Subject: BEN # 95

From: [email-masked] (Adolf Ceska)
Date: 17 Mar 1995 07:44:19 -0800

BBBBB    EEEEEE   NN   N             ISSN 1188-603X
BB   B   EE       NNN  N
BBBBB    EEEEE    NN N N             BOTANICAL
BB   B   EE       NN  NN             ELECTRONIC
BBBBB    EEEEEE   NN   N             NEWS

No. 95                               March 16, 1995

[email-masked]        Victoria, B.C.
-----------------------------------------------------------
 Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
-----------------------------------------------------------

SLIDES OF INTERIOR BRITISH COLUMBIA PLANTS NEEDED
From: Dennis Lloyd <[email-masked]>

We are looking for colour slides of the following plants for the
Plants of the interior British Columbia:
   Apocynum cannabinum           hemp dogbane
   Arnica parryi                 Parry's arnica
   Hackelia micrantha            blue stickseed
   Kobresia myosuroides          Bellard's kobresia
   Lactuca serriola              prickly letuce
   Luzula piperi                 Piper's woodrush
   Myriophyllum verticillatum    whorled water-milfoil
   Saxifraga cernua              nodding saxifrage
   Senecio indecorus             rayless mountain butterweed
   Senecio pseudaureus           streambank butterweed
   Vulpia octoflora              six-weeks fescue
Should you have any of these, please give me a call at
(604) 828-4129 or FAX at (604) 828-4154. Many thanks.

REVOLUTIONARY GREENHOUSE DESIGN FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC

A group of scientists associated with the Botanical Institute
of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Trebon, Czech Republic,
designed a unique roof solar collector. The key element of the
collector is a glass linear Fresnel lens that concentrates the
direct part of solar radiation to a narrow strip. This strips
lies in the focal plane of the lens, at a distance
approximately 40 cm. Concentrated sun radiation is converted to
heat energy in absorbers, situated in the focal plane. The heat
is taken away with the flowing water to a hot water storage
tank.

The heat collector is also an ideal skylight. The direct part
of radiation is used for heating the water. The space under the
collector, on the other hand, is not overheated and is evenly
lighted by diffused sun light because the optical system
separates and absorbs the direct part of sun radiation.

The most basic function of this type of collector is hot water
preparation, but the system is also ideal for the construction
of winter gardens and greenhouses. The standard panel is 4.2 m
wide and 2.36 m high and consists of six linear Fresnel lenses
(0.75 x 2.0 m). The system was developed and is distributed by

   SOLARGLAS s.r.o
   nam. Ceskeho povstani 228
   161 00 Praha 6 -  Czech Republic
   tel./fax: 02/316 32 34

COLLECTIONS OF LUZULA CAMPESTRIS, MULTIFLORA ETC. WANTED !
From: Adolf Ceska <[email-masked]>

When I wrote the treatment of Luzula (Woodrush) for the Vascular
Plants  of British Columbia IV (Douglas, et. al., 1994 - see BEN
# 75), I was unable to solve taxonomic problems  in  the  Luzula
campestris-multiflora  complex  and  I  treated it as one single
species. I was aware of the complicated situation and  need  for
more serious taxonomic studies.

I  contacted  my Czech colleague Dr. Jan Kirschner, a specialist
in this group, and we would like to have a closer  look  at  the
Pacific  Northwest  plants  of this species complex. I have been
collecting Woodrush and have  amassed  a  good  collection  from
coastal  British  Columbia,  but  we would like to have material
from wider area of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.  I  wonder,
if  BEN  readers  could  help  us  to  get  more  well collected
specimens of Luzula, especially those belonging  to  the  Luzula
campestris-multiflora complex.

Collecting instructions (after Kirschner 1982):
Collect  plants  with underground parts and pay attention to the
formation and length of rhizomes. Specimens  that  are  in  full
bloom  are  best for identification (with exception of some taxa
such as European L. sudetica). More experience is  required  for
identification  of  plants  with  ripe  fruits.  It is extremely
difficult to identify plants that are past flowering, but  whose
fruits are not yet fully developed. When you collect plants with
ripe seeds, shake out some seeds from capsules directly to small
envelopes  or  paper packets: herbarium specimens are often con-
taminated with seeds from other sheets and mix-up  of  seeds  is
often  the  cause  of  misidentification.  Habitat data are also
important and should be recorded.

Specimens should be dried, but the drying temperature should not
be set too high. Seeds of this species complex remain viable for
a relatively long time (up to nine years) and we would  like  to
get  some  chromosome  counts.  If  you get any material for us,
please, send it to me - my address is:
Adolf Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C., Canada V8W 3S2

Ref.: Kirschner, J. 1982. Notes  on  the  determination  of  the
      members  of  the  Luzula campestris-multiflora complex (L.
      campestris  agg.)  in  Czechoslovakia.  -  Zpravy   Cesko-
      slovenske Botanicke Spolecnosti, Praha 17: 25-37. [Czech]

GENE BANKING PROJECT FOR PLANT CONSERVATION - LAKE BAIKAL AREA
From: Dr. Victor Kuzevanov <[email-masked]>

About 130 of over 1800 higher plants were recognized as rare and
endangered  species  for  the  area  of  famous Baikal Lake. The
project for the conservation of genetic fond of the  unique  and
fragile  flora  around  Lake  Baikal  was started in 1993 at the
Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk  State  University,  Irkutsk.  The
Botanic  Garden  of the Irkutsk State University created in 1941
today  occupies  27  hectares,  including  pine  forest,  within
Irkutsk city (70 kilometers west of the Lake Baikal).

The primary objectives of the project:
 1. to  preserve  plant  genetic  fond and biodiversity near the
    Lake Baikal - World Heritage Site;
 2. to involve the people of Baikal  area  in  rational  use  of
    plant genetic resources;
 3. to  expand  international  collaboration/cooperation between
    scientists, non-governmental organizations and all levels of
    government.

Project includes:
 1. expeditions around Lake Baikal for seed collecting in  July-
    September on foot, car, and boat;
 2. seed banking;
 3. living  field  collections  of  rare and endangered Siberian
    plants;
 4. propagation, repatriation and introduction of plants;
 5. computerized database of  plant  genetic  resources  of  the
    Baikal  Lake area with texts accompanied by scanned pictures
    and maps to be included in USENET services (bilingual,  both
    Russian and English);
 6. reference herbarium;
 7. collection of educational videos and slides;
 8. educational  programs  for  school  children,  students, the
    general public, and administration; and
 9. free of charge international seed exchange.

In 1994, the project was partly sponsored by the Chicago Botanic
Garden, Betchart Expedition,Inc. of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, REAP International,  Fanny  and  Leo
Charitable  Trust,  E.F.F. Shumacher Society, as well as by USIA
and American Association of Museums. The project has  a  limited
support  from  the  Irkutsk  Oblast Governor Administration, the
Irkutsk Environmental Protection Agency, and the  Irkutsk  State
University.

In  1994,  scientists from the Botanic Garden, the Irkutsk State
University, and  several  research  institutes  of  the  Russian
Academy  of  Sciences  has prepared a special report "Concept of
Organization of  Plant  Gene  Banking  of  Irkutsk  Oblast"  for
regional Environmental Protection Agency. Seeds of 42 rare plant
species  have  been included in the seed bank and over 40 living
plant specimens were planted at the display bed for  propagation
and educational purposes.

The  list  of Latin and Russian names of rare and endemic plants
is available on request.

Scientists at the Botanic Garden of the University would like to
discuss with interested foreign  colleagues  an  opportunity  to
arrange  it  as  the  long-term International Plant Conservation
Project for the Baikal Lake  Area.  Relative  institutions,  en-
vironmental  organizations,  volunteers,  and individual profes-
sionals are kindly invited to take part. Any help or sponsorship
would be greatly appreciated.

   Dr. Victor Kuzevanov, Director <[email-masked]>
   BOTANIC GARDEN of Irkutsk State University,
   P.O.Box 1457, 93 Koltsov Street,
   Irkutsk, 664039, RUSSIA
   Phone: +7(3952)435836 - Fax: +7(3952)332238

BOTANICAL FOREST PRODUCTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: AN OVERVIEW

In 1993, 34,544 kg of western yew bark  (dry  weight)  was  har-
vested  in  British  Columbia  for taxol production. In the same
year the mushroom pickers harvested 125,290 kg of pine mushrooms
and received $3,800,000 for them.

These  and  other  "Botanical  forest   products"   ["non-timber
products" would be more precise!] are covered in the B.C. Minis-
try  of  Forests report written by Nelly de Geus and released in
January 1995. The report provides an overview of more  than  200
botanical  forest  products  harvested  in British Columbia. The
report summarizes resource issues associated with the  botanical
products  industry  (and  also  looks at the similar problems in
neighbouring Washington State and the  Pacific  Northwest),  and
makes  recommendations  on  how  the  Ministry of Forests should
proceed with the management of these products.

de Geus, P.M.J.  1995.  Botanical  forest  products  in  British
      Columbia:  An  overview.  -  Integrated  Resources  Policy
      Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Victoria. 51 p. ISBN  0-
      7726-2328-7 [softcover]

The report is available from:

   British Columbia Ministry of Forests
   Integrated Resource Policy Branch
   1450 Government Street, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8Y 3E7
   General inquiries: (604) 356-5384  -  FAX: (604) 387-6751

CHANGES TO REVEAL ALERTING SERVICE (CARL-UNCOVER) [BEN # 75]
From: [email-masked] (Reveal Pricing Correspondence)
      Brenda K. Bailey, Marketing and Client Liaison

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The UnCover Company will begin charging for the Reveal  service,
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is  $20  per  year  for  each  individual profile. This fee will
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tables of contents, and to store up to 25 search strategies.

The  $20 annual fee may be paid online by credit card or UnCover
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