THE INFORMER PAGE 6

DECEMBER 3, 1991

Dr. Penny Le Couteur and Dr. Waworoentoe, head of the
Chemistry Committee, Unsrat, Manado, N. Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Nancy Ricker and Vicky Troup (Biology) did exten-
sive field work in the Whistler area this summer, as
they continue to collect data for their book about the
plants and animals in Whistler valley and the sur-
rounding high country. Despite increasing numbers of
tourists to the Whistler area, there is no book or pam-
phlet to provide such information. Vicky and Nancy
intend to fill this void, as well as to provide more scien-
tific information about the area. They have been con-
ducting field studies in the Cheakamus Lake, Singing
Pass, Russet Lake, Rainbow Lake and Beverly Lake
areas for the past two years. Nancy and Vicky hope
that in another year or two their book, Glimpses of
Nature: Whistler and Its High Country will be available
for Whistler visitors and naturalists.

Keith Wade (Biology), under the auspices of the Van-
couver Botanical Gardens Association, led a two week
botanical study trip to the Hawaiian Islands in June.
Due to their extreme isolation, the Islands have the
largest proportion, over 94%, of endemic plants any-
where on earth. The group visited a young island (Ha-
waii), a “middle-aged” island (Maui) and an old island
(Kauai) to study and compare their endemic floras,
which are best preserved and represented high in the
mountains of each island. The oldest islands have the
greatest diversity of native plants, and consequently
Kauai received the most attention. As a contrast to
their study of native vegetation, the group also visited
several major botanical gardens which specialize in the
introduced plants of the Hawaiian Islands.

Keith Wade (Biology) contributed a requested paper on
Rhododendron lapponicum to the Dunedin Rhododen-
dron Group Journal (New Zealand). Rhododendron
lapponicum is a dwarf Arctic species found in far north-
ern Canada. The paper was an account of the ecology of
this species, which Keith has studied on various field
trips.

Poinsettias, Poinsettias...

History by Les Koskitalo

The Poinsettia or Christmas Star (Euphorbia pluch-
errima) is a winter flowering plant with a fascinating
history. Native to Mexico, this 10- to 12-foot-tall shrub
was grown by the Aztecs long before Christianity came
to the Western Hemisphere. The poinsettia “flower” was
used as a symbol of purity and to make a reddish-purple
dye. The sap of the poinsettia was used as a medicine to
counteract fevers.

Seventh century Franciscan priests in Mexico found
it appropriate to use the poinsettia in Christmas nativ-
ity processions.

In 1825 Joel Robert Poinsett (first U.S. ambassador
to Mexico) introduced the plant into the United States.
However, it was not until the early 1900s that commer-
cial production began.

Thanks to recent plant breeding programs today’s
poinsettias come in a wide range of reds, whites, pinks,
yellows and novelty colors.

Poinsettia Facts

The showy red portion of the plant, popularly
referred to as the flower, consists of modified leaves or
bracts. The berries of the poinsettia constitute the
actual flower. The sap is actually a sticky natural
rubber or latex.

To flower, the poinsettia needs 14 hours of complete
darkness each 24 hours for six to seven weeks.

The poinsettia “flower” is unbelievably long lasting,
up to six months.

Poinsettias are not poisonous. In spite of the widely
held belief, the plant will not kill you if ingested. The
Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation and Ohio State
University have done research which demonstrates
there is no toxicity. A 50 pound child would have to eat
1-1/4 lbs of poinsettia bracts before becoming ill.

Capilano College Poinsettias

This year’s Capilano College Poinsettia crop has
received lots of TLC. The students and instructors of the
Applied Landscape Horticulture program have grown
the plants from start to finish. Each night for the past
two months the poinsettias been “put to bed” at 4:30
p.m. and “awakened” at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. The
greenhouse is blacked out with an automated black-
cloth shade system.

These spectacular poinsettias will be on sale Dec. 10
from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Horticulture Building ,
North Campus, Room G112.

Early order forms can be picked up and returned to
the reception area of C Building, 3rd floor, north end.