Speakers: Dr. Alison Colwell, Curator, Center for Plant Diversity, UC Davis and Dr. Adam Schneider, University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse.

Alison Colwell and Adam Schneider have been studying the non-photosynthetic members of the parasitic plant family Orobanchaceae (primarily Aphyllon, Conopholis and Phelipanche) in North America for many years. Hard to find, largely subterranean and often rare, these plants take extreme patience to work on. Among the changes Alison and Adam have made that affect the Oregon flora are a reversion of North American native Orobanche to the genus Aphyllon (Adam) and description of new species and revision of existing species (Alison & Adam). This team will provide updates on these projects that affect the Oregon flora.