Summary: This issue of Aquilegia reflects on the Colorado Native Plant Society’s accomplishments and community contributions during the previous year. Highlights include recognition of members whose artistic, scientific, and volunteer efforts advanced Colorado botany and native plant conservation, including tributes to botanical illustrator Carolyn Crawford, conservation leader Andy Kratz, and dedicated volunteer Pat Ploegsma. The issue also commemorates the life and legacy of ecologist Ann Armstrong, whose work in restoration, education, and natural area management inspired colleagues and students alike. Chapter reports document field trips, restoration activities, orchid monitoring projects, and native landscaping initiatives throughout the state. Together, these articles celebrate the Society’s commitment to conservation, education, volunteerism, and fostering a passionate community devoted to understanding and protecting Colorado’s native flora.

Plant Species: Plant species and plant groups mentioned in this issue include members of the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae), gentians (Gentianaceae), native fungi, mushrooms, buckwheats (Eriogonum spp.), mustards (Brassicaceae), pinyon pine (Pinus edulis), junipers (Juniperus spp.), native grasses, native forbs, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), old-man-of-the-mountain (Rybergia grandiflora), moss pink (Silene acaulis), lichens, Commelina dianthifolia, Calypso bulbosa, Aquilegia saximontana, yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum), monkshood (Aconitum spp.), larkspur (Delphinium spp.), twistedstalk (Streptopus spp.), slender bog orchid (Limnorchis stricta), lady ferns (Athyrium spp.), Acantholimon lycopodoides, Betula utilis, butterflies and their larval host plants, native trees, native shrubs, and native landscaping plants.

Keywords: year in review, society awards, botanical illustration, volunteer recognition, conservation leadership, native plant advocacy, annual meeting, community engagement, ecological education, memorial tribute, restoration ecology, field trips, native fungi, mycology, orchid monitoring, rare plant surveys, native landscaping, chapter activities, donor recognition, fundraising, silent auction, habitat restoration, pinyon-juniper restoration, citizen science, conservation outreach, public education, botanical mentorship, natural area management, environmental stewardship, and native plant conservation.

Summary: This edition of Aquilegia focuses on the Colorado Native Plant Society’s annual meeting and the broader importance of conserving rare native flora through research, education, and public participation. The issue outlines the annual conference devoted to the flora of the Four Corners region, featuring presentations on endemic plants, rare species, wetland ecosystems, mosses, fire ecology, and regional botanical connections. A featured article explores ethnobotanical traditions in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, documenting the uses and Spanish common names of native plants while noting the decline of traditional plant knowledge. Additional announcements encourage advocacy for the Endangered Species Act, participation in conservation initiatives, and involvement in local chapter activities. Throughout the newsletter, the value of citizen engagement, scientific collaboration, and preserving both biological and cultural knowledge of Colorado’s native plants is strongly emphasized.

Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include Gibbons beardtongue (Penstemon gibbensii), Aztec milkvetch (Astragalus proximus), Phlox caryophylla, Ipomopsis polyantha, Lesquerella pruinosa, Castilleja lineata, white fir (Abies concolor), grass fern (Asplenium septentrionale), slender lipfern (Cheilanthes feei), king’s crown (Rhodiola integrifolia), bird’s-foot violet (Viola pedatifida), oshá (Ligusticum porteri), European lovage (Levisticum spp.), sunflower (Helianthus spp.), dwarf sunflower (Helianthus pumilus), Weber’s monkey-flower (Mimulus gemmiparus), Dolores River skeleton plant (Lygodesmia doloresensis), orchids, penstemons, Townsendia spp., and Gilia spp.

Keywords: annual meeting, Four Corners flora, rare plant conservation, rare plant symposium, ethnobotany, San Luis Valley, traditional plant knowledge, Spanish plant names, native plant uses, conservation advocacy, Endangered Species Act, biodiversity protection, genetic diversity, revegetation, restoration ecology, native seed sources, sunflower research, chapter activities, botanical education, field trips, fire ecology, wetland ecology, mosses, endemic plants, public outreach, volunteerism, citizen science, research grants, native plant appreciation, and cultural connections to plants.

Summary: This workshop-focused edition of Aquilegia combines practical botanical education with conservation science and research updates. The newsletter outlines the 2006 Colorado Native Plant Society workshop program, including sessions on evening primrose relatives, Front Range vegetation zones, rare plants, and introductory plant identification. A detailed grant report chronicles a floristic inventory of the Arapaho National Forest and Grand County Bureau of Land Management lands, documenting alpine biodiversity, invasive species, and rare plant occurrences. Readers are also introduced to the leathery grapefern through an in-depth botanical profile and learn of a possible new moonwort discovery in Colorado. The issue further promotes research funding opportunities, educational outreach, and chapter activities that encourage continued study and protection of Colorado’s native flora.

Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include evening primroses (Oenothera spp.), Calylophus spp., Camissonia spp., Draba crassa, Draba exunguiculata, Draba fladnizensis var. pattersonii, Draba grayana, Draba porsildii var. porsildii, alpine spring beauty (Claytonia megarhiza var. megarhiza), alpine forget-me-not (Eritrichium nanum var. elongatum), creeping nailwort (Paronychia sessiliflora), Rocky Mountain nailwort (Paronychia pulvinata), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), wild caraway (Carum carvi), nodding plumeless thistle (Carduus nutans), Kremmling milkvetch (Astragalus osterhoutii), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), leathery grapefern (Botrychium multifidum), moonworts (Botrychium spp.), willow species (Salix spp.), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Sclerocactus mesae-verdae, grasses, sedges, mosses, and wetland vegetation associated with beaver habitats.

Keywords: workshops, botanical education, plant identification, Front Range vegetation, alpine ecology, rare plants, floristic inventory, biodiversity documentation, conservation research, invasive species, noxious weeds, alpine habitats, global warming impacts, wetland ecology, moonworts, leathery grapefern, botanical discovery, field methods, herbarium collections, research grants, native plant outreach, habitat monitoring, ecological stewardship, chapter programs, public education, conservation funding, volunteer engagement, native plant gardening, and Colorado flora.