Springtime with Peter Zika
If seasonal allergies or the depths of winter have got you down,…
It's not easy being green
People might pass over these green specimens 'cause they're not standing out…
Chock-full of chromosomes
Cabinet of CuriositiesFocus on Science
Behold this fern which has the highest recorded chromosome number of any living…
Season it with Leaves
Culinary herbs are plants with aromatic properties and that are used for…
Seuss-ian Specimens
While the illustrations in books by Dr. Seuss depict fanciful folliage, reality…
What is a type specimen?
When a researcher names a new species (or other taxon) of algae,…
Typical: Hibiscadelphus stellatus
This type specimen is like a postcard from Hawaii reading "Wish you…
For the duration: The safekeeping of American herbaria…
The bombing of the military complex at Pearl Harbor, on December 7,…
Aquatic Hitchhikers
Although all plants need some water to grow, aquatic plants have adapted…
Firewood and pathogens
As plants travel the world with people, these plants can bring along…
Modern Art
Herbarium specimens play an important part in plant science research. But the specimens themselves can…
Art Cronquist's Hat
If you spend time looking at herbarium specimens collected by Arthur Cronquist,…
Label Appreciation: Favorites
Labels are as important to a herbarium specimen as the plant, alga, or…
Women's Scientific Empowerment
Natural history was immensely popular in the Victorian era, but women were…
Fruit-eating lemurs
Given the abundance of tasty fruit, it is clear that many plants…
The Lemmons: Partners in Botany
Sara Plummer met John Gill Lemmon in 1876 when he came to…
Myanmar Mystery Solved
Working in a Herbarium sometimes requires detective work. This Myanmar mystery started…
Be All My Sins Remembered
Up until this point, Ophelia has lived a rather charmed life –…
Ophelia’s Flowers
Shakespeare never visited the crown prince Hamlet’s home on the east coast of…
From 1920’s adventure narrative to new species –…
Focus on ScienceWhat's in a name?
The amount of time between when a species is first collected and…
Koʻoloaʻula
This Federally Endangered Hibiscus relative with bright red flowers is endemic to…
Typical: Ceratozamia euryphyllidia, the largest type?
Plant specimens come in all shapes and sizes, but they are usually…
Vanda
Vanda is a tropcial Asian and Australian orchid genus with 85 known…
NY's Missing Species
When you think of a rare, endangered species, you may think of far-off…
Ethel Zoe Bailey
Women in ScienceFocus on Science
Ethel Zoe Bailey (1889–1983), was the first curator of the Bailey Hortorium…
Species that Work-from-Home
Like many of you, NYBG herbarium staff are currently working from home…
Naming the Rainbow: Caeruleum / Blue
The rarest color in nature, caeruleum (Latin for blue), usually indicates a…
Naming the Rainbow: Viridis / Green
Most plants are green, but only a select few have viridis (Latin…
Prairie White Fringed Orchid
Nearly all of the habitat of the endangered Prairie White Fringed Orchid…
Orchids of New York: Fairy Slippers and Dragon…
Although most orchids are found in the tropical mountain systems of the…
A Botanical Tour of Harlem
The New York City neighborhood of Harlem is a center for Black…
Royal Symbols
Plants have been employed as royal symbols through time and across cultures.…
The LGBTQ+ Legacy of NYBG: Out of the…
Herbarium specimens are kept in metal cabinets to protect them from damage.…
Naming the Rainbow: Indicum / Indigo
Indigo, the dark bluish-purple color of blue jeans, is a natural dye…
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis, the moth orchids, are perhaps the most commonly cultivated orchid. With…