The Carter Herbarium of Colorado College (COCO) is named for longtime Biology professor Jack Carter. The collection includes over 20,000 specimens of plants primarily from eastern Colorado, but also from other surrounding states and regions. Colorado College professors, students, alumni, and botanists from around the region have all been contributors to this collection, which contains a number of important specimens and records for the State of Colorado. The herbarium is not open to general public except by appointment; please contact the curator, Professor Tass Kelso at tkelso@coloradocollege.edu  (tel 719-389-6405) for information.

    Our research focus is on the flora of the Pikes Peak region that includes El Paso, Teller, Pueblo, and Fremont Counties. A flora of the Pikes Peak region is being developed based on our local fieldwork over the past 20 years, and plant records from this herbarium and regional herbaria such as those at University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Wyoming.  We believe this is the most comprehensive overview of the regional flora available and hope it will be useful for those interested in plant diversity here. Of course, no flora is ever complete, and new records are always being found, so all such projects should be considered a work in progress.   Plant nomenclature is always in flux as well, as new information becomes available and concepts of species, genera, and families change with time. 

 A number of volumes of this flora have been prepared already; these are available as pdf files off this website for use as needed. These documents are available for any noncommercial use; we ask only that users inform us your usage and provide appropriate credit. The volumes of the Flora of the Pikes Peak Region are as follows:

Vol. 1 Botany of the Pikes Peak Region (an overview)

 Vol. 2 Ferns and Fern Allies: Equisetaceae, Selaginaceae, Isoetaceae, Pteridophytes

 Vol. 3 Asteraceae

    Key F couplet 5, second choice: go to 11, not 9

            Page 13: Conyza coulteri is also known from the lower elevations, in silty soil south of Pueblo Reservoir.

 Vol. 4 Aceraceae, Adoxaceae, Agavaceae, Aizoaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Araliaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Asparagaceae, Balsaminaceae, Berberidaceae, Betulaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae

 Vol. 5 Cactaceae, Callitrichaceae, Campanulaceae, Cannabaceae, Capparaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Ceratophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cistaceae, Commelinaceae, Convolvulaceae, Cornaceae, Crassulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Dipsacaceae, Elaeagnaceae, Elatinaceae, Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae

Vol. 5 p. 28. Vaccinium caespitosum should be E. myrtillus.   Distribution of E. caespitosum here is uncertain.

 Vol. 6 Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Frankeniaceae,  Fumariaceae, Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Grossulariaceae, Haloragaceae, Hippuridaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Hypericaceae, Iridaceae, Juncaginaceae, Lamiaceae, Lemnaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Liliaceae, Linaceae, Loasaceae, Lythraceae

Vol. 6 p. 11: Lupinus argenteus also occurs in higher elevations of the plains, esp. in eastern El Paso Co.     

p. 31 Additional species to add: Lycopus asper, known from around ponds south of Colorado Springs near Venetucci Farm/Pinello Ranch.

Vol. 7 Juncaceae

Vol. 8 Including families Malvaceae through Pyrolaceae, excluding the Poaceae.