Impressions in shades of Green

a publication of the botanical research institute of texasvolume 21, no. 2, 2010

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I watch in disbelief as the BRIT building has mushroomed at the corner of University and Harley. There is

disbelief and quite a bit of amazement as to how we have gotten here. It does not seem that long ago that I came down from Washington, D.C., leaving my job as Senior Biodiversity

Adviser for the Agency for International Development. As I have said before, there were only three staff members, an operating budget of under $175,000, a collection of about 400,000 specimens, and no outside grant or contract money. BRIT is now about 30 staff, an operating budget of over $2 million, a plant collection of over one million specimens, and a number of projects funded by several agencies and foundations.

I chose to accept this job, because I wanted to be part of the creation of one of the best collections-based research and conservation organizations in the world, and I saw potential in both the institute and the city of Fort Worth.

So, a number of years back we started this journey toward a new building. A building we needed to better implement our mission and to take better care of our collections. At the time, I could not possibly have imagined that it would

Director’s\Note

5 BRIT Members Preview

6 Ready to Sing Big Bottles in Cowtown?

8 Journal’s Pages Promise the Best of Botany’s Recent Discoveries

10 An Interview with David Fisk

13 BRIT Botanist Barney Lipscomb Receives 2010 Peter H. Raven Award

14 “With a Name Like Wormwood… it’s Got to be Good.”

16 Get Smart: An Interview with Richard Smart

19 Program To Outline How BRIT’s New Headquarters Selected As Pilot “Sustainable Site”

20 BRIT Takes Library Style to a New Level

22 The Finish Line: Peer Review Coaches Lend Insight to BRIT’s Strategic Planning

23 2010 Annual Event

24 Princeton University Press Publishing Seeds of Amazonian Plants: Research Updates

26 BRIT Donors

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)

Sy Sohmer

A Long Wonderful Journey… Not Y et Over!evolve in such a magnificent way. This 70,000 square foot edifice is divided into an “Archives Block” for the collections and library and a “Think Block” for research, education, the public, press, and administration/development.

The roof will feature a subset of the native Fort Worth Prairie and, at ground level, one will step out the back door onto a restored native prairie. Green all the way around: geothermal wells, solar panels (on the flat roofed Archives Block), an interior designed from sustainable materials, water conservation features in and out, and lots of natural light coming from mostly north-facing windows. However, most important of all, the building will house a staff dedicated to conservation, sustainability, and disseminating information about those issues to the public. This information is designed to help in the global struggle to conserve biodiversity and thereby (with no exaggeration) save the world. And this dynamic staff, of necessity, is growing since we will have a building with functions that we did not have before. We are in the process of hiring positions to support a more public-oriented organization, including several individuals from a restricted gift for a new education program honoring the memory of Suzy Peacock.

And one of the most important and significant of the new hires is Dr. Will McClatchey, formerly Professor of

Botany at the University of Hawai`i, who joined us in July to be our Vice President and Director of Research. I have a suspicion that Will has joined us for the same reasons I joined BRIT back when there was literally nothing much to show. He has left a tenured position as he wants to be part of this organization because, in his own words:

“The Botanical Research Institute of Texas is the most exciting, new organization in the world of botany…BRIT is developing state-of-the-art capabilities for the study of plants in the wild and in human communities, with focuses on field research, understanding whole organisms and ecosystems, and working with people. I believe that this is the core strength of botanical research and where we can make the greatest contributions to society. I will be promoting an interdisciplinary team approach to research that encourages researchers to work together to address larger problems that are beyond the scope of any single scholar.”

And so the exciting journey continues.

table of contents

iridosA publication of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas500 East 4th Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102

www.brit.org817.332.4441; Metro 817.429.3200; Fax 817.332.4112

Robert J George, EdiTor

consulTanTsIridos Design - Jennifer Henderson, JODesignIridos Editorial - Paige Hendricks, PHPR

BriT sTaFF

S.H. SohmerPRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

Patricia Harrison,VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Cleve LancasterVICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Will McClatcheyVICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

Jason BestDIRECTOR OF BIODIVERSITY INFORMATICS

Chris ChiltonDIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PR

Judy JonesDIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

Barney LipscombDIRECTOR OF THE PRESS

Amanda NeillDIRECTOR OF THE HERBARIUM

Amanda Stone NortonDIRECTOR OF THE TEACHER LEARNING CENTER

distribution is free to those providing support to BriT. comments and suggestions are welcomed and may be sent to the editor at rgeorge@brit.org.

Conveying an unwritten message with flowers was prevalent in the 18th and 19th centuries and was known as “the language of flowers.” Iridos (the Greek word for Iris) was the messenger of the ancient Greek gods. Iridos was chosen as the title of the magazine to carry BRIT’s message.

Mission: To conserve our natural heritage by deepening our knowledge of the plant world and achieving public understanding of the value plants bring to life.

All photos by BRIT staff unless otherwise noted

©2010 Botanical Research Institute of Texas

Though my tenure with Iridos has been relatively short, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment in the completion of at least one small circle. When I took on this role in addition to my duties here at BRIT, I had no idea what it might entail (I’m sure my high school English teachers would be quite chagrined at my appointment!). Luckily, I’ve had a lot of help from others who knew what they were doing.

My first Iridos was Volume 18, Number 1 in 2007 – just three short years ago. For the cover, I selected a photograph of a TCU graduate student standing in the middle of a Peruvian palm swamp with a machete in his hand. It seemed like a good photo to me, and I was just throwing things out there to see what would happen. Well, it seems the photo was quite a hit, and several readers commented that the magazine’s narrative was entertaining as well.

The student in the photograph is Ethan Householder, and his article in that Iridos was a personal diary of his experiences in the palm swamps of Peru, studying several species of vanilla orchids. Fast-forward to this issue and, as you’ll read on page nine, he’s the senior author of a ground-breaking article in the Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas about, of course, vanilla orchids.

Looking over the piece, I was surprised to learn that there is much we still don’t know about this economically important and exotic plant. I imagine we’ll hear a lot about vanilla orchids from this remarkable young man who now seems right at home in the palm swamps of Peru, thanks to BRIT.

Others published in the Journal include Rebecca Repasky Luke, a TCU alumna who went to Peru some years ago under the auspices of BRIT and is also senior author of an article on orchids in the Peruvian cloud forest. She delves into the dynamics of the many species of orchids that grow in this specific habitat.

There are, in fact, several more budding, young scientists who’ve passed through the BRIT gate to a whole new world. It’s encouraging, as I’m sure you as a BRIT supporter will agree, to see young people taking these particular paths to a career. In the current scientific climate, in which research is often focused on delving deeper and deeper into life at the cellular level, we are continually grateful for those interested in researching the many unknown complexities of the organism as a whole. Please help us encourage them on their much-needed journeys, and keep reading about their successes as we complete more circles here at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.

the Editor,

Robert J George

Patrons,

FronT covEr: Sisters Norah and Olivia Harrison explore the North Texas Prairie flora. With the expansion of our facilities and the opening of our new building, BRIT expects more and more community members to enjoy numerous public programs.

Back covEr: A breath of fresh air: Norah Harrison pauses for a bee balm (Monarda sp.) moment.

PHoTo crEdiT: Front cover by Keri McNew Barfield,Back cover by Tiana Franklin

On Saturday, May 20, 2011, you may f ind yourself strolling through a prairie or watching bird and butterf ly visitors land on a living roof. Or, you may be seated in an amphitheatre on stones that replay the sequence of geologic history leading to present-day Fort Worth. Or, perhaps you ’ ll become a citizen scientist

mounting a pressed plant onto a sheet of archival paper.

Whatever engages you, you’ll be enjoying activities planned

to celebrate the public opening of BRIT’s new headquarters

adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

As we continue the journey from now to then, a number

of events await. We’re encouraging everyone who appreciates

BRIT’s mission to join in as we bring this beautiful new building

to the Fort Worth Cultural District. As a gesture of thanks to

building campaign contributors, we’re scheduling several special

events and recognition ceremonies. Now is the perfect time to

contribute so you won’t miss one exciting moment.

Why not consider adding your name to the magnificent living

roof atop BRIT’s new home? Your name will join those invited

to attend a reception and tour of the new building before the

public opening. On or before the building’s public opening day,

you can join BRIT.

Becoming a member or making a gift is easy – and it’s

important to BRIT’s success. More details will come to you

in September when we mail a personal letter asking for your

support. If you want to contribute now, visit the BRIT website.

There, you’ll find an immediate opportunity to make an

investment in BRIT’s future. Or give us a quick phone call or

write a note to BRIT, and we’ll arrange a pledge for your future

or ongoing support.

The choice is yours. Simply find the easiest way to

contribute. We want you to be with us as we plan for and then

open the doors to this new destination in Fort Worth’s cultural

and botanical heart.

by clevelancaster

Memberships Offer First Looks at BRIT’s New Fort Worth Cultural District Home

, . ,

TCUStudent Ethan

Householder in his

preferred habitat, the

palm swamps of the

Madre de Dios region in

southeastern Peru

TCUStudent Ethan

Householder in his

preferred habitat, the

palm swamps of the

Madre de Dios region in

southeastern Peru

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Get ready!

BRIT’s 2010

Fête du Vin™ Wine

Dinner and Auction

will feature big bottles (of

wine) in Cowtown the evening

of Friday, October 8, at 7 p.m. at the

elegant Fort Worth Club. That’s when

Fête committee chairman Dwight

Cumming will officially declare

“auction on,” and the big bottles –

some as large as six liters – will be

available to the highest bidder, all for

the betterment of BRIT.

Established in 2007, the Fête du Vin

Wine Dinner and Auction is an annual

event to benefit BRIT research and

activities. Held each fall, the Fête is a

signature black-tie affair where guests

enjoy a festive evening featuring fine

wines, haute cuisine, and silent and

live auctions of remarkable finds.

Unique to this event, guests are

encouraged to bring their favorite

wines to share and compare.

“With BRIT looking at a 2011 move

into its new home in Fort Worth’s

Cultural District, we’ve pulled out

the stops for this year’s Fête,” said

Cumming. “It’s going to be the

“WOW” benefit event of the year.” He

adds, “Our committee members have

done an outstanding job in planning

and organizing this event. The wine

connoisseurs on BRIT’s planning

committee have secured an enviable

list of wines for auction and have set a

new benchmark in acquiring an array

of rare and hard-to-get wines for both

the silent and live auctions. We’ll be

featuring in a few of our auctions,

three and six liter sizes of major label

vintners.”

Wine lovers will have a shot at

big bottles from the foremost, and

certainly the most storied, red wine

region in the world, Bordeaux,

France. The event’s silent auction

Chris recently joined BRIT as Director

of Marketing and Public Relations. He

has held director and v.p.-level marketing

positions in technology and professional

services industries for the last twenty years

and currently applies his knowledge to non-

profit marketing. RJG

bychris

chilton

will be studded with magnums (the

equivalent of two regular bottles),

double magnums (the equivalent of

four regular bottles), and imperials (the

equivalent of eight regular bottles) from

outstanding chateaux, including the

legendary Chateau Mouton Rothschild,

one of only five Premier Cru estates in

the Medoc region of Bordeaux.

Other offerings will include bottles

from the historic Chateau

Talbot, one of the leading

wine estates in the St.

Julian commune in the

Medoc and Chateau

Prieuré Lichine from the

Margaux commune in the

same region.

“Most wine collectors

would be hard-pressed to

find and purchase wines

of this quality in these

sizes,” Cumming adds.

“Just seeing these bottles

assembled in one place is

worth the price of admission.”

This year the Fête also follows

in BRIT’s tradition of honoring

individuals and organizations whose

contributions and leadership best

reflect BRIT’s core principles of

conservation, sustainability, and wise

stewardship of the land, presenting its

first International Award of Excellence

in Sustainable Winegrowing™. The

inaugural recipient will be HALL

Wines of St. Helena, California.

“As an international botanical

research institute, BRIT created the

International Award of Excellence

in Sustainable Winegrowing to

recognize viticulturists (winegrowers)

and viniculturists (winemakers)

throughout the world who reflect

BRIT’s core principles of conservation,

sustainability, and wise stewardship of

the land,” said S. H. Sohmer, Ph.D.,

FLS, BRIT’s president and director.

“We are delighted to present BRIT’s

inaugural award to HALL Wines, a

most worthy recipient.”

HALL Wines of St. Helena

in the Napa Valley was the first

winery in California to receive

the gold certification in the

U.S. Green Building Council’s

LEED® (Leadership in Energy

& Environmental Design) Green

Building Rating System™.

Established in 2005, HALL Wines

embraces environmentally responsible

practices in their vineyards, general

operations, winery complex and

internal spaces, as well as in the

community and beyond.

BRIT’s new award

hopes to help

inspire the interest

and participation

of wineries and

vineyards committed to

sustainable winegrowing

and winemaking and

attract progressive

and passionate wine

organizations from

around the world.

“By motivating all

wine organizations to

implement sustainable

practices, we begin the effort to

openly share ideas as part of the

greater ecological balance and

conservation of biological diversity,”

said Sohmer.

Big bottles, big award, big fun, all at

BRIT’s annual Fête. It promises to be

an affair to remember.

Ready to Sing Big Bottles in

Cowtown?

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Science never stops moving forward,

producing a constant stream of progress

to report and discuss. With each new

edition, the Journal of the Botanical

Research Institute of Texas hits the

newsstand with a remarkable amount

of new information and discoveries to

share. Many issues, like the current

Volume 4, Number 1, bulge with over

500 pages containing more than 50

articles. And the Journal, which comes

out twice a year, is only one of many

botanical journals produced each year.

Let’s take a look at BRIT’s latest issue.

The discovery and naming of new

species is a frequent topic in the Journal,

and this issue reveals 28 new species.

Yes, you read that right – 28 new

species! The Journal exhibits its true

international colors with this featured

research: New species were discovered

not only in three states in the United

States, but also in Mexico, several

countries in Central and South America,

the West Indies and India. These new

species are pieces that join hundreds of

others published in other journals as we

work to complete the vast jigsaw puzzle

of plant life on our planet Earth.

In addition, the current issue includes

six “Plants New To…(Insert location

here)” articles. These plant species are

not new to science. Instead, they’re

known plants discovered in totally

new geographic areas. In the article

“Plants New to Florida” botanists have

discovered 32 new plant types (species,

varieties, or subspecies) in Florida

alone! Of these 32, 26 are in fact newly

identified as continental U.S. residents.

Why is this information important?

One reason is that 25 of the newly-

relocated plant types are escapees –

garden plants that broke free and have

integrated themselves into the general

wild population. Based on many past

examples, botanists fear that these

escapees could have the potential to run

amuck by reproducing and populating

an area to the point of upsetting the

balance of our natural environment.

In addition to keeping up with the

latest relocations and research, the

Journal also features articles in the

“The Checklist of…” category. The

“Annotated Checklist of the Vascular

Plants of Fort Hood, Texas,” for example,

provides a detailed, annotated list of

scientific plant names followed by

habitat descriptions and, in some cases,

plant specimen numbers. While not

the sexy side of botany, it is one of the

main foundations of a flora, which is a

guide to all the plants of a region. Like

any list, the botanical checklist may

lack fascination in and of itself, but it

is the primary organizational task in

many botanical endeavors. So to those

who spend hours in the field, library,

herbarium, and at the keyboard, we

say thank you for these foundational

works that add to the catalogue of life

on our planet.

Others deserve our thanks as well,

especially when discoveries have a

broad general appeal.

The sexy part of Volume 4, Number

1 shares that the wonderful spice

vanilla comes from an orchid, the

romantic flower whose seedpod is

the vanilla bean. One Journal article

discusses orchids in the Peruvian cloud

forest, while another introduces an

international team of BRIT researchers

from the U.S. and Peru studying six

different species of vanilla.

Vanilla-producing orchids grow in the

wetlands of Peru, climbing the trunks of

palms like green trellises. If this sounds

familiar, it’s because we occasionally

return to the topic of vanilla and the

wetlands. This time, we divulge up-

to-the-moment facts about this plant’s

diversity and natural history. Ethan

Householder and Rebecca Repasky,

the senior authors of the orchid

articles, are both former TCU students

and BRIT student interns who made

their way to Peru through BRIT.

If you’re interested in reading more

about these fascinating discoveries,

come to the BRIT library and browse

through a copy of the Journal, or go

online at www.brit.org/brit-press/jbrit/

current/.

Journal’s Pages Promise the Best of Botany’s Recent Discoveries

Householder et al., Diversity, natural history, and conservation of Vanilla 229

Annual average rainfall ranges between approximately 2,000 and 3,500 mm. Rainfall is unevenly distributed throughout the year, with greater than 80% falling between October and April. Average daily temperature ranges from 21 to 26°C. Southerly cold fronts from Patagonia, known as “ friajes,” are com-mon from June through August, rapidly decreasing temperatures by 10°C or more in a matter of minutes;

Fig. 1. Location of study region.

by robert george

Shaded area is study region for vanilla

orchid article.

Ethan HouseholderRebecca Repasky Luke

Botanical Research Instiute of TexasProject TitleNot to scaleScaleMarch 24th 2010Date Drawing Title

BRIT: Fort Worth Wetland PlantingsPlant Selection

Whorled MarshpennywortHydrocotyle verticillata

Lanceleaf Frogfruit Lippia lanceolata (= Phyla lanceolata)

Cherokee Sedge Carex cherokeensis

Lean Flatsedge Cyprus setigerus

Hairy FimbryFimbristylis puberula

Texas RushJuncus texanus

KnotgrassPaspalum distichum

CamphorweedPluchea camphorata

Giant Goldenrod Solidago gigantea

MEDIUM

Creeping Water-primrose Ludwigia repens

Emory’s Caric Sedge Carex emoryi

Shrubby Water-primrose Ludwigia octovalvis

Water Smartweed Polygonum amphibium

LOW (more water)

WatershieldBrasenia schreberi

Yellow Pond-lily Nuphar lutea

WATER PLANTS ON PONDSmall-tooth Caric SedgeCarex microdonta

Sand SpikerushEleocharis montevidensis

Wild Onion Cherokee SedgeAllium canadense var. fraseri

Bluebell Gentian Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum

Giant CaneArundinaria gigantea

Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis

HIGH (Dryer)

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Q. A unique feature of the new headquarters building is the “living

roof.” Sometimes this feature is called a “green roof.” Is there a difference and how is it beneficial?

A. Basically both terms are interchangeable, but each term sets

different expectations. When you say “green roof” it conjures up a planted roof area that is always green. That can be an unrealistic expectation here in Texas with long periods without significant rain. A “living roof” is an accurate way to describe roof plantings that

are more drought tolerant and subsequently

will sometimes look dry. The plants are living,

not necessarily green.

A living roof is beneficial because it reflects

heat and reduces energy use. Rain water is

absorbed by the plants and reduces runoff.

Any runoff not absorbed is collected and piped

to a retention pond.

Q. Discuss the benefits of the building’s

two renewable energy sources – a

photovoltaic system and a geothermal system.

A. The photovoltaic system is different than what you normally see. The array

on the herbarium roof lies flat, not tilted, which is a more efficient use of space. The array, which covers 6,000 square feet, will generate 52 kilowatts of electricity, providing more than 12.5 percent of on-site renewable energy.

The geothermal system will use a small amount of energy to pull water through a closed loop system from 166 wells 256 feet deep in the ground to both heat and air-condition the BRIT building. BRIT will be nearly

50 percent more efficient in energy use than the baseline standard of ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers).

Q. What are some of the building’s design features that increase energy efficiency?

A. It is a constant struggle to balance providing adequate sunlight and views

and avoiding heating up a building. The BRIT headquarters will have large windows on the north side and smaller windows on the south, east, and west sides. Sunshades on the outside also help with energy efficiency.

The outside “envelope” of the building is highly insulated. Computer modeling by Corgan Associates and Summit Consultants, Inc. determined the appropriate amount of insulation to meet the energy code and LEED rating system.

Inside, all potable water is managed – sinks with automatic shutoffs, waterless urinals, and low-flow toilets.

Q. How does BRIT’s new campus landscape ensure it is a good steward of water?

A. The landscape is designed to retain, clean, and reuse storm runoff. Hard

surfaces such as the parking lot and driveways drain to a sidewalk made of a permeable material. Water will flow into landscaped areas — a bioswale of sandy loam and plants — which help filter the water and that which isn’t absorbed flows into a perforated pipe system and then to a retention pond. Runoff from the living roof also flows to the retention pond. It will be a huge savings in water usage because no potable water is used to irrigate.

Q. How has Beck minimized on-site construction impact? How have

materials from the previous building been recycled or reused?

A. It is Beck’s standard practice to segregate materials such as steel,

wood, sheetrock, and concrete at the site and this is communicated to all our subcontractors. Not everything can be recycled, some is just trash, but the demo

materials from the public health building were 97 percent recycled, equating to more than 9,300 tons. Throughout the remainder of construction, we are planning to divert 75 percent of the construction waste from landfills.

Using local materials is a standard construction practice with Beck. This not only reduces transportation costs, but carbon footprint. More than 20 percent of the materials used at BRIT will be regional material. We typically exceed the LEED credit threshold of 20 percent regional material.

Q. What are some of the sustainable materials used in the construction of

the building?

A. We basically use two types of materials: recycled and rapidly

renewable. Recycled includes structural steel — rebar. A lot of current construction uses a high percentage of recycled steel. Fly ash — a byproduct of burning coal to generate electricity — is used as a replacement for cement in ready-mix concrete. Cement can be (continued on next page)

As a living demonstration of its conservation mission, the

new BRIT headquarters currently under construction will

be the first building in Tarrant County and one of the few

in Texas to achieve the platinum level in the Leadership in

Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building

Rating System™ given by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Seeking this highest level of “green” has been BRIT’S top

priority from the beginning. In an interview with David Fisk,

senior project manager with The Beck Group, the prime

contractor, he discusses the many environmentally friendly

features of the 70,000 square foot building and its 12 acres.

The sustainable design strategies integrated in BRIT’s new

headquarters contribute to credits needed to earn the platinum

designation. Fisk is a LEED accredited professional.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

DAVID FISK

Patsy Miller is a member of BRIT and one of our volunteers. RJG

bypatsymiller

Achievement

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The American Society of Plant

Taxonomists (ASPT) presented its 2010

Peter H. Raven Award to Barney L.

Lipscomb, the Dorothea L. Leonhardt

Chair of Texas Botany at the Botanical

Research Institute of Texas (BRIT).

Mr. Lipscomb is also head of BRIT’s

scientific press.

He received the award at ASPT’s

annual meeting on Tuesday, August

3, 2010, at the Biltmore Hotel in

Providence, Rhode Island. ASPT, which

promotes research and teaching of

taxonomy, systematics, and phylogeny

of vascular and nonvascular plants,

presents the international award

annually to an individual who has made

exceptional efforts at outreach to non-

scientists.

“Barney is a consummate

communicator,” said S. H. Sohmer,

BRIT’s president and director. “In

addition to being a prolific writer,

editor, and lecturer for the scientific

community, he has created imaginative

approaches to convey the importance of

taxonomy to non-scientists.”

With a career spanning 35 years,

he’s become known as a botanical

ambassador. He is “Barney the Botanist”

to area grade school and high school

students, and is well known for his

multimedia presentation “Murderous

Plants: Poisonous Herbs,” which he

delivers to civic organizations, arts

groups, and businesses. Since the

inception of BRIT in 1987, he has given

nearly 600 talks and over 200 BRIT

learning tours to master gardeners,

garden clubs, horticultural groups, native

plant societies, and special-interest plant

groups (including orchid, cactus, fern

and begonia societies), reaching close to

52,000 people. This is an average of 1.5

lectures/tours every week for 22 years!

Through his editorship and research,

Barney is one of the best-known

botanists in Texas. He co-authored

Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of

North Central Texas, a 1,640-page, fully

illustrated, comprehensive guide to a

large portion of the diverse plant life of

Texas, and Vol. 1 of a three-volume flora,

the Illustrated Flora of East Texas. Both

books serve as textbooks for students of

botany and plant taxonomy. In addition,

he has authored more than 30 scientific

publications.

His long-standing association with the

North Texas Poison Control Center led

to his work in forensic botany. His 1998

co-authored article, “The Use of Animal-

Dispersed Seeds and Fruits in Forensic

Botany,” chronicles his success in

having provided botanical evidence and

testimony that was crucial in convicting

the kidnapper and molester of a two-

year-old child in Fort Worth.

Please join with BRIT in

congratulating Barney on the recognition

of his years of achievement.

BRIT BotanistBarney LipscombReceives 2010 Peter H. Raven Awardfrom American Society of Plant Taxonomists

replaced with between 20 to 50 percent fly ash. Sinker cypress logs are logs that didn’t make it to the mill when floated down a river. Construction firms are making an effort to recycle these orphaned logs. A feature wall at BRIT will be made of sinker cypress.

Rapidly renewable materials include bamboo, which will be used on the ceiling. Wool, which is more environmentally friendly than nylon — a petroleum product — will be used for carpeting. Linoleum, which is made from linseed, is renewable and used instead of vinyl.

Q. What materials were used for optimum occupant health?

A. Attention was paid to the environment inside the building for the end user. Not

only for immediately after the building is open for use — the fresh paint smell, for example

— but for the health of the workers who are at their desks for decades to come. Thus, environmentally-friendly adhesives, sealers, stains, glues, binders, paints and even plywood were chosen. While work is going on, care is given to cover ductwork and soft surfaces and clean stud cavities so pollutants aren’t carried room to room when the air conditioning is turned on. The end result is when you walk into the new building, there will be very little new building smell.

Q. What is the future of sustainable urban construction — for Beck and

the U.S. in general?

A. There will be more and more sustainable construction in the future.

In 2001 it was very difficult to build a LEED-certified building. Subcontractors and industry manufacturers were hard to work with.

When I received my LEED AP certification in 2006, I had already built two LEED buildings. Today it is easier to check subcontractors’ and manufacturers’ sustainability data on their websites, and they are more familiar with LEED requirements. As costs go down, more and more sustainable construction will happen. There is absolutely a payback. In our experience, the cost for the lowest LEED level is zero or very little. At the higher LEED levels, there is an initial cost upfront, but the payback for responsible design comes in higher efficiency and environmental conservation and preservation.

DATE OF ISSUE: 5/15/09

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Did Vincent Van Gogh chop off his

ear solely for love of his girlfriend?

Perhaps. On the other hand, he was

apparently fond of a drink popular in the

18th and 19th centuries, one that may

have been the muse behind several artists’

paintings of the time: “L’Absinthe” by

Edgar Degas, “The Absinthe Drinker” by

Edouard Manet, and “Woman Drinking

Absinthe” by Picasso.

Absinthe is derived from substances

found naturally in the plant Artemisia

absinthium, also called wormwood. Along

with the high alcohol content, absinthe’s

main compound is thujone, the substance

that made this particularly potent

beverage cause hallucinations in those

who overindulged. But the plant does

more than inspire great works of art and

the occasional loss of an ear. Let’s explore

the genus of fascinating plants with

diverse uses in many different cultures.

The genus Artemisia contains around

350 species, most of which are found in

arid to semi-arid environments around the

globe. They all belong to Asteraceae, also

known as the daisy or sunflower family,

one of the largest plant families. The

small yellow composite inflorescences are

wind-pollinated and thus a nuisance to

those with allergies (ragweed, for example,

is in this family). Most Artemisia species

have white or silver hairs on the leaves,

giving them a silvery, rather than green,

appearance.

Crush the leaves of these plants and

you’ll release a strong aroma due to the

compound absinthin, which also assures

a bitter taste. The plant uses this scent

as a defense to provide protection against

herbivory (although some case-bearing

moths are known to eat this plant alone).

As a result of such natural defenses,

some cultivated species of Artemisia are

commonly used in landscapes with very

few natural predators. They are ideal for

“companion planting;” when planted in

close proximity to other plants, Artemisia

makes the neighboring plants less

appealing to herbivores. If only I could

emphasize this to the grasshoppers that

are currently destroying my plants!

A few plants with common names

will conjure up titillating imagery.

There’s Artemisia vulgaris, also known as

mugwort, felon herb, and sailor’s tobacco.

Sweet Annie and sweet wormwood are

names for Artemisia annua. Artemisia

abronatum is called appleringie and

lad’s love (used for increased fertility).

Artemisia ludoviciana, a species native to

Texas, is confusingly named sagebrush,

sagewort, or black sage, even though it

is not closely related to the sages in the

genus Salvia (in the mint family).

Artemisia dracunculus is called dragon’s

wort, one that early herbalists believed

could cure snake bites because of the

snake-like shape of the root. There was a

once-common belief that the shape of the

plant determined how it could be used.

(Liverwort, for example, was thought to

heal the liver.) Artemisia dracunculus is

also the perennial herb that gives us the

spice tarragon, known in haute cuisine as

the “king of the herbs” because it is used

in so many French sauces and dressings.

Perhaps one reason the group is called

the wormwoods is because of the historic

use of these plants to remove internal

parasites and to heal various diseases,

including what we now know to be

malaria. Artemisia was used in 200 BC

in China as a prescription for malarial

fevers. The compound artemisinin, a type

of sesquiterpene lactone, is in fact quite

effective at removing the parasites that

cause malaria as well as blood flukes.

This designation could have broad

impact. According to the World Health

Organization, a child in Africa dies every

30 seconds because of malaria. Currently,

artemisinin in combination with other

anti-malarial drugs presents a promising

and effective way to combat malarial

infections in China and Africa.

Scientists are also focusing on

artemisinin in the field of cancer

treatment. Apparently, the compound’s

biomechanical mechanism for assaulting

malaria-causing parasites might also be

effective against cancerous cells.

We will need more research to prove the

newest uses of the compound, but with

its many different cultural and medicinal

uses, as well as imaginative common

names, the genus Artemisia and its diverse

species are an amazing group of plants

whose properties we’re only just now

beginning to understand.

by sam kieschnick

WORMWOOD…...“WITH A NAME LIKE

IT’S GOT TO BE GOOD.”

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Q. What is your hometown?

A. I was born in Fort Worth, at the Carswell Air Force Base hospital.

My dad was an officer in the Air Force so we moved around a lot. I’ve lived in Virginia, Michigan, and Louisiana. The summer before I started sixth grade, my dad retired from the Air Force and became a pilot for Delta Airlines. We moved back to the DFW area, and most of my growing up was in Arlington.

Q. Where did you work before BRIT?

A. Before I came to BRIT I was working for the City of Dallas. I

was an environmental coordinator in the Stormwater Management Section. My job was to educate people who live and work in Dallas on how to prevent water pollution in the Dallas area. Some of the outreach efforts I coordinated included school presentations, workshops for construction and industrial operators, and our volunteer programs.

Q. How did you hear about the BRIT position?

A. Pat Harrison, BRIT director of education, called me about the

public program position. My resume was on file with BRIT, and they liked my past experience in public programming. After I told Pat I was very interested, I wrote my cover letter and resubmitted my resume.

Q. Had you heard of BRIT before you took this position?

A .One of my coworkers at the City of Dallas was a former employee

at BRIT, and several people told me about the great lectures they attended at BRIT. So I was aware of BRIT’s reputation for excellence in education and as a great place to work.

Q. Why did you take this

position?

A. I took this position for a number of reasons. I love that BRIT

is actively involved in research, and that the education department works closely with the research staff. I was also happy to learn that BRIT believes

in teaching the importance of our local environment.

I’m excited to be involved in the creation of the public programs for BRIT. It’s not common to work for an organization where you have the opportunity to create entire programs. I’ve always wanted to be a part of that experience; laying the foundation of a BRIT public program is an exciting and humbling experience.

Q. What experiences from your past will you be able to use

here at BRIT?

A. My first job after graduate school was working in the

public programs section of the Dallas Zoo’s education department. I helped coordinate their summer camps, night hikes, overnights, and Saturday classes.

When I worked for the City of Dallas Stormwater Management Section, I learned to use community organizations and leaders as a resource. Tapping into the community really helps an organization spread their message efficiently and effectively. One of the first things I started doing when I worked at BRIT was to introduce myself

to different members of the Fort Worth community. I hope that by strengthening my ties to the community, I can help BRIT offer meaningful public programs that will serve a public need.

Q. What do you see as your initial main goals?

A. My main goals are the development of the visitor

experience, family programs, summer camps, and adult education. Those four areas provide a lot of room to create some powerful programming.

Q. What are some of your specific plans?

A. We’ll have family events in our new building on select

Saturdays; our first summer camp season will take place in 2011; both guided and self-guided tours will be offered; an exhibit hall will house rotating exhibitions; and we’ll continue the popular lecture series.

Q. What do you think about the huge step BRIT is about to

make as we prepare to occupy our new home?

A. I like the phrase “huge step.” With our new home, BRIT will

be making a huge step into the general public’s consciousness. BRIT is well-known and respected in many circles, but most of my friends and family did not know about BRIT until I told them I was coming aboard. The location of the new space is perfect, and I’m excited that more people will get to experience BRIT and hopefully come to see it as a resource.

Q. What do you feel will be your biggest challenge?

A. Curating the exhibit hall will be a challenge, but it’s a challenge

I’m eager to tackle. One wall is curved, another wall has windows, and a third wall is an “air wall,” meaning it can be folded back to connect the exhibit hall with the commons room. Determining how best to utilize the walls and floor space to display visual art and interactive science exhibitions in an engaging manner will require us to be creative.

by robert george

Richard Smart signed on as head of public programs at BRIT in July 2010. A Fort Worth native and most recently an environmental coordinator for the City of Dallas, Smart received his B.S. degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences from Texas A&M University and his M.S. degree in environmental science from the University of North Texas. His arrival at BRIT was impeccably timed. Soon, the new building will offer unparalleled opportunities for visitor experience and public education under Smart’s ambitious leadership.

I recently interviewed Richard Smart to find out more about his background and plans for BRIT’s future.

Get Smart.Richard Smart, Head of Public

Programs, describes vision for

educational programs at new

BRIT facilities

That said, I am really happy that we have a space to house temporary exhibitions. The exhibit hall will help keep the BRIT visitor experience fresh, because every few months there will be a new exhibition on display. The exhibit hall will also help bring in visitors who may not have considered exploring BRIT.

Q. What are you most looking forward to?

A. The public grand opening is what I’m most looking forward

to. I think the entire BRIT staff will be beaming with pride when the public enters those doors and begins their experience at BRIT.

Q. What are you dreading?

A. Being new to an organization can be tough. Getting acclimated

to the culture of a new place takes time and sometimes you learn things the hard way. Still, everyone at BRIT has been so welcoming to me that despite being here less than three weeks I am already feeling comfortable.

Q. What do you see as BRIT’s greatest asset?

A. The herbarium is BRIT’s greatest asset. There are other visitor

gardens one can experience, but where else in North Central Texas can you go that has one million plants? We have specimens that are literally hundreds of years old! To be able to show visitors what a herbarium is and why it’s important is something they can only experience at BRIT.

Q. How do you plan to take the best advantage of that?

A. We’re currently planning a “science tour” in the new

building, and part of that tour will take visitors through the herbarium. The building will also have a plant pressing studio where visitors can see volunteers and researchers working.

Q. Anything you’d like to add to wrap this up?

A. Some people may be interested to know that I like to play several

sports when I am not working. Being involved in sports is a lot of fun, but I’ve also learned a lot about life through sports.

I play on a competitive club softball team. Tennis has been my main sport all of my life and that is a solo sport. Softball is a team sport, and playing with a team has been a very positive experience for me. You have to learn to trust your teammates to get the win. I attribute our success to the fact that we understand that we win and lose together, as a team.

Two years ago I took up mountain biking. You can’t be tentative when you are mountain biking. Being uncertain or intimidated by an obstacle sets you up for failure. You have to believe in your abilities and face the challenge head on. Mountain biking for me is a metaphor for life. Once you make it through one obstacle another one awaits, but the reward for making it through each challenge is worth the effort.

Join with us in welcoming Richard Smart to BRIT. We look forward to seeing his ideas in action, especially in our beautiful new building! If you have any questions about upcoming public programs or want to suggest ideas, email him at rsmart@brit.org.

“Sustainable Sites: Guidelines for Sustainable Landscape Design”

With Dr. Brooke Byerley, BRIT Associate Texas Botanist

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas was recently named a pilot site for testing the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009. Developed through a partnership of

the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the United States Botanic Garden, the guidelines promote the attainment of recommended sustainable landscape design practices. BRIT is participating in the two-year pilot program during the building and occupation of its new facility at University and Harley in the Fort Worth Cultural District.

In this public program, Dr. Byerley will discuss the objectives and requirements for SITES rating and share the measures BRIT is implementing to achieve the prerequisites and credit points required.

The lecture will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, at 4:30 p.m. in the 2nd floor conference room at BRIT’s Main Office, 500 E. 4th Street in Fort Worth, TX.

with dr. brooke byerley

Program To Outline How BRIT’s New Headquarters Selected As Pilot

“SuStainable Site”

goal: sustainablelandscape practices

Development and Education staff plan the future

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The new BRIT building will house

our library – or libraries – in grand

style. The Burk Children’s Library,

Shinners Library, and Teachers’

Resource Center will each have its

own place and accommodation with

a separate identity and purpose.

By opening them to the public and

inviting use, we herald a long-awaited

moment for staff, researchers,

students, and visitors.

Let’s take a preview tour of the

Shinners Library and then the

Children’s Library. After entering the

building, you’ll go to the second floor,

then across an internal bridge into the

Archives Block of our new home. The

bridge looks out on an open windowed

area; we can see the main entrance

of the building to the left and the

Geology Wall to the right.

Once across the bridge, we enter

the vestibule, then turn right into

Shinners Library. Just through the

door, wall-mounted lockers offer

volunteers a place to securely store

their belongings. To the left, we see

the Reference Desk. We’ll usually

have a staffer at this post in the library,

ready to offer assistance.

To the right is the Rare Book Room,

a warm and inviting space to study

the many precious and beautiful titles

that the Library owns. An SMU legacy

table, refinished and relocated from

the old building, will anchor the Rare

Book Room, and comfortable chairs

and subdued lighting will add to the

pleasure of studying BRIT’s most

treasured volumes.

Back at the main Shinners Library

entrance, we walk straight ahead

to enter the Reading Room, where

another refinished legacy table stands

at the center. There will be plenty of

space for researchers to consult books

and journals from our outstanding

library collections. To the left, we’ll

shelve the latest issues of some of our

hundreds of journals and the latest

new books for easy browsing, as well

as basic references sources such as

dictionaries (English and foreign

language editions), encyclopedias, and

handbooks. You’ll also see a display wall featuring changing exhibits of the many original artworks on paper that we have in the library holdings. To the right will be a copy machine, scanner, and other necessary technical tools for visitors and staff.

Through another set of doors at the end of the room, we enter the closed stacks area that houses the bulk of the monographic and journal collections. To make the best use of our space, we’re installing compact shelving to hold most of the materials: Shelving is mounted on carriers that roll either to the left or right, allowing you to make an aisle where you need it to access a particular shelf while keeping the total space the shelves occupy to a minimum.

Leaving the Shinners Library and returning to the bridge vestibule, we’ll turn left to enter the Burk Children’s Library. There, large windows look out onto the main exterior entrance. Inside, the Children’s Library will house our unique collection of books dealing with the history of natural science education for children; titles date from the 18th century to the present. Appropriate artwork will be displayed on a rotating basis here, as well.

Adding to our rich research offerings, the Teachers’ Resource Center will be located near the Education Department’s area for the use of primarily new materials, as well as titles that are being used by the Education Department specialists in their daily work.

As researchers and readers, we know the value of these priceless resources. In our new building, we hope the public will come often to avail themselves of these fine materials, too.

The Library is open to the public and available to all. We look forward to seeing you there!

by gary l.jennings

taKeS libRaRY StYle tO a neW leVelbRit

TOP: Artist rendering of Burk Children’s Library

CENTER: Portrait of Loyd Shinners

BOTTOM: Artist rendering of the Rare Book Room

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On May 20, 2010, BRIT presented wildlife conservationist Ramona Seeligson Bass with the 2010 International Award of Excellence in Conservation. The honoree was the focus of a gala that transformed Fort Worth’s Renaissance Worthington Ballroom into a south Texas prairie landscape, complete with mesquite tree centerpieces and prickly pear cactus plants. The planning committee was intent on recognizing Mrs. Bass’ first-hand understanding of the importance of responsible, hands-on stewardship of the land and its native wildlife.

With a shared passion for conservation, Mrs. Bass and her husband, Lee Bass, are active in the Species Survival Plan to save the critically endangered black rhinoceros, which they breed and raise on their South Texas ranch. In 1993, Mr. and Mrs. Bass established the Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation, which provides grants to conservation organizations. In addition, Mrs. Bass has served as Vice Chair of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Outreach and Education Advisory Committee. Mrs. Bass has also been closely involved with the Peregrine Fund for Birds of Prey, which Mr. Bass now chairs. In 2003, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton appointed Mrs. Bass to serve on the National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Commission.

Mrs. Bass has become widely known as the transformational

leader of the Fort Worth Zoo, having served as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fort Worth Zoological Association for the past 20 years. She has led the 100-year-old attraction through privatization to its current standing as one of the top zoos in the country, ranked the No. 5 zoo in the nation by USA Travel Guide and the No. 1 attraction in the DFW Metroplex by Zagat survey. In addition, her family and friends established the Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr. Conservation Fund in memory of her father. Administered by the Fort Worth Zoo, the fund supports the conservation of native Texas wildlife and its habitat through grant awards to scientists, educators, and organizations committed to conserving the biodiversity of Texas.

BRIT was honored to have such a renowned and deserving Fort Worth local to receive this prestigious award in a spectacular setting. “I’m thrilled that the Awards Dinner committee put together such a wonderful function,” said gala committee chairwoman Jerri Watt. “Everything was beautiful, from the invitation to the décor; the evening was delightful, and Ramona Bass, the honoree, was outstanding.”

If you missed the 2010 festivities stay tuned for information about the 2011 Annual Event.

by regan haggerty

2010 Annual Event

honoringRamona Bass

Rarely does one wake up one morning and decide, “Today I will run a marathon.” Preparation is required, both physical and mental. Constructing and opening a 70,000 square foot building with a larger staff and new programs while continuing to run existing programs and operations is the marathon BRIT decided to run in 2004, and training began immediately. In the summer of that year, BRIT staff attended a retreat to discuss what BRIT would do, look like, and be known for when it occupies a new home adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Each summer since then, the staff has gathered to “train” for the marathon with a finish line marked by a successful move to that new building.

Rather than attempt this huge task in isolation, we invited a team of professionals to Fort Worth in late 2009 to evaluate our plan through a peer review process. Composed of highly recognized museum, botanical garden, botanical library, and research professionals, the outside team initiated a two-day critical investigation of every aspect of our organization and our plans for the future. The resulting peer review report suggested improvements to assure a successful strategic planning process and implementation.

Their report is the underpinning of our future planning. The review emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive vision while reaffirming our commitment to

involving staff, researchers, supporters, and the public as we define BRIT’s purpose and spirit.

“It is very central to your growth that you create and gain consensus on a multiyear strategic plan for programmatic and institutional development,” wrote group leader Gregory Long, president and CEO of The New York Botanical Garden.

We eagerly anticipate the grand opening of the new building next spring. We welcome new avenues of development, expanded public outreach, and enhanced education promised by the new facilities.

Editor’s Note: A summary of the strategic plan will be published in the spring 2011 issue of IRIDOS. We can see the finish line.

by clevelancaster

the Finish Line

Peer Review Coaches Lend Insight to BRIT’s Strategic Planning

From left: Ed Bass, Ramona Bass, Tim McKinney, and Sy Sohmer

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Seeds of Amazonian Plants is the first field guide to treat

the extraordinary diversity of seeds and diaspores (a seed

and associated dispersal structures) of plants commonly

encountered in the Amazon and other lowland moist

forests of the American tropics. This stunningly illustrated

guide features an easy-to-use whole-plant approach to

seed identification that provides detailed descriptions not

only of the seeds but also of the habit, trunk, bark, leaves,

infructescence, and fruit of Amazonian plants, as well as

information about the known uses and distribution of each

genus. Presenting these descriptions together with 750 full-

color photos and a unique identification key, this premier field

guide enables users to identify seeds of 544 genera and 131

families of plants.

Seeds of Amazonian Plants is

now available through Princeton

University Press (http://press.

princeton.edu/titles/9139.html) or

Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.

com/Seeds-Amazonian-Plants-

Princeton-Guides/dp/0691146470).

*Fernando Cornejo is a Peruvian

botanist and BRIT research

associate

*John Janovec is the head

of BRIT’s Andes to Amazon

Biodiversity Program (AABP)

Princeton UniversityPress PublishingSeeds of Amazonian Plantsby Fernando Cornejo* and John Janovec*BRIT announces additional research updates

Robert Johns To Spend Year Studying Biodiversity, Conservation, and Land Use Management in Indigenous Communities in New Guinea

BRIT recently received $40,000 in funding

to complete research that will advance our

knowledge of the diversity of plants found

within several indigenous communities in

New Guinea. The objective of the project

is to describe the flora from several villages

within the Milne Bay Archipelago. Robert

Johns, BRIT botanical researcher, will visit,

document, and collect from several sites within

New Guinea during a 12-month period.

In each community, Johns will hold detailed

discussions with the local villagers to record

local plant names. Ultimately, the program will

publish a series of “Conservation Checklists”

for each island containing lists of both

scientific collections and the traditional uses

and names of select species.

Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program Expands Reach, Further Connects Cultures

During the last few months, the Andes to

Amazon Biodiversity Program (AABP) team

has worked diligently to submit all the proper

annual paperwork to the Peruvian government

for collecting and shipping specimens. In

return, the government notified the team that

all permits have been renewed for 2010. Also,

during the past three months, Tiana Franklin

(Collections Manager) sent out 400 fern

specimens to fern expert Dr. Robbin Moran

at the New York Botanical Garden. Moran’s

species identifications will enable the BRIT-

AABP team to update all ferns in the Andes-

Amazon Atrium database.

In other AABP program news, Dr. John

Janovec has been working closely with several

other U.S. scientists who visited Peru this

past summer, including Dr. John L. Clark,

Gesneriaceae (African Violet family) expert

from the University of Alabama, and Dr. Carol

Shearer, an aquatic fungus specialist from the

University of Illinois-Champaign. The team of

scientists participated in various expeditions

into the tropical wilderness in the area

surrounding Quincemil, BRIT’s current base

in southeastern Peru, where they collected

close to 50 species of Gerneriaceae, including

some species that are new to science! In

one major discovery, the scientists collected

a tiny species of the genus Anetanthus (a

rarely collected and little known genus).

Dr. Shearer conducted a special inventory

aimed at documenting hundreds of species of

microscopic fungi that live in water, on wet

logs, or in saturated soils.

Former Texas Christian University/BRIT

students Ethan Householder and Rebecca

Repasky Luke both published papers in the

Journal of the Botanical Research Institute

of Texas (See Press story on page nine).

Rebecca’s paper focuses on the study of

orchid diversity in the Peruvian cloud forest,

while Ethan’s paper details the natural history

and diversity of six vanilla orchid species.

Finally, during the summer months of 2010,

two U.S. student interns from Austin College

in Sherman, Texas, have joined the BRIT-

AABP team in Quincemil. These students

will be exploring the botany, ecology, and

entomology of this region.

Biodiversity Informatics Expands Atrium

In May 2010, the Atrium team began a

discussion with Dr. George Weiblen at the

University of Minnesota about the possibility

of enhancing the Atrium New Guinea

Digital Flora. From these discussions, BRIT

received a $3,000 contract to begin revisions

that include updating the taxonomic tables,

uploading data for approximately 4,500

specimens, and implementing several modules

not currently included in this instance

(vegetation survey and analysis, GIS, and

weather data modules). The team hopes to

continue collaboration with Weiblen and

continue the enhancements of the Atrium

New Guinea Digital Flora.

As of July 10, 2010, the first set of digitized

specimens from the Universidad Nacional

de la Amazonía Peruana (AMAZ-UNAP)

is online in the Andes-Amazon instance of

Atrium, under the project “Herbario Digital

AMAZ-UNAP.” This is the first set of

collection records from the Iquitos herbaria

to be databased, scanned, and entered into

Atrium. You can find the records online at:

http://atrium.andesamazon.org/collections_

list.php?type=project&id=19&sort=family.

by keri mcnew barfield

and john janovec

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DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE *Anonymous*Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. Bass*Mr. and Mrs. Lee M. Bass*Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Bass#Chesapeake Energy*Mrs. Frank Darden*Mr. and Mrs. Mark L. Hart III#Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP*Mr. and Mrs. John B. KleinheinzMr. and Mrs. Howell Mann#Medical Center of Plano*Mr. and Mrs. Tom O. Moncrief*Mr. and Mrs. Ardon E. Moore III*Mrs. Betty Jo Pate*Mrs. Gail Williamson Rawl*Mr. and Mrs. Tim SearSouthern Methodist University*Mrs. John Reese Stevenson#Sundance Square#Texas Christian University#Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust at U. S. Trust*Mr. and Mrs. Bill J. Zimmerman SUSTAINING LEVELMr. Paul Andrews*Mr. and Mrs. Jim BeckmanBNSF Railway CompanyMr. and Mrs. Martin C. BowenMr. David BucherThe Cumming Company, Inc.\ *Mr. and Mrs. Dwight H. Cumming*Mr. and Mrs. Glenn M. DardenMr. Chris Davidson and Ms. Sharon ChristophMr. and Mrs. William S. DavisDr. and Mrs. Kelsey R. DownumMr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Duggins IIIMs. Caroline M. DulleMr. and Mrs. Crawford Edwards*Mr. Dirk Eshleman#Fort Worth Zoological Association*Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin J. FortsonMr. and Mrs. Robin French#Frost BankDr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Gaines III*Mrs. Helen GrovesMs. Emory A. Hamilton*Hodges Fund of the Community Foundation of North TexasMs. Tracy Holmes#JMEG, LP#JPMorgan ChaseMs. Joann KargesMr. and Mrs. Raymond B. Kelly III#Luther King Capital Management*Mr. Dan E. LowranceMr. and Mrs. John L. MarionMrs. Ruth A. May

*Mr. and Ms. Kevin McGarry*Mr. and Mrs. Timothy W. McKinney*Mr. and Mrs. William W. MeadowsMr. and Mrs. Jarrell R. MilburnMr. and Mrs. Stephen Murrin, Jr.Native Plant Society of Texas Borne CapterMr. and Mrs. Darren K. Nelson*Mr. and Mrs. J. David Nivens*Capt. Robert J. O’Kennon#Oncor*Mr. and Mrs. Timothy L. PetrusThe Projects Group*Mr. and Mrs. Breck Ray*Mr. and Mrs. Doug Renfro*Mrs. Rosalyn G. Rosenthal*Mr. and Mrs. William E. RosenthalMrs. A. Hardy SandersMr. Charles M. Simmons#Southwestern Exposition & Livestock Show*Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sterling*Dr. and Mrs. George C. Sumner#TD IndustriesTexas Discovery GardensMr. and Mrs. Kelly R. ThompsonTrinity Forks Chapter of NPSOTUniversity of Minnesota#University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort WorthThe University of Texas at Arlington*Mr. and Mrs. E. Duer Wagner, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Monk WhiteMr. and Mrs. Blair Woodall*Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell S. Wynne*Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Yorio PATRON LEVEL Mr. and Mrs. William C. BahanThe Honorable and Mrs. Kenneth L. BarrMr. and Mrs. Harry E. BartelMr. and Mrs. Michael BennettMr. Amon G. Carter IIIMr. and Mrs. Frank P. Carvey, Jr.Mollie L. & Garland M. Lasater, Jr. Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of North TexasMichael Dallas, CFP\Mr. Michael Dallas and Mrs. Jamye DennisDrs. Nancy and Mark Dambro*Mr. Danny Deen*Mr. and Mrs. James B. DeMoss IIIDr. and Mrs. Nowell DonovanMs. Virginia DormanJudge and Mrs. Patrick W. Ferchill*Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. FindlayMs. Caroline Forgason*Mr. and Mrs. John P. HickeyMs. Cheryl Hodge

Mr. C. Brodie Hyde IIMrs. S. Gordon Johndroe, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. James H. Kennedy*Mr. and Mrs. William M. LawrenceMs. Martha V. LeonardMs. Shirley D. LuskMr. and Mrs. Mark McLelandMr. Scott Miller*Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. MillmanMr. and Mrs. Richard W. MoncriefNative Habitat OrganizationMr. and Mrs. John F. OudtMr. and Mrs. Robert A. PedersenQuartzMr. and Mrs. Roger B. RiceMr. and Mrs. W. Randolph RodgersRoyer & Schutts Commercial Interiors*Drs. Sara and Sy SohmerMr. Richard D. Steed, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. G. Robert StephensonDr. and Mrs. Leigh TaliaferroMr. and Mrs. Richard J. Van GorderMr. and Mrs. Ronald B. WhiteWhitley Penn, LLP

SUPPORTING LEVEL Dr. Robert AdamskiAgrosoke InternationalAylor Landscaping ServicesMr. and Mrs. Bradford S. BarnesMr. and Mrs. Frank D. BowersMrs. Lucile Gould BridgesDr. James E. BrooksMr. and Mrs. Mark A. BrownMs. Helen BurtMr. and Mrs. H. Paul CarlMs. Sally Channon*Mrs. Marie Louise ColeMs. Joyce ColegroveDr. and Mrs. Ernest F. CouchDr. and Mrs. Ivan DanhofDr. and Mrs. A. Ronald DaniellMs. Grace DarlingMr. and Mrs. Michael DeWoodyMrs. Deena Heide-Diesslin and Mr. David DiesslinMr. and Mrs. Eugene J. DozierMr. William EverheartDr. and Mrs. Jay L. FierkeMr. and Mrs. Michael FourakerDr. and Mrs. Rhett K. FredricMrs. Bayard H. FriedmanMr. and Mrs. Heinz GaylordMr. and Mrs. James GlasscockDr. and Mrs. Dana Griffin IIIHarding ComapnyMr. and Mrs. Tom HarrisonMr. and Mrs. James D. HasenzahlMr. and Mrs. Robert G. HillThe Right Reverend and Mrs. Sam

B. HulseyMr. F. T. JacksonMr. and Mrs. Delmar JanovecMr. Richard D. JanovecMr. Russell M. JeffordsDr. Gordon B. KellyDr. and Mrs. Norval KnetenMs. Karen P. KologeMs. Tammye J. KuntzMs. Arlene KwawMr. and Mrs. John E. LangdonDr. and Mrs. Thomas LeavensDr. and Mrs. Claudio LehmannDr. Benjamin G. Liles, Jr.Mr. Barney L. LipscombMr. John LunsfordDr. and Mrs. Michael MacRoberts*Dr. and Mrs. Wm. F. MahlerMrs. Paul Warren MasonMr. and Mrs. James D. MatthewsMs. Becky MeadowsThe Honorable and Mrs. Lawrence MeyersMrs. John M. MichieMr. and Mrs. Richard D. Minker*Dr. and Mrs. B. O’Dell Molpus, Jr.Mr. Frank L. MorelandMs. Mary G. PalkoMr. and Mrs. Bruce PedenMr. and Mrs. L. Daniel Prescott, Jr.Mr. Alfred T. RichardsonMr. Randolph E. RichardsonMs. Ellen RoeserMs. Rosalin RogersMr. and Mrs. Charlie RoyerMr. and Mrs. C.B. RusseyMs. Linda SeeligsonMr. and Mrs. Bill ShawMr. and Mrs. Ben R. SmithMr. and Mrs. Jason SmithMr. Morgan SmithMr. and Mrs. Dulaney G. SteerMs. Carole Ann TaggartDr. and Mrs. Joseph Tarride, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. TatumValdez SpiceMrs. Dieter W. WagenerMr. and Mrs. William P. Warner*Mrs. Suzanne S. WilliamsMrs. Florence Jones WittMr. and Mrs. Berry Chandler WoodsonMr. Jia-dong YangMr. Brian Yost

PARTNER LEVELMs. Florence L. AdamsDr. and Mrs. Charles AndrewsAnonymousMrs. Sara BeckelmanDr. and Mrs. Ed Bleker

Ms. Tommie W. BroylesMr. and Mrs. Dave ButtgenMr. Allen ChartierDr. Lynn G. ClarkMs. Sherry ClarkMr. Foster J. ClaytonMr. Chip ClintDr. William B. CookMs. Elaine CouchMs. Hazel CroninMr. and Mrs. Walter DaudeMr. Frank DurdaMs. Barbara DurnanMs. I. Sandra ElsikFriends of the Fort Worth Nature Center & RefugeMr. and Mrs. Edward C. FritzMr. and Mrs. Elliott GarsekGirl Scout of Texas Oklahoma Plains, Inc.Ms. Beverly GoodinMs. Lynn Anderson HaglerMr. Dan HaysMs. Sue W. HeaberlinMr. and Mrs. Walter HessonThe Reverend and Mrs. Bertrand N. Honea, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Tom JonesMr. and Mrs. Michael E. KerrMs. Kelly LafargeMr. Joseph LokerDr. and Mrs. Paul M. McKenzieMr. and Mrs. Steve B. MossMs. Mary Thorpe ParkerMr. P. Michael PeckMs. Patricia J. PostDr. and Mrs. Robb H. RutledgeMr. Joseph SalgadoMs. Michelle SchneiderMr. and Mrs. Richard SchoechMr. L. Lynn SherrodMr. and Mrs. Daniel C. ShivelyMs. Mimi SlaughterDr. Richard W. Spellenberg and Ms. Naida D. ZuckerMr. and Mrs. James SteinMrs. Joy TerryMs. Cheryl TiptonMr. and Mrs. Delbert W. ToddMr. Alfred TraverseDrs. Georgine and Leo VromanMrs. Warren Wagner, Jr.Mrs. Herbert C. WalkerMr. and Mrs. O. Leon WaltersMs. June WolffMr. Joel E. Young

Donations 1 January 2010 to 31 July 2010 FOUNDERS

AnonymousRamona and Lee BassThe Bass Charitable CorporationAmon G. Carter FoundationFourth Century TrustThe Rainwater Charitable FoundationSid W. Richardson Foundation

CONSERVATORS The Discovery FundNational Science FoundationCrystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust at U. S. TrustSouthwestern Exposition and Livestock Show GUARDIANS Anonymous Gunhild Corbett Dorothea Leonhardt Fund - Spending Policy Fund - Communities Foundations of Texas Capt. Robert J. O’Kennon William E. Scott Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Tim Sear George C. and Sue W. Sumner Fund of the Community Foundation of North Texas PARTNERS Ms. Tracy Holmes Kresge Foundation Adeline and George McQueen Foundation Elaine and Tim Petrus The Ryan Foundation

BENEFACTORS Mrs. Ruth A. Anderson Virginia and Paul Dorman Ann and Tim McKinney Mrs. Gail Williamson Rawl Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sterling

SUPPORTERS The Ninnie L. Baird FoundationMr. and Mrs. Harry E. BartelMr. Carroll W. CollinsErnest and Keiko Couch Tammie Lynn and Calvin Lynne CroleMr. and Mrs. Walter G. Dahlberg Margaret W. and James B. DeMossDavid H. Diesslin and Deena Jo Heide- Diesslin/Diesslin & AssociatesGarvey FoundationMr. and Mrs. Gavin R. GarrettThe Right Reverend and Mrs. Sam B. HulseyDr. and Mrs. Nowell Donovan Jeffrey P. and Carol A. FeganMr. and Mrs. Craig R. HamiltonMr. and Mrs. Tom HarrisonDrs. Bonnie and Louis JacobsKarl and Nancy KomatsuMr. and Mrs. W. Cleve LancasterPam and Bill LawrenceMr. and Mrs. John L. MerrillMr. and Mrs. Tom O. MoncriefMr. and Mrs. Stephen Murrin IIIMs. Mary G. PalkoSear Family FoundationMs. Judy SecrestDrs. Sara and Sy SohmerMr. Richard Steed, Jr.

FRIENDS Mr. and Mrs. Justin W. AllisonAnonymousMr. Jason BestMr. and Mrs. James ChamberlainMr. and Mrs. Samuel A. CookeMr. and Mrs. Paul DenavitMs. Martha DolmanJoe and Mary DulleMs. Anne DysonMr. Dirk E. EshlemanMs. Jennifer FitzgeraldGreater Fort Worth Herb SocietyMr. Robert George and Mrs. Frances PolsterMr. and Mrs. Jareld HathcockMrs. Amanda and Mr. Andrew HeffleyDr. John JanovecMr. and Mrs. Gary L. JenningsMr. and Mrs. Brian KellerMs. Terrell LambMr. and Mrs. Allan R. LaQueyMr. Barney LipscombDr. Lee Luckeydoo and Mr. John DreeseMr. Andrew LutzMr. and Mrs. Stephen J. MarksteinerMr. Gordon D. MayMs. Asha McElfishMs. Judy MacKenzieMrs. Keri McNew-BarfieldDr. and Mrs. B. O’Dell Molpus, Jr.Ms. Amanda K. NeillDr. and Mrs. Guy L. NesomMs. Marissa OppelMr. and Mrs. Arthur RehmanDr. and Mrs. Jake B. SchrumDr. and Mrs. Allen SchusterMs. Kathleen G. ScottMrs. Michiko M. StoneMr. Andrew WaltkeMs. Elizabeth A. Watson

Pressed for Time: Building a Future and Preserving the PastCampaign Gifts as of July 31, 2010

GIFTS IN KINDBates Container, Inc.Chimy’s Cerveceria#Star-Telegram and INDULGEZ’s Cafe

FOUNDATIONS #Amon G. Carter Foundation#Bass Foundation#BNSF Railway CompanyThe Human Source FoundationAlvin and Lucy Owsley FoundationSid W. Richardson FoundationThe Arch & Stella Rowan Foundation, Inc.Sear Family Foundation MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES AT&T Foundation Matching Gift ProgramBank of AmericaExxonMobil Foundation GIFTS TO THE LIBRARy Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. BassDr. and Mrs. Denis R. BenjaminMr. Robert D. DornMr. Brian A. Elliot Dr. Hugh H. IltisMr. Gary L. JenningsMs. Joann KargesMr. Barney LipscombMrs. Perpha LiogierMr. and Mrs. Dennis S. MarynickMs. Penny McCookCapt. Robert J. O’KennonMr. John PatinDr. and Mrs. Arturo Gomez-Pompa

*Host Committee 2010 International Award of Excellence in Conservation Gala

#Corporate Sponsors 2010 International Award of Excellence in Conservation Gala

IN HONOR OFMs. Diane Broyles WhiteheadDrs. Bonnie and Louis JacobsVicki & Megan DickersonMr. George ByersMs. Annabelle Elizabeth MaysMs. Gail Rawl and Mrs. Lucy Darden

Mrs. Jane MolpusMary Lynn & Gavin GarrettMr. Barney Lipscomp and Ms. Tiana FranklinMrs. Ramona BassMrs. Ramona Bass

FROM Ms. Tommie W. BroylesDr. James E. BrooksVicki, Ed & Madi BassDr. and Mrs. Rhett K. FredricDr. and Mrs. Norval KnetenThe Right Reverend and Mrs. Sam B. HulseyMrs. Florence Jones WittDr. and Mrs. Jay L. FierkeMs. Kelly Lafarge

Mr. and Mrs. W. Randolph RodgersDr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Gaines III

IN MEMORy OF Dr. Frank W. GouldMrs. Dorothy ShoresMargaret Hays and Chuck BarnesMs. Elizabeth RenshawRobert Burkett, his son & daughter- in-law, Karen & Michael BurkettMr. Gordon SylvesterMs. Kay LewisMrs. Deborah MoncriefDr. A. LiogierMr. Dieter W. Wagener

FROM Mrs. Lucile Gould BridgesMr. and Mrs. Dave ButtgenMr. Dan HaysMs. Sue W. HeaberlinMs. Karen P. Kologe

Mr. F. T. JacksonMr. Russell M. JeffordsMrs. Gail Williamson RawlDrs. Sara and Sy SohmerMrs. Dieter W. Wagener

Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Inc.500 East 4th Street

Fort Worth, TX 76102 USA

Herbaria of SMU, BRIT and Vanderbilt

Lloyd Shinners Collection in Systematic Botany

Nonprofit Org.

US postage

PAIDPermit No 2737

Fort Worth, Texas