Jepson Herbarium Public Programs


         
   

  The Jepson Herbarium is the epicenter of research and education on the native and naturalized plants of California. Each year, the Herbarium provides educational opportunities for a broad audience of professional and amateur botanists. Our programs and resources serve as a liaison between the scientific community and the public, a role we continue to be dedicated to in our 31st year of public outreach.

   

  In 2024, the Jepson Herbarium will provide educational opportunities through both Weekend Workshops and Mini Workshops. Weekend Workshops are multi-day, and mostly in-person classes. Mini Workshops are single day, virtual lectures. Every workshop provides participants with the opportunity to learn from, and ask questions of experts.

  We hope that you are excited for another season of learning about the flora of California, and that you join us for a 2024 workshop!

  The 2024 workshop schedule will be announced December 1st and Friends of the Jepson Herbarium will receive a priority enrollment period from December 1-6, 2023.

  In addition to workshops, the online resources of the Jepson Herbarium can help your study of the flora anytime and anywhere:

 • Jepson eFlora - The foremost authority on the native and naturalized vascular plants of California.
For plants occurring in wildlands or otherwise outside of cultivation, the Jepson eFlora contains taxonomic treatments, distribution maps, illustrations, photographs, identification keys, and more.
 • Jepson Videos- Visual Guides to the Plants of California - short videos about California plants and how to identify them (YouTube).
 • Recordings from Jepson Mini Workshops - learn more about plant identification, ferns, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, seaweeds, ecology, climate change, paleobotany, and more!
 • Consortium of California Herbaria - A gateway to information for herbarium specimens housed by all 48 participating CCH members.

  The Jepson Herbarium is committed to fostering an environment that is supportive, welcoming, and respectful of all individuals and we follow the UC Berkeley principles of community.

Student Scholarship and Volunteer Positions Available!

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS

Registration procedure: The registration procedure is explained here

Introduction to Crustose Lichens

February 24-25, 2024
Klara Scharnagl, Tom Carlberg, with Instructional Assistants Luis Macias, and Danielle Ward
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building, and nearby field sites

The study of lichens often begins with macrolichens, those with lovely leafy (foliose) or bushy (fruticose) structures. Growing alongside these macrolichens, as well as across the landscape, are the microlichens - also called crustose lichens. Crustose lichens are often overlooked, and the keys to identifying crustose lichens, involving copious vocabulary, microscopic traits, and chemistry, can be daunting! In this workshop we will introduce you to the biology of crustose lichens, some common crustose lichens in California, and some techniques for keying out and identifying crustose lichens. We hope you will come away sharing our passion and enthusiasm for the crustose lichens and feeling equipped to get to know some of them on your next hike or in your own neighborhood!

Saturday morning we will begin with some introductory lectures on crustose lichens. We will then take a short foray around campus to look at some examples of crustose lichens, before breaking for lunch. After lunch, we will introduce participants to the vocabulary and characters associated with identifying crustose lichens. In the afternoon session, we will focus on keying using microscopy and we will begin with a quick intro to doing a squash mount, the simplest way to see spores, asci, and paraphyses. We will introduce you to different ways to cut thin sections of apothecia, as well as different staining techniques and features to look for. Please be prepared to approach something new!

On Sunday, we will convene in the morning for a short lecture on “Fun Facts about Crustose Lichens” before, weather permitting, embarking on a field trip to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve to get to know some more crustose lichens in the field!


Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trip.
Hiking: Moderate. Participants must be able to walk up to 4 miles (at a relatively slow pace) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 500 feet on single-track trails. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and cool temperatures.
Start/End: Saturday 9:00 a.m. –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you’d like to be enrolled in this workshop, please fill out this Google form.

Overview of the Major Changes Incorporated in Revision 12 of the Jepson eFlora

March 2, 2024
Bruce G. Baldwin, Nina House, Sarah DeGroot, Dave Keil, Keir Morse, Rob Preston, Shannon Still, and Martin Wojciechowski
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

Virtual workshop

Ever wonder why plant names change or why the Jepson eFlora is revised each year? Join Bruce Baldwin, Convening Editor of the Jepson Flora Project, and authors of newly revised treatments that have been included in Revision 12 of the Jepson eFlora to learn more about the recent changes and why they were made. Several authors will talk about the revision(s) they wrote, what the new treatment contains, and how the current treatment differs from the previous understanding of the group. Authors will also share photos and details of newly described species (if applicable) so that we can all be on the lookout for these special plants!

Updates will be provided for the following groups: Carsonia, Cleomella, Erigeron, Eschscholzia, Malacothamnus, Mentzelia, Oxystylis, Oxytropis, Peritoma, Prosopis, Streptanthus, and Wislizenia


Start/End: Saturday, 9:00 a.m.  –  3:00 p.m.

Please note, this is a virtual workshop and will be held on Zoom.

Course fee: $50

If you’d like to be enrolled in this workshop, please fill out this Google form.

Introduction to Bryophytes   —  

March 9-10, 2024
Brent Mishler and John McLaughlin
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building, and nearby field sites

This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about the biology and identification of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. It will introduce you to the strange and wonderful world of these small but important plants – they are maximally different from their kin, the vascular plants. Plan to experience the 30th anniversary of this legendary workshop, first taught in 1994!

All day Saturday and Sunday morning, we will meet in the classroom for presentations and a hands-on introduction on how to make preparations and identify bryophytes. Sunday afternoon we will travel to a local field site for a brown bag lunch plus an afternoon field trip to learn about these plants in the field.

For a preview of some of the topics we will cover, see recordings from the 2022 bryophyte mini-workshop.


Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trip.
Hiking: Moderate. Participants must be able to walk up to 4 miles (at a relatively slow pace) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 500 feet on single-track trails. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and cool temperatures.
Start/End: Saturday 9:00 a.m. –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

An Introduction to Botanical Illustration   —  

March 16-17, 2024
Linda Ann Vorobik
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

Learn the basics for creating botanical illustrations through demonstrations and lectures. Participants will be introduced to drawing skills, parts of the plant, what botanical illustration is when defined precisely, and techniques used for creating accurate line drawings. The workshop is directed to two audiences: (1) botanists who want to improve their observational and artistic note-taking skills or to learn how to work with artists as contributors to their publications and, (2) beginning through advanced artists who wish to create scientific illustrations for publications or to simply enjoy observing the details and beauty of plants.

This workshop is classroom-based and will involve working with fresh plant material. Some supplies must be purchased prior to the workshop. You can find that list here.


Start/End: Saturday 9:00 a.m. –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Flora of Clear Creek Management Area, San Benito County   —  

April 16-19, 2024
Ryan O′Dell and Amelia Ryan
Base camp will be located at Jade Mill Campground

This workshop will explore BLM Clear Creek Management Area in southern San Benito County - a rugged, remote area of central California. Come prepared for stunning landscapes, harsh environments, rare endemic plants, a few long drives, and the challenges of a remote camping workshop (with no water at base camp)! This is a field-based workshop and our base camp will be some distance from the nearest services (King City, 34 miles; Coalinga, 37 miles). There will be no services available during the weekend (including potable water) and cell service is limited or non-existent. Field conditions will range from hot days (up to 90 degrees F) to possibly freezing at night. Rain is possible, but not likely.

The 30,000 acre New Idria serpentine mass is one of the largest serpentine areas in the South Coast Ranges. Extensive natural “moonscape” barrens are a distinctive feature of the New Idria serpentine. The dominant vegetation types are serpentine chaparral and conifer forest. San Benito Mountain peak is the highest in the Diablo Range at 5,267 ft and has expansive views to the north and west. The diverse geology and high topography (sky island) of San Benito Mountain supports several local endemic species, as well as disjunct populations of species.

We plan to visit the following areas within the New Idria serpentine mass (final itinerary will depend on weather and road conditions):

 — Wednesday, all day: Clear Creek Canyon – riparian zone, serpentine barrens, chaparral, serpentine endemics, OHV and mining history, restoration sites
 — Thursday, all day: San Carlos Peak, San Benito Mountain peak, Upper San Benito River – serpentine barrens, chaparral, conifer forest, riparian zone, serpentine endemics, expansive views, mining history
 — Friday, 1/2 day: Goat Mountain – Franciscan rock peak, talus endemics

Please note that this area contains Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) and each individual will be required to obtain a Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Permit to participate in the workshop. Each vehicle will also be required to have a Clear Creek Vehicle Permit.

Permits are available here.

More information about Naturally Occurring Asbestos at Clear Creek.


Accommodations: Camping at Jade Mill Campground. Possible overflow camping in Oak Flat Campground. These campgrounds have picnic tables, shade structures, and vault pit toilets. There is no water available at the campgrounds and each participant will need to provide their own water for the entire workshop.
Meals: Not provided. Participants must provide their own meals and drinks for the duration of the workshop.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) is required for the workshop. A sedan can likely make it to the campgrounds  –  on your way to the campground, there are few creek crossings with water as deep as one foot. During the workshop, travel must be in a truck or SUV with good ground clearance (Subarus strongly not recommended). There will be some steeper grades on the roads, so 4WD/AWD is also needed for good traction. Please note that travel on the BLM roads is at your own risk. BLM can not assist with recovery of stuck or disabled vehicles.
Hiking: Participants must be able to walk up to 4 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 1,300 feet on single-track trails (and possibly cross-country). Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and temperatures up to 90 degrees F during the day and close to freezing at night.
Start/End: Tuesday, 5:00 p.m.  –  Friday, 12:00 p.m.

Note - After the workshop concludes, an additional day (Saturday) will be available for participants who would like to visit Joaquin Rocks, which are pinnacles of sandstone on a high ridge several miles east of San Benito Mountain. Joaquin Rocks offers expansive views of the San Joaquin Valley to the east. Like San Benito Mountain, the sky island of Joaquin Rocks also supports several unusual and disjunct populations of species.

Course fee: $515/$545

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Fifty Plant Families in the Field, Monterey Bay   —  

April 25-28, 2024
Linda Beidleman
Hastings Natural History Reservation and Monterey Bay field sites

Are you ready to jump into botanical detective work? With a working knowledge of common plant families and comfort in using taxonomic keys, identification can be an enjoyable challenge. This is an introductory workshop, geared towards beginning botanists and will introduce participants to the flora of the Monterey area and the techniques used to identify plants of California. Emphasis will be on learning to recognize characteristics of the area’s plant families. A general familiarity with morphological terms is helpful but not necessary; these will be reviewed during the introductory session.

We will practice keying plants in the field using the third edition of the book Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region: Mendocino to Monterey by Linda H. Beidleman and Eugene N. Kozloff, 2014 (required). Participants may also enjoy having a copy of Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel (optional).

Please note that the majority of the workshop will be held outdoors and participants should be prepared to be outside in a wide variety of weather conditions, including sun, wind, and rain.


Accommodations: Shared rooms with bunk beds located in different (rustic) houses on the property. Tent camping sites will also be available.
Meals: Catered meals from dinner on Thursday through lunch on Sunday are included. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Other dietary restrictions are difficult to accommodate.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for field trips. Participants may drive up to 40 miles per day to the field sites.
Hiking: Moderate but participants must be able to walk up to 2 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 1,000 feet on single-track trails (and possibly cross-country). Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and temperatures up to 90 degrees F during the day and close to freezing at night.
Start/End: Thursday 5:00 p.m. –  Sunday 2:00 p.m.

Course fee: $630/$660

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Introduction to California Botany   —  

May 4-5, 2024
Eric Harris
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

Would you like to expand your botanical vocabulary and learn more about the diversity of California flowering plants? Join us for this workshop to explore the morphology of leaves, flowers, and fruits and learn about important plants of California. Discussion will include important plant families, California food plants, and common weeds in the state. Workshop participants will become familiar with the characteristics and terminology frequently used in the The Jepson Manual and other plant identification guides. This workshop is designed to start at an introductory level and is appropriate for the beginning botanist, nature lover, or avid gardener. Working with fresh plant collections in the lab, we will discuss prominent characters consistent to family-level identification, looking both with and without a microscope.


Start/End: Saturday 9:00 a.m. –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Flora of the San Jacinto Mountains   —  

May 16-19, 2024
Scott White
The James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve

The San Jacinto Mountains are a sky island at the northern end of the Peninsular Ranges. They separate the California Floristic Province from the Sonoran Desert. From west to east, the San Jacintos support chaparral, montane and subalpine forests, and then transition steeply downslope to desert shrublands. Localized wetlands and edaphic habitats are scattered throughout. The highest peak, Mount San Jacinto, rises to 10,800 feet. This field course will be based at The James Reserve, part of the UC Natural Reserve System, which is located in the mixed evergreen forest around 5,400 feet elevation. We will botanize in and around the James Reserve and caravan to other local sites to target floristic diversity. We will practice specimen collection to make permanent vouchers and use freshly collected material during informal evening keying sessions. The course will offer an overview of the regional flora and vegetation suitable to all botanists and native plant enthusiasts. For beginning botanists there will be hands-on plant identification, practice with common family characters, terminology, and keying. For intermediate and advanced botanists, there will be plenty of practice with often-difficult groups (oaks, manzanitas, buckwheats, and more). With luck, we’ll document some unusual occurrences and/or solve some biogeographic puzzles.


Accommodations: Shared dormitories. Limited tent camping will also be available.
Meals: A casual dinner Thursday night is included in the course fee. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Participants are responsible for all other meals. Each day, participants should bring food and beverages for lunches and snacks in the field. For dinner, a variety of dine-in restaurants and take-out eateries are available in Idyllwild. At the reserve, there are kitchens and refrigerators; cooking space is limited.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for field trips. Participants may drive up to 100 miles per day. Travel will be mostly on paved mountain roads; but some will be on graded dirt roads (sedans and other vehicles are okay).
Hiking: Participants must be able to walk up to 3 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 1,000 feet on single-track trails (and possibly cross-country). Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and temperatures up to 90 degrees F during the day and close to freezing at night.
Start/End: Thursday, 4:00 p.m.  –  Sunday, 12:00 p.m.

Course fee: $515/$545

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

California’s Native Bees: Biology, Ecology, and Identification   —  

May 31-June 2, 2024
Gordon Frankie, Jennifer Foltz-Sweat and Rollin Coville
Hopland Research and Extension Center (Mendocino County)

Are you interested in learning more about the most important pollinators in your gardens? California’s native bees are extremely diverse (about 1,600 species; ~40% of the N. Amer. species) and are critical for providing ecosystem services not only in wild habitats but also in agricultural and urban settings. This course will provide an introduction to native bee biology, behavior, and ecology, and methods used to study them. Participants will learn how to observe, collect, pin, and label bees for permanent storage in museums. Some of the topics covered in the course include general bee anatomy, family and genus characters, native bee life cycles, foraging behavior, and using taxonomic keys to identify bee specimens. Participants will also be given an opportunity to learn some general field ID characteristics and learn about bees' flower preferences, pollen and nectar behavior, information on how to create a bee-friendly habitat garden, and bee photography techniques. Evening lectures on a variety of related topics will add to the field experiences.

Please note that this workshop involves collecting and killing insects for scientific study.


Accommodations: Shared dorms. Limited tent camping will also be available.
Meals: Catered meals from dinner Thursday through lunch on Sunday are included. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Other dietary restrictions are difficult to accommodate.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trips. Participants may drive up to 20 miles per day. Travel will be on dirt roads; high clearance vehicles recommended.
Hiking: Moderate. Participants must be able to walk up to 2 miles (at a relatively slow pace) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 500 feet on single-track trails and possibly cross-county. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including sun, heat (up to 90 degrees F during the day), rain, wind, and cool temperatures (close to freezing at night).
Start/End: 10:00 a.m., optional Friday morning scouting field sites with Gordon; official start, Friday, 1:00 p.m.  –  Sunday 2:00 p.m.

Course fee: $575/$605

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Seaweed Frolic at Bodega Head   —  

June 7-9, 2024
Kathy Ann Miller
Bodega Marine Laboratory

This workshop will focus on the common intertidal seaweeds around Bodega Head, a wild and diverse area typical of the northern California coast. Our home base at the Bodega Marine Laboratory will provide easy access to the field. We will meet at the lab on Friday at 3:00 p.m. for introductions and a walk on the beach. The low tides on Saturday and Sunday are in the morning (~7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.); we will caravan to each site a half hour before the low tide. Our time in the field will provide context for our collections. For detailed studies of seaweed identity and form, we will take a closer look at our catch in the lab during the afternoons. Beginners and experienced seaweed enthusiasts are welcome.


Accommodations: In shared dormitories.
Meals: Casual meals will be provided by the Bodega Marine Laboratory.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trip.
Hiking: We will be hiking short distances on trails and over uneven ground. And, importantly, we will be walking on rocks in the intertidal zone where the conditions will be slippery, wet, and cold. A walking stick or hiking poles may provide extra stability in that environment.
Clothing: Because we will be in the intertidal, we recommend the following - wear wool (especially socks) or polypropylene clothing that will keep you warm in the water. For feet, tennis shoes that can get wet are best for navigating the rocks; short rubber boots are good.
Start/End: Friday, 3:00 p.m.  –  Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

Course fee: $575/$605

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Basic Botany and an Introduction to California Plant Families   —  

June 8-9, 2024
Nina House and Staci Markos
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

California is the most botanically rich state in the country. With so much incredible plant diversity, it’s hard to get bored - it’s also hard not to feel overwhelmed! This workshop, designed for the beginning botanist and will cover the basics of the tree of life, taxonomy, morphology, and the key characters to look for when identifying 20 prominent plant families in California. We will work with fresh material in the lab, noting morphological features and key features to help identify plant families. Participants will walk away with a deeper understanding of why the California flora is so unique, a basic understanding of plant morphology, and techniques for identifying plants at the family level. Join us while we take a deep dive into what makes California such an incredible place to botanize!


Start/End: Saturday, 9:00 a.m.  –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Flora of the Bodie Hills and Vicinity   —  

June 20-23, 2024
Tim Messick and Ann Howald
Bridgeport and surrounding areas

The Bodie Hills encompass the hills and mountains north of Mono Lake and east of Bridgeport Valley, in eastern Mono County, California, and adjacent western Nevada. They are on the western edge of the Great Basin, with a mostly eastern Sierra flora on the west side of the range (sagebrush scrub, pinyon-juniper woodland, and aspen groves), transitioning to an Intermountain flora on the east side. We plan to visit a few locations in and near the Bodie Hills. The exact itinerary will be determined in May, when we know where road conditions are suitable for access (wet spring conditions can render some locations inaccessible by road for long periods).

Places we hope to visit include:

 —  Travertine Hot Springs, where travertine ridges and alkaline wet meadows support many species that are found nowhere else nearby.
 — The Masonic Mountain area in the northern part of the Bodie Hills. We expect to find rare plants Cusickiella quadricostata and Phacelia monoensis, along with a diversity of colorful Astragalus, Lupinus, Eriogonum, and Castilleja species, and possibly other uncommon plants.
 —  Upper Summers Meadow Road, at the south end of Bridgeport Valley, with stops at several sagebrush and meadow sites along the way.
 —  The Wildland Conservancy’s Bodie Hills Preserve, south of Bridgeport, where we hope to see the world’s smallest lupine, Lupinus uncialis, and other rare taxa.

Instruction will focus on identification and ecology of the diverse plant species, genera, and families we will encounter, plus general natural history of the area. Each participant will receive a printed copy of Plants of the Bodie Hills by Tim Messick (also available at BodieHillsPlants.com).

Field conditions may range from warm-hot days (up to 90 degrees F) to chilly nights (close to freezing).


Accommodations: Not provided. Participants are encouraged to stay in motels in Bridgeport or in nearby campgrounds.
Meals: A casual dinner on Thursday night is included in the course fee. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Participants are responsible for all other meals. Each day, participants should bring food and beverages for lunches and snacks in the field. For dinner, a variety of dine-in restaurants and take-out eateries are available in Bridgeport.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) is required. High clearance vehicles with 4WD or AWD may be necessary.
Hiking: Participants must be able to walk up to 3 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile), at elevations from 6,500 to 8,500 feet. Walking will be on dirt roads, single-track trails, and cross-country over uneven terrain with up to 800 feet in elevation gain.
Start/End: Thursday, 1:00 p.m.  –  4:00 p.m., optional hike at Travertine Hot Springs; official start Thursday 5:30 p.m.  –  Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Course fee: $515/$545

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Flora of the Marble Mountains   —  

June 27-30, 2024
Dana York
Base location is the Collier Hotel in Etna (east of Marble Mountain Wilderness)

Explore one of the most diverse floras in California from three different access points into the Marble Mountain Wilderness. With nearly 1,000 native vascular plant species, the wilderness is diverse and full of botanical surprises. Our explorations will focus on identifying major plant communities and rare taxa. Participants will have a chance to explore the unique flora associated with the marble, mafic, and metasedimentary geology. From old-growth Douglas-fir stands to the subalpine zone, the group will experience the myriad plant communities that make this wilderness such a special place in the Klamath Mountains. Being based in Etna allows for short drives (not more than 1 hour, one way) to trailheads to start exploring the diverse habitats found along the southern and eastern boundaries of the wilderness. The longest day hike will be 6 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail. The other days will entail less hiking.


Accommodations: We have reserved a block of rooms at the Historic Collier Hotel. Participants will have the option to stay there for an additional fee. Rooms typically hold two guests, ranging from two twin beds to one king bed. Most rooms have a private bathroom, with two rooms having a single shared bath. Participants can also camp on the lawn of the hotel or sleep in their vehicles, as well as find local accommodations.
Meals: A casual dinner on Thursday night is included in the course fee. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Participants are responsible for all other meals. A variety of dine-in restaurants and take-out eateries are available in the area. Each day, participants should bring food and beverages for lunches and snacks in the field.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trips. High clearance vehicle recommended. Participants may drive up to 120 miles per day.
Hiking: Participants must be able to walk up to 6 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile), at elevations up to 8,500 feet. Walking will be on dirt roads, single-track trails, and cross-country over uneven terrain with up to 1,000 feet in elevation gain. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and temperatures up to 90 degrees F during the day and close to freezing at night.
Start/End: Thursday, 5:00 p.m.  –  Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Course fee: $515/$545

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Sky Island Flora of the White Mountains   —  

July 25-28, 2024
Jim Morefield and Dylan Neubauer
White Mountain Research Center, Bishop and Crooked Creek

The White Mountains are located at the southwest corner of the Great Basin floristic region, and their geologic and habitat diversity, high relief (spanning 3,950-14,246 feet elevation), and proximity to the Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert all contribute to an unusually rich and well-documented flora of over 1,100 taxa. They are also known for the oldest living trees, the highest point in Nevada, and the third highest peak in California. July is typically peak blooming time for the subalpine and alpine floras.

Through driving tours (up to 50 miles in a day) and easy to moderate hikes (up to 4 miles), participants will have the opportunity to explore the southern half of the White Mountains, observing and identifying diverse plants and learning to recognize various geologic and ecologic settings that influence species distributions and adaptations. Thursday morning, we will start from Bishop and stop at several points up the elevation gradient to our weekend base station at Crooked Creek (10,000 feet). Friday and Saturday will be spent visiting wetland and upland sites in various geologic settings at elevations up to about 12,000 feet, depending on seasonal conditions. Sunday morning will include additional field time before our final lunch stop as we leave the mountains.


Accommodations: Shared dormitories with bathrooms (participants must bring their own linens). The Crooked Creek field station is located at 10,000 feet and some of the field sites are as high as ~12,000 feet. To prepare for the conditions of high elevation, participants are encouraged to spend the Wednesday before the workshop at an intermediate elevation.
Meals: Catered meals from dinner on Thursday through lunch on Sunday are included. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Other dietary restrictions are very difficult to accommodate.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trips. Vehicles must have good clearance and sturdy tires (including spare!). High clearance 4WD or AWD with extra passenger space preferred.
Hiking: Participants must be able to walk up to 4 miles (at a pace of 30 min/mile), at elevations from 5,000 to 12,0000 feet. Walking will be on dirt roads, single-track trails, and cross-country over uneven terrain with up to 800 feet in elevation gain. Due to the extreme elevation, the hikes can be very difficult for those that are not accustomed to high elevation. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, and temperatures up to 90 degrees F during the day and close to freezing at night.
Start/End: Thursday 10:00 a.m. (in Bishop)  –  Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

Course fee: $650/$680

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Diversity, Morphology, and Ecology of California Oaks   —  

November 1-3, 2024
Paul Manos and Al Keuter
Hopland Research and Extension Center (Mendocino County)

More than 20 species of Quercus (Fagaceae) are found within California in intriguing geographic patterns, ranging from the most widespread (Q. chrysolepis) to the narrowest of endemics (Q. pacifica). California oaks vary widely in form, from stately trees (Q. lobata) to upright shrubs (Q. sadleriana) and trailing shrubs (Q. garryana var. breweri). Within species, variation in basic traits like habit, leaf shape, and pubescence has promoted part of the taxonomic mystique surrounding the genus. The intermediate forms between species continue to confuse and astound many who have studied the genus in the field or herbarium.

This workshop will begin by focusing on Quercus in its broadest context, consideration of the morphological connections to other members of the Fagaceae, then more narrowly to the characters that define the three major groups within California, and to the technical differences between species. The first day will combine an introduction to oaks, identification of local oaks, and the basics of the critical morphology of the genus. The afternoon will be spent in the field for a first-hand look at the distribution of variation within and between species. The last day will include a visit to the subject of hybrids, dive into the origin of oaks in California, and follow the convoluted history of the naming of the native California red oaks. And, if there is time, there may be late-breaking news about current oak research. All of this should make for a tour de force examination of the genus!

Familiarity with a dissecting microscope and experience using dichotomous keys is useful but not essential.


Accommodations: Shared dorms. Limited tent camping will also be available.
Meals: Catered meals from dinner on Thursday through lunch on Sunday are included. Omnivore and vegetarian options will be available. Other dietary restrictions are difficult to accommodate.
Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trips. Participants may drive up to 20 miles per day. Travel will be on dirt roads; high clearance vehicles recommended but not required.
Hiking: Moderate. Participants must be able to walk up to 2 miles (at a relatively slow pace) over uneven terrain with elevation gain up to 500 feet on single-track trails and possibly cross-county. Participants should be able to tolerate variable weather conditions including sun, heat (up to 90 degrees F during the day), rain, wind, and cool temperatures (close to freezing at night).
Start/End: Friday, 1:00 p.m.  –  Sunday, 3:00 p.m.

Course fee: $575/$605

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Introduction to Poaceae   —  

November 16-17, 2024
Travis Columbus
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

Prominent in plant communities throughout California, the grass family, Poaceae, is the state’s second most diverse plant family (after Asteraceae). Its members include cool-season and warm-season species, annuals and perennials, natives and exotics, and widespread dominants and rare endemics. This workshop will provide a better understanding of this ubiquitous, species-rich family. Participants will be instructed in detail on the vegetative and reproductive features of grasses. Aspects of anatomy, physiology, and ecology will also be addressed. Most of our time will be spent learning to use the identification keys in the Jepson eFlora. Special attention will be given to difficult couplets and taxa. In addition, participants will learn how to identify common genera by using diagnostic characteristics. This class will take place in a classroom, there is no field trip.


Start/End: Saturday, 8:30 a.m.  –  Sunday, 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

Mushrooms of the San Francisco Bay Area   —  

December 7-8, 2024
Thomas Bruns and Else Vellinga
UC Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building

The San Francisco Bay Area harbors many different habitats and has a high diversity of mushroom species. The first day of the workshop will feature an introduction to mushrooms and identification sessions in the lab focusing on the diversity of form and function. Lab time will be interspersed with various lectures focusing on diversity and ecology, and how you can contribute to citizen science projects and, hence, conservation efforts. There will be a field trip on the second day and depending on conditions, the trip may involve up to two hours of driving (one way).


Transportation: Personal vehicle (or a spot in the caravan) required for the field trip.
Hiking: Moderate but possibly in cold, wet, and windy conditions. Participants should be able to walk 2 miles (at a slow pace) over some uneven terrain and rain gear is recommended.
Start/End: Saturday 9:00 a.m. –  Sunday 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $350/$380

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out this Google form.

MINI-WORKSHOPS (all virtual)

Registration procedure: To enroll in a workshop, please fill out the interest form (link at the end of each course description). Approximately 5 weeks before the mini-workshop, you will receive an invoice for the workshop fee. Payments must be made online. Please contact Avery Ligon (averyjune@berkeley.edu) to make alternative payment arrangements.

Introduction to flying drones and processing images from remote sensing to study plants at the individual, population and community levels

March 23, 2024
Valorie Marie and Richard Rachman

Have you wanted to advance your plant monitoring with drone technology? Don't know where to start or what it might entail? For years, our lab has been working on drone image collection and analysis and we want to help introduce you to how drones can be used in botanical studies. This virtual workshop will discuss the following topics:

 1) what drone imagery is, what it takes to be a drone pilot, and the different type of drones and sensors that exist
 2) collecting drone data, flying the drone at your research site, and backing up and managing your data
 3) processing your drone data, different apps you could use, and what we use
 4) examples of our work with drone imagery in the lab, advancing the fields of plant and spatial ecologies.

Start/End: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Course fee: $25

If you’d like to be enrolled in this workshop, please fill out this Google form.

About Our Instructors

Bruce G. Baldwin is Curator Emeritus of the Jepson Herbarium and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. Bruce received his PhD in botany at UC Davis in 1989. His research emphasizes systematics (including the use of biosystematic, molecular, and phylogenetic methods) of Californian vascular-plant groups, especially our native Compositae. Since Bruce arrived at UC Berkeley in 1994, he has been the Convening Editor of the Jepson Flora Project, which has produced The Jepson Desert Manual (2002), the second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012), and the online Jepson eFlora, including Revisions 1-12.

Linda Beidleman has an MS in biology from Rice University. She is co-author of Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region and Plants of Rocky Mountain National Park. She has worked with the California Native Plant Society and taught short flora courses for the Jepson Herbarium, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies.

Tom Bruns is an emeritus professor at UC Berkeley and Curator of Fungi in the University and Jepson Herbaria. His research focuses on fungal ecology and systematics and he is best known for his work on fungal community structure in ectomycorrhizal and post-fire systems. He taught a variety of fungal courses at UC Berkeley, including California Mushrooms, and Biology of the Fungi, and he won awards from Mycological Society of America the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley for his teaching efforts. He has also been involved with local citizen science groups where he helped spearhead efforts to document the local fungal flora.

Tom Carlberg has a degree in botany from Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt) and has always leaned towards nonvascular organisms. He has been a cryptogamic botanist for 13 years, and has worked for the Forest Service, private contractors, and non-profit organizations. His ongoing interest is mapping the range and distribution of lichen species across California. He has submitted more than two thousand lichen specimens to public and government herbaria. His immediate attention is on the communities of crustose lichens that grow on evergreen leaves of trees and shrubs in the hyper-maritime temperate forests of California’s northwest coast. He is a past President of the California Lichen Society, where he advocates that even neophytes can contribute to the understanding of California’s lichen flora, much of which still remains to be discovered. He is a former Editor of the Bulletin of the California Lichen Society (CALS), and a member of the British Lichen Society, the American Bryological and Lichenological Society, and the CALS Conservation Committee.

J. Travis Columbus is a Research Scientist at California Botanic Garden (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) and Professor of Botany at Claremont Graduate University. He earned his PhD from UC Berkeley, where he studied Bouteloua (Poaceae) and related taxa. His current research focuses on the evolution and classification of grasses and buckwheats (Polygonaceae).

Rollin Coville received his PhD degree in entomology from UC Berkeley in 1978 and for more than 40 years has been deeply involved with photographing insects and spiders. He also has a strong interest in the biology and behavior of Hymenoptera and has published papers on Trypoxylon wasps and Centris bees. He is also one of the authors of the books California Bees & Blooms and Bees of Costa Rica.

Jennifer Foltz-Sweat received her PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley, in 2013. Her research focused on wild bee communities in grassland habitats of the Central Valley of California. She has published research on urban bee communities and the incorporation of wild bee research into undergraduate courses. Jennifer currently teaches at the college level in Arizona. She is passionate about motivating students to become conservation-focused, with an emphasis on wild bees through the incorporation of authentic research into course curricula.

Gordon Frankie is Professor Emeritus of Insect Biology in the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley. He received his PhD in Entomology from UC Berkeley. His research interests are in plant reproductive biology, pollination ecology, and solitary-bee biology. His field research is split equally between California and the seasonally dry tropical forests of Costa Rica. In both environments, he seeks to understand several aspects of the interrelationships between bees, flowers, and people.

Eric Harris received a PhD in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley and has taught multiple courses in botany, most recently Introduction to California Plant Life and Origins and Evolution of Food Plants through the Integrative Biology Department at UC Berkeley. Eric currently works at SureHarvest, a company that specializes in consulting and software solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Nina House is a Museum Scientist at the University and Jepson Herbaria. She works on revisionary efforts for the Jepson eFlora and co-coordinates the Jepson workshop program. She received her masters in botany from the California Botanic Garden (Claremont Graduate University) in 2022. Her thesis was a floristic inventory of the Manter and Salmon Creek watersheds in the southern Sierra Nevada, Tulare County, California. She is currently president of the Society of Herbarium Curators, Early Career Section and was president of the Southern California Botanists from 2021-2023. Nina is passionate about the intersection between plant conservation and science communication.

Ann Howald is a botanist who spends half of each year studying plants throughout Mono County. She is using the results of her fieldwork and other research to compile an annotated checklist of the flora of Mono County. She completed a BA in zoology and an MA in botany at UC Santa Barbara, followed by careers with the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Santa Rosa Junior College, and a small biological consulting firm.

David Keil received his BS (1968) and MS (1970) from Arizona State University and PhD (1973) from Ohio State University. He was a biology professor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo for 39 years, teaching courses in general botany, plant taxonomy, field botany, and biogeography, while also serving as Director of the Robert F. Hoover Herbarium. His field studies have resulted in over 38,000 collection numbers, and most of the specimens are housed in the Hoover Herbarium. Dave has made significant contributions to The Jepson Manual Project. He authored the Key to California Plant Families and served as the editor and primary author of the Asteraceae in both editions of The Jepson Manual (1993, 2012). He was one of the editors for the second edition of the manual and continues to serve as an editor of the Jepson eFlora. He has also edited Madroño and Systematic Botany Monographs. Four taxa have been named in Dave’s honor: Ancistrocarphus keilii Morefield, Erigeron inornatus (A. Gray) A. Gray var. keilii G.L. Nesom, Wedelia keilii B.L. Turner, and Chrysanthellum keilii B.L. Turner. In 2018, he was elected a Fellow of the California Native Plant Society. He is first author of the newly published second edition of Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County, California (2023).

Al Keuter is a UC Davis graduate who began studying California red oaks in 2013. Hoping to better understand the complex taxonomic relationships within this difficult group, Al focuses on their morphology. Al also spends time each week as the vascular plants curator at the UC Santa Cruz herbarium.

Paul Manos is Professor and Bass Fellow at Duke University. He has been teaching field courses for over 20 years in the areas of plant communities, biodiversity, and systematics. His research interests include biogeography, genetics, and evolution and he specializes in the study of woody plants, in particular the oak family and their relatives.

Valorie Marie is a remote sensor, drone pilot, and undergraduate researcher in the Caughlin Lab, Biological Sciences Department at Boise State University with a concentration in ecology, evolution, and behavior, and a minor in geospatial information systems. Valorie has a Drone Operation Certificate, a Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107) through the FAA, and a Recreation UAS Safety Test (TRUST) completion through the FAA. She has also utilized her Associates in Graphic Design to create the Caughlin Lab Logo, journal paper formatting, and multiple conference and informational posters.

Staci Markos is Associate Director at the University and Jepson Herbaria. She received her PhD from UC Berkeley studying the evolutionary patterns in Lessingia (Asteraceae). She was the project manager for the second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) and now serves as an editor of the Jepson eFlora. She also serves as co-chair for the Consortium of California Herbaria (CCH), a role she has had since the CCH originated in 2003. Staci is an advocate for building educational resources that share information about the vascular plants of California and has a leading role in the Jepson Workshop program and the Jepson Videos.

John McLaughlin is the Curator of Bryophytes for the Carl W. Sharsmith Herbarium at San Jose State University where he graduated with a MS in Biology in 2023 studying the bryophyte flora of Henry W. Coe State Park. John currently works as a Conservation Technician at the Stanford Conservation Program, Stanford University, while continuing research on western North American bryophytes. His interests are bryophyte biogeography, floristics, taxonomy, and phylogenetics. Ongoing projects include the spatial diversity of California bryophytes, as well as molecular and morphological investigations of the Anacolia menziesii species complex, the Gemmabryum dichotomum species complex, and the genus Vinealobryum.

Tim Messick Tim Messick is a botanist / cartographer / photographer based in Davis, California. He studied botany at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) compiling a local flora of the Bodie Hills for his MA thesis. He then worked for 13 years as a consulting botanist with Jones & Stokes Associates (which later became part of ICF) in Sacramento. In the mid-90s he shifted into graphic design, specializing in maps and information graphics. Since retiring in 2020, he has been an active field botanist again. For several years he has been expanding and updating his Plants of the Bodie Hills, a free PDF available at BodieHillsPlants.com.

Kathy Ann Miller has loved seaweeds since her first phycology class at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. She earned her BA and PhD degrees in Botany at UC Berkeley with advisors Paul C. Silva and Donald Kaplan. Her extensive time in the field over the last 40 years and her dedication to making specimens for the herbarium are the foundation of her knowledge of the seaweed flora of California, her chief research subject. Kathy Ann is the Curator of Algae at the University Herbarium, UC Berkeley.

Brent D. Mishler is Curator of Bryophytes in the University and Jepson Herbaria as well as a distinguished professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, where he teaches courses in phylogenetics, plant diversity, and island biology. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 1984, and was director of the University and Jepson Herbaria from 1993-2023. His research interests are in the systematics, evolution, and ecology of bryophytes, especially the diverse moss genus Syntrichia, as well as in the phylogeny of green plants, spatial phylogenetic analysis of biodiversity, and theory of systematics including species concepts.

Keir Morse is a professional field botanist primarily interested in what taxa grow where and how to tell them apart. He has contributed approximately 38,000 photos of over 3,200 taxa to CalPhotos to help others with plant ID. His PhD research focused on systematics and conservation questions related to the genus Malacothamnus (Malvaceae).

Jim Morefield found love at first sight for the White Mountains while attending Deep Springs College 1979-1981, which was followed by a BS in Botany and Geology at Northern Arizona University in 1986, and PhD in Systematic Botany, focusing on Stylocline and other Asteraceae, at Claremont Graduate University in 1992. He spent the next 30 years as Lead Botanist for the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage, and, in retirement, continues to pursue interests in the flora of the White Mountains, rare plants of the Great Basin, and the desert flora of North America. He contributed treatments of several genera of Asteraceae for both the Jepson Manual and the Flora of North America North of Mexico.

Dylan Neubauer is a self-taught, self-employed botanist and botanical editor based in Santa Cruz, where she authored the vascular plant checklist for the county. She has been lucky enough to spend ten summers living and botanizing in the glorious White Mountains, and has been a co-instructor on four Jepson Workshops there. Since 2015, she has been working on an annotated checklist of vascular plants in the vicinity of the UC White Mountain Research Center Crooked Creek Station and over that time has made ca. 1,300 botanical collections in the area.

Ryan O′Dell has been a Natural Resource Specialist with the BLM Central Coast Field Office for 15 years. He has a BS in Plant Biology and MS in Soils and Biogeochemistry from UC Davis. He is particularly interested in edaphic endemics (extreme environments), annual plant species diversity, and plant species distributions with respect to geology, soil type, topography, and climate. He is especially interested in the plant families Onagraceae (Camissonia), Polemoniaceae (Gilia), annual Brassicaceae (Caulanthus-Streptanthus), and tarweeds in Asteraceae.

Richard Rachman is a plant ecologist and PhD student in the Caughlin Lab, Biological Sciences Department at Boise State University. Richard's research interests include spatial ecology, wildfire, invasive species, and native plant habitat conservation. He is originally from the Los Angeles area, where he worked alongside the National Park Service and Cal State Northridge studying invasive and native post-wildfire and urban plants. In his spare time he teaches classes for LGBTQ+ community members using iNaturalist and he is the Los Angeles County volunteer coordinator for the Western Monarch Count.

Amelia Ryan developed a love of plants growing up on 40 acres in western Sonoma County. This led her to study botany at UC Davis and later acquire a MS in Ecology from San Francisco State. She has been working in habitat restoration and resource management for over 20 years, having started at Armstrong Redwoods in the late 90s, then worked at Point Reyes National Seashore on several restoration and endangered plant projects for nearly 14 years before moving to Pinnacles National Park where she has been the Vegetation Ecologist for 6 years. In 2009, she began exploring the flora of San Benito County with Ryan O’Dell and through her work at Pinnacles.

Klara Scharnagl is the Tucker Curator of Lichenology at the University and Jepson Herbaria at UC Berkeley. Her fascination for the ecology and evolution of fungal symbioses has taken her from a master's degree at Florida International University on native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and salinity tolerance to a PhD at Michigan State University on the latitudinal diversity gradient of lichens in the Americas to a postdoc at The Sainsbury Laboratory on the molecular mechanisms of the lichen symbiosis. Her current interests are turning towards California lichens and patterns of diversity and symbiosis along north-south and coastal to inland gradients, with a particular focus on crustose lichens! She is also passionate about herbarium (lichenarium!) collections and their uses in research, art, and education.

Else Vellinga is a mycologist and research associate at the University and Jepson Herbaria. She received her PhD from the University of Leiden, the Netherlands in 2003. Her research focuses on taxonomy and phylogeny of various mushroom groups. She is actively involved in efforts to conserve fungi in various ecosystems.

Linda Ann Vorobik earned her PhD from the University of Oregon studying hybridization and reproductive isolation between sympatric Arabis (Cruciferae) in southwestern Oregon. She is probably best known for her years as Principal Illustrator for The Jepson Manual and subsequent volumes. Over one third of the illustrations appearing in those volumes are Linda’s. She is currently completing her work as sole illustrator for A Flora of the Channel Islands. Although Linda specializes in her botanically accurate technical illustrations for floras, monographs, and new species, she also produces plant portraits in watercolor, and more whimsical and colorful hand-painted silk scarves. Linda enjoys teaching and has been leading workshops over the last three decades at many universities, botanical gardens, and field stations. For more information about Linda and to see a sampling of her works, see www.VorobikBotanicalArt.com.

Scott White recently retired from a long career as a consulting biologist. He holds both a BA and an MA degree from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt). Scott is a former President of the Southern California Botanists and former co-editor of the journal Crossosoma. He is a co-author of The Vascular Plants of Western Riverside County and a Research Associate at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. He was an original member of the CNPS Vegetation Committee. He has been conducting floristic surveys throughout southern California since 1987. In retirement, he is focusing on his favorite long-term project, a vouchered flora of the San Jacinto Mountains, based on herbarium specimens and his own collections.

Dana York received his BS in Forest/Natural Resource Management from Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt) and MS in Botany from California State University, Fresno. For over 30 years, he has worked on floristic and special-status plant species surveys throughout California and Oregon on both public and private lands. He is the coauthor of The Plants of the Pacific Crest Trail and author of An Illustrated Flora of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. He has discovered new plant species in the Oregon Cascade, Klamath, and Sierra Nevada ranges, and while the botanist at Death Valley National Park. He retired in 2021 after 25 years as an Environmental Unit Supervisor for the State Department of Transportation and is now a botany research associate with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. He has taught botany workshops in the Mojave Desert, Sierra Nevada, and Klamath Mountains.