Flowering Plants of the High Desert

Instructor: Michael Wangler, Professor of Geography, Cuyamaca College
Fee: ABF Member $35; Nonmember $45

This program will focus on the recognition and identification of flowering plants found at higher elevations within the Anza-Borrego Desert. We will learn how to identify plant, flower, and fruiting structures, discuss standard field techniques for differentiating between common families and individual species, and gain hands on field experience using a botanical key. We will also discuss the habitat requirements for these plants and identify key environmental factors that influence their distribution, life cycles, and responses to disturbance.

This class is intended for amateur botanists and desert flower enthusiasts.

Physical Requirements: Easy (several short, easy walks)

Please bring: Water, lunch & snacks, hat, sunscreen, light jacket, daypack, camera, hand lens, recommended book(s), notebook and pencil

Recommended Books:
1) California Desert Flowers: An Introduction to Families, Genera, and Species; by Sia Morhardt and J. Emil Morhardt (2004)

2) The Jepson Desert Manual: Vascular Plants of Southeastern California; by the Jepson Herbarium (2002)

Sign Up Now

This is the third class in a 3-part series. You'll save $10 if you sign up for the full series before January 15. Call 760-767-4063 to register.