Herbarium of the Bizarre

National Plants of the USA (America 250)

Anyone feel like starting a campaign to make tomatoes the national fruit? Music by James Milor on Pixabay Information provided by: * https://www.arborday.org/perspectives/americas-national-tree-mighty-oak [https://www.arborday.org/perspectives/americas-national-tree-mighty-oak] * https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/159/text [https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/159/text] * https://www.congress.gov/committee-report/108th-congress/house-report/689/1 [https://www.congress.gov/committee-report/108th-congress/house-report/689/1] * https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13097 [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13097] * Dirksen and the Marigold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwogofdiGys&t=158s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwogofdiGys&t=158s] * https://www.nybg.org/planttalk/elizabeth-brittons-roses-campaigning-for-the-national-flower/ [https://www.nybg.org/planttalk/elizabeth-brittons-roses-campaigning-for-the-national-flower/] * https://www.history.com/articles/oak-tree-national-tree-of-united-states-of-america [https://www.history.com/articles/oak-tree-national-tree-of-united-states-of-america] * https://extension.psu.edu/the-national-tree-and-national-floral-emblem-of-the-united-states [https://extension.psu.edu/the-national-tree-and-national-floral-emblem-of-the-united-states] * https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/gardening-basics/national-flower-bird-tree-united-states/ [https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/gardening-basics/national-flower-bird-tree-united-states/] * https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-flower/rose [https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-flower/rose] * https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-tree/mighty-oak-tree [https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-or-officially-designated-item/state-tree/mighty-oak-tree] * https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title36-section303&num=0&edition=prelim [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title36-section303&num=0&edition=prelim]

Bonus Episode: What's Your Favorite Plant?

Attendees at the Exotic and Carnivorous Plant Expo join the podcast to talk about their own favorite bizarre plants. I intended to post this episode a week or so after the expo, but then I caught the con crud from hell at ConCarolinas and have only just now gotten my voice back. Music provided by James Milor from Pixabay Additional Information: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/overview [https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/overview] https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-woodcock [https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-woodcock] https://www.sandiegocarnivorousplantsociety.com/ [ https://www.sandiegocarnivorousplantsociety.com/] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmecophyte [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmecophyte]

Rainbow Plants (Byblis)

Come see me at the Exotic and Carnivorous Plant Expo this weekend: https://www.carnivorousplants.org/about/CEPExpoDetails [https://www.carnivorousplants.org/about/CEPExpoDetails] Music by James Milor from Pixabay Information provided by: * https://www.burymeinthebog.com/grow/rainbow-plants [https://www.burymeinthebog.com/grow/rainbow-plants] * https://botany.org/home/resources/carnivorous-plants-insectivorous-plants/byblis-the-rainbow-plants.html [https://botany.org/home/resources/carnivorous-plants-insectivorous-plants/byblis-the-rainbow-plants.html] * https://www.carnivorousplants.org/grow/guides/Byblis [https://www.carnivorousplants.org/grow/guides/Byblis] * The carnivorous rainbow plant Byblis filifolia Planch. secretes digestive enzymes in response to prey capture independently of jasmonates by A Pavlovič, et al. (2025). Plant Biology, 27(4), 549–557. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.70029 [https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.70029] * Chemonastic Stalked Glands in the Carnivorous Rainbow Plant Byblis gigantea LINDL. (Byblidaceae, Lamiales) by Simon Poppinga, et al. (2022). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(19), 1151. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911514 [https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911514] * https://www.sarracenia.com/pubs/byblis.html [https://www.sarracenia.com/pubs/byblis.html] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byblis_(plant) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byblis_(plant)]

New Species Discovered in 2025

I learned some lessons from the 2024 discoveries episode, and I think this one is not quite so messy. I also managed to contain it all in one episode this time! Music by James Milor from Pixabay Information provided by: * https://www.calacademy.org/press/releases/california-academy-of-sciences-and-partners-uncover-new-sunflower-species-in-big-bend [https://www.calacademy.org/press/releases/california-academy-of-sciences-and-partners-uncover-new-sunflower-species-in-big-bend] * Damian Carrington (2026, Jan 7). Fly-arousing orchid and zombie fungus among 2025 botanical and fungal finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/08/fly-arousing-orchid-zombie-fungus-among-new-plant-fungus-species-finds-2025 [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/08/fly-arousing-orchid-zombie-fungus-among-new-plant-fungus-species-finds-2025] * Aaron P. Davis, et al. (2005). Galanthus subalpinus (Amaryllidaceae): A new species of snowdrop from the Western Balkans. Kew Bulletin, 80, 169-175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10239-8 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10239-8] * James Doubek (2025, Feb 26). Meet the 'wooly devil,' a new plant species discovered in Big Bend National Park. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5308248/wooly-devil-new-species-genus-big-bend [https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5308248/wooly-devil-new-species-genus-big-bend] * Gabriel A. Iturralde, et al. (2025) Telipogon cruentilabrum (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae): A new species from mid-western Ecuador, long misidentified as T. dendriticus. Phytotaxa, 694(3), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.694.3.6 [https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.694.3.6] [Abstract] * https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/top-10-species-2025 [https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/top-10-species-2025] * Yee Wen Low, et al. (2025). Eugenia venteri (sect. Jossinia, Myrtaceae): A new flagelliflorous tree from the rainforest of Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Kew Bulletin, 80, 733-743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10264-1 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10264-1] * https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/new-plant-species-discovered-in-big-bend.htm [https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/new-plant-species-discovered-in-big-bend.htm] * https://www.nps.gov/im/chdn/ecoregion.htm [https://www.nps.gov/im/chdn/ecoregion.htm] * Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza and John R. I. Wood (2025). Two new species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae) from Peru. Kew Bulletin, 80, 983-991. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12225-025-10334-4 [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12225-025-10334-4]

Pohutukawa

Merry Christmas? Happy New Year? Happy Holidays! That covers it. Personally, I celebrated four this year. Enjoy this more-or-less seasonal episode about the New Zealand Christmas Tree. Music by James Milor from Pixabay. Information provided by: * https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/pohutukawa-flame-of-the-north/ [https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/pohutukawa-flame-of-the-north/] * https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/pohutukawa/ [https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/pohutukawa/] * https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/pohutukawa-trees [https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/pohutukawa-trees] * https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/metrosideros-excelsa/ [https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/metrosideros-excelsa/] * https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-forgotten-pandemic/ [https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-forgotten-pandemic/] * https://www.tanestrees.org.nz/species-profiles/pohutukawa/ [https://www.tanestrees.org.nz/species-profiles/pohutukawa/] * https://help.treesthatcount.co.nz/en/articles/8584808-pohutukawa [https://help.treesthatcount.co.nz/en/articles/8584808-pohutukawa] * https://meaningoftrees.com/2019/02/05/pohutukawa-metrosideros-excelsa/ [https://meaningoftrees.com/2019/02/05/pohutukawa-metrosideros-excelsa/] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%8Dhutukawa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%8Dhutukawa]