Ep. 57 - The Fascinating World of Liverworts

Say liverwort to some random person on the street and you are going to get some funny looks. Say it to the right person, however, and brace yourself because you are about to enter into a world hundreds of millions of years in the making. Liverworts represent something akin to the earliest stages in terrestrial plant evolution. Despite their diminutive stature, the world of liverworts is endlessly fascinating. For this reason I was very excited to sit down for a conversation with this week's guest. Laura Briscoe is a Research & Collections Assistant at The Field Museum who specializes  in liverwort biology and her work focuses on cataloguing and describing liverwort diversity. Her research takes her to a small island off the coast of Chile where liverwort diversity far outnumbers that of vascular plants such as trees. This was one of the most fascinating conversations I have ever had and I really think you are going to enjoy it.

Click here to learn more about Laura's work.

Click here to see a video journal of Laura in the field. 

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Ep. 55 - For the Love of Ferns

Who doesn't love ferns? After all, they represent one of the oldest lineages of plants on our planet. Far from being lowly curiosities living out their lives in the shade of their flowering cousins, ferns are incredibly complex organisms with astounding diversity. Dr. Carl Rothfels joins us for a fascinating discussion about ferns and their evolution. This is one conversation you don't want to miss. This episode was produced in part by Allan and Gregory. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Rothfels work.

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Ep. 53 - Getting to Know the Carnivorous Yellow Butterwort (Pinguicula lutea)

Butterwort may sound like a silly name for a plant, however, the genus to which the name refers is anything but. The genus Pinguicula houses some of the most beautiful carnivorous plants on the planet. Despite their intriguing nature, we know very little about this group of plants. This is where researchers like Sam Primer of the University of Illinois come in. I first met Sam at a conference where she gave a talk about the yellow butterwort of the American southeast. Since then I have been interested in the work she is doing. Because we know so little about this species, Sam has devoted the last few years of her life to gaining a deeper understanding about everything from their carnivorous habit to their ongoing conservation. Sam's work has opened up many new lines of inquiry into this enigmatic group of carnivores. Join us for a great conversation that you are sure to enjoy!

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Ep. 47 - Pollinators and Parentage

I have always thought of pollination as rather straight forward - a pollinator visits a plant, picks up pollen, and deposits that pollen on its next visit. As it turns out, it's not that simple. To find out more about the complexities of pollination, I called up Dr. Randy Mitchell from the University of Akron in Ohio. His research is going to blow your mind. What to us seems like the perfect mutualism turns out to be more like a dark alley transaction in which each party is trying to get as much from the other without giving too much in return. This episode was produced in part by Allan Pisula of Kinosha, Wisconsin. 

Click here to find out more about Dr. Mitchell's research.

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Ep. 46 - Flora of the Ozarks

The Ozark Mountains have long been a mystery to me. This ancient mountain range is home to a bewildering diversity of plant life, some of which is found nowhere else in the world. From glades to woodlands and everything in between, the Ozarks have it all. Join me for a discussion with Justin Thomas, director of the Institute of Botanical Training. Justin and his wife have devoted their lives to studying and protecting the plants of this region. I learned a lot from talking with Justin and I know you will too. 

Click here to learn more about the Institute of Botanical Training

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Ep. 45 - Cycads

Who doesn't love cycads? I know I do and can you really blame me? The cycads are an incredible group of plants. They are also quite ancient. Arising long before flowering plants, this lineage has survived munching dinosaurs, continental drift, and mass extinctions and has undergone incredible adaptive radiations. Today cycads are in trouble. Habitat destruction and poaching now threaten many of the world's species. To get to know cycads a bit better I reached out to one of the world experts on this group of plants, Dr. Dennis Stevenson of the New York Botanical Garden. Dr. Stevenson has traveled the world to study and describe new species of cycad. He has been on every major continent and has encountered nearly every species in the wild. His work has helped us better understand the enigmatic and ancient group. Join us for a fascinating discussion about the cycads.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Stevenson's work

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Ep. 44 - Litter Trappers

These plants don't worry about soil, they make their own! Because so many species in the tropics grow either epiphytically or in nutrient poor soil, some of them have turned to alternative solutions. Their anatomy is such that they collect everything from dead leaves to bird droppings. A diverse community of soil microbes and invertebrates can then go to work to create nutrient rich humus. What's more, litter trapping abilities can be found in plants as distantly related as ferns and orchids! Join me for an interesting discussion with Dr. Scott Zona, the curator of Florida International University's Werthheim Conservatory to talk about his work finding and describing litter trapping plants. This is one discussion you don't want to miss. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Zona's work. 

Click here to learn more about the Wertheim Conservatory

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Ep. 42 - Botanizing Illinois

When you think of the Midwest, it is often in the context of the agricultural hotspot that it is. This was my first impression when I considered moving to Illinois. Though much of its natural heritage has been plowed under, there still remains plenty of natural beauty. That is why I am very excited for this week's guest. Chris Benda is the Illinois Botanizer and current president of the Illinois Native Plant Society. He has fallen in love with the flora of this state and through tours, talks, and even some books, he is trying to share his love with you. Join us for a fun and interesting conversation on just how awesome Illinois' natural heritage really is. 

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Ep. 40 - Herbaria!

With herbaria closing around the world, I wanted to sit down and talk with someone who truly understands what they stand for. This week I talk with Jamie Minnaert-Grote, the collections manager at the Illinois Natural History Survey Herbarium. Despite having worked in and around herbariums over the last few years, I really didn't grasp their full potential. This conversation was a real eye-opener! 

Click here to learn more about the Illinois Natural History Survey Herbarium

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Ep. 33 - An Impressive Plant Collection

My friend and horticultural mentor, Dave Janas returns to the podcast. This time In Defense of Plants went to him. You will remember Dave from Episode 15. He lives and works as the Senior Horticulturist for the Wilson Botanical Gardens in San Vito, Costa Rica. This episode was recorded during a behind the scenes tour we got of the garden's plant collection. Along the way we learn a lot about what Dave is working on in regards to propagating native Costa Rican flora. This is a relaxing episode full of the sounds of the jungle. 

Click here to learn more about the Wilson Botanical Garden

Click here to learn more about the Organization for Tropical Studies

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Ep. 31 - Exploring Plant Diversity

What is a species? Why does it matter and what can we do with that information? What drives the patterns of plant diversity we see around the world? These are just some of the questions Dr. Iván Jiménez likes to investigate. Join me for an interesting conversation exploring plant richness. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Iván Jiménez

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