Women in Genera
What's in a name?Women in Science
For as long as we've been using binomial nomenclature to name species,…
No Leaves, No Problem!
Although the vast majority of plants have leaves, not all plants do,…
Hidden Women Botanists - Mrs. Herbert Huntington Smith
The NYBG herbarium has over two thousand specimens that are labeled as collected…
Seuss-ian Specimens
While the illustrations in books by Dr. Seuss depict fanciful folliage, reality…
Black Botany: The Nature of Black Experience
Black Botany: The Nature of Black Experience seeks to acknowledge the complex…
The Saguaro Cactus: Emblematic Plant of the American…
Specimen StoriesWhat's in a name?
With its tall, columnar shape and upward-bending branches, the cactus we know…
Old Man's Beard: A Medicinal Lichen
Usnea is a genus of lichen, commonly known as Old Man’s Beard. …
Love Potions & Charms
Love potions and charms are mentioned countless times throughout literature; from ancient…
An Unrequited Botanical Love Story
The love of botany is responsible for both fostering and hindering this…
Fungi of Australia
As the continent of Australia continues to burn, scientists wonder what these…
Surviving the Fires of Australia
Amid the tragedy of the Australian fires, the Wollemi Pine is a…
Myanmar Mystery Solved
Working in a Herbarium sometimes requires detective work. This Myanmar mystery started…
Typical: Christmas in the clouds
Bassett Maguire (1904–1991), a botanist who spent the majority of his career…
Ascension Island: Volcanoes, Castaways, and Darwin’s Manmade Forest
One million years ago, a volcano broke the surface in the middle…
Confetti
No party is complete without confetti—especially when ringing in the new year.…
Eight Days of Oil
Oil has a special significance for those who celebrate Hanukkah. This Jewish…
Yuletide Greetings
European winter traditions that predate Christianity have a large focus on plants.…