"The Colorado Native Plant Society is dedicated to furthering the knowledge, appreciation and conservation of native plants and habitats of Colorado through education, stewardship and advocacy." They have six chapters located throughout the state.
As a member of any of the chapters of the Colorado Native Plant Society you will receive the quarterly journal Aquilegia. Their news and announcements are posted online.
The Hedgehog Cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, was described by George Engelmann in 1848. For definitive coverage of every cactus in the world please see Nathaniel Lord Britton and John N. Rose's, The Cactaceae, a 4-volume set published in 1924.
Meet the natives : an easy way to recognize wildflowers, trees and shrubs of the central Rocky Mountain region by 
The Cactaceae; descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus family by 
Charles Christopher Parry
Colorado’s botanical history began as a result of the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. This opened the west for exploration and expansion. Several expeditions were led by botanists to different areas but none so encompassing as those led by Charles Christopher Parry (1823-1890). He was a devoted botanical explorer who first visited Colorado during the Civil War. He discovered many new species of plants and was credited with naming mountain peaks in Colorado with the names of well known botanists Asa Gray and John Torrey.
