Join The California Native Plant Society – Redbud chapter for a webinar on North American Cercis (Redbud): a Study of Evolution and Adaptation with Camille Nowell MSC on Thursday, July 14, 2022  6 p.m.

For many centuries, Cercis, a genus of attractive woody plants that includes our native western redbud, has been a focus of botanical study and appreciation. The first recorded mention of the group was by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus, circa 325 BC. Native Americans, distinguished botanists, and eminent statesmen have also taken an interest in Cercis, including Carl Linnaeus, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Edward Lee Greene, Milton Hopkins, and Duane Isley.

More recently scientists have been investigating this group to better define the species and to understand the global patterns of distribution. The traditional taxonomic treatment of Cercis described two species in North America: the eastern species C. canadensis and the western species C. occidentalis (western redbud). In her master’s research on Cercis, Camille found through DNA analysis that Cercis in the Colorado River drainage may in fact be a different species. In her presentation, Camille will introduce the redbud genus and explain how she determined there could be a “cryptic” third species in North America.

Watch on Zoom.

Watch on Youtube.

For more information please see the event webpage.