Table Of ContentRHODORA,
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 east-
ern 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 rela-
tionship 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 in-
terested 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 par-
ticularly 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 eu-
karyotes 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 stud-
ies 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, pho-
tosynthesis (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.
