Page 8 AQUAPHYTE Fall 2007

MARY'S PICKS

 Items of special interest from our reader/cataloger, Mary Langeland ~

* Restoring the Garden of Eden: an ecological assessment The weird, wild, wacky and wonderful world of carnivo-
of the marshes of Iraq. By C.J. Richardson and N.A. Hussain. rous plants: an enrichment course for children ages seven
2006. BioScience 56(6):477-489. through nine. By T.A. Golembiewski. 2005. Acta Botanica Gal-
"These marshes were once the largest wetlands in southwest Asia lica 152(2):251-255.
and covered more than 15,000 square kilometers... less than 10% A course on carnivorous plants is described that is offered an-
of the area remained as functioning marshland by the year 2000." nually at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as part of The
 Young Scholars program for primary school students.
* Shrinking papyrus swamps in Kenya. Percy Fitzpatrick Insti- E-commerce and Cauera: unregulated disersa of ina-
 E-commerce and Caulerpa: unregulated dispersal of inva-
tute, June/July 2005, p. 23. www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za
 u, C/ e, p g .w i fl s i r sive species. By L.J. Walters, K.R. Brown, et al. 2006. Frontiers
 Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) grows in flooded swamps in Africa E 42:-
 in Ecology and the Environment 4(2):.75-79.
and supports a "suite of specialist bird species." In East Africa,d the Envirom n 4 5 7.
these include five restricted-range endemics: Papyrus yellow "Wepurchased Caulerpafrom 30 internet retailersand 60 internet
warbler (Chloropeta gracilirostris), White-winged warbler auction sites representing 25 states and Great Britain. Twelve
warbler (t g ii r ris W -i n d warbler ** different Caulerpa species were confirmed using DNA sequencing.
(Bradypterus carpalis), Papyrus gonolek (Laniarius mufumbiri) different Caulerpa species were conirmed using DNA sequencing.
and Papyrus canary (Serinus koliensis). Two of these are listed as Only 10.6ofsellersprovidedthe correct genus and species names
 with their shipments. Thirty purchases of "live rock" provided
threatened. In Kenya, the three main swamp areas have lost 34 to r poi
50 percent of their area over the past 30 years. four species of Caulerpa, as well as 53 additional marine species."
50 percent of their area over the past 30 years.


Tranquility?
 NOT if you're an aquatic plant manager!!
 Pictured on the cover of this US Airways magazine is
the infamous Salvinia molesta. The issue was discovered
by Mr. Don Doggett of the Lee County Hyacinth Control
District (Florida) as he was flying to the annual meeting
of the Aquatic Plant Management Society in Portland,
Oregon last year. Also in the photograph is another well-
known aquatic weed, Eichhornia crassipes. Fortunately
these invaders are enclosed in an ornamental pond on an
island, and neither species can survive in salt water. But it
is well known that aquatic weed infestation problems often
begin when an attractive, conspicuous lavender flower and
unknowing tourists are involved.
 Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) has long been
cited as one of the ten worst weeds in the world. It wreaks
havoc in the world's great rivers, irrigation and flood con-
trol canals, and reservoirs. A mat of medium-sized plants
may contain as many as two million plants per hectare and
the total wet weight may be 270 to 440 metric tons per
hectare (Holm (1977)).
 Salvinia molesta, a serious weed in approximately two
dozen countries, is known to foul irrigation systems and
navigable streams, interfere with electric power produc-
tion, and threaten rice farming.
 The hotel featured is the Hotel Guanahani and Spa, a
posh resort in St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) in the French West
Indies.
 Holm, L.G., et al. The World's Worst Weeds, Distribution
and Biology. 1977. University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu.