| |
|
MSU Tollgate Farm, Gardens and Education Center
http://www.tollgate.msu.edu
Oakland County Parks & Recreation
http://www.co.oakland.mi.us/parksrec/
Michigan Forestry and Parks Association
http://forestry.msu.edu/mfpa/index.htm
Metro-Detroit
Landscape Association
http://www.landscape.org
Michigan Nursery and
Landscape Association
http://www.mnla.org/ |
|
|
Monarch Migration Time
In the Mid-Atlantic, Monarch butterflies migrate in mid-September.
The Monarch Watch site, hosted by the University of Kansas, provides
information on butterfly gardening, migration routes, classroom
projects, conservation, and more:
http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/index.htm
The Garden Conservancy
was founded
in 1989 to preserve exceptional American gardens, such as the Japanese
design at Hakone in California and the formal gardens at Greenwood
Gardens in Short Hills, New Jersey. The Conservancy publishes "Open
Days Directory" which lists private gardens open to visitors.
http://www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays.html
The American Association of Botanical Gardens
and Arboreta is an
organization of public gardens in North America. You can search by
state or geographical region, such as Mid-Atlantic. There are links to
web sites from the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage to Zoo Montana
in Billings.
http://www.aabga.org/
Greater Philadelphia Gardens
was founded in 1989 as The Gardens
Collaborative to promote public gardens in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
Delaware. A list of 32 gardens and links to their web sites is at:
http://www.worldslargestgardenparty.org/
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
The hardiness map refers
to temperature and moisture trends that limit plant distributions. The
map can be used to predict whether a particular plant will tolerate
conditions at various locations; it can also be used to predict special
measures that may be needed to protect them as well. This hyperlinked
version is provided by the National Arboretum of the US and provides
links to each state.
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
American Horticultural Society - Zone Map
http://www.ahs.org/publications/usda_hardiness_zone_map.htm
|
|
|
|
Eating Salvinia:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040907.htm
|
|
A tiny weevil from Brazil could be the undoing of one of the world's
worst free-floating water weeds. (9/7) |
Michael R. Martin's Aquatic Plant Image
Library
http://www.cedareden.com/aquaplant.html |
|
This image collection contains scanned drawings and digital images of
some of the more common aquatic plants--some of which are quite
invasive (marked in red). Representatives of 13 monocot families, 15
dicot families and two non-seed families, Equisetaceae and Isoetaceae
(somehow placed under dicots) are listed on the site. The images are
said to be "for your reference and enjoyment", but it is unclear as to
whether educational activities qualify or not. The digital photographs
are usually high quality. There is little narration on the site. One
interesting potential detour on the site is a page devoted to GIS.
Overall, an interesting site. |
|
CAEDYM: Computational Aquatic
Ecosystem Dynamics Model
http://www.cwr.uwa.edu.au/services/models/CAEDYM/documentation/scienceGuide/ |
|
CAEDYM is a research site consisting of a suite of models for
predicting the behavior of aquatic ecosystems under a variety of
different conditions. The entire work contains 16 topics from
phytoplankton to seagrasses (& macrophytes), macroalgae, dissolved
oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, nutrients, suspended solids, pH and
various specific macronutrients (like iron, manganese and aluminium).
There are also extensive references. Site is by David Hamilton and
Michael Herzfeld, Centre for Water Research, The University of Western
Australia Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia |
Victoria Adventure
http://www.victoria-adventure.org/ |
|
This site is about the magnificent water lily, Victoria -- a plant
distinguished by bearing the largest floating leaves of any flowering
plant, with very recognizable marginally bent leaves. The efforts of
Kit & Ben Knotts to build a garden and a business at Cocoa Beach are
chronicled here, both apparently doing very well. The site contains
well-illustrated and well-written pages on Victoria, other water
lilies, lotus, water gardening, breeding and other related topics.
There is a lot of material here and some spectacular images! If you are
interested in water plants or water gardening, you will want to look at
this site. |
|
|
Cinnamon and blood sugar:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040419.htm |
|
Compounds from Cinnamon may become key natural ingredients in new
products aimed at lowering blood sugar levels. |
Phytonutrients in foods:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040903.2.htm |
|
A new online database shows the content of proanthocyanidins, an important group of phytonutrients,
in 206 plant-based foods. |
D is for gums:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040826.htm |
|
Getting enough vitamin D through the diet or from sunlight could be
important for your oral health. |
|
|
Iris Club of Southeast Michigan
http://www.irisclub.org/ |
|
Official web site of the Iris Club of
Southeast Michigan, a non-profit club, affiliated with the American
Iris Society. The site includes information about irises, a calendar
of club activities and events, and membership information.
|
All-America Rose Selections (AARS)
http://www.rose.org/ |
|
The
AARS promotes exceptional roses. The 2003 winners are Cherry Parfait,
Eureka, Hot Cocoa, and Whisper. The AARS web site includes a list of
public rose gardens, and trial gardens, searchable by state.
|
The Perennial Plant Association selected its plant of the year
http://www.perennialplant.org/ppy/03ppy.htm |
|
Leucanthemum 'Becky.' This Shasta daisy has strong stems, a long season
of bloom, and is an excellent cutting flower.
|
Gorgeous Gardenias:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040914.htm |
|
ARS studies led
to the lifting of a 50-year ban on shipping Hawaiian gardenias to the
U.S. mainland.
|
|
World's Largest Flower Opens in Bonn,
Germany
http://www.nature.com/nsu/030519/030519-13.html
|
| |
The world's biggest-ever bloom opened in Germany on May 23rd. At
more than 2.7 meters tall, the Titan Arum flowering in the University
of Bonn Botanical Garden beats the previous record - set 70 years ago -
by 7 centimeters.
|
|
The Plant Files at Dave's Garden
http://davesgarden.com/pf/
|
|
The largest
online database of plants, plus images and descriptions and notes
created for and by gardeners around the world and includes
pronunciation help for botanical names, plus links to commercial
sources of thousands of plants.
|
Wildflowers In Bloom
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/wildflowers.html |
| |
This web site contains images and useful descriptions of about 70 of
the showiest North American wildflowers. Information about each species
includes planting success, height, germination (w/optimum temperature &
sowing depth), flowering period, seeds per pound (seeds to use per
acre), and is accompanied with high quality images, with a US
distribution map. Suggested planting uses are also mentioned. The
collection may be browsed by common name, scientific name or thumbnail
images. Much of the data are supplied by Wildseed Farms. Site by Dan
Lineberger and Jerry Parsons, Horticulture Program, Texas Agricultural
Extension Service.
|
Native Orchids of Provence (France)
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pm.blais/index.anglais.html
|
| |
This site on native orchids of Provence and Mediterranean France is
presented in English (see URL above) and in its native French at URL:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pm.blais/.
The goals of the site, a biography, description of the Orchid family
and Ophrys philippi pages are in French, but the vast majority of the
site is bilingual. Orchids are listed by geography, location (species
maps of the region are extensive), and the site has a large digital
image gallery listed by genus (thumbnail images appear, by species, in
the left frame). The site also has an extensive bibliography, link
collection (by country), site map and search engine. An excellent site
on orchids by BLAIS Pierre-Michel, France.
|
Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia
http://orchidspecies.com/
|
| |
The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia claims to have 3656
species now in 473 genera -- very impressive. The site "...is compiled
from photos collected from growers around the world." The writer relies
on collector/growers to be sure of their identifications. Some plants,
however, are undoubtedly mislabeled; the author invites corrections.
The site has a considerable number of useful images and information.
Species links provide for the naming authority and year of publication.
Images are variable in quality and medium in resolution. Information on
each species includes common name, habitat information, flower
descriptions and synonyms. Site by Jay Pfahl.
|
|
Littleflower's Medicinal Plants of North America
http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/Mall/4992/medmain.htm
|
| |
Numerous plants are listed by common names on this site, which
features botanical descriptions, current uses, and most interestingly,
historical references describing their uses. References date to as far
as the 1600s. This site is listed purely for interest in the plants,
not their medicinal content, as many plants have medicinal effects.
Keeping in mind that the selective advantage of plant chemicals is to
prevent infection and herbivory, eating plants from nature can be very
dangerous; humans are not as resistant to chemical insults as other
animals. Plant chemicals differ widely in concentration and effect, and
common plant names are misleading. For medical information, see a
physician. Numerous ads will pop up--visitors beware.
|
Moss Life Cycle
http://fybio.bio.usyd.edu.au/vle/L1/ResourceCentre/GraphicFiles/FS_LCMoss.html |
| |
This completes a moss, pine, fern trilogy of life cycle sites hosted by
the University of Sydney. This page presents a typical moss life cycle,
Phylum Bryophyta, with hyperlinked illustrations, succinct narratives
and selected glossary items. Hyperlinked terms include sporophyte,
meiosis, spore, protonema, mitosis, gametophyte, archegonium, egg,
antheridium, sperm, fertilisation, zygote, and young sporophyte. The
quality is high, quite hyperlinked and well designed.
|
Fern Life Cycle
http://fybio.bio.usyd.edu.au/vle/L1/ResourceCentre/GraphicFiles/FS_LCFern.html |
| |
This is a well organized single topic page on the sexual reproductive
cycle of ferns, Division Pteridophyta. Each phase and organ is
hyperlinked with illustrations, brief narratives and appropriate
glossary items. Hyperlinked terms include sporophyte, meiosis,
sporangia (sporangium, spore dispersal, spores), mitosis, prothallus,
gametophyte (archegonium, egg, antheridium, sperm), fertilisation,
zygote, mitosis, and young sporophyte. The quality is quite high and
the page dynamic. This page is hosted by University of Sydney. |
Flower gene power:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040811.htm |
|
ARS gene banks preserve the genes of ornamental flowers--a $50-billion
industry--and their wild relations, thus offering a means to counter
the declining gene diversity of many popular posies.
|
The American Ivy Society's 2003 Pick
http://www.ivy.org/index.html |
| |
2003 pick is Hedera
helix 'Golden Ingot,' a variegated, easy to grow, non-invasive ivy
|
|
|
|
Rain: From Too Little to Too Much
Of
particular interest is "What is Growing in my Landscape Mulch?"
http://www.ppath.cas.psu.edu/EXTENSION/PLANT_DISEASE/mulchfun.html
|
| |
This summer's abundant rainfall has resulted in many problems in the
garden. The Penn State Cooperative Extension publishes Plant Pathology
Fact Sheets to assist in identifying and managing common diseases:
http://www.ppath.cas.psu.edu/EXTENSION/PLANT_DISEASE/
|
Spiderwort casts a weedy net:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040824.htm |
| |
After decades of obscurity, a little-known weed has spread in alarming
proportions in fields in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. |
Weed seedling ID. Regards, Peter Bray.
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/iac/e1363/e1363.htm |
Banking weed seeds:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030804.htm |
| |
A "lending
library" of weeds helps researchers pursue new ways for farmers to cope
with the pests. |
The Invasive Plants Fact Book
http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/ESPrograms/Conservation/Invasive/intro.html |
| |
The Invasive Plants Fact Book features the unique features of specific
invasive plants, what techniques produce the best results. The site
includes invasions of croplands, lawns & gardens, rights-of-way,
rangelands and pastures, forests, desserts, wetlands and specific
sites. The resulting book gathers much information about success of
introductions on the environ was. Interestingly, there seem to be no
specific policies. This site is produced by the military to aid in the
control of invasive species. |
Invasive and Exotic Species of North America
http://www.invasive.org/
|
| |
Invasive and Exotic Species of North America is a
site that compiles images & information on invasive weeds, insects,
diseases, other invasive or exotic organisms and biological control
agents. Although much of the data is offsite at the USDA PLANTS
database and at forestimages.org, the most novel feature of this site
is its ability to create flexible lists by scientific name, family,
order or common name by clicking on the header subject. Lists from
different boards and authorities are conveniently and prominently
positioned. Site by University of Georgia - College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences/Warnell School of Forest Resources.
|
|
|
Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes
http://www.for-wild.org/
|
| |
Growing native plants instead of lawns saves water, enriches the
environment and assures that native species survive. This site provides
information and support for those wanting to organize their communities
through local organizations. Their publication "Wild Ones Journal" is a
resource for learning how to grow and maintain native plants. Many
articles are free and membership includes a subscription. The site also
contains useful links, suggested local laws, and means to counter
public resistance to letting one's yard "go back to nature". There are
also promotional materials for sale, including publications, bumper
stickers, and explanatory signs for lawns. Wild Ones is a
not-for-profit organization that includes in its
mission: the promotion of environmentally sound landscaping practices
to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and
establishment of native plant communities. |
Moss Lawns
http://www.mossacres.com/moss/ |
| |
Consider moss lawns as low-maintenance alternatives to turf. David
Benner began moss gardening in the 1960's, and now his son Al operates
Moss Acres in northeastern Pennsylvania. Benner's web site features
several species of moss, a photo gallery, and landscape design ideas. |
|
Bluegrass hybrids:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030519.htm
|
| |
Combining the drought tolerance of Texas bluegrass with the turf and
forage qualities of Kentucky bluegrass is one of many goals of a new
R&D agreement between ARS and industry. |
|
|
Sacred Earth - Ethnobotany
http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotanyportal.htm |
|
This site on ethnobotany features essays on many aspects of man's uses
of plants from mining for drug uses, to maintaining biodiversity, to
herbal medication (which of course is among the oldest of
ethnobotanical interests). This site also provides resources to
indigenous knowledge systems organized by continent. |
Grapes fight lipids:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040823.htm |
|
When it comes to reducing lipids in cells, a grape compound may be as
effective as a widely used drug.
|
Profiles and Photographs of Medicinal Plants
http://www.indmedplants-kr.org/PHTOGALLARY.HTM |
| |
"Profiles and
Photographs of Medicinal Plants" is part of an East Indian Plant
Medicinal Database, covering biochemical active plants known from
ethno botanical examinations from around the world. The site currently
contains 90 plant images and descriptions. Each plant is accompanied by
small thumbnail image (or more) that links to well described high
quality views. Distributional data, anecdotes and notes of interest are
also included. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vacuum cleaner for a soil contaminant:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040910.htm
|
|
A small plant called alpine pennycress has the capacity to absorb
enormous amounts of cadmium from contaminated soil. |
|
Plants in Motion
http://redirx.com/?11e
|
|
Much like us, plants grow at a pace far too slow to observe with the
human eye. Thanks to time-lapse photography and this great website from
the Department of Biology at the Univ. of Indiana, you can actually
watch the living movements and growth of plants. After viewing the
selection of time-lapse 'movies' on the site, you will have a whole new
respect for the flowers, vegetables, herbs and other members that
inhabit our plant kingdom. Don't miss the section entitled 'Making
time-lapse movies', which offers a fascinating insight into the
technique behind these awe-inspiring films. |
Chemistry, Biology and related disciplines in the WWW
http://www.infochembio.ethz.ch/links/en/botanik.html |
|
This is a directory of botanical resources in German and English. The
following topics each have pages of links: Cryptogams, Databases, Data
Collections, & Reference Works, Education, Flowering Plants,
Institutes, Internet Directories, Comprehensive Sites & Links,
Organizations, Plant Anatomy and Physiology, Plant Chemistry, Plant
Geography, Taxonomy & Nomenclature, Trees, and Vascular Plants. There
are a lot of sites to look at here! Site is sponsored by the Chemistry
Biology Information Center, ETH Hönggerberg, Zürich, Switzerland. |
|
Cyanophyta - Cyanobacteria
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/webb/BOT311/Cyanobacteria/cyanophyta-1.htm
|
|
Members of the Kingdom Monera (bacteria), the Cyanophyta were
formerly known as bluegreen algae and grouped with the plants. In fact,
among their members are the likely precursors of chloroplasts! This
site by Dave Webb provides a detailed overview (20 pages) on many
aspects of cyanobacter biology, including their organization,
specialized structures (akinetes, heterocysts), ultrastructure,
nitrogen fixation, symbioses with plants, diversity, common genera and
their ecological role. The site provides a well illustrated
introduction that would easily meet the needs of a sophisticated survey
of green organisms. |
|
Chlorophyta - Green Algae
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/webb/BOT311/Chlorophyta/Chlorophyta-100.htm
|
|
The Chlorophyta are closely phylogenetically related to higher
plants. Green algae have similar pigments, the same cell wall
components and some have truly parenchymatous growth (3D cell formation
forming multicellular layers instead of 2D sheets of cells). They also
include the highest proportion of freshwater members. The green algae
site is 18 pages long, including pages on classification, pigmentation,
sexual reproduction and morphology. The range of diversity is well
illustrated and striking. Some images are quite rare. This site is by
Dave Webb, University of Hawaii. |
Shell makes fuel:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040825.htm |
|
A new invention turns peanut shells and other ag wastes into hydrogen
fuel and charcoal fertilizer. |
Tracking N:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040916.htm |
|
The soil's
content of nitrogen--a nutrient that can become a pollutant--is being
tracked by measuring changes in soil's electrical conductivity. |
Boosting a fungus against bad bugs:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030805.htm |
|
A new
fermentation tactic could overcome hurdles to commercializing a
promising fungus that kills insect pests. |
|
Barley lowers cholesterol:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030529.htm
|
|
Diets high in barley were found to lower total cholesterol levels,
according to early results from a long-term study. |
Images from Birmingham Botanical Gardens
http://photosbylarry.oceansfree.com/ |
|
This site
consists of flower close-ups and is quite interesting. The images:
digital, vibrant, sharp and colorful--are like reality turned up a
notch. In some regards, this looks like a garden captured under too
bright a summer sun. Seeming to have captured a unique view this may be
a well deserved distraction! |
Birmingham Botanic Gardens and Glasshouses,
UK
http://www.bham-bot-gdns.demon.co.uk/ |
|
Birmingham Botanic Garden is was opened in the United Kingdom in 1832.
The grounds appear well managed and the placement and quality of the
buildings are suitably impressive. Major features on the web site
include the Gardens and the Glasshouses (well and carefully
illustrated), Visitor Information, a Diary of Events, Education,
Banqueting, Contacts and Facilities at the Garden. This looks like a
wonderful place. Especially as shorter, colder days arrive, there is
comfort thinking of a tea garden, free roaming peacocks, mynah birds,
and the lawn aviary. |
University of Illinois Houseplant web site:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/houseplants/ |
|
Listening to the Prairie
http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/forces/ltop/education.htm |
| |
This web site is a companion to a traveling exhibit
from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. These
materials are written for K-12 viewers, featuring anecdotes,
discussions, images, ideas, as well as educational materials for
teachers, group leaders, and families. The materials are designed for
four different age groups and are well adapted to meeting their
educational needs. The Adobe Acrobat reader is required to read PDF
files. Site by Smithsonian Institution. |
Plants In Motion
http://sunflower.bio.indiana.edu/~rhangart/plantsinmotion.html |
|
This is a double encore link, featured before in February, 1997, and
again in January 1999, by Roger P. Hangarter of University of Indiana.
He has photographed the ordinary responses of plants to stimulation in
their environment using time-lapse Quicktime movies. Displayed are seed
germination, phototropism, gravitropism, circadian movements, notation,
wilting, growth habits, and photomorphogenesis to name a few. The
movies continue to increase in diversity and also in presentation. A
couple artists have set these to music (also available on the site).
This site requires the free Quicktime player from Apple (many platforms
supported). If nothing happens with the movie, make sure it has
downloaded completely and press the arrowhead. The presentations are
useful for grades 7 to beginning undergraduate botany classes. |
Benny's Hardy Cactus Page
http://www.bennyskaktus.dk/ |
|
Benny's Hardy Cactus Page includes much information about succulent
plants in general, with pages on cultivation, cold hardiness,
propagation, Opuntia hybrids, photo gallery, diseases, and a special
interest in Yuccas. (His Yucca page, which is bigger, was featured
August 2, 1999, and is much bigger now.) This site covers a wider range
of interests than the title would indicate. Site by Benny Møller
Jensen, Hjørring, Denmark, growing succulents 15 km from the North Sea! |
|
Linus Pauling and the Race for DNA: A Documentary History
http://osulibrary.orst.edu/specialcollections/coll/pauling/dna/ |
|
The remarkable history of DNA is pieced together here with over 800
scanned documents, photographs, audio clips and video. This special
collection presents a day-by-day narrative of the quest to describe the
chemical structure of DNA. The last week of February 1953, 50 years ago
this week, was critical to the quest. On February 21, Linus Pauling
published his mistaken triple helix model in Nature, giving Watson &
Crick renewed hope and enthusiasm, which paid off on the 28th, when
their details of the double helix were pieced together in cardboard.
Excellent readings and linked reference material, this site was
designed both for browsing and for scholarly research. Site by The
Valley Library, Oregon State University, archive for Linus Pauling's
papers. |
|
Deep Time Project
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/deeptime/ |
|
The goal of the Deep Time project is to
integrate angiosperm phylogenies of living and extinct plants through
characterizing & prioritizing fossils, correcting time estimates, and
integrating fossils into a master tree of angiosperms. Angiosperm
evolution has remained one of the most conspicuous gaps in our
understanding of plant evolution; Deep Time may have a significant
impact. This NSF program integrates the work of many researchers. A
"Virtual Fossil Collection" is in early stages of development
(currently all entries are in "A"). This looks like it will be a
worthwhile site in its own right, and is linked through the News & Info
link. Site hosted at the Florida Museum of Natural History. |
ICUC - Fruits for the Future
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~icuc/frufut1.htm |
|
This effort by the International Centre for Underutilised Crops
(ICUC) is part of a three-year project to identify tropical fruit
trees to improve diet quality and fodder, fuel, timber and medicine for
local small-holders. The goal is to provide a nutritionally balanced
food, supplement family incomes and strengthen the local food supply.
The following species were selected for monographs: Ziziphus mauritiana, Tamarindus indica
(Tamarind), Dacryodes edulis (African Pear), Adansonia digitata
(Baobab), and Annona species (Cherimoya, sweet and sour sops, custard apples and other species). These works when completed will summarize many of the plant biological characteristics of the species and help to popularize their use. Much is literature based currently. Site by ICUC, University of Southampton. |
Plants Database (part of Dave's Garden)
http://plantsdatabase.com/ |
|
The Plants Database is part of Dave's Garden, which includes a variety of sub-sites involving plants and gardening. The Plants Database is principally images and plant data; it currently contains 12,422 images and 54,527 plants. Each of the data pages contains a description and a bulletin board for comment, discussion and commentary, with over 51,000 registered users. This is an impressive and well managed site. Each discussion posting needs to be critically evaluated though -- using the discussions there as a primary reference material is not advised! This site is an interesting model for an open architecture site with a rapidly increasing number of images. |
Biological Biochemical Image Database (BBID)
http://bbid.grc.nia.nih.gov/
|
| |
The BBID is a fairly advanced educational / research resource. The
site, driven by a searchable database of images from the published
literature, illustrates putative biological pathways, macromolecular
structures, gene families, and cellular relationships. These images
form working models that could prove useful in discussions of, for
instance, model genomic approaches to functional biology. Gene names,
pathways, cell/tissue types and disease names are listed. Most of these
correspond to animal models, but some may prove useful to understanding
plants. |
Lycaeum Images
http://leda.lycaeum.org/Images/ |
|
Lycaeum is the ancient school of Aristotle, where many scholars,
including Theophrastes, the founder of many basic botanical concepts,
taught. This site is still one of free exchange of ideas. Many of the
1284 images posted are related to botanical medicine -- plants that
produce drugs and the plant products themselves. Although many of the
images are not accompanied by any narrative material, the images are
nonetheless quite compelling. The images of plants are among the best
available. Needless to say, medical advice should come from physicians
and this does not advocate use of plant products as drugs; my link is
just to bring attention to the plant images and plant products. |
Plants and Civilization - online essays
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/ |
|
Professor Arthur C. Gibson's course on economic botany, taken by over
8600 undergraduates at UCLA, incorporates material from a wealth of
essays on economically important plants. This web page version has 94
main pages, extending from taxon-related topics (e.g., algae, figs,
tea, myriad plants) to process-related sites (e.g., papermaking,
poisons, dtugs, dyes). Although some pages are mostly or all text, the
online information is interesting and fact laden. The narrative is
useful, even if the images are faded, and many topics are covered. This
is a good site to bookmark for both students and instructors of
economic botany classes. |
Glick's Picks
http://www.sunfarm.com/picks/ |
|
Barry Glick is an avid gardener with a website and a commercial
interest in "uncommonly rare and exceptional plants for the
discriminating gardener and collector." Most of his site is
involved with plants and plant sales. Glick's Pick, however, is
selected once a week (or so) as a plant that has caught his eye. First
and foremost, it is an anecdotal site containing plants that he has
know and photographed, so be forewarned that you are not looking at a
plant encyclopedia; this site is mostly for fun. Each plant selected
has a story (or two) linked with it, and a table of data on the
systematics of the plant. This is a nice site for images; a site you
may enjoy. This is also served by a listserv for "home delivery." |
BL Web: Growing Dinoflagellates at Home
http://lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/organism/dinohome.html |
|
Dinoflagellates are unicelled organisms, usually allied with algae,
that are responsible for bioluminescence, redtides, and some algal
blooms. They are in the Pyrrophyta. Some representatives may be
photosynthetic or not, photoautotrophs, saprophytes or parasites! Full
instructions for growing dinoflagellates are given, along with sources
of cells, their cost, descriptions, observations, experiments,
circadian rhythms, static images and movies. "Growing Dinoflagellates
at Home" is part of the Bioluminescence Web at UC-Santa Barbara. |
Cal's Plant of the Week
http://www.plantoftheweek.org/ |
|
This is the fourth year anniversary of OU's
Plant-of-the-Week site, which is now the longest running POTW that
actually changes plant images weekly! The photography and
narratives are by our greenhouse grower, Cal Lemke, who always has
something in bloom in his diverse collection. Like much of what we do
at the University of Oklahoma, if it is not athletics, it is a bit of a
heroic effort. Achieving excellence using
the meager resources available is a challenge, but Cal has succeeded.
Despite annual freezes when steam pipes fail, overheating when
evaporative cooling fails and less than ideal conditions when Cal is
absent, he has around 250 to 350 species at a given time. Each week he
has chosen something that caught his eye with few repeats. This is a
repeated link--something I do rarely--but it is a pet project that
should be a site OU should be proud of. |
EPA Global Warming Site: Climate Change Education
Resource Database
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/resources.nsf/websearch?openform |
|
The EPA Global Warming Site presents information at educational levels
beginning in elementary school, but the bulk of the links include
numerous formal government research reports. The following topics are
available: waste management reports, sea level rise reports, reference
material (from UNFCCC, IPCC, and others), position papers, outreach
material, international material, greenhouse gas emissions reports, EPA
conference reports and additional documents. Although there is general
agreement that the earth is becoming warmer, there is no clear sense of
what will happen. One idea in fact proposes that the warming may
trigger a new ice age. Lots of activities and discussion topics. |
James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve
http://www.jamesreserve.edu/
|
|
James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve is a donated natural area near UC-Riverside
owned by the University of California for use in education and
enjoyment of nature. The website is the clever work of the director,
Mike Hamilton, with a weather station, numerous webcams, educational
activities, an online calendar, virtual ecology, activity planning
area, and for those who stay, very reasonable overnight rates. Major
links include Reserve facts at a glance, the Director's Notebook, a
reservations area, an environmental observatory, webcam observatory,
digital library, trailfinder memories, and the current month's calendar
in addition to numerous other links. This site is a nice model for a
near wilderness reserve website. The reserve is kept locked 24 hrs,
requiring advance reservations, but the website is open 24/7, no
reservations for virtual activities. |
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
http://www.cites.org/
|
|
CITES is an international agreement between governments to control
international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants so that it
does not threaten their survival. This site lists 25,000 species of
plants that are protected by CITES against over exploitation. This site
also describes how the operation works. If you have a question about
your ability to retain a species, there are contact numbers. The means,
source, and nature of the capture is reviewed. |
A Hardiness Zone Map With Added Features
http://66.180.11.161/trees/whatzone.html |
|
The National Arbor Day Foundation's new zone map reflects generally
warmer temperatures than those in the 1990 USDA map. Search by zip
code, and get suggestions for trees that grow well in your zone. |
Vinegar -- a reliable weed killer
http://www.barc.usda.gov/anri/sasl/vinegar.html |
| |
It's not an old wives tale that vinegar kills weeds. Studies from the
USDA's Agricultural Research Service confirm that vinegar controls
weeds along roadsides, brick walls and patios, and sidewalk cracks. |
ISI's Web of Knowledge
http://isiknowledge.com/ |
| |
The Institute for Scientific Information creates several all but
essential databases for the natural and social sciences. The major
products for the life sciences include Current Contents (CC) and
Science Citation Index (SCI). CC tracks article titles in periodic
journal listings of tables of contents. SCI, in contrast, tracks
literature citations -- who is citing whom and who is being cited -- in
the refereed literature. Journal Citations Records further processes
these data to determine which are highest impact journals (through
'impact factor'), which journals cite and are cited by other specific
journals. Usually, I restrict my resources to free ones, but the Web of
Knowledge is of such importance that it seems that it needs to be
mentioned as a critically important research tool for evaluating the
scientific literature. |
US National Arboretum
http://www.usna.usda.gov/ |
| |
There is a remarkable depth in coverage and content in this site, which
is a virtual arboretum, presenting many educational opportunities.
Operated by the USDA, this operation provides some routine "county
agent"-like services to farmers, hobbyists, and those trying to grow
plants. The menu of options provides a plethora of pull-down menus,
where services like the zone hardiness map is displayed, sheets on
disease characterization and prevention, and planned plant
introductions into the U.S. Site by USDA, located in downtown
Washington. |
NSF Net Center for Plant Genomics
http://plantgenome.sdsc.edu/ |
| |
Created in collaboration with NSF, the Plant Genome project and the
UCSD supercomputing facility, the NSF Net Center for Plant Genomics
represents a massive collection of plant data--most complete among
plants, of course, being Arabidopsis thaliana. Currently, a total of 87
sites are searched for genetic data. Using this site a researcher may
try to match base pair sequences, derive genes and search the genetic
literature. New to the site is the ability to search for insertions
that may already be inserted in Arabidopsis to "knock out" specific
genes as a means of testing functional hypotheses. The negation of a
gene can be a powerful tool for discerning gene function. |
Plant Seeds of Learning: Classroom Lessons
Bring Plants to Life!
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson259.shtml |
|
Education World offers a number of lesson plans designed to "involve
students in growing things and learning about scientific
classification, plant cell structure, the importance of plants in our
history, and the many uses of plants." Links are also provided for
offsite plant-related resources for teachers. Exercises range from
pre-K to 12th grade in level, with a diversity of exercises, including
how many peanuts are there in a jar, to three-dimensional
reconstruction of plant cells. This site overall looks like an
excellent resource for high school students to kindergartners. |
Kew's Titan Arum
http://www.kew.org/titan/ |
|
This spring Kew Gardens has had three blooms of the titan arum (Amorphophallus
titanum), which is the world's largest 'flower' (really an
inflorescence [stalk of flowers]). The titan arum remains as a tuber
with a single vegetative stalk for up to 30 years or more, and blooms
only when it has sufficient energy. The exact trigger for flowering is
not yet know. The inflorescence can be up to nearly 3 meters tall.
According to the web site, the plant gave "the sexual performance of
its life in the Princess of Wales Conservatory." This site chronicles
the development of the plants and their interesting biology. |
National Gardening
Association
http://www.garden.org/ |
|
Very
informative articles, plant information, biweekly regional tips, buyers
guide, kids gardening. |
Mystery of Renowned Zen Garden Revealed
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/09/26/zen.garden.reut/index.html |
|
LONDON (Reuters) -- For centuries visitors to the renowned Ryoanji
Temple garden in Kyoto, Japan have been entranced and mystified by the
simple arrangement of rocks. |
USDA/ARS Research Q&A: Bt Corn and Monarch
Butterflies
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/btcorn/ |
|
Scientists genetically engineered corn to produce toxin from the soil
bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt). This controls the attack of
certain insect pests, which reduces the need for pesticides. Engineers
expected no effect on other organisms, but in 1999 a small study
indicated that Bt pollen was toxic to monarch butterflies, and
considerable controversy ensued. The US Department of Agriculture's
Agriculture Research Service recently reexamined this question and the
results are presented in this Q & A. In short, pollen is not toxic in
normal quantities. This is an interesting, in depth examination of the
problem. A bigger problem is that this animal crop was commingled with
the human supply and some people, who were not intended to be exposed
to it, can be acutely allergic. |
| Ricin Toxin from Castor Bean Plant, Ricinus communis
http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/ricin/ricin.html |
|
The recent arrest of terrorists in the United Kingdom for trying to isolate ricin from the castor bean, Ricinus
communis, is certainly a surprise economic botany story (see http://www.msnbc.com/news/860684.asp, for example). Each castor bean carries some of this toxin, so botanists have always warned gardeners to keep children away and to destroy the flowers (to prevent seed production). All in all, it is not a likely choice for a terrorist weapon. This page explains the chemical basis of poisoning and why it takes days to kill (it inactivates
ribosomes). Still there are medical uses. This is from Cornell's poisonous plants page, first featured Feb. 13, 1997. |
Fungi of California
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/ |
| |
The Fungi of California site is a remarkably complete and well
constructed web site, with excellent images and detailed information,
species by species, for numerous taxa. Currently, the site reports
posting 357 species, 1506 photographs and 753 links. Pages on the site
include a site introduction, species index, simple key, edible fungi, a
glossary, bibliography, as well as recent developments, notices and
acknowledgments. Information about most species is quite complete. Be
sure to read the warnings if you eat mushrooms: a species labelled as
"edible" may still elicit an allergic or toxic response from some. The
usefulness of this site stretches well outside of California. This site
created and maintained by Michael Wood and Fred Stevens. |
Mum's the Word: chrysanthemum facts and
festivals
http://www.mums.org/ |
| |
First cultivated by the Chinese, chrysanthemums are
the most popular perennial grown in pots. The National Chrysanthemum
Society's web site lists local chapters, articles on history and
classification, coloring pages for kids, and mum culture.
|
BBG's Plants & Garden News
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/index.html |
| |
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden publishes Plants & Garden News Online with
timely information on drought tolerant plants, invasive plants, natural
disease and insect control, and other topics in the section on
Sustainable |
Floriade 2002
http://www.floriade.nl/ |
|
Sorry to say this, but the Floride--the extensive trade show of the
garden industry of the Netherlands--has just closed. Since these occur
only once every 10 years (and since horticulture is such a major
industry in Holland), one should expect a lavish park and grounds. You
would not have been disappointed. It took three or more kilometers to
follow the major paths in the park. The Floriade park is on the
outskirts of Amsterdam, but from now on it is mainly a virtual entity.
The website is quite nice in Internet Explorer, but essentially
non-functional in Netscape 4.7 or older browsers. I visited Floriade at
the end of a conference in July. My uncaptioned digital pictures are at
http://www.botlinx.org/pictures/floriade/.
Page 1 includes the national exhibits near the big lake, pages 2-3 show
images of the most incredible collection of carnivorous plants I have
ever seen (a temporary 1 week display I was lucky enough to see), and a
massive hydroponics facility and the spotter's hill complete the
images. |
Virtual Oxford Science Walk
http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/features/walk/intro.htm |
| |
Oxford University's numerous contributions to the
history of science are commemorated by the "Virtual Oxford Science
Walk". Although they claim many astronomers and physicists including
Robert Boyle (of Boyle's Law), Edmond Halley (of Halley's comet), and
Stephen Hawking, they also claim the discoverer of the structure of
Vitamin B12, Dorothy Hodgkin. The walk begins in the Botanical Garden,
recounting its pre-Linnaean establishment to study herbs and medicinal
plants. A penicillin memorial is next. The tour is concluded by the
History of Science Museum and philosopher/alchemist Roger Bacon. This
is a short, sparingly but carefully illustrated site covering a very
long history. |
|
|
|
Crops, bunnies, bats and oaks:
Farms, trees and wildlife are tightly linked in a cooperative
research program to reforest some Missouri flood plains. (12/8)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/041208.htm
|
|
New insect research to help troops:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040423.htm
|
|
ARS will seek new ways to protect U.S. armed forces from insect-borne
disease--historically a greater cause than combat for taking troops out
of action. |
|
Cicadas return:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040421.htm
|
|
After a 17-year wait, billions of periodical cicada insects will soon
emerge from the ground in the eastern U.S. |
|
U.S. helps Scotland control ticks:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/040422.htm
|
|
Tactics developed by ARS are helping Scotland fight ticks that plague
the Scottish red grouse. |
Bacteria for bugs:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/031224.htm |
| |
A new biological control may provide an important defense against
several destructive insects.
|
Japanese beetle:
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/japanese-beetle/jbeetle.html
Fall webworm:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2026.html
Hemlock woolly adelgid:
http://www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/fhp/hwa/hwasite.html
Asian longhorned beetle:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/alb/index.htm
http://www.uvm.edu/albeetle
Insects that feed on leaves -- sawflies, caterpillars, leafminers,
and leaf beetles:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/part2.html
Insects that bore into the wood:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/part3.html
Insects that feed by sucking plant juices -- scale insects,
spider mites, and aphids:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/part1.html
Longwood's IPM program is described on their web site with
examples, articles, and links:
http://www.longwoodgardens.org/IPM/home.htm
The Morris Arboretum Plant Clinic will help you identify pests
and select an IPM solution:
www.paflora.org/plantclinic/index.html.
Cornell University hosts a site that provides information on
beneficial insects and biological controls, including a list of
suppliers.
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/
|
|
|
George Washington Carver
http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/gwc/ |
| |
George Washington Carver (~1864-1943) was one of the nation's most accomplished agricultural researchers, responsible for 325 products from peanuts, over 100 for sweet potatoes and more from other native plants of the South. His most famous household invention is peanut butter--a high energy, high protein food high in unsaturated oils, though the practice of crop rotation is likely his most important. His formal education was at Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now Iowa State University), where he was the first African American to enroll, graduating in 1894. This commemorative site includes a brief overview, his accomplishments and photographs from special collections.
|
|
|
Plant Propagation
http://trc.ucdavis.edu/egsutter/plb171/ |
|
These are lecture materials for a beginning course
on Plant Propagation taught by Dr. Ellen Sutter as Plant Biology 171 in
the Department of Pomology at the University of California, Davis.
Lectures require PDF (Acrobat Reader is available free online from
Adobe) and cover the widest range of introductory topics, from seed
production & handling, to cutting & grafting, layering,
micropropagation, cloning & chimeras and virus eradication through
tissue culture. Visual materials provide illustrations of many of these
techniques. Past exams and web links are also included. A nice
introductory site. |
|
Bibliography of References Related to Seed Dormancy and/or
Germination in Higher Plants
|
