Basic Sunflower Identification Class
Basic Sunflower Identification
The University of Nevada Reno Herbarium
Instructor: Arnold (Jerry) Tiehm, M.S, Great Basin Flora Specialist atiehm@unr.edu
This three-day short course covers the unique taxonomy associated with the Sunflower Family, Asteraceae. Basic terminology, dissection skills, and use of a key are critical elements of this class. We will cover not only how to identify sunflowers, but how to collect and press them for future reference or for the purpose of mailing to others for identification or verification. You can anticipate seeing about 60 different sunflower genera. This class is for participants with beginner through intermediate skills.
This class may be taken for 1 unit of optional credit during either semester or summer session. Let the instructor know if you want to receive credit so you can obtain a class number. You must also pay the separate credit fees with UNR.
COST: $ 240.00 non-student
$ 120.00 student (fees for optional credit units are paid separately when you enroll with UNR for Spring or Fall semester or summer session).
Class size is limited to 30 participants.
Class will be from 8:00 am -12:00 pm, one hour lunch break, 1 pm - 5 pm daily. It will be held in room 300G of Fleischman Agriculture at UNR. Hot water and some coffee and tea will be available in the classroom.
Sign up by emailing the instructor. atiehm@unr.edu or call 775-742-9180-C
If you have a copy of Intermountain Flora Volume 5 please bring it to class.
Eriogonum Society Meeting
The 2026 meeting of the Eriogonum Society will be held in the botanically rich Siskiyou-Klamath area of southwestern Oregon and northwestern California, July 9-12th. From our base near Selma, we will visit local botanical areas and range as far as Crescent City and Mount Ashland. Lodging and camping are available at our base camp at Whisper Canyon Ranch or in the towns of Cave Junction or Grants Pass.
The Klamath Mountains are home to several endemic Eriogonum species, including Waldo, Siskiyou, Trinity, Congdon’s, Jaynes Canyon, and Klamath Mountain buckwheats. The Rough & Ready and Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical areas also feature a variety of locally endemic plants.
https://eriogonum.community/meetings/annual-meeting-2026-selma-oregon/
Saghen BioBlitz
The bioblitz will officially run from 8am-12noon. However, we will have lunch together from 12-1pm following the hikes.
Address for Sagehen Creek Field Station is 11616 Sage Hen Rd, Truckee, CA 96161. There is a code needed to access the gate (7227).
This area is one of the most ecologically diverse places in our region and is always an exciting area to explore. It has some of the most fens of anywhere in the Sierra Nevada! We will see a number of fascinating plants with a handful that cannot be seen anywhere else. In previous years, there was also the option of joining birding, mammal or insect groups which will likely be the case this time as well.
Recommended items to bring are: water, proper clothing/footwear (long sleeve shirts/pants for sun/mosquito protection), lunch/snacks, sun hat and/or sunscreen, notebook/pen. In addition, you will need to download the iNaturalist app to your phone prior to Saturday to be able to participate in the BioBlitz. Experience using this is helpful but not necessary.
While the registration is not yet up, we recommend saving the date! You can find more information at HERE.
A waiver is required for this trip which you can find HERE
Field Trip, Mt Rose Interpretive Loop
On Saturday August 2nd, we will be embarking upon the always-fascinating Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Loop. This is a beautiful area with huge ecological diversity and should be prime time for experiencing the wild flowers.
We will plan on meeting at 9am at the Tahoe Meadows Trailhead (39.312980, -119.892204). For folks that would prefer to carpool, we will meet at the Galena Creek Visitor's Center at 8:30am; leaving at 8:45am!
It is a roughly 1.3 mile loop on level ground, however, despite it's length, we plan to be walking between 2-3 hours given the immense number of fascinating plants that can be seen here. Among (many) others, we hope to see Veratrum, Sambucus, Erigeron, Lupinus, Ligusticum, Erythranthe and Aquilegia genera.
Lake Park Plant Walk
Join us as we tour the One Truckee River, River-Friendly Living Demonstration Garden, at Lake Park. We will be leading plant ID walks in the garden and in the park.
Field Trip, Hope Valley / Upper Carson River
Hope Valley and Upper Carson River 7/26
This field trip will stop at various points along Highway 88, from nearby the Desolation Hotel to just below Carson Pass. Led by the esteemed John Dyer!
We'll have two carpool meeting points:
Meeting place 1: Bowers Mansion, large parking lot by the pool and picnic area, 8:30 am - 4005 Bowers Mansion Rd, New Washoe City, NV 89704
Meeting Place 2: In N Out Burger parking lot, south end of Carson City, near Best Buy, 9:15 am - 957 Topsy Ln, Carson City, NV 89705
Stops are subject to flora in bloom, so changes in stops may well occur by then:
Stop 1: 10:00 an, turnout just past Desolation Hotel 0.3 miles, north side of the Highway; setting - granitic rocks outcrop above the Carson River, and aspen forest
Stop 2: Rest stop with bathrooms, 0.2 mile past Highway
88 and 89 intersect (Meyer/Luther Pass turn-off).
Stop 3: Carson River crossing, turnout for trails 0.8 miles past the
intersection of Highway 88 and 89; setting - streamside, open slope, and open Lodgepole pine forest.
Stop 4: large turnout, both sides of the highway, 4.4 miles past Hwy 88/89 intersect, setting - large meadow, streamside and pine forest.
Stop 5: upper Carson River, stream crossing, 5.5 miles past Hwy 88/89 intersect, large turnout, both sides of Highway; setting - large meadow with beaver ponds, aspen and pine forest.
As always, come prepared to car-pool and for warm summer weather, including possible thunder-storms. Bring food, water, sunscreen, hat, bug repellent. No significant hiking is planned, and there are no restrictions on vehicle clearance. At each stop, be aware of highway traffic - Hwy 88 can be busy and have fast traffic.
Frog Pond / Relay Peak, Mt Rose
Join us to take Relay Peak Rd to Frog Pond. Details posted nearer the date.