Minnesota Plant PressThe Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

Volume 26 Number 4 Summer 2007

Monthly meetingsThompson Park Center/Dakota Lodge

Thompson County Park360 Butler Ave. E., West St. Paul, MN 55118

651-552-7559 (kitchen)

6 p.m. — Social period7 – 9 p.m. — Program, society business

ProgramsThe MN NPS meets the first Thursday

in October, November, December,February, March, April, May, and June.Check the website for more programinformation.

In this issuePresident’s column...............2Plant donation .....................3Mushroom identification .....4Society news ...............4, 6, 7Orchid field trip ...................5Pine Bend SNA field trip ....5Plant collection standards ....6Plant Lore: Turtlehead.........7

Non-native invasivesthreatening ChippewaNational Forest

On June 20, the Minnesota Native Plant Society Board submittedcomments opposing the Chippewa National Forest Off-HighwayVehicle (OHV) Road Travel Access Project. Beth Nixon, a MN NPSboard member, prepared the document and attached papers that werecited in footnotes. Following are the comments.

1. Non-native invasive plant species present on the ChippewaNational Forest are a top ecological threat to these USFS lands, andhave been identified by Dale Bosworth, former chief of the U.S.Forest Service, as one of the four top threats to the nation’s forestsand rangelands. In the Chippewa, there are 13 species of ingeniouspropagators, producing enormous amounts of seed with a variety ofdispersal mechanisms. Invasives as a group are a major drain on thenational, state, and local economies, costing the country roughly $138billion each year, according to the USFS document “National Strategyand Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management.”

2. An OHV will spread non-native invasive species very, veryeffectively in several ways, including:

a. As is commonly known, the OHV driver travels readily backand forth between a variety of land cover types, disseminatinginvasive propagules into a wide variety of more remote andecologically sensitive natural areas, even when those areas aretechnically off-limits;

b. The OHV tire size and configuration will very efficiently denudeand then transport large quantities of soil laden with a highconcentration of propagules whendriven through an infestation, andthen afterwards deposit thosepropagules for distances of over 10miles;

c. OHVs often are driven onroadsides, where thick infestationsof non-native invasive species aremost likely to exist.

Continued on page 3

Oct. 4: “The harvesting of herbalmedicines; concerns for protecting plantspecies and plant communities,” by EricaFargione, herbalist. Plant of the Month:Panax quinquefolium, American ginseng.

Nov. 1: “Effects of moose browsing onlong-term forest succession on IsleRoyale,” by Dr. Peter Jordan, Universityof Minnesota. Annual seed exchangefollowing the program. Package seeds insmall envelopes; label them.

Society has a blogMN NPS information and comments can

be read on the Society’s blog. Go towww.mnnps.blogspot.com to see what isposted. Information will continue to beposted on the Society’s website,www.mnnps.org

2008 Symposiumbeing planned

The North Shore highlands will be thesubject of the Society’s 2008 symposium.Details have not been finalized, but it willprobably be held at the Bell Museum onthe University of Minnesota campus.Information will be posted on the website.

President: Scott Milburn,president@mnnps.org

Vice President: Shirley MahKooyman, vp@mnnps.org

Secretary: Sean Jergens, secretary@mnnps.org

Treasurer: Ron and CathyHuber, treasurer@mnnps.org

Ken Arndt, board member,karndt@mnnps.org

Peter Dziuk, board member,pdziuk@mnnps.org

Linda Huhn, board member andprogram coordinator, 612-374-1435

Daniel Jones,djones@mnnps.org

Beth Nixon, bnixon@mnnps.org

Russ Schaffenberg,rschaffenberg@mnnps.org

Listserv Coordinator: CharlesUmbanhowar, ceumb@stolaf.edu

Field Trips:fieldtrips@mnnps.org

Memberships:memberships@mnnps.org; 651-739-4323

Historian/Archives: RoyRobison, historian/archives@mnnps.org

Technical or membershipinquiries: contact@mnnps.org

New member packets: Chuckand Ellen Peck, 651-739-4323

Minnesota Plant Press editor:Gerry Drewry, phone, 651-463-8006; plantpress@mnnps.org

MN NPS Boardof Directors

Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose(Abbreviated from the bylaws)

This organization is exclusively organized and operated for educationaland scientific purposes, including the following:

1. Conservation of all native plants.2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences.3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plantlife.4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native toMinnesota.5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation and ecosystems.6. Preservation of special plants, plant communities and scientific andnatural areas.7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of naturalresources and scenic features.8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants throughmeetings, lectures, workshops and field trips.

President’s columnby Scott Milburn, president

The Society is coming off another great year and one to be proud of. Ourmembership is strong and active, as seen with the number of membersattending our events. In keeping with our mission, we have provided anopportunity to learn and expand as we explored the flora of our state.

To recap this past year, we dove into conservation issues such as alternativeagricultural practices and how that affects our native biodiversity. We alsospent a great day at the Bell Museum of Natural History learning about thefascinating Prairie Coteau, with much insight provided by the talented folksat the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Society was alsofortunate to have a great line-up of field trips, including a great lesson inforested wetland ecology and the visual experience of the incrediblevegetative composition present in these communities. All in all, it was agreat year of learning. I would like to thank those who helped this year andhope for more of the same in the upcoming year.

The board, an ever changing group itself, has several new members whobring a lot to the table. I am excited and pleased to be working with thisgroup of individuals, and I think the Society will be pleased with our futureefforts.

Over the past several board meetings, the board made several changes toour membership policies. No need to worry about raising membership costs,as it appears we are inflation-proof for the time being. In all seriousness, itwas felt that we need to maintain continuity with our membership. Theboard recently voted to change our membership year from October to Januaryof every year to correlate with the calendar year, in an attempt to eliminateforgotten renewals. Another exciting change is the ability to become alifetime member of the Society.

Not only do we want to retain our members, we would like to increase ourmembership. There is a large demographic out there that has an interest inthe natural history of Minnesota. It is our job to reach out to this group andengage them. Perhaps the best start is for everyone in our membership tointroduce a friend to the Society. By doing this, we have a great opportunityto grow, expand, and add to what we do as a Society.

MN NPS websiteFor current information about

MN NPS field trips, meetings, andother events, check the website:www.mnnps.org

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3. OHV routes should not bedesignated in any areas known to beinfested with any non-native invasivespecies, or areas thought to be morelikely to be infested, or inenvironments most susceptible tobeing invaded if the same route or aconnected route also traverses areaslikely to be or known to be infestedwith non-native invasive species.

4. OHVs should not be permittedto travel on roads that run through ornear to sugar maple and othernorthern hardwood stands, therebyintroducing another stressor to areaswhich the EnvironmentalAssessment Wildlife Reportidentifies as the most susceptiblecommunities to earthworm-causeddamage.

5. The ability to find places forwatching wildlife or for enjoying orstudying rare native plants and high-quality native plant communityassemblages in a remote naturalsetting, without the interference ofOHVs, is itself rare and becomingrarer.

6. Actions that accelerate the rateor extent of spread of non-nativeinvasive species will damage soils,water quality, vegetation, and habitatfor wildlife, for which there may beup to 27 percent of the state’spopulation of mammal Species inGreatest Conservation Need(SGCN), a group of speciesrepresenting a threshold level forsignificant effects;. 22 federal andstate threatened, endangered orspecial concern species; sensitiveplant species such as the goblin fern;and several other rare moonwortspecies known in the Chippewa.

7. Designating OHV routesthrough areas that are in fact infestedwith non-native invasive species will

greatly accelerate the spread of non-native invasive species.

8. Designating hundreds of milesof routes without reasonablycomplete knowledge of where allnon-native invasive speciesinfestations are located on theChippewa National Forest will likelyresult in designation of many routesthat are presently infested with oneor more non-native invasive species.

9. OHVs will rapidly spread non-native invasive species to manyintersecting routes, including someundesignated routes, making it verydifficult and perhaps impossible tocontrol, eradicate, or even effectivelymanage and monitor the spread ofnon-native invasive species in theforest.

10. The project at issue has thecapacity to do tremendous damageto the environment because itinvolves a highly efficientmechanism for spreading non-nativeinvasive species, and projectplanning has occurred in the absenceof reasonably complete knowledgeof all non-native invasive specieslocations, or even those representingthe highest ecological threat levels.

11. Extensive surveys for all non-native invasive species should beconducted on all road, othermotorized travel corridors, andproposed route alternatives at theearliest possible time, particularlysince over 82 percent of all Chippewaand Federal lands are within a halfmile of route alternatives.

12. The project is likely to causesignificant environmental effects andrequires a full Environmental ImpactStatement, in part due to theunknown impacts on MinnesotaSGCN. The EIS should proceed onlyafter a comprehensive survey ofSGCN, and concurrent with or afternon-native invasive species surveyshave been completed on all road andother potential travel corridors within

the Chippewa National Foreststatutory boundary likely to have amoderate risk of infestation by a non-native invasive species with amoderate, high, or very highecological risk categorization by theUSFS. These species include allthose terrestrial plant species listedas occurring on the Chippewa, aswell as exotic earthworm infestationssurveyed according to level ofinfestation. In the estimation of theMinnesota Native Plant Society,infestations of haplotype commonreedgrass and hybrid cattail shouldalso be surveyed, since extremeOHV use can include marshy areas.

13. The above comments areconsistent with direction in theChippewa National Forest’s currentForest Plan, including specificallydirection regarding soils, vegetationmanagement, wildlife, threatenedand endangered species, non-nativeinvasive species, social andeconomic stability, recreation, trails,and recreational motor vehicles.

OHV damageContinued from page 1

School sends thanksfor donated plants

At the close of the June plant sale,all unsold plants were donated toGarlough School in West St. Paul. Inthe following letter, Susan Simonexplains how the plants were used.

“Thank you for donating the‘leftover’ native plants from the saleto Garlough Environmental MagnetSchool. We are an elementary schoollocated at 1740 Charlton Ave., acrossfrom Dodge Nature Center.

“Our school is developing anenvironmental curriculum that willinclude outdoor study areas.Although much of the landscape iscurrently turf grass in different stagesof decline, we are working to restoreprairie, woodlands, wetland and putin raingardens. The plants youdonated will add much needed plantmaterial. Thanks again, GarloughSchool.”

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Getting started onmushroom identificationby David and Esther McLaughlin

At the March MN NPS meeting, several members expressed interest inlearning about mushroom identification and natural history. We thought wemight provide the Minnesota Plant Press with information on books thatwould be most useful and accessible for beginners. These books are fairlywidely available, either on-line or by ordering through local booksellers. Allhave colored photographs and cover many of the mushrooms you are likelyto find in Minnnesota and environs in the spring, summer and fall. But beaware that there are many more species here than any of these books cover.

Barron, G. L. Mushrooms of Northeast North America, 1999. Lone Pine

Membershipyear will startJan. 1; lifeoption added

Volunteers areneededConservation committee

Would you like to receive timelyinformation about conservationissues? That is one of the benefitsfor members of the MN NPSConservation Committee. If you areinterested, contact Beth Nixon atbnixon@mnnps.org

Social coordinatorThe Society needs a new social

coordinator. This person helpsmembers and visitors get acquaintedat the monthly meetings.Responsibilities include arranging forsnacks and providing name tags. AnnMcGee has been the coordinator. Ifyou are interested, let any boardmember know.

Miller, 0. K., Jr. and H. H. Miller.North American Mushrooms, 2006.Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, CN.

Smith, A.H. and N.S. Weber. TheMushroom Hunter’s Field Guide,1980. University of Michigan Press,Ann Arbor.

So which book should you choose?We especially like Barron’s book, asit is very well illustrated, and thephotographic guide at the beginningis an effective way to find the rightgroup. The Millers’ book is very up-to-date and more complete than therest but covers a much broader area.All are good, so you should besuccessful with any of them.

If you want help in getting startedon mushroom identification or wantto go on a mushroom foray, theMinnesota Mycological Societymeetings and forays can be veryhelpful. You can find out about themfrom their website:www.minnesotamushrooms.org

[Botanizers go on field trips;mushroomers go on forays.]

Publishing Co.

Huffman, D.M., et al. Mushroomsand Other Fungi of theMidcontinental United States, 1989.Iowa State University Press, Ames.

Lincoff, G. H. The Audubon SocietyField Guide to North AmericanMushrooms, 1981. A. A. Knopf, Inc.,New York.

Plant sale earns$842 for Society

Total proceeds from the June 7,2007, plant sale were $842, TreasurerRon Huber reported. This is anincrease from the $789 total in 2006.

John Arthur’s auction photosbrought $82; Peter Dziuk’s photos,$38; auction plants, $76; and saleplants, $646. The plant sale is theSociety’s major fund-raising project.The board thanks everyone whodonated plants and pictures.

The Minnesota Native PlantSociety Board of Directors hasvoted to change the membershipyear to a calendar year. Themembership year, which has startedOct. 1, will now start Jan. 1.

As a result of this change, allcurrent annual or multi-yearmemberships will be extended threemonths. All annual membershipswill be due for renewal Jan. 1, 2008.

Members are encouraged to paydues for several years in advance, ifthey wish. This option is notavailable for donors, who receive atax deduction for the donationportion of their payment.

Life Memberships for adults arenow available at a cost of $300.

Membership categories are asfollows.

$15 Individual$15 Family (two or more people

at the same address)$8 Student (full time)$8 Senior (over 62 or retired)$20 Institution$25 Donor$300 Life (for adults)

David Johnson keeps the data baseof members. He also distributes thee-mail copies of this newsletter.

You may join or renew yourmembership at any monthlymeeting, or mail your check andinformation to: Minnesota NativePlant Society, P.O. Box 20401,Bloomington, MN 55420.

Anniversary partybeing planned

Watch the website and your mail

for announcement of a MN NPS

25th anniversary celebration.

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Article and photos by Ken ArndtOn June 30, the MN NPS held a

field trip to the Hill City area ofnorthern Minnesota, led by DNRForest Ecologist Dr. JohnAlmendinger. Over 30 field tripparticipants decided to make thejourney north to take in this veryspecial part of the state.

We began the morning near theparking area, with a brief talk by Johnabout the rich cedar swamp we wereabout to enter and some of the plantsthat we would be seeing. Once weall were together, we started to hikeinto the cedar swamp by going downa small hill through recent aspenslash a hundred feet or so. At thebottom of the slope, the terrainleveled out into eastern white cedar,black spruce and a carpet ofsphagnum moss. We followed anarrow path into the swamp for a fewhundred feet more, to where many

Orchids everywhere

of the native orchid species werefound.

Within a very short time you couldhear someone call out “over here isan orchid!” All around us we werestarting to see the many differentnative orchids and other interestingplants that call this place home.Needless to say, we didn’t move veryfar from this point for the whole day.Several folks brought theirphotographic equipment to capturethese spectacular plants, while otherswere able to wander around and takeit all in at a very reasonable pace.

Throughout the day, John wouldgather us together and leadimpromptu talks about differenttopics like peat formation andaccumulation, as well as the localgeology and ecology of this regionof Minnesota. We had lunch in theswamp and ended up spending therest of the day within a few hundredfeet of where we started.

Twelve different native orchidswere found within this cedar swamp,with most in bloom. They include:

Amerorchis rotundifolia, Arethusabulbosa, Calopogon tuberosus,Corallorhiza striata, Cyprepidium

acaule, C. calceolus var. parviflorum,C. calceolus var. pubescens, C.reginae, Listera cordata, Platanteradilatata, P. hyperborea, and P.obtusata.

John mentioned that last year’sorchid display was by far moreintense than this year’s. I think wewere all very impressed by what wegot to experience that day.

Cypripedium reginae, Showy

pink lady’s-slipper orchid.

Platantera dilatata, tall white

bog-orchid.

The snow was deepat Pine Bend SNAby Ken Arndt

Who ordered the foot plus of snowtwo days before our field trip to PineBend Scientific Natural Area? OnMarch 3, Jason Husveth, ScottMilburn and Ken Arndt led 12 bravesouls through the snow at Pine BendSNA. This new SNA is just eastof Hwy. 52 in Inver Grove Heights.

We started the afternoon hike at thetop of the bluff, where we weretreated to a fantastic view of theMississippi River some 200 feetbelow. From there we took a traildown to the river, identifying plantsas we came across them. It’s a goodthing a few of the trip participantswere smart enough to bringsnowshoes. Naturally, we let themblaze the trail for the rest of us.

With the deep snow cover, ourplant identification was heavy on thewoodies, as you might imagine, witha few herbaceous plants still visible.The oak-dominated forest mixes withwhite pine in areas and thentransitions into lowland floodplainspecies closer to the river’s edge.Once we got down to river level, wewere able to explore the seeps wherethe skunk cabbage grows. Luckily,the seeps flow year round, so thesnow was no match for the waterflowing out from the bluff slopes.Most of the seeps had little, if any,snow cover, so seeing the skunkcabbage was not a problem. A fewof the skunk cabbage flowers wereeven beginning to open (a sign thatspring was near).

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New internationalstandard for collection ofwild plants is adopted

A new standard to promote the

sustainable management and trade inwild medicinal and aromatic plants(MAP) was launched Feb. 16 at

Biofach, the World Organic TradeFair, in Nuremberg, Germany.

The International Standard for

Sustainable Wild Collection ofMedicinal and Aromatic Plants(ISSC-MAP) was drawn up

following extensive consultationwith plant experts and the herbalproducts industry worldwide. It

promotes appropriate managementof wild plant populations to ensureplants used in medicine and

cosmetics are not over-exploited.

The ISSC-MAP is based on sixprinciples: maintaining wild MAP

resources, preventing negativeenvironmental impacts, legalcompliance, respecting customary

rights, applying responsiblemanagement practices, and applyingresponsible business practices. It can

be downloaded from http://www.floraweb.de/proxy/floraweb/map-pro/

“Traders and companies, collectorsand consumers must share theresponsibility for maintaining

populations of medicinal plantswhich are valuable naturalresources,” said Susanne Honnef of

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trademonitoring network. “The ISSC-MAP principles and criteria show

how this can be achieved inpractice.”

More than 400,000 tons of

medicinal and aromatic plants aretraded worldwide annually, witharound 80 percent of the species

harvested from the wild. Almost70,000 species are involved, many of

them are in danger of over-exploitation and even extinctionthrough over-collection and habitat

loss. For example, in India, almost300 medicinal plants are consideredthreatened by IUCN — the World

Conservation Union.

Traditional Medicinals, one of theindustry’s leading companies, is

investigating applying the newstandard to the collection ofbearberry, a shrub whose leaves are

used for the treatment of a variety ofconditions, mainly of the diuretic andurinary tract.

“Our German supplier was able toprove the sustainability of theirbearberry sources, and we are keento see how the newly developed

ISSC-MAP criteria apply to thistrade,” said Josef Brinckman, vice-president of Traditional Medicinals.

“Sustainable supplies will meanlong-term benefits for the localpeople who rely on the bearberry

trade for supplementary income.”

“I welcome the launch of this newstandard, which presents an

important step in ensuring thesustainable use of naturalpharmaceutical products,” said

Professor Drenckhahn, president ofWWF-Germany. “We’d like to seeother companies use the standard and

see how it works in practice for theirbenefit.”

Those attending the EXPO West

trade fair March 9 - 11, 2007, wereable to hear more about the ISSC-MAP standard from Dr. Danna J.

Leaman, chair of the Medicinal PlantSpecialist Group for the World

Conservation Union, and JosefBrinckmann, Traditional Medicinals.

Organizations and experts involvedin the ISSC-MAP consultationincluded: the German Federal

Agency for Nature Conservation(BfN), the IUCN SSC MedicinalPlant Specialist Group (MPSG),

WWF-Germany, and TRAFFIC, plusindustry associations, companies,certifiers and community-based

NGOs.

TRAFFIC works to ensure thattrade in wild plants and animals is

not a threat to the conservation ofnature. TRAFFIC is a joint programof WWF, the conservation

organization and IUCN - The WorldConservation Union.

Board members,officers change

Scott Milburn was re-electedpresident of the Minnesota NativePlant Society at the June 26 boardmeeting. Shirley Mah Kooyman wasre-elected vice president; Ron Huberwas re-elected treasurer. SeanJergens was elected secretary.

Peter Dziuk, Russ Schaffenberg,and Linda Huhn joined the board atthis meeting. Peter and Russ wereelected earlier this year; Linda wasappointed to complete SandyMcCartney’s term.

Extension servicehas forestry website

The University of MinnesotaExtension Service has created a newwebsite, Myminnesotawoods.org

The site includes information on thenatural history of savannas,woodlands, and forests in Minnesota,

as well as specific information abouttree growth and forest health. Itencourages forest stewardship for a

variety of purposes, includingrenewable timber harvest, recreation,and restoration.

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Plant Loreby Thor KommedahlWhat is turtlehead?

Turtlehead is Chelone glabra, anative herb in the figwort family.

What do its names mean?Chelone comes from the Greek

kelone, a tortoise, referring to theturtle-head shape of the upper partof the flower. In Greek mythology,Chelone was a nymph who, becauseshe refused to attend the wedding ofZeus and Hera, was turned into aturtle. Glabra means smooth.

What does the plant look like?Plants are usually two to three feet

tall (some report up to six feet) froma creeping, perennial root. The stemis smooth and somewhat four-angled.Leaves are opposite without, orperhaps with short, petioles. The two-lipped flowers in a spike consist offour fertile stamens and one sterilestamen and five united (two upperand three lower), white petals. Seedsare flat and rounded, winged, andencased in a capsule.

Where do turtleheads grow?Mainly in the eastern half of the

state in swamps, wet meadows,marshes, or along streams. Theyflower from July to September.

Is this a “butterfly plant”?Well, yes, at least for the Baltimore

butterfly (Euphydras phaeton),whose larvae feed exclusively onturtlehead leaves, e.g. the MinnesotaRiver Valley is habitat to both plantand butterfly. Fall butterflies alsofeed on plant nectar.

Has it any medicinal uses?American Indians valued it as a

laxative and purgative. They alsomade a tea from flowers to treatworms and as a contraceptive. Earlyphysicians prescribed it as anointment for fevers, piles, liverproblems, etc. It contains a bitterresin.

Is it used horticulturally?It is sometimes planted in gardens,

but it requires light shade andconsistently moist soil. Plants can bepropagated from seed and bydividing roots.

Chelone glabra in profile,photo by Scott Milburn.

Chelone glabra, photo by PeterDziuk

Peter Dziukjoins board

Peter Dziuk, a new MN NPS Boardmember, is one of our most creativemembers. One of his photos is on thispage. Following is the biography hesubmitted to introduce himself tomembers.

Rumor has it thatPeter M. Dziuk started his careerWhile in the fourth grade,Copping strawberry plants fromLittle Old Ladies’ gardens.

Since that time,He has been known to growAll sorts of things,Some, possibly illegal,But he’ll never fess up.

Though of dubious academicIntent and skill (attitude, attitude,attitude),He did manage to get degrees inHorticulture (early), biology andsecondary education (later).However, teaching high schoolstudentsWas not in his future.

In the late 70s he worked atThe “new” zoo out in Apple Valley,But then stumbled around the privatesector,And more schooling, for some time.Then, by 1992, he stumbled back intoState Government —Or at least the MDA version.

He coordinated the tree inspectorprogram;He coordinated the gypsy mothprogram;He coordinated the invasive speciesprogram;He coordinated the cooperativeagricultural pest survey program.For now, he is a nursery inspector.

While he may have a habitOf saying too much,Above and beyond all,He is passionate aboutNative wildflowers!

Field tripsSummer field trips are a popular

membership benefit. The Aug. 9 tripto St. Croix Savanna Scientific andNatural Area has been filled. HannahTexlar, Minnesota DNR regionalplant ecologist, will lead this trip.Future trips will be announced on thewebsite (www.mnnps.org) and on theblog (www.mnnps.blogspot.com).

Recent completed field tripsinclude Whitewater WildlifeManagement Area May 12; PrairieCoteau June 16 and 17; Hill RiverState Forest June 30; a westernprairie fringed orchid survey theweekend of July 7; and Pioneer Parkfen in Blaine July 14.

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Minnesota Native Plant Society

P.O. Box 20401

Bloomington, MN 55420

Summer 2007