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RHODORA, No. 341-347, 2001 Vol. 103, 915, pp. NEBC NEWS MEETING March 2001 Vice President Paul Somers introduced even- the . came David David ing's speaker. Dr. Boufford. to his position as Harvard Assistant Director of Collections the University Her- in baria from the Missouri Botanical Garden and Washington Uni- Museum versity of Louis via the Carnegie of Natural History St. The Harvard been in Pittsburgh. staff at has interested in the flora of the Far East for nearly a century and a half, and David Bouf- ford no exception. David took his trip to Japan in 1977, is first followed by a series of trips to China beginning in 1980, while was Museum. He he at Carnegie currently serves on the editorial committees for the Flora of China, Flora of Japan, Flora of He Taiwan, and the Flora of Korea. will also serve for a few more months as the Executive Director of the Flora of North America He was speak evening about project. invited to this his most recent work and China. His was travels talk entitled in "Hengduan Mountains, China: Hotspot of biodiversity." The Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China are one of the world's 25 designated "hotspots" for biodiversity. These hot- make spots up less than four percent of the world's land area, but more 40 are estimated to harbor than percent of the world's spe- Most cies. of the hotspots are in the tropics, but other designated Cape areas include the Province of South Africa, the California Floristic Province, and the island of Madagascar. The Hengduan Mountain hotspot one of the few, and the most diverse, the in is north temperate /one. This corner of the Tibetan Plateau in eastern Tibet and western Sichuan province supports more than 3500 endemic species of vascular plants. The remarkable diversity of the region was revealed by the work of Joseph Rock, George first The was Forrest, and various Russian explorers. area explored Hu further in the early 1940s by Dr. Shin Ying of Harvard, the woman carry out work China, and more recently first to field in The by Chinese botanists. geology of the area has almost certainly been major on a influence the biota of the area. The Qing-Zang Plateau (Qinghai and Xizang Tibet) began in MYA to rise about 45 as several separate landmasses, and even- plowed tually the Indian subcontinent, into the southern flank of The Asia. squeezing of the plateau to the southeast has resulted a series of deep, parallel gorges on the eastern edge of the in Himalayan ranee through which three of the world's great rivers. 341 Rhodora 342 [Vol. 103 the Yangtze, Mekong, and Salween, flow. At one point these riv- 70 from one The above only kilometers another. ridges ers are m m these rivers reach 6000 in places, from 1500 at the water's edge. Slightly farther to the west are also the Irrawaddy and the Yarlong Zangbo; the latter abruptly changes from an easterly southward (lowing stream southern Tibet precipitously in to fall along ed^c of Himalaya become Brahmaputra the front the to the India. The Hengduan region the size of Texas but supports in is somewhere between 9000 and 12,000 species of vascular plants, representing approximately one-third of the flora of China. David painted a portrait of the Hengduan Mountains with a series of stunning photographs, and against that backdrop look us on a tour many the and varied habitats of the region. o\' m 3500-3800 At a boreal forest of spruce, pine, willow, fir, and poplar creates the landscape. The herbaceous flora of these woods and edges comprises some of the 1200 orchids of forest China as well as genera such as Lilium, Arisaema (40 spp.), and grow Aconitwn 100 Primula, Caltha, and associated spp.). Iris in ( meadows. The Acanthochlamys wet recently discovered bracteata is rare in dry valleys in this area. Its classification has been puz- zling, having been described in the Amaryllidaceae, then put first own the Velloziaceae, and more recently placed family, in in its Acanthochlamydaceae. Molecular evidence the indicates a relationship with Velloziaceae, family primarily of the southern a hemisphere. placement Acanthochlamys, or an this correct, If is may ancestor, have been a passenger on the Indian as trav- raft it eled from the southern hemisphere to present position. In its meadows grow many grazed slightly higher elevation plants at poisonous such cha- that are distasteful or to cattle, as Stellera maejasme (Thymelaeaceae) and Podophyllum hexandrum (Ber- m 4000-4200 meadows beridaceae). At around alpine support a herbaceous including yellow Cyananthus (Campan- rich flora, a ulaceae) and numerous composites such as Saussurect (more than 100 Leontopodium (about 25 and Anaphalis (28 spp.), spp.), meadows more spp.). Also found these high are than 100 spe- in — cies of gentians one-third of of China's gentians. all m Rheum 4000 At the chilly heights of and more. alexandrae warming (Polygonaceae) creates greenhouse-like temperatures for insects amongst the yellow bracts of inflorescence. the bracts its If are removed, pollen does not develop normally. The inflated bracts of several species of Saussurea, the calyx of Przewalskia NEBC News Meeting 343 2()()1| (Solanaceae), and the petals of species of Lilium clearly offer the same advantage developing Mowers. David continued the trek to through saddles between mountains and on mountain the to the No woody crests 4600 m. vegetation can stand on the wind- at ward slopes, though Rhododendron thrives to leeward. The di- Rhododendron mountains phenomenal: 224 versity of in these is species can be found these mountains, compared with 24 for in of North America, and 32 for Nepal. Significant hybridization all has occurred within the group. Yellow-flowered species can be found in large numbers. Across slopes of shale that are hot in summer, cold winter, and constantly moving, are found very in and Saussurea and hairy species of Phyllophyton, Eriophyton, plants with pale, light-reflective, glabrous leaves, such as in Co- Up grow rydalis benecincta. on the plateau buttercups itself at the edges of wet areas and lakes. These lakes trend from fresh- water in the southeast to salty and alkaline in the desert-like in- Many of surrounded by thousands of terior the plateau. are yel- Images low- or purple-flowered individuals of Pedicularis. o\' Hengduan and Euphrasia Pedicularis (215 spp. the area) in rounded out most memorable presentation o( one of the this most world's important botanical regions. Don Hudson, Recording Secretary. April 2001. The Distinguished Speaker for 2001 was Dr. Robert Professor Emeritus of Biology Vanderbilt University and Krai, at Resident Research Associate, Botanical Research Institute of Tex- He spoke on "Biology and Management of Rare Plants the in as. He Southeastern United States." began his talk with the statement "Let's face you're doomed/' However, what followed was an it; how became opportunity hear he involved an extensive pro- to in ject on rare plants, what constitutes a rare plant in his view, and details of a few of the over 300 rare plants discussed in his re- book. sulting Dr. Krai pointed out that the original Endangered Species Act He of 1973 did not include plants. and other taxonomists were asked to develop a of plants that was published in 1974 by list Smithsonian Nathan Byrd the Institution. Shortly thereafter, Dr. would of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked if he be interested evaluating the forest-related rare plant species the in in South, an area extending from Virginia to Lake Okeechobee, 344 Rhodora |Vol. 103 and west Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Florida, to eastern eastern who become involved Texas. Dr. Krai, attributes his invitation to management, He to a degree in forest started the project in 1975. began by developing a o( species, checking nomenclature, list doing and checking He was literature searches, collections. charged with finding the rare species, developing a asso- list oi' way would ciated species, describing the habitat such in a that it into a system of forest types, discussing the impact of forestry lit management on and making management practices the plants, recommendations. The which covered some 322 was study, taxa, completed 1983 with the publication of the two-volume Report in on Sonic Rare, Threatened or Endangered Forest-Related Vas- work was cular Plants of the South. Editing such a described as humbling experience. a An work was come man- important aspect of Krai's to up with agement recommendations, and do was important to that, to it why Some determine were because plants rare. species are rare they have very narrowly defined niches and small population siz- either because they are endemics ww baby species") or es, initial ( much kW are "old species," described as too junk the nucleus." in some In contrast, rare species of restricted or specialized habitats may are abundant or even be considered weeds where they are found. Irrespective of the population size, these species are particularly susceptible to loss of habitat. Another group of rare plants are those that were once abundant, but have had their hab- destroyed because the "land they occupy too valuable." itat is These include plants of prairies and wetlands. Finally, he men- Bob from tioned threats exotics. pointed out continental that drift many "Homo separated species of plants, but that saps" were Many reuniting them. of these exotics have wide tolerances and some disperse rapidly, so rapidly, that of the early explorers of North America considered some exotics to be native. From problems remain Dr. Krai's perspective, that protecting in rare species are not just those associated with instituting recovery programs. important and landscape managers for forest to is It when leave the land in a better condition than they started. In young addition, important to train biologists to read the land- is it way He scape as a to help preserve biodiversity. concluded this How some portion of his talk with questions. can trained biolo- Who management made? gists provide input before decisions are 1 NEBC News 345 Meeting 20(31 who What will become involved, and will pay? is the role of academic these issues? institutions in made Finally, Dr. Krai illustrated a number of the points he had included Hymenocallis with a selection of slides. Plants illustrated growing and or near rocky, coronaria Sagittaria secundifolia in swiftly flowing streams that could be affected by changes in water Changes of level and quality. in water level also affect plants and ponds such Rhexia Xyris longisepala, sink-hole as salicifolia> Hypericum lissophloeus. Some of the plants found around ponds of fluctuating water level, such as Fimbristylis perpusilla, are some Zephyranthes and abundant years but absent others. treatiae Liliitm iridollae are plants of wet areas but are maintained by from con- periodic that reduces competition other plants. In tire Veratrum woo- woodland species such as Silene polypetala, trast, T Trillium pusillum van ozarkanum, and texanum, are threat- dii, texanum ened by removal of the forest canopy. Trillium is also threatened by erosion from the conversion of nearby sand-hill Bob few forests to pine plantations. Quite a plants that illustrated were from scrub-lands and old dunes of northern Florida that are by development, including Nolina brittoniana, Dicer- threatened andra immaculata, Asimina tetramera, and Liatris ohlingerae. Some Carex biltmoreana of plants he mentioned, such as the rare extreme and and Eriocaulon koernickianum, are plants of habitat Leavenworthia and limited population size. Others, like stylosa weedy where abundant even Streptanthus squamiformis, are or A known from few Clematis are they occur. plants, like socialis, including only single while others like the pitcher plants, sites, becom- were more widespread, but are Sarracenia alabamensis, ing rare because of habitat loss involving drainage and invasive and Throughout Bob's love for the region species. his talk, its Eden" landscape became clear as he spoke of "Gardens of and blackwater streams that make you want to say "thank you." Karen Sharcy, Recording Secretary pro tempore. May W. Somers 2001. Vice President Paul introduced Dr. Carl Grobe of Westfield State College in Westheld, Massachusetts, to model on ^Seaweeds: The Underappreciated speak the club to systems. " Carl grew up coastal Maine where his interest in the in work Con- was Undergraduate ecosystem nurtured. at intertidal College and studies the University o( California necticut later at 346 Rhodora |Vol. 103 at Davis cemented his life-long passion for seaweeds. Carl's work has extended from the Darling Center Walpole, Maine, the in to ice-bound shores of Antarctica. Grobe Dr. prepared the audience with a systematic review of we the multicellular, macroscopic marine algae that think of as seaweeds, including the reds (Rhodophyta), browns (Phaeophyta), and greens (Chlorophyta). Seaweeds provide much of primary the productivity of marine and estuarine ecosystems and provide many and niches food marine and for organisms. intertidal In group addition, this of photosynthetic organisms playing an is increasingly important role as a source of nutrients, vitamins, and raw commerce. materials for Studies of the evolutionary history of the seaweeds have provided insights into the primordial en- dosymbiotic between relationship photosynthetic and bacteria ear- phagocytic eukaryotes, which gave ly rise to photosynthetic eukaryotes and the higher plants. Carl reminded us as well of the specific characteristics of the Chlorophyta as source material for emergence the ultimate of on plants land. Carl thus painted the own backdrop for his studies of the physiology of the seaweeds. Carl particularly interested the of organisms, is in life intertidal and he has chosen the seaweeds as model system a to investigate such things as the stresses induced by the cycles of immersion and emersion and and desiccation hydration, as well as the daily and seasonal fluctuations of temperature and wave action. Al- though seaweeds have simplified physiology, biochemistry their many nevertheless identical respects of higher is in to that plants. Thus, seaweeds are ideal candidates estimation in Carl's for studies involving responses to light at all wavelengths and the uptake of nutrients. Carl has studied most recently the interrelationship of nitrogen and absorption, using Porphyra light the red alga as As medium his subject. available nitrogen in the increases, photosynthesis (and subsequent growth) when increases. In particular, nitrogen is in short supply, the nitrogen seems to be shunted to the ultraviolet-absorbing pigments, which Carl attributes to a pos- mechanism enhanced sible for protection of the seaweed. Carl A has noted dose also a response. high level of light to nitrogen- deprived Oxygen "deadly." metabolism thalli photosynthe- is in si/ing plants includes of enzymes a suite to protect against free damage. 70- radical Nitrogen-depleted algae see drop-off of a r 15 activity of catalase and associated enzymes. /c In related experiments with Laminaria saccharina, a kelp, Carl NEBC News Meeting 347 2001) when (UV) has measured decreased photosynthesis ultraviolet light levels are increased in the presence of reduced levels of UV When nitrogen. protection from provided, photosynthesis is increases whether or not levels of nitrogen rise. Photosynthesis maximum Seaweeds increases to levels nitrogen levels increase. if examined from deep-water reach plateaus of photosyn- habitats thesis lower light levels than does material taken from shallow- at water environments. Different populations of Laminaria develop UV tolerances as a function of their exposure to light, especially wavelengths. made unambiguous chosen group and case Carl a clear for his model environmental on as candidates for studies of effects the health of higher plants and for biochemical studies in simplified systems. Don Hudson, Recording Secretary.