Plants of the Day

Adansonia

baobabs

Who is now the world expert on the evolution and pollination biology of this genus of plants - mainly found in Madagascar - named after Michel Adanson?

Sassafras albidum

sassafras

Sassafras is forever linked with what great culinary tradition?

Hamamelis virginiana

witch hazel

Why does this ethnobotanically important species have the word "witch" in its common name?

Hura crepitans

(Euphorbiaceae)

The Euphorbiaceae contains this tropical tree - one of the most deadly sources known for arrow poisons. What other flowering plant family (among several) also contains species used for arrow poisons?

Japanese lacquer

(Anacardiaceae)

The sumac family contains many posionous species. One of the most poisonous is the source of Chinese and Japanese lacquer.

What species provides lacquer?

@ www.stoneridge-lv.com

Hydnophytum - antplant

(Rubiaceae)

This genus and other genera of subtribe Hydnophytinae are now shown by DNA evidence to actually have evolved out of what genus (!) in the coffee family?

Eupatorium rugosum

white snakeroot

As the common name might suggest, this plant is highly poisonous. Humans typically are poisoned by drinking milk from cattle eating the plants. What famous person associated with a U.S. President is thought to have died from snakeroot?

http://www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/

Eupatorium_rugosum_plant.jpg