Aquilegia Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society Dedicated to furthering the knowledge, appreciation and conservation of native plants and habitats of Colorado through education, stewardship and advocacy Volume 36 - Number 1 - Spring 2012 ISSN 2162-0865 (print) - ISSN 2161-7317 (online) PLANT GAMES OF NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN INSPIRE RESEARCH By Donald L Hazlett, Ethnobotanist, Denver Botanic Gardens Children of any century or from any ethnic group are full of energy and can be a real challenge for parents to keep busy. For entertainment Native American children used shortgrass steppe plants for toys and games. It may be that children devised these uses, but it is more likely that plant games were taught to children by parents - a way to keep them busy. These plant uses were inspired be- fore television and electronic gadgets - a time when chil- dren spent large amounts of unstructured time on the grasslands. SPINNING TOPS The Plains Apache made tops from Solanum fruits (Jor- dan 2010). They made them with young, hard fruits of Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav (silver-leaf nightshade), S. dimidiatum Raf. (western horse nettle), and perhaps from other Solanum species. Jordan explained that hard, immature fruits from these plants were collected and a sharp stick was carefully passed through the cen- ter of a fruit. These sharp sticks were cut to a length that allowed the longer, blunt stem section to be spun in the palms of your hands. These were spun on hard soil or rocks. Jordan did not mention any particular game, but it is easy to imagine that children would compete, as pioneer children did, to see which top would spin the longest. Trompillo is a Spanish common name for S. elaeagnifolum (Hazlett 2004). Colorado Flora FOURTH EDITION ! The long-anticipated Fourth Editions of Colorado Flo- ra: Eastern Slope and Colorado Flora: Western Slope are now in publication by the University Press of Colorado. Authored by Dr. William A. Weber and Ronald C. Wittmann, the Colorado Flora has long been the authority in the identification of Colorado plants. The new editions also include an illustrated treatment of Ophioglossaceae (moonwort family) by Donald R. Farrar and Steve J. Popovich. The two volumes can now be ordered from our website at conps.org, online through Amazon.com , or through bookstores. The suggested retail price is $27.95, but copies purchased through the CoNPS bookstore are $23.00, plus $3.00 shipping and appli- cable sales tax. Note: A special Aquilegia commemorating the Fourth Edition will be published this summer. We plan to include a review of the new flora, biograph- ical and bibliographical information on the authors, background information on the history of Colorado Flora, and more. I can imagine a time - centuries ago - when Plains Apache children played with Spanish children and taught them how to make Solanum tops or vice versa. THE HORSE RACE GAME The ‘‘horse race” game is played with Indian wooly wheat (Plantago patagonica Jacq.). This is an annual plant that occurs throughout the West and in most eastern states. Since it grows well in disturbed soils, it is sometimes cited as in indicator of overgrazing. This plant is found throughout the shortgrass steppe, can be locally abundant, and exhibits a high degree of de- velopmental plasticity. In dry conditions this plant can flower at a height of less than 1 cm. In wet years or wet habitats it can be over 25 cm tall. Variation in the size of P. patagonica stalks is the basis for the “horse race” game as played by boys of the Plains Apache tribe Jordan (2010). Before this game begins there are bets to be made. In this regard, the game copies adult behavior, since Native American are notorious gamblers. Each participant must ante -up something in exchange for participating in this game. A certain amount of time is then set for the game. The “horse race” begins with the participants run in differ- ent directions in quest of the longest Plantago “stem” (presumably the panicle and spike length combined). When the game is over the “horse racers” return and the boy with the longest “stem” wins and collects the bets. Inspired by this Plains Apache children’s game, I decid- ed to do a pilot research project. The objective was to document the variation in stem height that exists among P. patagonica plants that are archived in local herbaria: an updated version of the Plains Apache “horse race” game. Five herbaria are the participants. The winner will be the herbarium that has archived the longest P. patagonica peduncle (with spike) from Colo- rado. The participants are: 1) University of Colorado, Boulder (COLO), 2) Colorado State University, Ft. Col- lins (CSU), 3) Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver (KFID), 4) University of Northern Colorado, Greeley (GREE) and 5) San Juan College, Farmington NM (SJNM). Unfortu- nately, these herbaria were reluctant to ante-up the entry fee of 1 new plant press each. Therefore, the only prizes for winning are kudos and karma. In April, 2011 “horse race” data (mm) were collected from each of 260 herbarium sheets of P. patagonica. The measurements were: 1) total length, from the ground (base of peduncle) to the top of the spike, and 2) length of the spike (Table 1). Since several plants are often mounted on the same sheet, data was collected only from the tallest plant on each sheet. All values are in mm Herbaria where plants are archived (n= number of sheets measured) CSU(n = 65) KHD(n=23) COLO (n = 79) SJNM(n=64) GREE(n=29) M std M std M std M std M std A=P + S 137 48 151 52 136 39 119 40 155 48 Longest A 292 252 239 239 227 B = S only 59 31 64 34 54 27 47 26 62 29 Longest B 149 128 117 123 132 B(M)/A(M) 43% 43% 40% 39% 40% Table 1. Peduncle and spike length (P & S) for Colorado Plantago patagonica archived in 5 herbaria: 1) Colorado State University, (CSU), 2) University of Colorado (COLO), 3) San Juan College (SJNM), 4) Denver Botanic Gardens (KHD) and 5) University of Northern Colorado (GREE). [M = mean values; std = standard deviation] The winner, with a peduncle plus spike length of 292 mm, is the CSU herbarium (Table 1). This Plantago is #1121 collected by Ackerfield & Ackerfield from Larimer County in 2003. Second place is KFID with 252 mm. There is a third place tie between COLO and SJNM at 239 mm. Forth place is GREE with a 227 total length. Several herbaria, especially the University of Colorado, had Plantago patagonica specimens from other states. The Colorado record was greater than the 260 mm and 277 mm maxima from MT and OK, respectively. Flow- ever, the 292 mm CO record was less than the maxima of 29 mm from AZ, 318 mm from NM, and the overall record of 380 mm from Iowa. This pilot study has quantified the height variation that exists within this species. In addition, the spike portion of total height was similar among herbaria: 39% to 43% (Table 1). No effort was made to correlate total height with climate or environmental factors, but Iowa had both the tallest plant and the greatest rainfall of the examined specimens. The CO “horse race” winner was from a higher rainfall foothills area. It seemed that taller plants were more frequent in eastern CO (greater rainfall amounts) and from sandy soils (greater water availability). It was noted that many Plantago plants fanned out from the base to produce 20 to 35 spikes per plant. These plants may this form due to grazing prior to a rainfall event. A hypothesis for further re- search with P. patagonica size is that greater water availability is correlated with total height. To revive the “horse race” game it is suggested that this game be played with children on field trips. Fur- thermore, the “horse race” competition among Colo- rado herbaria is an ongoing event. Anyone that finds a Plantago peduncle and spike longer than 292 mm would discover a new winner - to be archived in the herbarium of your choice. Entries from other states or from excessively watered garden plants are not al- lowed. THE BLUE GRAMA SEARCH GAME This game is played with Bouteloua gracilis (Kunth) Lag (blue grama). If enough water is available, blue grama grasses will flower and will produce a secund spike in- florescence (i.e. eyelash grass) with 1 or 2 spikes per panicle. In Colorado there are sometimes 3 spikes per panicle, but the Flora of North America (1993+) indi- cates that a panicle may have as many as 6 spikes. I refer here to each second inflorescence as a flag, since a Spanish common name for our state grass is banderita (little flag), a reference to a second spike. Rogers (1980) explained that Lakota children would play game that counted the number of blue grama flags. The objective was to be the first to find a 3- flagged blue grama panicle. As with the “horse race” game, the basis for this game is within species varia- tion. Unlike the “horse race” game, however, there was no mention of betting. I have played blue grama search on the shortgrass steppe in Colorado during field trips. In an open steppe area it took about 20 minutes for the first of 8 people to find a 3-flagged blue grama. Eventually, 3 others found one. I also played this game was at the Pawnee Buttes with 25 middle school children. I mentioned to the class that I had a prize for anyone that found a 3- flagged blue grama (my mistake). As the group spread out in all directions, the first 3-flagged grama was shown to me in less than 1 minute. Within 10 minutes most of the class had shown me a 3-flagged blue grama. The only students that had not yet found one had became side-tracked collecting horned toads. Since I had offered a prize to anyone that found a 3- flagged blue grama this game eventually cost me 22 prizes. I learned that there is a high frequency of 3 flagged blue grama plants at the Pawnee Buttes. Blue grama Photo: Don Hazlett I was inspired by this Lakota children's game to under- take another pilot research project. The objective was to document the frequency of 3-flaged blue grama pan- icles on herbarium specimens. I examined all Bouteloua gracilis herbarium specimens in each of the same 5 her- baria that participated in the horse race. Only one pan- icle per sheet needed a 3-flagged panicle for that sheet to be tallied as with a 3-flagged blue grama. Since bot- anists tend to collect nice, large and perhaps 3-flagged grama plants for specimens, there may be some bias toward a greater incidence of 3-flag blue grama plants on herbarium sheets. 3-flagged blue grama panicles Code for herbaria where plants are archived (n= number of sheets) GREE (n=52) COLO (n = 81) KHD (n=45) SJNM (n=l5) CSU (n=7i) Total (n = 264) Number 7 9 4 1 4 25 Proportion 13.5% 11.1% 8.9% 6.6% 5.6% 9.5% Table 2. Number and proportion of 3-flagged blue grama panicles among Colorado specimens archived in 5 her- baria: 1) Colorado State University, (CSU), 2) University of Colorado (COLO), 3) San Juan College (SJNM), 4) Den- ver Botanic Gardens (KHD) and 5) University of Northern Colorado (GREE). The winner is the University of Northern Colorado her- barium (GREE) with 7 of 52 collections from Colorado (13.5%) with at least one 3-flagged blue grama panicle (Table 2). From a total of 264 herbarium sheets 25 (9.5%) had at least one panicle with a 3-flag grama. The Colorado plants had a range of 6% to 13% for sheets with at least one 3-flagged panicle. Interesting observations were made when blue grama collections from other states were examined. First, none of the 34 western NM collections and none of the 6 CO western slope sheets of B. gracilis at SJNM were 3-flagged. Flowever, at GREE 2 blue grama collections from western NM were 3-flagged. Two of 11 blue grama collections at COLO from AZ (18%) and 3 of 12 sheets at SJNM (25%) form AZ were 3-flagged. Both AZ and NM had a higher frequency of 3-flagged blue grama panicles than CO. Of special interest were blue grama specimens collect- ed from Chihuahua, Mexico and Utah. Ten of 12 sheets of blue grama from Mexico at the COLO herbarium (over 80%) had at least one 3-flag grama. One Chihua- hua specimen had a 4 flagged blue grama panicle. In addition, at SJNM there were two 4-flagged blue grama panicles, both from the Capital Flills National Park region of Utah. Both genetic and environmental factors could influ- ence the number of spikes on B. gracilis panicles. Plants with more blue grama spikes per panicle may have a higher ploidy levels. A second possibility is an edaphic influence, such as the high percentage of 3-flag blue grama plants on the different soils of the Pawnee Buttes. In contrast to Plantago patagonica, water avail- ability does not appear to influence the number of blue grama spikes per panicle. Adequate water does in- duce blue grama flowers to be produced, but frequent- ly watered blue grama plants with many panicles can still have only 1 or 2 flags per panicle (personal observa- tion). More extensive herbarium work and field studies could better determine if the number of blue grama spikes per panicle is correlated with genetic factors and/or environmental factors. DISCUSSION The horse race game with Plantago patagonica and the search for a 3-flag blue grama with Bouteloua gracilis remind us that Native Americans were keen observers of nature. Native Americans may have realized that few shortgrass steppe plants qualify for this type of game. To qualify a plant must be: 1) fairly common, 2) need no equipment to determine a winner, 3) be played at about any time of the year (old stems re- main), 4) be relatively easy to find, and 5) have inter- specific variation that can be readily seen. To maintain a child’s interest, a game plant must have an attainable objective. The goals of these games can be attained since about 10% of blue grama have 3-flagged panicles and the longest wooly plantain stem can readily be de- termined. With these criteria in mind I have searched for other plants in the shortgrass steppe flora that could be game plants. I am open to suggestions, but it seems like blue grama and wooly plantain are the only plants suited for this type of game. I considered Hordium pusillum and Vulpia octoflora, but these grasses occur sporadically and are available only on a seasonal basis. In conclusion. Native American children, or their ob- servant parents, appear to have selected the only steppe plants well suited for this type of game. The only way I can think of to identify other game plants is to spend a few weeks of unstructured time on the shortgrass steppe with a few children - kids that con- tinually mention how bored they are and look to you for entertainment. The recipe to devise another steppe game or toy plant is: 1) lots of time on the steppe, 2) a certain degree of boredom, 3) keen obser- vations of nature, and 4) an active imagination. REFERENCES CITED Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 12+ vols. New York and Oxford. Hazlett, D. L. 2004. Vascular Plant Species of the Co- manche National Grassland in Southeastern Colorado. USDA-FS,Tech. Report # RMRS-GTR-130. Jordan, J. A. 2008. Plains Apache Ethnobotany. Univer- sity of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK. Rogers, D. J. 1980. Lakota Names and Traditional Uses of Naive Plants bySicangu (Brule) People in the Rosebud Area, South Dakota. St. Francis, S.D.: Rosebud Educa- tional Society, Inc. 2012 FIELD TRIPS Colorado Native Plant Society Our goal is to get as many people outside as possible, and there is no shortage of possibilities! Here are a few tips as you seek to venture out this field season: • Please sign up for trips early as there may be limits to the number of participants. If full, many trips will also have waiting lists; even if a trip is full now, get your name on the list and don't give up hope! • Details on where and when to meeting is availa- ble online on each chapter's web page, or by contacting field trip leaders. • When attending a trip, be sure to bring a lunch, plenty of water, sun protection, bug spray, your favorite plant identification guides, a 10X mag- nifying glass, packable rain gear, and layers adaptable to Colorado's unpredictable and rapid weather changes. • All trips are free and open to members and non- members (subject to group size limitations). • No pets are allowed on field trips. • Please check each chapter's web page for trip details and to see if any new trips have been added. • Have fun! All trips are subject to CoNPS field trip policies that em- phasize ''treading lightly" and adhering to strict limita- tions on plant collecting. These policies and guidelines are posted online at www.conps.org . (Field trips begin on following page.) BOULDER CHAPTER SHANAHAN WILDFLOWER ROMP Saturday, May 19 th , 2012, 9am to ipm Leader: Melissa Dozier Location: Boulder OSMP Shanahan Ridge Trailhead Join Melissa Dozier to romp the trails of OSMP's Shanahan Ridge and learn about the area's abundant spring wildflowers. Together we will identify and dis- cuss a number of common and less common flowering species of the Front Range. Possible sightings include penstemons, sand lilies, death camas, anemones and much more. Time allowing, the great culmination of this hike will be a visit to three flowering cacti species which are a -2 mile hike from the trailhead. Come ready to walk 4 miles and bring water, snacks, good shoes, and your favorite wildflower guide. Note: this trip will replace our usual May hike. Melissa Dozier is a member and volunteer of the Colo- rado Native Plant Society and an all-around plant en- thusiast. She currently works for the University of Colo- rado, and has worked in the past for the National Park Service and the California Invasive Plant Council. Meet: OSMP Shanahan Ridge Trailhead, top of Lehigh Road at Lafayette St. No parking lot or facilities, on- street parking only, please carpool. For more information and to register: e-mail Melissa Doz- ier, boulderconps@gmail.com or call 720-402-0968. Indi- cate if you would like to have your name shared on a carpool e-mail list. LION GULCH— DIVERSE FOOTHILLS FLOWERS Thursday, June 7, 2012, 8:30 AM to 2 PM Leader: Marlene Borneman Trailhead, -12 miles west of Lyons. For more infor- mation or to register: Megan Bowes, bowesm@bouldercolorado.gov, or ^0^-561-488^ DISREPUTABLE BUTTERFLIES IN PLANT PARADISE Friday, June 29, 2012; 9am to 3pm Leader: Rob Pudim Rob Pudim will take you on a walk into the dangerous world of butterflies and the plants among which they live. He will discuss the behavior, the plant hosts and the lives of an insect you see every summer. He hopes to change how your eyes see butterflies around plants, to focus on movement, where to look and how to look but, most of all, tell you what they are up to. We'll learn to identify common species and find that butterflies are tough critters that live in a dangerous world of de- ception, aggression, mistaken identity and even chemi- cal warfare. Meet : OSMP Green Mountain West Ridge, top of Flag- staff Road OR NCAR parking lot, west end of Table Mesa Dr. Rob Pudim has been collecting butterflies since he was a sixth grader and has been in Boulder since the 1960s. He no longer collects butterflies except for scientific studies and has instead become a butterfly watcher. He is also a certified Native Plant Master and a member of the Colorado Native Plant Society. He says he knows a lot more about butterflies and other insects than he does plants. He makes his living as a cartoonist so you can expect a somewhat irreverent attitude and a weird spin on the world this amateur naturalist sees. For more information and to register: Megan Bowes, bowesm@bouldercolorado.gov or call 720-564-2084 Marlene will lead us along this scenic and historic trail looking for early summer flowers in this diverse Foot- hills Zone. The ascent up Lion Gulch is a steady climb of about 1,100 feet, but the trails in the Meadows that connect the homesteads are relatively level and make for easy walking. Bring daypack with water, jacket and lunch. Limited to 12 participants. Meet at the Lion Gulch THE TREASURES OF LONG CANYON REVEGETATION FOLLOWING THE OUZEL FIRE OF 1978 Sunday, July 15, 2012; 9am to ipm Leader: Megan Bowes Location: Long Canyon - Boulder OSMP Megan Bowes will take us up Open Space and Moun- tain Park's Long Canyon to see many Ice Age “relicts”, including paper birch trees, a wood lily or two and lots of wild sarsaparilla. We'll also look at the buildup of sediment and discuss OSMP's plans to build sediment containment structures along Flagstaff Road. And, if we're lucky, we'll catch a glimpse of butterflies, nesting flammulated owls, a Williamson's sapsucker or other wildlife attracted to the moist, tree-lined canyon. Lim- ited to 12 participants due to the sensitive nature of the area. Meet : south side of OSMP Flagstaff summit, 3.4 miles up Flagstaff Rd. For more information and to register: Megan Bowes, bowesm@bouldercolorado.gov or call 720-^64-2084 ALPINE WILDFLOWERS Thursday, August 2, 2012; 7:30 am to 3pm Leader: Marlene Borneman Location: Rocky Mountain National Park This outing starts at Rocky Mountain National Park's Alpine Visitor Center. Marlene Borneman will lead you on a 3-4 mile, one-way hike beyond Forest Canyon Pass to find alpine gems like the Snow Lover, Blackheaded Daisy and others. Bring daypack & warm clothes, lunch. Limited to 12 participants. Note that a National Park Pass is required or there is a $20. oof car entrance fee. Meet : Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Parking Lot (park at west end) to carpool up Trail Ridge Road (21.6 miles). For more information and to register: Megan Bowes, bowesm@bouldercolorado.gov or call 720-564-2084 Saturday, September 15, 2012; Sam to 3pm Leader: Joyce Gellhorn Location: Rocky Mountain National Park Joyce Gellhorn takes you on a hike to observe the changes following the Ouzel Fire in Wild Basin of Rocky Mountain National Park. Fler study has shown changes in the forest over a period of thirty years and may give hope to people who lost homes or many trees on their property in the Fourmile Fire. The forest will recover, it is a dynamic, always changing ecosystem and those of us who choose to live in the urban/forest interface need to learn from natural ecosystems how to live in harmony with nature. Limited to 12 participants Joyce Gellhorn has taught science and natural history classes in Boulder County for over twenty-five years to students ranging in age from four to eighty-four. She holds a Ph.D. in botany with a specialty in plant ecology and has followed the revegetation of the Ouzel Fire since 1978. Gellhorn has written more than eighty arti- cles, chapters for science textbooks, and 2 books. Song of the Alpine and White-tailed Ptarmigan: Ghosts of the Alpine. Meet : Wild Basin Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park just north of Allenspark. • For more information and to register: Joyce Gellhorn, jggellhorn@mac.com or call 303-442- 8123 METRO DENVER CHAPTER BOULDER COUNTY PARKS AND OPEN SPACE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR SEED COLLECTION CREW LEADERS Do you have a desire to learn more about native plants? If so, you may be a good fit for our Seed Collection Crew Leader program. Imagine yourself strolling through lush meadows gathering ripe seeds that will be used to restore diversity to the public lands you love. Parks and Open Space is partnering with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to train volunteers to lead na- tive seed collection projects. Crew leaders should enjoy working outdoors, have an outgoing personality, and be comfortable interacting with people of all ages. Volunteers must attend training on Saturday, June 25 from 8:30am-3:oopm, and commit to leading at least three projects in 2011. Training takes place at the Boul- der County Parks and Open Space office at 5201 St. Vrain Road in Longmont. For an application and more information, please contact Erica Christensen at 303-678-6329 or echristensen@bouldercounty.org. Application deadline is June 17, 2011. GORE RANGE CHAPTER FILOHA MEADOWS Monday July 2 , 2012 , 3 - 5pm Location: Filoha Meadows, Pitkin County (Crystal River Carbondale). Leader: Lisa Tasker, Owner EM Ecological, LLC Space is limited to 20 people, so if you are interested, please RSVP asap to Nanette Kuich at kix@vail.net. Nanette will pass along the details as they become available. ROXBOROUGH STATE PARK 3rd Wednesday, April thru Sept., 9:00 am Location: Roxborough State Park, 4751 North Roxborough Drive, Littleton 80125 Leader: Lenore Mitchell, Instructor, Native Plant Master Program Monthly trips on the 3rd Wednesday: May 16, June 20th, July 18th, August 15th, and Septembength ($7. daily pass required). For monthly hikes April through Sept (it'll be fantastic to follow the evolving plants from spring to fall) we'll likely concentrate on the Wil- low Creek 1 1/2 mile trail, which extends onto the 3 mile South Rim trail. Willow Creek is nearly level with mois- ture lovers around the small stream, while South Rim features a gentle climb. Various herbivorous and woody plants, including some unusual varieties. If you don't know poison ivy, there's lots to see (and learn to avoid). Let's plan on meeting at the fee paying area at 9 AM (Lenore has a park pass, so we might carpool in from there). The Visitor’s Center is lovely and has a large binder with flower photos. From northeast Denver: follow Santa Fe Drive south, exit onto Titan Road and follow west, then curve south onto Roxborough Road. Remain on Roxborough past Safeway shopping center until it ends (do not follow into residential Roxborough Park gated area) turn right onto dirt road instead, then take first right turn and follow to park entrance and fee paying area. Visitor Center is 2 miles farther on same road. From southwest Denver: follow C470, exit onto CO 121 (Wadsworth) and follow to left hand turn onto Waterton Rd (instead of entrance to Lockheed Martin). Waterton Rd curves to the left and leads to traffic light by Roxborough Road (area with Safeway shopping center). Turn right at light and follow Roxborough to park entrance as stated above. Register by contacting Lenore Mitchell at mitchelllenore8g@gmail.com. Partici- pants wishing to carpool from Hampton and Wadsworth contact Jannette Wesley, 720-771-8681 or metrodenverconps@gmail.com WILLIAM FREDERICK HAYDEN PARK Friday, May 4, 9:00 am Location: Just west of Ken Caryl inside the Dakota Hogback Leader: Lenore Mitchell, Instructor, Native Plant Master Program Directions; From C470, exit onto Ken Caryl Rd, follow west past traffic light, then turn left at stop sign onto South Valley Rd and follow to well-marked main north entrance to parking lot. Gentle rolling trails with red rock formations and a bevy of spring bloomers, from Lomatium orientale (salt and pepper), loads of Leucocrinum montanum (sand lily), Lithospermun incisum (narrowleaf puccoon) and Toxicoscordion venosum (death camas) as well as many early-blooming woodies. Lenore has taught NPM clas- ses for several years at South Valley. Register by contacting Lenore Mitchell at mitchelllenore89@gmail.com EXPLORING COLORADO’S LICHENS - II Sunday, June 10, 2012, gam - 3pm Presenter: Ann Henson, Past-President of CoNPS, lichen enthusiast Join Ann in leisurely walks to learn about lichens of trees, soil, moss and rocks. No experience is needed. Some of our lichen trips may be off-trail on rougher terrain than on other trips. Location details will be de- cided based on weather about a week before sched- uled - but generally will be along the Front Range be- tween Ft Collins and Denver. Be prepared to carpool. Bring lunch, water, hand lens. Not all trailheads will have restrooms. Dress according to weather, knowing we will not really ‘hike', but will be standing and crawl- ing slowly across the earth ! . Please register with Ann Henson at 303-772-8962 or 2hens0n@kwabena.us . Size of group limited to 8 or less. KENOSHA PASS Saturday June 16, 9:00 am Leader: Lenore Mitchell, Instructor, Native Plant Master Program Directions: for carpooling, meet at 9am Home Depot large parking lot just south of US285 and east of C470 (exit onto Quincy from C-470) follow Driving separate- ly, follow US285 past Conifer, past Bailey and on to top of 10,000 ft. pass; turn right onto dirt road and drive short distance to main parking area to meet there at 9:45 AM. We'll hike relatively flat trails beginning through camp/picnic grounds and on through aspen groves and near small stream to search for flowers and woodies. We'll likely find Thermopsis (golden banner) and Aqui- legia (columbine) among others. We may also explore the west side of the pass if time and conditions permit. There are many aspen which provide shade and mois- ture for various wildflowers. Register by contacting Lenore Mitchell at mitchelllenore89@gmail.com LION GULCH HIKE Sunday, June 24, 2012 Location: 12 miles west of Lyons off Hwy #36 toward Estes Park Leader: Jeanne Willson 7 to 8 miles depending on interest/weather, 12 miles if every participant agrees (in which case our start time would be 6:30 am). Bring the usual Colorado hiking gear - hiking boots, rain gear, 1.5 to 2 liters of water, hiking poles, etc. Please come adequately equipped for very hot to very cold/wet weather. Feel free to contact Jeanne if you have questions about hike preparation, especially if you are new to Colorado. This hike climbs up a stream valley to a high meadow with remains of old homesteads. A longer version of the hike is 12 miles and visits more old structures. The variety of habitats including meadows and burn areas, and the significant elevation gain (1500 ft or more) provide for huge biodiversity and we can easily see over 100 types of flowering & non-flowering plants. Both novice and experienced botanists will delight in the beauty and the historical aspects of the trip. Hikers new and old may want to bring a notepad or field book, camera, and field guides. I will provide some handouts of plant lists from previous years, and I'm sure that together we can make the list longer. As al- ways on my trips, we will look at all sorts of natural history and hopefully we will also see interesting in- sects, birds, geology, and so forth. This is great bear and mountain lion habitat (hence the hike name), and my son has seen bears here. If every single participant tells Jeanne that they want to do the 12 mile hike BEFORE the day of the hike, then we'll do it. It is a very long day, but it's really interest- ing! We will meet in Golden in the Colorado Mountain Club East Lot to carpool, leaving at 7:00 SHARP, and I will try to help Boulder area folks to carpool. We'll have a quick coffee stop on the way, and there is a bathroom at the trailhead. The hike starts about. Please notify me if you want to meet at the trailhead. Your trip leader, Jeanne Willson, holds a PhD in Botany but more importantly has a deep love for all natural history and for canoeing the rivers and hiking the mountains, prairies, and deserts of the western US and Canada. She is an experienced trip leader and has lead trips for the National Park Service, the Colorado Moun- tain Club, the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club, and random friends for many years. Register by contacting Jeanne Wilison: riversong@centuryHnk.net; cali with questions at h-303- 369-3137 or W-720-228-4128. RIVERSIDE REVIVAL TOUR Saturday, July 14, 2012, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Leader: Margaret Foderaro, Botanist, Horticulturist and Plant Enthusiast As we tour historic Riverside Cemetery, we will see na- tive plants in their original setting, revegetation plots, raised flower beds with Plant Select plants and a pond. A brief history of the cemetery will be discussed as we take a leisurely walk of the site, looking at the native plants. Through the Fairmount Heritage Foundation’s Riverside Revival project, several areas of the cemetery have been revegetated with native grasses over the course of four seasons in order to establish a sustaina- ble landscape. Bring a hat, binoculars, water and snacks, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Margaret has worked in the botany and horticulture industries for over 10 years. She is currently the sea- sonal horticulturist at Riverside Cemetery where she maintains newly revegetated areas and test flower beds of Plant Select plants. Margaret is a member of both the Colorado Native Plant Society and the Colora- do Weed Management Association. Meet at the chapei at Riverside Cemetery, 5201 Brighton Bivd, Denver, CO 80216. Contact: Margaret Foderaro, mfoderaro@comcast.net or at 720-212-6041 GOLDEN GATE CANYON Saturday, July 21, 9:00 am Leader: Stan Smookler, Volunteer, Golden Gate Canyon State Park Stan Smookler and Linda Senser have been volunteers at Golden Gate Canyon State Park (GGCSP) since 1991 and 1992 respectively. They have been surveying the parks flora over 20 years. The field trip will make a brief stop at the Blue Grouse trailhead where three unusual plants were discovered in 1998. These are As- ter a/p/nus, Eriogonum flavum subsp xanthum, and Besseya plantaginea. The trip will then proceed to Nott Creek parking lot to hike along a loop trail that includes the Mountain Lion trail and 2 park service roads. These trails will cover diverse landscape ranging from dry meadows and hillsides to wet meadows and riparian habitat. The minimum equipment recommended for this trip is a lo-power lens and Weber and Wittmann's Colorado Flora , Eastern Slope. With GGCSP being a State Park, a fee of $7.00 will be assessed on each car. Therefore a car pool has been organized to the Park in order to share expenses. Par- ticipants will meet at the junction of I-70 and U.S. Highway 40, at 9 am. Look for the Wooly Mammoth parking lot on Highway 40 west of the junction oppo- site a CONOCO gas station located across the road from the parking lot. Linda and Stan published an article on the botany of GGCSP in the spring 2008 issue of Aquilegia (pp 14-16). Participants may want to download this article before the field trip from the following URL: http://www.conp5.org/pclf/Aquilegia/2008%20Spring.pdf Participation is limited, register by contacting Linda Senser at 303-442-7319. SHELF LAKE HIKE Late July, weekend to be determined Location: Guanella Pass Leader: Jeanne Willson This 6+ mile, 15004 elevation gain hike climbs steeply up out of the Geneva Creek Basin off the south side of Guanella Pass into the high alpine. The subalpine flow- ers can be diverse and beautiful, but the alpine display may take our breath away, if we are lucky. I think I saw 100,000 larkspur flowers blooming 2 years ago, just for starters. Hikers new and old may want to bring a note- pad or field book, camera, and field guides. The trail is rough, steep, and beautiful most of the way. Please come prepared for a Colorado hike: bring the usual Colorado hiking gear - hiking boots, serious rain gear, 1.5 to 2 liters of water, hiking poles, other 10 es- sentials, etc. Please come adequately equipped for warm to very cold/wet weather. Feel free to contact me (Jeanne) if you have questions about hike prepara- tion, especially If you are new to Colorado. Our pace will be moderate due to steepness and the high alti- tude. We'll meet to carpool at the Park N Ride at Hampden and Wadsworth for a departure at 7 am sharp. Quick coffee/bathroom stop in Conifer. Guanella Pass Road is unpaved and a little rough; the last mile, we'll need high-clearance or 4WD vehicles, so please volunteer to drive if you have an appropriate vehicle. Your trip leader, Jeanne Willson, holds a PhD in Botany but more importantly has a deep love for all natural history and for canoeing the rivers and hiking the mountains, prairies, and deserts of the western US and Canada. She is an experienced trip leader and has lead trips for the National Park Service, the Colorado Moun- tain Club, the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club, and random friends for many years. Contact Jeanne Wilson for more information at riversong@centurylink.net. LANDSCAPING FOR HUMMINGBIRDS AND SONGBIRDS Sunday, July 29, 5pm to 8- 8:30pm Location: 4400 Bow Mar Drive, Littleton, CO Leader: Tina Jones Plants which Hummingbirds feed on will be discussed, in addition to identifying some of the Hummers. Many of these plants are native to the Southwest and some are native to CO. Tina has had up to 6 species of Hum- mingbirds in her yard, including an Anna's Humming- bird which spent 4 months at Tina's house, from Oct. to Jan. Along with Hummingbirds Tina has many song- birds, of which some nest in her boxes. Many shrubs have been planted for the birds, including Barberry ( Berberis fendler i), and the unusual wild Buckthorn from the western slope [ Rhamnus smithii ]. Other native shrubs are abundant. Tina had a pair of Mountain Chickadees and a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch nest in her bird boxes. There is minimal walking and one can bring a stool to sit on, to observe the birds. Bring a hat, water, snacks or your dinner, binoculars, stool to sit on, sunblock, and hand lens and bird field guide if you de- sire. Class is at, and participants meet at, 4400 Bow Mar Dr., Littleton,CO (instructor's house). From Fort Logan Cemetery, go S. on S. Sheridan to the intersection of W. Quincy and S. Sheridan, drive SOUTH ON Sheridan to the first stop sign (which is just S. of W. Quincy and S. Sheridan). At the stop sign take a right onto Sunset (head west). Go west about one mile to Bow Mar Dr. Take a right on Bow Mar Dr. and go north to the FIRST driveway on your right. This is 4400 Bow Mar Dr. Do not park in driveway unless you are handicapped. PARK on the WEST side of Bow Mar Dr., across from 4400. so that your car is half on the grass and half on the road, underneath the large Cottonwoods. Do not park on the east side of Bow Mar. Thank you! Tina developed a love of Arctic and Alpine plants while studying at University of Colorado. She has taught clas- ses on Alpine Plant Adaptations and Edible and Medici- nal Plants for the Denver Botanic Gardens, and for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In the late 1980's Tina was Vice President of the Colorado Native Plant Society, and helped organize the CoNPS annual convention at the Denver Museum of Nature and Sci- ence. CONTACT : RSVP by July 23 to Tina Jones at tjcalliope@hotmail.com . PLEASE leave your con- tact phone number when you email Tina. Call with ques- tions: 303-906-5479. GOLDEN GATE STATE PARK August 10, 2012, 9:30 am Leader: Judy King, Certified Native Plant Master and Volunteer for Golden Gate Canyon State Park Participants will be looking for the rare Senecio rapifolius, the Yellow Owl Clover (Orthocarpus luteus), the Bahia dissecta, Little Gentian (Centianella acuta), Bigelow Groundsel (Ligularia bigelovii), Tassel flower (Brickellia grandiflora) and many other flowers. The hike will be approximately 5 miles with 1,000 foot ele- vation gain. This is one of the more difficult hikes, but well worth it. Very moderate pace. With GGCSP being a State Park, a fee of $7.00 will be assessed for each car. Therefore a car pool will be organized to the Park in order to share expenses. Participation is limited, register by contacting Judy King at 303-984-2987. PLATEAU CHAPTER RED ROCKS RESEARCH TRIP May 15 -16, 2012 Leader: Peggy Lyon Two-day trip along a trail near Gateway. Members will help identify plants along the trail and stay in the Gateway Resort the night of May 15^^ (limited to 8 peo- ple at a reduced rate). Contact: Sara Ungrodt for registration andfor more in- formation, 249-1115 or 209-3114. SKIFF MILKVETCH (ASTRAGALUS /VI/CROCV/VIBUS) FIELD SURVEY June 1- 2, 2012 (camp Thursday 81 Friday nights) Leader: Bernadette Kuhn We need your help to find more populations of one of the rarest plants in western Colorado! Join other vol- unteers with botanical skills searching for and counting numbers of skiff milkvetch (Astragalus microcymbus). This species is being threatened by recreational use and development, so the BLM and the Fish and Wildlife Service need our help to make sure this species is given adequate protection. All training and meals will be provided. What do CoNPS members get out of it? 1. Training on identification of one of the rarest plants in western Colorado. 2. An incredible view of the Gunnison Basin. 3. Friday lunch! Contact Bernadette Kuhn (CO Natural Heritage Program) for registration at bernadettei