Use in Aromatherapy Essential oils are often used in massaging and aromatherapy. This is a form of alternative medicine that employs plant extracts to support health and well-being. They are not meant to be eaten or swallowed. Essential oils These oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent […]
MORPHOLOGY
The shape of things “Morphology” – from the Ancient Greek – (morphḗ) meaning “form”, and (lógos) meaning “study”. In Botany it is used to classify plants based on the shape of their parts. Why pay attention ? What a plant looks like can give hints as to where it evolved and therefore […]
BUD WORMS – YUCK !
The Tobacco Budworm This is a familiar garden pest we encounter every season. It is a caterpillar that loves many of our favorite plants. It is also an agricultural pest of both tobacco and cotton. In our gardens it feeds on the flowers of geranium, petunia, snapdragon and nicotiana – sometimes even […]
REPRODUCTION IN PRIMITIVE PLANTS
BRYOPHYTES (mosses) Bryophyte umbrellas ! When a bryophyte spore settles somewhere, it sprouts and grows into a gametophyte. This then is egg and sperm producing plant. It is this stage we mostly see as green. This attached plant is green and leafy, but usually very small. Commonly called liverworts, their reproductive organs (eggs and […]
MODERN FLOWERING PLANTS
FLOWERING PLANTS Although still very old ( as in 125 million years ! ) flowering plants are considered “modern”. This is because they produce a seed inside a vessel. Unlike their ancestors, they also produce a flower containing both male and female reproductive structures. Flowering plants evolved into two main groups. Monocotyledons and dicotyledons. […]
THE SHAPE OF LEAVES
What is a leaf? A leaf is the main organ attached to the stem. It is specialized for photosynthesis. Over time, it has evolved into a plethora of different shapes, sizes and characteristics. These vary considerably depending largely on their adaptation to climate. Leaves have also adapted to the available sunlight, presence of grazing […]
UV – What I can not see !
LIGHT – The Electromagnetic Spectrum The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from low frequency, low energy radio waves to high frequency, high energy gamma rays. The human eye however, only perceives visible light. This lies in a narrow range from around 380 nm to 780 nm of the spectrum. Interestingly enough, this visible light is continuous! In […]
Ligules and Stipules Oh My !
Ligule The word ligule comes from Latin “ligula” which means strap. It is a thin outgrowth at the junction of a leaf and leafstalk. Ligules occur only in some grass species. Basically, it acts in a passive way in protecting the culm and leaves that it encloses. It protects the leaf from the entry […]
MY NEIGHBORS’ UGLY BUILDING !
What can I say. Some views are detrimental to your mental health ! What should I plant on my rooftop to block the view of that ugly building ? – this is something I have heard countless times. Now … Throwing a plant in a pot and hoping it works – doesn’t work. […]
