BEN # 238

[Adolf Ceska]

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No. 238                              January 11, 2000

aceska at victoria.tc.ca                Victoria, B.C.
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 Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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MENZIESIA - A NEW BOTANICAL PERIODICAL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
From: Adolf Ceska <aceska at victoria.tc.ca>

Menziesia is a relatively new botanical journal, a newsletter of
the  NPSBC  Native  Plant  Society of British Columbia. With its
latest issue (Volume 4, Issue 4, Fall 1999),  Menziesia  reached
its maturity. Its editor, Harry Hill, has come up with an inter-
esting  set  of  articles  wrapped  in a pleasant format. In the
past, and in this issue as  well,  several  articles  have  been
reprinted  from  BEN.  In  the last issue of Menziesia, James B.
Phipps provided a significant update to his hawthorn (Crataegus)
key originally published in the issue of BEN  dedicated  to  Dr.
Chris  Brayshaw  (BEN  # 209).  His new key and his notes to in-
dividual species is a nice summary of several taxonomical papers
published in botanical  journals  by  Dr.  Phipps  and  his  co-
workers.  From  the original articles, "Development of a Code of
Ethics" gives an  insight  in  the  work  of  the  Native  Plant
Society,   Malcolm  Martin's  article  "So  where  are  all  the
rarities" summarizes Malcolm's  experience  with  botanical  ex-
plorations  in the northern Okanagan Valley, and David Williams'
column "What's in a name" explains the origin  of  plant  names.
Elisabeth  Beaubien  gives  you  an  overview of the Canada-wide
"Plantwatch" phenological program with the instructions  on  how
to  join  the  network.  It  is  great to see a broad variety of
topics, many thanks, Harry.

The NPSBC Native Plant Society of British  Columbia  was  estab-
lished  in  1997  "to encourage knowledge, appreciation, respon-
sible use and conservation of British Columbia's  native  plants
and  habitats."  At  this time, NPSBC has about 300 members. The
Society sponsors symposia, lectures, slide  shows,  field  trips
and   various  workshops.  Last  year  (1999)  there  were  four
workshops (native plant  propagation,  grass  and  willow  iden-
tification  and  ethnobotany),  and  many more workshops will be
offered this year (2000).

For membership information contact:

   Ross Waddell, NPSBC Secretary
   2012 William Street
   Vancouver, B.C.
   Canada V5L 2X6
   e-mail: npsbc at hotmail.com

NPSBC members can join an e-mail  discussion  list  NPSBC-L.  To
subscribe,   send   "subscribe   NPSBC-L"  (no  apostrophes)  to
majordomo at victoria.tc.ca .


EPHEMERAL INTRODUCTIONS OF VASCULAR PLANTS AROUND VANCOUVER,
   BRITISH COLUMBIA (PART 1)
From: Frank Lomer c/o <ubc at unixg.ubc.ca>

I have collected the following species  in  the  Vancouver  area
during the last twelve years. These species cannot be considered
part  of  our  flora because they have not persisted, or if they
still exist, they have not spread from their original locations.
The voucher specimens are deposited in the University of British
Columbia herbarium (UBC).

Acnida tamariscina (Nutt.) Wood - Amaranthaceae
   Loc.: Railroad tracks west of North Rd. near Brunette  River,
   Burnaby; Nov. 3, 1992; # 92320.
   Like  Amaranthus, but plants are dioecious (see Sauer, 1955).
   A single multibranched female  plant  was  found  growing  in
   ballast between railroad tracks.

Artemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kit. - Asteraceae
   Loc.: Evans Ave. near CN railroads, Vancouver. Nov. 15, 1990;
   # 90203.
   A  biennial  plant which shows up as casual in various places
   outside its native range in Europe and Asia. A  single  plant
   along the road in an industrial area near railroad tracks. In
   North  America  it has been previously reported only from ore
   piles in Maryland (Reed, 1964).

Bromus diandrus Roth - Poaceae
   Loc.: South of Marine Way, Burnaby; May 26, 1992; # 92040.
   European  annual  grass  similar  to  Bromus   rigidus,   but
   generally  larger  and with a spreading panicle, not dense as
   is usual in B. rigidus. Growing in a rubble pile. Site is now
   an industrial  park.  In  British  Columbia,  Pavlick  (1995)
   refers to it as "reported from Victoria."

Carex frankii Kunth - Cyperaceae
   Loc.:  Railroad tracks west of North Rd. near Brunette River,
   Burnaby; July 4, 1993; # 93085.
   Eastern North American sedge of wet habitats. A single  plant
   grew up in ballast between the railroad tracks.

Centaurea solsitialis L. - Asteraceae
   Loc.:  Surrey  Central  Sky  Train  Station;  Apr.  29, 1995;
   # 95012.
   An annual Eurasian weed with yellow flowers and spiny bracts.
   A single plant was collected from newly  planted  landscaping
   in the Surrey Recreation Centre parking lot.

Cicer arietinum - Fabaceae
   Loc.:  CN  Railroads,  east  of Main St., Vancouver; Oct. 12,
   1993; # 93317.
   Although just about every commercial grain or seed plant will
   sprout up from time to time along railroad tracks (sunflower,
   buckwheat, lentil, soybean, corn, etc.), chickpeas  are  rare
   here. Many plants grew in disturbed sandy ground when the old
   Main St. railroads were being dug up.

Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq. - Asteraceae
   Loc.:  Labatt's  Brewery, Columbia St., New Westminster; Aug.
   16, 1996; # 96139.
   Much like the common Conyza canadensis,  but  this  plant  is
   from  South  America and is larger and more sturdy looking. A
   single plant grew in the crack between  the  street  and  the
   sidewalk.

Crepis setosa Haller fil. - Asteraceae
   Loc.:  Carrall  Str.  west  of Main Str., Vancouver; Aug. 11,
   1988; # 88112.
   Annual or biennial Eurasian weed with yellowish  bristles  in
   the inflorescence. A few plants persisted in waste ground and
   rubble  around the old Expo 86 site for a few years after the
   fair closed. Site is now a parking lot.

Cycloloma atriplicifolium (Spreng.) Coult. - Chenopodiaceae
   Loc.: River Rd., Richmond; July 22, 1995; # 95144.
   Annual weed from eastern North America. A single  plant  grew
   in  a  cleared  area  where top soil had been dumped. Growing
   with other weeds more common in eastern America, but rare  in
   British    Columbia:   Eragrostis   cilianensis,   Helianthus
   petiolaris, Abutilon  theophrasti,  Ambrosia  artemisiifolia,
   Solanum rostratum, etc.

Diplotaxis muralis (L.) DC. - Brassicaceae
   Loc.:  Braid St. and Brunette Ave., New Westminster; Apr. 14,
   1992; # 92018.
   About 1/2 dozen plants showed up one year  by  the  Greyhound
   Bus  Terminal in New Westminster. Also collected on the shore
   of Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park where it probably  arose  from
   bird  seed.  Scoggan  (1978) lists it from Nanaimo based on a
   specimen in CAN.

Erechtites hiericiifolia (L.) Raf. ex DC. - Asteraceae
   Loc.: Near Westwood Rd. & Kingsway, Port Coquitlam; Sept. 30,
   1994; # 94230.
   "A  widespread  American  weed,  occasionally  introduced  w.
   Cascades"  (Hitchcock  &  Cronquist,  1974).  A  large  plant
   producing ripe seeds was collected in disturbed ground  at  a
   railroad switch point in Port Coquitlam. Numerous plants were
   also  found in a railroad switching area about 9 km southwest
   of this site in Coquitlam, but these developed  too  late  to
   even flower.

Erysimum repandum L. - Brassicaceae
   Loc.:  Railroad tracks west of North Rd. near Brunette River,
   Burnaby; May 20, 1990; # 90021.
   "Weedy European species of waste places mostly; desert plains
   and lower mountains, e. Washington  and  Oregon,  Idaho,  and
   California,  scattered  e. to Alberta" (Hitchcock & Cronquist
   1974). Rollins (1993) reports  it  from  northern  California
   "north  to  British  Columbia."  A  single  plant on railroad
   ballast.

Euphorbia maculata L. - Euphorbiaceae
   Loc.: Eastern tip of Queensborough St., New Westmister;  Oct.
   3, 1993; # 93298.
   An  erect  annual  with a hairy stem. A single plant grew be-
   tween the railroad tracks. A few more  grew  there  the  next
   season but were killed by herbicide spraying.

Euphorbia serpens HBK. - Euphorbiaceae
   Loc.:  Surrey  Central  Sky  Train  Station;  Oct.  29, 1994;
   # 94244.
   Prostrate plants that roots at  the  stem  nodes,  native  to
   eastern  North America. A few plants grew in newly landscaped
   grounds around the  parking  lot  at  the  Surrey  Recreation
   Centre.

Galeopsis speciosa Miller - Lamiaceae
   Loc.:  Commissioner  St.,  opposite  Versatile  Cold Storage,
   Vancouver; Aug. 7, 1993; # 93219.
   Annual weed from Europe,  like  Galeopsis  tetrahit  but  the
   attractive  flowers  are  larger  (up to 3 cm), yellow with a
   violet lower lip. A small patch around railroad  tracks.  Not
   seen since in British Columbia.

Guizotia abyssinica (L. fil.) Cass. - Asteraceae
   Loc.:  Vegetation  dump,  east of Stride Ave., Burnaby; Sept.
   30, 1994; # 94227.
   Annual herb with yellow ray flowers occurs as  casual  intro-
   duction  around  duck  pond  and soil dumps. The seed is cul-
   tivated for food, oil  and  soap.It  is  an  occasional  con-
   stituent of commercial bird seed.

Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britt. & Rushby - Asteraceae
   Loc.:  South  of  Pattullo  Bridge,  Surrey;  Oct.  19, 1993;
   # 93322.
   A single large plant was found in dry sand in  an  area  used
   for storing large pipes and fabricated metal parts. Native to
   eastern US.

Malva verticillata L. - Malvaceae
   Loc.:  North  Road and Lougheed Hwy, Coquitlam; July 2, 1990;
   # 90073.
   Like a large M. parviflora but erect and up to 1 meter  tall.
   A  few  plants  grew  for  one  season  in  newly  cultivated
   landscaping in front of a Greek restaurant. Another  form  of
   this species with crisped leaves is grown as a salad plant.

Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertn. - Solanaceae
   Loc.:  South  of  Latimer  Pond, South Surrey; Oct. 23, 1991;
   # 91344.
   Annual, native to Peru, occasionally planted in  gardens  and
   escaping from cultivation.

Ornithopus perpusillus L. - Fabaceae
   Loc.:  37th  Ave.  and  Oak  St.,  Vancouver.  Aug. 18, 1991;
   # 91221.
   A small European clover-like annual that is established still
   today in a sandy vacant  lot  opposite  Van  Dusen  Botanical
   Gardens.  Many  hundreds  of  plants, increasing with distur-
   bance, but lately seems to decline.  It  was  also  collected
   independently at this site by G.B. Straley.

Polypogon viridis (Govan) Breistr. - Poaceae
   Loc.:  South  of  Pattullo  Bridge,  Surrey;  Sept.  2, 1991;
   # 91248.
   A single plant was found in a sand landfill that was  dredged
   from  the  Fraser  River.  Usually  plants  in sand dredgings
   originate from material washed down  the  Fraser  River  from
   sites  upstream.  This  species may occur east of here in the
   Fraser Valley.

Ranunculus arvensis L. - Ranunculaceae
   Loc.: Marine Dr. & Greenall  Ave.,  Burnaby;  June  5,  1988;
   # 88026.
   A  European  annual  weed  with  spiny  fruit  known from the
   Pacific Northwest "from  e.  Washington,  Oregon  and  Idaho"
   (Hitchcock  &  Cronquist, 1974) and apparently not yet estab-
   lished in British Columbia.  A  single  plant  was  found  in
   cultivated  ground  in  a  disturbed  lot near Chinese market
   gardens.

Salsola collina Pallas - Chenopodiaceae
   Loc.: Railroad tracks west of North Rd. near Brunette  River,
   Burnaby; Oct. 11, 1988; # 88196.
   Similar  to the common Salsola kali, but the fruit bracts are
   hardened and swollen. Salsola  collina  is  a  Eurasian  weed
   established  in  central North America, but these plants (20-
   30) lasted only 2-3 seasons.

Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Bentham) Briq. - Lamiaceae
   Loc.: No. 3 Rd. and Cambie St.,  Richmond;  Sept.  19,  1995;
   # 95189.
   Annual aromatic herb native to the Orient and used in Chinese
   medicine  for  cold relief, fevers, etc. Numerous plants grew
   around a dumpster in a Chinese shopping mall.  The  shop  ad-
   jacent was Tongyan Chinese Herb & Health Food.

Scrophularia nodosa L. - Scrophulariaceae
   Loc.:  Musqueam  Dr. near Fraser River, Surrey; July 1, 1990;
   # 90071.
   European perennial with tuberous rhizomes. A small patch  has
   persisted  along a ditch near the Pattullo Bridge for over 10
   years, though I have not seen it lately.

Solanum carolinense L. - Solanaceae
   Loc.: Homer Str. and Pacific Blvd., Vancouver; Sept. 2, 1990;
   # 90141.
   A small patch of this spiny, rhizomatous, perennial  American
   weed grew up around a young oak tree planted as a street tree
   for Expo 86. It was very vigorous and lasted 5 or more years,
   even  pushing  up  shoots  through  the  pavement. Continuous
   cutting eventually killed it.

References:

Hitchcock, C.L. & A.  Cronquist.  1974.  Flora  of  the  Pacific
   Northwest. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA.
Pavlick,  L.E.  1995.  Bromus L. of North America. Royal British
   Columbia Museum, Victoria.
Reed, C.F. 1964. A flora of the chrome and manganese  ore  piles
   at  Canton, in the Port of Baltimore, Maryland and at Newport
   News, Virginia, with description of genera and species new to
   the flora of eastern United States. Phytologia 10: 320-406.
Rollins, R.C. 1993. The Cruciferae of continental North America:
   Systematics of mustard family  from  the  Arctic  to  Panama.
   Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.
Sauer,  J.  1955.  Revision of the dioecious Amaranthus. Madrono
   13: 5-46.
Scoggan, H.J. 1978. The Flora of Canada. Part 3 -  Dicotyledonae
   (Sausuraceae  to Violaceae). Publications in botany No. 7(3).
   National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Ontario.

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