Even if you aren't a member, you can now view newsletters on this site. If you aren't a member, please consider becoming one today!

The latest newsletter was published in May 2013. Download it now!

Dr. Paul McKenzie will teach a grass identification workshop, held at Missouri State University- Kings Street Annex 308 and 309. on June 6-7, Th & F (8am -4:30pm each day).

The workshop will include a presentation on grass morphology, keying exercises in teams of two
and field trips to learn tips on identifying grasses in a natural setting (Max capacity: 44).

To register for the grass workshop (first come, first served), contact: Dr. Michelle Bowe:
MBowe@missouristate.edu; 417-836-6189. Michelle will send directions and parking information
once everyone has “registered.”

Places to stay: Springfield has a wide variety of hotels and motels, but the most convenient may be those at the intersection of Glenstone Ave. and I-44 (Drury Inn is one; their number is: 1-888-253-1628).

The St. Louis Chapter invites you to our first weekend field trip of the year! Join us this Saturday at Holly Ridge Natural Area. Details in the link below:

Holly Ridge Natural Area

The Missouri Native Plant Society Summer Meeting and Field Trips will be held June 14-16, 2013 in and around Salem, Missouri. Our Meetings will be held in the Bank of Salem Meeting Room in Salem. In addition to our quarterly Board Meeting, we will also hold our Annual Membership Meeting and present the annual MONPS Awards. Please join us! Our Field Trips will include some of the best fen communities left in unglaciated North America.

For complete details about events and lodging, please click the following links:

Summer 2013 Meeting Information (doc)

Summer 2013 Meeting Information (PDF)
You may wish to print the PDF file to bring with you.

ATTENTION: If you will be attending our Spring Board Meeting and Field Trips this coming weekend, please view the latest updated information at the links provided and print any materials you wish to bring with you.

When: April 12-14, 2013
Where: Big Sugar Creek State Park (McDonald County)
Our spring meeting and field trips will be in and around Big Sugar Creek State Park. Located in southwest Missouri in the Elk River Section of the Ozarks Natural Division, Big Sugar Creek State Park features a variety of plants and animals that are less common or absent further into Missouri. This watershed drains south into the Arkansas River Basin, whereas most other Ozark rivers drain north and east into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Our headquarters will be the Boonslick Lodge in Jane, Missouri (see location and contact information in the Motel section of the links below).

For complete details about events and lodging, please click the following link:

Spring 2013 Meeting Information (PDF)
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Additional Materials you may want to bring:

Elk River Breaks Natural Area Topographic Map (PDF)

Big Sugar Creek State Park Plant List (PDF)

Huckleberry Ridge C.A. Plant List (PDF)

You may wish to print the PDF files to bring with you.

Friday, February 22, 2013 | 9-5 pm

George Washington Carver National Monument

Are you interested in native landscaping? Learn in-depth information on many aspects of native landscaping—from design to water management, local native plant communities, native trees, pollinators, and more.

Topics include:

• Native Plants and How to Use Them in Naturalistic and Traditional Landscapes
• Know the Lay of Your Land – Missouri Native Plants in Context
• Beyond Dogwoods and Redbuds: Landscaping with Native Trees
• Pollinators and Native Plants
• Managing Water with Natives—Rain Gardens and More

Download flyer for more information!

• Missouri Floristic Quality Assessment: a tool for assessing and managing natural habitats and restorations - Doug Ladd, The Nature Conservancy
• Missouri’s blackberries: why do they Rubus the wrong way? - Justin Thomas and Jacob Hadle, Institute of Botanical Training
• Documenting Missouri’s liverwort flora - John Atwood, Missouri Botanical Garden
• New approaches in finding rare plants - Dr. Paul McKenzie, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• What does it take to get pollinated around here? - Mike Arduser, Missouri Department of Conservation
• Notes on diversity and endangerment in the Flora of Missouri - Dr. George Yatskievych and Rex Hill, Missouri Botanical Garden
• Exploring polyploidy and diversity: the intriguing case of Phlox pilosa - Dr. Carolyn Ferguson, Kansas State University
• Getting to the roots of local adaptation: evolution of North American grapevines - Dr. Allison Miller, St. Louis University
• Burn, Burn, Burn: a plant ecological and ecosystem perspective on prescribed fire for wildlife management - Dr. Alexander Wait, Missouri State University

Even if you aren't a member, you can now view newsletters on this site. If you aren't a member, please consider becoming one today!

The latest newsletter was published in January 2013. Download it now!

Your society has planned three great field trip destinations for 2013. Mark your calendars now so you are sure to be able to attend them all!

On the weekend of 12-14 April 2013, we'll be visiting extreme southwest Missouri. Our visit will include one of the state's newest state parks, Big Sugar Creek. This state park lies within a unique part of the Ozarks called the Elk River Hills region. Unlike most of the state, this area is drained by tributaries of the Arkansas River and it is sure to display a wonderful variety of spring wildflowers and could yield a surprise or two.

Grasshopper Hollow Natural Area will be the primary destination for the weekend of 14-16 June 2013. This area contains the largest fen complex in unglaciated North America. The surrounding areas are some of the most rugged, remote, and beautiful parts of the Missouri Ozarks so there will be plenty of other opportunities to see some great country and some great plants.

For our fall field trip (20-22 September 2013), we'll be heading north to the vicinity of Kirksville to visit Morris Prairie Natural Area, one of the newest natural areas in Missouri. While Missouri has some great prairie areas, high-quality intact prairie is rare everywhere, but particularly in the northern part of the state. The prairie as well as some nearby forested areas will make a great destination.

I hope to see you out and about this season!

During the May 2011 field trip near Joplin MO, members of the Society discovered a flowering population of Carolina Clover (Trifolium carolinianum), a species that had not been seen in the state since 1920. Previous populations had been recorded in Boone Co MO and Jasper Co MO. Although the plant has been recorded in rocky open woods, sandy prairies, limestone barrens (or glades), and open ground, it appears to be restricted to glades in Missouri. Keep an eye out for this species in your area next spring, particularly in SW MO!

Read more about this discovery and this species in the 2012 Missouriensis (McKenzie, P.M. and G. Yatskievych. 2012. Rediscovery of Carolina Clover (Trifolium carolinianum, Fabaceae) in Missouri. Missouriensis 31:1-4.