MONDAY, September 17, 2018: Glacial Geology of Michigan and Formation of the Great Lakes presented by Larry Bean, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
In this program we will discuss how the geologic history of Michigan going back over 2 billion years influenced the movement of the glaciers 2 million to 10 thousand years ago. We will identify how the glaciers sculpted the great lakes basins and upland areas and created the wide variety of deposits we see in Michigan. In particular, we will review how glacial landforms, soils, and hydrological processes have influenced the spatial patterning of ecosystems and their characteristic flora.
10/15/2018: Factors Influencing the Distribution of Natural Communities in Michigan. Michael Kost: Curator of Native Plants, Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan
The natural communities of Michigan span the full range of environmental gradients from dry sand prairies to rich conifer swamps. We will explore the factors that structure the distribution of this diverse assemblage of natural communities across the state. You’ll come away with a framework for better understanding the diversity of ecosystems we observe in nature and a renewed appreciation for the natural beauty of Michigan.
11/19/2018: Ecological Surveys of Southern Michigan: reflections on the importance of public land. Jesse Lincoln: MSU-Ext Michigan Natural Features Inventory
Jesse Lincoln has been conducting vegetation surveys on public lands across southern Michigan for the past 8 years as an ecologist for the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. His survey work reveals both the natural beauty and imperiled state of these large tracts of natural area. Jesse will share with us his observations of these treasures, concerns for their future health, and the shared responsibility to care for our natural heritage.
Tuesday 4 December 2018, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon: Trek to Waterloo Black Spruce Forest. Black Spruce, a native evergreen conifer, is usually associated with northern bogs and boreal forest ecosystems; but there are a few remnant black spruce stands in southern Michigan. The boreal forest biome, dominated by spruce and fir, migrated through southern Michigan, some 12,000 years BP, as the glaciers of the Pleistocene epoch retreated northward. Black Spruce, tolerant of cold and wet conditions, found a home in acid bogs and other wet depressions. It’s cones are semi-serotinous (requiring fire to open) and spruce forests are perpetuated by stand replacing fires.
Join naturalist Robert Ayotte on a trek through one of the few remnant spruce forests, in Waterloo State Recreation Area, to observe the landforms, soil, and site conditions that generated this ecosystem. We’ll distinguish our two spruces, and learn to separate spruce, from firs and pines. Finally, we’ll determine the long term prognosis for this forest.
Meet at the parking area at the corner of Waterloo-Munith Rd and Parks Rd in Waterloo State Recreation area. (13999 Waterloo-Munith Road). The area is relatively flat, with fairly dense underbrush.
01/21/2019: The other New World Temperate vegetation Zone: Patagonia. Anton Reznicek: Curator, University of Michigan Herbarium.
While we are familiar with the temperate forests and grasslands in which we live in in the north, we don’t often think of the temperate forests and grasslands towards the other pole – the plants of temperate South America in the region of Argentina and Chile collectively known as Patagonia. There, the climate is very different because the continents narrow dramatically to the south, rather than expanding, as North America does towards the north, so the climate is strongly maritime influenced. Also, the high peaks of the Andes, besides having remarkable alpine vegetation, generate a strong rain shadow, resulting in sharp vegetation transitions and extensive grasslands, and even cold deserts. We will look at the forests and grasslands of much of the area, with a focus on the more important species, and some of the interesting habitats and remarkable plants. Note this program coincides with the HVC Potluck (6 pm – 9 pm).
Tony’s research at the University centers on the systematics and evolution of sedges (Cyperaceae), with a focus on the Great Lakes region as well as the neotropics, especially Mexico. He has a strong interest in the biogeography of the northeastern North American flora, concentrating on the Great Lakes region, including plant migration and colonization, origin and persistence of relict plant species and communities, wetland vegetation dynamics, especially of the Great Lakes shorelines, and the evolution of the endemic flora of the region. In addition, he is very active in the conservation of the Great Lakes region flora, with a focus on conservation strategies for the endemic and disjunct flora. His field work has been varied, including much of the US and Canada, including a number of trips to Alaska, many trips to Mexico, plus some trips to South America and China, always with a view to understanding the basic ecology and biogeography of the region, as well as the plants.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION - WEDNESDAY, 6 FEBRUARY: Rimrock, Playas, Petroglyphs & Pronghorns: Playa Lakes of the Hart Mountain and Sheldon Wildlife Refuges. Dennis Albert, PhD, Senior Research Faculty Horticulture Department, Oregon State University.
Dr. Albert will discuss the endemic flora of the Basin and Range playas of the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge (Oregon) and the Sheldon Refuge (Nevada), with a focus on the smaller playas on the tops of the basalt rim rock. The flora changes dramatically from low water to dry water years, and he will be showing plants characteristic of both conditions. He will also discuss the zones that occur along the edges and in the middle of the playas. Dennis Albert is a Research Professor in the Horticulture Department of Oregon State University, where his research has focused on wetland restoration and native plant marketing. He has current research projects focused on Great-Lakes-wide coastal wetlands inventories and harvest of invasive wetland plants for biogas production and phosphorus capture and reuse. He and his graduate students conduct research on Oregon’s estuaries, and in 2016 and 2017 conducted inventories of the vegetation of the playas of Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge in southeastern Oregon and Sheldon Wildlife Refuge in northern Nevada.
Dr. Albert teaches summer field courses in Forest Ecology and Great Lakes coastal wetlands at the University of Michigan’s Biological Station in northern Michigan.
02/18/2019: The Complex Environmental Web of Northern Lower Michigan: Climate, Soils, Forests. Randy Schaetzl: Michigan State University Department of Geology.
Soils form and evolve in close conjunction with climate and plant communities. Nowhere is this interplay more interesting or complex than in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. In this talk, Dr. Randall Schaetzl, of Michigan State University, will discuss this complex web. Why do soils vary so greatly across the Lower Peninsula? When did this divergence start to occur? And how do the snow-belts act to influence all of this? If you like maps, soils, or plants, this talk is for you.
Bio: Randy has been Professor of Geography/Geology at MSU since 1987. His interests span the field of physical geography, but with a focus on soils, geomorphology, and to a lesser extent, vegetation systems. He is a firm believer in the value of fieldwork in physical geography, and is in the field for much of each summer season. His work is highly spatial and usually involves GIS data, analyses, applications and approaches, and many of the resultant research products are new and innovative maps. Randy lives in Okemos with his wife and three daughters, where they tend to their suburban farm and garden. Randy very much enjoys working with students on research projects, both as their direct graduate advisor and in teacher-classroom situations.
03/18/2019: Creating Near Native Habitats in Built Environments. Matt Demmon. Plantwise: Director of Native Landscapes Division
It is tempting to try to duplicate the function of natural wetlands, woodlands and other native habitats using native plants in our built environment. These types of projects need to be aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced, and relatively easy to maintain. What's the best way to do this when working in an environment that has been changed beyond recognition in a climate that is changing in ways we don't understand? We will discuss ways of thinking about creating plant communities and how planting design and new models of landscape maintenance can help us create resilient, beautiful plantings that have the best chance of fulfilling the stormwater and ecosystem functions we are trying to create.
Matt Demmon has been working outdoors since 2004. His experience includes organic farming; landscape design, installation and maintenance; native plant propagation; prescribed fire; invasive plant control; management planning; growing mushrooms; and botany. He is currently getting his own company, Feral Flora, LLC off the ground. Matt is planning to grow and sell plants as well as install and maintain landscapes, but his current main focus is in designing and installing ecologically sustainable landscapes that nourish wildlife and humans both.
04/15: Spring Flora with Bob and Bob
Join Bob Smith and Robert Ayotte for a photographic and illustrated review of common spring flora of southern Michigan. Bob will display his fine array of photographs, and describe techniques and locations, while Robert will provide an illustrated review of associated plant family characteristics. The program is intended to be colorful, informative, and a preview of upcoming spring splendor.
Bio: Bob Smith is an expert photographer, botanist, and naturalist, while Robert is a gradual student in Forest Ecology, and formerly an ecologist for the USDA Forest Service, and Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
Ecology and Woody plants of the Reichert Nature Preserve
Saturday, October 20, 10:00-12:00
Trip Leader: Neal Billetdeaux
The Reichert Nature Preserve is a 92-acre parcel north of Portage Lake. The variety of plant communities at Reichert reflects the site’s amazing underlying geological diversity. We will discuss the ecology and management of the area and this is the best time of year to view the distinctive vegetative characteristics of woody plants. This trip will focus on trees and shrubs from dry oak-hickory woods to a rich tamarack swamp. It is also a great opportunity to view some of woodland goldenrods, asters and ferns. This trip will mostly be on trails and boardwalks.
From Dexter, take Dexter-Pinckney Road north to west on Tiplady Road. A gravel drive/parking lot is on the south side of Tiplady Road at the Legacy Land Conservancy sign.
Fall Botany Walk - Hudson Mills Metropark
Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Leaders are Ron Gamble and Faye Stoner.
We will walk at a leisurely pace, mostly on asphalt trail, and actually not travel very far. We will look at plants found just off the trail, but we will also walk a bit away from the trail at times to see things closer to the Huron River. There are vines we will see, including Wild Yam, Moonseed, and our native Lonicera vine; we will look at several shrubs including Euonymus atropurpureus (our native Euonymous), Hazelnut, Witchhazel, and Bladdernut; and we will look at some fall wildflowers including various asters.
Meet in River Grove parking lot. (At tollbooth, turn right, and continue straight ahead to parking lot)
09/17/2018: Glacial Geology of Michigan and Formation of the Great Lakes. Larry Bean: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Glacial Geology of Michigan and Formation of the Great Lakes. Larry Bean: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
In this program we will discuss how the geologic history of Michigan going back over 2 billion years influenced the movement of the glaciers 2 million to 10 thousand years ago. We will identify how the glaciers sculpted the great lakes basins and upland areas and created the wide variety of deposits we see in Michigan. In particular, we will review how glacial landforms, soils, and hydrological processes have influenced the spatial patterning of ecosystems and their characteristic flora.
Larry received a BS degree and MS degree in Geology from Wayne State University graduating in 1987. He has been with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Quality since 1988. He currently works as the Jackson and Lansing District Supervisor in the Waste Management and Radiological Protection Division of the Department of Environmental Quality. He was a district geologist for the Southeast Michigan and Jackson districts for 21 years. He has been serving as the district supervisor for 9 years. He taught geology classes at UM-Dearborn and EMU as an adjunct lecturer. The classes he taught included glacial geology and geomorphology.
Learn to measure a big tree.
This is an opportunity to meet the co-ordinator of the MBC Big Tree Program. We will meet on September 8th at 10:00 am at the Hamburg Township Library, (10411 Merrill Rd, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189) and Ted Reuschel will demonstrate how to measure a Big Tree. If you are interested in becoming an official tree measurer for the program, you can talk to Ted about that too. Please send an email to Sheila to confirm. (botclubwebmaster@gmail.com) or send a text to 734-972-1428.
The Hunt for Hay-Scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
Saturday 11 August 9:00 to 12:00 pm
There is only one known location for hay-scented fern in the entire state of Michigan, and it is located in Waterloo Recreation Area in Jackson County. Our mission is to determine weather, or not, the clone is still present , alive, and thriving. We’ll need several sharp-eyed and intrepid fern hunters who are determined to add this species to their pteridolist. Associated landscape features and precise coordinates unknown.
This fern is common in Southern Ontario, New York, and New England – but considered threatened in Michigan. The Michigan colony is obviously far removed from any other distribution. The vernacular name, hay-scented refers to the fronds, which are aromatic when bruised and emit a strong hay or alfalfa-like oder that is particularly noticeable in senescing or drying plants. It was not found in Michigan until 1954; then it was not seen again until its recent discovery, in 2006, by MNFI’s John Fody.
The trek will include pertinent discussions regarding any other plants that we might encounter. Plant list unknown.
Meet at Zou Zou’s Café at 101 North Main Street Chelsea, MI 48118 at 9:00 am for coffee and a briefing. We’ll carpool from Zou Zou’s. Equipment: should you accept the mission, be ready for anything! There are a lot of known unknowns here, and unknown unknowns. Failure is not an option!
July 1, 2018, 10:00 – 12:00 PM, Lower Huron Metropark
River floodplains around the world are alike in several respects. The dominant ecological factor which influences vegetation is flooding. As a result of high water in the spring, species are found in zones of varying conditions extending out laterally from the river. In northern climates, rivers modify the local climate making it warmer and more humid in the summer and cooler in the spring than surrounding upland areas. Some species with typically more southern ranges are found to extend farther north along river corridors. Join Robert Ayotte and Neal Billetdeaux to explore the variety of habitats along the Huron River, discuss the ecological adaptations of floodplain species and observe some plants that are uncommon in southern Michigan. Stay tuned for location and carpool options.
We will meet at 10:00 at the Sycamore Bend picnic shelter which is on the east side of the road approximately 2.4 miles south of the Huron River Drive entrance. There is a $10 entry fee per vehicle if you do not have a yearly vehicle pass and be sure to bring bug dope. This will be around a 1 mile walk on a dirt path possibly followed by an opportunity to visit other areas.
For those in Ann Arbor and points west who are interested in carpooling, I suggest meeting at the MDOT Park & Ride in the southwest quadrant of the Ann Arbor-Saline Road/I-94 interchange no later than 9:30. It is about 20 minutes from there to Sycamore Bend. Take I-94 east to Haggerty Road south. The entrance is at the intersection of Haggerty and Huron River Drive.
http://www.metroparks.com/parks/lower-huron-metropark/
Saturday, May 12, at 10 AM, Bill Brodovich will lead a trip to the LeFurge Woods Preserve in Superior Township (Washtenaw County). The site has rolling hills with mature woodland. There is also a large wetland. The entrance is on the east side of Prospect Road, ¾ mile north of Geddes (just north of a big wetland on the west side of Prospect).
Saturday, May 19, at 10 AM, Bill Brodovich will lead a trip to the Cherry Hill Preserve near Dixboro. This site contains nice areas of mature woodland and some grassland. The entrance is on Cherry Hill Road, ¾ mile east of its junction with Gale Road. From village of Dixboro, turn south onto Cherry Hill at the general store. Go 0.6 mile, and bear left where Cherry Hill meets Gale Road. Go east on Cherry Hill for another ¾ mile. The entrance is on the north side of the road.
Saturday, June 2 from 10:00-12:30, Dr. Tony Reznicek will lead a field trip at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve near Sharon Hollow. His title for the trip is “Just How Many Species of Sedges are in the Woods?” This will be great opportunity to learn more about sedges from our foremost sedge authority—and in a beautiful setting. Don’t miss it. Here is Dr. Reznicek’s “trailer” for the trip: "Most grass like plants in rich forests are in fact sedges, and to survive in this setting, species adopt various strategies for pollination (remember sedges are mostly wind pollinated), growth, and reproduction in a low light and low wind environment. We'll see many of the strategies on display along the trail at the Nan Weston Preserve at Sharon Hollow. Of course, there may be other interesting plants there as well."
We’ll mostly be walking on the boardwalk, but waterproof footwear is advisable.
The Nan Weston Preserve is located several miles south of Chelsea. If you use Google Maps, the GPS coordinates are: 42.1862083°, -084.1106417°. Preserve parking is available east of where Jacob Road ends at Easudes Road northwest of Sharon Hollow.
Directions from Chelsea, MI:
At the junction of I-94 and M-52 in Chelsea, MI, take M-52 south for 7.4 miles to Pleasant Lake Road.
Turn west on Pleasant Lake Road and follow it for 3.2 miles to Sharon Hollow Road.
Turn west, then north on Sharon Hollow Road, and follow it to Easudes Road.
Turn west and travel 0.9 miles on Easudes Road. You will see the preserve sign on the south side of the road. A small parking lot is available at the trailhead.
Saturday April 28, 2018: Miller Woods, Plymouth Township - Lynn Kirkpatrick 9:00 am – 12:00 noon
Embrace early spring at this rich preserve! Hike an easy loop trail through 10 acres of old growth Beech-Sugar Maple forest. In addition to these majestic trees we will see Basswood (Tilia americana), Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis), Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata), blooming Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), and wildflowers like Harbinger-of-Spring (Eriginia bulbosa), Spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica), Giant Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum giganteum), Squirrel-corn (Dicentracanadensis), Dutchman’s-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), Solomon-seal (Polygonatum biflorum), Wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) along with emerging ferns and Beech-drops (Epifagus virginiana). Hike will be led by Michigan Botanical Club member Lynn Kirkpatrick, a botanist who was introduced to the beautiful Miller Woods by Ellen Weatherbee many years ago. It is a treasure to see in the spring. Visit the website millerwoods.com for more information.
Saturday 21 April: Spring Botany and Horner’s Woods Workday I - Sylvia Taylor 9:00 am - 12 noon (Note time change from afternoon to morning)
Join Sylvia and mentor Matthaei volunteers to scout for the invasive garlic mustard and help with light trail maintenance at Horner Woods, a wildflower sanctuary N of Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Volunteers will also enjoy seeing large patches of a lovely native wildflower, Twinleaf, which will be in peak bloom in late April. Please dress for physical, outdoor work. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are required. We provide tools and orientation. Minors are welcome with permission forms; those under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Meet in the west lobby at Matthaei Botanical Gardens 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. to caravan to Horner Woods. Questions? Contact Sylvia Taylor at .
Saturday 17 March: Conifers of Nichol's Arboretum - Robert Ayotte 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Nichol's Arboretum displays conifers native to Michigan, North America, Asia, and more. This hike will focus onT conifer biology, ecology, and phytogeography. Coneheads should meet at the James Reader Jr. Urban Environmental Center on Washington Heights. We'll discuss and admire a broad array of gymnosperms in a loop covering about 2 miles, with some steep hills. Wear your yak trax if it is icey. ree parking is available at 1) the Markley Hall Parking Lot, 2) adjacent to the UM Hospital Helicopter pad, and 3) on the street along Washington Heights.
Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m. – Herbarium Tour with Tony Reznicek, curator, UM Herbarium
Herbaria are the foundation for all work on plant systematics, biogeography, and floristics, and the University of Michigan Herbarium, one of the largest in the western Hemisphere, is a major international resource. Our Michigan Botanical Club tour will focus on the herbarium collections as they relate to Michigan and the Great Lakes region most specifically. We will look at our earliest documentation of the flora, from the early 1800’s, the huge impact that the First Geological Survey of Michigan (1837-1840) had on our knowledge of the flora, and we will see some examples of collections from major collectors and how they are all tied together into a modern flora. Finally, modern digital technology is transforming the way we think about data and collections, and we will look at some modern projects involving digitization of collections (e.g. Michigan Flora online –http://michiganflora.net/home.aspx; http://midwestherbaria.org/portal/). We will close out with a brief look at the Library, and how it relates to the collections. Registration: Because of limited space, please register with Robert Ayotte, <oikos14@outlook.com> or call 734-718-6114
Saturday 4 November 2017, 9 a.m.- 12:00 noon Workday and Botanizing at Horner Woods Special
Trip leader: Dr. Sylvia Taylor
We have an unusual opportunity to collaborate with Professor John Benedict's University of Michigan 's ENV201 class. These students are assigned to learn about stewardship projects through local participation. This fall's Horner woods work day is for clearing woody invasives from the area where a new entrance trail is being planned through the Pelton homestead. It should be a fine learning opportunity for the class. Since we hope to include small group touring of Horner Woods, and there may be as many as 20 students, we need a good turn out of members who enjoy engaging with students.
Meet in the Matthaei Botanical Garden's west lobby
Saturday 4 November – 1:00 to 4:00 PM, Fall Woodies of SMLC LeFurge Preserve (Note that this is a new time. It was previously posted as a morning field trip.) Field Trip Leaders Neal Billetdeaux and Robert Ayotte
During some of our past woody walks, we have explored glacial landscape features such as terminal moraines, kames, eskers and outwash. Our trip to LeFurge Woods will allow us to experience another ice contact feature know as ground moraine. Join with Robert Ayotte and Neal Billetdeaux in a discussion of our glacial landscape with a focus on ground moraine along with features of the adjacent glacial lake plain, perhaps a topic of a future trip. This will be an excellent time of year to view distinctive characteristics of several oak and maple species along with an introduction to “soil turbulence”. This will be an approximately one mile hike, most likely at a glacial pace, along preserve trails.
Please park on the north side of Vreeland Road east of Prospect Rd. in the vicinity of the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy office. Vreeland is a narrow dirt road with little traffic but please take care to leave room for others to pass.
Participants limited to 24; please RSVP to Robert at Rayotte14@Comcast.net
Prior 2017 - 2018 Meetings
MONDAY, April 16, 2018 - Bringing Conservation to Cities presented by Dr. John Hartig, Author and Retired Manager for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
Bringing Conservation to Cities is the story of how innovative public-private partnerships are making nature part of everyday urban life in the automobile capitals of the U.S. and Canada in an effort to inspire and develop the next generation of conservationists in urban areas because that is now where 80% of U.S. and Canadian citizens live. Bringing Conservation to Cities presents insights on: the history of the refuge; habitat restoration efforts using innovative partnerships; trans-boundary conservation; reconnecting people to the river through compelling citizen science and outdoor recreation; and practical lessons learned.
MONDAY, March 19, 2018 – Wildflower Wanderings: Exploring the Great Lakes Region's Botanical Beauty by Dan Sparks-Jackson, Amateur Nature Photographer.
The talk will explore the seasonal progression of wildflowers found blooming in our region's woods, fens, bogs, and grasslands. The presenter will share his personal experiences tiptoeing around such special habitats.
February 19 - Pesticides and Pollinators presented by Meghan Milbreath, Coordinator, Michigan Pollinator Initiative, MSU Department of Entomology. Honey bees are an important part of Michigan agriculture, while our natural lands are supported by over 450 species of native bees, and thousands of other pollinators. The challenges of pollinators have recently been featured in the media, including the role of pesticides. We will discuss the importance of pollinators, the effects of pesticides (including neonicitinoids), the strength of the science, and what is being done to help.
January 21, 2018 – “Canopy Walk to Boomslang - A Botanical Garden Sampler from the U.S.A., Europe and South Africa” - Lynn Kirkpatrick, Program Assistant at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Visit several botanical gardens around the world and embrace their very different personalities. One botanical garden is over 470 years old! Along the way, interesting plants and spectacular views will be highlighted. Lynn has been fortunate enough to have visited each of the gardens and will take you on an educational and beautiful photo journey.
No December Meeting
MONDAY, November 20, 2017 - What, My Herbicide Did That?! - David Roberts, PhD, Senior Academic Specialist at Michigan State University. Trees, shrubs and other landscape plants are unintentionally harmed at an alarming rate by today's herbicides when applied by homeowner and professional alike. Come learn about these new products so that you can avoid costly, lethal errors.
MONDAY, October 16, 2017 - Restoring Michigan Prairies: Measuring Success - Dr. Emily Grman, Assistant Professor of Biology, Eastern Michigan University. Restoring prairies in Michigan is a common practice, but philosophical and practical obstacles to success remain. In this talk, we will explore the variety of prairie communities in southwest Michigan and some strategies for guiding plant community development.
MONDAY, September 18, 2017 – Endangered & Invasive Plant Species - Jane Kramer, Fine Art Photographer
For her project "Foreshadowing - Endangered & Threatened Plant Species", Jane photographs the shadows of endangered plant species and transfers the images onto paper made from the invasive plant species that threaten them. Jane will be talking about the process of collecting invasive plant species, turning plant biomass into pulp and paper, and photographing the shadows of endangered plant species. The presentation will also include a demo of an alcohol gel transfer onto invasive plant species paper.
Prior 2016- 2017 Meetings/Trips
Monday July 10, 2017 at 7:00p.m. at Matthaei Botanical Garden. The Milkweed Community - Don Drife Special Event HVC co-sponsored with Herb Study Group
Everyone knows about the Monarch Butterfly and its needs for milkweed plants to survive. But many other insects and some non-insects also make their home in the milkweed community. Join naturalist and photographer Don Drife as he presents a program on the many organisms, which feed on and among the different species of milkweeds, and those that make passing visits.
Monday, April 17, 2017 - DAN MOERMAN - WHY THESE MEDICINAL PLANTS?
Native North American Indigenous people used many plants as medicines; roughly 10% of the some 26,000 species found north of the Rio Grande. The question I'll address here is, why did they pick this 10% rather than some other 10%. Among other things, we will learn why it is that so many plants found in ornamental flower gardens are plants which were (and sometime are still) used as medicines by native peoples."
MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017.
Exposing The Clandestine Relationships Among Our Michigan Plants – Newer DNA-Based Classifications presented by Anton (Tony) Reznicek, Curator, University of Michigan Herbarium. We live in an exciting time for biology, because we can now study organisms by directly accessing their genetic material, rather than using indirect (and usually imprecise) methods. So we have gained a huge amount of understanding of relationships among plants and groups of plants in a short period of time. Some of the new information we have unearthed has illuminated some extremely interesting aspects of our flora. However, because our system of naming plants is tied to their relationships (not arbitrary), this results in some name changes. We can see that clearly by comparing the families and genera of plants recognized in the three volume Michigan Flora by Ed Voss,with those noted in the Michigan Flora website – there are lots of name changes! I’ll argue that these changes are signs of progress. We’ll also look at just how we know what we do, and why we are certain enough about some facts to actually be willing to change the names.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017.
Ferns of Southeast Michigan - Carol Clements,
Naturalist for Wayne County Parks and Manager of Nankin Mills Interpretive Center in Westland. Michigan is home to over 70 species of ferns, with over 40 species in our area. Some are easy to recognize and others are more difficult to tell apart. This program will focus on some of the unique characteristics that will help you distinguish these botanical treasures.