The Tucson chapter holds meetings between September and May each year, with a summer break. We meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. We hold “hybrid” meetings, where we meet both in person and also on Zoom. The live meetings will be in the ENR2 (Environment and Natural Resources 2) building at the University of Arizona, located on 6th street near Park. We meet in Room S215. Parking is available in the 6th St parking garage adjacent to ENR2. A credit card is required to pay for garage parking. If you are not on our mailing list and wish to attend one of our meetings on Zoom, email us at NativePlantsTucson@gmail.com to request the Zoom link. Videos of past meetings can be found on our YouTube channel.
Tucson Chapter Meeting – Thursday, April 11, 2024
Flora of the Sierra Murrieta, Sonora, Mexico
Presented by Tom Van Devender
Thursday, April 11, 2024
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7:00 pm at the University of Arizona ENR2, Room S215. Also on zoom.
For the zoom link, email nativeplantstucson@gmail.com
Calochortus barbatus in Tierras de Jimenez
The flora of the Sierra Murrieta was inventoried on a Madrean Archipelago Biotic Assessment Expedition from July 31 to August 2, 2014, and a Madrean Discovery Expedition (MDE) on September 13-17, 2022. The vegetation is foothills thornscrub at lower elevations and oak woodland above. A unique feature is an open limestone habitat on the top of the Sierra Murrieta. This area supports an unusual and diverse succulent flora. Notable species include Nolina matapensis and Randia mollifolia.
The collection represents 254 genera in 75 families. Only 11 of 418 taxa (2.6%) are non-native. The flora has strong floristic affinities with tropical southern Sonora and the temperate Sierra Madre Occidental and Sky Island mountain ranges in the Madrean Archipelago.
Agave habitat, Tierras de Jimenez, Mexico
Agave parviflora in Tierras de Jimenez
Nolina matapensis in the Tierras de Jimenez
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Ana-Lilia Reina and Tom VanDevender at a pitaya
Tom has a long-term interest in the biodiversity of Sonora. He was co-editor with Francisco Molina-Freaner of the 2010 book Diversidad Biológica del Estado de Sonora. He has collected over 20,000 plant specimens from many areas in Sonora and the southwestern United States, which are deposited into herbaria at the University of Arizona (Tucson), Universidad de Sonora (Hermosillo), UNAM (Cd. México), and others. Working with other regional botanists, he has published preliminary floras for five Sonoran Sky Island mountain ranges, Cerro Johnson (Hermosillo), the Lower Río Bavispe Valley, and Rancho Las Playitas in Plant Press Arizona. The flora of the Sierra Murrieta is in the current issue of Desert Plants. All Sonoran plant and animal records are publicly available in the Madrean Discovery Expeditions database (madreandiscovery.org).
JOIN OUR CHAPTER E-LIST
Join Our Chapter E-list: If you would like to receive announcements about field trips and meetings via e-mail, send a note to the Tucson Chapter email to be added to the list. Stay informed by joining us on Facebook.
Usually the most up-to-date information about upcoming chapter events can be found on our Facebook page.
Caring for agave and baby cacti? Consider volunteer opportunities at the Pima County Native Plant Nursery! Located at 5845 N. Camino de la Tierra, the Pima County Native Plant Nursery grows native plants for public projects and is looking for volunteers to help with weeding, watering and propagation. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 7:00am to 3:30 pm. Email Amy for available times/days and details. Plant salvage at Cortaro Farms from Camino Del Oeste to Thornydate prior to road improvement project.
Chapter News
October field trip at the Amerind Foundation in Texas Canyon
Posted on Nov 03, 2021
Twenty avid plant seekers assembled at the Amerind Foundation, in Dragoon, AZ, on October 16 to enjoy a beautiful autumn morning and indulge in wonderful views of native plants and rock formations. We found lots of fall yellow members of the Asteraceae (fondly known as DYCs, or “damn yellow composites”), as well as many other interesting species. Our best finds were a wonderful finger-leaf gourd, Cucurbita digitata, draped over a large boulder, and the vegetative stems of Asclepia nummularia, tufted milkweed, looking like a couple of stray cabbage plants in the midst of the grasslands.
A great time was had by all.
Sara Plummer Lemmon – for whom Mount Lemmon is named – is finally getting her due!
Posted on Nov 03, 2021
On November 1, 2021, Wynne Brown’s new book The Forgotten Botanist: Sara Plummer Lemmon’s Life of Science and Art, was officially released by the University of Nebraska Press. Some of you may remember Wynne’s wonderful presentation to the Tucson chapter of AZNPS about 3 years ago, back when we were still meeting at Ward 6 offices. After 6 years of Wynne’s energy, effort, and dedication, her account of one of Arizona’s remarkable women is now available for your reading pleasure.
Here is a link to an AZPM story about Wynne and her research, from 2019.
Tucson Chapter PICNIC and PLANT RAMBLE! Saturday, September 11 at 11:00 am
Posted on Sep 02, 2021
After a long period of virtual-only meetings, let’s have an outdoor get-together! Join us on Saturday, September 11, 2021, for a “bring your own everything” picnic and plant ramble at 11:00 am at the Molino Basin Campground and picnic area about 6 miles up on the Catalina Highway in the Coronado National Forest. We can meet and chat in the relative safety of the outdoors, and after lunch, several members will lead short plant walks in the vicinity.
In the spirit of COVID, we will provide exactly NOTHING. You will need to bring your own lunch, beverage, and chair or stool or blanket. Bring a hat, water, sunglasses and sunscreen, and anything else you will need. Depending on the size of the group, we may cluster around a picnic table or two, or we may just gather near the parking lot. But for those of us who are vaccinated and feel comfortable with such a gathering, we hope to see you there. We are especially looking forward to meeting any new members of our chapter who have not yet been able to attend any events in person! However, please be prepared to practice social distancing and wear a mask.
