Plants News: Page 5

Asiatic Pear Genome Sequenced (June 12, 2012): The first sequencing of the Asiatic pear genome has been completed by an international consortium of seven worldwide universities and institutions including the University of Illinois.

1,500 Years of Tree Ring Data Suggests Today's Southwestern U.S. Megafires Atypical (May 21, 2012): A new study suggests that today's mega forest fires of the southwestern U.

Olive Tree in Northeast Spain is 627 Years Old (May 17, 2012): Researchers have dated long-lived olive trees in Northeast Spain.

Seaweeds Employ Various Strategies for Surviving Crashing Waves (May 13, 2012): New research on seaweeds has found that it takes more than just being flexible to survive the constant barrage of crashing waves.

Carnivorous Plant in Borneo Has Symbiotic Relationship With Ants (May 11, 2012): The carnivorous plant, Nepenthes bicalcarata, which grows in the nutrient-poor peat swamp forests of Borneo, has been found to have a symbiotic relationship with the ant species Camponotus schmitzi.

Huge Fossilized Forest Found in Coal Mine in Southern Illinois Could be 100 Miles Long (May 2, 2012): The New York Times reports on the amazing find of a fossilized forest in a coal mine in southern Illinois.

Columbia University Study Finds Trees Grow Much Faster in Urban Environment (April 28, 2012): Researchers from Columbia University found that common native red oak seedlings grow as much as eight times faster in New York's Central Park than in more rural, cooler settings in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains.

Researchers Find Honey Bees Self-Medicate When Colony Threatened by Harmful Fungus (March 30, 2012): Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that honey bees self-medicate when their colony is infected with a harmful fungus.

New Pipewort Species Discovered in India (March 20, 2012): A team of botanists have discovered a new species of pipewort (Eriocaulon) on the foot hills of the Western Ghats in India.

World's Oldest Fossilized Forest Unearthed in New York (March 1, 2012): Scientists have discovered the world's oldest fossilized forest.

Scientists Grow Ice Age Flower From 31,800-Year-Old Seed (February 22, 2012): Russian scientists have grown a Silene stenophylla plant from a 31,800-year-old seed.

Permian Pompeii: 300-Million-Year-Old Tropical Forest Found Preserved in Ash (February 20, 2012): A 300-million-year-old forest was preserved in ash when a volcano erupted in what is today northern China.

Smaller Corpse Flower Relative Discovered, Smells Like Roadkill and Feces (February 7, 2012): A new, smaller relative of Amorphophallus is about one quarter the size of the "corpse flower" plant (Amorphophallus titanum), but it is just as stinky.

New Bamboo Eating Aphid Discovered in Costa Rica (February 6, 2012): A new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice has been discovered in Costa Rica's high-altitude region "Cerro de la Muerte.

Botanists Try to Get Seeds of Rare Shrub to Germinate Using Blowtorch and Boiling Water (October 12, 2011): Scientists are having a tough time trying to get seeds of the rare Michaux's sumac (Rhus michauxii) to germinate.

Amateur Botanists Discover Plant That Buries Its Own Seeds in Brazil (September 21, 2011): A new plant that buries its own seeds was discovered by an amateur botanists in the Atlantic forest of Bahia, Brazil.

Netherlands Company Sequences Genome of Marijuana (August 20, 2011): A Netherlands company has announced the successful sequence of the genome of marijuana.

Mystery Orange Goo in Alaska Identified as Microscopic Eggs (August 8, 2011): The mystery orange goo that washed ashore last week near the village of Kivalina, Alaska has been identified as microscopic eggs.

U.S. Postal Service Announces Cherry Blossom Centennial Stamps (August 7, 2011): A new Cherry Blossom Centennial Stamp has been revealed by the U.S. Postal Service.

Giant Hogweed Invades New York. Noxious 12-Foot Weed Can Cause Scarring and Blindness (July 7, 2011): The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is warning residents not to touch the Giant hogweed, a Federally listed noxious weed invading the state.

Bioluminescent Fungus Rediscovered in Brazil (July 6, 2011): A bioluminescent fungus not seen since 1840 has been rediscovered.

Sponge-like Mushroom Discovered in Forests of Borneo Named After SpongeBob Squarepants (June 15, 2011): >A new species of mushroom discovered in the forests of Borneo has been named after carton character SpongeBob Squarepants because it is shaped like a sea sponge.

Video: Amazing Seed Plants Itself (May 28, 2011): Seeds of the Erodium cicutarium, a plant related to geraniums, can plant themselves.

Titan Arum Blooming at OSU (April 23, 2011): A Titan Arum is closing to blooming at Ohio State University, in the OSU Biological Sciences Greeenhouse, about ten years after being planted.

Alien Plants May Bloom Black on Worlds With Two or More Stars (April 20, 2011): Jack O'Malley-James of the University of St Andrews says plants on an Earth-like planet with or two or three suns would appear black or grey.