Botany
Latest Contributing Articles
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How Mistletoe was Used by the Celts
Mistletoe has been used for thousands of years, in both religious ceremonies and for medicinal purposes, in healing such conditions as epilepsy and cancer.
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History of Medicinal Wild Plants
Long before modern medicine, early settlers relied on nature and its plants to provide cures for common ailments, some of which science supports today.
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Rafflesia, the World's Largest Flower
The world's largest and foulest smelling flower, the Rafflesia is a unique plant - not only for its nickname of "corpse flower" but also its strange breeding habits.
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The Origins of Traditional Christmas Plants
Holly and mistletoe as symbolic plants were not always associated with Christmas. The Poinsettia has always been and is based on a Mexican legend.
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Brazilian Elodea, a Dangerous Invasive Plant
Invasive plant species can cause immense ecological and financial damage to the areas they enter; Brazilian elodea is no exception.
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Agave is a Gold of the Desert
Since the onset of modern industrial processes, many of the uses of agave have fallen into decline, but in the future interest as an important raw material is increasing.
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Types of Rye Grass
Growing and using rye grass is heavily dependent on the location, climate and type of rye grass that is grown.
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The Tall Grass Prairie Projects of Manitoba
Tall grass prairie, which once covered large portions of Manitoba, is still preserved in the southern part of the province, as well as a garden in the heart of Winnipeg.
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Classic Book Outlines Heritage of American Trees
The history and science of North America's western forests are interpreted in lyrical prose in a book that has outlasted more recent conservation literature.
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Field Guides to Pacific Northwest Trees
With the guides below, nature enthusiasts will know a Douglas fir from a hemlock and an Oregon ash from an elderberry.
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Facts on Quaking Aspen Trees & Aspen Tree Photos
Discover facts about trembling aspen trees, including that aspen trees are one of the earth's largest organisms. Learn some uses of aspen wood. See aspen tree photos.
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Review of A Natural History of Conifers
The diverse, ancient conifers grow to towering heights, thrive in rugged terrain, and remind us of earth's prehistoric days. This book is their fascinating story.
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Plant Taxonomy
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
(William Shakespeare)
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Psychoactive Plants
Historically plants have been valued not only for their medical value but also for their psychoactive effects.
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Plants as Pharmaceuticals
At least a quarter of the prescriptions written in the United States contain at least one product that has been derived from a plant.
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Poisonous Plants Found Around the Home
There are nearly 70,000 reported plant poisonings a year in this country on average.
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Poisonous Plants of Field and Forest
"Everything is poisonous, nothing is poisonous, it is all a matter of dose."
(Claude Bernard)
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Field Guides to Pacific Northwest Wild Flowers
Novice and experienced naturalists can increase their enjoyment of Pacific Northwest natural areas with the help of one of the many field guides available.
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Wood as Fuel and Fiber
"My aunt in Knoxville would bring newspapers up for us to use as toilet paper. Before we used it, we'd look at the pictures." (Dolly Parton)
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Wood – The Perfect Building Material
"People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results." (Albert Einstein)
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Plant Fibers – Stuff of Paper, Ropes, and Cloth
"Half the world does not know the joy of wearing cotton underwear." (Phil Gramm)
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Chocolate – Food of the Gods
"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" (Lucy van Pelt from the Charlie Brown comic strip)
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Tea - The Drink of Ceremony and Custom
"There is no trouble so great or grave that it cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."
(Bernard-Paul Heroux)
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Coffee - From Bean to Brew
"Coffee...the finest organic suspension ever devised." (From an episode of Star Trek: Voyager)
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Angiosperm Fruits as Human Food
"Botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of a vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans, and peas." (Horace Gray)
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Roots, Stems, and Leaves as Human Food
"This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions all will become me. Such a tasty fact!" (Mike Garofalo)
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Legumes as Human Food
"Gardening is an art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soul and sky as canvas."
(Elizabeth Murray)
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Plants of the Grand Canyon
There are many species of plants that survive in the arid, desert environment of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, which may be seen from river to rim.
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Identifying Pacific Northwest Native Ferns
From tough sword ferns to delicate maidenhairs, ferns flourish on the moist, shady forest floor of temperate rainforests of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
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Cereal Grains as Human Food
"Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own." - Samuel Johnson
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Aggregate and Multiple Fruits
Aggregate and multiple fruits are fruits that develop in clusters.
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The Simple Fruits of Angiosperms
A fruit is defined botanically as a mature ovary containing one or more seeds.
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The Dispersal of Seeds
Once seeds and fruits are formed, they must be dispersed away from the parent plant.
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Seed Dormancy
Seeds are said to be dormant when they will not germinate even when placed in optimal environmental conditions.
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The Structure and Function of Seeds
"I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." (Henry David Thoreau)
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Plant Tissue Culture
Plant tissue culture is a method of vegetative propagation in which clones of select plants are produced in sterile conditions.
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Plant Layering in Agriculture and Horticulture
Layering can occur when plant stems that are still attached to their roots come in contact with the soil or other rooting medium.
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Plant Grafting in Agriculture and Horticulture
Grafting, a horticultural process known and practiced for centuries, is the process of attaching a cutting from one plant to the rooted stem of another.
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Plant Cuttings in Agriculture and Horticulture
Vegetative propagation of plant structures is an important tool in horticulture and gardening. The use of cutting is one method of propagating plants vegetatively.
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Buttonwood Mangroves
Conocarpus erectus is a member of the Combretaceae family. It is found on both coasts of tropical America and on the coasts of West Africa.
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White Mangroves
The white mangrove, species name Laguncularia racemosa, is a member of the Combretaceae family, along with the Buttonwood mangrove.
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Identifying the Three Species of Redwood Trees
The coast redwood is one of the earth's tallest trees, the giant sequoia is massive, and the beautiful dawn redwood is newly discovered after being seen only in fossils.
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Black Mangroves
Avicennia germinans is one of 4 species of mangroves found in the tropics and sub tropics.
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Red Mangroves
The red mangrove is one of 4 species of mangroves found in the mangrove community of the tropics and subtropics.
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Ecology of the Australian Pine
The Australian pine is an aggressive pioneer species causing coastal erosion in many coastal and island ecosystems.
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Vegetative Reproduction in Flowering Plants
While all flowering plants reproduce sexually, there are some species that are able to fall back on vegetative reproduction if needed.
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Pollination and Fertilization in Flowers
In flowering plants the production of seeds depends on the transfer of pollen and the fusion of male and female gametes.
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Wind as an Agent of Pollination
All gymnosperms and many angiosperms are pollinated by the wind.
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Insects as Agents of Pollination
Insects were the first and are still the most prolific pollinators and plants have evolved a number of adaptations to attract them.
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Birds and Mammals as Agents of Pollination
Most flower types enlist the services of animals to carry their pollen to receptive female structures.
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