INPS EVENTS
Northeast Chapter at the INPS Annual Gathering
Botany enthusiasts from throughout the Chicagoland region converged in Oglesby, Illinois last month at the 2019 INPS Annual Gathering. The highlights of Friday evening’s mixer, in addition to reconnecting with old friends from throughout the state, were the research updates provided by several 2018 research grant award winners and the keynote presentation on the Dixon… Read more
The Annual Gathering Annual Event
2019 Annual Gathering
Registration is open for the 2019 Annual Gathering June 21–23, 2019 An Examination of the Plants and Ecosystems of the Hennepin Bend Area Join us for the 2019 INPS Annual Gathering, June 21-23, 2019. You can find details and register HERE.
The Annual Gathering Annual Event
Silent Auction at the Annual Gathering
Quality items are sought for the Silent Auction at the Annual Gathering! Items (books, art work, alcohol, etc.) should be of reasonable condition and value. Services such as help with herbicide treatments, or other restoration work, botanical surveys, etc. can be offered but details need to be clearly described with no guarantees of work by the… Read more
The Annual Gathering Annual Event
How to learn your flora in 2019
Crunchy brown leaves, drab gray skies, and a lot of snow didn’t stop Illinois plant enthusiasts from botanizing this past winter. The Illinois Native Plant Society has run the Illinois Botanists Big Year competition each year since 2016, using the iNaturalist.org platform. Anyone may participate, from professional botanists to plant identification novices, by uploading photographic… Read more
Northeast Chapter Events
How does flower-timing affect reproductive success in a woodland spring ephemeral?
Spring ephemeral flowers are an important food resource for early-season pollinators such as flies and native bees. Without ephemerals, these early foragers would go hungry because nothing else is in bloom. In return for their pollen and nectar, pollinators move pollen from flower to flower—an important step in plant reproduction that allows plants to produce… Read more
Northeast Chapter Events
Genetic health of the state endangered downy paintbrush (Castilleja sessiliflora)
Downy paintbrush (Castilleja sessiliflora) is a wildflower native to dry prairies in the central United States. Though considered secure throughout most of its range, downy paintbrush is endangered in Illinois. Troublingly, recent research has indicated that downy paintbrush experiences low fruit set in Illinois, meaning it may be struggling to produce healthy seeds. While this… Read more
Northeast Chapter Events
Botanists find Thismia
…at the Field Museum herbarium, that is! On March 17th, instead of watching the Chicago River being colored green and enjoying green carbonated beverages, a group of local botany enthusiasts from the Northeast Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society visited the Field Museum herbarium to look at rare plant collections, including the exclusive and… Read more
Northeast Chapter Events
2018 Plant Sale Wrap-up
-Mary Ring, Plant Sale Chair The INPS Central Chapter’s plant sale again was a resounding success, the result of the phenomenal efforts of the chapter’s talented and dedicated growers and volunteers. And again, customers began claiming their positions in the opening line beginning at 7:45 a.m., patiently waiting for the 9:00 opening. Between 125 and… Read more
Chapter Events
Stop Changing the Names!
Whether you are just starting to explore the local flora or are a seasoned expert, some of you may wonder why scientific plant names change. The short answer is “it’s complicated”. The longer answer is also “it’s complicated”. There will be a number of digressions and side notes in the text below. Skim forward now… Read more
Northeast Chapter Events
Sedges, what good are they?
Ask a pair of whooping cranes that found a new home along a restored wetland along an Illinois River. A flock of 60 whooping cranes that usually migrated through had found a new sedgy habitat and some stayed and built nests of sedge leaves! The farmers along 11 sites in Illinois were paid to take… Read more