2014 Rare Plant Forum Minutes
5 April 2014: Penn State University, Forestry Resources Bldg.
The forum convened at 9:40 am.
Opening remarks:
Ephraim Zimmerman, Chair Rare Plant Forum, gave a brief history of RPF, changes to
RPF format includes no longer voting during forum but discussions still encouraged,
proposal process now involves survey form and fact sheet to better suit needs of DCNR
for putting together official documents needed for development of the Reg. package.
Each proposal was reviewed by VPTC prior to event, each proposal is more like a
presentation, proposal information is considered in draft form until voted on at VPTC fall
meeting.
Chris Hardy, Chair of VPTC, provided a background and role of VPTC;
Eric Burkhart, Penn State, member VPTC, provided housekeeping and information
about facilities;
Sign in sheet circulated for attendance
9:55am General announcements from the floor:
Jessica McPhearson, PA Natural Heritage Program; Introduced a project called “Plant
status updates” – which is a collaborative project between PNHP and many other
botanists in PA. The project calls for assistance with getting field work completed this
year for certain taxa (Rubus setosus, Morus rubra, Sisyrinchium montanum); suggestion
from audience to put requests online for review
Janet Ebert; look for Agrostis hirsutus – this species has been turning up in “restoration
planting” mixes.
Susan Munch; Promoted her book on mosses and liverworts
Ephraim Zimmerman: presented the Scirpus ancistrochaetus project summaries and
invitation to join Mary Ann Furedi for field work
10:05am Lisa Smith, PA Botany Symposium ; announcement and short
presentation:
The 2014 PA Botany Symposium will be held the 7 and 8 November at the Penn Stater in
State College; the program will consist of half day workshops on Nov 7 and full
symposium on Nov 8; There a website “PABotany.org”
There will also be PABotany workshops in the summer; announcement of “consulting
botanists toolbox” workshop.
10:10am Rebecca Bowen and DCNR Update: Reg package update (Ch. 45);
Rebecca Bowen provided summary of process after VPTC proposals sent to DCNR, RPF
important during comment period, 20 yrs of species backlog, goal is to get package
passed so a small list of low hanging fruit that should pass with ease, reg package
composed of two parts (reclassifications, taxonomic/name changes), justification
documents are 1-2pg summaries of how recommendations fit status taking what RPF
people know and translating into legalese,
Questions: Where is list of people on IRRC? (Chris Hardy) probably
available online.
Has there been outreach to PA legislators? Yes, to raise awareness in
general
Is there a website available to check progress? No, but good suggestion
Is there a projected completion date for the entire list? Unknown, looking
for ideas
10:35am Proposals:
Juncus torreyi; Mark Bowers, PR by the numbers but proposes to move from PR to
watchlist due to habitat type where it occurs are mainly anthropogenic/disturbed (ditches,
degraded wetlands, storm water drainages)
Discussion: Scott Martin concurs that habitats are disturbance (population in
Lancaster – several thousand feet on powerline), Allison Cusick strong support and
considers native weed in degraded habitats (under-collected highway ditches), Chris
Firestone: is anyone using it in wetland seed mixes? Jack Holt confirms it’s in the garden
trade, Ernst used to carry it, does not now.
John Kunsman how many extants confirmed? (question was not answered). Prefer this
species stay as rare, but it should not be in environmental review. It doesn’t need it.
Agree completely about habitat, but want to still keep track of this species, which will not
happen as well if it is on watch list. “it depends on the meaning of rare”.
How persistent it is? Tends to grow gangbusters, then disappear.
Charlotte Stone: Done lots of roadside & swale surveys and have found it in a number of
places.
Rocky Gleason: it should stay rare if we don’t have the numbers recorded.
Rocky Gleason and Ephraim Zimmerman urge people to get data in because this is case
of numbers, Several people raise the issue of PR and PNDI and how to treat them.
Stenanthium gramineum; Scott Martin, another disturbed habitat species proposal to go
from PR to watchlist (along pond impoundments, mowed meadows). It is somewhat
protected because it lives in streamside wet areas, which industry avoids due to wetland
regulations.
Discussion: Jeff Polonoli supported the proposal. “we did a survey in Butler
County, 9 different populations, haven’t turned in the data yet. All forested slopes below
tributaries. 500+ plants. It was confusing to identify if they weren’t blooming, had to
work to get the gestalt.
John Kunsman wonders about competition and how it responds and why it increased in
numbers,
Loree Speedy: I was able to relocate all the historics in Indiana County, except for one
that is now a penndot facility. (There were about 4 historics, plus two 2 undocumented
populations she found). They were all in good shape. I’ve seen it in dry habitat, field
habitat; not always in wetlands. Yellow creek – 2 plants one year, 5,000 another year.
There are times it doesn’t bloom, other times it really flourishes.
Miles – north of grove city: 75 plants, only 10-15 blooming, and those ones were on the
edge where it was more sunny. They seem to be pretty persistent. Some herbivory
though.
Steve Grund: historic distribution is pretty similar to current distribution. We put it on the
list because we didn’t have extant records, they were old. It’s important to consider that
it does have trouble with sexual reproduction.
Jessica McPherson – it is somewhat sparse & scattered in nearby portions of its global
range, we should take that into account. It is also only found in a small section of the
state currently.
Serpentine barrens – Chester county serpentine barrens population.
Ephraim Zimmerman: range is quite southern, it’s possible we’ll be seeing more of it in
the future.
Straw poll: many in favor of delisting it. John Kunsman opposed.
Stellaria borealis; Jessica McPherson, long time TU wants to move to PT due low
success rate of finding it at historic locations many extant populations have small
numbers in cool seep habitats
Discussion: Ken Klemow wants to know about phenology, Jessica McPherson
difficult to separate from S. alsine, Allison Cusick wants to know where extant record
specimens possibly misidentified and may be over identified. Tim Block: Carnegie
specimens have all been reviewed by Rabeler.
Steve Grund petals are very small and hard to see,
Mark Bowers: seen in Washington Co in spring like habitat, John Kunsman says
depauperate S. alsine looks like S. borealis.
Ephraim Zimmerman stated that ID issues will be included in the proposal
Primula meadia and P. fassettii; Steve Grund, P. media = Dodecatheon media is a
taxonomic change, all recent treatments have sunken Dodecatheon into Primula.
Proposal to maintain as PE. P. fassettii is Susquehanna drainage and recognized in recent
manuals, no proposed status change just a taxonomic and nomenclature change
Discussion: Allison Cusick points out that he thinks is P. fassettii is not distinct
from P. meadia at species level and may be a subspecies, Larry responds that Fassett
described P. fassettii as D. amethystinum as a variety initially but later elevated to
species, Allison Cusick stated that the type was from a garden, Larry Klotz maintains that
the two species are ecologically distinct and are taxonomically distinct too, asked about
molecular differences, Larry Klotz says that Dodecatheon is still a section and that
current molecular work is maintaining that the two species are distinct, Tim Draud points
out that lumped or split they are still going to be T or E.
Cuscuta coryli; Jessica McPherson , all Cuscutas were discussed together based on
similar habitats, but this species is upland barrens and has not been seen since 1956,
wants to move from PT to PX
Discussion: Janet Ebert: what are the host plants? Jessica McPherson seems to not
have any specificity but very little research on this aspect of the species, Chris Hardy.
survey status of visit, John Kunsman does not think it should be PX because of loads of
available habitat, Ephraim Zimmerman is supporter of PX, Jack Holt how many PX have
been rediscovered? Mal Gilbert in a habitat with several other species and if PX we may
give up on but will be able to possibly find because of presence of other species. Steve
Grund: although traditionally supporter of PX thinks this is a good case but maintains that
we have state ranks, Allison Cusick this was listed in OH as PX but was found in an edge
community, Tim Draud: hard to say something is gone, Steve Grund no correct category
exists, Rebecca Bowen PX immediately moves to PE if found, Ken Klemow wonders
about stated evidence, Steve Grund provides Micranthemum as an example of something
that is extinct suggest supporting a category of PH, Jack Holt supports PX.
Astragalus canadensis: Jessica McPherson, move from TU to PE based on historic
occurrences and apparently a calciphile with only 6 known occurrences with very low
numbers at each population, fair amount of survey effort
Discussion: John Kunsman the Susquehanna population is along a railroad grade
and may be an escaped garden planting maybe should just forget about that population,
Jim Bissell. Tioga Co. occurrence is extant (2011) and quite large about 100 plants that
are browsed, Ephraim Zimmerman this species needed more information and most
extants are from 1995 an update of Bedford Co is necessary, Mark Bowers Westmoreland
Co. occurrence was failed to find in 2009
Hypericum pyramidatum
Steve Grund, propose to move from N to TU (URF), somewhat habitat specific in
scours and forested floodplains, Joe Isaac Isaac found on fly ash, Steve Grund found on
slag piles but these are exceptions and is more commonly found in high quality scours
Discussion:
Janet Ebert– it is being distributed in Ernst seed mixes.
Steve Grund: hard to know what to do with that; encourage documentation of when
people plant it.
Rocky Gleason: I collected some seed, have it growing in my backyard, it is almost
aggressive. It does quite well.
Tim Draud: one question is how permanent the seeded locations will be? Might not be
very permanent because it’s not the right habitat. I’ve seen it in a place where it was
introduced in a mix, and it seems to be going away.
Also I’m along the Susquehanna a fair amount, where there are a lot of dots on the PA
Flora Project map, and I only know of one very small population, and it got flooded out a
few years ago.
Steve Grund: we are possibly losing some along the Allegheny due to dams reducing
amount of scour.
Rick Mellon – on Delaware we don’t have a dam problem; there are scoured islands on
the upper river, it will probably move around on the river, maintain itself. Remember
seeing it with Ann 25 years ago, more than just the two dots on the PA Flora Project map
in upper Delaware. (Tim Block: none of the specimens from that area are hers, so it does
appear she didn’t collect it during those observations).
Rocky Gleason: natural habitat is subject to invasion by invasive species, that’s another
threat.
Steve Grund: higher scour areas are less invasive susceptible, but the extent of scour
areas could be reduced by invasives once the invasives get established.
Rick: I do remember seeing it with reed canarygrass.
Ephraim Zimmerman: reed canarygrass riverine grassland was one of the types we found
it in during floodplain studies.
Steve Grund: does anyone think it should not be tracked even as a TU? (no one raised
hand)
Cuscuta pentagona: Steve Grund, propose to move from PT to N, an upland species and
is a weed of ag fields, does not really need our help due to it being widespread throughout
its range, sometimes lumped with C. campestris which is also
Discussion: Janet Ebert: found on weedy native and invasive species Artemesia
vulgaris, Lespedeza cuspidata. Jack Holt found in waste places power line cuts, Ephraim
Zimmerman no threat to its host habitats, Rick likes to attack invasive species, Chris H. is
this including C. campestris, Steve Grund it’s excluding C. campestris. Does anyone
have any reason it should remain protected?
Rick Mellon – well, it seems to attack invasive species…
Cynanchum laeve: Steve Grund, move from PE to N, there is question about nativity, is
convinced that it’s adventive with the help of human activities, weedy in corn fields, does
not need our help
Discussion: Rick Mellon heard of it moving in with nursery stock in the soil, John
Kunsman what you do if the occurrence was really native in a natural setting. John
Kunsman – if you were absolutely sure it’s native, what would you do then? Steve
Grund: if that was the case, I’d want to resolve the question of how to treat natural vs.
unnatural habitats in environmental review before making the decision.
Jack Holt – it’s also wind spread, being a milkweed.
Aplectrum hyemale: Scott Martin, propose to move from PR to N, has found thousands
of plants in numerous populations, no evidence of browse, common in diabase on any
aspect, many on public lands, seems to compete well with aggressive invasives. the
Biggest threat seems to be overtopping with too much litter. I’ve been watching an area
that was timbered and now has dense little tulip poplar, and it seems to have winked out
there, but persisted at adjacent areas outside of the cut.
Discussion: Kelly Sitch: concerned by having so many populations in areas with
high probability of timber sales, Jason Ryndock. suggests more common than what it
thought, Janet Ebert the populations in SE seemed to have crashed, Jack Holt numbers
are decreasing, Steve Grund when are crashed populations surveyed, John Kunsman how
common is it outside of gamelands and many of the quality ranks are low, Joe Isaac five
more populaitons in Greene Co. and additional population in Washington Co. of about
100 plants, Henry comments on population crashes how long must a population be viable
to maintain listing, Steve Grund numbers based on herbarium specimens originally but
not much about habitat and now we try to keep track of this information, Tim Draud:
crashes may be due to “worm problem” and potential lack of mycorrhizal fungi, Joe Isaac
sees change in habitats and much of abandoned farmland is increasing the suitable
habitat, Chris Firestone: what extent is dormancy in this plant, Jessica McPherson how
many times is it found in abandoned farmland or newly suitable habitat, Ephraim
Zimmerman suggests more work in these newly available habitats to get a better idea,
Scott M. I know of one site where there is coal spoil, and part of it was pastured. Quarry
abandoned 80 years ago. Pinchot creek park – in a place where it used to have a bobsled
run; cleared land back in 60s, it’s spreading now.
Jessica McPherson suggest research the population crashes to get better idea before
removing from the list, Allison Cusick doing more research is not feasible and not a
priority for this species due to lack of resources, Andrew we need the research to have
better regulation; Joe Isaac more plants and habitat than ever and should be delisted,
Loree the orchid people looking for it now, Chris Firestone – Everyone should consider
that WRCP money is available for research projects such as these.
Suggestion: using social media and a good candidate interactive portal online for amateur
botanists to provide input and data, when PNDI update happens; I know you are trying to
increase transparency for developers, but it would also be great if there could be an
interactive section on the website where amateur naturalists can contribute information as
well. In addition to screening process for ER, it could be a place for people to contribute
information.
Tipularia discolor: Scott Martin, move from PR to N, too many occurrences on public
and protected lands, often found in same areas as Aplectrum, thinks under accounted and
under collected, more common than previously thought, habitat is marginal forests with
heavy understory.
Discussion:
Ephraim Zimmerman - this is a little different than Aplectrum because it’s truly at the
edge of its range here.
Susan Munch – I have observed deer browse impacts at the population I watch in Berks
county. They come and eat 2/3 of the flower stalks.
Scott – most of the sites I have visited have deer hunting, that may be why I haven’t seen
browse.
Janet Ebert – it’s most common associates are Rosa multifora and XX. I did see the
population near my house crash, I don’t know what happened, worms or what.
Jack Holt: 10 miles of north of the state line, it is not that uncommon; north of that, very
scarce. Originally only in Delaware county, then documented from --, now --. We
appear to have seen an expansion in range.
It’s an order of magnitude less common than puttyroot. Still not that common in SE PA,
and it is in areas in are threatened by development.
Jim Bissell – I’ve seen it on shores of vernal ponds and swamps, also sometimes in
uplands. We had a big population that was sprayed for gypsy moths; it never had any
pollination after that (there is just one moth species that pollinates it). We had fruit until
the spraying, you never saw any fruit after that, stalks just withered. The population
disappeared. There were hundreds of plants.
Scott Martin – more often flowers than puttyroot; most of the time it makes flowers.
Steve Grund – this could be undercollecting, but we never used to have it reported for
Greene County.
Alison – it’s common south of the line in West Virginia
(name?) in Wetzel county, WV – I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of both of these
orchids since Christmas on every hillside.
Chris – in Delaware, it’s doing great. One watershed over from Jack Holt & Janet Ebert.
Same medium quality forest.
Bonnie - if we’ve got climate change it could be expanding northwards.
John Mellon - Southern bucks county preserve – they just started doing deer
management, I’ve never seen any issues with deer browsing.
Helianthus hirsutus: Allison Cusick, propose to move from TU to N, may not be native
in PA, easily confused with H. strumosus, H. divaricatus, H. decapetalus, keys for PA
too generalized, recommends using FNA or Flora of Michigan, lots of misidentifications, habitats are roadsides in Allegheny Co., no specimens from good quality
habitats in PA, grows in dry prairies in central OH, shale barrens in WV, if native in
southern Bedford Co. on shale barrens.
What is good quality native habitat? In Ohio – the eastern Ohio ones were misidentified.
It grows on dry prairies in middle and western Ohio, in shale slopes in Southern Ohio, in
northern Ohio it grows along railroad tracks. According to Michigan flora it is adventive
there.
WVA – Morgantown specimens all misidentified, except for one on shale barren only 20
miles from Bedford County.
MD – listed in Brown & Brown from Prince Georges & Frederick Counties. Prince
Georges County is by the Chesapeake Bay, way out of geographic range. There are no
specimens known to support these Maryland records (Wes Knapp).
Doesn’t occur in DE, NJ.
I have scans from Philadelphia – they are all misidentified. But there is one unusual
specimen, looks like partly divaricatus, partly hirsutus. It’s from southern Bedford
County – ’67 Berkheimer specimen. If there is a place it would be native in PA, that
would be it. Steep wooded slope, 1 m ESE of Chaneysville. There is a road that goes in
that direction, and there’s some shale there too.
Discussion:
Jack Holt – if we delete this plant from the regs, and it is found, that could cause a
problem. It’s a long process to get a plant species back into the regs.
Joe Isaac – before you run out there, note that 4 of the misidentified specimens were also
Berkheimer’s.
Loree – I think almost all the keys refer to midstem being completely devoid of hairs. It
seems like our strumusus has the hairy mid stem
Alison – it’s a suite of characters, you can’t go too much on one character, it’s true.
Loree – I was out at the same gamelands where Scott found the Stenanthium, there was
the record you since identified as divaricatus; I’m not sure it’s adventive there. I’m not
sure we should discount the Allegheny county sites as native. I would like to look at
more Allegheny County sites to see if they have persisted. Glenfield Hollow, North Park.
Alison – this a plant that is showy, could it have been planted? I’d rather discount the
North Park records, people introduce things in parks.
Bonnie – a lot of stuff has been planted in North Park.
John Kunsman – if you go to Bedford County, and find it on a shale roadcut, is that a
native occurrence?
Jessica McPherson – what would happen if we took it off? (answer) it’s in the backlog
already from being put on the list, it would it just be in the backlog again in a different
way.
Ephraim Zimmerman change in status will take it out of ER
PA Rare Species Definition: Discussion of the appropriate meaning for “rare” status
Definition was read - Uncommon because they may be found in low numbers or
restricted.
Rebecca Bowen – we need consistency.
JK – when you delist something, it kind of slides into oblivion. I want to prevent that
from happening.
Janet Ebert – on a practical basis – if keep things like Tipularia on list, it gives us more of
a chance to go out and look for other things too. We see more places when we have to do
the surveys, that means we get an opportunity to look for anything else that is there.
Ephraim Zimmerman – listing means that people are required to collect data on the
species during environmental review surveys. If it is not listed, people don’t have to
collect or turn in data about the species when they see it.
Rebecca Bowen – if it isn’t PT or PE, it is a ‘species of concern’ for which we can
recommend a survey, but it doesn’t mean they will necessarily do it.
If something is listed and you get a hit, you might have access to private lands you might
not have access to otherwise.
Jessica McPherson – so are people more likely to turn in data if it is PR vs. not tracked? –
people: ‘yes’
Janet Ebert – sometimes people get an online hit, they don’t pay attention to whether it is
PR or PT/PE, they just say ‘come do the survey’.
Clare Johnson Skelly & Loy - in our company we do lobby pretty hard to get people to
do a survey for PR species. Mostly we have success.
Wrap-up at 2:22pm
VPTC to meet at 2:32pm.