February
2007 Vol. IV No. 6
Ruth Loper, Director Lynn Sherrod, Director Phone
903-849-5357 Sonnia36@hotmail.com Jim Showen, VP Programs Elizabeth Parks, Secy/Treasurer Liz Soutendijk, VP Field Trips Herb Jarrell, VP Membership
Directors &
Officers
Sonnia Hill, President
Kay Fleming, Newsletter Editor
FROM
THE PRESIDENT
Last
December I was out with my friend Laura riding around her gated community when
we came upon two very interesting fungi, both Sclerodermatales, or thick
skinned fungi, also known as “earthballs.” They are Pisolithus tinctorius,
dye-makers false puff-ball, and Scleroderma polyrhizon, earthstar
scleroderma or devil’s snuff box. These fungi do not have the cap, gills or
stalk we associate with mushrooms, instead the spores mature within the
enclosed body. Neither of these is edible.
The larger of the two Pisolithus tinctorius was 5 inches long, about 2 inches in diameter at the widest point and shaped like a chicken drumstick. When cut lengthwise it showed the round pea- shaped spore-bearing compartments separated by a black material which is sticky and tar-like. The spores mature at the top first, have a fine, powdery consistency and are a cinnamon color. The outer skin eventually cracks and peels off releasing the spores layer by layer. This process can last for months. The pigments of
this
mushroom are used in dyeing wool. It can
be found in poor sandy soils and can survive high acidity, high metal concentrations,
and drought. One can often spot these in
gravel, ditches and lawns. It is not
picky about its tree partnerships thus making it useful for foresters to assist
in tree growth.
Scleroderma
polyrhizon, when fresh, looks like a dirty tennis ball; when mature, splits
open into several uneven rays exposing the brown to deep purple spore mass that
is then dispersed, leaving the blackened outer skin. I saw at least 30 of these open mushrooms
with the dark spore mass in the center.
A few were single but most were in small groups growing on sandy soil at
the edge of a pasture near oaks and pines with which they form a symbiotic
relationship. The photo is of the largest one I found which was 5 3/4 inches wide
with a circumference of 17 inches, a height of 5 3/4 inches and weighed 9 ounces. An amazing aspect of this fungus is its
ability to come up through asphalt in driveways and tennis courts.
Perhaps
after all this rain you will spot these two distinctive mushrooms. Sonnia Hill
FEBRUARY
PROGRAM
The program for
our February 5th meeting of the Tyler Chapter of the NPSOT will
be presented by Dr. H. Brent Pemberton of the
DINNER FOR GUEST SPEAKER – Our Chapter has invited our guest
speaker to dinner at Gilbert's El Charro at 2623 E. Fifth and the
Future
Programs
March 5th
"Grasses of
Dr. Job is Professor,
April 2nd
"The Paintings of Redoute' " presented by Barney Lipscomb
Mr. Lipscomb is Dorothea Leonhardt Chair of Texas Botany
and Head of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press. This will be our joint meeting with the Tyler Chapter of
the Audubon Society.
May 7th
"Bog Restoration" presented by Linda Chase from
Since
September, 2006, the Tyler Paper has published information about the
NPSOT's speakers and their subject each month. On the Sunday before the
meeting date, the information is found in the "Community Events"
section and on the Monday of the meeting date, the information is found in the
"Day By Day" section. This is done free of charge. Jim Showen
FIELD
TRIPS
No field trips are scheduled for the month of February due to the unpredictable and often cold weather - however – due to the rain and low temperatures our January field trip to the Loper’s has been rescheduled for January 27th. If you couldn’t make the previously scheduled date, you have a second chance. The Field Trip is again planned to be at Ron and Ruth Loper’s house. Plans are still to roam the edge of their woods and get some hands on experience in identifying winter woody plants (trees and shrubs). Ruth and Sonnia both have winter keys to help with identification. Ruth will help us keep warm with hot cocoa.
New Date: Saturday, January 27th. Time:
If you have
any questions, please call me at 903-967-2026. Thanks! Liz
Soutendijk
PONDERINGS
The Littlest Orchid
by Kay Fleming
One
of the littlest and hardest to spot orchids in
The
delicate Southern Twayblade Orchid can be found in 18 southeastern states from
The orchid’s common name Twayblade is from the archaic English word, “tway”, meaning two. This refers to the plants two leaf blades.
The genus name of the orchid, “Listera”, was given in honor of physician and English naturalist, Dr. Martin Lister (1638-1711). In Lister’s own words, he had the “greatest enthusiasm” for natural history and was a collector of insects, spiders, and shells. The plant’s species name “australis” means southern.
The Southern Twayblade Orchid is seldom more than 6 inches tall. Each plant will have two opposite, ovate leaves and 5 to 25 widely spaced greenish or reddish purple flowers in a loose terminal raceme. The flowers are about 1/2 inch long with two deeply divided lips.
The plant will begin developing in
late winter by producing its two leaves on a purple green stem. It can bloom in
early February if conditions are right. This early blooming allows the plant to
take advantage of the abundant sunlight that reaches the forest floor before
the deciduous, woodland canopy has the opportunity to produce shade.
Twayblades have a unique method of pollen dispersal. A portion of the flower’s reproductive column will split violently when touched by an insect and it will eject the plant’s pollen sac in a fast drying sticky substance. The pollinia (waxy pollen grains that are transported as a unit) firmly attach to the visiting insect for transport to pollinate another plant.
This unique orchid is most often found in areas where the wet forest floor is deep in humus. It is not uncommon to find Twayblades alongside cinnamon and royal ferns. In the Loper’s woods they also grow adjacent to the unique Texas Trilliums.
I hope to see you at the Loper’s in March as we trek through their woodland habitat and search for Trilliums and the tiny Twayblade Orchids. The aromatic sumac, violets and may-apples will probably also be in bloom.
By the way –
you guys out there – don’t try to make points by bringing your wife or girl
friend a Southern Twayblade Orchid. Even though the tiny orchids are exciting
to botanist, the gals are usually not impressed!
Contributions
to Newsletter
The
newsletter is normally printed monthly, September through May. Members are
encouraged to submit articles for publication in the newsletter. Contributions will be considered on the basis
of interest, suitability, and available space.
Grammar and spelling corrections will be made at the discretion of the
editor. Email your articles and announcements to the editor at kfleming@suddenlink.net
or mail to Kay Fleming,
NEW MEMBERS
We want to welcome our new members to the Tyler Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. It’s great to have you with us! If you haven’t come to one of our meetings or our field trips you are missing out. Also, if you have recently joined our chapter and are not listed below, let our Chapter President know. There’s always a possibility that our State office has failed to get the information to us on your membership.
If you have never attended one of our meetings, and
you are interested in learning more about native plants and their habitats, we
invite you to give us a visit. We have a good time! Our meetings are normally
held at the