Discovery Cart: Herbarium 101

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Ashley Bales

Herbarium Collections Manager

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90th Anniversary

Glimpse the Garden’s history through BRIT Herbarium specimens

Today, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) are a single organization, but that is a recent development. BRIT and the Garden combined forced in October 2020 after many decades of independent operation. However, the Garden and BRIT worked together for years before the merger. One aspect of that long-term partnership is preserved in specimens in the BRIT Herbarium that were collected in the Garden.

BRIT Staff November 7, 2024

Newsletter

Journey to the Jurassic When You Explore the World of Ferns

When dinosaurs first walked the earth, non-flowering plants dominated the planet. That means if you want to picture dinosaurs in their natural habitat, you need to imagine lots and lots of ferns.

BRIT Staff February 10, 2024

Alejandra Vasco studying the ferns of Colombia

Newsletter

Where in the World Is the Research Team in 2024? Look for Our Botanists in Madagascar, Madrid, Manila and Beyond

The Research program has a busy year planned involving international travel, conference presentations and new projects starting as ongoing projects wrap up. Here’s a look what 2024 holds for our botanists.

BRIT Staff January 12, 2024

Newsletter

Photoperiodism, Promotion, and Poinsettias: The Botanical History of a Holiday Favorite

The poinsettia is a quintessential part of typical holiday decor. It’s a plant with a curious history that stretches from the Aztecs to a pioneering American diplomat and a family of plant-savvy Californians. Learn all about the holiday favorite, poinsettia.

BRIT Staff November 29, 2023

Red and orange maples in the Japanese Garden in Autumn

Newsletter

So Why Do Trees Lose Their Leaves? There’s More Going On than You Might Expect

It’s a fact so obvious that we named an entire season after it: fall leaves fall from trees. But what’s going on within the plant during that process? A lot more than you might think.

BRIT Staff November 9, 2023

First description of bluebonnet - Curtis Botanical Magazine 1836

Newsletter

New Library Exhibit Shines a Spotlight on Trailblazing Texas Botanists

The botanists of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden stand in a long line of scientists who study the plants of Texas. A new exhibit at the BRIT Library, “Voyages of Discovery: Trailblazing Texas Botanists,” tells the story of these pioneering naturalists and their contributions to science.

BRIT Staff October 5, 2023

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