Plant Hunters: Edith Van Allen Murphey

More plant hunters! This year I'm focusing on women collectors in the Western United States. Our first report is about the self-taught ethnobotanist, Edith Van Allen Murphy (1879-1968), who worked in the Intermountain National Forest lands within Utah, Nevada, western Wyoming, and southern Idaho; and later in California. I first learned about Ms. Murphey while reading Lester Rountree's Hardy Californians (see Plant Hunters: Lester Rountree). In the forward, Judith Larner Lowry describes Murphey as a seed-gathering woman who was contemporaneous with Rowntree, and collected in Mendocino County in California.

Edith Van Allen-Murphey (Sojourn Magazine Winter 96-97)

Edith Van Allen was born in 1879 in New York state. She attended Melvil Dewey's library school at Albany, New York (Dewey invented the Dewey Decimal system of library classification). In 1902 she was recruited to catalog rare books for the University of California at Berkeley and moved across country. In around 1903, failing eyesight prevented her from continuing the work. She moved to the redwoods near Sherwood, just north of Willits, to homestead. She married a neighboring homesteader but divorced two years later. During this time she learned how to live off the land from nearby Pomo natives.

Over the next 25 years, she married two more ranchers, Sanford Lee Redwine of Round Valley and then Will Murphey of Covelo. Both marriages were happy, but left her a widow. While living on these primitive California ranches, she fell in love with Mendocino and developed a passion for rare native flowers. Between chores, she collected specimens, and corresponded with botanist Carl Purdy (1861-1945) of Ukiah, sending them to him for identification and learning from his responses. In 1906, Mrs. Phoebe Hearst commissioned her to collect the best of Northern California Indian basketry for the University of California. In 1925 her third husband, Will Murphey, died and Murphey sold their ranch.

Sam Young (Hayfork Wintu), Edith Van Allen Murphey, and Lucy Young (Lassik)

Murphey realized she was free to follow her passion for plants. From 1925 to 1935 she worked for United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Their primary interest was to identify and eliminate stock-poisoning plants on Indian cattle and sheep ranges. During this time she lived and worked with eleven Indian tribes gathering data, as the United States Indian Service's only range botanist. The contacts that Ms. Murphey made during her research for the BIA, enabled her to document plant use by indigenous people groups throughout the Intermountain region and the West, and to publish Indian Uses of Native Plants. 

Detail from the Mendocino County History Mural, painted by Judy Pruden
Left to right: Carl Purdy, Sam Young, Edith Murphey, and Lucy Young

In 1927, at the age of 48, she headed to the Mendocino high country in hopes of being a plant collector for John Purdy, who collected and sold California seeds and bulbs all over the world. He refused to hire a woman as a plant collector, but hired her as a cook instead. She was still able to collect plant specimens from spring through fall, and met many visiting botanists during her time with Purdy. From 1935 until her death in 1968, she spent her days in Covelo, California advocating for both native Americans and the amazing biodiversity of California's plants. Artist Judy Pruden included Carl Purdy, Sam Young, Edith Van Allen Murphey, and Lucy Young as botanists on the Mendocino County History Mural, in Ukiah, California.

Learn More

• Edith Van Allen Murphey, Sojourn Magazine Premier Issue, Winter 1996-1997. Written by Liz Helenchild, using original wording by Ms. Murphey where possible. https://creation-designs.com/gracemillennium/sojourn/premiere/html/ed_murphey.html

• Edith Van Allen Murphey Papers, University of Nevada, Reno (microfilm; the originals are in Covelo, California). https://archive.library.unr.edu/public/repositories/2/resources/139
• Indian Uses of Native Plants. Edith Van Allen Murphey (Meyerbooks, Illinois, 1990; and Mendocino County Historical Society, 1958, 1987). Ethnobotanical uses of native plants by indigenous people of the Intermountain area. https://www.amazon.com/Indian-Native-Plants-Edith-Murphey/dp/0916638154

• Hardy Californians, Lester Rowntree (University of California Press, Berkeley, 2006). The forward includes the article, "Lester Rowntree's Horticultural Legacy", by Judith Lowry. On page lxvii, Lowry writes that plant collecting contemporaries Rowntree, Edith Van Allen Murphey, and Willis Linn Jepson loved the freedom and adventure of the automobile while plant collecting. She also notes that Murphey longed to meet Rowntree. https://www.amazon.com/Hardy-Californians-Womans-Native-Plants/dp/0520250516/

• The Lily Man of Ukiah, NYBG LuEsther T. Mertz Library, Plant & Research Guides, Nursery and Seed Catalogs: Carl Purdy and the Bulbs and Wild Flowers of California. Explores the nursery catalogs and professional career of Carl Purdy, who saw and understood the flora of California with an unmatched acuity. Edith Van Allen Murphey served as apprentice and cook for Purdy. https://libguides.nybg.org/c.php?g=655017&p=4597876

Note: search this article for "Edith Murphey: A disciple of Carl Purdy". The side bar article provides more information about Ms. Murphey and her life experiences.

• Lucy Young, Round Valley, podcast: Parts 1 - 7. KZYX Mendocino County Remembered, read by Linda Pack. The saga of a 10-year old Wailaki Indian girl in 1862 who fled from soldiers and from white men who trafficked in Indian children. In 1939, when Lucy was in her 90s, she told her story to her friend and neighbor in Covelo, the ethnobotanist Edith Van Allen Murphey. Lucy Young wanted the truth to be told. https://feeds.transistor.fm/kzyx-mendocino-county-remembered (search for "Lucy Young").

• Mendocino County Historical Mural, painted by Judy Pruden. This mural runs the length of an entire city block on the north wall of the Ukiah Valley Conference Center in downtown Ukiah, California. Panel 25 is devoted to Ukiah botanist and horticulturist Carl Purdy, Covelo ethnobotanist Edith Van Allen Murphey, and Native botanical experts Lucy Young (Lassik) and her husband Sam Young (Hayfork Wintu). https://historymural.com/sections/six/remembrance/#botanists

Month-by-Month: Fall

Today is another beautiful sunny day here in the Oakland Hills. It is 64 degrees this morning, with a possible high of 69 degrees in late afternoon. The days are still warm, and the evenings are cool and sometimes foggy. We're tapering off from our summer heat (which typically occurs in September and October), and hoping for winter rains to start soon (I've heard mixed predictions, for both rain and more drought). The plants need rain after months with only fog for moisture or short bursts of light rain that barely settle the dust. Even the native plants are looking parched.

Raised-bed pumpkin, ready to harvest

Today I'm checking the University of California Master Gardeners of Alameda County website, to see what the Month-by-Month page recommends for October, November, and December. All this year we've been monitoring this site to get a feel for what we should be doing in the garden. By now, most of the summer harvest is complete, so activities turn to preparing the garden for spring and summer. 

In October and November, continue to care for cool-season vegetables and flowers that were planted in September. Plant vegetables, such as lettuce, green onions, potatoes, peas, for harvest in the spring, and garlic and shallots for harvest in the summer. Plant spring bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinth, and grape hyacinth (some bulbs may need to be chilled before planting to simulate nature). 

Fall is the best time to plant perennials and California Natives, since any winter rains help the plants establish strong root systems. Throughout the garden, clean up debris that might harbor pests, and add weeds, leaves, and spent flowers to the compost pile. Stop fertilizing and turn off irrigation. It's time for homesteaders to wrap up their work in the garden, and time for nature to go dormant and do it's magic!

Month-by-Month: Summer

 I'm writing this on a gray summer morning in the San Francisco Bay area. The temperature is cool and the sky is overcast. The haze will burn off in early afternoon, revealing blue skies and sunshine all afternoon, and then return in the evening. This is typical for this time of year, and may help conserve whatever moisture is still locked in our clay soil.

Cherry tomatoes ripening in September

Today I'm checking the website maintained by the University of California Master Gardeners of Alameda County, specifically to see what the Month-by-Month page recommends for July, August, and September. Here in the East Bay, the temperature has been characteristically cool, typically in the high 60s or low 70s during the day (and mid-50s at night). This is the type of condition that prompted Mark Twain's classic quote, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." We'll experience our heat in September and early October, so I'll enjoy the cooler temperatures now.

July has already passed, but fertilizing, watering, and harvesting crops planted earlier in the season were the main activities, as well as deadheading flowers. August is the month to start planting fall crops, such as broccoli, mustard, cabbage, beets, carrots, lettuce, green onions, potatoes, peas, and so forth. You can also plant cool-season annuals, such calendula (a dyer's favorite)! In September, harvesting continues, as well as composting, planting cover crops to preserve the soil, and planting onions. You can also set out cool-season annuals such as pansies and primrose, which thrive as we head into the colder winter months. It's not too late to plant!

Month-by-Month: Spring

Today is a beautiful sunny day here in the Oakland Hills. It's 59 degrees this morning, with the promise of hitting a high of 67 degrees this afternoon. It's a perfect morning to research an upcoming trip and finish a few chores inside, before moving outside for the afternoon. I've noticed some weeds that need pulling and general yard cleanup that needs to be done. 

Wispy windowsill parsley started last fall (my husband calls it "Sparsely")!

This morning I'm checking in with the University of California Master Gardeners of Alameda County website, specifically the Your Alameda County Garden, Month-by-Month page. Time to see what garden activities should be happening in April, May, and June here in the Bay Area. Nighttime temperature lows are above 45 degrees, so there is little danger of frost.

The main activities for these warmer months of spring include planting root crops and cool-season crops in April, and then summer vegetables, flowers and bulbs in May. Throughout the season is lots of weeding, thinning, watering, fertilizing, and monitoring for pests. These months are very busy for the home gardener (and I'm already behind)! 

Seed Sources to Dye For

 I'm writing this post in the midst of a February "heat wave" in the San Francisco Bay Area. We've had temperatures in the mid-seventies during the day, which quickly cool to the high-fifties when the sun sets. Many people are out jogging, walking the dog, and starting their garden clean up. We all know this is temporary - in a few days we'll be back to the mid-sixties or lower. But it's enough to give us hope for the warm days to come, and to encourage us to think about garden plans. 

Hopi Red Dye Amaranth (Photo Credit: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

I'm taking the opportunity to research seed sources for plants that are especially good for dyeing.

• In A Garden to Dye For, Chris McLaughlin recommends Peaceful Valley Farm & Seed Supply in Grass Valley, CA. Their online store, GrowOrganic.com, lists a "Garden to Dye For " seed collection for plants that make great botanical dyes, like African Marigold (Tagetes erecta), Chantenay Carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus), and Orange Calendula (Calendula officinalis). If it's out of stock, add your name to the waitlist.

• She also recommends Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, Virginia as a source. A search for "dye plants" yields Calendula (C. officinalis), Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), and Hopi Dye Sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri looks intriguing. They also carry Hopi Dye Sunflower, which dyes shades from dove gray to deep purple; and Hopi Red Dye Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus x powellii), which dyes piki bread (and fabric?) a deep blue or purple.

• Closer to home is Siskiyou Seeds located in southwest Oregon. They carry two Dyer's Collections for the avid dyer and gardener. Dyer's Collection 1 includes: Cosmos (Cosmos spp.), Safflower orange (Carthamus tinctorius), and Zinnia scarlet (Zinnia spp.) and more. Dyer's Collection 2 includes: Amaranth Red Dye Plume (Amaranthus cruentus x A. powelli), Dyers Chamomile (Cota tinctoria), and Golden Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina) and others.

• I'm a loyal and long-standing client of Renee's Garden Seeds (stretching all the way back to its early days as Shepherd's Garden Seeds). Last year I planted the Marigold, Calendula and Coreopsis seeds with good results. 

Hopi Black Dye Sunflower (Photo Credit: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

It's encouraging that seed providers are offering seeds collections for dyers, and that some seed descriptions now include historical and ethnobotanical information. Plant names can also help you discern whether plants are good for dyeing. Common names may have the word "Dyer" in them, such as Dyer's Chamomile or Dyer's Indigo. Latin names may include some variation of  tinctoria or tinctorius, such as Carthamus tinctorius or Cota tinctoria, which indicates the plant is good for dyeing. This information makes it easier to start including a few dye plants in the garden plan!

Month-by-Month: Winter

Today it is a beautiful sunny day here in the San Francisco East Bay. It's a chilly 57 degrees, but sunshine is streaming through the windows and the furnace is humming away. Outside, the hummingbird feeder is full and attracting a lot of visitors, and the sunlight is filtering through the pittosporum leaves in the side yard. The sunny weather looks inviting from inside, but it's not quite warm enough to lure me out of my sunny, cozy office. 

Planning in progress!

Instead, I'm spending time on the University of California Master Gardeners of Alameda County website, specifically the Your Alameda County Garden, Month-by-Month page. My mission is to see what garden activities I can be doing in January, February and March, until the warmer days of spring. Activities listed for the winter months include planning the summer garden, and starting seeds indoors for cool season leafy vegetables and warm season crops. Two especially useful resources for the East Bay include:

• Lake Merritt Trials Garden - see the historical "Recommended Veggies" and "Spinach Trials" articles for specific varieties that do well in our area.
• Plant Recommendations West of the East Bay Hills - see when to plant cool and warm season crops, and herbs in our cool coastal climate.

In the spirit of "homesteading in the city", I've already procured seeds and supplies needed to sow seeds early. I've set up a spreadsheet with seed information, and room to record notes and observations. I admit that I'm not very accomplished at growing vegetables, but I enjoy the process of trying. Plus, it makes me grateful for the bounty at Safeway and Lucky down the street, and the weekly Farmer's Market in Montclair (all worthy food sources for homesteading in the city)! 

 

Back to the Land: Wrap Up

This has been another wild year! Our "back to the land" theme, with its focus on our residential lot in the San Francisco Bay Area, was perfect for Year Two of the pandemic. Even with restrictions lifting a bit, thanks to vaccinations and good practices, it was good year to continue staying home. We used the time to explore what our property has to offer, looking at its role as a "homegrown national park", a source of materials for dye projects, and place to relax and enjoy nature.

Red camellia

Plant Aquarium

We learned more about some of the trees, shrubs, and plants that grow on our urban land. Some are native, some are not.

Polypodium
Juniper
Oak
Toyon
Pittosporum
Liquidambar
Hollyleaf Cherry
Chinese Elm
Hawthorn
Magnolia

Enjoying Nature

We enjoyed the seasons and the local birds and critters that visit our residential yard. The small plot is part of a larger virtual "wildlife corridor" that provides water, food, and shelter for urban wildlife and migrating birds.

Signs of Spring
Summer Time
Fall is in the Air
Winter is Coming
Red-Bellied Sapsucker
Enjoying Winter Moss
California Scrub Jay
Where are the Hummingbirds?

Garden Projects

We're working on garden infrastructure in preparation for future projects, and enjoying the yard just as it is.

Soil Restoration Under the Oak
Wood Chips Under the Oak
Oak Patrol
Symphony in the Garden
Raised Bed Prep for Fall Greens
Farewell to the Chinese Elm
Dyeing Fabric with Plants

Seeds to Dye For

This year I sowed seeds for several plants that are good for dyeing fabric - calendula, coreopsis, and marigold. I tried solar dyeing for the first time, using calendula flowers.

Seeds to Dye For
Seeds to Dye For: July Check In (Calendula)
Seeds to Dye For: September Check In (Coreopsis)
Seeds to Dye For: November Check In (Marigold)
Dye Project: Solar Dyeing with Calendula

Excursions

As the pandemic drags on, even an outing to the grocery store becomes an adventure! My husband and I made a few special excursions to remind us of normal life.

Van Gogh Immersive Experience
Judge John Sutter Regional Shore
Benicia and the Delta

Books and Movies

We traveled the United States and the world vicariously with famous British landscape gardener, Monty Don, to enjoy plant movie stars. We also learned more about the mighty oak tree and its lifecycle.

Winter movies:  Prairie Gardens  Southern Gardens  Western Gardens
Summer movies:  Southeast Asia  The Med  India
The Life of an Oak

Seeds to Dye For: November Check In

This is my final report on the seeds that I planted back in April, all of which produce flowers that are used to dye fabric. I sowed seeds in containers, and have reported on them over the last seven months (see Seeds to Dye For and related posts). So far I've used the calendula flowers for a dye project (see Solar Dyeing with Calendula), and have collected and dried the coreopsis flowers for a future dye project. This time I'm reporting on the marigolds (Tagetes signata).

Marigolds in November

It's November in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the marigolds are still going strong. In fact, they are flourishing after the the recent winter rains. The plants look a little disheveled, because the container is a favorite place for squirrels to stash acorns throughout September and October.

 

Planting seeds in late April

Putting on growth in early August (pottery boot by Jason Quisenberry)

According to Botanical Colors, marigold flowers produce a wide range of colors in the yellow, brown, and tan range. The variations depend on the mordants used, and the number of times the fabric is dipped. Marigolds can also be used as an overdye with indigo to produce various shades of teal and blue.

Good growth and flower buds in September

Closer look at the marigold flower buds

I've been collecting the flowers and drying them over the last month. As with the coreopsis, the flowers are quite small, and I'm not sure how much color they will yield. Next time I'll try planting Tagetes erecta, which has larger flowers. They were not available from Renee's Garden back in April due to supply chain problems, but I'm looking forward to trying both and comparing!

First flowers in mid-September

Seeds to Dye For: September Check In

Back in April, I sowed seeds for a few dye plants in containers (see Seeds to Dye For). The calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) have already run their course. I've collected and dried blossoms for a dye project, and am drying a few seeds for the birds and for planting. Now the coreopsis seeds (Coreopsis x hybrida) are coming into their own. Their yellow and red faces are quite cheerful, and provide great transition color as fall approaches.

Coreopsis x hybrida

According to Botanical Colors, coreopsis flowers produce a bronzy-orange dye, and a more reddish shade with a pinch of soda ash added to the bath. Sounds lovely, but so far I'm not sure the flower yield will be enough for much of a dye project. I'll still collect and dry the flowers as they pass their prime, and see what happens!

Tall, lanky coreopsis

Heliotropic faces following the sun

My plants are quite tall and lanky, with a feathery, tiered leaf pattern that is quite lovely. They must be heliotropic, as their flower heads all face in one direction. I haven't seen any butterflies so far, but many insects pause on their flowers, including a tiny lady bug that was about the same size as the flower bud.

Ladybug rests on the bud (a little blurry, but so cute I couldn't resist)

Seeds to Dye For: July Check In

 Three months a ago I sowed the seeds for a few dye plants in our Oakland garden (see Seeds to Dye For). So far the calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) are showing the most promise. Our weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area has been ideal for them, since they bloom best in cool weather, and our temperature has been in the low to mid-70s all summer.

Calendula officinalis

I planted Orange & Lemon Twist (Butterfly Calendula Mix) and Flashback Calendula (Butterfly Mix), and the flowers are cheery shades of yellow and orange. According to Mother Earth News, calendula flowers produce light, lemon yellows, olive-browns, and light browns, depending on the fabric and mordant used.

Orange & Lemon Twist (left container) and Flashback Calendula (right container)

The plants are really packed in their containers, since I failed to thin the seedlings as recommended. They get a good supply of water applied to the soil, and not splashed on the  leaves, to reduce the chance of mildew. The lower leaves are showing signs of yellowing and wilt so I may be overwatering them (I am notorious for killing plants with kindness).

Yellow calendula

Following recommendations on the web, I've started gathering flowers, just as they pass their prime. Most information say to dry the flowers, but my method of freezing flowers has worked on other projects. With a second sowing possible in late summer, I should be able to gather enough petals with which to experiment! Stay tuned!

Orange calendula

Seeds to Dye For

This year we're focusing on our little plot of land here in the Oakland hills, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. I plan to dye fabric using plants that are already growing on the property (and am anticipating many shades of brown)! To mix things up, I've ordered seeds from Renee's Garden for annuals that are known to be good for dyeing, including marigold (Tagetes spp.), calendula (Calendula spp.), and coreopsis (Coreopsis spp).

Planning

So far I've planted the calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) since they bloom best in cool weather. The flowers are typically shades of yellow and orange. I ordered Orange & Lemon Twist and Flashback Calendula. According to Mother Earth News, calendula flowers produce light, lemon yellows, olive-browns, and light browns (depending on the fabric and mordant used). 

Calendula seeds sown in early April

The seeds sprouted within a week (along with quite a few tiny mushrooms). The sprouts range from 2 to 3 inches tall and are quite gangly. I'm notorious for killing sprouts with kindness by overwatering, so am attempting to restrain myself. 

Orange & Lemon Twist on the left, Flashback Calendula on the right

Stay tuned - we'll see how it goes!

Fiendishly Fertile

Most of the time when you cut into a grapefruit, you find a few seeds that you can easily flick away with the tip of your knife. I was surprised to cut into this grapefruit and see all of these seeds!

Seeds galore

Eager to get on with my breakfast, I didn't stop to count the seeds. But later wondered - how many seeds does a grapefruit produce? Was this an anomaly, or routine for some grapefruit varieties?

Turns out, some grapefruit (Citrus x. paradisi) can be seedless or nearly seedless, others may have up to 90 seeds! Learn more from Fruits of Warm Climates, by Julia F. Morton, the Rutaceae section: https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/grapefruit.html. Although this grapefruit appears fiendishly fertile, it may only be about average!

Native Plant Propagation Workshop

I recently attended a native plant propagation workshop sponsored by Bring Back the Natives. After last year's focus on pollination and plant propagation, the workshop sounded like a good next step. Judy Addler teaches "California native plant propagation: How to create native plants from seeds, cuttings, and divisions". Judy is a passionate sustainable gardener and educator, with an experimental garden in Walnut Creek. She loves to teach kids and adults about native plants, biodiversity, ecology, and sustainable gardening.

Judy prepping for the workshop

Native seeds used for plant propagation

In the outdoor workshop, we learned about seed propagation, seed collection, and the importance of seed saving. We toured the dry garden that Judy has developed over the last 20 years, the teaching garden close to the nearby elementary school, and her personal test garden with its fruit trees, chickens, and water harvesting.

Dividing bunch grass for propagation

Native elderberry started from woody cuttings

Scions for edible walnuts may be grafted on to hardy native root stock

Judy demonstrated her approach to plant propagation – collecting seeds for later planting or just tossing them nearby the parent; dividing bunch grass and sticking the divisions in the ground; pinching off soft and hardwood cuttings for replanting; describing how English walnut scions were grafted onto native walnut root stock; layering native honeysuckle and grape vines; and sticking woody stems in the ground to sprout roots from the nodes.

Milkweed, favored by migrating Monarch butterflies, propagate through underground runners

Coyote bush (foreground) are dioecious so propagate with this in mind

Layering was used to start the native honeysuckle and grape vines on the fence

The whole-time Judy layers in information about observing the land, taking clues from nature, and using native plants to create a wildlife habitat. Her approach is fearless and experimental (not a root hormone or coddled plant in sight). We left with our collection bags full and ready to try it for ourselves. I highly recommend this workshop, and any other offered by Bring Back the Natives.

Ready to propagate plants collected in Walnut Creek

Sex in the Garden: Wrap Up

Understand the seed-to-seed life cycle of plants, learn how to clone plants through cuttings, division, and runners, and enjoy a few curiosities of the natural world.

Propagating succulents

Getting Started

Learn the basics about the life cycle of plants.

Sex in the Garden
Birds and Bees – Flower Parts
Birds and Bees – Pollinators
Birds and Bees – Fertilization
Birds and Bees – Seeds
Birds and Bees – Germination
Birds and Bees – Fruit Development

Plant Propagation

Increase your plant population by cloning what you have, using cuttings, runners, and division; and zoom in on a gallery of seeds from Alaska and California.

Plant Propagation – Cutting
Plant Propagation – Runners
Plant Propagation – Dividing
Seed Gallery (Alaska Ark)
Seed Gallery (California Ark)

What's Blooming?

Observe the natural bloom cycle of favorite Bay Area plants from January through June.

What's Blooming in January?
What's Blooming in February?
What's Blooming in March?
What's Blooming in April?
What's Blooming in May?
What's Blooming in June?

Curiosities

Enjoy several curiosities of the natural world.

Discriminating Squirrels
Zooming In
Twin Corn

Books

Learn more about how to grow and propagate plants.

Grow Your Own Plants

Seed Gallery (Alaska Ark)

I am taking advantage of my dad’s latest project of collecting seeds from all over the Western United States, by photographing some of the seeds using my Plugable Digital Microscope (a gift from my wonderful husband). Together we’re creating an informal ark of seeds and images!

Below is another gallery of seeds, this time collected from my folk’s garden in Southeast Alaska. As we’ve discussed before, gardening is tricky in Southeast Alaska because of the short growing season (albeit long summer days), and lots of rain, but my mom and dad have a beautiful garden every summer. See: Little House in Southeast Alaska, and Rainforest Gardening.

This time I scrapped the light table to illuminate the seeds from below, but am still experimenting with lighting and focusing techniques from above [compare with Seed Gallery (California Ark)]. These seeds are quite small, so I’m providing individual and group shots. Note that these seeds are not Alaska natives (although there is a native dandelion subspecies—ssp. ceratophorum). Still, the plants are hardy enough to survive the rigors of Southeast Alaska, so they are included in the Alaska ark!

Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove seeds and dried leaf bit; 1/4 inch grid)	Foxglove (group shot)
Leucanthemum x superba (Shasta Daisy seeds and dried flower bit)	Shasta Daisy (group shot)
Taraxicum officinale (Dandelion seeds and parachutes)	Dandelion (group shot)

HTML Tables

Seed Gallery (California Ark)

For the last year or so, my dad (the consummate naturalist and forester) has been working on a seed gathering project. Collecting seeds is a great idea, both for plant propagation in our gardens, and for preservation. Seed banks help preserve genetic diversity, provide a source for plant breeders, protect heritage plant varieties, and provide a seed source in case of natural disasters or war. In my dad’s case, I suspect he is just having pure, science fun!

Here is a gallery of some of the seeds collected throughout California. The pictures are taken with my Plugable Digital Microscope. I’m still working on techniques for using the tool to take botanical photos. In this case, I tried using a light table below the seed, but not sure it adds much (compare with Zooming In).

Pimpenella anisum (Anise)	Encelia farinose (Brittle Bush)
Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm)	Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)
Marah macrocarpus (Wild Cucumber)	Unidentified - grass-like plant

HTML Tables