What identification workshops do we offer? 
You will find additional information and schedules on our Davis Botanical Society Events page.

• Ceanothus
• Lichens Workshops
• Moss Workshops
• Keying

Ceanothus

Ceanothus “See, I Know This!” (general vascular plant ID) is a monthly gathering of the California Field Botanists Association.

We are an association of professional, hobby, and student field botanists interested in educating each other to KEEP BOTANY ALIVE! Our desire is to create a supportive environment to learn botany identification skills from one another and to share our knowledge of plants and plant communities.

Our goals:

• To practice identifying plants using The Jepson Manual (Second Edition) 
• To become more familiar with plant terminology
• To share our knowledge and educate each other about plant taxonomy
• To discuss and learn about plant communities, ecology, entomology, and other topics related to botany
• To have fun! 

About Ceanothus (See-I-Know-This!) Workshops

No experience necessary and free, our workshops are a relaxing, collaborative, and fun way to build a useful technical skill, learn more about the plants around us, meet fantastic people with eager plant stories and expertise to share, and just plain have a good time.

We focus on whatever plants folks happen to bring in, whether native, exotic, or extraplanetary (some plants really are that weird, especially under a scope!).  We key plants as a group, taking the time to look up definitions, check out crazy plant hairs, discuss defining morphological characteristics, etc.  We use the herbarium, online resources, and of course each other to help gain confidence in our determinations.

We request that no dried specimens be brought into the herbarium (insects that eat dried plant material are a problem in herbaria), and that everyone work together to leave the herbarium in the same (or better) condition than we found it.

Special thanks to Alison Colwell and UCD herbarium staff and volunteers for help coordinating and supporting these workshops!  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Mike Bower

Workshop Details 

Dates: See below for 2025 schedule. We will send an email reminder ahead of each workshop. 

Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Place: UC Davis Herbarium (Center for Plant Diversity, 1026 Sciences Laboratory Building)
Helpful things to bring (none required): Plant specimens, Jepson Manual 2nd ed., hand lens, dissection tools
Contact (if questions; there is currently no need to rsvp): Mike Bower, cell 530 902 8721

Directions/Parking: Parking is free on Saturdays. Map showing entrance to herbarium below.

We meet on most third Saturdays of the month, 9am-noon, from March through October in the UC Davis Herbarium to practice keying out plants using The Jepson Manual and other plant identification resources. No tools or prior experience required. 
2025 Workshop Dates 

Mar 22 (4th Saturday)
Apr 26 (4th Saturday)
May 17
Jun 21
Jul 19
Aug 16
Sep 20
Oct 18

If you are interested joining our collaborative plant identification workshops, please send an email to ceanothusfieldbot@gmail.com.