CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER May 1970 ¦n CISIPS STARTS CNACC Save California's Biotic Communities Has A New Name Under the aegis of the California Native Plant Society, a new approach to conservation efforts in the state has been started with the formation of the California Natural Areas Coordinating Council. The new organization has a two-fold purpose, to make an inventory of those areas in the state which are of special interest from a botanical, zoological or geological standpoint, and to aid governmental and private agencies in acquiring and preserving these areas. The concept of a natural area inventory is not new; several countries and in this country, particularly in the Midwest and New England, many states have or are working on such com- pilations. In California there exists no overall, state-wide inven- tory embracing all of the unique natural areas in the state, al- though several specialty inventories exist or are being made. In general, areas which will be included in this inventory are those which are recognized as having particular value for the scientific study of natural features, be they botanical, zoological or geological, for use as natural science study areas, or for their special interest for their value as relics of vegetational or ani- mal types or as unique geological areas. The importance of the inventory lies not only in the obvious value that it will have for scientific and educational purposes but also for its potential use in conservation efforts. For the first time there will be a comprehensive and readily usable reference that can serve as the guideline for preservation, con- servation, and acquistion efforts. The inventory will detail the status of the natural areas in California and indicate what areas or biotic communities are endangered and in the greatest need of preservation activities. It is hoped that by determining as soon as possible what has to be preserved, many of these areas can be saved before they are endangered. CNACC will not seek to acquire or hold any of the natural areas. Rather, it will work closely with other agencies, both public and private, to assure the preservation of the natural areas selected. The Coordinating Council, which is at present exploring the possibilities of incorporating as a non-profit organization, is the outgrowth of the autonomous committee, Save California's Bio- tic Communities, which was formed by CNPS members to make an inventory of the state's natural areas. Dr. G. Ledyard Stebbins serves as the acting chairman; other members of the steering committee of the Council include: Dr. Mildred Mathias, Dr. Paul Zinke, Dr. Donald Lynch, Mary Jefferds, Dr. Elizabeth McClin- tock, Dr. Harold Mooney, John Olmsted, Roger Samuelsen, Dr. John Sawyer, Dr. Robert Thorpe, Mrs. Joyce Burr, Mrs. Harold Sills. Members of the steering committee represent the scientific, conservation and business community. They include persons affiliated with the various campuses of the University of Calif- ornia and the state colleges as well as private universities and colleges, museums, arboretums, various federal and state agencies which control both private and public lands, many conservation organizations, scientific and technical societies, and private com- panies which own large quantities of land. Last February a meeting was held with the heads (or their repre- sentatives) of most of the state and federal agencies concerned with the conservation or preservation of natural areas. The pur- pose of the meeting was to determine what material was avail- able and what, if any, assistance CNACC might expect from the various agencies. The response was overwhelming: promises of access to all the available relevant information and enthusiastic offers of support in the inventorying effort. Encouraged by the response, CNACC is moving into the second phase of its program. In May there will be a meeting of some 50 to 60 scientists, edu- cators, and knowledgeable conservationists, from all parts of the state, who will formulate policy and procedures for the inven- torying. To facilitate the program, the state has been divided into nine geographical regions chosen for transportation and ad- ministrative convenience rather than any biological or geological unity. Following the May meeting, regional committees will be established in each of the nine regions. At the May meeting state wide committees will be formed to determine the criteria for inclusion in the published inventory and the priorities that should be assigned in preservation or ac- quisition efforts. Persons who are interested in participating in the inventorying, or who know of individuals who might be interested, are urged to contact the CNACC coordinator Leslie Hood, C/O California Natural Areas Coordinating Council, Box 670, Mill Valley, Calif- ornia, 94941. PESCADERO CREEK REDWOODS The Save-the-Redwoods League is actively opposing the U. S. Corps of Engineers' proposed Pescadero Creek Project in San Mateo County. The following is quoted from a statement by John B. Dewitt, Assistant Secretary of the Save-the-Redwoods League, submitted to a hearing before the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on March 26, 1970: "The construction of the high Worley Flat reservoir would cause the inundation and destruction of 60 acres of irreplaceable first growth Redwood forest land within Portola Redwoods State Park. The fluctuating reservoir impounded behind the dam would irre- vocably alter the natural ecology of Pescadero Creek, thus pro- ducing the destruction of the beauty and tranquility of Portola Redwoods State Park for all time. 3 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN NEWSLETTER CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY Honorary President.......... Lester Rowntree President ............. G. Ledyard Stebbins Vice-President................James B. Roof Recording Secretary............ Alice Howard Corresponding Secretary......Lawrence Heckard Treasurer ................Ralph Kurtzman Gualala Chapter, President........Leila Romer Monterey Bay Chapter, President .... Ken Taylor North Coast Chapter, President............... John O. Sawyer Sacramento Valley Chapter, President.................P. R. Ferguson San Luis Obispo County Chapter, President ............ Neil Havlik Sierra-Santa Monica Chapter, President .............Helen Funkhouser Area Preservation.............. Leslie Hood Chapter Affairs ................Joyce Burr Education ...................John Bryant Field Trips.................. Rolf Benseler Horticultural Advisory............James Roof Membership............... Horace K. Burr Newsletter Editor ......Diane Wenner Strobele Newsletter Publisher..........Caljon Strobele Plant Sale ......Susan Fruge and Jenny Fleming Publicity...................Kelly Falconer Final dates for submission of material to be consider- ed for inclusion in the CNPS Newsletter are June 1, September 1 and December 1, 1970. Dedicated to the Preservation of California Native Flora Vol. VI. No. 2 MAY 1970 COVER PHOTO Dr. Robert F. Hoover [second from right] is shown here lead- ing a CNPS field trip in San Luis Obispo County. Dr. Hoover, charter member of the CNPS and the founding father of the San Luis Obispo Chapter, died February 18, 1970. Photo by Louis H. Wilson EDITORIAL - DR. ROBERT F. HOOVER IS DEAD Dr. Robert F. Hoover, a charter member of the CNPS and one of the wheelhorses of this society since its inception, died February 18, 1970. This issue contains both a field trip and a chapter news report by Dr. Hoover—written, apparently, in early January. That fact tells a lot about the man. He must have been in great pain, but he had the courage to keep working. We should all take special note that he was working for the CNPS during his last days. Ob- viously, he was quite a man. And, those of us who sometimes hang our heads in shame over our own species can lift our faces to the sun remembering Dr. Robert F. Hoover. [For more information on Dr. Hoover, see pages 7 and 9—12 of this issue. 1 DIRECTORS MEMBERSHIP - HOW TO JOIN THE CNPS Paul Badger Rolf Benseler John S. Bryant Horace K. Burr Jenny Fleming Susan Fruge Lawrence R. Heckard Alice Howard Walter Knight Ralph Kurtzman Donald Lynch Wayne Roderick James Roof Wayne Savage Caljon Strobele G. Ledyard Stebbins Carol Weiske Membership, which includes a subscription to Newsletter, is available to any person interested in California Native Plants. All dues and contributions to the CNPS are deductible for tax pur- poses. The basic membership classes and dues are as follows: Individual, $6.00; Family, $8.00; Student, $4.50; society or club $8.00. (For information on other classes of membership, write to: Horace K. Burr, Membership Chairman, 7817 Terrace, El Cerrito, Ca. 94530.) In order to join the CNPS, send your name and ad- dress (please don't forget the ZIP code) plus the appropriate dues to: Treasurer, CNPS, Room 202, 2490 Channing Way, Berkeley, Ca. 94704. We would also like you to indicate your special inter- ests and your chapter affiliation, if known. Non-members are always welcome at general meetings and on field trips. 2 In 1954, the John A. Hooper Memorial Grove was established by the State of California's State Park Commission in consideration of a gift from Arthur W. Hooper with the explicit understanding that it would be maintained in its natural primeval beauty for future generations. This grove would be destroyed by the high Worley Flat reservoir, and the pledge of the State would be broken. Portola Redwoods State Park is held in trust by the State as a natural preserve. By law, it cannot be alienated to a local government body, whose purpose is to destroy its park value by flooding it. The great California State Park system must not be dominated by local economic interests." Virginia Prim, a staff member of the Save-the-Redwoods League, reports that approximately 400 people were present at the hear- ing and that no one who testified was in favor of the project. There was such a large amount of testimony that it was neces- sary to continue the hearing. The next hearing will be held on Thursday, May 28, 1970, at 10:00 a.m. at Pescadero High School on the Butano Cutoff Road in Pescadero. Anyone who wishes to submit testimony or to protest the pro- posed action should write to: San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, c/o Government Center, Redwood City, Ca. 94063. It is important that anyone who writes should request that his testimony or protest be made a part of the hearing record. COMMITTEE REPORTS Area Preservation Committee Dr. Paul Zinke has resigned as chairman of the Area Preservation Committee; Leslie Hood, the coordinator of the California Nat- ural Areas Coordinating Council, is the new chairman. Dr. Zinke of the School of Forestry, University of California, Berkeley, is taking a leave in order to do consulting work in Southeast Asia. According to Mr. Hood, the committee will function as it has in the past; however, membership will be expanded. Any member of the CNPS who is interested in serving on the committee, or who knows of unique areas that the Society might be interested in helping to preserve, is urged to contact Mr. Hood at 25 Fern Canyon Road, Mill Valley, Ca. 94941. A list of the local chapter's members on the Area Preservation Committee will be published in the next issue. Education Committee Progress Report Native Garden Project—A Report From Redwood Intermediate School In Castro Valley Golden poppies and deep blue lupine swaying in the spring breeze, and the aromatic smell of sage brush baking in the sun make us realize we are in Redwood School's own Chaparral. The plan, developed by Marj Galvin's sixth grade class last year, is taking shape. Twenty-eight truckloads of dirt were dumped on the edge of the upper playground by a local contractor. Tele- phone poles bound parts of the garden area. Wildflower seed purchased by the student council with funds raised by cupcake sales is planted and germinating. The student body has had a lecture and slide show by Castro Valley's native plant specialist, Mr. Clyde Robin. Gallon size plants bought at last fall's CNPS sale are in the ground. We have about 60 species, all adapted to the dry sand- stone soil of our playground. Holes for shrubs and trees that will become large were drilled by the district tractor and auger. More plants are ordered, and we have plans for landscaping with rocks and fence posts. A group of sixth grade boys is designing a monument of stone and concrete topped by a two foot welded iron falcon, Red- wood's symbol. Every class is helping to plant and water, even the kindergarten assisted by older children. Our plans are big; progress seems slow; but those poppies and lupine are growing, and we do have sage!. Marjorie Galvin Plant Sale Committee Great thanks to the Gualala Chapter and Mrs. Dorothy King Young for providing around 200 native Rhododendron seedlings. *** VACATIONERS NOTICE *** Plant procurement for our annual sales could be aided by coll- ection of native seeds, propagative portions of cacti and succu- lents, and any other easily mailable materials. Send them to: Mrs. Scott Fleming 2750 Shasta Road Berkeley, California 94708 We have already potted up several hundred plants, most of which will be of saleable size by October. Jenny Fleming 4 1970 FIELD TRIP SCHEDULES SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA GROUP May 2-3 Sat. & Sun. - Meet Walter & Irja Knight a Cobb Post Office between Middletown and Kelseyville, Saturday at 10 a.m. Some will stay Friday night at Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville. We will also camp there Saturday night. Saturday morning we will inspect Boggs Lake for most unusual aquatic flora. We will look over Snows Lake in the afternoon. On Sun- day morning, meet at the camp at Clear Lake State Park at 9:30 a.m. to organize for excursion to Borax Lake. To our knowledge this has not been botanized for many years, but it has many unusual things such as the northern distribution for Penstemon centranthifolius. May 9 Sat. - Rolf Benseler will lead this Mt. Diablo State Park trip. Bring lunch and beverage. Also bring your book "The Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mt. Diablo, California" by Mary L. Bowerman. If you do not have a copy, order it from her at: 970 - 2nd Street, Lafayette, Ca. 94549, or telephone: 415- 283-3403. Meet at 10 a.m. at Boundary Camp at the north kiosk. We will probably eat lunch at Juniper Camp and then take a hike from the summit to see Lewisia rediviva and maybe Viburnum ellipticum. Bring binoculars and bird book. May 16 Sat. — Meet near kiosk at Brannan Island Campground north of Antioch, at 10 a.m.—small admission charge. Bring lunch and beverage. Some will probably camp the previous night as there are excellent camp facilities. We will look at sand dune area and see if we can find recently germinated plants of Oeno- thera deltoides var. howellii which were seeded earlier in the year. This is the rare plant now going extinct on the Antioch sand dunes due to development. Antioch was the total area of endemism and it is hoped that this beautiful primrose will find a home on Brannan Island. Walter & Irja Knight will lead. Look for a 1969 white VW squareback XLR 649. May 29-30-31 Fri.-Sat.-Sun. — Gualala Chapter recommends making reservations now for Friday & Saturday nights at following accomodations in Anchor Bay-Gualala: Mar Vista Motel, Surf Motel and Gualala Hotel. There are also elegant facilities at the Sea Ranch. For those who like to camp out, there are spaces at the Anchor Bay Campground on a first come first served basis- write to Walter Knight, 2006 Cedar St., Berkeley 94709 or telephone: 415 848-0430. If you find these facilities filled, try Point Arena (16 miles north of Gualala): Reed's Motel, Redwood Motel or Point Arena Hotel Motel. The first day everyone will be on his own; the first official meeting will be at the Sea Ranch airport, 10 a.m., Saturday the 30th. The Sea Ranch will be the focal point of interest that day, and a good time is guaranteed. A ladies' club in Gualala will furnish dinner in a place where we can all get together, and there will be a slide show in the evening. Helpful literature would be the revised edition of "Wildflower Jewels of the Redwood Empire" by Dorothy King Young, Naturegraph Press, from any book store and "A Partial List of Seed Bearing Plants of the North Coast Ranges" by Milo Baker. Write to Botany Dept., Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa and send $1.00. An interesting program is planned for Sunday. June 14 Sun. — A hike through Bear Valley in Point Reyes Nat- ional Seashore. Meet at Park Headquarters near Olema at 10 a.m. with lunches. Bring "Marin Flora" by John Thomas Howell. A revised edition may be available by the time of the trip. Howard Knight of Diablo Valley College will be leading. July 3-4-5 Fri.-Sat.-Sun. — You will be receiving a special card concerning this event which will consist of a study of the Mineral King area in Tulare County. It will be interesting to see this highly controversial proposed Disney winter recreational develop- ment site. We expect to have a plant list available for each one who participates in this trip. by Walter Knight GENERAL MEETINGS - To be held in 1970 in Berkeley at U. C. Mulford Hall, Rm. 159 - time 8:00 p.m. April 2—Mr. John Thomas Howell, Curator Emeritus, Botany Department, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Subject: "Rose Family of California". June 4—Mr. Robert L. Hoover, Instructor of Anthropology Merritt College, Oakland. Subject: "Fauna and Flora of the Santa Barbara County Channel Islands". October 1—Dr. Elizabeth McClintock, Curator, Botany Depart- ment, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Subject: "Early Botanists of California". WYKOFF RESIGNS EDITORIAL POST Victor C. Wykoff, Jr., Editor of Newsletter for two and one- half years, resigned February 19, 1970. CNPS owes him a tre- mendous debt of gratitude for his hard work and long service. His editorial folder set a new standard in journalism for cleanli- ness, currency, and organization. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE APRIL ISSUE? This issue is late in spite of our best efforts to get it out on sched- ule. A new format, a new editor, late material, and assorted nuisances all combined to make what should have been the April issue into the May issue. We regret the fact this issue's lateness has inconvenienced many people. We do intend to have the July issue mailed in early July. For this edition, Newsletter owes special thanks to Ed Blackburn for staying up all night to do some of our photographic process- ing, to Robert Linville Hoover and Ralph Baker for contributing most of the material on Dr. Hoover, and to Dr. Elizabeth McClin- tock for taking the time to count Dr. Hoover's contributions to the California Academy of Sciences. If you have any ideas about what you'd like to see in Newsletter, now is the time to tell the editor; write: 483 Victory Avenue, Mountain View, Ca. 94040; telephone: 415 968-3263. At this point, Newsletter has a great need for black and white photo- graphs that are of sufficient quality to be enlarged for the cover. 5 CHAPTER NEWS Now we are SIX - Welcome North Coast Chapter The first meeting of the North Coast Chapter of the CNPS was held March 6,1970 with a membership of 28. Dr. Dennis Anderson of Humboldt State College presented a slide talk en- titled, "Eastward in Search of Spring." Future plans include talks and field trips in the surrounding area. We hope to visit the Darlingtonia bogs near Gasquet in April depending upon the conditions then. Dr. John 0. Sawyer is President and Mrs. Farris R. Meredith is Secretary. MONTEREY BAY CHAPTER Field Trip to Evolution Hill On Sunday, February 22, 1970, what was perhaps the largest assemblage of CNPSers braved the wilds of Del Monte Forest on the Monterey Peninsula to see one of California's rarest plant associations, the Gowen Cypress-Bishop Pine barrens. We're not sure if an attendance record was set or not because only 105 people signed the registry, but the newspaper reporter counted 125. We are sure that finer weather would have been difficult to imagine. Dr. Ledyard Stebbins, President of CNPS, after studying the area for more than 30 years, named it Evolution Hill because of the rare associations to be found there. It is the only natural occurrence of Monterey Pine and Bishop Pine growing side by side. It is a stronghold of Gowen Cypress, the southern distribu- tion of Bear Grass, Xerophyllum tenax, and the last known lo- cation of Eastwood's Golden Fleece, Haplopappus Eastwoodae. There are many other interesting natives including three of the genus Ceanothus, two manzanitas, Golden Chinquapin, Salal, wax myrtle and huckleberry. The location was discovered by Karl Theodore Hartweg in 1848. The Journal of the Horticultural Society of London, V. 3, 1848, published his notes as follows: "When the weather permitted it, I continued my rambles on foot in the mountains of Monterey, and discovered on the western declivity, within two miles of the seashore, a species of Pine which I had not found previously. The leaves are two in a sheath, three to five inches long; cones in clusters of four to seven, oval, three inches long by two broad, of a reddish brown before they are perfectly ripe, then changing into light brown; scales pyramidal, terminating in an ash-grey sharp point. The trees attain no great elevation, averaging twen- ty feet, rarely thirty, with a stem < of twelve inches in diameter; they are confined to half a square mile, and like P. insignis, by which they are surrounded on all sides, thrive in coarsely decom- posed granite. This species, which appears to be new, I have named, in compliment to Thomas Edgar, Esq., the Society's Treasurer, Pinus Edgariana. In the same locality with the above pine, I observed a Cypress (Cupressus, No. 166) with smaller cones than C. macrocarpa, of which it seems more than a var- iety, being a stunted shrub six to ten feet high." The California Native Plant Society is trying desperately to secure a dedicated natural area of this rare plant community. The alternative is loss through open pit mining or subdivision. Vern Yadon Curator Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Editor's Note: Monterey Bay Chapter may have their record. At least nine persons have stated that they were there and did not sign the registry. Sacramento Valley Chapter On February 15th, the Sacramento Valley Chapter took its first field trip of the year to the hills above Sonoma Valley, specific- ally to Hooker Canyon and its watershed. An area was visited which had been burned over four years ago, and the regrowth was remarkable. Four species of manzanita were observed in various stages of bloom: Arctostaphylos man- zanita, A. Stanfordiana, A. canescens, and A glandulosa .var. Cushingiana. Ceanothus foliosus was in bloom, as well as Salvia sonomensis, creeping sage. An "island" of Mc Nab Cypress and Knobcone Pine were also observed on the trip. We were a bit early in the season for many flowers to be in bloom. Some 42 members and guests enjoyed a beautiful day, however. George Dobbins, Vice-President and Field Trip Chairman The March 14th field trip scheduled for Corral Hollow had its destination altered to Puerto Canyon, about 15 miles to the southward, due to the fact that Corral Hollow is now a meeting place for motorcycle hill climbers, who have denuded most of the hill slopes on the south side of the canyon and have occupied much of the canyon floor. The north side of the canyon is well preserved, but is inaccessible, since it is a test area for the Atomic Energy Commission's Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, from which the public is excluded. Fifty-six members and guests attended the trip, in fine sunny weather. The spring flora was just beginning its display, domin- ated by the striking creamy-white plumes of the loco weed (Astragalus oxyphysus) and the bush Haplopappus (H lineari- foliusj. Goldfields (Baeria chrysostoma), Gilia tricolor, pop- 6 corn flower (Plagiobothrys spp.) , filaree (Erodium spp/, Calif- ornia poppy, and Tropidocarpum of the mustard family made splashes of color here and there. The varied flora of the rocky canyon walls reflected the different geological formations though which the canyon passes. At the uppermost place reach- ed by the party, a distinctive flora of species adapted to serpen- tine soils was studied. Here we found the rare and local falcate fritillaria (F. falcata), growing on a steep loose talus slope along with pink sheets of another serpentine endemic, Montia gypso- philoides. Great interest was added to the trip by the presence of Dr. J. T. Howell of the California Academy of Sciences, who told the group about the accounts of this area written by botanical ex- plorers, particularly William Brewer in the 1850's. G.L. Stebbins, Leader Sacramento Chapter The new officers for the Sacramento Chapter are: P. R. Ferguson, President; George Dobbins, Vice-President; and Florence Marsh, Secretary-treasurer. San Luis Obispo Chapter Early on the frosty morning of December 14th, 1969, approx- imately ten carloads of people assembled at Santa Margarita for an outing to Hi Mountain (yes, that's right; there are no maps which use the spelling of High Mountain). Travel to Pozo was over a good paved road; then there was a rough stretch through the bottom of the Salinas River. From that point on, we were on a dirt road which is well maintained by the U. S. Forest Service. Our way led upward to the summit at the upper end of the Arroyo Grande watershed. No flowers were in evidence along this portion of the road, but there was an interesting association of various chaparral shrubs. The most abundant of these was Arctostaphylos glauca, one of the most ornamental of the mazanitas, but not yet in bloom at this date. On reaching the summit of Hi Mt., we spent some time visiting with the U. S. Forest service lookout. The altitude of Hi Mt. is about 3100 ft., and it is the culminating point of this part of San Luis Obispo County. Far below, Lopez Reservoir looked like a small pond. To the west could be seen several steep and deep canyons, representing the drainage basin of Lopez Canyon. Separating these canyons, could be seen the system of pine- covered ridges and peaks which are only a few miles east of San Luis Obispo. To the east could be seen the La Panza Range, including Black Mt. Across the Cuyama River to the south, the feature which dominated the skyline was the long ridge of the Sierra Madre in Santa Barbara Co. The caravan proceeded a few miles west along the ridge, where a picnic lunch was enjoyed. Along this section of the road, great numbers of Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) made up a con- spicuous feature of the landscape. Not only were the shrubs present in great abundance, but also it was generally agreed that the heavy crop of brilliant red berries had never been surpassed in previous years. This sight alone made the trip highly worth while. Flowering currants were already in full bloom: both the pink- flowered, Ribes malvaceum and the white R. indecorum. The only other shrubs noted as being actually in flower at this season were a very few individuals of Dendromecon rigida (tree poppy). One other especially interesting shrub, however, was observed. This was the so-called Poodle-dog bush, Turricula Parryi, repre- sented by a few shrubs near the summit of Hi Mt. The leaves are crowded at the ends of the branches, have a skunk-like odor, and are very sticky and hairy. With the cooperation of the weather man, this turned out to be a completely delightful outing for everyone, thanks to our lead- er Lee Wilson, and we hope that there can be more frequent ones like it in the future. The evening of January 9, 1970, members of the San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the C.N.P.S. met for dinner and installation of officers for 1970 at the San Ramon Restaurant in Arroyo Grande. It is estimated that 35 people were present, the capacity of the room. On the program, the first item was the presentation of an award to the elected official in our area who was judged to have done most for the cause of conserva- tion during the past year. The recipient chosen was Mr. Elston Kidwell of Morro Bay, a member of the Board of Supervisors. Dr. Robert F. Hoover made the presentation, which consisted of a gallon-can plant of Ceanothus impressus, one of the most outstanding native ornamental shrubs of this part of California. The new officers were installed by Mr. Ralph Baker, the out- going president, who charged each one with the duties of his office. The new officers are Neil Havlik, President; Garth Hokanson, Vice-President;Dorothea Rible, Recording Secretary; Bill Deneen, Corresponding Secretary; Kay Ketcharri, Treasurer. Bill Deneen presented our outgoing President, Mr. Baker with a book "This is Your Earth". After installation, the rest of the program was devoted to the showing of some of the colored slides from our slide collection. These were pictures which had been taken by some of our mem- bers, mostly of plants found locally, but some extending farther afield. Our goal is to have a complete file of colored slides of all native plants occurring in the country. Robert F. Hoover 7 Sierra-Santa Monica Chapter FOR YOUR INFORMATION Helen Funkhouser reports that some of the members were able to attend a meeting of the Friends of UCLA Garden and Friends of UCLA Library. Henry Evans' exhibit of 20th Century Bot- anical Art Illustrated Collection was not only shown, but the artist himself was present to show selections from the 2nd Hort- icultural Exhibition from the Hunt Collection of Carnegie Mellon Institute. Mr. Evans is a print maker in San Francisco. Dr. Mildred Mathias of UCLA also contributed to the program. A trip was made to the Theodore Payne Foundation to see the many changes made since the last visit. Another trip took the membership to the Red Rock Canyon, an area on a ranch owned by Miss Mary Murphy. The chapter feels that this very valuable area should be preserved as a Nature Sanct- uary. S. F. Bay Area Group The first general meeting of the year for the San Francisco Bay Area group was held at Mulford Hall on the University of Calif- ornia campus in Berkeley on February 5,1970. Ron Russo, East Bay Regional Park District Naturalist, presented a slide show concerning the fungi that are prevalent in Northern California to an audience who nearly filled the auditorium. Even though his lecture lasted for over an hour and a half, the beautiful photo- graphy and interesting commentary kept the members alert to the very end of the show. Mr. Russo carefully explained the dangers of experimental eating of wild mushrooms without positive identification of the species. Trying to identify fungi can be a frustrating experience; the liter- ature available is so incomplete that the serious student must carry many books on the subject to facilitate keying the species; even then, he may not succeed since many are unclassified. How- ever, it is helpful to realize that, as with other plants, certain species are to be expected in distinct habitats. J "Native Plants for Southern California Gardens" is the latest pub- lication in the leaflet series of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Written by Dara Emery, Horticulturist, and Jacqueline P. Broughton, Educational Coordinator, both of the Garden staff, this highly useful leaflet recommends native plants for a variety of environmental situations found in California. As the authors point out, the successful cultivation of native plants depends in large part on placing them in situations to which they are well adapted; and this leaflet is designed to aid in the selection of natives for particular habitats. Although the book was written primarily for gardeners in southern California, the information will be of value throughout much of California. Information concerning the cultural and environmental require- ments of 246 woody plants and herbaceous perennials is present- ed in a series of 15 lists which cover the following conditions: sun and drought, shade and drought, sun and summer water, shade and summer water, interior valley heat, desert heat, freez- ing temperatures, windy areas, first and second zones of seashore, clay soils, sandy soils, pure sand, shallow soils, and saline and alkaline soils. Much of the information is based on experience at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. A handy index to both common and botanical names for all the plants leads to the appropriate habitat listings for each species. This data-filled 24-page planting guide which is available for $.75 should be useful to home gardeners as well as nurserymen and landscape planners. It is a sequel to the leaflets on "Seed Propagation of Native Plants" ($.50) and "Native Plants for Erosion Control" ($.50). These leaflets can be ordered from the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93105. Please add $.25 for postage and handling with each order. L. R. Heckard *tey£$> Drawing by Ron Russo ^\V A*_-t The Woodlake Elementary Arboretum Society is sponsoring a tour to acquaint the public with the natural areas on the school grounds of Sacramento County. Meet at the Woodlake Element- ary School on Wednesday, April 29, 1970, at 8:30 a.m. For further information contact Mrs. Robert Armfield, 2114 Oxford Street, Sacramento, Ca. 95815 The twelfth annual Stinson Beach Wildflower Show is scheduled for May 2 and 3, at the Stinson Beach Community Center, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They are featuring Native Succulents of California this year. Barbara Menzies writes, "We should have all the native succulents with the exception of two or three." The San Francisco Bay Chapter of the Sierra Club invites the public to attend their panel discussions. One on the California Water Plan will be held in the East Bay on Thursday, April 9; the future of the automobile will be discussed in San Francisco on Tuesday, May 26. For further information, contact Phyllis Lindley, 269 Taurus Avenue, Oakland, Ca. 94611. Wayne Roderick, Horticulturist for the U. C. Botanical Garden and member of the CNPS Board of Directors, will lecture on "Indian Uses of California Plants" at the Oakland Museum Theater on Tuesday, May 12, 1970, at 8:00 p.m. He will illus- trate his talk with samples of Indian foods, dyes, and fibers. There is no admission charge. At the request of the Oakland Museum, the CNPS will sponsor a Spring Wildflower Show at the Museum on the weekend of May 16th-17th, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Planning and co-ordination are being handled by Mrs. Winton McKibben, a new member of our society and a volunteer at the Museum. Barbara Menzies and Roberta Shockey have volun- teered to collect the flower specimens for the show. Dated January 27, 1970 Written on the Letterhead of the University of California, Berkeley, Office of the Chancellor California Native Plant Society 2490 Channing Way Berkeley, California 94704 Gentlemen: I want to express my appreciation on behalf of the University to the California Native Plant Society for your contribution to our Botanical Garden. Your gift will play a significant role in ex- tending our educational facilities at the Garden. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Roger W. Heyns Chancellor [Editor's Note] Wayne Roderick saw the case at its construction site, the Lawrence Hall of Science; he says it is nearly finished. The U.C. Botanical Garden now has many tours for elementary school children along its Indian trail of 29 listed plants. After the tour, the children are given an opportunity of inspect Indian plant materials. Currently, these materials are set out picnic tables. Mr. Roderick says that frequently the adults (accompanying the children) become so interested that they crowd around the tables and block the children's view. He expressed the hope that both children and adults would have a better view when the display case is installed. The case will house Indian basket materials, foods, medicines, and fibers. Photo courtesy of Betty Hoover In Memoriam Robert Francis Hoover 1913 - 1970 Dr. Robert Francis Hoover, 56, a charter member of the CNPS and the founding father of the San Luis Obispo Chapter, died February 18, 1970. He was a professor of botany at California State Polytechnic College (Cal Poly) for 23 years. As one of California's eminent botanists, he was widely known. He was equally well-known for his contributions as a teacher, author, and conservationist. Dr. Hoover was born in Modesto, California, August 11, 1913. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Stanford University in 1934 and his master of arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1935. His thesis topic for his doctorate degree, which he received at Berkeley in 1937, was "Endemism in the Flora of the Central Valley of California." He remained in Berkeley until 1940 working as Dr. Willis Lynn Jepson's teaching and research assistant. Dr. Hoover was the last student to complete his Ph.D. under the direction of Dr. Jepson. After teaching for a year at the Yakima Valley Junior College in Washington, he entered the Army during the early months of World War II. He served as a hospital worker, laboratory techni- cian, and medical corpsman in England and France. He began teaching at Cal Poly in 1946. During the first few years he taught there, he was often asked to teach such diverse subjects as chemistry, agricultural economics, and zoology. He started the herbarium at Cal Poly, and he collected the vast majority of its specimens. When he retired in September, 1969, he was honored with the title of Professor Emeritus; and the herbarium was named in his honor. 9 He was elected a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco in recognition of his great contribution to California botany. He contributed more than 7000 specimens to the Academy's herbarium. In 1955, the American Amaryllis Society awarded its highest honor, the William Herbert Medal, to Dr. Hoover. The following is quoted from the citation that accompanied the medal. "The taxonomy and nomenclature of the group of plants popularly known as the Brodiaea Lilies was in a confused condition until Dr. Robert F. Hoover, from 1939 to 1941, published his tax- onomic studies on these plants. He showed that the plants comonly grouped up to that time under the genus Brodiaea belong mostly to three genera, Brodiaea, Dichelostemrha and Triteleia. Later cytological work by another worker has substan- tially verified Dr. Hoover's conclusions so that the taxonomy and nomenclature of these plants is now on a sound scientific basis." He was chosen to attend the Summer Institute of Botany at Cornell University in 1956. Between 1936 and 1968, Dr. Hoover authored 32 published scientific papers. The results of 23 years of botanizing will be contained in his forthcoming book, Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County, a flora of the only southern or central California county still relatively undisturbed. The book will be published in June by the Univer- sity of California Press. As a conservationist, Dr. Hoover lead the unsuccessful effort to preserve the Sargent cypress on Cuesta Ridge in San Luis Obispo County. He was working on a project with the U. S. Department of Interior to evaluate two proposed Natural Landmarks—the Shell Creek fossil beds and the Nipomo Dunes. He was a charter member and past president of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. He was also a member of the Audu- bon Society. Although he was fond of all plants, he was particularly fojid of the genera Calochortus, Brodiaea, Arctostaphylos, and Ceano- thus. He had a life-long interest in cacti and succulents. As a child he kept a rock garden at his parents' home; his home in San Luis Obispo has an extensive cacti and succulent garden. His favorite plant was the Mariposa Lily, Calochortus venustus; he had planned to conduct a study of the different forms and their ecology within the state before his death. He is survived by his widow, Betty Hoover; a son, Robert Linville Hoover of Berkeley; his mother, Mrs. Ethel Hoover of Pacific Grove; a brother, Benjamin B. Hoover of Sudbury, Massachusetts; and one grandson, David Norman Hoover of Berkeley. Dr. Robert F. Hoover and Dr. Willis Lynn Jepson in Jepson's garden in Berkeley. The photo was taken in the late 1930's. Photo courtesy of Robert Linville Hoover Personal Glimpses of Dr. Robert F. Hoover EDITOR'S NOTE: The following are personal recollections of some CNPS members about Dr. Hoover. They may seem a little disjointed since they are excerpts from letters, written notes sent to Newsletter, and notes taken during conversations. Robert L. Hoover, his son, writes: "He showed a great interest in flowers at a very young age in Modesto. His parents often took him on Sunday drives into the Sierra Foothills, where he was able to pick wildflowers and recognize some of the dis- tinctive types at three. At seven, he brought two species of fillaree home and, recognizing the differences, asked his moth- er to help him look them up.... In high school, he made his own ink from oak galls .. . While testing rock specimens by heating, he managed to melt down a silver mug that had been given to him as an infant." Ralph Baker, of San Luis Obispo Chapter, sent the following notes: "On a summer visit to relatives in Monterey, at the age of five, young Bob wandered away from his parents into the near- by dunes and upon return, said he had been botanizing in the dunes, learning to know the Sand Verbena, no doubt. 10 "As a boy in Modesto he had a fine rock garden. His dog, after repeated admonitions to leave the plants alone, trespassed and dug up one of the prize plants. The dog retreated to the dog- house upon Bob's approach, whereupon Bob picked up dog and dog-house, turned them upside down and shook them rather vigorously, a not too gentle reminder of the sacred nat- ure of rock garden plants. "As a student in Modesto Junior College, he was known as the "prodigy". One of his great interests at this time was geology, and many students would use his ready fund of knowledge to prepare themselves for their examinations by getting "Bob" to review for them just a few hours before the examination. He didn't mind, and many students obtained higher grades thereby. "During his engagement days he gathered a number of seaweeds and made a seaweed soup, with which his bride to be, Betty, was not particularly enthralled. "At Stanford, he ardently botanized the surrounding hills and had many pleasant associations with "Mushroom" Murphy, a campus authority on mushrooms. "His home, with his wonderful wife Betty, on the brow of a small hill in San Luis Obispo, on Chaplin Lane, was the scene of many a warm welcome to students interested in things bot- anical and in his well-stocked and attractive garden of natives and succulents, the latter from the far reaches of the planet. "The California Native Plant Society Chapter, which he founded in San Luis Obispo County, often had the privilege of meet- ing in his home, where a walk in his garden was a "must. He was most generous with plants which he had propagated and nurtur- ed to salable size for the annual plant sales held by the society. He delighted in presenting the "plant of the month" at the meet- ing of the society. This feature was a program item always look- ed forward to by the members, and will be carried on to the best of our ability. "Both faculty and students relied upon "Bob" to know the identity of any plant of the area. Most of the specimens in the Herbarium—started, developed and finally named in his honor- were collected by him, pressed and mounted by him and his faithful helpmeet Betty." On June 19, 1967, San Luis Obispo Lupine, Lupinus ludovicia- nus, was declared the official flower of San Luis Obispo County by the county's Board of Supervisors; the action was a direct result of Dr. Hoover's leadership. Dr. Rimo Bacigalupi, Curator Emeritus of the Jepson Herbarium, tells the following story: "While driving through low chapparral along Santa Margarita Road to La Panza, I was annoyed to encounter a small stand of barrel cactus growing in a sandstone outcropping. 'Humm,' thought, 'I didn't know San Luis Obispo County was cactus country.' So, I took a couple of small specimens. When I got back to Stanford, I took them in to George Lindsay [then a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University, now Director of the California Academy of Sciences] since he is an expert on cacti. I gave him the background and showed him the specimens. He took one look and told me to get out and leave him alone. Well, I didn't know what to think! Following someone's suggestion, I wrote to Dr. Hoover describing the location in detail. When I didn't receive an answer, I was really puzzled. Sometime later I got up the courage to ask Lindsay about them again. He asked me what I was trying to pull and said the cactus wasn't native any- where closer to California than West Texas. I let the matter drop. Three years later I received a letter from Dr. Hoover con- cerning another matter. At the bottom, he put in a note saying he had never answered my letter because he felt a little sheepish. Those cacti were from his own garden. He hadn't room for them and couldn't bear to throw them away, so he'd planted them out there. They were indeed specimens native of West Texas." James B. Roof, Director of the Tilden Botanic Garden and Edi- tor of The Four Seasons, says this is his favorite Hoover story. "A group of us went on a field trip in Sonoma County. Bob had recently had some surgery done, so the rest of us decided to take things easy out of consideration for him. We were driving along Triniti Road looking for Arctostaphylos Stan- fordiana. We'd heard that the deepest rose-colored flowers ever seen in the species were found among plants growing along this road, and we were eager to get specimens. Bob was sitting in the back seat behind the driver; I had the choice spot, the far right of the front seat. Someone spotted our target and let out a yell. As the car rolled to a halt, I saw Bob go running past my window with a shovel under one arm,a Cambosco [a long, thin, steel trowel made in England] under the other, and three cans in each hand. We all burst out laughing. Hear- ing us, Bob stopped and looked back; seeing the humor of it, he began to laugh too." Both We and They - to "Bob" Hoover The stately pine doth stand to wave and sigh. The cypress is come to bend and weep. The very noble "Bob " is passing by. So green, so green his mem 'ry will we keep. Arctostaphylos with drooping satin urns, The grass, the herb, the shrub, the vine, the graceful ferns These all, their haunts, their ways, their places, he did discern. Their care, their lore, their names, their life, his deep concern. They knew, they felt, and said "I'm yours to learn." And now both we and they to earth, to heaven do him commend. He was and is to us and them a true, a strong, a gentle friend. Ralph Baker 11 > 03 33 O ,ddr alifornia Na oom 202, 2 erkeley, Cal ess Correc *. 5; 4s» =r. o O CD < CD g 0 ro »o2 n 3" 03 c «s 3 CD ste 5 2. CO Q. O 3 g ^0 0 < S' 03 < < Photo by Louis H. Wilson PUBLICATIONS BY ROBERT F. HOOVER Notes on California Grasses. Madrono 3: 227-230. 1936. New California Plants. Leafl. West. Bot. 1: 225-230. 1936. New or Imperfectly Known Californian Species of Downingia. Leafl. West. Bot 2: 1-6. 1937. A Provisional Key to the Species of Downingia Known in California. Leafl. West. Bot. 2: 33-35. 1937. ¦ A New Californian Species of Brodiaea. Madrono 4: 130—132. 1937. New California Plants (II). Leafl. West. Bot. 2: 128-133. 1938. A Definition of the Genus Brodiaea. Bull. Torr. Club 66: 161-166. 1939. A Revision of the Genus Brodiaea. Amer. Midi. Nat. 22: 551-574. 1939. New Information Regarding Calyptridium and Spraguea. Leafl. West. Bot. 2: 222-225. 1940. A Monograph of the Genus Chlorogalum. Madrono 5: 137—147. 1940. The Genus Dicholostemma. Amer. Midi. Nat. 24: 463-476. 1940. Observations on Californian Plants I. Leafl. West. Bot. 2: 273-278. 1940. A Systematic Study of Triteleia. Amer. Midi. Nat. 25: 73-100. 1941. The Genus Orcuttia. Bui. Torr. Club 68: 149-156. 1941. ObservationsonCalifornianPlants.III. Leafl. West. Bot. 3: 254-256. 1943- Mariposa, a Neglected Genus. Leafl. West. Bot. 4: 1-4. 1944 Three New Species from the State of Washington. Leafl. West. Bot. 4: 38-41. 1944. Agrostis semiverticillata transferred to Polypogon. Leafl. West. Bot. 5: 138—139. 1948. A New Ceanothus from San Luis Obispo County, California. Leafl. West. Bot. 7: 111-112. 1953. Robert Francis Hoover, an Autobiography. Plant Life 11: 1—13. 1955. (Written by request of American Amaryllis Society on occasion of award of William Herbert Medal). Further Observations on Brodiaea and Some Related Genera. Plant Life 11: 13—23. 1955. Notes Regarding Bloomeria humilis. Plant Life 12: 37—38. 1956. Observations on California Plants-IV. Leafl. West. Bot. 8: 129-133. 1957. Monterey Cypress as a "Naturalized" Species. Leafl. West. Bot. 8: 141-142. 1957. A New Manzanita from Monterey. Leafl. West. Bot. 10: 87-90. 1964. A New Dudleya from California. Leafl. West. Bot. 10: 186-187. 1965. An Annotated List of the Pteridophytes of San Luis Obispo County, California. Am. FernJourn. 56: 17-26. 1966. A New California Stephanomeria. Leafl. West. Bot. 10: 252-254. 1966. Two New Shrubs from San Luis Obispo County, California with James Roof. The Four Seasons 2: no. 1,2—5. 1966. A New Species of Sanicula from California. Leafl. West. Bot. 10: 300-301. 1966. Miscellaneous New Names for California Plants. Leafl. West. Bot. 10: 337—350. 1966. Two Orthocarpus Species from the San Joaquin Valley. The Four Seasons 2: no. 4, 14-15. 1968. Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County, California, (to be published: U.C. Press, 1970).