The Steppe climate of Colorado—with long, cold, sunny and often dry winters and summers often punctuated with summer thunderstorms—would seem to be the very opposite of California's mild, summer-dry Mediterrean climate. Many genera of the California floristic province nonetheless extend to Colorado, which boasts 3 species (and many more color forms) of Calochortus, three species of Arctostaphylos, and a distinct Chapparal-like zone throughout the Rockies with scrub oak, Cercocarpus spp and more. We have been surprised that many California endemics like Fremontodendron and Sequoiadendron have adapted well to our much harsher climate.

An uncanny number of California botanists launched their careers in Colorado prior to going to the Golden State: Alice Eastwood, the Brandegees, Marcus Jones, Edward Lee Greene and more. This talk will hopefully reveal the many largely unnoticed and unappreciated bonds that link our two great states!

Panayoti Kelaidis is a 45 year veteran of Denver Botanic Garden, which is perhaps the best supported (300 staff and growing) public garden in the US if not the world! He will talk about the Colorado/California connection in floristics and shared heritage of botanists. You can view some of Panayoti's talks on his travels here: https://www.botanicgardens.org/our-impact/trips-travel.