2021.12.01.01 O’Neal Botanic Gardens. “Tortola’s O’Neal Botanical Garden, hidden a few blocks from the main streets, 20 minutes walk from the cruise terminal. Small but sweet.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFSun3/
2021.12.01.02 Bixa orellana. “Food is often colored with annatto, a natural, yellow product made in seed of Bixa orellano (called Achiote in Latin America).” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFUC4y/
2021.12.01.03 Sophora. “Fruit of the legume Sophora tomentosa (Necklacepod) constrict between each seed.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFUF1R/
2021.12.01.04 Ylang-Ylang. “Cananga odorata (Ylang-ylang) flowers are harvested for extraction (using steam distillation) of essential oils used in perfumes and aromatherapy.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFyuPC/
2021.12.01.05 Bougainvillea. “For the full story on naming of Bougainvillea, check my post: https://botanyincontext.com/2019/09/07/calyxis/“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjF8ECQ/
2021.12.01.06 Carambola “Starfruit, produced by Averrhoa carambola, is true to its relatives in being tartly acidic. Oxalic acid was first extracted from the related Oxalis” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjNE7aY/
2021.12.01.07 Breadfruit. “Just check out the history of Breadfruit over the internet – a fascinating story about this relative of banyan and figs” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFFhFc/
2021.12.01.08 Morinda. “Noni (Rubiaceae: Morinda citrifolia) is a “starvation fruit”, so considered due to its vomit-smell. Though used medicinally, it is consumed rarely.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjF2BRu/
2021.12.02.01 Phantasea Tropical Botanical Gardens, Anthurium. “Phantasea, a privately-owned public garden in St. Thomas (Virgin Is) shows the owner’s love of epiphytes – mostly orchids, bromeliads, and aroids.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjNEyXs/
2021.12.02.02 Banyan. “A Ficus root takes the role of a support stem for this banyan. Remember the internal anatomy of a root is different from that of a stem.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjNo8X4/
2021.12.02.03 Sabal. “Sabal domingensis is one of just a few palms of the genus, all of which are native to the Americas.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFeU1n/
2021.12.03.01 Castaway Cay, Lantana. “Glad to learn that Lantana is still in the Verbena family – it’s hard to keep track…. If anyone knows the ID of this plant, please update me!“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFUtRE/
2021.12.03.02 Centrosema. “Centrosema (Butterfly Pea) flowers form with the standard positioned downward, the keel and wings uppermost, which must relate to pollinator behavior” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFDAdd/
2021.12.05.01 Just Fruits and Exotics. “Just Fruits and Exotics, a revitalized nursery south of Tallahassee (near Crawfordsville) – with owner Jamake Robinson” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdjFMDGX/
2021.12.08.01 Ludwigia “Ludwigia peruviana, an introduced shrub, shows its Onagraceous character. Another common and similar related genus is Oenothera“ https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM87yVA2o/
2021.12.08.02 Cakile.”APHIDS infesting new growth of the mustard Cakile (Sea Rocket). Uggh! Floras claim this isn’t even the season for growth & flowering of Sea Rocket” https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM87yfVHm/
2021.12.09.01 Maple at Maclay Gardens. “Native Oaks, Japanese maples, and a red Camellia labeled as ‘Empress’ (not ‘Drama Girl’) at the Maclay Gardens, Tallahassee” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvafax/
2021.12.09.02 Virginia Oak at Maclay. “Majestic Live Oaks create the canopy that characterizes Maclay Gardens State Park, Tallahassee” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvXPT7/
2021.12.09.03 Secret Garden, Maclay. “The walled garden marks tribute to both Alfred and Louise Maclay, respectively the creator and benefactor of this beloved state-owned garden” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHHV9/
2021.12.09.04 Sasanqua Camellias, Maclay. “Magnificent Sasanqua Camellias grace the park-like landscape of Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee, FL” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvfsAm/
2021.12.09.05 Decorative Kale at Tallahassee Nursery. “Kale beats Chard for decorative value during this Christmas season at Tallahassee Nursery“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvsRyW/
2021.12.09.06 Snapdragons at Tallahassee Nursery. “In Southern states across the US, gardeners celebrate the cool season with Snapdragons, bearing tubular, 5-lobed corollas with hinged lips” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvtE9b/
2021.12.10.01 Wood rings. “Wood tells much about the nature and particular life history of a tree. How a tree is milled determines the functional use of the lumber.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvUpyE/
2021.12.10.02 Wood knots. “If not for knots, lumber would have clear grain. But no knots mean no branches.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvu3eg/
2021.12.10.03 Lobelia. “A few nuggets of delight in Florida’s mild wintry scene (the Panhandle Apalachicola National Forest)” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvG8Qe/
2021.12.10.04 Smilax. “A red-berried Smilax brings Christmas cheer to a deciduous scene near Camel Lake in Apalachicola National Forest” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvppHX/
2021.12.10.05 Smilax leaf. “Also near Camel Lake, we find a vining Smilax with fewer fruit that are shiny black. I wonder if the same bird (?) would consume both types” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvgohH/
2021.12.10.06 Sassafras. “A small colony (thicket) of Sassafras, leafless in its dormant state here in mid-December in the Florida Panhandle” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrv5tX8/
2021.12.10.07 Onagraceous. “A charming Ludwigia with a bonsai-form stem architecture, nifty globose buds, and wintry maroon coloration- let me know if you have an ID for me.“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHN4y/
2021.12.11.01 Frog in lily. “An introduced Lilium shows its massive pistil, with airs long style, capitate stigma, and distinctive ribbed ovary – and its own tree frog, of course” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvxka9/
2021.12.13.01 Big Bales Santa. “Silage Night – big bales brought to the task of celebrating the holidays…” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvaxP1/
2021.12.13.02 Big bales of cotton “As has been true snce industrialization of agriculture, farmers have to up-front to constantly maintain & upgrade their large, expensive equipment.” . https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvCJFH/
2021.12.15.01 Persimmons at HNT. “Persimmons (Diospyros kaki) making a show of abundance in Huntington’s north orchard. These look like ‘Hachiya’, but I find no provenance.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvXnnx/
2021.12.16.01 Sweetgum leaves, HNT CG. “Early days for a new landscape at The Huntington that celebrates seasons, and creates a future immersive fall color experience” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvPT9C/
2021.12.16.02 Penjing Court. “The Penjing Court in Liu Fang Yuan, The Huntington’s Chinese Garden – San Marino, CA” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvtrnu/
2021.12.18.01 Martin and Carol. “Finding out the source of the specific name Encephalartos altensteinii – this and other plants were named for humanist Karl von Stein Zum Altenstein” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvxVyo/
2021.12.18.02 Patching the Sky. “The great peak rock in Liu Fang Yuan reminds us of ancient creation stories that gave folk understanding to the mysterious of the heavens” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHt4e/
2021.12.18.03 Plantain Court. “The Plantain Court in Liu Fang Yuan features banana plants, often considered companions to scholars.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvgBMF/
2021.12.21.01 Tub Grinder. “The Huntington is closed to the public on Tuesdays, so that’s when noisy, support, and messy work (like grinding) is done.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHR43/
2021.12.21.02 Che Zhao. “Che Zhao and his brother Jian are grooming Chinese Elms in the Penjing Court at Liu Fang Yuan, the Huntington Chinese Garden.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvuSxL/
2021.12.22.01 Prunus. “Himilayan Cherry, Prunus cerasoides, (a beautiful tree I thought we had lost) lingers in Huntington collections by virtue of root sprouts.“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvXYRX/
2021.12.22.02 Bryan and Tom. “Huntington’s Brian Dorsey is out collecting volatile fragrances from Cycad cones & Tom Carruth is getting prepared for the annual rose pruning” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvW7Kc/
2021.12.22.03 Paul Biener. “Paul Biener generates thousands of plant labels and other important signs that help interpret collections and help visitors navigate The Huntington” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvtoJt/
2021.12.22.04 Golden Orchid. “A strikingly lovely orchid sculpture, created and gifted to the Gardens by sculptor Khachik Khachatouryan, announces entry to the Botanical Center” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHpQS/
2021.12.23.01 Pleurothallis. “Check an online publication by Duque-Bottrago, Alcatel-Quintero, & Otero (2014) on fungus gnat pollination of Pleurothallis marthae (Orchidaceae)” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvtbrQ/
2021.12.23.02 Pleurothallis. “A few more moments to explore floral structure of the curious Pleurothallis marthae, a Colombian endemic orchid” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvCUAK/
2021.12.23.03 Brandon. “Bryce and Brandon mount new orchid species in the Conservatory, while Shawn readies exhibits for a day of visitor interaction” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvxXSu/
2021.12.23.04 Impatiens. “One in a thousand! Impatiens claviger is a lovely, rare plant in this genus of over 1,000 species, a genus “notorious for its taxonomic difficulty.”” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvQopN/
2021.12.24.01 Eucalyptus. “The very shrubby Eucalyptus grossa (SW Australia) allows us to examine the highly-modified floral structure of this group, with a calyptra (operculum)” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvxg63/
2021.12.24.02 Grevillea. “Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ – for some taxonomic history, visit my earlier post: https://botanyincontext.com/2019/07/06/scandalous-connections/“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvqd7H/
2021.12.24.03 Brachychiton. “Brachychiton species are monoecious, which tells us a plant produces separate ale and female flowers.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvPekg/
2021.12.24.04 Eucalyptus. “Examining another flowering Eucalyptus – this one with copious exuded wax, giving us these silvery (glaucous fruit and stems” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHnbQ/
2021.12.24.05 Foxglove. “For more on Foxglove, check out my post: https://botanyincontext.com/2019/08/02/withering-heights/“ https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvb5Hw/
2021.12.24.06 Chamaelaucium. “Chamaelaucium ‘Purple Gem’, with its red buds and soft fragrance, is a nice addition to an informal SoCal garden. It’s another Australian Myrtle.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrv97cB/
2021.12.25.01 Salvia. “Stamens of Salvia microphylla (and most other Salvias) have a foot that levers the anthers into a position to deposit pollen on a pollinator.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvvmDV/
2021.12.26.01 Phalaenopsis. “Orchid specialist Brandom Tam curates this on-campus collection of species and selected cultivars. The mounted Phalaenopsis are his work” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHXNA/
2021.12.26.02 Staghorn. “A superb Staghorn fern (Platycerium) growing at the top of the Jungle Garden, where it meets the Palm Garden (The Huntington)” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvxGwY/
2021.12.26.03 Linum. “Linum yields “bast” fibers, long cells produced along the veins in the stems. The harvested stems are retted (rotted) to extract and clean the flax” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvUp1b/
2021.12.26.04 Roses. “The Huntington Rose Garden shows a bloom, even in the last week of December. But staff and volunteers wielding secateurs begin pruning next week.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvqSc6/
2021.12.28.01 Fallen fringe tree. “A typical urban street scene, when containerized trees are planted in compacted soils. Encircling roots never establish & tree health is compromised” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvUAp4/
2021.12.30.01 Lake Ozark. “Leaf scars, bud scales, pith, & bark provide useful characters often ignored by botanists caught up in the spring and summer churn of leaves & flower” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvWU7h/
2021.12.31.01 Euonymous, the Farm. “The viney Euonymus fortunei (Winter Creeper) stands out as somewhat alien to the brown tones of a Missouri deciduous landscape” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvX1Jn/
2021.12.31.02 Gleditsia. “Known for its thorny branches, Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos, a Legume) invades open fields (Missouri).” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvHsmQ/
2021.12.31.03 Sycamore sapling “Trees help stabilize streambeds on our Ozark farm, coursing challenged by input from large watersheds with episodic flooding.” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvP48d/
2021.12.31.04 Rose prickles. “Roses produce prickles, which form along stems just as does bark, it’s curious in this instance that the prickles seem clustered near nodes” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvnUYY/
2021.12.31.05 Watercress. “Watercress was called Nasturtium long before Westerners knew of the unrelated but similar-tasting South American plant Linnaeus named Trapaeolum” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvg7rp/
2021.12.31.06 Fern. “Asplenium rhizophyllum (Walking Fern) is a charming, distinctive denison of moist, shady Missouri outcroppings..” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvbNJ3/
2021.12.31.07 Juniperus seedlings. “Among the mosses covering this outcropping are two tiny, doomed seedlings of Juniperus virginiana – not a moss, rather a seed-bearing Gymnosperm” https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdrvmKLr/