Scott's Botanical Links--February 2006

February 27, 2006 - Suburban Habitat

The Suburban Habitat site focuses on the home environment as an opportunity to cultivate a home ecosystem, with featured links on water, food, shelter, biobalance, harmony, tools, recycling and habitat development. The site emphasizes development of a balanced ecosystem in home gardening, including integrated pest management and preference of natural solutions over chemical warfare and other ecologically disruptive solutions. Much of the site is about ambiance, so don't be surprised if a ladybug follows your mouse around or you hear sounds of nature on your computer. (***) -SR

February 24, 2006 - IG-Ascleps: Asclepiadaceae webstie

IG-Ascleps has a lot of links and some information about plants in the family Asclepiadaceae, which includes the milkweeds. The family is one of drastic modification, however, and members include dramatic succulents, carrion flowers, clever pollination mechanisms and striking plant forms. Paintings and images of many Asclepiads are available in thumbnail and small image format. Links to other asclepid sites are provided. This site is supported by sales of an associated CD-ROM with larger images. (***) S

February 23, 2006 - UK West Country Exotics

This website is described as a photo celebration of exotic plants and plantings in the gardens of South West England. This website presents what is, of course, a worldwide trend -- that of growing plants from around the world in a local garden. This site has images of palms, yuccas, bananas, cordyline, rhododendrons and more growing in the UK. Of course, it is a bit incongruous, but the plant images are nice and these are some wonderful gardens. (***)

February 22, 2006 - Erika Sonder's 'Portable Herbarium'

This site "is a collection of herbarium specimens that she gathers, prepares, and reproduces by means of high-quality laser copying. The reproductions are full size, true color, with all botanical features easily seen. They are very attractive and distinctive in homes and offices when framed (individually or arranged in panels, as further below) and make beautiful, informative displays at schools, visitor centers, and museums." For botanists it may seem obvious that pressed plants could be a work of art. If this is the case, this site represents its vindication! (***1/2)

February 21, 2006 - Carnivorous Plant Photo Finder

The Carnivorous Plant Photo Finder is a page by Bob Ziemer at Humboldt State University, who has amassed a large and diverse living collection of carnivorous plants over the years. The home page has links to images of plants on other sites -- consisting of large and frequently updated lists. But, be sure not to miss his growlist, consisting of a couple hundred original images of plants, living and dead. His original images vary from the mundane to the rare and unusual. This site is well worth visiting for those interested in all types of carnivorous plants. (***1/2)

February 20, 2006 - President's Day (US)

A holiday originally celebrated on February 12 and 22 for Abraham Lincoln and George Washington's birthdays, but expanded to cover all the US presidents. A day off for me.

February 17, 2006 - La Société Mycologique Vaudoise Photos

La Société Mycologique Vaudoise of Lausanne has a 1366 image, 8 album gallery of high resolution images. Four galleries feature mycological images by Eric Strauss and friends with full genus and species names. The remaining four galleries are images of cactuses and succulents by Murielle Strauss. Image quality is excellent and of professional quality in many cases. These collections are well worth browsing if you appreciate fungi or succulents. (***1/2) -S

February 16, 2006 - Neotropical Blueberries

The Neotropical Blueberries site "brings together as much information as possible about the plant family Ericaceae as it occurs within the Neotropics" (New World tropics -- Tropic of Cancer to Tropic of Capricorn). Much of the site concerns systematics, with detailed genus and species descriptions, dichotomous keys and floristic lists by neotropical country. Additional information is available on ethnobotany, plant/animal interactions, species in cultivation and over 1400 images. This site is by Dr. James L. Luteyn, New York Botanical Garden. (****) -S

February 15, 2006 - Cercle de Mycologie de Mons

Although this site located on a server in Belgium -- in French and Flemish -- there are spectacular mycology images on this site in the most international of languages: scientific Latin. The heart of the site is the image collection, which houses over 1700 images and about 1000 species. Links are given alphabetically by genus. The vivid colors and striking images make this a professional quality fungus photography site and well worth a visit and a bookmark if you like fungi! Photos by Yves Deneyer. (****) -S

February 14, 2006 - Palaeos

Palaeos is a website about the earth, its history and its inhabitants. The site offers overviews of every major group of living organisms through a cladistic viewpoint that retraces the current evolutionary models, along with geologic charts and timelines. Links from the home page cover major geological time periods, evolution, geochronology, systematics, the Earth and ecology. The site is by an international team located around the world and connected by a common server. (***1/2) -SR

February 13, 2006 - Dr. Walker's Morphology Photos

This is a remarkable collection of digital images encompassing a greater breadth and depth than any other collection of morphology images that I have seen covering vascular plants. Professor Dennis Walker of Humbolt State University, who has been lucky enough to travel around the world observing and collecting some of these plants, has habitat and habit images of such elusive genera as Gnetum, Phylloglossum, Stylites, Welwitschia and others. Each image is presented as a thumbnail image with a brief description that links to a higher quality medium sized jpg image. A site with excellent coverage of some rare plants, its content complements some of the static images in textbooks of the field. (****) -SR

February 10, 2006 - Blue Planet: World Biomes

This site on world biomes presents a succinct and diverse introduction to the major biomes at the level of an advanced elementary to non-majors undergraduate biology class. Each biome is summarized and about a dozen common plants and animals are highlighted. The images are carefully selected and the site is technically well constructed. The goal of the site was to teach students about the Internet and at the same time gather scientific/environmental knowledge in a fun way. Site by the West Tisbury School is a K-8 school located on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. (***1/2) -SR

February 9, 2006 - Australian Plants Society - Tasmania

The Australian flora is unique and diverse--no more so than in the southern island state, Tasmania, which has its own cool adapted flora and hosts the tallest living angiosperms. The home page is just an appetizer to this site, with topics ranging from spring flowers, to Mt. Field National Park, Tasmanian plants for the garden and temperate rainforests. There is a depth of coverage that requires consulting the links at the bottom of the page, which include Tasmanian treasures, curiosities, coastal plants and a site map. Noteworthy pages are numerous, including a very nice timeline of the separation of Australia from Gondwana, information about specific plants, excellent images, nice essays on a variety of uniquely Tasmanian plants and more. (****) -SR (Thanks Peter!)

February 8, 2006 - Australian Flora Resources

The Australian Flora Resources site contains three major sections: Australian plant information, Australian plants in cultivation and People, Art and Culture. The first section includes numerous photographs, botanical statistics and databases and topical sites on fungi, cryptogams, ferns, orchids, acacias and eucalyptus, among other plants. Plants in Cultivation explains cultivars, growing native plants, and some specific plants. Aboriginal uses of native plants, Australia's early botanical history, plant collectors and illustrators, botanical art, stamps and floral emblems of Australia are among the topics in the cutural section. Site by Australian National Botanical Garden. (****) -SR

February 7, 2006 - Scott's Botanical Links

Scott's Botanical Links is the attempt of a university professor to draw attention to plant-related educational offerings on the Internet to plant enthusiasts and educators. Although the no-frills emphasis reflects professorial dryness, the emphasis is unique enough to have attracted modest attention over the years and a devoted following. The site has burgeoned to over 1840 links -- most have been featured only once. This effort is a testament to the depth and expansion of quality content on the Internet; the extent of the Internet's influence on everyday life could not have been anticipated at its start. The author appreciates everyone's support of this site, ten years old today! -SR

February 6, 2006 - Sophora Toromiro Management Group

Sophora toromiro is an endemic mimosa once native as an abundant shrub on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Wood collection and grazing decimated this shrub and reduced biodiversity on this island from a 45 square mile tropical paradise into one of the most vivid ecological disasters in the Pacific Island. This site is devoted to caring for the remaining trees in botanical gardens elsewhere, as the island has not supported native specimens since 1962. About 100 plants grown from seed have been reintroduced with the goal of reestablishing this plant on Rapa Nui. Site by Toromiro Management Group. (***) -SR

February 3, 2006 - Phylotaxis

Phylotaxis describes the central image of this site - a dynamic artistic work forming a centerpiece for this news site examining the linkage of science and society through selected news articles. (The image requires the free Flash Player, available from Macromedia). The mission of Seed Media, which compiles this site, is "to nurture a science-savvy global citizenry by increasing public interest in and understanding of science." (Good luck!) The links are from external sites, but this is a fascinating gateway that allows you to choose your level of integration with science or culture. (***1/2) -SR

February 2, 2006 - George's Microscopy Pictures

This multi-topic web site features professional quality photography including microscopes and photomicroscopy. In addition to a spectacular collection of classic antique microscopes and microscopy equipment, there are excellent images of crystals and some biological specimens taken using polarizing and interference microscopy, as well as some standard brightfield images. This is a diverse collection of images selected for those interested in microscopy. The rest of the site (from the home page) encompasses around the world travels and a variety of other photogenic subjects. (***1/2) -SR

February 1, 2006 - Australian National Herbarium

This is an herbarium site that has as extraordinary breadth and depth as the Australian flora that it serves! For those wondering how herbaria work, there is a good introduction, what makes a good specimen, and access to the developing Australian Virtual Herbarium. In addition, there are thousands of plant images (though these may be more easily searched through Google!), plant and Australian flora information, and historical data on Australian plant collections. The site is linked to the WIN name database, Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) and International Plant Name Index (IPNI). Site by the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR). (****) -SR

Past, past links (by date):

2006: January

2005: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2003: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2002: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2001: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2000: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1999: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1998: January*, February*, March*, April*, May*, June*, July, August, September, October, November, December   (*Leigh's links)

1997: January, February, March, April, May, June, September*, October*, November*, December*    (*Leigh's links)

1996: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Or search by: Subject Index

http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/feb06.shtml