BOTANY

MAGNIFICENT CRINUM CRASSICAULE, THOMAS BAINES © THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW

6 Beautiful Botanical Sketches From History

Botanical Sketchbooks, a new book by Helen and William Bynum, collects some of the best drawings of the world's flora dating back to the 15th century.

Read One of the First Eyewitness Accounts of Antarctica

Joseph Dalton Hooker ate penguins and discovered volcanoes on the 1840s expedition.

Is a Tomato a Fruit?

The Supreme Court once weighed in.

Is a Tomato a Fruit?

The Supreme Court once weighed in.

A Jotï child collecting Inga fruits, Kayama, Venezuela (c) Eglee Zent.

People Began Domesticating the Amazon Rain Forest 8000 Years Ago

We think of the Amazon as wild and untamed, but scientists have found concentrations of tree species near archaeological sites, suggesting a long history of cultivation.

Plants Tailor Their Chemical Weapons to Match Their Opponent

Researchers say field mustard plants can identify their attackers and select offensive gases accordingly.

9 Breathtaking Images of the Botanical World

A new book traces how people have depicted flora from ancient times through the modern era.

Frederick Sander via Wikimedia // Public Domain

The Dangerous and Highly Competitive World of Victorian Orchid Hunting

The quest for orchids once involved fierce rivalries, huge sums of money, and several grisly deaths.

Wildfeuer via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.5

Study Finds That Plant Emits the Scent of an Injured Honeybee to Lure Flies

Plants are liars. There, we said it. All right, fine, not all plants. But a lot of them.

George Bruder via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

A New Theory Could Explain the Role of California’s Albino Redwoods

Why some redwood forests include white trees has been a mystery for 150 years.

Captain Cook’s Daisy

This dried-out daisy may not look like much, but it’s a testament to one of history’s most ambitious voyages.

Michael Ocampo via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

How Tomatoes Fend Off Parasitic Vines

This tomato plant can sense and defend itself against invading plants.

Valdemar Fishmen via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

The Science of Sweet and Sour Cherries

Plus: why you really shouldn’t swallow the pits.

Why Did People Start Growing Celery?

At six calories a stalk, it’s not a very filling food and it's not all that flavorful, either. So why did humans bother to grow it?

Ruby-Red Seadragons and Other New Species Make Top 10 List

SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry asked an international committee of scientists to choose the most notable finds in the past year.

8 Amazing Displays from the 2016 Philadelphia Flower Show

The Philadelphia Flower Show runs until March 13; here are a few amazing things we saw there.

Why Some Rhubarb is Grown in the Dark

In the absence of light, the plant uses its own energy stores.

Astronauts Reveal Zinnia Blooms Grown in Space

The cheerful zinnia blooms are part of a gardening experiment aboard the International Space Station.

Mimosa pudica. Image Credit: Werner1122, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY SA-3.0

Plants Fart in the Face of Danger

When threatened, the roots of Mimosa pudica plants deploy fart-like stink bombs.

Incredible Up-Close Views of Seeds

Cattails have never looked so glamorous.

Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility // Public Domain

These Caterpillars Trick Plants With Their Poop

You may have heard the saying “don’t s**t where you eat,” but fall armyworms certainly haven’t.

JAMES919, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS // CC-BY-SA 3.0

Could We Grow Moss on Mars?

Student scientists have dreamed up a space moss to use in astronaut medicine.

Tashkoskim via Wikimedia Commons // CC-BY-3.0

Poop-Like Plant Tricks Dung Beetles Into Burying Its Seeds

Looking like crap isn’t always a bad thing.

World's Oldest Flower Likely Lived Among the Dinosaurs

Earth's possible "first flower" doesn't have roots or petals, but it might be able to tell us a myriad of things about our own evolution and the future of pollination.

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