A recent global survey found almost 600 plants have gone extinct. And this figure is likely to be an underestimate.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Plants
Displaying 1 - 20 of 148 articles
We don't notice the plant species we're losing, but we won't be able to ignore the effect of their loss on our supply of food and medicine.
Leaves fall off trees when they aren’t doing their job any more. If there isn’t enough water, the leaf can be damaged and stop working.
New species are being discovered all the time, which only adds to the problem of knowing how many there are on the planet today. It also helps to know what we mean by species.
As warming temperatures shift the availability of key food sources, Alberta's grizzly bears will be forced to adjust.
Pollen counts focus on the amount of grains in the air, but it could be the species that are more important.
Phragmites australis, an invasive reed, has taken over wetlands across the US. But it also stabilizes shorelines and harbors many fish and birds. Is it time to compromise with this alien?
What grows everywhere and looks good doing it? Clematis aristata.
The moss that grows in pavement cracks and on the edge of basketball courts in every town and city in Australia has a secret superpower.
Firewood banksia don't just survive in Western Australia's sandy plains, they thrive, showing off with vibrant, pink-red flower spikes.
This retiring violet tucked away in the Australian bush holds the key to future generations of medically-engineered plants.
This is the story of how seeds came together bit-by-bit over a really long time, as plants evolved.
Move over Benedict Cumberbatch, there's another oddly shaped pale figure stealing the limelight.
Plants can find it tough to get all the nitrogen they need, especially from Australian soils. But summer storms can provide an added boost.
There are over 100 species of wild coffee, but only a few supply the world's morning caffeine kick. Sadly, climate change and disease could be about to change that.
Extreme climatic events are harming plant communities in the Arctic. The resulting colour change is bad news for the region's carbon storage.
Sharing seeds was common practice among farmers throughout history until the rise of agribusiness. Now seeds are trademarked and regulated, but there's a new place to get them for free: the library.
Since plants can't pick up and move to greener pastures if conditions are tough, some have evolved interesting and sneaky strategies to make a living.
The colonial history of botanical gardens encouraged pride in indigenous flora and culture.
One of the great Australian trees – messmate stringybark, Eucalyptus obliqua.
Top contributors
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Doctor of Botany, University of Melbourne
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Chief research scientist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; and Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO
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PhD Candidate in Biodiversity and Human Health, Edith Cowan University
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Senior Lecturer in Plant Biochemistry, University of Westminster
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Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
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Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
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Professor, School of Science, Edith Cowan University
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Senior Lecturer in Horticulture, Nottingham Trent University
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Postdoctoral research fellow, iThemba LABS
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Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Edith Cowan University
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Ph.D. Student in the School of Plant and Environmental Science, Virginia Tech
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Research fellow, University of Aberdeen
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Associate Professor in Biophysics, University of Pretoria
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PhD, University of Tasmania
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Senior Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney
