🌴 Scott Zona, Ph.D. 🌴
@scottzona.bsky.social
Personal account. Botanist. #TropicalBotany. 🌴 Author of "A Gardener's Guide to Botany.” 🐶 Henry's 2nd favorite dad. IG: Scott.Zona. Posting from North Carolina, USA. Trapped in Trumpistan. #IamaBotanist
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It’s Fascination with Plants Day! I wrote an entire book about why plants are so amazing & endlessly intriguing! Pollination, defense, dispersal, CAM, epiphytism, succulence, carnivory, parasitism, etc. It's all here. Available from your favorite bookseller. #plantday #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪🌱
Ardisia (739 spp) is a pantropical member of the Mysinoideae. The ones I know best are shrubs & small trees. Some are cultivated; some are invasive.
1. A. escallonioides is native to FL.
2. A. elliptica is an Asian species naturalized in FL.
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
1. A. escallonioides is native to FL.
2. A. elliptica is an Asian species naturalized in FL.
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Ardisia (739 spp) is a pantropical member of the Mysinoideae. The ones I know best are shrubs & small trees. Some are cultivated; some are invasive.
1. A. escallonioides is native to FL.
2. A. elliptica is an Asian species naturalized in FL.
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
1. A. escallonioides is native to FL.
2. A. elliptica is an Asian species naturalized in FL.
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Clavija is a Neotropical genus of 56 spp, some of which, like this C. weberbaueri, are litter-trapping Schopfbaum treelets. They have strappy leaves in rosettes that capture litter. For more information on litter-trapping, see our paper: doi.org/10.1111/boj....
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Clavija is a Neotropical genus of 56 spp, some of which, like this C. weberbaueri, are litter-trapping Schopfbaum treelets. They have strappy leaves in rosettes that capture litter. For more information on litter-trapping, see our paper: doi.org/10.1111/boj....
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
#Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Tropical Primulaceae are often large, woody plants that occupy diverse habitats. Aegiceras corniculatum is a mangrove tree from SE Asia to Australia. The genus name means “goat horn,” & the epithet means “little horn.” Both refer to the fruits. 📷: Reuben CJ Lim CCBYNCSA2 #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Tropical Primulaceae are often large, woody plants that occupy diverse habitats. Aegiceras corniculatum is a mangrove tree from SE Asia to Australia. The genus name means “goat horn,” & the epithet means “little horn.” Both refer to the fruits. 📷: Reuben CJ Lim CCBYNCSA2 #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Primula veris is heterostylous with long- and short-styled morphs. Only cross-pollinations result in seed. Darwin was fascinated by this dimorphism within a single species. I give you Figure 1 from The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species. #heterostyly #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 24, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Primula veris is heterostylous with long- and short-styled morphs. Only cross-pollinations result in seed. Darwin was fascinated by this dimorphism within a single species. I give you Figure 1 from The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species. #heterostyly #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Primula includes species commonly cultivated. Gardeners recognize a few broad kinds, including the auriculas, which are traditionally (in the UK, at least) displayed in “theatres,” like this one at Stockton Bury Gardens. Their intricate flowers often have a mealy coating. #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Primula includes species commonly cultivated. Gardeners recognize a few broad kinds, including the auriculas, which are traditionally (in the UK, at least) displayed in “theatres,” like this one at Stockton Bury Gardens. Their intricate flowers often have a mealy coating. #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Primulaceae now include species that were previously placed in their own families (but now recognized as subfamilies, so no real change). They all have free central placentation & antipetalous stamens. This week, a look at the family. 📷: Primula hybrid. #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 24, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Primulaceae now include species that were previously placed in their own families (but now recognized as subfamilies, so no real change). They all have free central placentation & antipetalous stamens. This week, a look at the family. 📷: Primula hybrid. #Primulaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
We had frost warnings a couple of weeks ago, but I forgot to bring this Phalaenopsis inside! RIP, buddy. 🌱
November 22, 2025 at 2:05 PM
We had frost warnings a couple of weeks ago, but I forgot to bring this Phalaenopsis inside! RIP, buddy. 🌱
One of the rarest groups of fatty acids is the halogenated group: There are fluorinated and brominated fatty acids. Dichapetalum toxicarium seed oils (& other parts) have fluorinated fatty acids, which make them toxic to livestock. Image from GBIF CC0. #Dichapetalaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM
One of the rarest groups of fatty acids is the halogenated group: There are fluorinated and brominated fatty acids. Dichapetalum toxicarium seed oils (& other parts) have fluorinated fatty acids, which make them toxic to livestock. Image from GBIF CC0. #Dichapetalaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
Castor bean oil (from the seeds of Ricinus communis; 📷: Muséum de Toulouse CCBYND2) has fatty acids that have a hydroxy side group. Most of the oil is a triglyceride of ricinoleic acid, which has an OH on C12. It has medicinal & industrial uses. #Euphorbiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 20, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Castor bean oil (from the seeds of Ricinus communis; 📷: Muséum de Toulouse CCBYND2) has fatty acids that have a hydroxy side group. Most of the oil is a triglyceride of ricinoleic acid, which has an OH on C12. It has medicinal & industrial uses. #Euphorbiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
The seed oil of Paullinia cupana has cyanolipids that ARE cyanogenic. Has anyone tested the seeds of Acer or Aesculus for cyanolipids? They weren’t included in the family in the 1970s, when cyanolipid research was popular. 📷: Paullinia cupana Bernard Dupont CCBYSA2 #Sapindaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 19, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The seed oil of Paullinia cupana has cyanolipids that ARE cyanogenic. Has anyone tested the seeds of Acer or Aesculus for cyanolipids? They weren’t included in the family in the 1970s, when cyanolipid research was popular. 📷: Paullinia cupana Bernard Dupont CCBYSA2 #Sapindaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
Cyanolipids—fatty acids with a CN group—are found in seed oils of some Sapindaceae. Some are cyanogenic & can release cyanide. Rambutan has cyanolipids, but they are NOT cyanogenic. Reassuring if you’ve ever accidentally swallowed a seed! 📷: Nephelium lappaceum Forest & Kim Starr CCBY2 #Botany 🌾🧪
November 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Cyanolipids—fatty acids with a CN group—are found in seed oils of some Sapindaceae. Some are cyanogenic & can release cyanide. Rambutan has cyanolipids, but they are NOT cyanogenic. Reassuring if you’ve ever accidentally swallowed a seed! 📷: Nephelium lappaceum Forest & Kim Starr CCBY2 #Botany 🌾🧪
Fatty acids with terminal 5-C rings are very rare. The most famous is chaulmoogric acid from “chaulmoogra oil” found in the seeds of Hydnocarpus spp. Its most famous use: a topical treatment for leprosy. 📷: H. pentandra by Siddarth Machado CCBYNC2 #Achariaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Fatty acids with terminal 5-C rings are very rare. The most famous is chaulmoogric acid from “chaulmoogra oil” found in the seeds of Hydnocarpus spp. Its most famous use: a topical treatment for leprosy. 📷: H. pentandra by Siddarth Machado CCBYNC2 #Achariaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
Malvaceae are known for their cyclopropene fatty acids, i.e., chains with a 3-C loop. Sterculic acid, 1st found in the seeds of Sterculia foetida, is not heat-stable (ironic, as the tree is from the hot tropics). 📷: Follicles opening to show seeds by Guiherme Jofili CCBY2 #Malvaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Malvaceae are known for their cyclopropene fatty acids, i.e., chains with a 3-C loop. Sterculic acid, 1st found in the seeds of Sterculia foetida, is not heat-stable (ironic, as the tree is from the hot tropics). 📷: Follicles opening to show seeds by Guiherme Jofili CCBY2 #Malvaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
More weird seed oil: Seed oil from Ongokea gore has polyacetylenic (>1 triple bond) fatty acids, such as isanic acid. The triple bonds make the acid (&, by extension, the seed oil) highly reactive. The seed oil turns red upon exposure to light.🩸🧛 📷: Carel Jongkind CCBYNC4 #Olacaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 17, 2025 at 4:52 PM
More weird seed oil: Seed oil from Ongokea gore has polyacetylenic (>1 triple bond) fatty acids, such as isanic acid. The triple bonds make the acid (&, by extension, the seed oil) highly reactive. The seed oil turns red upon exposure to light.🩸🧛 📷: Carel Jongkind CCBYNC4 #Olacaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
Seed oils are triglycerides (3 fatty acids + glycerin). Fatty acids are usually linear chains of C (in even numbers up to 28), saturated or not. Some have triple bonds, like tariric acid, which can make up to 95% of the fatty acids of Picramnia sp. seeds. 📷: P. pentandra #Picramniaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
November 17, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Seed oils are triglycerides (3 fatty acids + glycerin). Fatty acids are usually linear chains of C (in even numbers up to 28), saturated or not. Some have triple bonds, like tariric acid, which can make up to 95% of the fatty acids of Picramnia sp. seeds. 📷: P. pentandra #Picramniaceae #Botany 🌾🧪
Phyllanthus emblica produces edible fruits. They are greenish, about the size of ping-pong balls & have firm, crisp flesh around a single large seed. Dried fruits are available in large Asian groceries in my area. 📷: Vijay Anand Ismavel CCBYNC2. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 15, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Phyllanthus emblica produces edible fruits. They are greenish, about the size of ping-pong balls & have firm, crisp flesh around a single large seed. Dried fruits are available in large Asian groceries in my area. 📷: Vijay Anand Ismavel CCBYNC2. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
More #Phyllanthaceae strangeness! Many species of Phyllanthus are hyperaccumulators of nickel (meaning they store Ni in their tissues at concentrations very much greater than those of the surrounding soils).
In that case, let me share with you my own photos of two Phyllanthus from Borneo that are nickel hyperaccumulators: a branch of Phyllanthus balgooyi (with a detail of its fruits), and a flowering branch of Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi with male flowers (pedunculate) and female flowers (sessile).
November 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
More #Phyllanthaceae strangeness! Many species of Phyllanthus are hyperaccumulators of nickel (meaning they store Ni in their tissues at concentrations very much greater than those of the surrounding soils).
Phyllanthus unifoliatus doesn’t have the Phyllanthus branching. The name suggests that this species, unlike others, is unifoliolate, but of course, all Phyllanthus have simple, not compound, leaves. This one is from New Caledonia. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 14, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Phyllanthus unifoliatus doesn’t have the Phyllanthus branching. The name suggests that this species, unlike others, is unifoliolate, but of course, all Phyllanthus have simple, not compound, leaves. This one is from New Caledonia. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Here’s Phyllanthus fluitans, a floating aquatic species from southern Mexico and northern South America. I expected this to be a pantropical aquatic weed, but I see it’s escaped only in Florida (of course 😒). 📷: Eric Hunt CCBYNCND2 #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Here’s Phyllanthus fluitans, a floating aquatic species from southern Mexico and northern South America. I expected this to be a pantropical aquatic weed, but I see it’s escaped only in Florida (of course 😒). 📷: Eric Hunt CCBYNCND2 #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Phyllanthoid branching evolved only once but has been lost several times. Some species have kept the branching but ditched the leaves. Phyllanthus angustifolius of the Antilles has cladodes (flattened, photosynthetic branches). #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 12, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Phyllanthoid branching evolved only once but has been lost several times. Some species have kept the branching but ditched the leaves. Phyllanthus angustifolius of the Antilles has cladodes (flattened, photosynthetic branches). #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
If you weren’t paying attention, you might mistake Phyllanthus myriophyllus, of Haiti, for a plant with bipinnate compound leaves, something like a young Delonix regia (Fabaceae). Remember, those are branches, not compound leaves. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
If you weren’t paying attention, you might mistake Phyllanthus myriophyllus, of Haiti, for a plant with bipinnate compound leaves, something like a young Delonix regia (Fabaceae). Remember, those are branches, not compound leaves. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Phyllanthoid branching looks so much like pinnately compound leaves that even botanists can’t help but notice. Case in point: This is Phyllanthus juglandifolius. As the name suggests, the branches look like the leaves of walnut (Juglans spp.). #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 11, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Phyllanthoid branching looks so much like pinnately compound leaves that even botanists can’t help but notice. Case in point: This is Phyllanthus juglandifolius. As the name suggests, the branches look like the leaves of walnut (Juglans spp.). #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Phyllanthus has what is called “phyllanthoid branching”: Orthotropic (erect) shoots with spirally arranged leaves & plagiotropic (horizontal) branches with distichous leaves. Guam’s P. saffordii shows the dimorphism. 📷: Lauren Gutierrez CCBYND2. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 11, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Phyllanthus has what is called “phyllanthoid branching”: Orthotropic (erect) shoots with spirally arranged leaves & plagiotropic (horizontal) branches with distichous leaves. Guam’s P. saffordii shows the dimorphism. 📷: Lauren Gutierrez CCBYND2. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
I spend too much time pulling this annual weed from my garden in autumn: It’s Phyllanthus urinaria. At 1st glance, it looks like a single stem with pinnately compound leaves. Look again. The axillary flowers & fruits prove these “leaves” are branches. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I spend too much time pulling this annual weed from my garden in autumn: It’s Phyllanthus urinaria. At 1st glance, it looks like a single stem with pinnately compound leaves. Look again. The axillary flowers & fruits prove these “leaves” are branches. #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Phyllanthus was once treated as yet another odd Euphorbiaceae. The unisexual flower & 3-part stigma fit, but they’re plesiomorphic*. We now place it in its own family, not esp. close to Euphorbiaceae. 📷: P. calycinus Philip Bouchard CCBYNCND2 #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
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November 10, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Phyllanthus was once treated as yet another odd Euphorbiaceae. The unisexual flower & 3-part stigma fit, but they’re plesiomorphic*. We now place it in its own family, not esp. close to Euphorbiaceae. 📷: P. calycinus Philip Bouchard CCBYNCND2 #Phyllanthaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
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