Like other gourds, the snake gourd is a member of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae) and has seeds similar to its cousin the water melon (Citrullus lanatus), although slightly more eccentric, sporting ...

William Milliken, Head of Kew's Tropical America team, examines the importance of Kew's collection of over seven million herbarium specimens, and how this resource is being used to tackle the global ...

A letter in the Directors' Correspondence archive describes how the deadly prediction of an old Chinese proverb about bamboo flowering came true. "When the bamboo flowers, famine, death and ...

The Directors' Correspondence Team reveals the artistic talents of an amateur orchid enthusiast in Burma at the end of the 19th century. The Directors' Correspondence team really enjoyed the recent ...

This year’s International Day for Biological Diversity highlights the uniqueness of island biodiversity and the threats it faces, yet so much of island diversity remains essentially unknown. On 22 May ...

I have recently completed conservation of a large collection of botanical watercolours that were on a variety of supports including paper, vellum and a very fragile Chinese paper. The Ann Lee ...

Nature Heroes is a family-friendly way to get the children out of the house and connecting with nature during the school half-term. Whatever the weather, we can guarantee an exciting trail, packed ...

Indigenous and local farming systems have acted as safe havens for important crop diversity – but is this under threat and ...

Watch the changing seasons, enjoy a moment of peace, and tuck into a hearty lunch. Wakehurst’s benches are the hidden gems of the landscape, giving you a new window into the garden, and allowing you ...

Letter and plans from Kew's Directors' Correspondence archive give a glimpse into the humble beginnings of one of botany's most revered institutions - Missouri Botanical Garden - and its founder Henry ...