Botanical Issues in the News -
Fall, 2009
30 Jun 2009: Plant
taxonomy
can
come
in
handy
21 Jul 2009: Deep,
musky. funky, mouth-puckering (Ribes nigrum - Grossulariaceae)
28 Jul 2009: Toxic
Tomatoes? (Solanum
lycopersicum - Solanaceae)
4 Aug 2009: Invasive
Water
Chestnut (Trapa natans - Trapaceae)
7 Aug 2009: 9th annual Texas Plant Conservation Conference -
Abstracts
18 Aug 2009: Eating
(and
drinking)
flowers
19 Aug 2009: Snorkel
rice? (Oryza sativa - Poaceae)
24 Aug 2009: The
unfortunate
sex
life
of
the
banana (Musa - Musaceae)
25 Aug 2009: Rat
Traps
of
Mount
Victoria (Nepenthes attenboroughii - Nepenthaceae)
27 Aug 2009: Unique
study
isolates
DNA
from
Linnaeus'
botanical
collections
28 Aug 2009: African
tree
acts
as
'fertilizer
factory'
for
crops (Faidherbia albida
- Fabaceae
[Mimosoideae])
28 Aug 2009: Is That Right? Pop-Tarts
are
"Made with Real Fruit"
28 Aug
2009: Diseases
Threaten African Banana Crops (Musa - Musaceae)
1 Sep 2009: Doubt
cast
on
cannabis,
schizophrenia
link (Cannabis sativa - Cannabaceae)
1
Sep
2009:
UN
chief
visits
global
seed
bank
3 Sep 2009: Over
Time,
An
Invasive
Plant
Loses
Its
Toxic (glucosinolates)
Edge
(Alliaria petiolata - Brassicaceae)
3 Sep 2009: 1st
flowering
plants
not
woody
or
'pre-woody'?
6 Sep 2009: Feeding
the
Future,
saving
agricultural
biodiversity (Solanum tuberosum - Solanaceae)
7 Sep 2009: Where
Did
All
the
Flowers
Come
From?
8 Sep 2009: Chocolate-powered
car's
first
race (Theobroma
cacao -
Sterculiaceae)
8 Sep 2009: Germans
return
seeds
to
Koreans
8 Sep 2009: Blueberry
virus
strikes
Mich.
research
center (Vaccinium - Ericaceae)
9 Sep 2009: Trees
generate
power
9 Sep 2009: Plants
on
steroids (Brassinosteroids)
(Arabidopsis thaliana - Brassicaceae)
10 Sep 2009: 'Dung
of
the
Devil'
and
H1N1
swine
flu (Ferula assa-foetida - Apiaceae)
11 Sep 2009: Dandelion
Rubber?
Researchers
Make
Russian
Dandelion
Suitable
For
Large-scale
Rubber
Production (Taraxacum kok-saghyz - Asteraceae)
12 Sep 2009: Global Community
Mourns Loss of Nobel Peace Laureate Norman E. Borlaug
13 Sep 2009: Scientists
make
progress
in
bringing
back
chestnut
tree (Castanea dentata - Fagaceaec)
14 Sep 2009: Minnesota’s
kiwifruit
dream
may
come
to
your
backyard (Actinidia - Actinidiaceae)
14 Sep 2009: How
Polyploidy
And
Genomic
Change
Can
Lead
To
Evolutionary
Change
15 Sep 2009: For
Carnivorous
Plants,
Slow
But
Steady
Wins
The
Race
15 Sep 2009: Kenyan
Flower
Output
May
Fall
20%
This
Year
15 Sep 2009: Weird
fruit
of
the
week (the 'fruit' is actually an infructescence
or multiple fruiting structure) (Cornus kousa -
Cornaceae)
16 Sep 2009: Ants
and
the
'Devil's
Gardens'
in
the
lowlands
of
Peru
16 Sep 2009: Genetic
Secrets
Of
Date
Palm
Unlocked (Phoenix
dactyliferao - Arecaceae)
17 Sep 2009: Gene
tech
helps
dandelions
ooze
rubber (Taraxacum officinale - Asteraceae)
18 Sep 2009: Better
world:
Eat
more
plants
21 Sep 2009: Plant
Essential
Oil
Eyed
As
Mosquito,
Ant
Repellent
22 Sep 2009: Climate
change
proposal
would
revolutionize
value
of
forests
22 Sep 2009: Why
fall
colors
are
different
in
U.S.
and
Europe
23 Sep 2009: The
Botany
of
Desire
shows
how
plants
get
us
to
unwittingly
do
their
bidding
23 Sep 2009: Invasive
plant
species
takes
root
in
Canada (Pueraria lobata
- Fabaceae
[Faboideae])
23 Sep 2009: Court
rules
against
Monsanto
sugar
beets (Beta vulgaris - Chenopodiacee)
23 Sep 2009: Seeds
left
by
Ike
bear
fruit
in
Galveston
23 Sep 2009: WikiGrass
(Poaceae)
24 Sep 2009: Its
all
about
cellular
structure ("fibers from old trees
are longer, which produces a smoother and more supple web")
27 Sep 2009: Woody
Plants
Adapted
To
Past
Climate
Change
More
Slowly
Than
Herbs
28 Seo 2009: International
research
team
cracks
potato
genome
29 Sep 2009: Scientists
Find
Reason
for
Certain
Plants'
Carnivorous
Diet
30 Sep 2009: Cellulosic
ethanol
hits
roadblocks
30 Sep 2009: Improving
Stem
Cell
Techniques
Using
Protein
Found
In
Non-Vascular
Plant
30 Sep 2009: Mixed
blessings
for
world
farming's
future
1 Oct 2009: Bringing
plants
and
technology
together
1 Oct 2009: Seeds
of
lotus
flower
a
summer
treat
for
south
Louisiana
Cajuns
(see recipe
- actually the fruit of
Nelumbo lutea = Nelumbonaceae)
1 Oct 2009: Tennessee
Foresters
Helping
To
Return
Chestnuts
To
American
Forests (Castanea dentata
- Fagaceae)
2 Oct 2009: New
research
into
‘biofortifying’
cabbages (Brassica oleracea
- Brassicaceae)
2 Oct 2009: Invasive
heterosis
among
Australian
Pines
in
Florida (Casuarina equisetifolia
-
Casuarinaceae)
5 Oct 2009: Study
on
maize
domestication
may
help
improve
crop
yields (Zea
mays - Poaceae)
5 Oct 2009: Helping
Crops
Shed
Pesticides (by adding brassinosteroids)
5 Oct 2009: Amazing
Maze
Of
Maize
Evolution:
Study
On
Maize
Domestication
May
Help
Improve
Crop
Yields (Zea
mays - Poaceae)
5 Oct 2009: Amber
gives
clues
to
origin
of
flowers?
6 Oct 2009: If
Only
The
Weeds
Would
Keep
Their
Genes
To
Themselves (Sorghum
bicolor - Poaceae)
6 Oct 2009: Killer
Pig
Weeds
Threaten
Crops
in
the
South (detail)
(Amaranthus
palmeri - Amaranthacee)
8 Oct 2009: In
Search
Of
Wildlife-friendly
Biofuels:
Are
Native
Prairie
Plants
the
Answer?
9 Oct 2009: Weather,
disease
decimate
Florida
citrus
groves (Citrus
- Rutaceae)
9 Oct 2009: Banana
Plants
May
Be
Used
In
Production
Of
Plastic
Products (Musa - Musaceae)
9 Oct 2009: Phto
Contest - dehiscing anther (and more) (Arabidopsis
thaliana - Brassicaceae)
9 Oct 2009: Houston
to
take
on
Miami
for
global
flower
trade
12 Oct 2009: Pumpkin
shortage
threatens
Halloween
fun (Cucurbita
- Cucurbitaceae)
13 Oct 2009: Vegetarian
spider
discovered (beltian
bodies)
13 Oct 2009: Bank on
seeds - the world's buffer
13 Oct 2009: First
Neotropical
Rainforest
Was
Home
Of
The
Titanoboa
--
World's
Biggest
Snake
14 Oct 2009: River
authority
tells
Texas
rice
farmers
that
less
water
might
be
available
(Oryza sativa - Poaceae)
14 Oct 2009: Genetic
Map
For
Cowpea
Accelerates
Development
Of
New
Varieties (Vigna unguiculata - Fabaceae)
14 Oct 2009: Fabled
'Vegetable
Lamb'
Plant
Contains
Potential
Treatment
For
Osteoporosis
(Cibotium
barometz - Cibotiaceae
- Pteridophyta)
14 Oct 2009: Michael
Pollan
(Botany
of
Desire
-
below)
booted
by
beef
fans
in
California
15 Oct 2009: Plants
Recognize
Siblings:
ID
System
In
Roots (Arabidopsis
thaliana - Brassicaceae)
15 Oct 2009: Kew
seed
bank
has
10%
of
all
plants
–
and
counting
15 Oct 2009: British
royal
support
for
flowering
plants
16 Oct 2009: Leaves
along
bus
routes
are
up
to
10
times
more
magnetic
than leaves from trees located on quieter streets
20 Oct 2009: Plants
can
recognize
rivals
and
fight,
study
says
21 Oct 2009: Another
'green
revolution'
needed (where are all these people coming from?)
21 Oct 2009: Flower
Power:
Blooming
Plants
Spawned
Forests
22 Oct 2009: Persimmon:
Fruit
of
the
gods (Diospyros - Ebenaceae)
22 Oxt 2009: Magnetic
Leaves
Could
ID
Most
Polluted
Routes
23 Oct 2009: Hybrids
Of
Invasive
Australian
Plant
Species
Casuarina
Found
Growing
Widely
In
Florida (heterosis)
26 Oct 2009: Palms
once
grew
in
ice-free
Arctic (Arecaceae)
26 Oct 2009: Car
maker
develops
its
own
flower
species
26 Oct 2009: Common
Weed
Could
Provide
Clues
On
Aging
And
Cancer (Arabidopsis
thaliana - Brassicaceae)
26 Oct 2009: Modified
Crops
Reveal
Hidden
Cost
Of
Resistance (Cucurbita pepo
- Cucurbitaceae)
27 Oct 2009: Oct. 27, 1931: Killer
Fungus
Spreads,
Dutch
Elm
Disease
Hits
Northeastern
U.S. (Ulmus americana - Ulmaceae)
28 Oct 2009: Bioengineered
Plants
Gone
Wild (Cucurbita pepo
- Cucurbitaceae)
28 Oct 2009: The
Botany
of
Desire
(PBS
Special
covering
a
good
book)
28 Oct 2009: Secrets
In
A
Seed:
Clues
Into
The
Evolution
Of
The
First
Flowers (Trithuria
- Hydatellaceae)
28 Oct 2009: Botany Buddy:
Plant info for your iPhone
29 Oct 2009: Big Stinky Flower
(actually an inflorescence) in flower now (Amorphophallus titanum
- Araceae)
-
see
YouTube
video
29 Oct 2009: 1st Place 2009 - 1,635.5
Pounds - new local record [current world record is 1,725 pounds] (Cucurbita maxima
- Cucurbitaceae)
29 Oct 2009: Is
algae
secret
ingredient
in
mass
extinctions?
30 Oct 2009: A
one
man
army:
How
a
Cambridge-educated
botanist
fought
a
three-year
war
against
4,000
Japanese
troops
30 Oct 2009: Under
threat: Scotland's flowers
2 Nov 2009: Why
the
Nasca's
big
mistake was to cut down the huarango
tree (Acacia aroma var.
huarango
- Fabaceae
[Mimosoideae])
2 Nov 2009: Native
American
culture
sowed
seeds
of
its
own
collapse (related story to
above)
3 Nov 2009: Cucumber
Genome
Published:
Guide
To
Pumpkin,
Melon
And
Plant
Vascular
System
(Cucumis
- Cucurbitaceae)
4 Nov 2009: Flemish
Researchers
Develop
Revolutionary
Technology
For
Use
In
Plant
Breeding
5 Nov 2009: Common
Plants
Can
Eliminate
Indoor
Air
Pollutants
5 Nov 2009: Before
flowers,
odd
bugs
pollinated
plants
(similar
story)
8 Nov 2009: Breeding
Better
Broccoli:
Research
Points
To
Pumped
Up
Lutein
Levels
In
Broccoli
(Brassica oleracea
- Brassicaceae)
9 Nov 2009: New
hope
for
world's
biggest
and
weirdest
flower (Rafflesia - Rafflesiaceae)
9 Nov 2009: Well-traveled
Wasps
Provide
Hope
For
Vanishing
Species (Ficus sycomorus - Moraceae)
10 Nov 2009: Scientists
develop
apple
that
won't
rot (Malus - Rosaceae)
10 Nov 2009: Cinderella
fruit:
Wild
delicacies
become
cash
crops (Dacryodes edulis
- Burseraceae)
-
also
Irvingia gabonensis, Ricinodendron
heudelotii
10 Nov 2009: Invasive
plant
species
threatens
Shore
plants,
animals,
dunes
(Carex kobomugi - Cyperaceae)
10 Nov 2009: Plentiful
Poinsettias
Without
Plant
Growth
Regulators (Euphorbia
pulcherrima - Euphorbiaceae)
11 Nov 2009: The forbidding
fruit (Punica granatum -
Lythraceae)
11 Nov 2009: AMA
craving
for
a
fresh
look
at
medical
pot (Cannabis sativa - Cannabaceae)
12 Nov 2009: Rare
flower
preserved
by
crofting (Primula
scotica - Primulaceae)
13 Nov 2009: Airborne
Nitrogen
Shifts
Aquatic
Nutrient
Limitation
In
Pristine Lakes
13 Nov 2009: New
Orchid
Deception
Found:
Wearing
the
Scent of Hornet's Prey (Dendrobium sinense - Orchidaceae)
16 Nov 2009: Web
site
matches
urban
fruit
pickers
16 Nov 2009: Climate
change
gives
ancient
trees
growth spurt (Pinus longaeva
- Pinaceae)
17 Nov 2009: Forbidden
rare
plant
blooms
at
university garden (Pandanus - Pandanaceae)
17 Nov 2009: Fruit
and
vegetables
'improve
complexion
more than tan'
18 Nov 2009: Plants
Have
a
Social
Life, Too (Impatiens
pallida - Balsaminaceae)
18 Nov 2009: Four
ways
to
feed
the world
18 Nov 2009: Natural
super
glue
found
on asparagus spears (Asparagus - Liliaceae)
19 Nov 2009: GM
crops
have
a
role in preventing world hunger, chief scientist says
19 Nov 2009: Ants,
Fungi, Bacteria and agriculture
19 Nov 2009: Scientists
Decode
Maize Genome (Zea
mays - Poaceae)
20 Nov 2009: After
Mastodons
and Mammoths, a Transformed Landscape
22 Nov 2009: The book that
forever changed the way we think (published 24 Nov 1859)
23 Nov 2009: DNA
'Barcode' for Tropical Trees
23 Nov 2009: Tourism
fix for world's biggest flower (Rafflesia - Rafflesiaceae)
23 Nov 2009: Lingonberries
outshine Thanksgiving cranberries in backyard gardens (Vaccinium vitis-idaea
- Ericaceae)
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Flowering Plants