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California Native Plant Society

The California Native Plant Society champions California's native plants through conservation, education, and advocacy. They promote the understanding and appreciation of native flora to protect and restore California's ecosystems.

Asteraceae (Compositae) is the largest family of angiosperms worldwide and the most species rich and ecologically prominent plant family in California. On the North Coast alone, dozens of genera occur across prairies, dunes, wetlands, forests, and disturbed habitats. Asteraceae is ubiquitous, encompassing a wide range of taxa from common non-natives to regionally rare and endemic species. The ability to recognize and accurately key composites is essential for botanical surveying, wetland and habitat assessments, restoration, and general biological work. Asteraceae has a reputation for being overwhelming, with immense diversity and a large array of forms. However, with a fundamental understanding of the characteristics of the family and the patterns of keying in the Jepson Manual 2nd Ed., you will be able to break the big topic into manageable groups. Target Audience: Professionals and students, consultants, regulators, ecologists, etc. Participants should have familiarity with basic plant terminology and experience using dichotomous keys such as the Jepson Manual. Participants will gain proficiency in:&bull; Fundamental Asteraceae terminology, morphology, and inflorescence structure.&bull; Recognizing major head types (radiate, discoid, liguliflorous) and tribes that are most important on the North Coast.&bull; Using Jepson Manual 2nd Ed. or Jepson eFlora to key Asteraceae effectively.&bull; Distinguishing taxa that are commonly confused on the North Coast.&bull; Developing confident sight ID of common and ecologically important composites.&bull; A deeper appreciation for the diversity, structural innovation, and ecological importance of the sunflower family. Schedule:This is a full-day workshop on Asteraceae identification, using species that occur on the North Coast. The workshop begins with a focused lecture on composite morphology and diagnostic characters. It proceeds with guided dissection and practical step-by-step interpretation of differences. Following lunch, the evolutionary radiation of the Asteraceae will be narrated. Then we&rsquo;ll jump back into keying specimens using dissecting microscopes. Throughout the day, work with the Jepson key will be supplemented with discussion of tribal-level patterns, common pitfalls, and practical field recognition tips. Emphasis will be placed on learning locally occurring taxa while building a strong structural understanding of the family.

CNPS/BGSA Asteraceae Workshop

Juncus is a diverse, ecologically important, and taxonomically complex genus. Though beautiful and common, many rushes can be challenging to identify. &nbsp;With nearly 80 taxa occurring in California, several rare taxa, and many wetland dominants, the ability to sight-recognize and key them is critical to conducting wetland delineations, habitat assessments, and vegetation typing, as well as implementing habitat restoration and management projects. &nbsp;With a focus on northwestern California taxa, this workshop offers tools for demystifying some of the challenging key steps and morphologic characteristics in the Jepson Manual 2nd. ed., and Jepson eFlora. &nbsp;We will also review relevant name changes and give an overview of several taxonomic complexes as described in the Flora of North America (FNA) and the taxonomic literature. &nbsp;Participants will gain a deeper understanding of several widely-distributed rushes in California. Techniques and tips for distinguishing and keying closely related taxa will be valuable to wetland ecologists, field botanists, horticulturalists, land managers, and botany students. Workshop Objectives&nbsp;This introductory workshop is suitable for those with beginning to intermediate experience with keying Juncus. &nbsp;Principal workshop goals are to 1) increase understanding of common morphological terms used in the Jepson Manual 2nd. ed., Jepson eFlora and other floras; 2) demystify challenging or unclear key couplets; 3) review several closely related species complexes, and; 4) increase familiarity with several common northwestern California taxa. &nbsp; The workshop will begin with a broad overview of Juncus evolution, taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and biogeography. &nbsp;The remainder of the workshop will be keying and discussing many taxa occurring in each of the six groups in the Jepson Manual 2nd. ed., and Jepson eFlora.

CNPS/BGSA Juncus Workshop

Participants will gain proficiency in:<ul fr-original-style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">Basic sedge terminology, morphology, and ecology.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">Keying terminology and techniques using&nbsp;The Jepson Manual, 2nd Edition&nbsp;and Jepson eflora.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">Understanding challenging, weird, and unclear JM and eflora key couplets&nbsp;</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">Sight recognition of some ecologically dominant sedges and better understanding their habitats.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">Appreciation for the beauty, diversity, complexity, and ecological value of sedges.&nbsp;</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: disc;">A richer understanding of some of northern California&rsquo;s most common and rare sedges.</li></ul> This is an intensive introductory/intermediate course on sedge identification and keying with an emphasis on species occurring in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. The workshop starts with an introductory review of sedge taxonomy, ecology, biogeography, and essential sedge keying terminology and morphology. &nbsp;The rest of the workshop will be guided dissection and keying of specimens in the laboratory using a microscope and the Jepson Manual 2nd Ed. and Jepson eflora. &nbsp;Keying will be punctuated with guidance and commentary on keying groups and species&rsquo; characteristics. The emphasis will be on learning some of the most common and rare sedges in northern California, distinguishing similar species and species-complexes.

2026 CNPS/BGSA Sedge Workshop

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Target Audience:&nbsp;Professional and student botanists, consultants, regulators, andecologists who wish to improve their grass identification and keying skills.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Description:&nbsp;This is an introductory workshop focusing on keying grasses in TheJepson Manual, 2nd Ed.&nbsp;(JM2) and Jepson eflora as well as on sight-recognition of several common native and non-native grasses occurring on the North Coast.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The workshop starts with an overview of the Poaceae and an introductory review of essential grass morphology and keying terminology. The rest of the workshop will be guided dissection and keying of specimens in the laboratory using a microscope and theJM2 and Jepson eflora.&nbsp;Keying will be punctuated with guidance and commentary on keying group, tribe and subfamily characteristics. Several local common grasses will be displayed and discussed to enhance sight-recognition. Participants should have knowledge of basic plant terminology and use of dichotomous keys such as in the JM2.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Participants will gain proficiency in:&bull; Understanding basic grass terminology, morphology, and ecology.&bull; Keying terminology and techniques used in understanding challenging or unclear JM2 and eflora key couplets.&bull; Sight recognition of several common native and non-native North Coast grasses.&bull; Understanding taxonomic placements in some grass subfamilies and tribes.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

California Native Plant Society

California Native Plant Society

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Introduction to Grass Identification and Keying: A two-day Workshop Saturday and Sunday, November 21-22, 2026

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Upcoming events

Events

Get your tickets

Introduction to Grass Identification and Keying: A two-day Workshop Saturday and Sunday, November 21-22, 2026

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California Native Plant Society