Botrychium ascendens W. H. Wagner, a species commonly found throughout western North America, east to central Alberta, with an outlier collection from northern Ontario (Wagner and Wagner, 1993). Wagner and Wagner (1990) tentatively reported a 1985 Britton and Anderson collection from Fogo Island in Newfoundland as Botrychium campestre W.H. Wagner & Farrar. The Wagners were uncertain because the pressed material was scanty. They wished to see a larger collection to study the morphological variation in the population. A traditional problem in the elucidation of species in Botrychium subgenus Botrychium is that much herbarium material consists of only one to a few plants, these often folded or shriveled, and thus difficult to classify. The most useful samples have leaves pressed with all pinnae flat and clearly visible, and have a minimum of 10-20 plants showing the variability within the population. (Underground parts are not diagnostic in moonwort species identification. Carefully harvesting the above-ground leaf by cutting at ground level allows the below-ground bud to produce new leaves in subsequent years.) Limited samples fail to show typical population variation, and if the individual specimens are small, they may resemble juvenile or small plants of other taxa. Diagnostic features observable in the field, such as stature, color, fleshiness and luster, are rarely noted by collectors on museum labels.

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Sedum rupestre L. and its close relatives (Sedum series Rupestria) are native to europe. adventive populations in North america were studied both in the field and the herbaria. our results exclude S. rupestre L. and include recognition of two additional taxa on the continent, which are distinguished with keys and illustrations: Sedum forsterianum documented as a naturalized species in the United States, from Washington, and in British Columbia, Canada and Sedum thartii, naturalized in Colorado, Maine, ohio, oregon, Washington and ontario, Canada. a lectotype is established for S. forsterianum.

Carex orestera Zika (Cyperaceae) is described from western North America and is endemic to five counties in central and southern California in the Sierra Nevada range and the adjacent White Mountains. The taxon is separable from C. albonigra Mack, in its more lanceolate to oblong scales with a conspicuous pale midvein and relatively narrower perigynia. The new species is sectional key is provided for these sedges in

Naturalized Ilex cujuifoliwu L. (English holly) was first collected in the Pacific Northwest in 1953, based on herbarium records. Field surveys showed it is now commonly naturalized from northwestern California to coastal British Columbia. Ilex crenata Thunb. and /. opcica Alton were also found growing outside of cultivation, but rarely. A key and seed illustrations are provided to distinguish these three Ilex species. Between 2003 and 2006 twice-weekly visits to naturalized and cultivated hollies in Seattle revealed seven species of birds disseminating seeds by eating the fruits. American robins, Tiirdus niigratorius, accounted for 96% of 2796 frugivory observations on /. aquifoliunu followed by European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris (3.2%). Ilex aquijoliuin fruits ripened in October and persisted for six months, yet 99% of all fruit was consumed between November and February. A study of /. aquifoliuiii seed fate found pre-dispersal diurnal seed predation was rarely observed. Birdregurgitated seed was more frequently attacked by nocturnal rodents in a sheltered forested setting in Clark Co., Washington (39% losses), compared to an exposed urban setting in Seattle (2% losses). The percentage of viable seed surviving rodent attack was higher in the urban sample (66%) than in the forest sample (24%). Commercial and ornamental use of /. aquifoliwn is extensive in the coastal region and less-invasive alternatives should be considered, to provide food and cover for urban avians without degrading natural areas.

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