Summary: This January/February 1988 issue of Aquilegia focuses on education, citizen science, and practical conservation initiatives throughout Colorado. The newsletter highlights an extensive schedule of workshops covering rare plants, tree identification, Cryptantha taxonomy, wildflower photography, and natural communities. It features articles on the Colorado Bird Atlas Partnership as a model for future botanical atlases, environmental advocacy through the “Colorado on the Edge” conference, seed dispersal ecology, summer botany courses, and revegetation efforts. The issue also showcases grassroots restoration work, including the Fort Collins prairie garden project and a field trip to Mesa de Maya, demonstrating the Society’s commitment to public engagement, scientific literacy, habitat restoration, and appreciation of Colorado’s native flora.

Plant Species: Plant species and genera mentioned in this issue include Acer, Alnus, Betula, Celtis, Populus, Quercus, Cryptantha, Carex, Penstemon, Utricularia spp. (bladderworts), Utricularia stygia, mosses, lichens, Geranium fremontii, milkweed (Asclepias spp.), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Bidens spp. (beggar’s-tick), prairie gentian, big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), Canadian wildrye (Elymus canadensis), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), blazing star (Liatris spp.), coneflower (Echinacea spp.), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), stoneseed (Lithospermum spp.), sunflower (Helianthus spp.), skunkbush (Rhus trilobata), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), cottonwoods (Populus spp.), willows (Salix spp.), summer cypress (Bassia scoparia), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), quackgrass (Elymus repens), mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Lobelia cardinalis, and beargrass (Nolina texana).

Keywords: Native plant workshops, rare plants of Wyoming, deciduous tree identification, Cryptantha taxonomy, wildflower photography, natural communities, citizen science, Colorado Bird Atlas Partnership, Atlas of British Flora, Colorado environmental advocacy, Colorado on the Edge Conference, biodiversity, seed dispersal mechanisms, Pikes Peak Research Station, High Altitude Revegetation Workshop, restoration ecology, prairie garden project, Gustav Swanson Nature Area, native landscaping, local seed collection, summer field courses, herbarium methods, western slope flora, Mesa de Maya, volunteerism, environmental education, and habitat conservation.

Summary: This May/June 1988 issue of Aquilegia focuses on rare plant conservation, field education, and citizen involvement in botanical research. The newsletter provides updates on the Colorado Rare Plant Monograph fundraising campaign and highlights upcoming field trips and workshops designed to expand members’ knowledge of Colorado flora. Articles encourage amateur botanists to contribute meaningful observations through studies of overlooked species and ecological puzzles, while workshop reports emphasize the importance of identifying sensitive plants and understanding their management. Conservation concerns receive significant attention through discussions of rare species protection in Wyoming and the San Luis Valley Resource Management Plan. The issue ultimately reflects the Society’s dual commitment to scientific rigor and public engagement in preserving Colorado’s botanical heritage.

Plant Species: Plant species and genera mentioned in this issue include Braya humilis, Penstemon grahamii, Mimulus gemmiparus, Eustoma grandiflorum, Opuntia spp., Castilleja rhexiifolia, Caltha leptosepala, Penstemon spp., Carex spp., Acer spp., Alnus spp., Betula spp., Celtis spp., Crataegus spp., Populus spp., Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Trifolium barnebyi, Sphaeromeria simplex, Claytonia lanceolata var. flava, Penstemon acaulis, Penstemon gibbensii, Gaura neomexicana var. coloradensis, Aquilegia laramiensis, Utricularia spp., Oenothera spp., Asperugo procumbens, Frasera speciosa, Agave spp., Leucocrinum montanum, Reseda lutea, Eutrema penlandii (Eutrema edwardsii ssp. penlandii), Ipomopsis globularis, Braya glabella, Saussurea weberi, Draba borealis, Armeria scabra ssp. sibirica, Ranunculus gelidus, Ptilagrostis porteri, Neoparrya lithophila, Cleome multicaulis, Astragalus ripleyi, Mahonia repens (Oregon grape holly), Claytonia spp. (spring beauties), Pseudotsuga menziesii, Acer glabrum (Rocky Mountain maple), Populus tremuloides, scrub oak (Quercus spp.), sagebrush buttercups, Easter daisies, mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.), fragile fern (Cystopteris fragilis), mountain ball cactus, snowball saxifrage (Saxifraga spp.), pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens), and numerous species of Cryptantha discussed during the workshop summary.

Keywords: Rare Plant Monograph, fundraising campaign, botanical illustration, field trip policies, Uncompahgre Plateau, Roan Cliffs, Pikes Peak mistletoe, Florissant Fossil Beds, Hoosier Ridge, rare plant monitoring, citizen science, edible and medicinal plants, aquatic plant identification, Penstemon taxonomy, Carex workshop, Wyoming endemic plants, sensitive species management, Natural Heritage Inventory Program, amateur botanical research, plant ecology, Colorado plant puzzles, San Luis Valley Resource Management Plan, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), conservation planning, Red Rocks Park flora, volunteer naturalists, butterfly ecology, herbarium photography, Cryptantha identification, botanical education, and public participation in native plant conservation.

Summary: This September/October 1988 issue of Aquilegia focuses on the documentation and protection of Colorado’s native plant diversity amid increasing development pressures. The newsletter reports the discovery of a new population of the globally rare Physaria bellii near Deer Creek Canyon and highlights conservation concerns involving riparian forests, remnant prairie ecosystems, and potential habitat loss from mining activities. Readers are introduced to unusual botanical phenomena such as witches’ brooms on subalpine fir and newly recognized birch hybrids in Colorado. The issue also promotes citizen involvement through Jefferson County inventory projects, educational workshops, and the annual meeting devoted to the ecology of the Colorado Plateau. Throughout, the publication emphasizes the importance of field observation, scientific documentation, habitat preservation, and public engagement in safeguarding Colorado’s botanical resources.

Plant Species: Plant species and genera mentioned in this issue include Physaria bellii, Physaria vitulifera, Stanleya pinnata, Astragalus racemosa, Bouteloua gracilis, Gymnosporangium sabinae, Melampsorella caryophyllacearum, Stellaria spp., Betula fontinalis, Betula papyrifera, Betula pendula, Betula × andrewsii, Ceanothus fendleri, Juniperus scopulorum, Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum, Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa, Acer glabrum, Rhus glabra var. cismontana, Ribes cereum, Rhus trilobata, Rosa woodsii, Rubus deliciosus, Prunus pensylvanica var. saximontana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Physocarpus monogynus, Clematis ligusticifolia, Jamesia americana, Amelanchier alnifolia, Salix scouleriana, Corylus cornuta, Populus tremuloides, Holodiscus dumosus, Yucca glauca, Mahonia repens, Juniperus communis, Toxicodendron rydbergii, Symphoricarpos spp., Acer negundo, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. graveolens, Populus sargentii, Celtis reticulata, Prunus americana, Opuntia polyacantha, Salix amygdaloides, Salix interior, Salix exigua, Crataegus erythropoda, Parthenocissus inserta, Humulus lupulus var. neomexicana, Artemisia frigida, Eriogonum jamesii, Eriogonum umbellatum, Eriogonum effusum, Brickellia californica, Quercus gambelii, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Potentilla fruticosa, Lonicera involucrata, Ribes aureum, Panicum virgatum, Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Bouteloua curtipendula, Sporobolus heterolepis, Muhlenbergia montana, Bouteloua hirsuta, and Amorpha fruticosa.

Keywords: Physaria bellii, rare plant discovery, Niobrara shale, Deer Creek Canyon, selenium indicator species, Rare Plant Monograph fundraising, Colorado Plateau ecology, annual meeting, ethnobotany, paleeoecology, xeriscape landscaping, water conservation, witches’ brooms, rust fungi, plant pathology, birch hybridization, naturalized species, Lookout Mountain flora, Beaver Brook Trail, woody plant diversity, riparian restoration, wetland management, hunting seasons, cottonwood conservation, Coal Creek mining proposal, habitat loss, Jefferson County Nature Association, plains riparian inventories, xeric tallgrass prairie, Rocky Flats vegetation, native grassland preservation, citizen science, land-use planning, conservation advocacy, workshops, and native plant education.