Our Featured Plant:

 

Solanum xanti

 

By Alison Shilling,

RSB Chapter Conservation Chair

 

Anyone who has seen this delightful small shrub will wonder why it is not more widely grown. I believe that the fault lies in its name: first, it has no common name, and to label it with allusion to its relatives, the potato or the deadly nightshade, would add nothing to its appeal. Second, I have spelled the scientific name correctly, (I think!) but it is often found (for example, in the usually careful Sunset Garden Book) with final '-ii', and who wants a plant you cannot spell! Third, there is some doubt it should be called that at all! Andy Sanders, our UCR plant guru, believes that this and S. umbelliferum, possibly even S. parishii, may be all one species, with geographical and climatic variants.

 

Found widely in chaparral and woodland around Riverside, it is a small member of our sage scrub community, usually between one and two feet high, with lance- or oval-shaped leaves of a darkish green, contrasting nicely with other sage scrub members, such as White Sage or Sagebrush. Its flowers vary from light blue to deep purple, with the prominent yellow centers typical of the potato flower. The plant often tucks itself amongst rocks to take advantage of the dew run-off and in a favorable year like this one will bloom for several months.

 

It seems to tolerate garden watering quite well with good drainage, but will stay green year round with minimal watering, making it an ideal candidate for water-wise gardening. Like other dry-area plants, it can become leggy with garden watering. It responds to gentle pruning, but I have also killed a couple of plants by cutting them radically. It will seed itself, forming a patch if given the chance, though it is not invasive.

CNPS Plant Photography

 

Working Group Update

 

By Rolf Muertter

909-686-1193, rolf_muertter@yahoo.com

 

As the RSB chapter plant photography representative, I would like to update you on developments that have taken place since Tom Elder published an introduction in the first quarter 2003 Encelia.

 

Quoting from that article, "The Plant Photography group is developing standards for a fully digital library of images for use by scientists, authors, and others in need of high quality images of our state's native plants and CNPS's activities in general."

 

As an example of photos of CNPS activities in general, I have pictures of CNPS field trips, that can be viewed on the web at

 

photos.yahoo.com/rolf_muertter

 

Standards for the photographic taxonomy of 1b plants are not final yet, but progress has been made. It looks like we will collaborate with the Jepson Herbarium. Image sets will be sent to Jepson, who will forward them to the contributing author for authentication. Authenticated images will be sent to CalPhotos, and the online manual will link to these images. To find out more, and to join the email discussion forum, go to

 

www.cnps.org/photography

 

So far, the only 1b species I have photographed is Allium munzii, thanks to Anthony Mann, the reserve naturalist for the Lake Skinner Multi-Species Reserve, who showed me the population at Lake Skinner.

 

Anyone interested in this project can contact me so we can coordinate our efforts, or even work together. I would particularly appreciate any help from anyone with knowledge of locations of rare plant populations.

Memory Joggler!!! Our Annual December Cookie Meeting is reserved especially for Member Show and Tell! This is the place for your photos and tales of the trips, outings, expeditions, and projects done in 2003. AND this is the time and place to pitch the ones you want for 2004!

 

SO START NOW to get those photos, take those trips, plan that quick little talk, perfect that cookie recipe, and above all,

 

PLOT AND SCHEME for what you would like to do with RSB Chapter in 2004!