interesting plants

[bach2yoga]

Went out today with Joseph, my 5 year old to do some botanizing.

Here are some photos from the day:

somewhere in the Pines:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pbfiddler/detail?.dir=/5836&.dnm=5b60.jpg

The other day I posted this picture of purple bladderwort:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pbfiddler/detail?.dir=/64b4&.dnm=3ac1.jpg

This species is S3, a state species of concern.

Compare it with this photo, a much smaller plant, reversed bladderwort:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pbfiddler/detail?.dir=/64b4&.dnm=6de2.jpg

This plant is S1, state endangered.

Two other wonderful plants from today--exotics, but not invasive, and doing well in their environment:

Hooded pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pbfiddler/detail?.dir=/64b4&.dnm=6b7b.jpg

and Sweet trumpet pitcher plant, Sarracenia rubra:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pbfiddler/detail?.dir=/64b4&.dnm=f3e2.jpg&.src=ph

You can't tell from these photos, as my macro wasn't cooperating, but the S. minor has transparent windows on the back of it, behind the hood, which trick the insects into thinking it is the way out, and the S. rubra does not. The S. rubra also has a purplish flower that has a sweet smell.

Renee

 

[Teegate]

You can't tell from these photos, as my macro wasn't cooperating

Nice photo's.

I feel your pain. Macro's are a pain in the........


Guy

 

[bach2yoga]

yes, definitely. I sent my digital camera in for a lens repair. It came out with the lens repair fixed, and none of the buttons functioning that let me shift into manual or change my resolution or work with macro. So it has to go back again, but I hate to let it go because now my Canon 35 keeps telling me I have dead batteries when I don't.

cameraless,
Renee

 

[bach2yoga]

Since there is posting here with info about rare plants I thought it might be helpful if I also posted the listings I keep referring to. This is an issue that Partnerships for NJ Plant Conservation is very concerned about.

The NJ Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) is basically the Bible of the Pinelands, and regulates what can and cannot be done. According to the CMP, "no development shall be carried out by any person unless it is designed to avoid irreversible adverse impacts on the survival of any local populations of the following plants, which are hereby found and declared to be threatened or endangered plants of the Pinelands."

Then there are 54 plant species listed. These plants are afforded legal protection.

HOWEVER, there are 3 separate lists of plant species that are related to the CMP:

1. The federal list of Endangered AND Threatened plants. Five of these plants occur in the PNR (Pinelands National Reserve). Four of those plants are listed in the CMP. That means that one federally endangered plant is NOT listed on the CMP and has no protection. Chaffseed, sensitive joint vetch, swamp pink, and Knieskern's beaked rush are all threatened species. Sea beach amaranth is federally listed threatened but isn't on the CMP and thus afforded no protection. Bog asphodel and Hirsts Panic grass are candidates for federal listing but aren't listed yet. They are on the CMP and are protected by the CMP.

2. The state list of Endangered plants. There is no threatened category. The state of NJ lists approximately 335 plants as Endangered. Approximately 84 of those endangered plants occur in the PNR. The CMP only lists 14 of our state endangered plants! So the remaining 70 endangered plants that occur within the PNR are not protected by the CMP. As a note, all of the federally listed species are listed as state endangered.

3. The NJ Natural Heritage Program--this program is a joint effort of the state and The Nature Conservancy and is a database that includes a comprehensive list of all of our species of concern. Of the 954 species being monitored, approximately 180 occur within the PNR. The NJ Natural Heritage Program assigns values to each plant that define what is believed to indicate that species' rarity: S1 is endangered, S2, next most threatened, etc.

(material adapted from New Jersey Pinelands Threatened and Endangered Species, published by PPA)

Now let's go back to #2 for a minute.
Our state list of endangered plants has NO protection. It is simply a list. That means that there is no protection for the 70 some endangered species that are state listed, but not listed in the CMP.

And #3, of the 180 species of concern that occur within the PNR, a large percentage of these plant species also have no protection, again, because they are not listed on the CMP.

Does it not make sense that the Pinelands Commission should adopt, at least by reference, the state list of endangered plants thereby affording those plants protection under the CMP???

Anyway--for those of you who are interested in our native plant conservation, particularly our rare species, I hope you'll consider joining us for our Partnerships for NJ Plant Conservation (PNJPC) this Monday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the PPA's new headquarters, Bishop Farmstead, in Southampton. You don't have to be a plant expert, just concerned. If you'd like more information, please email me at pbfiddler@yahoo.com or visit our website at http://www.gsenet.org/host/pnjpc

Renee

 

[bach2yoga]

BTW, to clarify, of the federal species, the sea beach amaranth is covered by CAFRA, though it is known to occur in the PNR and is not covered by the CMP.

 

[Teegate]

What information is given out at these meetings? I have always wondered if these meetings are in effect like the plant tours you mentioned, that after it was over someone went back and stole the plants. Couldn't someone just join the group to get information, somewhat like posting the info on this site, and then as Jokerman mentioned within a week things disappear? Am I worrying too much, and have the wrong idea of what goes on?

Basically, it seems to me that the more people you have involved with this, and the more people who learn this info if it is given out there, there becomes a better chance that these plants will disappear. Am I wrong?

I tend to think that keeping this info secret is the way to go. I have always believed in inner circles when it come to the pines and things in it.

Guy

 

[bach2yoga]

Guy,
It's not like that at all. It is a meeting in a room, no plant tours, where we work on different ways of promoting plant conservation. For instance, we are going to be sponsoring a state wide poster contest for fifth graders next year on our rare plants. We are sponsored by the Biology Teachers of New Jersey, the Native Plant Society of NJ, etc. We have donations of a canoe trip, etc., for the winners. We're working on proposing legislation that would protect our plants. We spend time discussing what is happening with the state, the Pinelands commission, etc., and discuss what we can do to promote conservation, and then do it.
Renee

 

[bach2yoga]

I have always wondered if these meetings are in effect like the plant tours you mentioned, that after it was over someone went back and stole the plants. Couldn't someone just join the group to get information, somewhat like posting the info on this site, and then as Jokerman mentioned within a week things disappear? Am I worrying too much, and have the wrong idea of what goes on?

Guy

Unfortunately, you are correct about that. This year I am aware of poachings of orchids in asphodel areas, Pine barrens bellwort, and listera australis, and some liparis orchids. All in the last three months.

That is why site confidentiality is important. There is a reason for signed confidentiality agreements, and in the last several months they are becoming increasing important due to the recent orchid poachings. It is also why it is important to institute some sort of protection for these plants, so that there is a legal recourse that specifically deals with the plants' status.

Since these incidents this year, NJ Conservation Foundation has requested botanist codes of ethics be signed, and many leaders of Philadelphia Botanical and Torrey Botanical trips, myself included, will be requiring them as well, or the individual may not participate. Certainly that will not deter the determined individual, but if caught, s/he cannot claim ignorance.

What winds up happening is that that person tells someone who tells someone who tells someone....wish it weren't that way.

Renee