Aquilegia Editions 1985
Summary: This issue highlights the Society’s expanding conservation initiatives, botanical research, and educational outreach. Articles document ongoing Florissant Fossil Beds inventory efforts, support for protecting inholdings within Rocky Mountain National Park, and participation in broader western native plant collaborations. Several detailed botanical studies focus on Colorado’s native orchids and taxonomic questions involving alpine and western species, encouraging members to contribute observations and collections that refine understanding of plant distribution. Book reviews, chapter programming, and editorial updates reinforce the Society’s emphasis on education, volunteer engagement, and the advancement of botanical knowledge through careful fieldwork, herbarium research, and public stewardship.
Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include Epipactis gigantea, Platanthera sparsiflora, Platanthera hyperborea, Platanthera dilatata, Listera borealis, Listera convallarioides, Listera cordata, Listera caurina, Polemonium brandegei, Polemonium viscosum, Castilleja spp., Astragalus spp., Aquilegia spp., Oxytropis spp., Oreocarya aperta, Cryptantha aperta, Cryptantha mensana, and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa).
Keywords: Florissant Fossil Beds, plant inventory, herbarium collections, Rocky Mountain National Park, land acquisition, conservation fundraising, western native plant societies, orchid distribution, orchid identification, orchid surveys, herbarium research, taxonomy, botanical exploration, plant propagation, native plant gardening, flower photography, Fabaceae identification, alpine ecology, hybridization, introgressive hybridization, botanical literature, Aven Nelson, Rocky Mountain Herbarium, editorial updates, chapter activities, volunteer engagement, citizen science, field botany, and native plant conservation.
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Summary: This March–April 1985 issue focuses on organizational growth, conservation planning, and preparing members for an active field season. The Society announced two new chapters in the Four Corners and Colorado Springs regions, expanded annual meeting plans centered on the theme “Water, Wetlands, and Native Plants,” and highlighted the work of The Nature Conservancy’s newly formed Rocky Mountain Heritage Task Force to protect biological diversity and rare plant communities. Extensive field trip listings, chapter activities, and educational programs emphasized ethical field practices, native plant appreciation, and citizen involvement in documenting Colorado’s flora. The newsletter reflects a Society entering a period of expansion, strengthening its regional presence while promoting stewardship, botanical education, and responsible enjoyment of native plant habitats.
Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include twinflower (Linnaea borealis), rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera repens), fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa), bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata), alpine mertensia (Mertensia spp.), old-man-of-the-mountain (Hymenoxys grandiflora), glacier lily (Erythronium grandiflorum), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), aspen (Populus tremuloides), and various orchids, lilies, irises, lichens, composites, cacti, and native wildflowers discussed in workshops and field programs.
Keywords: Rocky Mountain Heritage Task Force, The Nature Conservancy, Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory, biological diversity, rare plants, conservation priorities, annual meeting, Water Wetlands and Native Plants, Four Corners Chapter, Colorado Springs Chapter, field trip policies, ethical collecting, native plant stewardship, Mancos Canyon, Pawnee Buttes, Florissant Fossil Beds, Spanish Peaks, Mount Bross, Air Force Academy Reservation, Pinon Canyon, native plant propagation, rock gardening, revegetation, lichen studies, orchid identification, botanical education, archaeology, chapter activities, volunteer engagement, and native plant conservation.
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Summary: This May–June 1985 issue highlights the Colorado Native Plant Society’s growing role in conservation advocacy, native plant education, and practical stewardship. Major attention is given to efforts supporting the reauthorization and strengthening of the Endangered Species Act, including financial contributions to national conservation initiatives and policy advocacy on behalf of Colorado’s rare flora. The issue also provides an in-depth educational article on the propagation of Colorado native plants from seed, emphasizing that successful germination depends on understanding dormancy, storage, moisture, temperature, and light requirements rather than assuming native species are inherently difficult to cultivate. Extensive chapter announcements and field trip opportunities encouraged members to explore Colorado’s diverse habitats while expanding botanical knowledge and fostering community engagement. The newsletter reflects CoNPS’s dual commitment to plant conservation policy and hands-on appreciation of native flora through education, research, and responsible field activities.
Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include Cryptantha mensana, Cryptantha aperta, Baileya multiradiata, Aquilegia caerulea, oak (Quercus spp.), spatterdock (Nuphar spp.), Physaria eburniflora, Physaria alpina, Arabis pulchra var. duchesnensis, Arabis williamsii, Oenothera acutissima, Botrychium montanum, Douglasia idahoensis, Astragalus schultzii, Cryptantha subcapitata, Hackelia ibapensis, Penstemon gibbensii, Thalictrum heliophilum, Lesquerella parviflora, Astragalus missouriensis var. humistratus, Thelesperma pubescens, Botrychium echo, Oenothera harringtonii, aspen (Populus tremuloides), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), penstemons (Penstemon spp.), eriogonums (Eriogonum spp.), paintbrushes (Castilleja spp.), cacti, and numerous Colorado wildflowers referenced in field programs and botanical discussions.
Keywords: Endangered Species Act, Natural Resources Defense Council, plant conservation advocacy, rare plants, conservation funding, seed propagation, native plant germination, seed dormancy, stratification, xeriscaping, Mile High and Dry Symposium, Water Wetlands and Native Plants, annual meeting, Denver Botanic Gardens, field trips, Florissant Fossil Beds herbarium project, Pinon Canyon, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Four Corners Chapter, Denver Chapter, Boulder Chapter, Fort Collins Chapter, ethnobotany, botanical illustration, native landscaping, plant identification, newly described species, Colorado flora research, herbarium collections, and native plant education.
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Summary: This July–September 1985 issue focuses on the Colorado Native Plant Society’s expanding efforts in conservation education, organizational development, and the relationship between water management and native ecosystems. The newsletter highlights preparations for the 1985 Annual Meeting, themed “Water, Wetlands and Native Plants,” which examined the ecological and political consequences of water diversion, wetland alteration, and increasing demands on Colorado’s finite water resources. Members were introduced to the newly described orchid Spiranthes diluvialis, emphasizing Colorado’s role in botanical discovery and the importance of protecting rare species. Additional features promoted conservation awareness through educational programming, including a plant conservation slide presentation, reports from a specialized orchid–iris–lily workshop, and field opportunities exploring Boulder County’s remnant tallgrass prairies. The issue reflects CoNPS’s commitment to scientific learning, public engagement, habitat preservation, and fostering appreciation for Colorado’s increasingly vulnerable native landscapes.
Plant Species: Plant species mentioned in this issue include Spiranthes diluvialis (Ute ladies’-tresses orchid), Spiranthes romanzoffiana, Spiranthes magnicamporum, Spiranthes cernua, Spiranthes porrifolia, columbine (Aquilegia spp.), valerians (Valeriana spp.), orchids, irises (family Iridaceae), lilies (family Liliaceae), tallgrass prairie species, midgrass prairie species, and the native flora associated with Boulder Creek riparian habitats and Colorado wetland ecosystems.
Keywords: Water, wetlands, native plants, annual meeting 1985, water diversion, Holy Cross Wilderness, Ogallala Aquifer, riparian ecology, Platte River, Arkansas River, xeriscaping, Boulder Creek Riparian Project, native plant conservation, plant conservation education, World Wildlife Fund, Garden Club of America, The Roots of Life, rare orchids, Spiranthes diluvialis, orchid taxonomy, Pleistocene ecology, chromosome studies, botanical workshops, orchid–iris–lily identification, herbarium specimens, Colorado Natural Areas Program, tallgrass prairie, Boulder Open Space, Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado Open Space Council, permanent fund establishment, and native plant appreciation.
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