Rainbow of Plant Dyes
People have been dyeing their clothing with plants since ancient times. All around…
Reindeer Lichens
In this most wonderful time of the year, Christmas is naturally on…
Rice and its Wild Relatives
Humans have been farming rice for approximately 10,000 years. The two major…
Season it with Leaves
Culinary herbs are plants with aromatic properties and that are used for…
Smooth rock tripe
This Umbilicaria species is regarded to be one of the largest lichens…
Species that Work-from-Home
Like many of you, NYBG herbarium staff are currently working from home…
Sticky Rice
Focus on ScienceWhat's in a name?
A couple of years ago I was asked by Michael Purugganan (Dean…
Sugar Cane and the Tropical Traces of Empires
Take a moment and think about how easy is to get sweet…
Sweetsop vs. Soursop: A Great Distinction
The Annonaceae family is the largest plant family within the Magnoliales. The…
The Calabash in Capoeira Music
The Berimbau is the musical instrument played in capoeira. It consists of a…
The Herbarium of Endangerment: Vanilla planifolia
One may be most familiar with vanilla’s taste and aroma. The fruit…
The Nourishing Power of Dates
As the Islamic month of fasting – Ramadan – comes to a…