<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Butternut is also a medicinal plant!
So, I thought I'd throw this e-mail on this list, too (see below).
If anyone has info or insights for this researcher, please contact
him directly.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><b><i>For a list of some of the butternut
species that are native to North America, see:</i></b></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#333333 face="Verdana"><b>NatureServe Explorer</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"> http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"> Type
"juglans" into the 'Species Quick Search' </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Hit "Go"</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><b><i>For info on some medicinal uses
of butternut, see:</i></b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><b>Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical
Databases</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ethnobot.html</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Type "juglans"</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Submit</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><b>University of Michigan Native American
Ethnobotany database:</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">http://herb.umd.umich.edu/</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Type "juglans"</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Hit "Go"</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Thanks,</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Patricia</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.<br>
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority<br>
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group<br>
US Fish & Wildlife Service<br>
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110<br>
Arlington, VA 22203<br>
703-358-1708 x1753<br>
FAX: 703-358-2276<br>
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural resources.<br>
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal><br>
</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#800080 face="sans-serif">----- Forwarded by Patricia
De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 08/08/2008 10:04 AM -----</font>
<br>
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<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Larry Morse"
<larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net></b> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: native-plants-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">08/08/2008 05:53 AM</font>
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<div align=center><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Please respond to<br>
larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net</font></div></table>
<br>
<td width=59%>
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<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">"PCA Native Plants List" <native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org></font>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
<td>
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<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">[PCA] Butternuts -- Extant sites wanted
by USFS</font></table>
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<td></table>
<br></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=1> </font>
<br><font size=1> </font>
<br><font size=1>----- Original Message ----- </font>
<br><font size=1><b>From:</b> </font><a href=mailto:woeste@purdue.edu><font size=1 color=blue><u>Woeste,
Keith E</u></font></a><font size=1> </font>
<br><font size=1><b>To: </b></font><a href="mailto:Larry.E.Morse@lem-natural-diversity.com"><font size=1 color=blue><u>Larry.E.Morse@lem-natural-diversity.com</u></font></a>
<br><font size=1><b>Sent:</b> 8/7/2008 10:02:48 PM </font>
<br><font size=1><b>Subject:</b> butternuts</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Dear Larry;</font>
<p><font size=2>I am a Forest Service tree breeder and conservation geneticist
working at the USDA Forest Service Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center in West Lafayette, IN. The Forest Service has become increasingly
concerned that butternut canker has led to a serious population decline
for butternut. Regeneration for this species has been extremely poor.
As a consequence, a program to collect and preserve a sample of
the butternut germplasm has been started. This year we hope to obtain
seeds from as many butternuts as possible. We (myself and a small
group of Forest Service scientists) are looking for any and all trees,
not just trees that look healthy or have good form because the goal is
to sample the genetic diversity of the species as broadly as possible.</font>
<p><font size=2>The first step in our project is to simply identify living
trees. That part has been a challenge in the eastern U.S. for two
reasons; first, there are simply not a lot of butternuts left. The
second challenge is that the most commonly encountered “butternuts” are
actually hybrids between butternut and heartnut (a.k.a. Japanese walnut,
<i>Juglans ailantifolia</i>), a species introduced in the 1860s. Hybrids
were widely planted as yard trees on farms and in small towns across the
species' range. We also find the hybrids in church yards and cemeteries.
Hybrids are starting to invade the forest because seed collectors
pick them up as “butternut” seeds. We have a DNA-based test that
allows us to separate hybrids from true butternuts. There are morphological
traits that can be used to separate butternuts from hybrids, but they are
tricky. I can send more information on this if you want to see it.</font>
<p><font size=2>Our long-term goals are </font>
<p><font size=2> 1. Conservation
of as much of the genetic diversity of the species as we can obtain.</font>
<p><font size=2>
2. Production of seed orchards of disease resistant butternut that would
be locally adapted (one per state) and genetically diverse. We have
some excellent candidate resistant butternuts that we will use as a source
of genes for this phase. </font>
<p><font size=2>We need local germplasm to carry out these objectives.
</font>
<p><font size=2>So here is what we are am asking people to do. If
you know the location of butternut trees in your area, please send me a
note of where the tree or trees are, if possible with gps coordinates,
otherwise with section, range, township, etc. If the tree is on private
property, identify the landowner if possible. If the trees are in
the forest, they are probably butternuts rather than hybrids. If
the trees were planted or in a heavily human-impacted area such as a reclamation
site or a park, they are probably hybrids, which we can’t use. If
you are interested, we have a testing lab here and I can send a protocol
for submitting samples. The testing is done under a program funded
by us and the Nature Conservancy.</font>
<p><font size=2>Next; a second goal is to propagate the trees. Again,
we are interested in any and all trees, not just healthy ones or trees
with nice form. Most of the trees people find now will be sick and
on their way out. The easiest way for us to preserve their genetics
is to obtain seeds this fall (if any). Having the tree locations will give
us a shot at seeds over the next few years. If you or the landowner
might be able to pick some seeds up, that is great. The amount of staff
time I can dedicate to travel for harvesting seeds is limited, and
I have to cover the entire range of the species. Anyway, if there
are no seeds or the seeds can’t be easily obtained, the hard way is to
propagate them with grafts. We graft trees every winter. If
you can find butternuts, and we can arrange to get the scion wood, we will
graft them for long-term maintenance. </font>
<p><font size=2>That’s the story. If there are ways you think you
can help, please let us know. Thank you very much for taking the
time to read this long letter. </font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Yours sincerely,</font>
<br><font size=2>Keith Woeste</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Keith Woeste</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">USDA Forest Service</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Department of Forestry and Natural Resources</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Pfendler Hall</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Purdue University</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">715 West State Street</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">West Lafayette IN 47907-2061</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">web: http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/fnr/HTIRC/woeste.html</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">phone: 765-496-6808</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">email: </font><a href=mailto:woeste@purdue.edu target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>woeste@purdue.edu</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
or </font><a href=mailto:kwoeste@fs.fed.us target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>kwoeste@fs.fed.us</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">fax: 765-494-9461 </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Larry Morse</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Washington, D.C.</font>
<br><a href=mailto:larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">(</font><a href="mailto:Larry.E.Morse@LEM-Natural-Diversity.com"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Larry.E.Morse@LEM-Natural-Diversity.com</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">)</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">(202)-543-2488</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">< </font><a href="http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
></font><tt><font size=2><br>
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