Native Plant Society of New Mexico Native Plant Society of New Mexico

Bryana Olmeda will discuss the importance of collection-based research as it relates to conservation and documenting biodiversity. They will present on plant collections made during their first field season conducting a vascular flora of the Brokeoff Mountains in southeastern New Mexico, just west of the Guadalupe Mountains. This remote and rugged mountain range represents several habitats within the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion, including desert playas and grasslands. Join us in learning what is a flora, the importance of floristic inventories, and the beauty of Chihuahuan Desert flora.

Bio:
Bryana Olmeda is a master’s student advised by Dr. Hannah Marx at the University of New Mexico. Their project focuses on documenting the vascular flora of the Brokeoff Mountains in Otero County, NM. They were introduced to New Mexico in 2019 working as a field technician for the Seeds of Success program. During this time, they collected native seeds in the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion and quickly developed a passion for desert flora. Bryana is interested in documenting the plant diversity of New Mexico, specifically the Chihuahuan Desert, to better inform conservation practices throughout the state.