NYBG 2025 Biodiversity Impact Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants and fungi from across…
Winter is Here! It’s time for Skincare!
As the colder months approach us, it’s important to take care of…
An Unusual Expedition for Drought-Resistant Grasses
In the 1930s, the agricultural industry and natural environment of the United…
Bassett and Celia Maguire: A Legacy in Leaves…
Bassett Maguire, born in 1904 in Alabama, rose from a curious young…
Clusia venusta: A Jewel of the Tropics
Clusia venusta, a species of the Clusiaceae family, is native to the…
Clusia minor: The Gem of the Caribbean Forests
Clusia minor is a small tree or shrub native to the Caribbean…
Clusia rosea: The Resilient Beauty of the Tropics
Clusia rosea, a member of the Clusiaceae family, is mostly found in…
Botanical Treasure Discovered at Lehman College
Women in ScienceCollectorsSpecimen Stories
In the basement of Lehman College’s Science Hall, in a dumpster waiting…
Geraldine Watson: Botanist and Activist of Texas’s Big…
Geraldine Watson, born in Louisiana in 1925, never planned to become a…
Pitcher plants: so nice, they evolved thrice!
Pitcher plants are famous (or perhaps infamous) for their carnivorous structures that…
For the duration: The safekeeping of American herbaria…
The bombing of the military complex at Pearl Harbor, on December 7,…
Roses are Red, Sometimes Green, but Always the…
Roses are one of the world’s most beloved blooms, with millions of…
Exploring the Art of Paper Making
From its use of local and natural materials, the methods and artistry…
Orchids of Mexico!
Mexico is a 'mega' biodiversity hotspot, and it is particularly rich in…
Epidendrum of Mexico!
Epidendrum is one of the largest of all plant genera in addition to…
Spiranthinae of Mexico!
The orchid family is so diverse, researchers find it helpful to give…
Stanhopea of Mexico!
Stanhopea are amongst the most impressive and beautiful of all orchids, with…
Pleurothallid orchids of Mexico!
The Pleurothallid orchids are a clade of related genera, meaning they are…
Orchids Named for Mexico!
Focus on ScienceWhat's in a name?
Scientific names for plants can indicate a number of different attributes, including…
Prosthechea of Mexico!
Prosthechea is a large tropcial American genus of 125 known species, occuring…
NYBG 2024 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants, algae, fungi, and lichens…
Honoring the Quechua Language
What's in a name?Specimen Stories
Quechua is a family of indigenous languages spoken by the Quechua peoples of…
The Case for Coevolution
Focus on ScienceCabinet of Curiosities
Charles Darwin’s keen observations of the natural world famously yielded predictions about…
Cultivation and Ecology of Dates
The date palm requires ample sunlight, high temperatures (though it can survive…
The Nourishing Power of Dates
As the Islamic month of fasting – Ramadan – comes to a…
Date Syrup Jallab
There are many recipes featuring dates and their byproducts across many cultures,…
Ethnobotanical Uses of Dates
Although eating the fruit may be the most well-known use of the…
NYBG 2023 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants, algae, fungi, and lichens…
A Vanilla Voyage: Exploring the Spice's Legacy in…
Vanilla planifolia, commonly known as vanilla, is one of the most instantly…
Ancestral Achiote
In many Caribbean and Latin American households, most of us have known…
Eggplant
The eggplant, also known as aubergine (Solanum melongena), has no official date…
Sweetsop vs. Soursop: A Great Distinction
The Annonaceae family is the largest plant family within the Magnoliales. The…