Herbarium of the Bizarre

Sorry it sounds so echo-y. I’m dog/housesitting for my parents, so I’m not in my usual recording space. Ruby the Beagle says “hi.” Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Diphylleia grayi-inspired stretchable hydrochromics with large optical modulation in the visible–near-infrared region by Guofa Cai, et al. (2018). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 10(43), pg. 37685-37693. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b12490 [Abstract]https://www.thespruce.com/skeleton-flower-plant-profile-4802581Cytological effects of chemicals on tumors, XXV: Further studies on the effect of Diphylleia grayi extracts on tumor cells by Kohtaro Yamamoto and Yanagi Kimura (1964). Journal of the Faculty of Hokkaido University, Series 6 - Zoology, 15(3), pg. 347-352.https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/skeleton-flowers-how-does-this-white-flower-turn-transparent-in-the-rain.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphylleia_grayihttps://www.bhg.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-skeleton-flower-8553286Diphylleia grayi-inspired intelligent hydrochromic adhesive film by Gang Yeol Yoo, et al. (2020). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12(44), pg. 49982-49991. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c13185 [Abstract]Diphylleia Grayi-inspired intelligent temperature-responsive transparent nanofiber membranes by Cengceng Zhao, et al. (2024). Nano-Micro Letters, 16(65). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01279-z

This episode ended up being way more involved that I expected, but I learned so much, and I thought I knew Dutch Elm Disease pretty well already. Hopefully, y’all will learn a lot, too.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/pest_pathogen/dutch-elm-disease-html/https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/pdlessons/Pages/DutchElm.aspxhttps://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/pest-and-disease-resources/dutch-elm-disease-ophiostoma-novo-ulmi/A Dictionary of Plant Pathology by Paul Holliday (1989)https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/native-elm-bark-beetlehttps://themanitoban.com/2009/11/dutch-elm-vaccine-tested-in-winnipeg/530/https://www.unisci.com/stories/20013/0828015.htmhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_elm_disease

If you’re thinking of planting a Privet, you should pivot and plant something else. Well, if you live in North or Central America, anyway, but that doesn’t rhyme.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://www.lewisginter.org/chinese-privet/https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/chinese-privethttps://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ligustrum-japonicum/https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ligustrum-sinense/https://triangleland.org/company-news/species-spotlight-chinese-privethttps://www.se-eppc.org/manual/privet.htmlhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligustrum_sinense

Meet the world’s biggest (and possibly stinkiest) flowers.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/03/world/worlds-largest-flower-indonesia-scn-trnd/index.htmlhttps://www.britannica.com/plant/RafflesiaPlants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larson (2018)https://www.kew.org/plants/rafflesia-arnoldihttps://parasiticplants.siu.edu/Rafflesiaceae/Raff.arn.page.htmlhttps://richardniesenbaum.com/plants-people-2/rafflesia/https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2017/02/colossal-blossomhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia

Be a lavender menace.Music provided by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)https://bouqs.com/blog/capricorn-birth-flower/https://www.britannica.com/plant/lavenderhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Lavender-ScareCunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-earth Enchantments by Ellen Dugan (2016)https://www.hrc.org/resources/lavender-graduationThe Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Greatest Drinks by Amy Stewart (2013)https://www.osgf.org/blog/2020/6/29/vi0rxptrmtd4v8n2epbm3otxj56z5oLavender and the nervous system by Peir Hossein Koulivand, Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri, and Ali Gorji (2013). Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304Herbs at a Glance: A Quick Guide to Herbal Supplements by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009)https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/lavenderhttps://daily.jstor.org/four-flowering-plants-decidedly-queered/A Floral Grimoire: Plant charms, spells, recipes, and rituals by Patricia Telesco (2024)Nature’s Remedies: An Illustrated Guide to Healing Herbs by Jean Willoughby (2016)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandulahttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_Scare

Roses are (sometimes) red,Violets are (sometimes) blue,And if you ask Sappho,Violets are gay, too!Happy Pride Month 🌈Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)https://bouqs.com/blog/violet-flower-meaning-symbolism/Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014)Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)https://www.osgf.org/blog/2020/6/29/vi0rxptrmtd4v8n2epbm3otxj56z5oWild Flowers of North Carolina and Surrounding Areas by William S. Justice and C. Ritchie Bell (1979)https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/blog/2021/12/21/queer-botany-the-sapphic-violet/Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)PinkNews. (27 November 2024). Violet necklaces have become a sought-after lesbian accessory, but what is the history behind the trend? [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC49dz8thuV/?igsh=X2xVeEQ2Y0Jlhttps://daily.jstor.org/four-flowering-plants-decidedly-queered/National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region (2nd ed.) by John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, & Nancy C. Olmstead (2001)Collins Gem: Wild Flowers by Martin Walter (2002)https://wildfoods4wildlife.com/monographs/violets/https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/sweet-violet/

Is it really possible that these trees walk around the rainforest like the Ents in Lord of the Rings?I forgot to mention that there won’t be an episode next week. Here’s your one-week notice that I’ll be on vacation next Friday. ✈️Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Stilt-Root Walking by an Iriateoid Palm in the Peruvian Amazon by John H. Bodley and Foley C. Benson (1980). Biotropica, 12(1), pg. 67-71. https://doi.org/10.2307/2387775https://www.sciencealert.com/a-persistent-rumor-suggests-this-tree-can-walk-around-but-is-it-trueThe function of stilt roots in the growth strategy of Socratea exorrhiza (Arecaceae) at two neotropical sites by Gregory R. Goldsmith and Rakan A. Zahawi (2007). International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v55i3-4.5955 [Abstract]https://www.treeres.com/the-walking-tree-phenomenon-unraveling-the-secrets-of-socratea-exorrhiza/https://www.natureandculture.org/directory/walking-palm-trees/https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratea_exorrhizaThe epiphyte vegetation of the palm Socratea exorrhiza: Correlations with tree size, tree age and bryophyte cover by Gerhard Zotz and Birgit Vollrath (2003). Journal of Tropical Ecology, 19, pg. 81-90. DOI: 10.1017/S0266467403003092Tropical Plants of Costa Rica by Willow Zuchowski (2007)

A.k.a. the California Pitcher Plant or the Cobra Lily. It’s not a lily, not even a little bit, but it does look surprisingly serpentine. 🐍Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:The cobra's tongue: Rethinking the function of the “fishtail appendage” on the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica by David W. Armitage (2016). American Journal of Botany, 103(4), pgs. 780-785. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500524https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/darlingtonia_californica.shtmlhttps://www.kqed.org/science/12317/predatory-plant-lure-of-the-cobra-lilyhttps://www.carnivorousplantresource.com/the-plants/cobra-lily/Pollination Biology of Darlingtonia californica (Sarraceniaceae), the California Pitcher Plant by George A. Meindl and Michael R. Mesler (2011). Madroño, 58(1), pgs. 22-31. [Abstract] https://doi.org/10.3120/0024-9637-58.1.22https://www.cnps.org/citizen-science/carnivorous-plants-in-meadows-and-fens-6749https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlingtonia_californica

Watch the real-life Zombie Fungus in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://screenrant.com/girl-all-gifts-fungal-infection-hungries-explained/https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/cordycepsInterkingdom host jumping underground: Phylogenetic analysis of entomoparasitic fungi of the genus Cordyceps by Naruo Nikoh and Takema Fukatsu (2000). Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17(4), pg. 629-638. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026341 https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/but-not-simpler/the-fungus-that-reduced-humanity-to-the-last-of-us/https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/cordycepsUnique bioactives from Zombie Fungus (Cordyceps) as promising multitargeted neuroprotective agents by Himadri Sharma, Niti Sharma, and Seong Soo A An (2023). Nutrients, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010102https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cordyceps-benefitshttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps

While researching this episode, I stumbled across an Insta called @horrorcultureplants that I highly recommend giving a follow.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. by Lubomír Adamec (2018). Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 35, pg. 8-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2018.10.001Studies on the leaf movement of Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., part I: Process and mechanism of the movement by Joji Ashida (1932). Memoirs of the College of Science, Kyoto Imperial University, Series B, 9(3), pg. 143-246.https://www.carnivorousplantresource.com/the-plants/waterwheel-plant/Fossil Aldrovanda by John D. Degreef (1997). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, 26(3), pg. 93-97. https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn263.jd244Prey capture analyses in the carnivorous aquatic waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., Droseraceae) by Simon Poppinga, et al. (2019). Scientific Reports, 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54857-w “This Carnivorous Plant Invaded New York. That May Be Its Only Hope.” by Mario Renault (13 August 2019). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/science/waterwheel-plants-carnivorous.htmlHow the carnivorous waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) snaps by Anna S. Westermeier, et al. (2018). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1878). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0012https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldrovanda_vesiculosa

I would like to introduce you to a tree that you can eat, brush your teeth with, and also use to make nanoparticles.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World by Akbar S. Ahmed (1999)Salvadora persica L. Toothbrush Tree with health benefits and industrial applications: An updated evidence-based review by Mohamed Farag, et al. (2021). Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 29(7), pg. 751-763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2021.05.007Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Salvadora+persicahttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvadora_persica

I finally got to break out my Ancient Egyptian Herbal for this one!Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-benefits-of-moringa-oleiferaMoringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application by Lakshmipriya Gopalakrishnan, Kruthi Doriya, and Devarai Santhosh Kumar (2016). Food Science and Human Wellness, 5(2), pg. 49-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2016.04.001Desert Plants of Egypt’s Wadi El Gemal National Park by Tamer Mahmoud (2010)An Ancient Egyptian Herbal by Lise Manniche (2006)Traditional uses, pharmacological efficacy, and phytochemistry of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori: A review by Anndurai Senthilkumar, et al. (2018). Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, pg. 465. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00465https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Moringa+peregrinahttps://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-moringaThe Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: 25th Anniversary Edition by Valerie Ann Wormwood (2016)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_peregrina

Roses are red,But can never be blue.Thanks for listening,Welcome back for part two!Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by: Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023) https://bouqs.com/blog/roses-meaning-symbolism-what-roses-signify/ https://www.britannica.com/plant/rose-plant Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014) Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-earth Enchantments by Ellen Dugan (2016) Herbal Magick: A guide to herbal enchantments, folklore, and divination (2nd ed.) by Gerina Dunwich (2019) Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright (2021) Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers by Marta McDowell (2023) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rosa/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_symbolism