NYBG 2024 New Species Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants, algae, fungi, and lichens…
NYBG 2025 Biodiversity Impact Review!
Every year, botanists describe hundreds of new plants and fungi from across…
Octopodotus stupendus
Octopodotus from octopus and the Greek suffix–otus, indicating resemblance, because of the…
Okra’s journey to the United States
Many culinary delights that Americans enjoy today, especially in the Southern United…
Old Man's Beard
This lichen grows as an epiphyte on trees. They require clean air,…
Old Man's Beard: A Medicinal Lichen
Usnea is a genus of lichen, commonly known as Old Man’s Beard. …
Ophelia’s Flowers
Shakespeare never visited the crown prince Hamlet’s home on the east coast of…
Orchids in your Home!
Orchids are the largest plant family, with over 28,000 known species, and…
Orchids Named for Mexico!
Focus on ScienceWhat's in a name?
Scientific names for plants can indicate a number of different attributes, including…
Orchids of Mexico!
Mexico is a 'mega' biodiversity hotspot, and it is particularly rich in…
Orchids of New York: Fairy Slippers and Dragon…
Although most orchids are found in the tropical mountain systems of the…
Oro City – A Colorado Ghost Town
Oro City was a gold placer (stream-bed) mining town in Colorado, founded…
Otto Kuntze
Carl Ernst Otto Kuntze was a german botanist who made expeditions to every…
Palm Patterns
Creating specimens of palms pose a challenge to collectors—how best to trim, arrange,…
Paphiopedilum
Paphiopedilum is genus of slipper orchid found in tropical Asia, from eastern…
People for Scale
A picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes it's easier to…
Pertusaria andersoniae
Specimen StoriesWomen in Science
Some of our herbarium specimens are of incredibly rare species. This is…
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis, the moth orchids, are perhaps the most commonly cultivated orchid. With…