1. Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 29 Number 1 Winter 2010
Monthly meetings
Thompson Park Center/Dakota A Rose Is a Rose Is
a Rose?
Lodge
Thompson County Park
360 Butler Ave. E.,
West St. Paul, MN 55118 by Anita F. Cholewa, Ph.D., curator of the UM Herbarium, Bell Museum
Programs
of Natural History, University of Minnesota.
In last month’s newsletter, we learned a little about what scientific names
The Minnesota Native Plant mean and how to pronounce them. Now, why do “they” keep changing the
Society meets the first Thursday names?
in October, November, December,
To answer this, we must first consider what makes a species a species.
February, March, April, May, and
This sounds like a simple question, but it’s not — the answer has changed
June. Check at www.mnnps.org
over the centuries as we have gained a better understanding of nature.
for more program information.
Initially, a species was defined as populations that looked identical.
6 p.m. — Social period
Eventually, a breeding requirement was included, and the definition changed
7 – 9 p.m. — Program, Society
to populations that contained similar looking individuals with the potential
business
to interbreed and produce viable offspring. Then it was recognized that, at
Feb. 4: “Looking at Lichens,” least in the plant world, external morphology could change depending on the
by Dr. Imke Schmitt, assistant environment (desert plants can become more hairy during droughts; flower
professor, University of Minnesota. color could change due to soil pH; habit could change due to elevation;
Plant of the Month: One-flowered etc.). Then it was discovered that plants, unlike most animals, can survive
broom rape or cancer-root, chromosomal alterations such as extra doubling or loss of a chromosome,
Orobanche uniflora, by Ken Arndt, and many species were found to self-breed, and some species (for example,
Critical Connections Ecological dandelions) don’t even need pollen to produce viable seed (known as
Services, Inc. agamospermy). Today, the actual genetic makeup and the ancestral history
March 4: “Ash Genetic of plants are taken into account in our definition of a species.
Conservation,” by Dr. Andy David,
associate professor, University of As a result of these changes in our concept of the species, the species
Minnesota. Plant of the Month: boundaries have changed, and our names for some species have to change (and
Black Ash, Fraxinus nigra. sometimes a species is moved to a different family altogether). Sometimes
several different species (for example in Achillea, the yarrows) in reality
April 1: “Extension forestry are only one or a few, highly variable species. Other times one species
in the 21st Century: Capacity, turns out to be two or more (for
In this issue
Innovation, and Impact,” by example in Cenchrus, the sandbur,
Eli Sagor, Extension educator, and Elymus, the rye grasses). And
University of Minnesota Extension sometimes, a group of plants was Society news ........................ ...2
Service. Plant of the Month: Black once thought to be different species, New members .........................2
spruce, Picea mariana. then combined, and then split again Spruce-top harvesting damage .3
March 27: Symposium (See (for example in Pyrola, the shinleafs Proposed copper mine dangers .4
page 6.) or wintergreens). President’s column ..................5
MNNPS website But there are rules for how Conservation Corner ...............6
Evelyn Moyle dies ..................6
For information about Society these nomenclatural changes occur.
When a species (or genus) is split Symposium .............................6
field trips, meetings and events, Plant Lore: Sweet gale .........7
check the website: www.mnnps.org Continued on page 7

2. Who Does What Milburn
Logistics: Ken Arndt MNNPS Board
The MNNPS is an all- volunteer
organization. Following are the
people who were filling various
Leading Trips: Varies with trip
Symposium of Directors
Theme, Site: Scott Milburn, Erika President: Scott Milburn,
duties in December. If you would
Rowe scott.milburn@mnnps.org
like to help, please contact the
person listed or an officer. Speakers: Scott Milburn, Angela Vice President: Shirley Mah
Hanson, Erika Rowe Kooyman, shirley.mah.kooyman@
Officers Registration: Shirley Mah mnnps.org
President: Scott Milburn Kooyman Secretary, program coordinator:
Vice-President: Shirley Mah Brochures: Scott Milburn, Jeanne Andrés Morantes, andres.
Kooyman Schacht morantes@mnnps.org
Secretary: Andrés Morantes Catering: Shirley Mah Kooyman,
Treasurer: Ron Huber Angela Hanson Treasurer, membership data
base: Ron and Cathy Huber, ron.
Committees, Responsibilities Historian
huber@mnnps.org
Program, Education, Lectures Conservation/storage Roy Robison
Post Office Box DerekAnderson, board member,
Programs: Andrés Morantes derek.anderson@mnnps.org
Pickup, distribution: Ron, Cathy
Postcards: Ron, Cathy Huber Ken Arndt, board member, field
Huber
Refreshments: Ken Arndt
Audio-Visual: Scott Milburn, Ken MNNPS welcomes
trip chair, ken.arndt@mnnps.org
Michael Bourdaghs, board
Meeting site open/close:Ken Arndt new members
Arndt
member, michael.bourdaghs@
Seed Exchange: Dave Crawford, The Society gives a warm mnnps.org
Ken Arndt, Scott Milburn welcome to new members who Angela Hanson, board member,
Plant Sale: Dave Crawford, Ken joined during the fourth quarter of angela.hanson@mnnps.org
Arndt, Gerry Drewry 2009. Listed alphabetically, they
are: Elizabeth Heck, board member,
Membership and Outreach Christina and David Bellert, Dallas, webmaster, elizabeth.heck@mnnps.
Membership roster, directory, name OR. org
tags: Ron, Cathy Huber Don Degue, Roseville Dylan Lueth, board member,
Mailing labels: Ron, Cathy Huber Katie Frerker, Rochester dylan.lueth@mnnps.org
New Member Packets: Cathy Elna Goodspeed, Fridley Elizabeth Nixon, board member,
Huber *Chris Gronewold, Lauderdale conservation committee chair, beth.
Technical assistance: David David Julson, Stillwater nixon@mnnps.org
Johnson Mark Leipairtz, Farmington Erika Rowe, board member,
Telephone contact: Linda Huhn Mary Jo Moltzen, Fairmont erika.rowe@mnnps.org
Brochures and Stationery: Andrés Rebecca Montgomery, St. Paul
Morantes, Elizabeth Heck Karen Nyhus, Mendota Heights Russ Schaffenberg, board
Display Board : Vacant Glen Olson, North St. Paul member, russ.schaffenberg@
*Rebecca Stone, Lauderdale mnnps.org
Publications
Newsletter Editor: Gerry Drewry Denise and Robert Wolff, Lakeville Field Trips: fieldtrips.mnnps@
Newsletter assistant: Vacant (*family membership) mnnps.org
Newsletter mailing: Ron, Cathy MNNPS finances Memberships: memberships.
Huber by Ron, Cathy Huber, treasurers mnnps@mnnps.org
Website updates At the end of calendar year Historian-Archives: Roy
Elizabeth Heck, Scott Milburn 2009, the Society had total assets of Robison, historian-archives.
$24,743.23. mnnps@mnnps.org
Facebook, Blog
Michael Bourdaghs, Angela Income for the year totaled
Technical or membership
Hanson $13,238.52, mostly from dues and
inquiries: contact.mnnps@mnnps.
the symposium. Expenses came
Conservation, Education org
to $13,824.77, mostly for the
Chair: Beth Nixon symposium, Dakota Lodge rental, Minnesota Plant Press Editor:
Field Trips and a donation to the DNR for the Gerry Drewry, 651-463-8006;
Identify options: Ken Arndt, Scott upcoming book by Welby Smith. plantpress.mnnps@mnnps.org
2

3. Harvesting of spruce limited the depth and length of
rutting allowed on trails as well as
tops is damaging bogs
imposing restrictions on the access
of harvest areas through laggs and
water tracks.
by Norm Aaseng, plant ecologist, (Eriophorum spissum) and Despite the regulations, some
Minnesota County Biological bog wiregrass sedge (Carex impacts continued to occur, primarily
Survey. This is a summary of his oligosperma). Hummocks of through “rogue” or inexperienced
talk at the Nov. 5, 2009, MNNPS sphagnum moss cover the ground harvesters. Because public auction
meeting. surface. The severe conditions are requires that the sale of tree tops go
Decorative tree harvesting is the responsible for the stunted size and to the highest bidder regardless of
cutting of the top two to four feet shape of black spruce trees desired competence of the harvesters, the
of stunted (six- to 15-foot) black by harvesters. DNR no longer offers this option
spruce trees. These spruce tops As tree-top harvesting operations for decorative harvesting. Instead,
are shipped to garden stores and increased in size, environmental private sales are negotiated with
other outlets where they are sold impacts from harvesting became proven operators that possess the
as decorations during the winter apparent. DNR Forestry assembled appropriate equipment, such as low
holiday season. In the mid-1990s, a field team to determine the impacts pressure-tired vehicles. Because
the harvesting of spruce tops in of tree-top harvesting and the these private sales are much smaller
Minnesota began to expand, and factors contributing to the damage. in size than public auctions, the
today an estimated one-half million The team found that the cutting of DNR sales are now limited to a
to one million tree tops are harvested the spruce tops did not appear to total of 200,000 tree tops per year.
per year. Surveys indicate that there have a significant impact. Tree tops With increasing demand for spruce
is a market for three times that were reported to grow back and be tops it may be that operations will
number of spruce tops. Harvesting harvested in 10 - 20 years. be shifting to lands that are less
occurs primarily on state and county regulated.
$3.7 million in
lands in northwest Aitkin, southwest However, very significant
St. Louis, northwest Carlton, and impacts occurred from rutting on all-
southwest Itasca counties from mid- terrain vehicles (ATV) access trails. legacy conservation
grants are awarded
September to mid-December. This Initial passes by ATVs create a trail
activity provides income to local by compressing the sphagnum peat,
harvesters from lands that typically but repeated traversing of trails, $3,740,000 in 2010 Conservation
do not generate any revenue. especially with heavy vehicles, Partners Legacy grants have been
awarded, the DNR has announced.
resulted in cutting through the live
Although black spruce trees are The funds are from the Outdoor
root mat that occurs in the upper six
found in a variety of peatland and Heritage Fund created by voters
inches of the peat. Once this mat
upland native plant community who approved the constitutional
is cut, the weight-bearing capacity
classes, almost all decorative tops amendment in 2008.
of the peat is severely reduced,
come from the Northern Spruce Bogs
resulting in increasing size and depth
Grants range from $5,000
(APn80 in the DNR’s Field Guide
of pools with every pass of an ATV.
to $400,000. The 35 projects
to the Native Plant Communities of
The deeper the ruts are, the longer
include seven for fish, game and
Minnesota). The Northern Spruce
it takes the vegetation to recover. If
wildlife ($874,754); eight for
Bog is the most nutrient poor as
damage is significant, there can be
forests ($789,814); 12 for prairies
well as the most acidic native plant
a conversion of vegetation to marsh
($933,206); and eight for wetlands
community occurring in Minnesota.
or even exotic plant species. Water
($1,142,226).
These conditions create a very
tracks and laggs (shrubby wet moats By activity, 11 are for land
inhospitable environment in which
occurring between the interface of
acquisition ($1,860,300); 12 for
only 25 vascular plant species are
peatland and upland) were found enhancement ($701,398); and 12
adapted to survive. Typical species
to be particularly susceptible tofor restoration ($1,178,302).
found in bogs include carnivorous
damage from ATVs. The creation 127 applications totaling $16.5
plants, such as pitcher plant
of deep pools and the elimination of
million were received. “The volume
(Sarracenia purpurea), ericaceous
existing vegetation easily occurred
of applications we received and
shrubs, such as bog rosemary
along the ATV trails in these areas.
the energy around these efforts
(Andromeda glaucophylla) and
bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia), and To minimize these impacts, the has been impressive,” said DNR
graminoids such as cotton grasses DNR instituted regulations that Commissioner Mark Holsten.
3

4. MNNPS opposes proposed copper
mine in Superior National Forest
PolyMet Mining Corp. is during Closure, by applying the project area. The species of most
seeking permission to open its seeds or planting seedlings.” The concern is the aquatic floating marsh
proposed NorthMet open pit mine proposed species include sweet marigold (Caltha natans), a State
south of Babbitt and northeast clover, redtop, alsike clover, Endangered species. It is generally
of Hoyt Lakes in the Superior Canada bluegrass, Cicer milkvetch, rare throughout its range and has
National Forest. According to their birdsfoot trefoil, perennial ryegrass, suffered recent extirpations, largely
website, the company “will mine smooth brome grass, and red fescue. from habitat loss or alteration, a well-
and process metals used in daily These species are very aggressive documented problem for aquatic
life.” These metals include copper, and have the potential to completely species statewide (MN DNR, Rare
nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, change the existing landscape, Species Guide, http://www.dnr.state.
and gold. PolyMet is working to especially considering the amount mn.us/rsg/index.html). There are
complete the environmental review of disturbance that will be coupled only 12 known populations of this
and permitting in 2010 and expects with the plantings. species in Minnesota. Of those 12
to begin construction in 2010. Many of the these species have populations, nine populations have
The MNNPS Board sent the already established themselves been reconfirmed within the last
following Draft Environmental around the state, and the introduction 20 years, including the population
Impact Statement response letter on of these invasive plants to the found on the PolyMet site.
Dec. 21, 2009, to Stuart Arkley, EIS project area has the potential to This would not be the first time
project manager, Environmental extend well beyond, most notably, that Caltha natans would be affected
Review Unit, Division of Ecological the Boundary Waters Canoe Area by mining. Evidence of the effects of
Resources, Minnesota DNR. Dylan Wilderness (BWCAW), an area mining practices on Caltha natans
Lueth and Elizabeth Heck were the that is already facing problems were first noted by Olga Lakela in
primary authors. It was signed by with invasive introductions. The 1953 when she reported that nearby
Scott Milburn, Society president. draft EIS also indicates that Class mining activities had lowered the
The entire board supports the 1 and 2 invasive species currently water level, thereby stranding and
response, and they want members to exist within three miles of the decimating the population. Any
know the action they have taken. plant and mine sites. A diverse loss of Minnesota’s rare flora would
Subject: Comments on the mix of ecologically appropriate be a major disappointment to the
Draft Environmental Impact native species is recommended MNNPS, and it is recommended
Statement (DEIS) for the PolyMet for any permanent revegetation that more specific data be required
Mining Inc./NorthMet Project during mining operations and regarding impacts to current
during reclamation. Any temporary populations, and that surveys for
Dear Mr. Arkley, additional populations of Caltha
stabilization should be done with
The Minnesota Native Plant natans be conducted.
non-invasive, annual plant species,
Society (MNNPS) has reviewed
or other erosion control measures. 3. Peatland Destruction and
the draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS) for the proposed It also appears counter- Carbon Sequestration
PolyMet Mining Inc./NorthMet productive to propose removing While peatlands cover only
Project and would like to address non-native and invasive vegetation 3 percent of the Earth’s surface,
potential problems that were noted through mechanical means or they store 550 gigatons of carbon,
during the review process. herbicide application at the Aitkin which is equivalent to 30 percent
and Hinckley mitigation sites, while of all global soil carbon. The
1. The Use of Non-native, Invasive planting them in an area commonly amount of wetlands projected to be
Species to Stabilize Disturbed referred to as the 100-mile-swamp. impacted by PolyMet at this time
Areas does not accurately represent the
The MNNPS has serious 2. Endangered, Threatened total amount of wetland impacts
concerns with respect to the use of and Special Concern Species that would occur. This is due to the
non-native, and potentially, invasive The MNNPS would like to fact that no initial area of influence
species to “temporarily vegetatively address the very likely potential (AOI) on the wetlands was made.
stabilize disturbed areas during impact on Endangered, Threatened, This means that wetland impacts
operation and permanently reclaim and Special Concern species within to communities such as cedar
4

5. swamps, northern wet ash swamps,
forested rich peatlands, northern
state and the USFS will ultimately
be responsible. Furthermore, the
President’s Column
by Scott Milburn
alder swamps, and poor fens have job benefits of this project are
not been accurately accounted for. unsustainable and short sighted. The At our quarterly board meeting
These communities rely on a steady natural communities in the project this past December, the board
influx of groundwater flow for area also provide habitat for native unanimously supported a motion
nutrients and soil moisture. If the plants and animals and promote to donate $2,000 to the Minnesota
hydrology around them is changed, long-term economic tourism Department of Natural Resources.
they too will be affected. The Army benefits, including tourism-related This money is specifically earmarked
Corps is developing a work plan to jobs. Minnesotans, as well as people for future writing efforts by State
assess impacts to these additional from all over the country, have Botanist Welby Smith. In total, the
wetlands, but this work plan has long been attracted to and enjoyed
Society has now donated $5,000 to
not been finalized or implemented. the relatively unspoiled beauty of
As the PolyMet project currently northeastern Minnesota, and they Welby, which is an excellent way
stands, there would be both direct will continue to value the integrity for the Society to contribute back
and indirect impacts to over 1,500 of their natural landscapes. and fulfill our educational mission.
acres of wetland. The destruction Please do not compromise This donation provides important
of just 1,000 acres of peatland Minnesota’s natural heritage by funding that allows book projects to
correlates into a 2 percent increase allowing PolyMet to circumvent move forward.
in the total output of carbon dioxide their responsibility by minimizing In other Society news, our
emissions in Minnesota. the negative environmental impacts past December monthly program
4. Impacts to Water Resources of this project.
marked the end of Linda Huhn’s
Aside from direct impacts on Sincerely, tenure as monthly program chair.
native plants and plant communities, Scott Milburn, Minnesota Native
impacts on water resources need to Linda has served in this position for
Plant Society president
be addressed further. Hydrologic the past seven years and has done
conditions form the basis of entire Moss launches spores a tremendous job lining up speakers
throughout this time. Our secretary,
in vortex rings
ecosystems, and hydrologic forces
and characteristics shape entire Andrés Morantes, will be taking
landscapes. As such, impacts to Low-growing sphagnum moss over for Linda, and I look forward
water resources have a much broader shoots its spores 10 to 20 times
to his efforts.
and longer-lasting environmental higher than expected by using a
impact. NorthMet Project Draft EIS vortex ring, previously known only I would also like to remind
does not recommend commensurate from animals, Plant Ecologist Joan our members that board member
actions and/or alternatives to Edwards of Williams College in elections will take place at our March
such serious impacts. The type Williamstown, Mass. said at a Jan. annual meeting. We have three open
of mining proposed would leave 4 meeting of biologists. positions, so please contact Vice
behind sulfide-containing waste The spores form a mushroom- President Shirley Mah Kooyman if
rock and may result in acid mine like cloud that has a better chance you are interested.
drainage. Stockpiled material also of rising into turbulent air and being
poses a significant threat to surface dispersed. For more infomation, We also have our upcoming
water and groundwater, beginning go to www.sciencenews.org/view/ symposium in late March. In the
with the Partridge River and the generic/id/52884 past few years, we have held the
symposium during the first week of
Series of rain-garden
entire St. Louis River Basin. The
project would involve direct and April. However, the first weekend of
indirect impacts to about 1,522 workshops planned April is Easter weekend, and it was
acres of wetlands, most of them Four rain-garden workshops decided to push the event forward
ranked as high quality. This is one are being sponsored by Ramsey- one week, to March 27. We will be
of the largest wetland impacts in Washington Metro Watershed
working with our friends at the Bell
Minnesota history. District and Maplewood City on
March 24, April 15, April 29 and Museum once again. The committee
5. Economic Impacts is actively lining up speakers on the
This project is focused on short- May 6. The fee for each session is
$5, and pre-registration is required. topic, “Sand Dunes of Minnesota.”
term economic gains and does not
adequately address the long-term For details, go to News and Events, More information will be provided
negative impacts, for which the Workshops, at www.rwmwd.org as planning proceeds.
5

6. Conservation Corner Minnesota
by Beth Nixon sand dunes •Avoiding the use of nonnative
will be topic
Reminder to Blog invasive species to stabilize
The mission of the Conservation disturbed areas;
Committee is promotion of the use
of native plant species, preservation
•Suitable mitigation to include
further site investigation; of symposium
of native plant species and “Sand Dunes of Minnesota”
communities, and conservation of •A plan to aid in stabilizing is the title of this year’s MNNPS
rare and endangered species. We current known populations of Caltha
symposium. Learn about dune
are asking all members to join this natans, a rare species at the site;
biology and natural history, the
effort through participation in the •More accurate accounting of plants and animals that inhabit
Society Blog posts. the presence of and impacts to dunes, and current issues and threats
cedar swamps, northern wet ash to these special places.
You can contribute comments to swamps, forested rich peatlands,
posted issues, information which northern alder swamps, and poor The symposium will be held
can in turn be used for preparation fens, including their contribution to Saturday, March 27, at the Bell
of Society letters. You can also carbon sequestration; Museum of Natural History on the
contribute by following through University of Minnesota campus,
on Blog post requests to contact •An overall approach to
mitigation for water resource Minneapolis. Watch for a brochure
your legislative representatives. with details.
Comments are requested for the impacts in an interconnected
following posted topics: regulated manner for both ground and surface
harvesting of black spruce tips, no water, commensurate with the
child left inside, state or federal indirect impact to over 1,500 acres
environmental review of proposed of high quality wetlands within the
actions in Minnesota, funding for Partridge River system; and
the environment managed by the •Short-term versus long-term
Lessard Outdoor Council, prairie economic value to the State of
grass for biofuel, and off-road Minnesota, including long-term
vehicle effects on native plants. sustainability of the near-term job
Contact any board member with benefits and potential long-term
your ideas for additional postings losses to tourism-related jobs.
that you would like to add to the
Blog. Honorary Member
Facebook Fans Evelyn Moyle dies
You can also contribute to the Lifetime MNNPS honorary
Society mission by participating member Evelyn Moyle, co-producer
on Facebook. The fanclub is and photographer of the first
growing, with over 80 viewers and edition of Northland Wildflowers: Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific
contributors. the Comprehensive Guide to the and Natural Area, Washington
Minnesota Region, died of a heart County, photo by Scott Milburn
PolyMet Mining proposal
For the past couple of years, attack Jan. 3 at the age of 95. Her
the Society has commented on late husband, John, supplied the text Where is the Blog?
how proposed actions in the State for the best-selling book, which was The MNNPS Blog is entitled
of Minnesota might affect native printed in 1977. “Conversations on Conservation.”
plant populations and communities. A second, enlarged edition was To read and respond to the Blog,
Most recently, comments were published in 2001, with photographs go to the Society’s website at www.
submitted regarding the proposed by John Gregor and text by Evelyn mnnps.org and click on Blog in the
PolyMet Mining project in northern Moyle. She was honored at a book- left-hand column. You can read the
Minnesota near Hoyt Lakes. [See signing reception before the June messages and comments and reply to
letter on page 4.] The Society 7, 2001, MNNPS meeting and them. All members are encouraged
requested consideration be given was presented with a certificate of to participate in this exchange of
to: appreciation for her work. ideas.
6

7. Plant Lore
by Thor Kommedahl
yellow dye and have also been
used to improve the flavor and
foam of beer before replacement by
Scientific names
Continued from page 1
What is sweet gale? hops. Leaves are also insecticidal into two or more, brand new names
Sweet gale is Myrica gale in the (campers have placed plants in tents may be generated (again there are
wax-myrtle family, growing as a for bug control). Varieties have been rules on the formation of names).
native plant in northeast Minnesota. developed for gardens. But when two or more species are
combined, then previous names
How did it get its names? must be examined and the oldest
Myrica comes from a Greek word validly published (and yes, there are
myrike referring to fragrance. Gale rules on valid publication) must be
is derived from an old English word the one that is retained, even if it is a
for bog myrtle, taken from the word more obscure name. So Botrychium
Gagel, which is the German word rugulosum (ternate grape fern) was
for sweet gale. It is sometime called confused with B. dissectum or B.
bog myrtle because it often inhabits multifidum but is now recognized
peat bogs. as a separate species. Aster azureus
What does the plant look like? (skyblue aster) was merged into
It is a shrub that grows from two Aster oolentangiensis and now is
Sweet gale, Myrica gale, plant.
to six feet tall with many stems and Symphyotrichum oolentangiensis.
branches. The grayish leaves are Photo by Russ Schaffengerg. Vaccinium macrocarpum (large
dotted with yellow glands visible cranberry) changed to Oxycoccus
with a hand lens; leaves emit a macrocarpus but is now back as
fragrant odor when crushed. Sexes Vaccinium macrocarpum.
are usually on separate plants, but And to make life even more
sometimes on the same plant but complicated, the shocking truth is
different flowers. Flowers appear in not all taxonomists agree with each
compact catkins with two wing-like other (especially true in some of the
bracts, and the fruit is nutlike (small difficult genera such as Rubus), and
drupe). some plant groups simply have not
Where does the plant grow? yet received thorough examination
Sweet gale, often seen in colonies (such as Potentilla or Viola).
because of the layering of lower So what’s a person to do? Accept
branches, grows on edges of streams that nature is ever-changing and
and lakes or in acidic peat bogs, and live with it by consulting major
grows best in direct sunlight. Roots reference websites such as the Flora
can fix nitrogen. of North America, the Angiosperm
Is the plant edible? Phylogeny Group, or the Integrated
Dried leaves have been used Taxonomic Information System.
for making tea, and the leaves and For a current (but, yes, changing)
nutlets have been added to meats for account of the nomenclature of
Myrica Gale leaves, photo by
sage-like seasoning. Minnesota’s vascular plants see
Scott Milburn. my Comprehensively Annotated
Is it medicinal or poisonous?
Checklist of the Flora of Minnesota
A branch tea has been consumed
as a diuretic for gonorrhea, and
Wild Ones Conference at http://www.bellmuseum.org/
“Design with Nature: Creating plants/checklist2009-1.pdf
Myrigalone-B is an extract from fruit
healthy communities above and
exudates that is a potent antioxidant Book describes outdoor
below ground” is the title of the
to inhibit free radical damage in
Wild Ones Feb. 27 conference at the
experiences in state
liver. It is generally not regarded Our Neck of the Woods, a new
Radisson Hotel, Roseville. Advance
as poisonous, although an essential book published by the University of
oil has been reported as toxic. It is
registration is required. Search at Minnesota Press, contains articles
listed as an arbortifacient. www.eventbrite.com or go to http:// about Minnesota wild areas that were
Has it any economic uses? for-wild.org/chapters/twincities/ printed in Minnesota Conservation
Leaves have been a source of conference.html Volunteer in the last 70 years.
7

8. Minnesota Native Plant Society
P.O. Box 20401
Bloomington, MN 55420
Winter 2010
Directions:
Take MN Hwy. 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul.
Go west on Butler 0.2 mile to Stassen Lane.
Go south on Stassen Lane to Thompson County Park.