Plant Families from an Alpine Wildflower Perspective
- Start Date: July 27, 2026
- End Date: July 28, 2026
- Time: schedule varies, see below
- City: Revelstoke BC
- Instructor: Dr. Ken Marr
- Registration open!
Course Description
Approximately 13% of British Columbia’s land base lies above treeline in the alpine zone. Despite the short growing season and harsh conditions, this landscape supports a rich and diverse flora, with at least 600 species of vascular plants—many of them strikingly beautiful. A large proportion of the most commonly encountered alpine plants belong to a relatively small number of families (namely heath, saxifrage, grass, sedge, and aster), but numerous other families also figure prominently in the flora, including the pink, pea, mustard, figwort, primrose, willow, rose, buttercup, and phlox families.
Most plant identification guides, whether intended for amateurs or professionals, are organized by plant family. As a result, an essential first step in learning to identify any plant, including alpine plants, is becoming familiar with the diagnostic features that distinguish these families. This course introduces participants to the key morphological characteristics of plant families, with a particular focus on alpine plant families, including the structures of flowers, fruits, and leaves, and the terminology used to describe them.
This course combines classroom instruction with hands-on field and laboratory work. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to recognize many common alpine wildflowers at both the family and species level and will have gained the skills and confidence needed to use plant identification guides effectively in alpine environments.
Participants must be prepared and physically able to hike about 10km in an alpine environment.
Course objectives
By the end of this course students will be familiar with:
- The terms that are used to describe the morphology of flowers, fruits and leaves
- How to recognize the diagnostic features of common plant families
- The names of common alpine wildflowers
- Dominant species of selected alpine habitats
- How to use plant identification guides
Scheduling format
Day 1: 9am-4pm. Classroom/lab in Revelstoke BC
Day 2: 7:30am-4pm. Alpine field site
The first day will be spent in the lab using freshly collected, or pressed samples to become familiar with common plant families and will close with an illustrated lecture about BC’s alpine flora. The second day will be spent entirely in the field at a local alpine field site.
NOTE: this course has been scheduled to correspond with a proceding course on Willow ID, July 29-30, also in Revelstoke. If this interests, see the Willow ID course details here.
Who is this course for?
Anyone needing an introduction to plant family ID for foundational skills, and those who are interested in learning about alpine wildflowers. This course will be excellent for naturalists, science/environmental educators, and interpreters.
There is no minimum amount of knowledge necessary to participate, although it is assumed that students will already be comfortable in field environments no matter what nature throws our way. Participants must be prepared to hike in an alpine environment, expect up to 10km of travel.
Our instructor
Ken has been working in plant taxonomy and field botany since the 1980’s noting that every job he’s every had involved some aspect of botany. Thanks to his father who was a plant ecology professor, he had an early start tagging along on fieldtrips and getting familiar with plant identification keys.
Ken recently retired from 24 years as the Curator of Botany at the Royal BC Museum. His teaching experience includes lecturing for university courses in plant taxonomy at the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, University of Montana and University of Wyoming. Ken has taught in both lab environments (University of Hawaii, University of British Columbia) and field environments in the delivery of workshops for ecology professionals and Master Gardeners alike.
What’s included in this course?
Course resources will be provided in both paper and digital form. Coffee/tea and delicious snacks will be provided on day 1 of the course, lunches are available for pre-order with registration.
A certificate of completion is provided to all students to aid with claiming professional development credits.
Preparation & what to bring
Publications
- Field guide: “Alpine Plants of British Columbia, Alberta and Northwest North America”, by Pojar and MacKinnon. Lone Pine Press.
- Support Fable Book Parlour, Revelstoke’s independent book seller, by ordering this field guide here
- Recommended to bring a laptop or tablet to reference online resources such as The Flora of North America and the BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer
Field equipment
Each participant must have:
- Hand lens or magnifying glass (we’ll have extra if needed)
- Sturdy hiking shoes (for uneven terrain and shovelling)
- Notebook
- Mobile device or tablet with Avenza, or Gaia or Field Maps downloaded for viewing maps and additional field guides
- Pack or field vest to carry gear
- Water bottle (at least 1L, bagged lunches do not come with water)
- Packed lunch if you haven’t ordered the bagged lunches upon registration
- NOTE: All field gear should be clean prior going into the field to limit the possible spread of invasive plants.
It would be nice if participants have:
- Field capable vehicle for carpool: Please indicate in your registration form if you have space to take passengers in your vehicle, but can be solidified at the end of the classroom session.
- First aid kit
- Truck or hand radio with RR stations programed
Registration
Member registration: $300*
Non-member registration: $355
*Memberships can be purchased at the same time as you register. Find out more about CMI membership here.
NOTE: We require a minimum number of people to run this course. Please register immediately to both secure your spot and the course itself. If registration fills you can request to be placed on a cancellation list.
