary of the results. A total of226 institutions, from 41 countries, requested seed from thelist. The ten countries placing the most orders were asfollows ( the number in parenthesis is the number of institu-tions in that country that requested seed): United States(25), West Germany (22), U.S.S.R. ( 19 ), England ( 16 ),France ( 14 ), East Germany (12 ), Czechoslovakia (10 ),Poland ( 9 ), Australia (8 ), New Zealand (6). The most popu-lar species are listed below. Other popular plants wereIrises, and members of the Lily family such as Fritillaries,Mariposa Lilies ( Calochortusspp.), and Dog-Tooth Violets(Erythronium spp. ).

10 MOST POPULAR SPECIESNumber of

OrdersWhitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) 69Weeping Spruce( Picea breweriana) 66Foxtail Pine (Pinus balfouriana) 64Pitcher-Plant (Darlingtonia californica) 63Red Fir (Abies magnifica) 59Our Lord's Candle ( Yucca whipplei) 57California Nutmeg ( Torreya californica) 55Butterwort (Pinguicula macroceras) 55Mountain Hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana) 52Coulter Pine (Pinus coulter') 52

GARDEN STRENGTHENS CHINATIES WITH NEW

MEDICINAL PLANT COLLECTION

Modern pharmacology has its roots in herbal medicineand plant-derived drugs are still the basis for treatment ofmany diseases. Well known examples include digitalis fromthe garden foxglove, used in the treatment of heart disease;atropine from the deadly nightshade, which stimulates thesympathetic nervous system; and quinine, the anti-malarialdrug. In many parts of the world, herbal medicine is still ofprimary importance in the treatment of disease. One of themost striking and well publicized examples is the People'sRepublic of China, where herbal medicine is practiced on anequal footing with western medicine and on a scale which isastounding to most outsiders.

In August, 1985, the University of California BotanicalGarden signed a joint agreement with the American Collegeof Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and theGuangzhou College of Traditional Medicine in GuandongProvince, China, to establish a collection of plants used intraditional Chinese medicine at the UC garden. In addition,the agreement proposed an annual exchange of botanistsbetween UC Berkeley and China. The Guangzhou collegeagreed to supply wild and cultivated herbs to Berkeley toform the nucleus of the collection and to send a member oftheir staff to the garden to help establish the plantings.

The program promises several benefits for the campus andfor the garden's public audience. The collection has signifi-cant potential for research and education, particularly inlight of the institutional ties we have already begun todevelop with Chinese botanists, physicians, and pharmacol-ogists. The plants will also illustrate to students and thepublic the importance of drugs derived from plants. The newdisplay will complement two similar collections elsewherein the garden: the medicinal species in the existing herbgarden and the planned display of medicinal plants used inthe Mayan culture ( see article on the new Mexican collec-tion elsewhere in this newsletter). In the long term, we hopethat the exchange of plant material between China and theUnited States will strengthen ties between the twocountries. Central authorities retain tight control overthe export of preserved and living plant material from China.By establishing a long-term exchange of people, we hope tobuild trust and establish relationships that will promotegreater openness on the part of the Chinese authorities. Theprogram is viewed as another step in increasing friendshipbetween our two countries. We have much to learn fromeach other. Who knows, twenty years from now the Tylenolcapsules in your medicine chest may be hidden behind theAngelica root!

The success of the exchange program and further devel-opment of the medicinal garden will depend upon continu-ing financial support from individuals and foundations.Interest in the project to date has been gratifying, but moresupport is needed if we are to keep pace with the planned Alk

calendar of exchanges.Con't. on p. 11

"IN

8

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN

VOLUNTEER INTEREST SURVEY

Please check the areas in which you would like to participate. Mail this form to the Garden by folding this sheet inthirds with the UC Botanical Garden address visible, or drop it off at the Visitor Center. The Volunteer Coordinator willcontact you.

For further information call 642-3343.

Plant Propagation and Preparation Propagating, potting and transplanting Pruning, weeding and grooming Preparing plant labels Propagating special plant groups: Cacti, succulents, ferns, bromeliads, orchids, shrubs, vines, etc. Your area of interest

Plant Sales (Four times a year) Distribute membership information, enroll new members Set up, move and arrange plants Prepare sales slips Guard Cashier Hospitality

Visitor Center Information and sales Prepare and package special materials

Garden Maintenance Weeding, raking Brush clearing Carpentry Electrical Plumbing Painting

Graphics and Design Design, artwork, lettering for posters, newsletters, fliers Landscape design Assist with preparation of displays

Information and Education Prepare newsletters and publicity General clerical; typing, filing, mailings Computer input College and/or prepare dried plant materials Map collections Organize libraries Photograph plants Organize slides Docent program

Other

THANK YOU!

Name Best time to reach me is Address Phone

(day) (evening)

9

PLACE

STAMP

HERE

UC Botanical GardenVolunteer CoordinatorU niversity of CaliforniaCentennial DriveBerkeley, Calif. 94720

GARDEN STRENGTHENS CHINA TIES(con't. from p. 8)

Since the agreement to proceed with the project wassigned in 1985, the first step in the exchange of botanists hasbeen completed and the new garden has begun to takeshape. During July and August, 1986, Dr. James Affolter,curator of the UC garden, U Aik Kaw, provost of the Ameri-can College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Dr. Cathe-rine Pringle, photographer, spent five weeks in China estab-lishing contacts with key botanical and medical institutionsand explaining the planned exchange program. Their itiner-ary included Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Kunming.Kunming is the southwestern province of Yunnan, a richarea floristically, home to many species of Rhododendron,Camellia, and primroses. They were warmly received andtheir Chinese hosts expressed great interest in the plannedmedicinal garden and the exchange program. The trip alsoprovided an opportunity to see herbal medicine in action.they were able to discuss its application and principles witheveryone from physicians and college presidents to localvillagers. Chinese botanists and horticulturists made severalspecific proposals concerning the types of exchange expe-riences they would find most useful. They also invited repre-sentatives from UC Berkeley to participate in future jointcollecting expeditions in China.

A horticulturist from the medicinal plant garden at theGuangzhou College of Traditional Medicine will arrive inBerkeley in March. He will bring the first plant specimens forthe new collection with him, as well as a dedication stonefrom Guangzhou. He will remain in the Bay Area for approx-imately four months and will spend his time jointly at theAmerican College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in SanFrancisco and here at the Botanical Garden. The medicinalgarden will be formally dedicated in June, completing thefirst phase of a program that will hopefully benefit all partici-pants for many years to come.

THE GARDEN BECOMESAFFILIATED WITH THE CENTER

FOR PLANT CONSERVATION

The Center for Plant Conservation is a national network ofbotanical gardens and arboreta committed to the study ofpreservation of rare and endangered species in the UnitedStates. The organization was created in 1984. It is coordi-nated from a national headquarters at the Arnold Arboretumof Harvard University. The network of participating institu-tions originally included eighteen gardens and horticulturalresearch institutions, each responsible for a specific regionof the United States. The west coast region was covered by

00– the Berry Botanic Garden in Portland, Oregon, and RanchoSanta Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, California.

In December, 1986, the Trustees of the Center granted

preliminary approval to add the University of CaliforniaBotanical Garden as the nineteenth participating institution.A disproportionate number of rare and endangered speciesoccur in California and the Trustees recognized the neces-sity of including another major institution from the region intheir activities. The garden's native plant collection alreadyincludes 123 species listed as rare and endangered through-out their range by the California Native Plant Society. Plantsin this category are identified in the garden by a bright redcircle on the plant label. Future newsletters will includemore detailed reports of the garden's Center for Plant Con-servation activities.

11

Calendar of EventsFor information call 642-3343

April 26 Botanical Garden Open House, Sun-day, 12noon-4pm. See Newsletter.

May 9 Friends Preview Plant Sale, Saturday, 9am-Noon, Botanical Garden. New members are welcometo join the day of the sale. The Garden will be closedto the public during the preview sale.

May 9 Spring Plant Sale, Saturday, Noon-2pm,Botanical Garden.

May 10 Spring Plant Sale and Mother's DayBrunch, Sunday, 9am-2pm Sale, 11:30-1pm Brunch.Brunch reservations $12.00 per person in advance.See Insert.

May 16 Friends Garden Tour, Saturday. SeeNewsletter.

June 14 Wine -Tasting Festival, Sunday, 1-3pm.Invitational brochures will be sent in May.

July 11, 18 & 25, Aug. 1, 8 & 15 Intro-duction to the University of California Bo-tanical Garden, six-part series. See Newsletter.

August 9 A Sunday Afternoon with VitaSaclorille-West. Literary snippets and garden loreby noted British writer and novelist Vita Sackville-West. Presentation by Joy Carlin, text by Gene Opton.2:30pm in the Botanical Garden Mather Grove. $3.00members, $5.00 non-members. Tickets can be pur-chased at the Visitor Center.

Wendy Mitchell, EditorFriends of the Botanical Garden

UC Berkeley FoundationFriends of the Botanical GardenUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, California 94720

DATED MATTERTIME VALUE

APRIL 15, 1987

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Berkeley, CAPermit No. 24:1

• Eie■re,e, BA.7