Moss Plants and More: Bryo Course

This is an announcement for a field course that came out on Bryonet a couple of weeks back. I just wanted to share it with anyone who might be interested.

Intermediate Field Bryology

March 21-23, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Klamath Hall, University of Oregon

Class size is limited. Fee: $300.To reserve a space, send $25 deposit (non-refundable processing fee). The balance is due ten days before the workshop. Invoices can be provided on request. Checks or money orders are preferable; make out to "Northwest Botanical Institute" and send to my PO Box. Credit cards can be processed only through PayPal (submit payment to davidwagner@mac.com).

Class will be held all day for three days, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Emphasis in this workshop is on using contemporary keys for identifying mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Dissecting and compound microscopes will be on hand for observing the features necessary for using technical keys. Students with microscopes are urged to bring them. Methods of handling specimens and making preparations will be provided with ample practice material.

This is a very intensive workshop intended to give competence working with keys. All laboratory supplies needed for this class will be provided except specimen packets. Students should purchase the Keys to California mosses and liverworts prior to arrival. A list of recommended "Things to Bring" is below.

Travel, food and lodging for Introductory Field Bryology are the responsibility of the participants. Participants should bring brown bag lunches each day; otherwise eateries are close by to the class site.

Additional information can be found below the fold.

TOOLS and SUPPLIES

I'll provide slides and cover slips for use in the workshop. If you have good pair of fine pointed forceps, bring them along. If you want to get some ahead of time, a good source for these is BioQuip (I recommend their 4523 or 4524.):

http://www.bioquip.com/html/view_catalog.asp?page=30

Otherwise, I can loan some for the workshop.

10X hand lens required (a good quality one is nice; I use a Bausch & Lomb with Hastings triplet lenses). We use this in lab and field. A 20X is also useful as a second lens; it takes much light and practice to use well and should be a back up to your 10X lens.

Dissecting microscope, optional but desirable. Compound microscope, optional but desirable. If you have your own instruments, please bring them as it is best to work with your regular equipment. I will help you calibrate them for optimal clarity. We will have good instruments available for use in the class.

50 paper specimen packets to start; more than 50 will be needed by the end of the workshop. These are for your personal reference set. You will use them to hold material I distribute in class and that which you will gather on the field trip. Ordinary copy or recycled/reusable paper is fine for this class; I will demonstrate how to make archival packets suitable for institutional herbarium use.

Writing paper, pens and pencils

Drawing paper or unlined paper notebooks for drawings

BOOKS

Primary textbook for mosses: "Contributions to a Bryoflora of California: II. A Key to the Mosses of California" by Norris and Shevock, Madroño vol. 51 No 2. If you don't have a copy, I have a few I'll provide at cost.

For liverworts: "Contributions Toward a Bryoflora of California: III. Keys and annotated species catalog for liverworts and hornworts" by Doyle and Stotler. Madroño vol. 53 No 2. I have some copies of these, too, available at cost.

Please try to get these before hand to study; the basic ordering protocol is: send check for $15 for each, $30 for both(payable to "California Botanical Society") to:

California Botanical Society

Jepson Herbarium

1001 VSLB #2465

University of California

Berkeley, CA 94720-2465

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The secondary text for liverworts is the "HTML Guide to Oregon Liverworts" by David Wagner. This is a work in progress; each participant will receive a personal copy on CD at the workshop.

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Other useful books:

"CALIFORNIA MOSSES" by Bill and Nancy Malcolm, Jim Shevock, and Dan Norris

Reviewed in GYROTHYRA 6 (ask if you haven't gotten this). Superb adjunct to the Madroño keys. $68 each, plus $6.50 shipping (only $1.00 each for shipping additional copies) and CA sales tax for California residents.

To order, visit the CNPS store:

http://cnps.org/store.php

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"Some Common Mosses of British Columbia" by Wilf Schofield. Best to get this directly from the Royal British Columbia Provincial Museum: 250-356-0505. Have your credit card handy. To get it through a book dealer in the U.S. will cost you MUCH more. (May be out of print.)

Flora of North America, volume 27, published 2007. Expensive but extremely valuable. If you can afford it, get from Oxford University Press. I have one copy to sell for a friend, new in box,at subscription cost ( about $85).

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PLACES TO STAY. The following motels are within walking distance of campus:

Best Western Greentree Inn. 1759 Franklin Blvd. 541-485-2727; 800-937-8376

Best Western New Oregon Motel. 1655 Franklin Blvd. 541-683-3669; 800-937-8376

Days Inn, 1859 Franklin Blvd. 541-342-6383; 800-444-6383

Holiday Inn. 2117 Franklin Blvd. 541-342-1243; 800-456-6487

Phoenix Inn. 850 Franklin Blvd. 541-344-0001; 800-344-0131

University Inn. 1847 Franklin Blvd. 541-342-4804; 800-424-5213

Travelers Inn. 540 E Broadway. 541-342-1109; 800-432-5213

For other possibilities and info about Eugene, here's the visitor center site:

http://www.travellanecounty.org/lodging/

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