Meeting Plant Scientists
David Pires: Using Fungi to Fight Microscopic Plant Pests
Botany One interviews David Pires, a PhD candidate studying plant-parasitic nematodes and nature-based solutions for healthier crops and forests.
Ecosystems
What Would a Flower Need an Elephant’s Trunk For?
A recent study uncovers the overlooked purpose of the strange floral snouts in some lousewort species.
Plants & People
Sweet Potatoes on Mars
An orange vegetable for a red planet
The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany May 25, 2026
This week: Flower economics, the Columbian Exchange, an interview with Dr Damilola Olanipon and more.
Plant of the Week
Cercis canadensis
The Eastern Redbud is a rare beauty in temperate climates
Science Shared
Science Shared: May 23
This week: Ecology, C4 photosynthesis, cross kingdom communication and more.
Ecosystems
The Silent Partner: The Real Value of Pollination in Daily Life
Pollinators are a vital link between biodiversity and human health, securing both essential nutrients and family livelihoods. While their decline threatens to deepen poverty and malnutrition, protecting local plant diversity offers a sustainable path to resilience.
Growth & Development
The Hidden Economics of Flowers
By comparing flowers and leaves across 245 species, researchers reveal that flowers follow hidden water-use strategies shaped by the same environmental pressures as the rest of the plant.
Meeting Plant Scientists
Damilola Olanipon: "Making the Invisible Visible"
Botany One interviews Dr Damilola Olanipon, a plant and microbial ecologist investigating the hidden fungal networks that connect plants, support forests, and help regulate Earth’s climate.
Growth & Development
Primed Plants are Prime Plants
From ancient Roman seed-soaking recipes to modern nanopriming, seed priming could help crops germinate faster and survive drought, heat and salinity in a changing climate.
Plants & People
How American Crops Changed Europe
Archeobotany and historical records show how American plants travelled
The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany May 18, 2026
This week: How the extraordinary biodiversity of the Tropical Andes emerged through rapid and complex evolutionary processes.