Carlos Magdalena, whose botanical adventures have shades of Indiana Jones, was a driving force in saving the world’s smallest water lily and finding the largest one. He has been called the “plant messiah.”
Tag: Flowers and Plants
As Botanists Drop a Racist Plant Name, Some Fear Scientific Confusion
The International Botanical Congress voted to change a scientific name belonging to hundreds of plant species because it was offensive in southern Africa.
Emperor Naruhito to Visit London’s Kew Gardens, Which Has Links to Japan
Emperor Naruhito is touring the famous botanic gardens this week as part of a state visit to Britain with his wife, Empress Masako.
Wanted in South Korea: Imperialism-Free Cherry Blossoms
Activists want to replace a variety of cherry tree associated with the Japanese colonial era with one they say is Korean. The science is messy.
Long Before Amsterdam’s Coffee Shops, There Were Hallucinogenic Seeds
A nearly 2,000-year-old stash pouch provides the first evidence of the intentional use of a powerful psychedelic plant in Western Europe during the Roman Era.
Polluted Flowers Smell Less Sweet to Pollinators, Study Finds
The research, involving primroses and hawk moths, suggests that air pollution could be interfering with plant reproduction.
Tragedy, Resilience and a Miracle at Chile’s Burned Botanical Garden
Wildfires destroyed 98 percent of Chile’s national botanical garden and killed a worker and her family. But there were signs of hope in the ashes.
A Plant That Flowers Underground Is New to Science, but Not to Borneo
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, hailed pinanga subterranea, a palm native to the island, as a discovery, but it has long been known to local Indigenous people.
Italian Town Hitches Its Wagon to Plants That Bloom (Even in Winter)
Lakefront Verbania in Italy’s Piedmont seeks to attract flower lovers with its mild climate, spectacular gardens and wild nature.
Sunflower Farm Warns Guests, ‘Keep Your Clothes On’
A summer getaway southwest of London put up signs asking people to stop posing for risqué photos where other guests, including children, could see.