V32-1, Fall 2018. Annual Meeting Field Trip Reports on trips to Kleinschmidt Lake by Peter Lesica, Sieben Ranch Wetlands by Klara Varga, and the Granite Butte Proposed Research Natural Area by Steve and Karen Shelly open this issue; Klara Varga also summarizes an intrepid and laugh-filled Indian Meadows Reconnaisance through downfall to a wetland where 2 species of Drosera were observed. She promises another trip another summer; Pat Mcleod reports on 2 Western-at-Large field trips to St. Paul Lake and on the Callahan Trail near Troy, which both had good attendance and lots of fun botanizing; Peter Lesica and Annie Garde document the Outstanding Service Award given to Kelseya editor Caroline Kurtz for her good work bringing us our newsletter 4 times a year; in her “President’s Platform” column, Gretchen Rupp gives a succinct argument if favor of the joys and values of being a well-rounded naturalist in our world; in “Gardener’s Notebook,” Denise Montgomery offers a description of Western Coneflower, Rudbeckia occidentalis Nutt. along with tips for cultivating this flower in your garden; in “Combatting Plant Blindness,” Caroline Kurtz passes on information from Emily Roberson of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign about the increasing difficulty of people not being educated about plants and the reduction of resources in both the academic and governmental settings regarding plants in nature; and also plenty of chapter and state society news.
V32-2, Winter 2019. In this issue’s first article, “Montana Has a State Arboretum: Do you know about it,” Beth Judy documents the history and current status of Montana’s official arboretum on the University of Montana campus; in her “President’s Platform” Gretchen Rupp profiles lifetime Montana Native Plant Society member, Bonnie Heidel’s, take on what it is like to be a professional botanist; Matthew Stewart describes the joy of searching for and discovering rare native plants in, “Orchids and Thistles: The fun of a Botanical Treasure Hunt;” and the Gardener’s Notebook column talks about starting native plants from seed indoors over the winter.
V32-3, Spring 2019. “Montana’s Arboretum – Part 2” opens this edition of the Kelseya and completes the description of this feature of the UM campus written by Beth Judy with a brief description of each of the eight forest regions and other collections accompanied by a map; this year’s small grants award announcement describes the three projects awarded: native plant purchases for an Outdoor Education Center and Demonstration Garden in Kalispell, travel expenses for surveys of Plant Diversity in Bedrock Meadows of Northwestern Montana, and specified support expenses for a Yaak Valley Weed Control and Huckleberry monitoring project; in the President’s Platform, Gretchen Rupp summarizes some fascinating research quantifying the relative masses of various life domains including the dominance of plant life on earth at about 80% of the total; plenty of information on the Annual Meeting is also reported on the Society Website; Denise Montgomery of the Calypso Chapter tells about a recent program on botanical illustration presented by Jane Fournier of Kelsey Chapter; and Peter Lesica of the Clark Fork Chapter tells some of the important differences that exist among paintbrushes related to the type of host a plant has parasitized in “Not All Paintbrush Hosts are Created Equal” along with a reading list; and lots of Society program plans and information.
V32-4, Summer 2019. The summer editions opens with a photo essay covering “Spring Beauties” seen on a Flathead Chapter trip to visit the unique flora of Johnson Terraces; on her “President’s Platform,” Gretchen Rupp challenges Society members to think through and reaffirm the purpose and mission of the Montana Native Plant Society so as to maintain our role as the leader in the “study, preservation and conservation of our native plants and plant communities”; “Passing the Torch” announces the retirement of Cathie Jean from a long run on the Society Board of Directors, including her most recent service as Chair of the Membership Committee. Many thanks to Cathie for her dedicated service – Maria Mantas of the Flathead Chapter has taken over the leadership of the Membership Committee; an article reprinted from Science Daily reports how, “Trembling Aspen Leaves Could Save Future Mars Rovers”; and in the “Gardener’s Notebook,” Denise Montgomery of the Valley of Flowers Chapter tells about growing Arrowleaf balsamroot in the garden.
