Plants of the Day

Images of "plants of the day" mentioned in lecture will be added here as they are covered in lecture. Extra credit will be provided for solving the question given for each plant (questions will be on the lecture exams).

What is the largest herbarium in the United States?

How many plant specimens does it contain (rounded to the millions)?

What is this new named species which is the first species recognized as undescribed based on a photo seen in a Facebook post?

Helleborus (helleborine) from the buttercup family was the first plant used in chemical warfare. How was helleborine used to conquer the Corninthian city of Kirrha?

Antarctica is home to only two flowering plant species. On the left is the Antarctic hairgrass and on the right is what species from the order Caryophyllales (common name OK)?

?

 

What holo-parasitic family is probably now included in the order Saxifragales?

 

Photo by Faisal I. Al-Dossary

Atropa belladonna (Solanaceae)

and

Belladonna Took (Bilbo Baggins' mother)

In honor of the last and 3rd installment of "The Hobbit" . . .

"Belladonna" means "beautiful lady" . . . what is the connection between the poisonous atropa and the plant getting the name "beautiful lady"? Or, how or why do beautiful ladies use atropa?