Flora of Colorado, Second Edition

Author Biography

Jennifer Ackerfield has been studying the flora of Colorado for nearly 30 years. During this time, she has traveled extensively across Colorado documenting its rich floristic diversity. She is currently the Head Curator of Natural History Collections and Associate Director of Biodiversity at Denver Botanic Gardens. Prior to this, she was the Assistant Curator of the Charles Maurer Herbarium at Colorado State University (CS), where she also taught Plant Identification for 20 years. She is passionate about educating students and the public on the wonderful world of botany. She received her Master’s in Botany with a concentration in taxonomy and systematics in 2001, studying the systematics of Hedera (English ivy). She received her PhD in Botany in 2020, studying the taxonomy and evolution of thistles (Cirsium) in North America. Jennifer has worked with the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado Native Plant Society, Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, Mesa Verde National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and U.S. Forest Service. In Jennifer’s spare time she enjoys hiking, fishing, landscape photography, hunting for abandoned homesteads, botanical illustration, gardening and canning the fruits of her labor, and spending time with her wonderful friends and family.