Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Flowering plants, or Angiosperms are primarily classi-
fied into families according to similarities in the flower
structure. Leaves, stems and roots are also similar in mem-
bers of the same family.
Flower colors can be very different, even within the
same genus. One of the largest and most abundant families
is the sunflower family or compositae. Their flowers are
composites of many small flowers clustered together into
one head. In sunflowers only the outside flower in each
head have a single yellow petal called a ray. The other
flowers in the head have no petals but still can produce
seeds. This pattern is in dandelions, asters, daisies, and
many others.
Thistles are also in the sunflower family and their
flower is a composite of many small flowers grouped to-
gether into one head. The purple hair-like petals come out
of the top of a rounded base, or ovary. Each hair is consid-
ered a separate flower and produces a single seed which
can be carried long distances in the wind, like dandelions.
Artichokes are in this same group. The artichoke sold
in stores is a composite flower which has not yet opened.
The little hairs, inside on the heart that are usually dis-
carded, would eventually extend out into the open.
They would be purple and would be the same as a
large thistle flower.
Knapweed is also part of this thistle group and have
similar but smaller flower. The outer flowers in the com-
posite head are usually longer and more noticeable than the
inner flowers, and there is definite rounded ovary below
the petals where the seeds are produced.
Russian knapweed is a common weed in this area,
found along roadsides, power lines, cleared fields and
other areas close to human activities. This is a clue that it is
not a native plant, but an “alien.” It is thought to have
come from eastern Oregon and before that from the steppes
of Russia.
It competes well with native plants and is hard to
eradicate because of its deep tap root. It also survives burn-
ing, plowing, cattle grazing and even many herbicides.
Knapweed has purple flowers with a rounded speckled
brown base. Scientists call it, Centaurea repens. The word
“centaurea” is used because of the idea that this is the plant
of the Centaurs.
Star thistle is another alien invader from Eurasia by
way of eastern Oregon. Most botanists think it arrived in
western Oregon in bales of hay, because they appear first
in pastures, near corrals, roadsides or hunting camps in the
mountains.
Just a few years ago, star thistle was the notorious in-
vader that needed to be eradicated before it became firmly
established. Today it seems firmly established and is found
in the same general areas as Russian knapweed. Star thistle
has a yellow flower with long sharp spines arranged
around the base of the petals. The scientific name is Cen-
taurea solstitialis and is very closely related to knapweed.
The most recent invader in our area has received lots
of attention and attempts to eradicate it seem to be futile.
Spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, also has light pur-
ple to pink petals arranged above a rounded spotted base
and spreads readily through the root system as well as with
wind carried seeds. All three plants compete very easily
with native plants and are known to be toxic to horses.
There is a fourth member of this same noxious genus
that is commonly sold in flower shops and in seed packets.
Centaurea cyanus is usually called Bachelor’s Button and
has a lovely blue flower. It is much more delicate and
harder to establish that its relatives. However, don’t con-
fuse it with chicory, another alien weed from Eurasia, with
coarse stems and spines but with a lovely blue flower.
Council learns CJ Pool didn’t
earn enough to pay July bills
The city of Cave Junc-
tion will pursue a property
foreclosure and a new
judgment on a nuisance
action, councilmen agreed.
The action occurred
Monday night, Aug. 11 in
city hall, with Councilman
Rita Dyer absent.
The motions and ac-
tions took place following
an executive (closed to the
public) session that lasted
approximately 10 minutes.
A foreclosure will be
instituted against property
at 606 Fredrick Court,
owned by Gary L. Wean.
He will receive the first
$25,000 if the property is
sold, said City Recorder
Jim Polk.
The city has tried for
approximately three years
to get Wean to connect to
city sewer. A hearing was
set for Sept. 16.
The vote was 3-1-0,
with Councilman Dan
Fiske abstaining due to “a
perceived conflict of inter-
est.”
Councilmen voted 4-0
to refile regarding nuisance
action for property at 230
S. Caves Ave. The prop-
erty owner was identified
as Diana K. McCarlie. A
number of vehicles in pub-
lic view comprise the basis
for the action, which began
some two years ago.
In another matter the
council received a report
from Grants Pass Family
YMCA, which manages
the city swimming pool,
that income for July was
$3,508 short of meeting
expenses of $11,339.
*Heard from Fiske that
“bad language” used by
skateboarders in Jubilee
Park is turning away fami-
lies wanting to use the
park.
The Illinois Valley
Golf Association Board
meeting will be held on
Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m.
at the golf course club-
house, on Redwood Hwy.
at Laurel Road.
Meetings are open to
the public.
For more information
phone Arnold Mellow at
592-3525.
Page 9
Council crime ...
(Continued from page 1)
what merchants would like
to see happen to stop a
rash of burglaries and van-
dalism that has many mer-
chants up in arms.
Most of what he out-
lined for the council was
stated during a meeting in
Jubilee Park on Friday,
Aug. 8. (See story above.)
The city pays the sher-
iff’s office $79,000 per
year to have a deputy un-
der contract as the Cave
Junction officer. The
mayor expressed dissatis-
faction because “the con-
tract officer should be at
our beck and call to give
support when needed.
“If the sheriff says he
can’t do that, I say cancel
the service and pay a pri-
vate security agency.
“If we’re not getting
our bang for the buck, the
sheriff needs to go some-
where else,” said Faircloth.
He told City Recorder Jim
Polk to set up a workshop
that would include sher-
iff’s Lt. Lee Harman, Illi-
nois Valley Chamber
President Terri Smith,
Rodriguez and others in
business willing to come
up with ideas for getting a
handle on crime.
“We need to do some-
thing to make the town
safe,” said the mayor, a
remark followed by a
round of applause from the
audience.
“We need a plan,” he
said. Mike Pernicka of
Puff ‘n’ Stuff also ad-
dressed the issue, agreeing
with the mayor, and say-
ing, “There’s no law en-
forcement; it’s way out of
hand. My business has
been broken into three
times, and the last time it
took 45 minutes for a dep-
uty to get here, giving the
burglars plenty of time.”
“We’re as frustrated as
you are,” said the mayor.
“We all pay county taxes
and should get better con-
sideration from the sher-
iff’s office.” If the sheriff
doesn’t agree, said
Faircloth, “He’s on the
wrong planet.”
The mayor said it
might be possible for a
citizens volunteer patrol to
receive training from the
sheriff’s office. The com-
mittee being formed, he
said, will come up with a
wide range of ideas for
improving security.
Fire danger remains despite
recent summer rain showers
“Keep your guard up,”
says Keep Oregon Green
Association (KOG).
“That little bit of rain
that we received recently
has not been enough to
lessen the fire danger,”
says Mary Ellen Holly of
KOG.
“It has been our ex-
perience that we get a little
bit of rain and the public
becomes less careful with
fire,” she said. “Proof of
this was apparent; as dur-
ing the first 24 hours after
the rainfall, 10 human-
caused fires were reported.
“Keep Oregon green
by practicing fire-safe pro-
cedures while traveling
through or enjoying the
forests, agricultural, and
grazing lands.
Many private lands are
closed due to the fire dan-
ger, but other public land
remains open for recrea-
tion.”
*If campfires are al-
lowed where you are
camping, remember to put
them out: dead out.
*Keep all matches and
lighters out of the reach of
children and teach them
the difference between
good fire (campfires, birth-
day cakes, etc.,) and bad
fire (forest fires, house
fires, and other harmful
fires).
*Use care when barbe-
cuing.
Make sure the ground
under the barbecue has
been cleared of vegeta-
tion and is far away from
anything that will burn.
*If you must smoke
when in the woods, be sure
to use your ashtray.
*Build survivable
space with a radius of at
least 30 feet around your
home by reducing the
amount of shrubbery and
trees, removing dead and
dying vegetation, and re-
placing them with fire-
resistant plants.
*Clean your roofs and
gutters of debris.
*Keep wood piles or
other fuel sources at least
25 feet away and uphill
from your home.
*Keep hoses, sprin-
klers, and other water
sources at hand in case a
wildfire approaches.
For more information
phone Illinois Valley Rural
Fire District at 592-2121,
or KOG at (503) 745-7499.
ROLL OVER - Marilynn Johnson of Solvang, Calif. was
traveling north on Redwood Hwy. on Tuesday, Aug. 12
when her Ford Explorer skidded out of control and
rolled on its side near Hogue Drive in Selma. The
cause of the accident was unknown. She was trans-
ported to Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants
Pass due to minor injuries. (Photo by Steve Fairchild)
Riverside Physical Therapy
Full Rehabilitation Services:
•Physical Therapy
•Occupational
Therapy
•Speech Therapy
TWO LOCATIONS
TO SERVE YOU
Cave Junction Office
218 N. Redwood Hwy.
(541) 592-6580
grants Pass Office
1619 N.W. Hawthorne Ave.
Suite 109
(541) 476-2502
•Mike Johnson, P.T.
•Jeff Wood, M.S., P.T.