Dr. Percival Lowell, in one of his books, (Mars as the Abode of Life), tells us that, “When the earth was young and still so warm that it was continually enveloped in a thick blanket of steam-warmer everywhere than at … Continue reading
Mimosas all round? No, definitely not the alcoholic beverage! The mimosa I’m talking about is Mimosa pudica L. [Fabaceae], a creeping herb that’s continuing to fascinate the world – both botanists and non-botanists alike! Mix one part of thoroughly chilled … Continue reading
There’s a special orchid in flower right now in the tropical greenhouse. Its name is Dryadella pusiola, and it’s special because its flowers are very, very small. Small enough to be dwarfed by a 5p! This orchid is the first … Continue reading
Species in the Spathiphyllum genus are members of the monocotyledonous flowering plant family Araceae, often called the arum or aroid family. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas, and southeastern Asia, most commonly in lowland forests where they … Continue reading
Lacking ideas this Movember? Why not take inspiration from Spanish Moss and the great Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto, from whom the plant was thought to originate. Well at least as the legend goes… Apparently Hernando De Soto pursued an Indian maiden through the forest … Continue reading
The latest arrivals to the tropical greenhouse are a set of Pinguicula species originating in Mexico and some hybrids and cultivars derived from them. These add to the plants of Pinguicula laueana we have been growing there for the past … Continue reading
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Commonly known as the scaly tree ferns, Cyatheaceae are a clade of ca. 600 plant species within a group of plants known as the monilophytes or ferns (Smith et al. 2006). All ferns are spore-bearing and share a highly distinctive … Continue reading
Cannaceae is one of the monocot families that is easy to recognize. this family is represented by one genus, which is Canna, and 10 species. This family is one of the plants with a long history of human cultivation. Records that go back to … Continue reading
Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth) has a relatively ambivalent place in freshwater habitats. It has become a serious invasive species in many countries, and is one of the world’s most noxious aquatic weeds (Patel, 2012), yet it has been found to … Continue reading
