Native Orchid Conservation Inc

President's Report - by Doris Ames

2010 was an eventful year for NOCI. We now have a larger board of nine members whose new ideas, skills and experience are like a breath of fresh air. My sincere thanks to the entire board for hanging on with us during all these changes as well as putting on a full program of educational displays and field trips in 2010

We were sorry to hear about Eugene Reimer becoming ill this summer but he remains on our board so that we can benefit from his good advice and correction of our punctuation whenever required. Derrick KoHeinrichs took over Eugene's duties as treasurer and NOCI member Will Milne stepped up to the plate just when we needed him and took over as website administrator and audiovisual technician. I think it was only then that we realized just how much Eugene had been doing for this organization over the years. I miss him very much on survey trips too and on behalf of the board I want to thank him for all his good work for NOCI and to wish him a full recovery.

Now December has rolled around again and it is time to plan for 2011. Mark your calendars and plan to attend our Annual General Meeting on Friday, February 25, 2011.

Please renew your membership if you have not already done so and consider making a donation to help us with our conservation work. Tax receipts will be issued for all donations of $10.00 or more.

Thank you for attending our field trips and other events and for your support and generosity towards our mission.

Best wishes for the Holiday Season.

An important fundraising letter to the NOCI Membership

Dear NOCI Member:

It was a warm and humid evening when we set out for a field trip to the Hadashville Ski Trails at 9:30 am on June 5th 2010. Two hours later we reached the trailhead and 20 of us followed John down the hill to be met by a very large puddle of water from the recent rains ! Just for a moment I wondered how our members would react, but no worries. They laughed and waded through the warm water. Those who had forgotten their rubber boots took off their shoes and socks and forged ahead just the same and were amply rewarded. A beautifull tangle of flowers, ferns, trees and shrubs met us as we walked along the riparian trail. Shy spotted coralroot flowers gleamed like ruby jewels and the elegant white drooping flowers of sessile bellwort could be glimpsed beneath the frilly leaves of eastern bloodroot.Magnificent clumps of wild columbine along the Whitemouth River provided wonderfull photo opportunities. On the way back we along a trial that runs through a jackpine forest and our sharp - eyed members immediately spotted lady's slippers , the moccasin flowers that love to grow in such a habitat. Later we climbed back up the hill to eat our lunch at the Manitoba Forestry Association's Museum grounds.It was clear we had shared something magical that day

If you enjoyed these field trips please consider making a donation to help us to continue to offer these opportunities to our members. We like to keep the field trip fees ao low that anyone can attend. We believe this chance to get out in the field to see orchids and other rare plants in their particular ecosystems is a crucial part of public education regarding environmental conservation. The $ 10.00 fee does not cover the costs of milage etc. for most field trips especially the longer ones. A donation of $25.00 or $50.00 would be a great help towards us continuing to offer affordable field trips to different areas of southern Manitoba.

Thank you so much for your support and see you in the field

Doris Ames , President - Native Orchid Conservation Inc.

Donations to NOCI can be made online HERE

Members' Night

Friday, October 22, 2010 was NOCI's tenth annual Members' Night held as usual at the Dakota Lawn Bowls Club in Winnipeg.

With 34 members and guests in attendance. Doris Ames, President, definitely earned her keep that night. First she stepped in for John Dyck, who was unable to make it, and presented the highlights of the busy 2010 field trip season including some of the interesting wild flowers encountered. Thanks to Will Milne for putting together the Powerpoint presentation.

Secondly she presented "The Wildflowers of the RM of Reynolds", which she and Eugene Reimer had put together for the Reynolds Homecoming in July. As always, Doris effortlessly entertained and informed us about the orchids and other wildflowers of Manitoba. Thanks, Doris!

Two of our displays were presented - one on our field trips and the other on our seed bank project.

Door prizes included cards by Rose Kuzina, and Bep Vanderwoude, and a variety of fun items from 4Imprint the company that supplied our NOCI jackets and our display tablecloth. Door prize winners were Mike James, Peggy Bainard Acheson, Wes Enns, John Reeves, Doreen King, Angela Boznianin, Alan Mason, Iris Reimer, Ruby Tekauz, Carol Papas, Anita Cauldwell, Andy Tekauz, Albert Lau, Laura Reeves, Doris Ames, Huguette Calvez, John Neufeld, Carol Clegg, Jim Wade, Alvin Doerksen, James Wade and Chris Neufeld.

A big thank you to Will Milne, Richard Reeves, Rose Kuzina, Barb Yakimischak, and Bep Vanderwoude and all the NOCI board member volunteers who came out early to set up and also to those who stayed late to clean up. Your help is much appreciated.

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Plant of the Month

Moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

by Doris Ames

The genus name Menispermum comes from Greek mene meaning "moon" and sperma meaning "seed".The common name "Moonseed" refers to the single crescent-shaped seed found in each berry of this uncommon (S3) vine. It is found in the moist woods and along stream banks and lakeshores in the southeastern parklands and boreal forest.

The vine grows 2-3 m high and has no tendrils. The bright-green leaves are heart-shaped (sometimes shallowly-lobed) and whitish on the back. They are peltate ie. the leaf is attached by its stalk inside the margin of the leaf. It has loose clusters of whitish flowers with male and female flowers being found on separate plants. The poisonous berries grow in clusters and ripen from green to black in late August or September. Moonseed can be distinguished from several other wild vines with similar looking fruits and special care should be taken to distinguish Moonseed from edible Riverbank grapes (Vitis riparia) as poisoning can result if Moonseed is accidentally ingested.

Identification Aids

Moonseed can be distinguished from Wild Grape - Vitis riparia shown above as follows:

-each moonseed berry contains one crescent-shaped seed not multiple round seeds as in grapes.

-moonseed leaf is peltate and grape is not.

-moonseed leaf is heart-shaped or shallowly lobed not sharply-lobed like grape.

-moonseed has no tendrils but grapes do.

Moonseed can be distinguished from Carrion Flower - Smilax herbacea shown above as follows:

-moonseed leaves are net-veined and carrion flower leaves are ovate with parallel veins.

-moonseed has no tendrils and carrion flower has tendrils.

-moonseed leaves are peltate and carrion flower leaves are not.

-moonseed berries are in loose clusters but carrion flower has rounded tight clusters of berries.

Moonseed can be distinguished from Virginia Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquifolia shown above as follows:

-moonseed leaves are heart-shaped or shallowly lobed but virginia creeper leaves are palmately compound with five leaflets.

-moonseed leaves are peltate and virginia creeper leaves are not.

-moonseed has no tendrils but virginia creeper has tendrils.

No doubt there is much more that could be said about the various characteristics of these four species and the many other vines that grow in Manitoba but these are some of the distinguishing features that have been helpful to me when trying to identify these species in the field. I think that riverbank grape and the hog peanut might be the only climbing vines with edible fruit in Manitoba.

References:

Common Moonseed ref.1

Common Moonseed ref.2

Common Moonseed ref.3