The Yearbook “Årringen” 2009

In the 2009 issue, an exciting plant group, the rowans and whitebeams (the genus Sorbus) is given a lot of attention. Per Harald Salvesen has been studying this genus since 1990 and gives an introduction to its strange biology, cultural history, and affinities illustrated with examples from the collections cultivated in the Arboretum at Milde.

Per Magnus Jørgensen has contributed an article on Rhododendron - the genus that continues to surprise us - in which he introduces us to a number of exciting newcomers that flower for the first time in the collections of the Arboretum. It is a pleasure this year that one of the volunteer helpers for many years, former Head of Research at the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute’s district office at Fanaflaten, Bergen, Arnstein Orlund, has set pen to paper and contributes a history of the Araucariaceaea family and a failed contribution to the afforestation of Norway. Dag Olav Øvstedal gives in the best possible way a new view on the Hieracium genus, a botanical crux that has made many people tear their hairs. He has also looked into three historical vegetables that are typical to areas on the western side of the North Atlantic. Bjørn Moe and Dagfinn Moe have together with Anne Rieber looked into some freaks of nature as seen in monstrous flowers of fox gloves and white anemones.

The column ”Flower of the Month” 2008 by Reidun Myking and Bjørn Moe has been cut out from the Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s web pages and included in the yearbook. Then follows the Annual Report for 2008, richly illustrated and a botanical – etymological ”On Language” column by the Leader of  the Friends of the Arboretum, Tor Jan Ropeid. On this occasion, he plunges into the plant names rowan and whitebeam, and manages also a little bit about the bird cherry.