Korea Report now available online!

Current FBO Vice President Chris Zoladeski has made available his
Illustrated Journal of Travels into South Korea During the Year 2010 online for those who are interested in the tales of his adventures in the Far East with Steve Varga and Mike O'Brien. Enjoy!

Check out our Calendar!

FBO now has a google calendar! Subscribe or check it out on this page!

FBO Calendar

2012 Goldie Award

In order to continue the recognition process, FBO is seeking suggestions from the general membership regarding the names of suitable recipients for the award. Nominations for the annual award should be submitted to Bill McIlveen of FBO no later than July 1.

Critical information to be provided with the nomination includes:
Name of recipient (and his/her contact information)
Name of nominator (to be kept confidential) and their contact information
A statement by the nominator concerning the nominee's contributions to botany in Ontario as befits the award.
Supporting letters or other documentation whenever possible

2011 Goldie Award

In August 2011, Dr. Jim Pringle completed 48 years of service as the Plant Taxonomist at the. Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton becoming the longest-serving employee at that institution. But it is not simply his long tenure at RBG that makes him an important figure in the field of botany in Ontario. During his career, not only has he made (and very importantly, still making) fundamental discoveries in science, he has been sharing his knowledge with both the scientific community and with amateur botanists alike. The Ontario Field Botanists are pleased to present the 2011 John Goldie Award to Jim Pringle in recognition of his combined contributions at all levels of botanical expertise, locally and internationally.

Dr. Pringle joined RBG in 1963 as a young Ph.D. graduate from University of Tennessee, where he completed his dissertation on the taxonomy of the Pneumonanthae, a section of the Gentian botanical family, in eastern North America. He went on to become a prolific scientific and technical writer and has described and named more than 15 new species and subspecies of plants. His particular area of interest and expertise deals with systematics and evolutionary relationships of vascular plants. He is also an expert in identifying plants in both the horticultural and natural botanical worlds, and has been involved in the systematics and taxonomy of lilacs and trilliums among other groups. Dr. Pringle is a world authority on the Gentianaceae (Gentian family), one of the largest families of flowering plants. In two recent scientific papers, for example, Dr. Pringle published the first botanical descriptions and official scientific names of nine new species of dwarf Gentians in the genus Gentianella, all from Peru.

He is one of the contributing authors of The Flora of North America, an ambitious project that will eventually see a full description of the entire plant biodiversity of the continent. His specific contributions deal with the likes of Gypsophila, Surianaceae, and Syringa. His publication list exceeds 100 technical papers (too many to list here) on diverse plant species but the Gentianaceae are particularly well represented amongst those.

Working in co-operation with systematic botanists at many other institutions, Dr, Pringle investigates problems of classification, describes species new to science, and contributes portions of floristic manuals, especially on the Gentians. He has written, or has in preparation, revised classifications and descriptions of this and other plant groups for the floras of North America, Meso-America and portions of South America. In collaboration with colleagues at McMaster University, he has combined comparisons of genetic information with other techniques in evolutionary botany to examine the probable ancestry of lilacs suspected to be of hybrid origin. This technique has also been of great value in his ongoing studies of the status, distribution and relationships of rare and potentially endangered polyploid species of Solidago (goldenrods) in the Great Lakes region.

Dr. Pringle’s other research interest is in botanical history, in which he is acknowledged as the world’s leading expert on the history of Canadian botanical exploration. Between 1985 and1995, he contributed fully half of the material published in RBG’s own scholarly journal, Canadian Horticultural History. He has also studied “heritage plants” in Ontario horticulture represented by plants persisting after cultivation at abandoned farm and village sites. Dr. Pringle has contributed greatly to the field botany community in Ontario, including publishing technical bulletins on the common asters and goldenrods of southern Ontario, the trilliums of Ontario, and also checklists of spontaneous plants at Royal Botanical Gardens.

More specific to the activities of the Field Botanists of Ontario, Jim has led at least nine field trips since the organization was first formed. Although he has shown some preference for visiting Chaffey’s Locks and the Lake Opinicon field station, he has undertaken field events in other locations. He has, to his credit, led two of the more novel or interesting trips organized by FBO. One of these was the survey of plants that had become established in the inner city of Hamilton and Burlington Beach. Another particularly memorable trip was to look at ghost town botany in Haliburton. As well as leading trips for FBO, Jim has regularly led botanical trips for the local Hamilton Naturalist Club and the RBG. As well, he is an expert field ornithologist, and frequently leads bird-watching and plant-identification hikes.

In 2004, a new species of tree, Macrocarpea pringleana, was named in Dr. Pringle’s honour. M. pringleana is a one- to five-metre tall resident of the Amazon-facing slopes of the Central Andes, just north of the equator. Though specimens of this species have been collected and deposited in herbaria around the world for decades, it is only recently that it has been fully described and named. Fittingly, this species is a member of the Gentian Family. Jason Grant, the author of the official description of the plant, recognized Dr. Pringle’s lifelong study of the Gentianaceae and his contribution to the Flora of Ecuador, in which he wrote the extensive chapter on gentians.

It is with much pleasure that the FBO presents the John Goldie Award for 2011 to Jim Pringle, a most deserving recipient. The award recognizes the things that he has accomplished to date but we aware that there are more learned publications from him in press and pending and that he intends to keep sharing his great knowledge with others. Congratulations and Thank You, Jim!

Field Botanists of Ontario’s 27th Annual General Meeting

Saturday and Sunday
September 10 and 11, 2011
Town of Simcoe

Dear friends and colleagues in Botany.

Enclosed is the schedule of our 2011 Annual General Meeting and its associated activities and field trips. The AGM will be taking place in the Town of Simcoe, Norfolk County.

If you are interested, please fill out the attached registration form and indicate your choice of trips and whether you will be attending the banquet on Saturday evening.

Four trips (two on Saturday and two on Sunday) have been organized for your enjoyment and our first-class leaders will take you to various botanical hotspots in the botanically diverse Haldimand and Norfolk counties. Trip descriptions and directions are included.

Please note that field trips are open to non-FBO members but there is a surcharge of $5 per person per trip, and after priority has been given to the members. Your cheque will be cashed following the AGM. Refunds will be issued provided cancellations are made at least 7 days prior to the AGM. No-shows will not be refunded.

For the trips, please arrive adequately supplied with food and drinks, and in proper footwear and clothing.

You will also remember that, as per our policies, personal collecting of plant material (whole specimens or parts, seeds, etc.) is not permitted on FBO trips unless stated otherwise. The trip leader may take voucher specimens for deposition in recognized herbaria.

For those wishing to stay overnight, the town and vicinity offer a good range of accommodations of various kinds, but Best Western appears to us as the most pleasant.

Field Trips: Saturday 10 September 2011

Chambers Property (Nature Conservancy of Canada)
Leader: Bill Draper
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has recently purchased a number of properties in Norfolk County as part of their Norfolk Legacy Project. We will be visiting one of these properties to explore a rich assemblage of plant communities on the valley slope and floodplain of Big Creek. We will see representative sand plain species, Carolinian species, and an unusual Black Walnut floodplain forest containing a large population of the rare grass, Deer-tongue Panic Grass (Dichanthelium clandestinum)(S2). If time permits, we will explore the oak forests on the adjoining property.

We will meet at the property at 9:30 am. To reach the property from Simcoe, follow Highway 24 south and west to Highway 59 (approximately 32 km from the intersection at Highway 3 in Simcoe). Proceed west across Highway 59 and continue on Regional Road 60 for approximately 3.7 kilometres to the West Quarter Line Road. Turn left and proceed 1.4 km south on the West Quarter Line Road to the first T intersection. Turn left and find a place to park on the side of the sand road.


St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Turkey Point Tract and adjacent wetlands.
Leader: Kevin Kavanagh
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
A wonderful assemblage of uplands, steep valley slopes and wetland habitats all exist here in proximity to one another. We will begin at a scenic overlook of the Turkey Point marshes at Long Point Eco-Adventures and then proceed into the St. Williams Conservation Reserve where we will encounter plant communities on steep valley slopes dominated by Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and bluffs with mixed oak woodland. We will see representative Carolinian species including mature Tulip Trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) and American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). We will explore the edges of the Turkey Point Bog where northern species such as Black Spruce (Picea mariana), Tamarack (Larix laricina) and Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) can be found growing within metres of the Carolinian species. This is also the only known site in Ontario where Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) naturally occurs, often in association with Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and Poison Sumac (Rhus vernix). The trails are very steep in places and will require sturdy (and potentially waterproof) footwear.

We will meet at Long Point Eco-Adventures at 1:00 pm. To reach this location from Simcoe, follow Highway 24 south and west to Regional Road 10 (approximately 15 km from the south end of Simcoe). Turn left (south) onto Regional Road 10 (which is also called Turkey Point Road) to Front Road (3rd intersection after turning off of Highway 24). Turn right onto Front Road and you will see the entrance for Long Point Eco-Adventures on your left (south side). Park in the main parking lot and we will meet inside the main building at 1:00PM.

Field Trips: Sunday 11 September 2011

Long Point Sand Dunes, Long Point Provincial Park
Leader: Albert Garofalo
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
The Great Lakes coast supports some of the rarest and most threatened ecosystems in Canada. Long Point, on Lake Erie, is a hotspot for species diversity and supports a number of distinctive shoreline plants such as Beach Grass (Ammophila breviligulata), Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus), Sea Rocket (Cakile edentula), Seaside Spruge (Euphorbia polygonifolia), and Kalm’s St. Johnswort (Hypericum Kalmianum). We will be visiting the sand dune communities in search of coastal species which occur on the shorelines of the Great Lakes in addition to the Atlantic Ocean. If time permits, we can also explore the coastal wetlands.

We will meet at the entrance to Long Point Provincial Park at 9:30 am, on September 11th. To reach our meeting place from Simcoe, follow Highway 24 south and then west to Highway 59. Turn south (left) on Highway 59 and proceed until it turns into Long Point Road. Continue on Long Point Road as it turns eastward onto the Long Point Sand Spit and becomes Erie Blvd. Follow signs to the entrance of the Provincial Park. The drive is approximately 45km from Simcoe and should take 45-50 minutes. We will try to park outside the park and walk in.



Haldimand Clay Plain
Leader: Mary Gartshore - !
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
We will assemble at 9:00 am at the Little River Inn Best Western in Simcoe and then travel to the Selkirk Park as our first stop, en route to two other areas.

Selkirk Provincial Park, on Wheeler Rd. Approximate start time 9:30 am. We will search dry woods for clay hickory-oak specialties and other southern species including Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), Great St. John’s-wort (Hypericum ascyron) and Southern Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica).

Oriskany Sandstone, east of junction of Dry Lake Rd and Townline Road. Approximate start time 12:00 noon. Small open sandstone pavement feature of the Oriskany sandstone with Intermediate (or Wand-like) Bush-clover (Lespedeza intermedia), American Pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) and other sandstone specialties.

Ruthven Historic Park, Lower Grand River Land Trust, Hwy 54 just north of Cayuga. Approximate start time 2:00 pm. Grand River slope forest with Black Cohosh (Actaea (Cimicifuga) racemosa) and North Cayuga Slough Forest sloughs with Sharp-Winged Monkey Flower (Mimulus alatus), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Southern Arrow-wood (Viburnum recognitum) and other slough forest specialties.

We will finish the busy day at Cayuga around 3:30-4:00 pm.



Annual General Meeting and Dinner
Field Botanists of Ontario

Saturday September 10, 2011
Best Western Little River Inn
203 Queensway West
Town of Simcoe
5:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Directions: Highway 24 South to Simcoe’s downtown, right (west) onto Queensway, hotel very short distance on the north side of street.


Following Saturday’s field trips, we will meet at the Little River Inn’s Skylight Room. The evening’s program is as follows:

5:00 – 6:00 Social hour: an opportunity to meet and chat with fellow FBO members. A fine selection of imbibements will be available, at cost.

6:00 – 7:00 Dinner (plated: poached salmon with dill hollandaise), followed by tea, coffee and dessert.

7:00 Feature presentation: “Botanical highlights of the Midwest Tallgrass Prairie, Carolinian forests of the Appalachians and the Atlantic Coastal Plain”, based on the travels of Chris Zoladeski, presented by himself.

8:15 – 9:30 AGM (agenda below)


Agenda
2011 Annual General Meeting

1. Call to Order
2. Introduction of FBO Executive and address of the President
3. Presentation of Goldie Award
4. Approval of Agenda
5. Approval of the 2010 AGM Minutes
6. Treasurer’s Report
7. Auditor’s Report
8. Membership Chairman’s Report
9. Nominating Committee Report and election of officers
10. Suggestions for future trips and location of 2012 AGM
11. General discussion and other business
12. Adjournment


Registration forms are on the website, or coming in your mail!

FBO AGM

The AGM will be held on September 10‐11 in Simcoe

Please pencil in the date for the AGM, this year in the Town of Simcoe, on September 10th and 11th, 2011. The meeting and dinner will be held at the Best Western Little River Inn. Our speaker will be Christopher Zoladeski, from Savanta Inc. (and your current Vice‐President). He will take you on a botanical tour of three North American ecozones of high relevance to Ontario's flora: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Midwest Tallgrass Prairie and deep into the Carolinian Forest of the Appalachians.
AGM field trips are still in preparation and will centre on the botanical highlights of Haldimand and Norfolk Counties, including Backus Woods.

The AGM notice, with full details of the programme and field trips, will be mailed to FBO members in July. We hope you will be able to attend!

2011 FBO Field Trips

Rouge Valley Spring Flora Saturday, May 7 (9:50AM)
Leader: Dan Westerhof
Location: Rouge Valley Park, Toronto
Dan Westerhof will lead us on a trip to view spring wildflowers and learn about some issues of conservation of Toronto flora in the Rouge Valley, Toronto. In addition to showing us some of the richest sites for ephemeral flora and woodland sedges, he will show us the unusual southern species that showcase Toronto’s location in the Carolinian zone of Canada.

Spring Flora in the Tanager Tract Sunday, May 15 (9:50AM)
Leader: Jane Bowles
Location: near West Lorne in West Elgin, Ontario
The Tanager Tract, recently purchased by the Thames Talbot Land Trust, is part of a 380‐ha forest known as the West Lorne Woods, a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). This woodland, widely regarded as one of the best examples of Carolinian forest in Elgin County and one of its top botanical sites, is an outstanding remnant of the region's original extensively forested landscape. This rich forest nurtures the growth of many hardwood trees unique to the Carolinian Zone and many varieties of ferns.

Cedar Creek Woodlands Saturday, June 4 (9:50AM)
Leader: Anton Reznicek
Location: near Arner, west of Kingsville, Ontario
This trip will be to see the woodlands along Cedar Creek in the vicinity of Arner, just west of Kingsville near the Lake Erie shore. We will be visiting Arner Point, and other Essex Region Conservation Authority lands. These are the largest contiguous wooded areas in Essex County outside of Point Pelee National Park and even though the emerald Ash Borer has taken a toll, they still have a lot of typical southern deciduous forest trees such as Flowering Dogwood, Tuliptree, Black Gum, and Chestnut that we should see, lots of southern sedges including hopefully at least some of such rarities as Carex festucacea, Carex retroflexa, and C. squarrosa, a presumably native occurrence of Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans), and some interesting items on the oak dominated slopes, as well as the typical understory of “Carolinian” forests.

Orchids of the Bruce Peninsula Saturday, June 11 (9:50AM)
Leader: Joan Crowe
Location: Sauble Beach to Petrel Point, Ontario
This trip will start with a hunt for two unusual orchids in the huge post‐glacial sand dunes near Sauble Beach Community Centre. As we head north to Petrel Point Nature Reserve, there are several more sites on the edges of the moist wooded areas. Petrel Point, a classic example of a fen, has a relatively high pH which provides habitat for a number of orchid species.

East Cross Forest Saturday, June 18 (9:30AM)
Leader: Dale Leadbeater
Location: Fleetwood Conservation Area, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
The Fleetwood Creek Natural Area, a river valley system on the Oak Ridges Moraine, contains lowland forests, hardwood bush, meadows and steep valleys. There are over 250 kinds of plants and 44 types of birds. A variety of geological formations caused by glaciation can be found in the area, including kames, kettles, eskers and ice‐contact ridges. A large part of the property is designated as a Provincially Significant Earth and Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).

Murphy’s Point Provincial Park Sunday June 26 (9:00AM)
Leader: Eleanor Thompson
Location: Murphy’s Point Provincial Park (about an hour north of Kingston).
Murphy’s Point Provincial Park is located on the north shore of Big Rideau Lake, part of the Rideau Waterway. With its rugged topography, beautiful mixed forests, rock outcrops, lakes, creeks, beaver ponds and marshes, it is a lovely example of the Frontenac Axis, a southern extension of the Canadian Shield. The mixture of habitats creates a diverse flora which includes some species at the northern edge and others at the southern edge of their range. Expect a delightful day of enjoying the varied flora of the Shield country. Note that a Provincial Park day pass costs $10.75 per car.

Botanical Exploration of the Greater Toronto Area Saturday, July 9 (9:50AM)
Leader: Steve Varga
Location: somewhere within the GTA (to be announced)
Steve will lead us on a trip in the GTA focusing on a Wetland or Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) that needs a botanical inventory. Members will have a chance to help find interesting plants and vegetation communities in an area that has little in the way of existing botanical information.

Norfolk County Flora Sunday, July 17 (9:50AM)
Leader: Wasyl Bakowsky and Donald Sutherland
Location: several sites in Norfolk County
Wasyl Bakowsky and Donald Sutherland will lead a trip to a number of sites in Norfolk County, including sand prairies, oak – pine woodland, swamps and rich forest. Noteworthy species include Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata), Goat’s‐rue (Tephrosia virginica), False Foxgloves (Aureolaria pedicularia and virginica) and Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica).

Prairie Remnants of Windsor, Essex County Saturday, August 6 (9:50AM)
Leader: Dan Barcza
Location: near Windsor, Ontario
Dan will lead us to explore some of the most significant prairie and savannah remnants in Essex County. We will visit several managed and unmanaged sites and discuss some of the issues surrounding conservation of tallgrass prairie in Ontario: for example Ojibway Park, the Tallgrass Prairie, Spring Garden, Black Oak Woods or Devon Woods. We will enjoy spectacular views of the 2
rarest tallgrass prairie and savannah sites at their floral peak.

Chippewas of Nawash First Nation (Cape Croker) Saturday, August 13 (9:50AM)
Leader: Jarmo Jalava
Location: Cape Croker, approximately 20 km NE of Wiarton, Ontario
Jarmo will lead a trip to explore the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation (Cape Croker) reserve on the Bruce Peninsula. There are opportunities to see lots of different habitats (alvars, cliffs, talus, fens, rich escarpment forests, etc.). Cultural exchange will likely be part of this trip. Plant species highlights are Gattinger’s agalinus (Agalinis gattingeri) and grooved yellow flax (Linum sulcatum).

Coastal Plain Ecology – Axe Lake Ontario Sunday, August 28 (10:00AM)
Leaders: Sarah Mainguy and Jan McDonnell
Location: Approximately 30 km NW of Huntsville, Ontario
Sarah and Jan will lead a canoe trip to explore the disjunct Coastal Plain flora of Axe Lake, the richest site for this provincially rare vegetation type in Ontario. We will explore the lake’s flora and will discuss the unusual ecological conditions that are responsible for its persistence over thousands of years since the last glaciation. Coastal Plain indicators at their peak will include Virginia meadow‐beauty (Rhexia virginica). Note that we will be looking for volunteers to bring canoes.

Hawthorns Saturday, 24 September (9:00 AM)
Leader: Dr. James Phipps
Location: University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
Hawthorns are, in general, difficult to master without seeing flowering and fruiting material from the same specimen. Therefore, this will be the second of two workshops designed to train skills in identifying hawthorns. We will focus on characteristics most evident in fall, such as changes in pubescence, twig colour, fruit and to a lesser extent, fall leaf colour, as well as brushing up on other identifying characters. We will visit some of the same sites where we tentatively identified hawthorns in the spring of 2010. The following morning, we will practice identification skills in a laboratory setting.

Mushrooms and Other Fungi Sunday, October 2 (9:50 AM)
Leader: Richard Aaron
Location: Koffler Scientific Reserve, King City, Ontario
Welcome to the wonderful world of fungi! The focus of this all‐day workshop will be on identification. All levels of ability are welcome, from complete novice to avid mushroomer. Repeat participants will find it a useful refresher and will undoubtedly see species not seen in previous years. The day will begin with an interpretive walk and specimen collecting, followed by classroom work to identify our finds. A set of field guides will be available for use, and each participant will be provided with a checklist. Discussions throughout the day will range from natural history and ecology to making sense of fungal scientific names. You will also have an opportunity to learn about slime moulds (Myxomycetes). Although not fungi, these fascinating organisms have long been studied by mycologists. We will have use of a classroom, dissecting microscopes, washrooms and kitchen facilities. How civilized! Note: Trip will end at 5:00 pm.

Lichens of Sandbanks Provincial Park Saturday October 15 (9:50 AM)
Leader: Troy McMullin
Location: Sandbanks Provincial Park, south of Bellville, Ontario
There is a rich diversity of lichens at Sandbanks Provincial Park that includes rare and sensitive species. Teloschistes chrysophthalmus (golden‐eye lichen) was recently discovered in the park and it had not been recorded in Ontario for about 100 years. It is a rare species that is particularly sensitive to air pollution, so it is a good indicator that other interesting species may be found there. We will start the day with an introductory talk on lichens at the main office and spend the rest of it on forest trails and beaches. Come be enlichened as we appreciate the small things in life! Note that a hand lens is highly recommended for this trip.