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 […]
WHAT A WASTE !
Introduction There are many steps in the metabolism of plants. These come mainly from photosynthesis and energy production. All these steps require an endless supply of substances available in the cell for them to work properly. Chemicals like proteins, acids, bases, and other molecular compounds. The total involved substances directly or indirectly in these […]
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 […]
DODDER
Ah yes… summertime ! Warm sunny days, light breezes and DODDER !!! A tangle of dodder ! What is it? Cuscuta (dodder) is a genus of over 201 species of yellow to orange parasitic plants that look like angel hair pasta! It is in the morning glory family – the Convolvulaceae (morning […]
THE APHIDS ARE COMING !
What are they ? Typical green aphid with live birth young Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects with long, slender mouth parts that they use suck out plant fluids. They tend to feed in dense groups on leaves, buds, stems, or flowers. Some species feed on only one type of plant, while others are […]
MINI DAFFODILS !
Wow ! THE SPECIES Daffodils are a group of flowering plant in the Amaryllis family. They are one of the most carefree of all spring-flowers. Growing almost anywhere, they are not bothered by deer or rodents. Blooming reliably for generations, they return every spring in greater numbers! Flowers come in many […]
AQUILEGIA
So very pretty ! Used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK COLUMBINE It is a spring favorite of many gardeners – and tough as nails ! The entire group has lovely flowers with an amazing variety of color choices. Aquilegia (also known as buttercups) has about 60–70 species. These are mainly found in meadows, woodlands, and […]
