SUMMER 1981

Vol. VI: No. 3

Garden Is Eyeful & Earful For Birdersby Ruth Voss, Garden Docentand amateur onnithologist

I know a little garden close where1 woad wander from dewy dawn to dewy night

Thomas Browne

Any day one comes to the U.C. BotanicalGarden one is greeted by resident birds.It is like finding old friends. With alittle effort, a pair of binoculars, andtime, the Garden presents the opportunityof learning to know these birds so thatthey may be recognized anywhere.

As the seasons change, so changes the birdpopulation in the Botanical Garden. Inearly April, the melodious songs of theBlack-headed Grosbeak, Northern Oriole, War-bling Viroe fill the air. By late April,

the Olive-sided Flycatcher has arrived,and May brings Swainson's Thrush. By falland into winter, the Hermit and VariedThrushes as well as Fox Sparrows have arri-ved. It's fun to listen and record the ex-

act day each year these birds return.

For now, though, let us learn to know thebirds we may see any day in the Garden. Oneof the commonest residents is the Brown Tow-hee. A ground feeder, this gray-brown robinsized bird can be found most anywhere in theGarden. With his rufous rump, faint darkernecklace and his metallic one pitch "chink",he is easy to identify.

Near the entrance to the Garden, in the Mex-ican Area when the Salvias are in flower,one may hear a uzzzing" and see rapid flash-ing bird forms. By focussing with binocu-lars, one finds a small bird with a greenbody, white breast, bright red head,neckand breast -- the male Anna Hummingbird.The female Anna is all green with a bit ofrufous under her chin and white on her outertail and breast. Because hummers are ex-tremely territorial, their feeding placesare scenes of much activity as they defendor con,,:st their right to their own or an-other's space. They may be found in the

Summer In The GardenIf your summer plans this year include more day trips in and around theBay Area, or if you have summer guests, we hope the UC Botanical Gardenwill have a place on your "sights-to-see" list. Because of the ever-changing nature of the Garden, there are always new and often splendidplantings to greet you.

In addition to the botanical treasures in the Garden, there are someperipheral benefits we thought might interest you, your children, andyour guests. So read on, and we hope you will enjoy the Garden morefully as a result.

2fuchsia garden above the parking lot, inthe Old World Desert, or near the Nicotianabeyond the research building at the entranceto Mather Grove. If you are wearing red,watch out! You may be buzzed!

About eight feet off the ground in the oaktrees or shrubs one hears a light, gentle"tsit-tsit" and see much movement of a flockof birds. Looking closer you note this is

a group of little all-gray birds withlongish tails, tiny bills and brownishcheeks called "Babes of the Woods" orCommon Bushtits.

From a low shrub or just under the groundone hears a cat-like "mew" or a rasping

scolding. With patient quiet waiting, youmay be rewarded by the appearance of ahandsome smaller than robin-sized bird.His head and upper parts are black withrows of white spots on back and wings;his sides robin-red, his belly white; hisdarting eyes are red. Meet the rufous-

sided Towhee.

Up near the east end of the RhododendronDell where Strawberry Creek trickles downinto the Garden is often seen the BlackPhoebe. Notice the bull shaped neck,slightly crested head, fine bill. Thisbird has a black head and breast withwhite belly. As it sits it wags its tailLike all flycatchers, it perches, swoopsout to catch an insect, then returns tothe same perch. Its call is a distinct"chip" and its song thin, almost plaintive,"fee-bee".

In the eastern part of the Garden from thecoastal scrub comes a staccato ringing songon one pitch that starts deliberately andaccelerates running into a trill. Thebird, a Wrentit, that makes the son g is

more easily heard than seen. With a long,rounded, slightly cocked tail and streakedbrownish breast, this dark sparrow-sizedbird is hard to see as it slips through the

brush.

At the eastern end of the Garden or alongthe southern side overlooking the canyonthe California Thrasher may be heard. Itis larger than a robin, dark brown with adeeply curved bill and pale cinnamon belly.It is difficult to see it, but still possi-ble to enjoy its repertoire of melodious

songs.

Space does not permit detailed notes aboutall of the resident birds. However, there

are Stellar and Scrub Jays raucously inevidence. On the lawns is a grand placeto look for American Robins. The Common

ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD -

Flicker is seen high in the treetops. Asmall bird with a black head and flashingwhite outer tail feathers, it calls in aloose musical trill which identifies it asthe Dark-eyed Junco. The Chestnut-backedChickadee, as well as the Hairy and DownyWoodpeckers work in the oak trees. Thenasal "yank, yanfa' of the Red-breastedNuthatcher, the "distressed chick" call ofthe Hutton's Vireo, the melodious songs ofthe Bewick Wren, Song Sparrow and PurpleFinch; the repititious song of the HouseFinch; plaintive call of the Lesser andthe clear light call of the American Gold-finches are all heard.

In the spring in the California Native Plantarea, a California Quail family may shareyour stroll. [sand-tailed Pigeons andMourning Doves as well as Starlings arealso resident birds. Remember too, tolook skyward where you may be rewarded bythe graceful soaring of the Red-tailedHawk, or the wobbly dihedral silhouetteof the Turkey Vulture, or the rapid flightof the American Kestrcl.

Spring is an exciting time of year for thebirds and for birders. It is in the springmonths that the birds sing so persistentlyand add a delightful dimension to the enjoy-ment of the out-of-doors. Many of thespring visitors stay on until October, a fewas late as November. So April, May, andJune are exciting months to enjoy thesevisitors. In July the bird song is less

CALIFORNIA QUAIL

3and August is called the quiet month sincefor the most part the birds and their fam-ilies are getting ready or have begun the

migrations.

Among the birds that arrive in the Gardenin the spring and stay until fall are theWestern Flycatcher, which can be found nearthe moist areas and has a single sharp note;the Western Wood Peewee, which says a nasal"peeeen"; Olive-sided Flycatchers suggest

"me kaAson" from its perch high in a tree;Violet-green Swallows, beautiful flyers,seem never to be still; Solitary Vireos seemalways to be questioning and answering with

"What s ,s that?" "That' what" phrases; War-

bling Vireos that sing on and on in shortphrases; Yellow Warblers with their bright,

cheerful, rapid song; Wilson's 'A.rblerswhose song is a trill droppin g in energy at

the end. These all add to birding interestin the Botanical Garden.

There are two species that are particularlybeautiful songsters: the Black-headed Gros-beak and the Swainson's Thrush. The Black-headed Grosbeak arrives in April and staysuntil November. From a high perch its mel-low song made of rising or falling passages,includes a rolling note. It often sings in

flight. Its head is black, with a streakof chestnut through the crown; back streak-ed with black, white and cinnamon, undersorts are a rich orange-brown, belly yellow;

bill large, breast orange-brown.

The other songster--Swainson's Thrush-- isdifficult to see, but its song is distinct:a succession of phrases in ascending pitch.It feeds on the ground; as it halts, itdraws itself up and faces the observer witha buffy roast spotted with brown. It's in

the Garden in late April or early May

through August.

For pure striking beauty, the Northern Ori-ole is hard to beat. A distinct "chuck,

chuck" repeated, announces its presence.A flash of bright orange, and black on topof the head with broad bands of white on thewings identifies this very tropical lookingbird. Enjoy it from May to September.

The following books complement each otherand would be very helpful:

A Field Guide to Weistum Bind's,by Roger Torry Peterson

Bi'tdo o6 NoAth AmetLica,by Robbins, Brunn and Zinn

BvcdS of the Pac,qic State's,by Ralph Hoffmann

We're so glad you cameOne of the most pleasant experiences forboth the volunteer Docents and the staffof the UC Botanical Garden is hosting thegreat variety of visitors who come to enjoythe Garden's many collections. And Maywas a great month for a number of guestsfrom throughout the United States.

On May first, 130 members of the Rhododen-dron Society came as a part of their nationalconvention program which was held in SanFrancisco. Then on May fifth, guided toursthrough the Garden were provided for 150participants from the American Associationof Botanical Gardens and Arboreta's annualmeeting again held in San Francisco.

Finally, the African Violet Society senttwo contingents of guests: 94 on May 18thand 90 on May 20th. Tour guide coordinatorRuth Halbach gave an introductory lectureto them before they dispersed to tour theGarden on their own. Docent Jim Jones assis-ted Ruth on May 20th.

A Special Garden PartyAn early summer garden party will be heldin Woodside on Sunday, June 28th, to give

the Friends of Pacific Horticulture the op-

portunity to meet and chat with one anotheras well as enjoy being in their favoritehabitat -- a lovely garden.

Invitations will soon be mailed to thosewho are members of the group. If you areinterested in becoming a member and attend-ing the party, tax-deductible membershipsbegin at $25 and may be sent to PacificHorticultural Foundation, P.O. Box 680,Berkeley, CA 94701.

4

Plant Recovery One Step Ahead Of Space Shuttleby Rogett Raiche, 6enior nuAsery technician berg, where according to plan, WE, alongAe6pouib1e von the Ccaj*Jul-i,a AiLea coaec- with the other invited collectors; weretion to be met by the Base staff botanist.

In early March, I was requested by Garden Arriving with time to spare, we receivedsecurity clearance and were ushered along

Manager Daniel Campbell to participate inwith the others to the collection site--

a "Floral Recovery Program" sponsored bya windy, forbidding coastal sand plain

the U.S.Air Force. What sounded like adissected by a shallow canyon extending all

commando raid concocted by a Hollywoodscriptwriter was in actuality an opportun-

-the way to the beach. The site was devoid of any plants above three feet in

ity to rescue a number of native plantspecies in the way of man's exploration of

height due to the constant buffeting ofoffshore winds. Low growing Ceanothm

cuter ace. Limpit.e2mus and ramuto6u4 var. Casicutaitis)The location of the recovery program was and Manzanitas putubmima and nudio wereVandenberg Air Force Base, situated to the the dominant flora, especially the puAiszi-west of Lompoc on the coast of Santa Bar- ma. It extended as far as the eye couldbara County in southern California. The see, clinging to the plain like a billowingAir Force was waiting to extend and upgrade blanket.an existing air field to accommodate the

We started collecting in the shallow can-space shuttle, and until the completion of

yon. Even though the walls and floor of thethe recovery program no construction could

canyon were entirely shale, many plantbegin.

species showed an amazing tenacity inThe Friends of the Botanical Garden provided their adaptability. Among them was a

the funding making it possible for Kurt Zad- rare and endangered species, SoLophutattianik, my staff partner for the California aAata. This Figwort, one of four spe-area, to participate with me in this extra- cies of Scnophutaria identified by Munzordinary opportunity. in A Cati tiornia Ftona, is a low-spreadingWayne Roderick, Director of the Tilden Bot-

whichdark green leaved perennial

anic Garden, also accompanied us. Wellbears small,

e blackish-maroon

herbglobular

armed with shovels, plastic bags, buckets, flowers.

and camera equipment, we left on a Thursday Continuing our collecting up onto theafternoon in order to arrive in plenty of - sandy plain, we searched amonu the man-

time to participate the following morning. zanitas and found

Leaving a day ahead also some particularly_allowed us the opportun- good veg itative as.„:. ;:4'ity to do some exploring well as floral selec-

and collecting along the way. Having tra- tions of both puitizsimaveled 'frith Wa ,,,, , ne on collecting forays in and rudis. Two of the puAi46ima cuttingsthe past, I knew we would spending as much we obtained exhibited distinctly differ-

time off the road as behind the wheel. ent charactertistics: one, a totally pros-

One area in which we did some collecting of clustered white flowered form. We also -trate form; the other, a luxuriant, large

particular interest was in the Mission Hillstook cuttings of an expecially rich toned,

area of the Purisima Hills just due east ofdeep-blue flowered Ceanothm ramutomus var.

Vandenberg. Early Friday morning, on a chap- 4coicutaA-1.4. The wind-swept plain alsoarral sand plain that had been devastated by

werewewe,rebefoyearsyeafourfoubriefbriaredfilyielded a small Sanicula ssp. and a Helian-

wildfire i

able to gather many species that had vigorous-them ium.

st so we would

time

have a

to

ly re-established themselves. It was our first tograph

s many

n of in

pho

the Weflowetookring

the plants i

-copa

introduction to the Manzanitas Anztoistaphyto4 their environs justpuit,i.zzima and Alld,bs, which we would be seeing

-visual record of a habitat soon to be des

more of once we were within the boundary of troyed.

the Floral Recovery Program area. Upon our return to the Garden that sameweekend, we took the time to refrigerate our

Leaving the Purisima Hills, we hastily collected materials before heading home tomade our way to the main gate at Vanden- a well-earned hot shower. The job was not

5done but that would have to wait until Mon-

day. After the long ride back, I'm sure the

cuttings welcomed a night on ice before be-

in g potted, recorded, and then introduced

to a new life under th .e watchful eyes of

students, researchers, and Garden visitors.

An Island Of Hawaiian Floraby W. Robext 0AnduA6, Dinecton o6 theU.C. Beezetey Botanicat Garden

Our experience after the "Big Sneeze" ofDecember 1972 told us that there is no

sure way of determining in advance whether

a plant will survive the rigors of a Berke-

ley winter, at least when planted out of

doors. Many species that tolerate below

freezing temperatures in their native hab-

itat were lost, whereas others that never

experience even light frost survived with-

out any damage. With this information in

mind, I gathered seeds of a few interest-

ing Hawaiian plants during two recent col-

lecting trips to the Islands to form the

nucleus of a small Hawaiian collection that

has recently been established in the Pacific

Island area of the Garden. It is already

clear that some of these plants are quite

unhappy living outside in our climate.

Doubtless one or two have already succumb-

ed during our relatively mild winter.

Others, however, are doing well and give

every indication of being at home in Straw-

berry Canyon.

The most striking of these Hawaiian plants

is a small group of yucca-like Witkaiagymnoxiphium, called itiau in Hawaiian.There is only this single species of Wit-kaia, and it is restricted to a few popu-lations on Kauai; our plants came from seed

I collected above Waimea Canyon. Wiazoia,

a member of the sunflower family, is a close

relative of the Hawaiian silverswords, and

is also related to our California tarweeds.

The single stem of each plant remains un-

branched throughout the life of the plants,

eventually reaching ten feet or so in height

After the plants flower, they die.

Related to Witkesia is the naenae (Raitean-dia - or some prefer Dubautia - menziesii).This small shrub is restricted to the in-

hospitable upper slopes of Haleakala on the

island of Maui, growing at elevations of

9,000 feet or more. Plants occur scattered

in loose pumice or lava, and are exposed to

intense solar radiation during the daytime

and to very cold, misty nights all year long

This is truly an alpine habitat, and this

species should survive outside here quite

well, though whether it will tolerate our

heavy ado),2 soil remains to be seen. Unlike

Witkaia, the naenae does not die after itblooms, but grows and flowers over a period

of several years. The yellow-orange flowers

are borne in small heads. Extra plants of

both the precedin g species were availableat the May plant sale.

Another well-known Hawaiian plant is repre-

sented by several different collections in

this bed. This is the ohia-tehua (Metno-zideAo4 cottina), a relative of the euca-lyptus. It forms dense forests in some

areas on the islands, but in others, the

plants form low rounded shrubs. These and

other variants are illustrated and discuss-

ed by Sherwin Carlquist in his excellent

study, Hawaii, a Natunat Hiotony. We haveboth the tree and shrub forms in the Gar-

den. When they flower they should be most

attractive, since typically the flowers are

a bright red and are doubtless pollinated

in nature by birds called honeycreepers.

In Hawaii, beekeepers prize this tree and

ohia-tehua honey is easily available insupermarkets there

WILKESIA gymnoxphium

6Other plants of interest are two membersof the lobelia family that are doing sur-prisingly well in the Garden. One of theseis the oha-wai (CteAmontia kakeana). Thisspecies occurs on Oahu, Molokai, and Maui;our specimens came from seeds I collectedon Maui not far from liana, at about sealevel. This species is a small sub-shrubbearing in the leaf axils enormous green-ish flowers which produce large amounts ofnectar and are doubtless visited in thewild by honeycreepers. Another lobeliadfrom Hawaii is the aku'aku (Cyanea tAito-mantha), a rainforest species restrictedto the Big Island of Hawaii. Our plantcomes from seed I collected in a very wetohia-Zehua forest not far from Hilo. Theplant resembles a small palm and bearsclusters of attractive small white flowers.

A species with an unusual distribution ,and one that survived the 1972 freeze, isthe shrubby mint (Lepechina haistata).This species occurs naturally at middleelevations on Maui and also in Baja Cali-fornia. Our Plants originally came fromabout (,D00 feet on the slopes of Haleak-ala, where a staff member from the U.C.Davis Arboretum collected seeds in 1968.At that time fewer than a half-dozenplants were present in the population,and its present status in Hawaii is un-known.

There are a few other Hawaiian plants inthis shall collection, some of which havenot fared (!urinc, the past winter.Among these is ne unusual lobeliad BAig-hamia citrinae, vaA. napaienz,bs, foundonly on Kauai's steep Na Pali coast. This

plant has a short swollen stem capped by arosette of leaves that resemble those of acabbage. Our plants have been grown fromseeds sent by the Pacific Tropical Botan-ical Garden which is attempting to distrib-ute this very rare plant in cultivation.Although our plants are not faring well,others grown in containers out-of-doorselsewhere in Berkeley are thriving. Wewould be interested in hearing how plantspurchased by several shoppers at our lastplant sale are faring elsewhere in the BayArea.

—sto>s<4—

Watering And Mulching Crucial

To Summer Garden Maintenance

bra Dania Campbete,Ga./Eden ManageA

Most people regard the coming of Summeras a time of pleasant warm weather, in-creased out-of-door activities and recre-ation. For gardeners, the pleasures aremixed.

Warm weather brings a host of garden pests.

Es pecially damaging are microscopic mitesand thrips on plants with thickgreen leaves such as Rhododen-drons and Vibur,lums. These twopests attack the chlorophyll ofthe leaves turning them silverminutely speckled with darkbrown. Check with your localnursery for a spray that is ef-fective and yet safe and accept-able to your local city council.(Berkeley has a ban list ofchemicals.)

California's dry climate, though pleasant,places many plants under stress. Summeris a time of year in the Botanical Gardenwhen planting is discontinued until thestart of the rainy season and when mulch-ing and watering become the chief activi-ties.

We have been recycling all our trimmingsinto mulch with the aid of a large chippingmachine. Many smaller models are availablefor the home garden, or simply go to yourlocal nursery for mulch. We spread mulchto about four inches thick for moistureretention and weed suppression all in one.

Watering in Summer is an appalling chore.Be sure not to give way to temptation andskimp on watering time. Remember that inheavy soil water won't penetrate far in anhour. Consider using a drip system to savewater. If planting on slopes, a drip sys-tem will eliminate the need of soil basinsand will avoid wasteful runoff. We areusing more drip irrigation in the BotanicalGarden than ever before. It encourageshealthier, deeper root systems and saveson labor: which for you means more timeplaying tennis, jogging or visiting botani-cal gardens!

7

The Information Center Is Worthwhile First StopThe Garden's Information Center provides anumber of services to make your visit moreenjoyable. This is the place for everyoneto pick up a Ganden Hightightis brochurefor current information on plants of spe-cial interest. If you're a relative new-comer to the Garden's collections or ac-companied by out-of-town visitors, the in-formative but brief "Visitor's Guide to theGarden" will enhance your visit.

Those who are more familiar with the Gardenwill enjoy one of the specialized bookletswhich provides background and specific in-formation on various collections such asthe Carnivorous Plants, the Herb Garden,the Indian Nature Trail, or a contrast ofthe Old and New World Deserts. Frequent aswell as first-time visitors will find acopy of the Garden's Bird List an enrichingaddition to their Garden experience. Thearticle on birds in this Quarterly shouldget everyone off to a good start.

After one has wandered through the Califor-nia Area and enjoyed the diversity of ournative flora, there is a great selection ofpaperbacks in the Information Center withdetails on the California plant communitiesand geography, as well as identificationhandbooks and books on where and how togrow natives in your own garden. If a tripthrou g h the Tropical House and Garden ofPlants for Mankind excites curiosity aboutthe economic and cultural importance ofthese species, you can purchase a copy ofPlants and Man by Anderson at the Informa-tion Center.

Even a trip through a favorite and familiarsection of the Garden comes clearer if youtake along a hand lens. The InformationCenter carries some inexpensive types.

It is even possible to take home a "sample"from the Garden's collections. A varietyof plants and seeds (with description andculture information) is always available.For those whose garden is a small window-sill that cannot accomodate a living re-minder of the Garden, there are severalattractive wildflower posters and post-cards, including three fine postcards ofour Garden.

Whether you want to know the location ofthe nearest drinking fountain, the name of

an eye-catching plant in bloom or the public tour schedule, the Information Center

staff is glad to be of assistance - withan answer or a suggestion for where tofind the needed information.

The Information Center was designed byarchitect and Garden volunteer, JamesNovosel, and partially funded by proceedsfrom the first plant sales. Financialsupport from the Friends continues to keepthis fine facility and its services avail-able for all Garden visitors. On week-ends, from 10 to 4:30, the Center is staff-ed by work-study students supported in partby funds from the Friends bud get. TheCenter is staffed by volunteers on week-days from noon until 3 pm, and the Gardenwould always welcome new members for thisimportant service. Additional volunteerson the staff would allow the Center to re-main open longer hours. If you would en-joy participating in this valuable publicservice activity, on a regular basis fora few hours every other week or even oncea month, please contact the Education Pro-gram at 642-3352.

Garden Mapping Grant AwardedBotany graduate student Linda Newstrom hasbeen awarded an Instructional ImprovementGrant which will enable her to work on aGarden mapping and inventory project dur-ing the summer months.

The g rant was awarded by the Campus Coun-cil on Educational Development for thepurpose of providing additional informationon the Garden's collections for the directbenefit of all instructors using the Garden.Beginning with an inventory of the HerbGarden, and upgrading existing maps, MsNewstrom hopes to complete a review of alleconomic plant collections and to alsospend time in the California Native Areaunder the direction of Garden Curator, Dr.Bruce Bartholomew.

PLANT ;

SETTING UP

SOME FUTURE SHADE

JUST DON'T STAB YOURSELF

9;ALE: MAY,1981

A RARE TREASURE

HEY, WAIT FOR ME

FENCE LIZARD x.,1

10

Timid Garden Hosts Reptiles And AmphibiansOne of the fringe benefits for visitors to

a garden as rich and varied as the UC Botani-cal Garden is the host of small creatureswho make their homes among its congenialenvironments. As you stroll along, you maysee the quick flit of a lizard or the sinu-ous glide of a snake or hear the soft plop ofa frog as it leaves a lily pad for the depthsof its pond. Seeing and identifying thesesmall amphibians and reptiles is one of theadded pleasures of a summer day in the Garden.

From the pathway between the African Hill andthe Cactus garden, or along the paths between

cases (including the venemous black widow)snails and small mammals such as youngmeadow mice.

As you continue your garden walk throughthe Rhododendron Dell and past the lilypool and stream you may be lucky enoughto catch sight of a Pacific Treefrog (HytaAzgitta), a Red-legged Frog (Rana auro/La)or a California Newt (Taricha to/Loa).The most difficult of these to observe isthe small (3/4-1/2 inch) Pacific Treefrog,since its color forms--green, gray, brown,tan--can change from dark to light in a

the California chapparal plantings, one can - few minutes. It is a pond breeder activefrequently see Western Fence Lizards (Scaopmws from January to July, but most in evidenceoccidentaLbs) and southern Alligator Lizards in the Garden in Spring. You may have to(Gerrhonotus mutticaAinatco) taking the sun on settle for simply hearing its familiara rock or peering from under a spiny cactus. lireck-ek but you will at least know it is

there somewhere. Its food consists of in-sects such as leaf-hoppers, flies, wasps,beetles, and caterpillars, as well asspiders and snails.

Because of the introduction into Califor-nia of the bullfrog, the Red-legged Frog

The Western Fence Lizard is extremely commonin the Garden making its home near or onsnags or downed trees and among rock outcropswhere it dines on flies and small insects.Its body is 21-31 inches long, excluding thetail, and is of a dusky brown or gray colorwith dark blotches. A mature male will sport is a threatened species. Having found ablue patches on its throat and on each side relatively safe refuge in the Garden, itof its belly. Its back is scaled and rough look- can be seen, both day and night, in theing. areas in and around the pond and the more

wooded parts of Strawberry Creek. It isa larger species (2-5 inches) having abrown to reddish back with small darkflecks and larger blotches, and a dark maskbordered by a pale upper jaw stripe. Whenyou hear a stuttering, grating gutturalsound on one pitch often ending in a growland lasting for about three seconds, youare in the presence of the Red-legged Frog.Since the sound does not carry far, he isclose by, probably enjoying a meal of beet-

The southern Alligator Lizard is larger (4-61 les, caterpillars, or isopods.inches body length) and prefers to live in shadedthickets and under rocks and logs. Its Tan to dark brown above and orange to pale

movements are slower and more snake-like yellow below, the California newt (TaA4,chawith its elongated body and shorter limbs.Its forked tongue flicks in and out fre-quently. Alligator Lizards are good clim-bers and may ascend trees to escape preda-tors. If caught, it will attempt to biteand smear its captor with feces. Its tailis easily lost, and the severed partthrashes violently. Its body is coveredwith thick squarish scales with nine ormore dusky or brown crossbands on itsback. Its belly has a long stripe or rowof dashes down its middle, and its foodincludes insects, spiders and their egg-

toitoa) is 21 to 31 inches long, and can befound in the woodland parts of the Garden

and along the creek. Its large eyes protrudebeyond the outline of its head, and its skincan be highly toxic if eaten or bitten. Thebright color on the belly is typical of crea-tures which secrete a powerful neurotoxin.During the mating season from September toMay, the Newt migrates to water to lay itseggs; otherwise the adult form is terres-trial. Such other salamanders (Batrachcpseo,sp.) as live in the Garden are nocturnal ani-mals. Thus Garden visitors will not be see-ing them.

Gopher miake x 1/5

11

Five species of snakes live in the Garden,

dwelling in those areas most resembling their

native terrain. The most ancient species is

the Rubber Boa (Chakina bootee) which has min-ute vestigal hind legs that the males use

during courtship. The Boa is very secretive

in behavior, but if seen can be identified

by its plain unpatterned brown coloring and

yellow belly. Its blunt tail, resembling

its head, has caused it to be called the

"two-headed snake." It is chiefly a wood-

land and forest species which buries itself

in sand or loose soil or beneath rotting logs,

under rocks or the bark or fallen trees. It

eats fence lizards and small mammals and birds.

The Ringneck Snake adophL punctutto) canbest be seen during March, April and May, near

water and under rocks. Measuring 12 to 15

inches, it is a slender olive to nearly black

snake with a dark head and a conspicuous yel-

low or orange neck band. When disturbed, it

emits a fetid odor and will coil up exposing

its tail's bright red undercolor like a thim-

ble. It eats salamanders, tree frogs, lizards,

other snakes, worms and insects.

Gopher Snakes uophL5 maanoteuccus) areoften mistaken for rattlesnakes because of

their similar markings. When alarmed, the

Gopher Snake hisses loudly, flattens and

broadens its head and vibrates its tail

which can, among dry leaves, suggest the

sounds of a rattler. Despite its appearance,

the Gopher Snake is actually not only harmless

but beneficial. It can be anywhere from 3 to

4 feet in length. Its basic color is yellow

or cream with black, brown or reddish-brown

dorsal blotches, and it lives on mice, rats,

gophers, squirrels, rabbits, birds and their

eggs, and lizards.

Measuring 18-24 inches in length, the Western

Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophbs aegan/s)lives in meadows, clearings, and chapparal.

Its distinctive markings are a yellowish

or cream stripe down the middle of the

back, and cream, whitish or pale gray

stripes low on each side. Dorsal stripe

is typically bright yellow, red, or orange.

If handled it exudes a vile odor and will

bite or defecate in defense. It eats

frogs, slugs, and fish.

GaAten ,ctize x 1/2

If your basic garden is one which contains

a dangerous serpent, the Botanical Garden

surely qualifies as basic. It can't, of

course, boast of a talking snake such as

lured Eve to take that fateful bite of

apple, but it has its share of rattlers--

the Western Rattlesnake (Crotatuand the visitor ought to be at least a-

ware of this fact. Fortunately the local

inhabitants are less agressive and lethal

than those found elsewhere in the state.

Our Garden variety are likely to be well

off the pathways; still, strollers should

be cautious,remaining on the paths and

leaving warm stones to themselves since

the Western Rattler blends perfectly with

the dusty foliage and the grays and browns

of rock. This particular snake can strike

without the warning rattle and does not

need to coil for attack. If on the out-

side chance one does strike, the victim

should be kept still and help summoned

immediately.

12The rattlers in the Garden are small, aver-aging about 2 feet, and live in such sunnyplaces as the more remote areas of theCalifornia and Mexican areas and in theupper reaches of African Hill. Usuallythey are active in the early morning andlate afternoons. On a hot day they willhave gone into retreat among the rocksand underbrush by about 10 a.m.

Professor Harry Greene, Assistant Profes-sor of Zoology and Assistant Curator ofHerpetology at the Museum of VertebrateZoology, U.C.B., is in the process of re-moving to his laboratory on Campus theRattlesnakes found in the Garden. In oneof his behavior studies, Professor Greeneimplanted a radio in one of the snakes andreleased it in Tilden Park.

"The radio-tagged animal headed for theBotanical Garden over the ten days Iwatched it," he relates. "I suspect itwould have gone there if I hadn't caughtit. We need more evidence, but probablyshort-range transportation of the snakeswon't work." Greene plans to continueremoving the snakes as they are found, butdoubts that they can be completely elimina-

ted from the Garden

All this is in the way of caution with nowish to alarm our visitors. No one has everbeen bitten by a snake in the Garden's his-tory, but that sterling record is no doubtthe result of care and vigilance on thepart of the Garden's guests.

We wish to thank Professor Greene for his

generous contribution of time and informationto the development of this article.

Ref. Cat.i iiornia Amphibiaws and Reptitz,5, byRobert C. Stebbins.

RED-LEGGED FROG

We Are GratefulThe Garden staff wishes to express itsgratitude to the Friends contributors whoresponded so quickly and so generously tothe needs of the Garden set out in theSpring issue of the Quarterly.

An order has been placed for the New York Botanical Garden Illustrated Encyclopedia

of Horticulture and should soon be avail-able in the Garden's Main Office for ref-erence use. The new rain gauges will soonreplace the previous equipment, and evi-dence of the efficacy of the tie machineshould be apparent throughout the Garden.

Again thank you all for the extra support!

Docent Training Begins This FallFor the First Cpe in two years, the Ed-ucation Program will again be offering a10-week Docent training program beginningWednesday, September 16th. The DocentProgram, established in 1974, providesGarden tour guides to visiting groups,organizations, classes and the public atlarge who are interested in learning moreabout the Garden and its wealth of plantmaterial. The Docent Program provides ex-cellent opportunities for those who areinterested in learning more about plantmaterial, working with the public, andmaybe brushing up on some long lost teach-ing skills.

The training, em p hasizing plant identifi-cation, will provide volunteers with apractical knowledge of the many Gardencollections. The program is supplementedwith historical, cultural, scientific,horticultural, and botanical informationof significance. Over the 10 weeks, train-ees will have ample opportunity to reviewcourse material and to demonstrate theirability to present a variety of tours.Upon graduation, each new Docent is re-quested to be available for g iving tours

on a regular basis for the following year.

For further details please contact Chris-topher Byal, Education Pro g ram, BotanicalGarden, University of California, Berke-ley 94720 before August 31 (phone 642-3352

between 10 and 2).

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14Botanical Garden "N

Quarterly

CALENDAR

August 6,13,20,27 (Thursdays)"August Afternoons in the Garden forChildren"

Natural History classes for 6-11 yearolds. See article for details or call642-3352.

September 16 (Wednesday)Docent Trainin g course beginsSee article for details or call 642-3352.

EditorCarol Nathan

Education EditorNancy van Roessel

Art EditorChristopher Byal

Photographs

Chalmers LuckhartBird Illustrations

Lorrie Beggs

The U.C. BOTANICAL GARDEN QUARTERLYis supported by funds from The Friendsof the Botanical Garden

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University of CaliforniaBerkeley, CA 94720

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