Species in the hibiscus and sedge families, both extinct for decades but preserved at the Missouri Botanical Garden, are among those scientists want to target to bring back from the dead. Scientists from across the globe recently collaborated to create a list of plants targeted for “de-extinction.” They examined plant specimens preserved in herbaria, or…
Category: Around the World
Botanical Resonance: Learn More About Madagascar Instruments
Botanical Resonance: Plants and Sounds in the Garden is currently installed in the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum, which is open to visitors Tuesday – Sunday, 11:30 am-4:30 pm (winter hours through January 8, 2023, are 10:30 am-3:30 pm). The exhibition content is available online at the Museum’s Twitter account and the Museum’s Instagram account….
New Species Described by Garden Scientists in 2022
Each year, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Science and Conservation staff discover and name about 200 plant species new to science. That’s roughly 10 percent of all plant species discovered by scientists worldwide annually.
Guardians of Mayan Knowledge and Traditions: Tz’utujil Women Dyers of San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala
Many indigenous communities have long traditions of natural dyes. In Guatemala, the Tz’utujil Mayan people, one of 25 recognized ethnic groups, are known for preserving knowledge and practices of natural dyes.
The Plants of Día de los Muertos
Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated from October 31—November 2 each year. A blend of precolonial rituals, Latin American traditions, European religion and Spanish culture, family and friends remember deceased loved ones with a joyous celebration that includes food, drink, and flowers. While frequently associated with Mexico, Día…
Garden Plans Restoration After Fire Burns 35 Acres of Precious Forest in Madagascar
When Dinasoa Tahirinirainy got a phone call in early October telling him there was a fire at a Missouri Botanical Garden conservation area in Madagascar, he wasn’t too worried. Tahirinirainy is the park manager of Ankafobe Forest, an area of rare highland forest where fires are common. He deals with three to four fires a…
Making the Mark
Earlier this year, Missouri Botanical Garden Botanist Patrice Antilahimena embarked on a field trip to a protected area managed by the Garden in southern Madagascar. The dry forest, thick with spiny plants was unlike anywhere he had collected before. But the trip was exciting for another reason: Patrice knew it was likely he would make…
Rare Beauty: New Meriania Species to be Classified as Critically Endangered
With vivid pink, purple, and magenta blooms, new species of Meriania discovered by Missouri Botanical Garden scientists and collaborators in Peru are certainly eye-catching. But since many of them are critically endangered, they’re unlikely to catch many eyes in the wild. In fact, four of them are known from just a single population. Describing these…
Bioculture: Plants and People Interacting
People and plants have been sharing the planet for a very long time, and, through the ages, a great number of plants have become important to human culture. The Garden’s William L. Brown Center is thrilled to present a free talk series that focuses on that relationship. The series, called Bioculture: Plants and People Interacting,…
New Orchid Species Discovered by the Missouri Botanical Garden
In the Missouri Botanical Garden’s more than 160-year history, Garden scientists have discovered and named hundreds of new species of orchids. Most recently, the Garden’s orchid team in Africa and Madagascar, led by Garden Scientist Tariq Stevart, has taken the lead in orchid discovery. In the past, the Garden’s efforts focused on New World tropical…
Protecting Precious Woods in Madagascar
At the ports of Madagascar, enormous piles of logs cut from rosewoods and ebonies sit waiting. They can’t be exported because these threatened precious woods were harvested illegally and their sale on the international market is forbidden. Of course, those who don’t play by the rules still manage to export them illegally and make a…
The Plants of Encanto
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest feature film, Encanto, is not a movie about plants. But plants are far more than background greenery in this story. They play an important role as the plot unfolds, and take center stage in one of the more lively musical numbers. Even the plants that are in the background serve…