Peniocereus greggii in bloom (Photo courtesy of Ed and Beth Leuck)Virtual Gila Native Plant Society meeting Friday, April 16, 2021, at 7:00 pm MDT –  “Ecology of a desert night-blooming cactus, Peniocereus greggii, in New Mexico” – presenter Beth Leuck

The Gila Native Plant Society’s meeting on April 16, 2021, 7:00 pm, via Zoom, will feature a talk by Beth Leuck entitled “Ecology of a desert night-blooming cactus, Peniocereus greggii, in New Mexico.” Peniocereus greggii is a state-endangered cactus found in four southwestern New Mexico counties. It is cryptically hidden among the desert vegetation in areas where it occurs, making it difficult to find most of the year. However, on one to three nights in late spring individuals of a given population flower synchronously, revealing the location of many of the plants. Because so little is known about details of this plant’s life history beyond its unique flowering event, Edwin and Beth Leuck began studying a population of these plants south of Rodeo, NM, in 2012.

Ecological characteristics of this species that will be discussed include its habitat, plant associations, flowering, and its ability to apparently die and resurrect itself.

Beth Leuck received her PhD in zoology from the University of Oklahoma and taught for over 30 years in the biology department at Centenary College of Louisiana. Most of her research has been on the ecology and behavior of animals ranging from dung flies to endangered Piping Plovers, but she has participated in several research projects on plant ecology, including this long-term study of Peniocereus greggii. She taught ecology for many years at the Central Michigan University Biological Station on Beaver Island, Michigan, and continues to participate in several ongoing research projects on the island during the summer months.

As always, the public is welcome. Those interested in joining in the Zoom presentation on Friday, April 16, at 7:00 pm, should send a request for a link to gilanative@gmail.com. 

The Gila Native Plant Society is committed to promoting education, research and appreciation of the native flora of the Southwest; encouraging the preservation of rare and endangered plant species; and supporting the use of suitable native plants in landscaping. For information on programs, publications and membership, please visit www.gilanps.org.