News stories tagged with "botany"

(05/24/12) Do plants have blood? How does the human circulatory system compare to that of plants and trees? Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager tackle the question.

(05/19/11) Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley discuss plants that have outlived the animals they co-evolved with.

(03/24/11) "Leaves of three, let it be." Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager talk about poison ivy. They discuss whether it's really an ivy, why we call it "poison," and how humans and animals react differently to the plant.

(06/03/10) With the collapse of the population of the European honeybee, introduced to North America in colonial times, many growers are looking for aids in pollinating their crops. But the honeybee may not be the most effective bee. Bumblebees and other native pollinators do a better job on crops like blueberries and cranberries. Martha Foley and Curt Stager discuss.

(05/27/10) Tall trees may be the kings of the forest, but there is another kingdom of forest life that passes unnoticed. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley talk about the arboreal network of fungus.

(04/01/10) Martha Foley mows her lawn just before the dandelions go to seed, hoping to keep their numbers down, but there's another whole crop right behind--why? Dr. Curt Stager dug into the story and found the answer in the sex life--or lack thereof--of dandelions.

(03/18/10) Some flowers open quickly, and some are even spring-loaded--like the venus fly trap--but the floral deployment speed record belongs to the lowly dogwood relative, the bunchberry, which when triggered opens its tiny four-petal bloom in less than a millisecond. Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager discuss flower power.

(10/22/09) Burl wood, the knobs of complex grain that some trees form, is prized by woodworkers for its beauty and utility. What causes wood grain to deviate from the straight and narrow in this way is something of a mystery. Martha Foley and Curt Stager try to untangle the knot.

(06/25/09) Wintergreen oil is best known for its fresh minty flavor, but it also has a long history as an effective herbal painkiller. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley talk about this home remedy which, like its chemical cousin aspirin, can be hard on the stomach, and is toxic in high doses or with prolonged use.

(12/06/07) This hollow reed, prized for everything from fishing poles to furniture, may grow to tree height, but as Dr Curt Stager and Martha Foley explain, is actually a grass.