Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1990)
SCIENCE THE CLACKAMAS PRINT April 18,1990 Page 3 Northwest native plant identification and their uses by Richard Man Staff Writer the tribes. One of the textbooks, Ethnobotanv of Western Wash Webster defines ethnobotany ington bv Ema Gunther, deals with as “the plant lore of a race or these uses. people: the systematic study of “Although this book deals with the tribes of western Washington, such lore.” This is largely what the Northwest Plant Identifica tion and Uses class ;s about. Taught the plant uses are essentially the same as for the Willamette Valley by botany and biology instructor Indians,” said Misley. Bob Misley, the class meets on “As this is a hands on class, Thursday afternoons. First of all, this course will we will also learn .first hand on serve to introduce students to wild plants of the Pacific Northwest well, derived dyes from plant region, especially those species of be assigned a specific plant from Western Oregon. A brief study which a certain dye was obtained. will be made on plant taxonomy Plant materials used will only be how the Indians, and pioneers as materials. The students will each (classification) including Linneaus from extremely common and/or and the binomial nomenclature weedy varieties. Included will be upon which all organisms are horsetail rush, blackberry roots, presently classified. “Students will also be brihg- and aider bark. White woolen yam will be immersed into the resul ing in leaf and flower specimens tant dyes, and people will be able for identification during dass,”said to see how well the preparations Misley. really work.” “Here, they will learn how to The students also may work use the keying system of the bo- . on optional projects as planned tanical texts. Also, we will be us- with agreement from their instruc ing several different books, no- Trillium ovatum can be seen In the Native Garden, in the Pauling Courtyard, and other locations tor. Many of these projects in table of which is the Handbook of j on campus. This is one of two species of tri III u m that Is native to the Willamette Valley. clude photography Northwest Flowering Plants bv sketching. Photo by Soott Johnson and plant Helen Gilkey. This will serve as a first and last name. The last name and southwestern Oregon,” Mis indiscriminate collecting. There “Some may even work on good introduction to field of bot? • refers to the person’s family while ley added. will be supervision to prevent any helping in working on the CCC the first name refers to the indi identification, we will observe*/ vidual person. Only in the Graeco- “Theclass will also be taking rare species being collected or the biology department’s herbarium several field trips where we will be collecting of plants, such as trilli- collection. This is a collection of which plants are truly wild or na- Latin, the first and last names are searching out wild plants in their ums, which are unable to renew pressed and mounted plant speci five to the region and which ones reversed. Take the common dan- natural environments. Included in their damaged parts. are alien or non-native. These latter •delion, which is classified as Ta^ have either escaped from cultiva- i raxacum officinale. Taraxacum is tionor have come in as stowaways, thegroupor dandelion genus, while usually in the form of seeds, with officinale refers to the species or this is the Camassia Native Plant “However, the major empha Preserve and the woods behind the CCCcampus/’Misley said. sis ofthis class is not only to teach students wild plant identification, Each student will be required but also to show the significance some other materials.” individual kind of dandelion. It to identify a specific number of that many of these plants had for would be like my name Bob Mis plants each week On the first week, the local native American cul ley, only in reverse-Misley, Bob.” only one plant is needed and then tures,” said Misley. “The student will realize that Harrington. “This books’s pur The Pauling Courtyard was planned to specifically be a home with each additional week will be added an extra to the number. In here we have not only a pretty pose is specifically to help the for a collection of plant species other words, two plants for the wild flower or tree, but also the second week, three for the third week and so on. plant in question was most likely of a very practical use to a tribe. any,” Misley stated. “Besides plant Botanical terminology will be learned through another book, How to Identify Plants by H.D. mens filed and catalogued accord neophyte botanist or gardener to native to Oregon. “Each week that we meet, the students will keep cal terms. Most botany texts also have a glossary of terms in the records of the various plants ob Also, the student is to have Perhaps the plant was even neces served in the garden. The students his own collection of plant speci sary for the tribe’s physical and/or back to help one with any unfa will each keep a journal in which mens, including examples of dif cultural survival,” Misley said. miliar words,” Misley commented. they will take notes of plants ob ferent leaf and floral structural Included in this study will be served both in the garden and out types. Misley emphatically stated a brief examination of Oregon be covered with a special empha in the field. There are several that “this collection is to be only Indian tribes and their territories. sis on Linneaus and the binomial habitats in this native garden, of individual leaves and flowers, Along with this will be some of not entire plants!” the plants that were of major use nomenclature. Misley explained, including a marsh, dry, and moist “the term ‘binomial’ refers to each shaded areas(for plants of various plant and animal having a two- part namefor scientific classifica tion. Think of it as like a person’s types of woodland habitat) and a destroy plants as many are now include on their identification cards dry-land rock garden for those becoming increasingly rare due to such information as native Ameri found east of the Cascade divide development, overgrazing and/or can names and possible uses by This is so as not to damage or Along with uses, Misley will discuss briefly some of the bio chemistry that makes up plant compositions. Covered here will be some of the various compounds relating to medicinal and herbal acquaint himself with the techni A brief history of botany will ing to their families,” said Misley. to them. Also, the students will properties. “Although this will be a class with much work, it will be a fun class. Occasionally, we have visi tors drop by who have previously taken this class. They comment on how much they have learned and how much they enjoyed the class. This shows how much influ ence that a course such as this has had on people. It also reveals an expansion of one’s awareness of the plant life around him and how really important plant life as a whole is to mankind,” Misley said. NOT FOR THOSE WHO THINK ALIKE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO THINK. ATKINSON MEMORIAL CHURCH Sixth & John Adams, Oregon City The ReverendMr. Richard K Bellingham, Minister COMING I! APRIL 22, 1990 "DOWN TO EARTH**' Public Services Adult Forum Attended Nursery Church School 11:00 AM 9:30 AM 9:30 AM 9:30 AM A i 1 If Castilleja hispida, a species of (except Aug. 1-Sep.15) Indian paintbrush, has been successfully raised from seed Erigeroncompositus, the mountainfleabeane daisy, feels right at home In the rock garden at Pauling Courtyard. in the Native Garden. Photo by Scott Johtwon Photo by Scott Johneofi centimeters 1 49.25 -0.16 0.01 38.62 -0.18 -0.04 28.86 0.54 0.60 16.19 -0.05 0.73 8.29 -0.81 0.19 Z 1 3.44 -0.23 0.49 23 72.46 -24.45 55.93 26 24 iI 25 I 72.95 H 29.37 54.91 -38.91 13.06 16.83 30.77 -49.49 68.80 27 43.96 52.00 30.01 28 29 30 345 81.29 50*88 -12.72 -27*17 -29.46 Colors by Munsell Color Services Lab L* a* b*
