Exhibit Shows Uses of Native Plants

Many of the colorful native plants now in bloom in Southern California were used by Native Americans for medicine, tools, housing and clothing. An exhibit at the Palm Springs Desert Museum explores uses of these plants.

“Harvesting the Desert: Plant Uses Past and Present,” illustrates how the Cahuilla Indians used plants to treat everything from stomach cramps to sterility. Bows were made from mesquite branches and houses were built with palm leaves.

A re-creation of a Cahuilla village in the gallery provides a detailed view of how plants were used in all aspects of their lives. The exhibit runs through April 30. (619) 325-7186

ARCHEOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY

* Are we destroying ourselves by destroying our environment? This question will be addressed by JaredDiamond, award-winning author of “The Third Chimpanzee,” at a lecture detailing the collapse of ancient civilizations such as the Maya in Central America, Mycenaean Greece and Angkor Wat in Cambodia at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. (213) 744-3534

HEALTH/MEDICINE

* The special concerns of senior citizens in dealing with medical emergencies will be discussed by emergency room medical staff at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. John’s Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica. Call (310) 829-8453 for reservations.

* Scripps College professor Gayle Greene will discuss “The Power of Women’s Health Activism: Beginning With Breast Cancer,” at 4:30 p.m. April 4 at the Occidental College Women’s Center. (213) 259-2787

* During the American Diabetes Alert campaign, the American Diabetes Assn., along with nearly 50 hospitals and clinics in Southern California, will provide free diabetes screenings and information about the symptoms, dangers and risks of the disease through Saturday. For a list of participants, call (213) 381-3639.

SCIENCE FOR FAMILIES

* Families will be able to meet some rain forest animals in person with Wildlife on Wheels at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Culver City Bookstar on Jefferson Boulevard. After readings from “The Great Kapok Tree,” animals representing characters from the story will be exhibited. (818) 951-3656

* Children can meet imaginary tree frogs, toucans and other rain forest animals from the Amazon tale “Rainforest” on Wednesday at Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. Storytelling will be at 2:45, 3:15 and 3:45 p.m. with activities from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Animals such as iguanas from South America and chameleons from Africa will be on hand for a free family night from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. (818) 449-9144

BOTANY

* The Theodore Payne Foundation will hold its annual Poppy Day open house with tours and educational exhibits from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the foundation’s grounds in Sun Valley. (818) 768-1802

ASTRONOMY

* Mike Simmons of International Space Enterprises will discuss plans for a privately funded project to send robotic explorers to the moon. His talk, at 8 p.m. Friday in Room 111 of the business building at Santa Monica College, will follow the weekly night sky show at 7 p.m. (310) 452-9396