Aspidotis Densa

Day 277: Aspidotis densa had not been known to occur in Mount Rainier National Park until my botany partners and I discovered it last year. We didn't know what it was when we first saw it, but as always, I took many photos of it from all angles to show all its field identification points, and looked it up as soon as I got home. Since there was no prior record of it, we were asked to obtain voucher specimens for the Park and the WTU Herbarium (Burke) if the population was sufficient to support doing so, but by the time we could get back to it, Washington had been hit with 100-degree temperatures. We were unable to locate plants showing both the narrow fertile and broad sterile fronds (see photo above). Unfortunately, the sterile fronds had withered in the blistering heat due to their greater surface area. One of our goals for Saturday's trip was to collect sterile fronds to round out the vouchers, and we were successful. Score two for Botany Day!

Specimens

Day 11: I have to admit that I am sometimes slow in getting things out of my plant press to dispatch to their permanent homes. In this case, I was motivated by an inquiry from another botanist about Aspidotis densa, the "new" fern my botany partners and I discovered in the Park this last summer. We conducted an extensive search to determine that the population of the species could support taking two specimens. There were not enough examples to collect three (the preferred number), but in any case, one of these will be retained for the Park's own herbarium and one will be sent to WTU (Burke). For this photo, it has been necessary to remove information regarding the exact location from the labels as a deterrent to less scrupulous collectors (and believe me, I have met a few). I'm looking forward to next year's "botany season," and the possibility of adding even more species to the Park's inventory.

Aspidotis Densa

Day 286: There is a new name on the list of ferns known to occur in Mount Rainier National Park as of yesterday: Aspidotis densa. Known commonly as "Indian's Dream" or "Cliff Brake," the species had not been observed previously in the Park or in Pierce County, although it had been reported from Lewis County to the south and King County to the north. Only two specimens were observed at this site. However, we did not make a thorough search on this occasion. That will be forthcoming. The fern can be recognized by its blackish-brown stems and delicately lacy fronds. Fertile blades with thinner segments are held erect and exhibit more pinnae (divisions) than sterile foliage, a phenomenon called dimorphism or "having two forms." You would be correct in assuming that the plant was discovered by Team Biota during a recent outing, and it took several phone calls and numerous emails to confirm its identity. I am surprised that my jubilant "YES!!!" didn't register on the UW's seismometer.