. . dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora” Volume 22 Number 5 Workshop Edition September — October 1998 Colorado Native Plant Society Workshops Workshop Committee The Colorado Native Plant Society work- istrants will receive notice by mail regard- shopr series was established in 1985 to pro- ing location, time, lunch, references, and vide members with wintertime activities supplies, as well as a list of other registrants when field trips are impractical. Workshops to encourage carpooling. The fee for each bring native plant lovers together with a workshop is $12 for CoNPS members and well-informed instructor who may have $24 for non-members ($12 for the work- herbarium specimens, live plants, pho- shop and $12 to join the Society). Payment ^^^^^graphs, keys, and other inaterials avail- is made on the day of the workshop, able for hands-on study, in addition to con- siderable personal experience. The opportu- Workshops have been very popular in the nity to receive one-on-one instruction and past, with multiple sessions frequently informative lectures has made the workshop scheduled to meet demand, or with long series one of the most popular Native Plant waiting lists for those seats available. Society programs. Attendees need no spe- However, no-shows have been a problem, cial skills or background; a love of plants There are a limited number of seats avail- and a desire to learn are the only prerequi- able in the rooms in which these workshops sites. There are no exams, grades, or home- are held, and we are holding one of these work; and working together is encouraged, t^^ats for you. If you find that you CANNOT The goal is to demystify plant identification attend a workshop for which you are regis- and to enhance in all of us our enjoyment tered, please call and cancel your registra- and understanding of Colorado's native flora. as soon as possible! To register for workshops, please call (303) Long-time members of CoNPS may recall 665-6903 — a local call in metro Denver- *at Bill Jennings did much the work of Boulder— and leave a message on the organizing, taking registrations, sending answering machine. You may also register “Workshops ” continues on page by writing Bill Jennings, P.O. Box 952, Louisville, CO 80027. However you regis- ter, be sure to provide your name, address, telephone number (including area code!), and those workshops you wish to attend. If multiple sessions are scheduled, please indi- ate preference. Receipt of your request will C^e acknowledged within a few days follow- ing registration. ^ About ten days prior to the workshop, reg- Contents About the Society .2 Announcements . . ............. .2, 5 Articles . . . . . . ...1,4 Calendar . 6 Chapter News i .......... .5 Workshops • • • 3-4 notices, taking payments, providing refresh- ments, as well as teaching occasional work- shops. We encourage other CoNPS mem- bers to join the Workshop Committee and help ensure the continuation of the program. Any and all help is always appreciated. Volunteers are needed to lead workshops, particularly for those plant families with few representatives in Colorado. If you have a favorite plant family or genus, or if there is a family or genus about which you wish to know more, consider leading a workshop on the topic . Refer to the books pf Dr. William A. Weber '{Colorado Flora: East Slope, for example) to determine the number of species in a given family or genus. Full-day workshops dedicated to a single family or genus usually cover 15 to 30 species; a half-day workshop is practical for seven to 15 species. Call Bill Jennings to find out what is involved in preparing a workshop. If you volunteer NOW, you will have ail winter to work in the herbarium, Page 2 Aquilegia Vol. 22 No. 5 Breeding Bird Atlas Out This Fall ^ The Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas, ten years in the making and well worth the wait, will be available this fall! This 600-page book describes the breeding distribution and biology of 265 species of birds that breed in Colorado. The atlas has chapters on Colorado ecosystems; post- settlement changes to Colorado habitats; Colorado ornithologists; and a 16-page folio with color photographs of Colorado habitats, nests, nestlings, and fledglings. Species accounts describe habitats, breeding cycles, and distributions for all birds that breed in Colorado. Each account also maps the Colorado breeding distribution, charts habitats that species use, and depicts dates of breeding activity. Sketches revealing breeding behavior for each species are by Pueblo artist Radeaux, as is the painting featured on the the book cover. The book carries a list price of $34.95. However, until November 1, 1998, you may order at a $5.00 discount; just send a check for $34.95 ($29.95 plus $5.00 handling) to the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation, PO Box 211512, Denver 80221. “Workshops ” continued from page 1 next summer to spend in the field, and tb^ following fall to organize your progra , before presentation as part of the 1999-2000 workshop schedule. Remember, on the day of the workshop, no one will know more about the topic than you! It takes considerable time and effort for instructors to plan and develop workshops or field trips. Please let us know how you like the activities offered by CoNPS. We need your suggestions for future workshops and field trips. We appreciate feedback on whether you find them informative and exciting, or dull and uninteresting. See page three for a complete list of workshops. Colorado Native Plant Society The Colorado Native Plant Society is a non- profit organization dedicated to the apprecia- tion and conservation of the Colorado native flora. Membership is open to all with an inter- est in our native plants, and is composed of plant enthusiasts both professional and non- professional. Please join us in helping to encourage interest in enjoying and protecting Colorado's native plants. The Society sponsors field trips, work- shops, and other activities through local chap- ters and statewide. Contact the Society, a chap- ter representative, or committee chair for more information. Schedule of Membership Fees Life $250 Supporting $50 Organization $30 Family or Dual . . $15 Individual . . . . .$12 Student or Senior $8 Membership Renewal/Information Please direct all membership application, renewals, and address changes to the Membership Chairperson, Colorado Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 200, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Please direct all other inquiries regarding the Society to the Secretary at the same address. Aquilegia is published four to six times per year by the Colorado Native Plant Society. This newsletter is available to members of the Society and to others with an interest in native plants. Contact the Society for subscription information. Articles for Aquilegia may be used by other native plant societies or non- profit groups if fully cited to author and attrib- uted to Aquilegia. Newsletter Contributions Please direct all contributions to the newsletter to: Leo P. Bruederle Department of Biology Campus Box 171 University of Colorado at Denver P.O. Box 173364 Denver, CO 80217-3364 E-Mail: Ibrueder® carbon.cudenver.edu Short items such as unusual information about a plant, a little known botanical term, etc., are especially welcome. Previously published arti- cles submitted for reprinting require permis- sion from the original editor. Camera-ready line art or other illustrations are also solicited. Please include author's name and address, although items will be printed anonymously if requested. Articles submitted via e-mail or on disks (MAC preferably, or IBM) are appreciat- ed. Please indicate word processing software and version. Officers President ...... . Jeff Dawson. . . . 303-722-6758 Vice-President . . . DaVe Buckner . . 303-494-3231 Secretary Alice Guthrie. . . 303-651-3127 Treasurer Denise Culver . . 970-225-1930 Board of Directors Bill Jennings (99). Louisville 303-666-8348 Andy Kratz (99). Lakewood 303-914-829) Eric Lane (99) . . . Lakewood ..... 303-239-4181^ Paula Lehr (99) . . Gunnison 970-641-0671 Don Parker (99) . . Golden. . 303-279-4549 Leo Bruederle (98)Denver 303-556-3419 Kathy Carsey (98) Boulder . 303-443-6736 Chris Pague (98) . Boulder. 303-444-2985 ext 105 Carol Spurrier (98) Lakewood ..... 303-274-6905 Chapter Presidents Boulder Carolyn Crawford303-666-8348 Metro-Denver . . . Denise Larson . . 303-733-4338 Fort Collins Don Hazlett .... 970-834-1493 Yamparika Reed Kelley 970-878-4666 Plateau Gretchen Van Reyper. . . 970-835-3268 Southwest ...... Sandy Friedley. . 970-884-9245 Committees Communications , Leo P. Bruederle 303-556-3419 and . Jeff Dawson . . . 303-722-6758 Conservation .... Bob Clarke 303-449-3041 Education Rob Reinsvold . . 970-351-2716 and . Joyce Gellhom . 303-442-8123 Field Trips . . . . . . Rick Brune 303-238-5078 Field Studies .... Loraine Yeatts . . 303-279-3427 Hort/Restoration. . Lisa Tasker 303-447-9431 Legislative Affairs VACANT Membership Myma Steinkamp and . Sue Martin. .... 970-226-337 Publicity VACANT Workshops Bill Jennings . . . 303-666-8348 Vol. 22 No. 5 Aquilegia Page 3 :1998-1999 CoNPS WORKSHOPS ^ THE HELLEBORACEAE IN COLORADO Leaders: Bill Jennings and Bob Nold Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder First session: Saturday, November 7, 1998 Second session: Sunday, November 8, 1998 Our first workshop of the season will cover the Helleboraceae, a group segregated from the Ranunculaceae by virtue of their fol- licular fruit, as opposed to achenes found among the remaining members of the Ranunculaceae. Genera in this family occurring in Colorado are: Aconitum, Actaea, Aquilegia, Delphinium, Psychwphila, and Trollius. Only Aquilegia and Delphinium have more than one representative each in Colorado. Bob will cover Aquilegia and Bill will cover Delphinium. Although Aquilegia, of course, comprises the beloved columbines and Delphinium, the larkspurs, identification of species in these two genera can be problematic. Bob will also discuss their cultivation. THE POACEAE: HOW TO KNOW THE TRIBES IN THE GRASS FAMILY Leader: Dr. David Buckner Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder First session: Saturday, December 5, 1998 Second session: Sunday, December 6, 1998 In this workshop, Dave will discuss the structure of various nat- ural groups within the grass family and how they can be identi- fied. The grass family is so large that, without some understand- ing of the tribes within the family, identification of an individual grass becomes a formidable challenge. Keys to the tribes and gen- era will be available as handouts. Specimens of many grasses will be available for study. Every Colorado botanist should have a working knowledge of the grass family. Come and refine your grass identification skills. CHENOPODIACEAE: THE GOOSEFOOT FAMILY Leader: Dr. Hugh Wilson Location: University of Colorado, Boulder First session: Saturday, January 16, 1999 Second session: Sunday, January 17, 1999 The Colorado Native Plant Society's first out-of-state workshop leader is Dr. Hugh Wilson of Texas A&M University. Dr. Wilson co-wrote the treatment of genus Chenopodium for the Flora of the Great Plains. In this workshop, we will cover most of the genera hat occur in Colorado east of the Continental Divide, focusing '^‘particularly on the species that occur on the plains. There are a large number of representatives of the Chenopodiaceae in Colorado, but they are not often collected because they are "weedy" and do not usually produce attractive flowers. Closely related species are sometimes separated on technical characters, making identification difficult. Nevertheless, this is a very impor- tant family in the Colorado flora. In addition to the workshop. Dr. Wilson will present a program for the CoNPS Boulder Chapter on Thursday, January 14, at Foothills Nature Center. COLORADO'S MISSING FLORA Leader: Susan Spackman Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder First session: Saturday, February 13, 1999 Second session: Sunday, February 14, 1999 The title of this workshop refers to those species that are thought to be extinct, thought to be extirpated (but still extant outside Colorado), or collected once or twice and never seen again with- in the State. This workshop will focus on making these species better known to the botanical public in hope that these plants may someday be relocated within Colorado. Susan and her associates at the Colorado Natural Heritage Program will make available for us an abstract of each of these species, along with herbarium spec- imens of the species, if available. Information on many of these species is presented in the Colorado Rare Plant Field Guide, pub- lished by the Heritage Program or is presented in Rare Plants of Colorado, published by the Native Plant Society. Astragalus deterior POLEMONIACEAE OF COLORADO Leader: Dr. J. Mark Porter Location: University of Colorado, Boulder First session: Saturday March 6, 1999 Second session: Sunday March 7, 1999 Our second out-of-state workshop workshop leader is Dr. J. Mark Porter of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens located in Claremont, California. He has been actively involved in the devel- opment of the new San Juan Basin Flora, as well as study of the Polemoniaceae of the Four Corners area. Participants on the May 16, 1998, field trip to the Four Comers area may remember Mark as one of the co-leaders. He has some exciting new ideas about the Polemoniaceae and will bring us up to date on the recent research into this complex and confusing family. When is a Gilia noi a Gilial When it’s an Alicella, a new genus proposed by Dr. Porter. Page 4 Aquilegia Vol. 22 No. 5 BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION: FIELD SKETCHING Leader: Carolyn Crawford Location: Foothills Nature Center, Boulder First session: Saturday, April 17, 1999 Second session: Sunday, April 18, 1999 This is a much requested workshop topic. Well-known botanical artist Carolyn Crawford will present the techniques she uses for on-the-spot illustration of plants and plant parts. Topics to be cov- ered include the use of colofed pencils, a good dry medium for use in the field. Pen-and-ink and traditional watercolors do not work well in the sun and wind. There will be ample plant and flower material available for participants to work with. There is no bettef^ way to really see and know a flower than to draw its parts. Even if you never intend to illustrate commercially, drawing for enjoy- ment or for your own records is a good aid in flower identification. Epipactis gigantea Artist: Carolyn Crawford Lichen/Microbiotic Soil Crust Workshop Summary Gay Austin, USDA Forest Service Taylor River-Cebolla Ranger District For Dr. Larry St. Clair, Lichenologist at Brigham Young University, the success of the CoNPS and Taylor River-Cebolla Ranger District sponsored Lichen/Soil Crust workshops held in Buffalo Creek and Gunnison May 29-31, 1998, came with the knowledge that more people became aware that microbiotic soil crusts exist and that these crusts do play an important part of the whole eco- logical picture. When I say microbiotic soil crusts, I am talking about living, breathing soil crusts, comprising soil lichens, moss- es, cyanobacteria, fungi, and green algae. Th^y are found almost everywhere from the arctic^-alpine to the world’s hottest deserts. ' Believe it or not, many native plants may depend on lichen or cyanobacteria soil crusts to provide essential nutrients, such as nitro- gen, and to store soil moisture. Another, sometimes critical function of these crusts is to help prevent water and wind erosion. During the field trip into the Buffalo Creek area. Dr. St. Clair came to the conclusion that more research is needed on the Buffalo Creek fire area to determine the role cyanobacteria soil crusts play in erosion control and revegetation by native plants. Examining the area burned in the Buffalo Creek fife of 1996, workshop participants were surprised not only to see pockets of soil crusts among tall burned trees, but also to see nine different soil crusts on decomposed granite. This is because in an intense fire, such as that at Buffalo Creek where 12,000 acres burned in a single day, fire can jump over areas leaving patches of unburned vegetation and soil crusts. These unbumed pockets are important for recolonization of soil crusts to surrounding areas. It was amazing to pick up a small piece of lichen, look underneath, and see all of its tiny rhyzines (minute "roots") holding tightly onto small granitic pebbles and soil! Another possibility noted by Dr. St. Clair for detecting the presence of cyanobacteria crusts in an area is to take infra-red aerial photographs; after a rain, these particular crusts show up as shades of red on the photos (bright green out in the field). Special thanks to Denny Bohon, Biologist for the Buffalo Creek Ranger District, for giving the group a brief account of the Buffalo Creek Fire history! At the Buffalo Creek workshop. Dr. St. Clair also presented his research conducted since the 1980's on growth of laboratory-grown cyanobacteria soil crusts for use in recolonization of sites that have for some reason (fire or overgrazing, for example) lost their microbiotic soil crusts. Both liquid and cracked pellets of cyanobacteria were successful in recolonization of sites, even after three dry summer months ! At the Gunnison workshop, ten participants found 25 different lichen species on the more clay-silt type soils, including 17 differ- ent lichen soil crusts in a one acre site within 2 1/2 hours! Western State College Botanists Dr. Robin Bingham and Dr. John Sowell were gracious enough to allow the use of the WSC Botany laboratory and microscopes for both days^ The highlight of this work- shop was the identification of many local lichens and lichen soil crusts, hearing about Dr. St. Clair’s research on using lichens as indicators for air quality, and seeing Paula Lehr’^ Cetraria islandica (lichen) Schnapp's and lichen specimens that she brought back from Iceland. Dr. St. Clair has created over 400 lichen reference sites in the West in 20 years for lichen air quality research! For more information on microbiotic soil crusts/lichens, check the following WWW sites: http://www.herbarium.la.asu.edu, http://www.lichen.com, http://www.sbg.ac.at/pfI/projects/lichen/index.htm, http://www.gardenweb.com/glossary/Iicheri, http://www.gnv.ifas.ufl. edu/-'alachua/lichen.htm, and http.//www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/ODNR/health/lichen/lichenarticle.htm. Aqiiilegia Vol. 22 No. 5 Page 5 CHAPTER NEWS ^*^oulder Chapter Monthly meetings are held through May on the second Thursday of each month at the Foothills Nature Center located in Boulder on North Broadway opposite its intersection with Sumac. For more infor- mation, contact Carolyn Crawford or Bill Jennings at (303) 665-6903 or (303) 666-8348. October 8, 7:30 PM Alpine Ecology and Flora of Southeast Colorado Bob Powell will give a slide show on his work in seldom-collected alpine areas in Pueblo, Huerfano, and Fremont counties. You will get to see rarely photographed alpine plants and habitats in the Greenhorn, Wet, and northeastern Sangre de Cristo Ranges. been scheduled for October 6, November 3, and December 1. For additional infor- mation call Don Hazlettat (970) 834-1493. October 6, 7:00 pm Poisonous Plants Reported to the Clinic Dr. Anthony Knight (Clinical Services, CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital) will be discussing poisonous plants reported to the Clinic. November 3, 7:00 pm To be announced. Metro-Denver Chapter Monthly meetings are held in the Morrison Center at the Denver Botanic Garden. For additional information, contact Denise Larson at (303) 733-4338. November 12, 7:30 pm Rocky Mountain Floristic Inventories Dr. Ron Hartman (University of Wyoming, Laramie) will deliver a talk and >^^Jide show focusing on systematic floristic inventories carried out by the Rocky Mountain Herbarium with particular emphasis on the Flora of the Rocky Mountains project. Fort Collins Chapter Monthly meetings convening at the USDA National Seed Storage Laboratory have September 29, 7:30 pm What I did last summer! Everyone is invited to bring pictures, slides, and notes of botanical trips taken over the summer. If you have a plant that you would like identified, bring it along. October 27, 7:30 pm Taxonomy and Ecology of the Limber, Southwestern White, and Mexican White Pine Complex Dr. Diana Tomback (Biology, University of Colorado at Denver) will be discussing her research addressing this species complex. December 8, 7:30 pm South Table Mesa Loraine Yeatts will be delivering a pre- sentation on this fascinating landform. Plateau Chapter October 31, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Annual Meeting and Potluek Montrose BLM-Public Lands Center Come prepared to elect officers at the Annual Meeting of the Plateau Chapter to be held at the Montrose BLM-Public Lands Center on South Townsend. After several years as Chapter President, Gretchen Van Reyper is planning to hand over the privilege to another willing indi- vidual. We will also begin planing 1999 workshops and field trips. Bring your ideas, and plan to visit with old and new members alike. Please bring a lunch potluek item to share, as well as eating utensils. For additional information contact Gretchen Van Reyper at (970) 835-3268. Southwest Chapter Please contact Sandy Friedley at (970) 884-9245 for Chapter activities. Yamparika Chapter Please contact Reed Kelley at (970) 878- 4666 for Chapter activities. ANNOUNCEMENTS AQUILEGIA Deadline Approaches Please submit all contributions for Vol. 22 No. 6 of Aquilegia prior to October 15, 1998. See page two for guidelines Correction The address for the Flora ID Northwest WWW site changed short- ly before Aquilegia Vol. 22 No. 4 went to press. The correct address js; http://www.ucinet.com/~floranw. New CoNPS T-Shirts Now Available n preparation for the 1998 Annual Meeting, t-shirts featuring a design by Carolyn Crawford are available. Cost is a reasonable $13.00 per shirt for members, or two for $25.00. Cost to non- members is $25.00 and includes CoNPS membership. CoNPS Members Seek Elected Positions CoNPS Board Member Don Parker of Golden will be on the November election ballot. He won the August 11, 1998 primary for the Democratic nomination for State Representative in House District 25, which includes Golden, Evergreen, Kittredge, Indian Hills, Conifer, Pine, Pine Junction, and Buffalo Creek, Colorado. Don wants to promote conservation and cut government subsidies for land development. Congratulations Don! Yamparika Chapter President (Robert) Reed Kelley is a candidate for U.S. Congress representing the Third Congressional District of Colorado. Reed is sympathetic to the goals of the Society and “wants to see public lands... managed in positive ways that will sustain our quality of life.” Good luck Reed! CALENDAR CHAPTER MEETINGS FIELD TRIPS AND WORKSHOPS Boulder Chapter Nov 7, 8 Oct 8 Alpine Ecology and Flora of Southeast Colorado The Helleboraceae in Colorado First Session: Saturday, November 7 Second Session: Sunday, November 8 Nov 12 Rocky Mountain Floristic Inventories Fort Collins Chapter Dec 5, 6 The Poaceae: How to know the Tribes First Session: Saturday, December 5 Second Session: Sunday, December 6 Oct 6 Poisonous Plants Reported to the Clinic Nov 3 To be announced Metro-Denver Chapter Sept 29 What I Did Last Summer Oct 27 Taxonomy and Ecology of the Limber, Southwestern White, and Mexican White Pine Complex Plateau Chapter Oct 31 Annual Meeting and Potluck Jan 16, 17 Chenopodiaceae: The Goosefoot Family First Session: Saturday, January 16 Second Session: Sunday, January 17 Feb 13, 14 Colorado’s Missing Flora First Session: Saturday, February 13 Second Session: Sunday, February 14 March 6, 7 Polemoniaceae of Colorado First Session: Saturday, March 6 Second Session: Sunday, March 7 April 17, 18 Botanical Illustration: Field Sketching First Session: Saturday, April 17 Second Session: Sunday, April 18 Colorado Native Plant Society P.O. Box 200 Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit #1475 Denver, Colorado