Medicinal properties of local tree being studied

Rare subspecies found along Pennington, Blue River depends upon aquifer

By Pat Nelson
Latimer County News-Tribune>

(Reprinted by Capital Democrat, December 5-11,2002)

Dr. Stanley Rice, assistant professor of biological sciences at Southeastern Oklahoma State University at Durant, has received notice of approval for a grant to allow further studies of the medicinal properties of the Alnus Maritima, subspecies Oklahomensis, also known as the  Seaside Alder.

According to Rice, Oklahoma is "the number three state (after California and Texas) in the total number of plant species, and number one in the number of plant species relative to its small area."

"One of the most rare and therefore endangered of these plant species is the  Seaside Alder tree," Rice continued, pointing out that the species was first discovered by European botanists in Maryland (along the Chesapeake Bay) a couple of centuries ago, hence the name "Seaside Alder."

While all alders grow in or near the water at the edges of ponds and streams, the Seaside Alder is different from the others, Rice pointed out. "Other alder species produce their flowers... in the spring, but the  Seaside Alder flowers and pollinates in the autumn," Rice said.  "It also has unique leaf and cone shapes."

Rice, who became aware of the subspecies by way of research at Iowa State University, has been working with Judy Williams of SOSU to determine the anti-inflammatory properties of the bark of this tree, and plans to look for anti-cancer properties through cellular research in test tubes.

Previous studies have been performed on shrimp and have shown that the "poison" in the  Seaside Alder (Oklahomensis) is more potent than that of other alders and the willow. Rice explained that the poisonous substances in many plants (like foxglove and belladonna) are used in the production of medicines which cure illness.

Willow bark, it is commonly known, was the first source of the anti-fever and anti-inflammatory drug, aspirin. Rice said his preliminary study shows the extract from the bark of the  Seaside Alder (Oklahomensis), has the ability to kill test organisms.

"The anti-inflammatory properties wouldn't be that remarkable," Rice  said, noting that ibuprofen and other drugs are readily available, "but tests on cancer cells may be noteworthy."

The  Seaside Alder is very rare. Scientists could not find Seaside Alders anywhere else except in the Delmarva Peninsula (east side of Chesapeake Bay, including Delaware and parts of Maryland and Virginia) until a few decades ago (when) a few more were found in Oklahoma along the Blue River and Pennington Creek in Johnston County, Rice said.

Noting that all three subspecies of  Seaside Alders are in danger of extinction, Rice emphasized the distinction between those found in Maryland and Georgia, and Oklahoma's own subspecies. "Just in the past year, research by James Schrader and William Graves of Iowa State University has shown that these three populations are genetically distinct, and should be considered three separate subspecies," Rice said.  "Therefore, if any one of these three populations becomes extinct, it is the loss of an entire subspecies.

"All three subspecies of  Seaside Alders are in danger of extinction, primarily because each of them consists of such a small population. The Oklahoma  Seaside Alder may consist of only a few hundred trees," according to Rice.

Contrary to the impression that the tree is weak or delicate, Rice went on to explain, "They are actually pretty hardy trees. Their stems and trunks grow rapidly, up to a meter a year, from clumps along the rivers and creeks. Floods frequently wash away portions of clumps, but they quickly re-sprout." Explaining that the trees do have seeds and that the
seeds are good and sprout, Rice said that out along the river and creek he has seen only a half dozen seedlings and these have quickly died.

"The only  Seaside Alder trees that exist are from clumps that have been re-sprouting for perhaps hundreds or thousands of years, rather than from seedlings," he said.

While the seeds do germinate and grow under greenhouse conditions, Rice said it wasn't enough to just collect the seeds and grow them.

"The genetic varieties (which naturally occur) are out in the wild. We need a wild population for a continuing source of seeds.

"The trees can survive cold down to -50 degrees (Fahrenheit)" Rice continued, "and are growing in test conditions at Iowa State University.

"It isn't the colder climate conditions that threaten it but it is more related to the tree's ability to survive drought. It needs plenty of water which allows its leaves to cool. Those planted around Lake Texoma all died in the heat."

Along with the potential medicinal benefits, the history of the tree has to be considered. Referring to the "full sun and sopping wet conditions" required for the tree's root system, Rice said they were more common at the end of the last Ice Age, about 7,000 years ago, which might have been when these trees started growing here.

While tests have been done with the bark of the Seaside Alder, the leaves haven't been tested yet, according to Rice, indicating  another potential benefit of this subspecies.

The real extinction danger is related to climate and water resources Rice said.

"In Oklahoma, these trees depend upon having lots of fresh water. They cannot survive in normal soil. Anything that causes the soil to dry up, even a little bit, will kill them. The Oklahoma Seaside Alders, in their native habitats, will die if the Blue River or Pennington Creek dry up, even temporarily.

"Global warming could, therefore, cause the extinction of the Oklahoma  Seaside Alder. Also, the Blue River and Pennington Creek are fed by an underground aquifer. If large amounts of water are removed from this aquifer, the creek and river could dry up, at least temporarily,  even in the absence of global warming."

While the subspecies is not yet listed as an "endangered," species with the federal government, the Oklahoma  Seaside Alder also deserves this kind of protection Rice believes.

David Hoke, assistant project leader at the Reagan National Fish Hatchery  referred to the $200 million project being proposed to pump millions of gallons of water from the Arbuckle/Simpson aquifer to Oklahoma City. "This aquifer is the source for Pennington Creek, as well as the Blue River in this area," Hoke said.

A spokesman for the Oklahoma Woodland Owners' Association observed, "Considering the Oklahoma and Texas annual rainfall, it would seem more logical for Oklahoma City and North Texas to build new reservoirs and leave Southeast Oklahoma's water and underground aquifers alone. If the  Seaside Alder has any medicinal potential at all—and it appears to—then it would be of greater benefit to a larger portion of mankind if this and other species in Southeast Oklahoma were allowed to thrive.

"Diversion of stream and river (surface) water for sale to Texas and the subsequent taking of ground (aquifer) water by Oklahoma City could potentially affect not only the extinction of this one valuable subspecies but of all other known, and still undiscovered, potentially life-saving botanical species."

As Rice observed, "Most Oklahomans do not realize what a treasure of natural diversity their state contains." Bruce Blocker, board member of OWOA from Tishomingo added, "It would be a sad irony if we allowed the only surviving subspecies of a rare and threatened plant, named after the state of Oklahoma, to become forever extinct by the actions of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

"If it is the potential dollar signs our state seeks in selling our water, perhaps we as citizens should tell our legislature and the OWRB about medical research, and the monetary benefits that could potentially be derived from cancer and disease fighting drug manufacturers," Blocker said.

A spokesman for the Sardis Lake Water Authority strongly believes the  Seaside Alder will be lost to Oklahoma due to the proposed water sale.

"Texas has a minimum amount of water they are insisting on or they won't  buy, and it's so much that Oklahoma City won't get any, so they've started going after the aquifer. That's going to dry up Pennington Creek and bring down the water volume in the Blue River as it lowers the underground water table.

"It's no coincidence," he continued, "that the same people were at the legal forum up at O.U. last month attended the Governor's Water Conference."

Describing it as "one-sided," he added, "They should have called it the Governor's Water Sale Conference. Jeff Rabon, Bob Rabon, Wes Watkins, L.V. Watkins... they were all there. I don't think they care about any trees, much less the  Seaside Alder."

To learn more about the tree, contact Dr. Stanley Rice, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, (580) 745-2424 or srice@sosu.edu .
 

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Reagan Fish Hatchery, Tishomingo