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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Armchair Botany and the Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program: Volunteers Make Scientists’ Hard Work Accessible
Important botanical science happens in the field. Researchers tramp across habitats, sometimes in remote and rugged regions of the world, collect plant samples, document the distribution of species and study ecosystems in action. Later those scientists return to the lab with boxes of specimens, and a new and equally important phase of research begins. Scientists label, mount and digitize specimens to make them accessible to the global science community. They become a resource that can be studied in multiple contexts–as part of an ecosystem or as a member of a particular plant family, for example.
The Botany of Bluebonnets, Texas’s Favorite Flower
The bluebonnets are in bloom across North Texas, splashing waves of blue across hillsides and plains. Conditions this year were just right for brilliant display of color, and you can expect to see families plunking their kids down in the middle of blooming patches for photos all weekend.
How Orchids Helped Charles Darwin Understand Nature—and How Darwin Helped Scientists Understand Orchids
Charles Darwin is known for his work in the Galapagos Islands, his study of birds and insects and the development of the theory of evolution as presented in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. What is less well-known is Darwin’s work as a botanist and the important role that orchids played in the development of his ideas.
Book Signing and Workshop Discuss Finding Spiritual Solace through Gardening
Join the author and illustrator of the new BRIT Press title My Father is the Gardener for a panel discussion, book signing and workshop for insights into the plants and flowers of the Bible and how they can bring meaning to every day life.
Art and Science Meet in New Exhibition “Illuminations”
The worlds of art and science interact in fascinating ways in a new exhibit opening Feb. 17 at the BRIT Building. “Dornith Doherty: Illuminations: Past, Present, and Future of Fern Research” presents new large-scale artworks that engage with the past, chronicle the present and project our possible ecological futures.