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Articles
Studying the Frigid Shootingstar Some rare plants are more difficult to study than others. Dodecatheon austrofrigidum, the frigid shootingstar, is one such species. Many people are familiar with its relatives: D. jeffreyi, Jeffrey's shootingstar, is common to meadows in the Cascades and D. meadia is a popular garden plant. Shootingstars belong to the primrose family, Primulaceae.
Jeffrey's shootingstar is relatively easy to find in the wild. Dodecatheon austrofrigidum, however, is known from only seven locations, most of which are difficult to reach. Inhabiting steep basalt slopes along rivers and ridges in western Oregon and Washington, it must be remarkably tough to survive at all. Its roots cling to the exposed rocky slopes, which usually support little or no soil. Each spring plants living near river edges are subjected to floods and scouring by river debris. In some locations nearby logging causes significant erosion, creating additional problems for the plants.
In order to study frigid shootingstars, researchers must be tough as well. Currently, the Berry Garden is working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to monitor one of two populations under BLM management. They selected this population for study because it is easiest to access. Even so, it is necessary to hike along a blackberry and nettle-lined trail and then wade along the edges of a swiftly running river. We do the majority of our research on D. austrofrigidum in the spring when rivers are high and currents fast. The only alternate routes traverse a steep rock wall, slick with rainwater and algae. Usually we wear extra layers of clothes to keep warm and carry bulky field equipment, lunches and drinking water. Traveling involves a precarious balancing act and more than one researcher has slipped into waist-deep frigid water.
Once at the site, we assess individual plants in permanent study plots. We measure them, record their locations and count the flowers. Each flowering stalk is identified with a unique combination of colored embroidery thread. Later we return and note each flower's fate: whether it produced a fruit, was eaten, or withered.
Dodecatheon austrofrigidum was only described as a distinct and new species in 1979. By monitoring this population over the years, we hope to acquire an understanding of its unique biology and population trends. This understanding will then aid in an effective long-term management plant for this rare and beautiful shootingstar.
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