front&center: John Pelton

Benton man discovers rare wonders of nature

By WAYNE BRYAN Staff Writer

Photo by Rusty Hubbard

John Pelton of Benton is well-known among the state's scientific community. Pelton, a published nature photographer, was honored after discovering a rare flower in Saline County by having the plant named after him. The pinkish-purple flower is now known as Pelton's rose-gentian.

ADVERSTISMENT

TRI-LAKES AREA — For a man who says things just happened in his life, John Pelton of Benton has created a notable body of work that blends both art and science and made unique and unexpected discoveries - much of it after retirement.

Since retiring from Alcoa in 1992, the soft-spoken former mechanic and outdoorsman is a respected member of the state’s scientific community, a published nature photographer and a well-known finder of rare and even unknown plants.

One June day, Pelton was walking among some rocky outcroppings in Saline County and found a fluorescent pinkish-purple flower, about ankle high. It is an attractive flower, with five fuchsia petals that have yellow pollen guides forming a star in the center. The amateur botanist identified the flower as a rose-gentian, but admitted he could not figure out the species from his own research.

In 2001, he shared his find with Theo Witsell of the Arkansas Heritage Commission, who explained Pelton’s inability to match this flower by confirming that it was a species new to science and so far, found only in Saline County. The flower, with the scientificname Sabatia arkansana debuted with its official description in the botany journal Sida in August 2005.

To honor its discoverer, the flower’s common name will always be Pelton’s rose-gentian.

Pelton is understandably proud of his discovery, and a large picture of the first sample he found hangs in his home, but he also puts his find in perspective.

“The f lower doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to God,” Pelton said.

When it was proposed that a Latinized form of his name be used as the scientific name for the flower hebalked, saying it should reflect the name of the state where it was found.

This was not Pelton’s first remarkable plant discovery. Over the years he as found several rare species, some of which were not believe to grow where they were found.

On one expedition, Pelton found a plant known as Dutchman’s Britches in Saline County.

“It is usually found deep in the Ozarks and is not known here,” he said. “I could not believe my eyes when I found it.”

Pelton has found plants that have not been spotted in years. He said his best discoveries have come unexpectedly.

“You go looking for one thing and then find something rare, something entirely different,” Pelton said. “Lots of things just fell into place. Looking back on my journey, a lot of things just sort of happened.”

Pelton’s story of his life and the development of his talents does carry a theme of good luck and being at the right place at the right time, but it also hints of plenty of hard work and study.

After serving in the Marine Corps for a year at the close of World War II, Pelton used his G.I. benefits to attend school at Arkansas Tech. Being a farm boy, hestudied agriculture for a while, then switched to science.

“I figured everything was based on science, so t hat would give me a good background,” Pelton said.

After earning an associate’s degree, he worked for an uncle in construction. Then he found work at Alcoa.

“I helped build the plant and then worked there all my life,” he said.

Actually there was plenty of life left ahead for him.

Pelton got interested in photography in his 40s and would bring his camera along on fishing and hunting trips.

“If it was raining or the fish weren’t biting, I’d walk around with the camera. I had to have something to do,” he said.

When a fishing trip near Brady Mountain turned into a walk with his camera, Pelton found a plant he didn’t recognize and he called the Nature Conservancy. The plant turned out to be a relatively rare plant with the interesting name of False Bugbane. Pelton got to know some of the botanists with the organization. With some study, along with his science background, his photography and his lifetime of knowledge of the land and growing things, his treks into the countryside literally focused to finding rare plants.

Yet Pelton holds tightly to his amateur status.

“I am not a scientist,” he said. “I am just a helper to the professionals in a field I love and support.”

For all his skills, Pelton is still amazed at the trained eye of the professional naturalist.

“I was walking once with a scientist from the Conservancy when he pointed out a plant,” Pelton said. “He identified it as the Late Blooming Celestial Lilly from just a little dry stem that wasn’t greened out yet. That is the kind of experts I have the pleasure to be associated with in this field.”

Ye t t hos e ex per t s a nd other amateurs respect Pelton’s knowledge and abilities enough to have elected himpresident of a native plant society.

On his photography, Pelton said he feels lucky to be able see a plant or a place and capture its beauty.

“It is a fleeting moment of time,” he said. “If you came back later what you found m i g ht b e g row n over or gone.”

Yet it is more than just luck, it is knowing the territory and the season. Autumn is the best time for nature photography, Pelton said.

Two week s a go Pelton spent a day walking around Fork Mou nta i n, nea r t he Perry-Saline County line. He was observing the sun angles, searching for just the right view and the right time to take his pictures.

Pelton has sold some of hisnature pictures and recently created a series of keepsake photos sold to raise funds for Salem United Methodist Church, where he attends. He said mass marketing his photos or producing some of the rare plants for sales would not be right.

“This isn’t profit-oriented,” he said. “I just live my life and help all I can.” - wbryan@ arkansasonline.commatter of factBirthday: Feb. 18, 1929 Birthplace: Saline County, near Salem community Occupation: Helper for professionals in natural science Family includes: Wife, Frances, daughters Belinda and Mary, and a son, Mark When I was young I wanted to: Hunt and fish, I just loved being in the woods.

I can’t live without: Sustenance, I don’t need anything else A quote I live by is: “For the beauty of the Earth and the glory of the skies, Lord to you we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.” From the hymn “The Beauty of the Earth”

Tri-Lakes, Pages 140 on 11/08/2009