Posts tagged botany

nybg: Botany Blueprint: The Lotus Anna Laurent’s quest to obtain the most prized seed pod in her collection—that of the lotus flower—leads her through curio shops in Chelsea, daydreams of Far Eastern market stalls, and the garden of a botanically-inclined opera singer known as Madame Walska. It’s a pleasant story to tie into the case of this strange, well-adapted (and edible) plant. —MN

nybg:

Botany Blueprint: The Lotus

Anna Laurent’s quest to obtain the most prized seed pod in her collection—that of the lotus flower—leads her through curio shops in Chelsea, daydreams of Far Eastern market stalls, and the garden of a botanically-inclined opera singer known as Madame Walska. It’s a pleasant story to tie into the case of this strange, well-adapted (and edible) plant. —MN

nybg

brilliantbotany: An iced-over Japenese maple, Acer palmatum. It is a small tree, globally used in landscaping. It produces samaras as seeds, which you would likely recognize as helicopter seeds that flutter in the wind.

brilliantbotany:

An iced-over Japenese maple, Acer palmatum. It is a small tree, globally used in landscaping. It produces samaras as seeds, which you would likely recognize as helicopter seeds that flutter in the wind.

brilliantbotany

brilliantbotany: This the Indian Pipe plant, an eerie-looking plant, in my opinion. Monotropa uniflora is a heterotroph. That means that it doesn’t photosynthesize. Instead, it’s a parasitic plant that relies on mycorrhizal fungi for its nutrients.Why is it white? No chlorophyll, no green.It’s also known as the Ghost Plant, and the Corpse Plant. 

brilliantbotany:

This the Indian Pipe plant, an eerie-looking plant, in my opinion. Monotropa uniflora is a heterotroph. That means that it doesn’t photosynthesize. Instead, it’s a parasitic plant that relies on mycorrhizal fungi for its nutrients.
Why is it white? No chlorophyll, no green.
It’s also known as the Ghost Plant, and the Corpse Plant. 

brilliantbotany

oldsoulswelcome: wildandpeaceful: (via Dan Blackman) Yeahhhhh.

oldsoulswelcome:

wildandpeaceful:

(via Dan Blackman)


Yeahhhhh.

dblackman.com

flora-file:

Nicotiana langsdorfii - Flowering Tobacco 

Cool Plant Alert! I originally purchased a single plant from Annie’s Annuals about 3 years ago. Here in California it spends about 6 months out of the year covered in tiny chartreuse flowers, which make a great contrast with purple and blue. They also make great cut flowers, and when trimmed back the plant re-blooms. At the end of the season let some flowers go to seed and you’ll have enough to last into the next millennia.

Not only has the original plant come back 3 springs in a row, it has produced so much seed that I fear this plant will probably soon take over the world. Here are some of that plants babies, all growed up now.

[more info]

flora-file

bromeliace: Bromelia flower by maya_dragonfly on Flickr. Aechmea fasciata

bromeliace:

Bromelia flower by maya_dragonfly on Flickr.

Aechmea fasciata

bromeliace

brilliantbotany: This is Welwitschia mirablis, the only member of the Welwitschiaceae family. It is found only in Namibia and Angola, in the Namib desert.What makes this rather unattractive plant special? First, they are extremely long-lived. It’s thought that some specimens might be over 2000 years old. Second, they absorb the bulk of their water from fog. Specimens have special structures on their leaves which allow them to absorb moisture from desert morning fogs.

brilliantbotany:

This is Welwitschia mirablis, the only member of the Welwitschiaceae family. It is found only in Namibia and Angola, in the Namib desert.
What makes this rather unattractive plant special? First, they are extremely long-lived. It’s thought that some specimens might be over 2000 years old. Second, they absorb the bulk of their water from fog. Specimens have special structures on their leaves which allow them to absorb moisture from desert morning fogs.

brilliantbotany

brilliantbotany: This is The Major Oak, found in the Sherwood Forest in Nottingham, England. Folklore states that Robin Hood and his outlaws used it for shelter. It’s approximately 900 years old. (source)

brilliantbotany:

This is The Major Oak, found in the Sherwood Forest in Nottingham, England. Folklore states that Robin Hood and his outlaws used it for shelter. It’s approximately 900 years old. (source)

brilliantbotany

scientificillustration: Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth [as Bignonia stans L.] Zorn, J., Jacquin, N.J.F. von, Dreyhundert auserlesene amerikanische Gewächse, vol. 2: t. 196 (1786-1787)

scientificillustration:

Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth [as Bignonia stans L.]

Zorn, J., Jacquin, N.J.F. von, Dreyhundert auserlesene amerikanische Gewächse, vol. 2: t. 196 (1786-1787)

plantillustrations.org

brilliantbotany: This is a Eucalyptus deglupta. The colors occur naturally, giving this species the common name Rainbow Tree. It is commonly used on tree plantations for its use as pulpwood.

brilliantbotany:

This is a Eucalyptus deglupta. The colors occur naturally, giving this species the common name Rainbow Tree. It is commonly used on tree plantations for its use as pulpwood.

brilliantbotany

nybg:

crookedindifference:

Velcro as Biomimicry

The hook-and-loop fastener was invented in 1941 by Swiss engineer, Georges de Mestral who lived in Commugny, Switzerland. The idea came to him one day after returning from a hunting trip with his dog in the Alps. He took a close look at the burrs (seeds) of burdock that kept sticking to his clothes and his dog’s fur. He examined them under a microscope, and noted their hundreds of “hooks” that caught on anything with a loop, such as clothing, animal fur, or hair. He saw the possibility of binding two materials reversibly in a simple fashion if he could figure out how to duplicate the hooks and loops.

Science—sort of! Some of the best things in modern convenience seem to take their design cues from nature. Evolution is good like that. —MN

Wikipedia

oldbookillustrations: Achiote (Bixa orellana) Théodore Descourtilz, from Flore pittoresque et médicale des Antilles (Picturesque and medical flora of the West Indies) vol. 1, by Michel Étienne Descourtilz, Paris, 1821. (Source: archive.org)

oldbookillustrations:

Achiote (Bixa orellana)

Théodore Descourtilz, from Flore pittoresque et médicale des Antilles (Picturesque and medical flora of the West Indies) vol. 1, by Michel Étienne Descourtilz, Paris, 1821.

(Source: archive.org)

oldbookillustrations

dendroica: n130_w1150 by BioDivLibrary on Flickr. Dictionnaire iconographique des orchidees :. Bruxelles :Imp. F. Havermans, 1896-1907..biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37166745

dendroica:

n130_w1150 by BioDivLibrary on Flickr.

Dictionnaire iconographique des orchidees :.
Bruxelles :Imp. F. Havermans, 1896-1907..
biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37166745

dendroica

thedeerandtheoak: Deadly Nightshade

thedeerandtheoak:

Deadly Nightshade

dreamssoreal

Botanists Becoming an Endangered Species

nybg:

It seems not only the leafy things they love, but the botanists themselves are being threatened by today’s climate. Or at least its scientific climate.

The Natural Areas Association has come to the conclusion that the U.S. will lose more than half of its working botanical experts within the next ten years, leaving a dearth of specialists to look after our natural resources and environment on the whole.

The inimitable Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson answered a question recently on the plight of science as it’s progressing today. It seems apt right about now:

“All the adults are saying, ‘We need to improve science in the world. Let’s train the kids.’ I’ve never heard an adult say, ‘We need more science in the world. Train me.’”

Looking for a new career? I might suggest taking a few courses in botany. We certainly offer more than enough ways for you to start through our adult education programs. —MN

nyfablog.org