NEXT MEETING

Since the next meeting was planned for Death Valley, a decision has been made to make it a week end campout in Greenwater Valley. It is scheduled for March 18-19 to avoid Easter week. The time and place will be announced through the local news media. Or call Vince Yoder (619) 876-4275 for information. It will be a dry camp. Be prepared for chilly evenings.

President's message:

We are reminded regularly of the "inalienable" rights of people. Seldom though do we think of, hear of, or even acknowledge that other living members of our biosphere may have "rights" also. We gather large bouquets of wild flowers, carve our initials upon trees, plink at ground squirrels, "develop" streams, "improve" roads, drive over rodent holes, destroy plant cover, etc., etc.-- all without regard for other living companions with which 'we share this small planet. Since they are unable to plead their own cases, people must assume responsibility for their welfare. We must not forget that all forms of life are interdependent. Each one of us can help raise the level of concern in our own communities if we choose to do so. CNPS members are dedicated to the preservation of the native flora, a basic part of the natural system.

---Vince Yoder

OUR ACTIVE MEMBERS

We are pleased to welcome Jodi Marie and Michael Niday of Minden, Nevada as new members.
Elizabeth Anderson, Lone Pine, is a newly appointed board member for the Eastern California Museum in Independence. Besides sharing expertise gained in the Maturango Museum at China Lake, she will assume responsibility for organizing a training program for volunteers.
Elizabeth filled the vacancy left by the resignation of Burrell Dawson. Burrell has accepted the assignment of organizing the California-Oregon-Washington area for the Western Regional Chapter of the Epigraphic Society headquartered in Denver. Exciting inscriptions are being found in this region. Be alert to the story when the clues are all compiled and publishes
Had you noticed that our own Joanne Kerbavaz is the new recorder on the CNPS Executive Council? We are proud of you, Joanne.

Peter Rowlandshas been appointed to fill a vacancy on the CNPS Rare Plant Advisory Committee. His understanding of the desert will be of great value.

Vince Yoder has the distinction of discovering the first known occurrence of Toxicodendron diversilobum (Rhus diversiloba), better known as "poison

Page 2

oak", in our region. When he failed to recognize it in winter dormancy it readily produced proof that it was potent even then. He assures us that one would really have to search for it in its protected location in the Alabama Hills, so there is little risk for the usual hiker. It is very unlikely that it could survive the cold winters of the eastern Sierra canyons.
Vince Yoder and Mary DeDecker have volunteered to serve on the Advisory Committee to the Inyo County Water Department. Their first assignment will be to review and comment on the new Groundwater Management Plan which is to be implemented in the spring.

COMING EVENTS

The following field trips are contemplated and will be announced in detail as plans are finalized.

--An April trip to Fossil Falls and the Little Lake area. This trip may occur before the next newsletter, so get details from the local news media or call Mike Prather (619) 876-5807 or Vince Yoder 876-4275.
--May 28-29-30 to the Eureka Dunes and nearby points of interest. The April newsletter will give details.
--A summer trip to Mono County, to be announced later.
For those who want more frequent outings, the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society has a full schedule of interesting trips. Many of our members also belong to that organization, so will have received their schedule. Others may inquire at Wheeler and Wilson Boots it, Bishop. Of special interest is a coming program by Dr. Peter Hackett, medical director of the Himalayan Rescue Association and a member of the 1981 Medical Everest Expedition. The time is 7:30 pm, February 23, at the Bishop High School Auditorium. Tickets are $3.00 and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter. This slide show is guaranteed to be dramatic and educational.

EXOTIC PLANTS IN DEATH VALLEY

Contributed by Mike Prather

Exotic plants in Death Valley National Monument are to be removed according to the final EIS of the Natural and Cultural Resources Management Plan. Two species of tamarisk (athel and salt cedar), Russian thistle, two species of palm, and an aquatic hornwort are to be elimated or controlled in an effort to restore historically natural areas.
Tamarix species, which first appeared in Death Valley between 1920 and 1940, deplete water in many springs and drainages. One tree can transpire up to 200 gallons of water per day. Hand cutting along with hand application of registered herbicides will be used on established stands, while bans on any new reintroduction through human plantings will be enforced.
Russian thistle will be sprayed with diesel oil prior to seed formation. Date plams and Washington palms at native springs will be removed. Hornworts, which crowd out native aquatics that provide food and shelter for pupfish, will be removed by hand.
Wildlife and plant species will benefit from these planned removals due to increased water availability, competition reduction, and general habitat improvement.

Page 3

CALTRANS SHARES OUR CONCERNS

John A. Edell, Chief - Environmental Branch

The Environmental Branch of the California Department of Transportation, District 9 (Bishop), needs your help. We must, to the best of our ability, see that no work done by, at the request of, or with the permission of District 9 damages or seriously threatens any sensitive environmental resource. We have located about a dozen sensitive areas adjacent to state highways in our district and believe there must be more.

The more we know about the nature and location of sensitive resources in our district, the better we can protect them. Ours is a large transportation district extending from south of Mojave to the Nevada state line at Topaz Lake and from the crest of the Sierra east through Death Valley to the Nevada state line, with a few short extensions to the other side of the Sierra. This area includes more and a greater variety of sensitive environmental resources than any other part of the state.

If you can and would like to help us, let me know. I will send you a map showing the limits of our district, the official State and Federal lists of rare and endangered plants and animals and the Federal list of candidate plant species. (The CNPS inventory is the State list of candidate species.) What we need from you is the nature and location (as precisely as possible) of any sensitive environmental resource within 400 feet of any state highway in our district. I have used the term "sensitive resource" because we want you to think beyond rare and endangered plant species to small isolated populations of common species, threatened habitats, microhabitats, scenic resources, and cultural resources.

With your help we can minimize the accidental degradation of the little we have left. Contact either Jack Edell or Joanne Kerbavaz, Caltrans District 9, Environmental Branch, 500 So. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514. Phone (619) 873-8411.

TO PROTECT OUR DESERT

It is evident that Watt has as little respect for the California Desert as he has for the coastline and the proposed wilderness areas. Do let your BLM officials know how you feel about any of their proposals or decisions-and stay with it. Even good plans may not be implemented or funded, and policies may suddenly change. The desert will need all the help it can get, and our part of it is the most special of all. The California Desert District Office is in Riverside. Under that office is an area office at Ridgecrest. That part of Inyo-Mono BLM land not in the desert district is managed by the Bakersfield Office. Under that is an area office in Bishop. The addresses are: (That for the Bakersfield office may be obtained at Bishop.)

California State Office Ed Hastey, Director Bureau of Land Management 2800 Cottage Way, Room E 2841 Sacramento, CA. 95825
Phone: (916) 484-4676

California Desert District Office Gerald E. Hillier, District Manager Bureau of Land Management 1695 Spruce Street Riverside, CA. 92507
Phone: (714) 351-6386

Bishop Resource Area Jim Morrison, Area Manager Bureau of Land Management 873 North Main St., Suite 201 Bishop, CA. 93514 Ph: (619) 872-4881

Ridgecrest Resource Area Mark E. Lawrence, Area Manager Bureau of Land Management 1415A North Norma Street Ridgecrest, CA. 93555
Phone: (619) 446-4526

page 4

GO PREPARED

Since field trips are far more enjoyable it you can name at least some of the plants that you see, it helps to look ahead and go with the most appropriate book or list in hand. A notebook and pencil will help, and of course a 10X or 20X hand lens. For the Greenwater Valley trip we recommend DEATH VALLEY WILDFLOWERS by Roxana S. Ferris and A CHECKLIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL MONUMENT by Larry L. Norris. (DeDecker's CHECKLIST OF THE NORTHERN MOJAVE is not yet out.) DESERT WILDFLOWERS by Jaeger is still the best book for the Little Lake trip. More serious participants should take Munz's A FLORA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. For your convenience we have compiled the following list for the Little Lake area. On this outstanding year you may find many species to add to this incomplete list. Please make note of them.

ASCLEPIADACEAE. Milkweed Family.
Asclepias erosa Desert milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis Narrow-leaf milkweed

ASTERACEAE. Sunflower Family.
Aniscoma acaulis Scale bud
Antheropeas wallacei Easter bonnets
 Eriophyllum waTlacei)
Chaenactis fremontii Fremont pincushion
Calycoseris parryi Yellow tack-stem
Cirsium mohavense Desert thistle
Coreopsis biqlovii Bigelow coreopsis
Eriophyllum pringlei Bud eriophyllum
Glyptopleura setulosa Yellow holly-dandelion
Haplopappus racemosus
ssp. qlomeratus Wand aster
Hymenoclea salsola Cheesebush
Malacothrix californica
var. ca if ornica California dandelion
Malacothrix californica
var. glabrata Desert dandelion
Malacothrix coulteri Snake's-head
Monoptelon bellioides Desert star
Psathyrotes annua Fan-leaf, mealy rosette
Rafinesquia neomexicana White chicory
Xylorhiza tortifolia Mojave aster

BORAGINACEAE. Borage or Forget-me-not Family.
 Cryptantha circumscissa Capped forget-me-not
 Cryptantha decipiens Gravel forget-me-not
Cryptantha intermedia Common cryptantha

Page 5

 Cryptantha nevadensis Nevada cryptantha
 Cryptantha pterocarya Winged forget-me-not
 Heliotropium curvassavicum Heliotrope, Chinese pusley
 Pectocarya platycarpa Broad-margined comb-bur
 Pectocarya recurvata Curved comb-bur
 Plagiobothrys leptocladus Prostrate popcorn flower

BRASSICACEAE. Mustard Family.
 Dithyrea californica Spectacle-pod
 Hutchinsia procumbens Hutchinsia
 Lepidium fremontii Bush peppergrass, desert alyssum
 Lepidium flavum Yellow pepper-grass
 Rorippa sinuata Spreading yellow-cress

CAPPARIDACEAE. Caper Family.
 Cleomella obtusifolia Common stinkweed
 Cleomella parviflora Small-flowered stinkweed

CHENOPODIACEAE. Goosefoot or Saltbush Family.
 Atriplex canescens Fourwing saltbush
Atriplex phyllostegia Arrowscale
 Atriplex polycarpa Allscale
 Atriplex torreyi Nevada saltbush
 Bassia hyssopifolia Bassia
 Chenopodium rubrum Red goosefoot
 Nitrophila occidentalis Alkali pink

 CONVOLVULACEAE. Morning Glory Family.
 Cuscuta indecora Pretty dodder
 Cuscuta salina Alkali dodder

 CYPERACEAE. Sedge Family.
 Eleocharis parishii Parish spike-rush
 Eleocharis rostellata Walking spike-rush
 Scirpus acutus Common tule
 Scirpus americanus Three-square
 Scirpus robustus Alkali bulrush

 EUPHORBIACEAE. Spurge Family.
 Chamaesyce albomarginata Rattlesnake weed
 Euphorbia albomarginata)
Eremocarpus setigerus Dove weed
 Stillingia paucidentata Mojave stillingia

Page 6

FABACEAE. Pea Family.
 Astragalus acutirostris Keel beak
 Lupinusinus horizontalis
 var. platypetalus Sunset lupine
 Lupinus odoratus Royal desert lupine
 Psorothamnus arborescens
 var. minutifolia Indigo bush, blister dales
 (Formerly called' Dalea fremontii in error)

HYDROPHYLLACEAE. Waterleaf or Phacelia Family.
 Nama aretioides Pinkish nama
 Phacelia fremontii Yellow throats
 Pholistoma membranaceum White fiesta-flower
 Tricardia watsonii Three hearts

JUNCACEAE. Rush Family.
 Juncus balticus Wire grass
 Juncus mexicanus Mexican rush

LAMIACEAE. Mint Family.
 Salvia carduacea Thistle sage
 Salvia columbariae Chia

LILIACEAE. Lily Family.
 Allium fimbriatum Fringed onion
 Dichelostemma pulchellum Blue dicks
 Muilla transmontana Great Basin muilla

LOASACEAE. Loasa Family.
 Mentzelia tridentata Cream talus mentzelia
 Mentzelia veatchiana Copper blazing star

LYTHRACEAE. Loosestrife Family.
 Lythrum californicum Loosestrife

MALVACEAE. Mallow Family.
 Malva neglects Weedy mallow

NYCTAGINACEAE. Four 0'Clock Family.
 Abronia pogonantha Mojave sand=verbena
 Mirabilis biqelovii
 var. retrorsa Wishbone bush

ONAGRACEAE. Evening Primrose Family.
 Camissonia campestris Inyo suncup
 Camissonia palmeri Palmer primrose
 Oenothera primiveris Large yellow evening primrose

Page 7

PAPAVERACEAE. Poppy Family.
 Canbya candida Pigmy poppy
 Eschscholzia minutiflora Little gold-poppy

POLEMONIACEAE. Phlox Family.
 Gilia latiflora
 ssp. elongata Fragrant gilia
 Gilia ochroleuca Volcanic pale gilia
 Gilia sinuata Cinder gilia
 Gilia stellata Dotted-throat gilia
 Linanthus aureus Golden linanthus

POLYGONACEAE. Buckwheat Family.
 Chorizanthe brevicornu Brittle chorizanthe
 Eriogonum maculatum Spotted buckwheat
 Eriogonum nidularium Bird's-nest buckwheat
 Eriogonum pusillum Yellow turbans
 Eriogonum trichopes Little trumpet
 Pterostegia drymarioides Valentine plant

POTAMOGETONACEAE. Pondweed Family.
 Potamogeton pectinatus Sago pondweed

RANUNCULACEAE. Buttersup Family.
 Delphinium parishii Desert larkspur
 Ranunculus cymbalaria
 var. saximontanus Desert buttercup

SAURACEAE. Lizard-tail Family.
 Anemopsis californica Yerba mansa

SCROPHULARIACEAE. Figwort or Snapdragon Family.
 Cordylanthus maritimus
 ssp canescens Alkali bird's-beak, ghost flower
 Mimulus bigelovii
var. bigeloxii Bigelow mimulus
 Mimulus fremontii Fremont mimulus
 Orthocarpus purpurascens
 var. ornatus Owl's clover

TYPHACEAE. Cat-tail Family.
 Typha domingensis Buff cat-tail
 Typha latifolia Brown cat-tail

ZANNICHELLIA. Horned Pondweed Family.
 Zannichellia palustrus Horned pondweed

ZOSTERACEAE. Eel-grass Family.
 Ruppia cirrhosa Ditch-grass

ZYGOPHYLLACEAE. Caltrops Family.
 Larrea tridentata Creosote bush

Note from the editor:
Our newsletter has turned out to be more ambitious Tan we anticipate -, which means higher costs. Shall we hold down the number of pages to four, or six at the most, or consider the extra pages a service that justifies the additional cost? The subscription price would have to be increased, also, if we continue the larger size. Most lengthy are the plant lists. How do you feel about them? Any other suggestions?

Appreciation goes to those who show up each time to prepare the newsletter for mailing, especially to Polly Connable and Evelyn Mae Nikalous.
M.D.