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Dedicated to the study, appreciation, and conservation of the native flora and natural communities of Illinois

2021 Annual Gathering (Virtual)

During the week of September 11-18, 2021, INPS held its first virtual Annual Gathering. There were a mix of virtual and “real life” activities during the week.

Central Chapter Field Trip Report

-Lois Fox Since the last newsletter in April, two more field trips that were very different from each other have taken place. One was at the Route 66 Prairie outside of Litchfield and the other at Carol Anderson’s home in Rochester.  Both were well attended.  Henry Eilers led the field trip on May 15 at…
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Southern Chapter Field Trip to Max Creek

Join Nick Seaton, board member with the Southern Illinois Native Plant Society at Max Creek to botanize the plants found along the trail system. This event is open to the public but will be capped at 15 participants. Please bring water and snacks and expect to hike approximately 3 miles from 9-12 noon on Saturday July 17th. Max Creek is located north of Vienna off of Taylor Ridge Lane.

Confusing rues: identifying false rue anemone and rue anemone

If you get Enemion biternatum and Thalictrum thalictroides mixed up, you’re not alone. It doesn’t help that their common names—false rue anemone and rue anemone—are so similar. Both spring ephemerals are in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Both have typically white petaloid sepals and three-lobed leaves. Here are some differences in their appearance: E. biternatum has…
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2021 INPS Research Grants and Survey Grants Announced!

The Illinois Native Plant Society is excited to announce its 2021 roster of Research and Survey Grant recipients. An interesting variety of projects from different parts of the State will conduct research on Illinois native plants in the field or the lab, or will implement field surveys of very rare listed species to provide data to the Illinois Natural Heritage Database.

Central Chapter Field Trip Report

This year we have already had 2 field trips, one at Bruce Semans’ Cabin and the other at Veara Woods.  Both field trips were well attended.  Another field trip is being planned for the Route 66 Prairie outside of Litchfield. Chris Benda led the field trip on April 18 at Bruce Semans’ Cabin along the…
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An Overview of The Morton Arboretum Natural Areas Conservation Training Program

The Morton Arboretum is iconic for many reasons. And I’m not sure founder Joy Morton had any idea that his grand idea would evolve into an international center for tree research, centered in its labs and respected herbarium, almost 100 years later. In 1940, their first superintendent, Clarence Godschalk, hired teacher May Theilgaard Watts. May…
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Botanist Biographies: Mary Agnes Chase

While researching an article for Erigenia, the peer-reviewed journal of the Illinois Native Plant Society, I ran across a notation about a “Mrs. Chase.” Since she was the only woman mentioned amid many eminent male botanists, my interest was piqued. A cursory internet search for her yielded no immediate helpful results so I dropped it…
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Tall Goldenrod Management in Tallgrass Prairies

Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima) is an aster family species native to a large portion of North America and introduced to Europe and Asia. This species has the beautiful golden-yellow flowers typical of other goldenrods, and blooms from late summer into the fall. The plants tend to stand out at the end of their flowering period…
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Statement on the Proposed Chicago Managed Native Garden Registry

March 19, 2021 We are writing as concerned members and board of the Northeast Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society (INPS). The mission of the INPS is to promote the study, appreciation, and conservation of the native flora and natural communities of Illinois. A recently proposed ordinance to create a Managed Native Garden Registry…
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