Eugene Weekly : It’s About Time : 8.4.11

By David Wagner

Rhus diversiloba. Poison Oak

Bright summery days inspire us to head outdoors to bask in the aura of abundant, green growth. Most flowers are past their peak of bloom and are setting seeds. Some make juicy berries, some produce capsules that quietly split open when dry. Others are a bit more vigorous in their dispersal. Standing quietly at midday on a hillside of Scots broom when its seed pods are ripe is like listening to a fireworks show. The drying pods gradually build tension between their two valves and when a breaking point is reached, they snap apart with a loud “pop,” sending seeds in all directions. If you are in an area where invasive plants are not to be tolerated, it is a sign that you are too late for broom control this year!

My pole beans are performing as desired, snaking up the poles in right handed spirals. I wonder if all pole beans have right handed spirals, like standard wood screws? As Darwin noted, most species with spiral stems twist in the same way; honey suckle always has a left handed twist, grapes to the right. The wild cucumber tendrils are different because they attach at the tip first, then twist to anchor the stem. To avoid twisting off, they spiral in one direction near the base and then change direction above.

Plant watchers need to be aware of the only serious danger of plant study, poison oak. The best cure is learn and keep away: “Leaflets three, leave them be.”

David Wagner is botanist who lives and works in Eugene. He teaches moss classes and leads nature walks. He may be reached at fernzenmosses@me.com

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!