Plants

�� Boulder’s Century Plants

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

�� Boulder’s Century Plants Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/06/2023 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

In the mid-1990s, longtime �� faculty member Allan Taylor (IntlAf’53; MAnth’04) planted three agave plants outside of the ecology and evolutionary biology department’s greenhouse on �� Boulder's East Campus just off 30th Street.

In May 2023, less than one year after Taylor died, two of the plants bloomed for the first and only time. By the end of July, stalks from the plants towered as tall as 15 feet and sprouted bright yellow flowers.

The agave plants — which are sometimes called “century plants” because of their long life cycles — attracted more than 1,500 visitors from as far as Colorado Springs and Steamboat Springs during the several weeks the blooms were visible, said greenhouse director John Clark.

“Seeing a plant that has been maturing for decades to flower is exciting to witness,” said Clark, who has held his position at �� for four years. “This is something that doesn’t happen often in Colorado, especially Boulder. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, both for the plant and the observer.”

Clark climbed on a ladder three times to pollinate each agave. His team also harvested seeds from the plants and germinated them in the greenhouse this fall.

As for the agave plants themselves, they will die now that they've bloomed, but their offshoots will replace the original plants and bring joy to the next wave of visitors — some 30 years from now.

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Photo courtesy Mason Marino (top), Janice Harvey

In May 2023, two agave plants on campus bloomed for the first and only time.

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Fall 2023

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A Walk through the Renaissance

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

A Walk through the Renaissance Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/11/2022 - 00:00

Plants were important to Shakespeare. From love potions in A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Ophelia’s symbolic bouquet of rosemary, pansies, fennel, rue and daisies in Hamlet, plants appear in the storylines of many of the Bard’s greatest works.

At �� Boulder, the Colorado Shakespeare Gardens serve as a tranquil, historic lesson on plants prevalent in Shakespeare’s time. Founded by Marlene Cowdery in 1991 and now a donation-based program within the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, the gardens are maintained by nearly 20 members — including master gardeners, teachers and �� alumni. On Saturdays from spring to fall, members can be seen gardening in the courtyard between the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building and the Lucile Berkeley Buchanan Building.

Approximate number of plant species in the gardens

Types of trees in the gardens

Members of the gardens, with 5-6 regular maintenance volunteers

$2,000

Annual cost to maintain the gardens

450 hours

Volunteered approximately each year to maintain the gardens

Unusual plants

Samphire (King Lear) and pomegranate (All’s Well That Ends Well, Romeo and Juliet and Henry IV, Part 1)

June and September

Best months to visit the gardens

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare play that mentions the most plants and flowers

The Plant-Lore & Garden-Craft of Shakespeare (1884)

Primary source of information for gardeners about featured plants

New members and volunteers are welcome. Anyone interested can email carolmellinger@gmail.com.

Take a virtual tour of the gardens.

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Photos courtesy Colorado Shakespeare Gardens

The Colorado Shakespeare Gardens located at �� Boulder contain plants prevalent in Shakespeare’s time.

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10 Plants and Animals to Spot on Campus

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:59:21 +0000

10 Plants and Animals to Spot on Campus Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/21/2021 - 09:59

Grace Dearnley

Boulder is beloved for its outdoorsy atmosphere and commitment to letting nature thrive, that helps create a city that is home to all types of plants and animals. With ��’s campus located in the heart of the city, many of Boulder’s urban wildlife can be spotted on the walk to class. From the occasional curious bear to the pollinator-friendly lavender, here are 10 plants and animals you can find around campus.

1. Bears

Although they don’t come often, these furry mischief-makers have been known to wander down from the foothills to visit campus every once in a while. In 2019, campus saw several visits from bears, most notably on fall move-in day. Read this article to learn how to stay safe if you see a bear on campus.

2. Raccoons

Raccoons can be found in rural and urban areas across the country, but Boulder's raccoons have become so familiar that they almost feel like honorary on-campus residents. Raccoons are known for being smart and playful, but its best to keep your distance if you see one, since they can be aggressive if provoked.

3. Squirrels

Every college campus thinks their squirrels are exceptionally bold and fearless. Could ��’s campus squirrels really be unique? Either way, these fluffy-tailed buddies can be seen anywhere on campus, often in search of whatever food they can get their tiny paws on.

4. Lavender

Although it originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe, this soothing aromatic can be found in the campus pollinator garden. The garden is split between two locations on campus that together cover a total of 10,000 square feet. Other plants you can spot in the pollinator garden include barberry, currant, gooseberry and yarrow.

5. Turtles

Turtles are very common throughout the world, and they often enjoy one of the longest animal life spans that we know of. ��'s campus turtles can be seen swimming or basking on a log at Varsity Lake.

6. Hackberry Tree

The hackberry tree is a Colorado native, just like over half of our students here at ��. Hackberry trees can be identified by their serrated leaves and small, dark purple fruit.

7. Prairie Dogs

The prairie dog population in Boulder is plentiful, and when they’re not burrowing underground, they can often be seen around campus. Prairie dogs are considered a “keystone species” in Colorado because of their important role in our natural ecosystems.

8. Little Leaf Linden Tree

The variety of little leaf linden trees that can be found on campus has heart-shaped leaves and hails from Europe.

9. Redbud Trees

Redbud trees are often used as decorative trees, as they are known for their gorgeous lavender or pink blossoms. Stroll around campus in the early spring to see these beauties in full bloom.

10. Deer

The type of deer most commonly spotted around Boulder is the mule deer, which are known for their big ears said to resemble those of a mule. Seeing these cuties on campus can be difficult if they’re skittish, as their excellent hearing and eyesight keep them constantly aware of potential danger.

Read this article for tips on safely co-existing with campus wildlife.

(Photo by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)

From the occasional curious bear to the pollinator-friendly lavender, here are 10 plants and animals that you can find around campus.

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10 Interesting Library Collections

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 17:29:01 +0000

10 Interesting Library Collections Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/10/2019 - 11:29

Joshua Nelson

Expand your knowledge: These are all open to the public.

Chicago-Colorado Colony Records, which tell the story of the 1870 colony that settled in, and eventually became, modern-day Longmont. (Norlin Library special collections)
The David F. Day collection features microfilm of his diary from his time as “chief of scouts” for General Blair during the Civil War. (Norlin Library special collections)
For pictures of the first ascent of Jagged Mountain in 1933, and other Colorado climbing firsts, check out the photo albums of Dwight Lavender. (Norlin Library)
The early phonograph record collection has over 100 recordings from 1912-1940. (American Music Research Center)
An extensive map collection which consists of around 200,000 maps. (Earth Sciences & Map Library)
Visit ��’s “living library” with a collection of over 535,000 plants, lichens and mosses. (�� Herbaruim)
The Grauman’s Theatre scores, with over 4,000 sheets of silent movie “soundtracks.” (American Music Research Center)
An extensive materials collection contains everything from types of woods to geosynethics, most traditionally used in construction and design. (Engineering, Math and Physics library)
A photograph collection by Henry Asa Allen, who President Theodore Roosevelt dispatched to document the construction of the Panama Canal. (Norlin Library special collections)
The Red Scare collection contains FBI files on professors and administrators from anti-communist investigations. (Norlin Library)

Photo by Glenn Asakawa

Collections are all open to the public.

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Kale Aplenty

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 19:30:00 +0000

Kale Aplenty Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/01/2018 - 13:30

Christie Sounart

Drivers on U.S. Hwy 36 zoomed past a new sight at Williams Village this spring — a vibrant purple glow emanating from the second floor of the complex’s Village Center dining hall.

The source was �� Boulder’s newest and perhaps most unusual greenhouse, a 3,000-square-foot facility on site that can grow as many as 6,000 plants at once and is on track to become the primary source for the dining hall’s greens.

There’s no dirt here: The plants are housed in 137 eight-foot-tall hydroponic grow towers that deliver water and nutrients to the plants without the need for soil. The greenhouse climate is a steady 65 degrees during the day and 55 at night. Lights automatically turn on as sunlight dims.

“When you see something being grown right in front of you, you have more appreciation for your food,” said �� farm manager Alex Macmillan.

The greenhouse provides lettuce, kale and arugula for the Village Center salad bar and chefs. Each tower yields up to three pounds of food each month. If there’s surplus in the future, the extra greens will be available to other �� dining halls and campus catering units.

“Nothing gets wasted here,” said Macmillan, the sole farmer for the greenhouse. “The appetite for greens at �� is pretty crazy.”

When students are on summer break, he’ll experiment with basil, dill and parsley.

He was pleased with his first small batch of crops, in March — about 35 pounds of food in all. He initially grew the greens in small, spongy, foam cubes in the greenhouse, then moved them to the grow towers, where they bathed in continually circulating water and fertilizer. After about a month, it was all ready to eat.

“The kale is getting out of hand,” he said in April, pointing to the flourishing towers. “And the arugula has gone wild on me.”

Photos by Jesse Petersen/University of Colorado

�� Boulder gets serious about greens.

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Campus News Briefs - Fall 2017

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 18:54:01 +0000

Campus News Briefs - Fall 2017 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/01/2017 - 12:54

�� Herbarium

A botanical library of dried plants, some dating back centuries.

1902

Year founded

535,000

Plant specimens, lichens and mosses in collection

1862

Date on one of the oldest specimens

Years into digitization of collection, housed in Clare Small

Percent of plants digitized so far, approx.

Four

Days open to public each week

One

New book about Colorado flora published with help from the Herbarium

�� Brings Back Fraternities

�� Boulder has established its own Interfraternity Council (IFC), allowing Greek social fraternities to affiliate directly with the university for the first time since 2005.

Two fraternities are on board for the 2017-18 school year: Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Tau Gamma.

�� is in talks with others. �� severed ties with social fraternities after pledge Lynn “Gordie” Bailey Jr. died from alcohol poisoning in 2005. Fraternities formed their own off-campus councils but were denied university privileges.

“We know that, for some students, being a member of a fraternity or sorority builds community, provides a support network and frames lasting friendships well beyond their college years,” said �� vice chancellor of student affairs Christina Gonzales.

Members of the new �� Interfraternity Council must sign an agreement requiring them to follow all university policies.

Heard Around Campus

The functioning of our society is based in large part on our ability to transport food, fuel and other goods — activities that would be severely affected by a nuclear war."

— �� Boulder physicist Brian Toon on his latest study concerning nuclear war’s agricultural and oceanic impacts.

What Lives in Your Showerhead?

It’s a fine time to clean your showerhead — you’ll find an entire microbial ecosystem living there.

But Noah Fierer wants a sample first.

The �� Boulder ecology and evolutionary biology professor and colleagues sent 1,500 kits to willing “citizen scientists” in nearly every state, Puerto Rico and parts of Europe, enlisting regular folks to swab their showerheads and return the slime samples to �� for DNA testing.

The researchers are trying to develop a more complete picture of showerhead bacteria communities and the conditions that allow them to thrive. They’ll pay special attention to microbes that cause non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease (NTM).

For more on this study, click here.

Fraternities, nuclear war and showerhead ecosystems.

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Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 20:26:55 +0000

Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/28/2017 - 14:26

Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks (2016, University Press of Colorado) By Erin A. Tripp, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology

By Erin A. Tripp

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Look: Plants

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:45:00 +0000

Look: Plants Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/01/2016 - 14:45

Eric Gershon

Where the Wild Things Are

�� 1,000 plant species, mostly exotic, thrive inside ��-Boulder’s 30th Street greenhouse.

You won’t find many banana or chocolate trees growing wild in Boulder, or staghorn fern, Somalian milkweed or Venus fly trap. These aren’t Colorado plants.

But all thrive inside ��’s 30th Street greenhouse, along with hundreds of other species from as far afield as Central and South America, the Persian Gulf and South Pacific, Madagascar, Malaysia and Macedonia.

“I collected this in Venezuela in 1982,” greenhouse manager Tom Lemieux says, gesturing to a tiny flowering orchid native to cloud forests.

Lemieux likes to call 30th Street, one of four campus greenhouses he oversees — and, at 8,753 square feet, the largest — a “million-dollar” facility. It’s a reference not to cost, but to the building’s hardiness and the richness of the collections. �� acquired the greenhouse from Chevron for free in 1991, moving it from California to Colorado pane by pane.

Today about 1,000 plant species, overwhelmingly exotic, grow inside.

Worldwide there are about 350,000 known plant species. Lemieux and assistant greenhouse manager Janice Harvey (EPOBio’03) cultivate varieties that �� professors use in teaching and research, including members of the coffee and cucumber families and African milkweed, plus others selected to hint at plant life’s fantastic diversity.

There’s also room for live root cuttings from a special local tree — the Old Main Cottonwood, now about 110 years old. Those cuttings one day could yield a genetically identical twin.

The 30th Street greenhouse, part of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is open for public tours four times a year.

Photos by Rich Ellis

�� 1,000 plant species, mostly exotic, thrive inside ��-Boulder's 30th Street greenhouse.

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Planted Evidence

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:13:00 +0000

Planted Evidence Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/01/2016 - 11:13

Jim Scott

For decades Jane Bock and David Norris have been using plant science to help solve murders.

Her name is Jill Coit, and she has been married 11 times to nine different husbands, two of whom were mysteriously slain. Coit has used more than a dozen aliases, but she’s best known as simply “The Black Widow.”

After her ninth husband, Gerald Boggs, was found dead in October 1993 in his Steamboat Springs, Colo., home — clubbed with a shovel, tased and shot three times in the chest — the wheels of justice began to turn. Coit, who had never been charged in the 1972 suspicious shooting death of her third husband, started getting a lot of questions from law enforcement.

So did ��-Boulder faculty members Jane Bock and David Norris, internationally known experts in forensic botany, who were asked to join the investigation.

The two key questions for the professors: What was Boggs’ last meal, and what was his estimated time of death?

“From a law enforcement point of view, the stomach contents of victims are very useful — they can determine the subject’s last meal and help to identify the time he or she died,” says Norris, now a professor emeritus of integrative physiology. “At death the pyloric valve in the stomach shuts down, and whatever is in there remains as long as the stomach is intact.”

The breakfast ordered by Boggs the day before his body was discovered was no secret: He ate at the same restaurant every day, The Shack, and ordered the same thing — eggs, hash browns, toast and coffee. During their stomach content analysis, Norris and Bock found traces of hash browns. They estimated Boggs had eaten breakfast just a few hours before his death. Coit and her boyfriend, Michael Backus, had a credible alibi for the time Boggs would have eaten his last dinner, says Norris — but not for the time following his last breakfast.

“Documenting that breakfast was his last meal was enough information that authorities now were able to get a search warrant,” recalls Norris, an expert witness in the case.

Investigators found a stun gun in Coit’s car that produced marks on a dead pig identical to marks found on Boggs. The evidence continued to pile up. In 1995 Coit and Backus were convicted of first-
degree murder with no chance of parole.

Bock and Norris primarily investigate the presence and condition of plant material in gastrointestinal tracts of murder victims. The method works largely because plant cell walls are durable, have readily identifiable characteristics and can survive most digestive processes.

The pair has also used plant evidence to document the location and movements of suspects and victims.

In 1999, for example, the body of a 19-year-old woman was found on a golf course in the Grand Bahamas. Investigators found tiny bits of grass on the socks and shoes of one of two men seen leaving a bar with the victim the night before. Bock eventually identified the grass as almond Bahama, which grew only on one of the three golf courses on the island — the one where the victim was killed. Bock’s testimony helped put one of the suspects at the scene and led to convictions of both.

In 1987, the �� pair were among the founding members of NecroSearch International, Ltd., a nonprofit, volunteer organization involving criminal investigators and scientists dedicated to helping locate clandestine graves and key evidence in cases in which foul play is suspected. The organization has by now assisted in 300 cases in 43 states and 10 countries.

Bock and Norris were not always sleuths. Norris arrived at ��-Boulder as a faculty member in environmental, population and organismic biology in 1966. He is an expert in animal physiology, including endocrinology, the study of hormones, which are chemical messengers that hop between cells and are intimately tied to health and disease.

Bock and husband Carl joined the department in 1969, she as a botanist specializing in plant anatomy and evolution, he as an animal ecologist. Soon Bock and Norris were co-teaching general biology and swapping mystery novels on the side.
Their unanticipated careers in forensic science began in 1982 with a call from Dr. Ben Galloway, a �� professor and assistant coroner in Denver, after a young woman was found dead in eastern Colorado. Galloway found Bock’s name in a ��-Boulder course catalog and asked if she would analyze the victim’s stomach contents.

Bock reluctantly agreed, and Galloway gave her slide sets with samples of the victim’s stomach contents. Bock then bought some typical salad vegetables. She and Norris chewed them up and made their own slide set for comparison. There were clear matches between the two, and no trace of hamburger in the victim’s samples — an indication that her last meal was not the fast-food hamburger eaten at lunch with her boyfriend, but rather a later meal eaten someplace offering green peppers, red cabbage and kidney beans.

The new evidence about the victim’s last meal helped support the alibi of the boyfriend, who claimed to be elsewhere later in the day when the woman was killed, says Norris. In the end, a serial killer confessed to the woman’s murder and confirmed the two had shared what was to be her final dinner at a restaurant with a salad bar.

As members of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Bock and Norris have worked on more than 50 criminal cases in the United States and abroad. They have lectured at colleges and scientific meetings in the U.S., England, Australia and New Zealand and given short courses for high school teachers and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. Each has served as an expert witness on homicide cases, sometimes for the prosecution, sometimes for the defense.

In January, Bock and Norris published Forensic Plant Science, a book intended for law enforcement officials around the world. It covers plant ecology and anatomy, evidence collection techniques at crime scenes and analyses of digested plant material. The book’s companion website will host an updatable microscopic atlas of common food plants.

Bock and Norris practically became rock stars in the world of true crime after several of their investigations were featured on the TV series Forensic Files, which was broadcast under several names from 1996 to 2011. Reruns of the show still air today.

“These documentaries are useful in spreading the word about effective, accurate forensic techniques,” says Bock, who, with Norris, continues to investigate crimes. “But popular crime shows in which detectives solve murders in 45 minutes are nonsense. There is nothing fast about our investigations, especially when it’s a matter of life or death.”

Photos by Glenn Asakawa; Headshots by Casey A. Cass

For decades Jane Bock and David Norris have been using plant science to help solve murders.

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