🌴 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 🌾🧪🌱
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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The Trees That Were Saved and Destroyed by the Same Mistake botany.one/2025/11/the-...
"The authors emphasise the importance of taxonomy throughout the conservation process."
"The authors emphasise the importance of taxonomy throughout the conservation process."
The Trees That Were Saved and Destroyed by the Same Mistake
For 20 years, Mexican communities accidentally planted millions of endangered trees, while simultaneously logging thousands in their natural habitat, without knowing it.
botany.one
November 10, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The Trees That Were Saved and Destroyed by the Same Mistake botany.one/2025/11/the-...
"The authors emphasise the importance of taxonomy throughout the conservation process."
"The authors emphasise the importance of taxonomy throughout the conservation process."
Some Clusia flowers attract bees that collect resin from the flowers & inadvertently cause pollination. In Clusia grandiflora (📷: botanymiguelnino CCBYNC4), resin is produced from staminodia or anther connectives (in ♂) & carpels (in ♀). #Resin #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 7, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Some Clusia flowers attract bees that collect resin from the flowers & inadvertently cause pollination. In Clusia grandiflora (📷: botanymiguelnino CCBYNC4), resin is produced from staminodia or anther connectives (in ♂) & carpels (in ♀). #Resin #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Clusia major (Trinidad & Lesser Antilles) has dangling aerial roots that eventually touch the earth—not surprising for a hemiepiphyte that starts life in a tree (or, as here, on a cliff). What is surprising is that sometimes shoots grow from the roots. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 6, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Clusia major (Trinidad & Lesser Antilles) has dangling aerial roots that eventually touch the earth—not surprising for a hemiepiphyte that starts life in a tree (or, as here, on a cliff). What is surprising is that sometimes shoots grow from the roots. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Leaf gloss has not received much study from botanists. Why are some leaves glossy & others not? Does gloss have a function? Reflecting excess light? So many questions. An excellent example of ultra-glossy leaves is Garcinia aristata of Cuba & Hispaniola. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 5, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Leaf gloss has not received much study from botanists. Why are some leaves glossy & others not? Does gloss have a function? Reflecting excess light? So many questions. An excellent example of ultra-glossy leaves is Garcinia aristata of Cuba & Hispaniola. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Clusia rosea has fruits of 7 united carpels that open when the outer wall of the fruit separates from the septa (walls) between the carpels. It’s a septifragal capsule. Each seed is covered with an orange-red, gooey aril that attracts bird dispersers. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 5, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Clusia rosea has fruits of 7 united carpels that open when the outer wall of the fruit separates from the septa (walls) between the carpels. It’s a septifragal capsule. Each seed is covered with an orange-red, gooey aril that attracts bird dispersers. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is sometimes called the “Queen of Tropical Fruits.” The leathery reddish purple rind encloses sweet-tart, segmented, white flesh & a few seeds. Delicious! They are tropical fruit royalty & deservedly so. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 4, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is sometimes called the “Queen of Tropical Fruits.” The leathery reddish purple rind encloses sweet-tart, segmented, white flesh & a few seeds. Delicious! They are tropical fruit royalty & deservedly so. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Mamey (Mammea americana) has flowers fairly typical for the family. Large, showy, many stamens in fascicles, superior ovary with no style. This tree also produces an edible fruit, much prized in the Caribbean. Fruit 📷: Arria Belli CCBYSA2. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Mamey (Mammea americana) has flowers fairly typical for the family. Large, showy, many stamens in fascicles, superior ovary with no style. This tree also produces an edible fruit, much prized in the Caribbean. Fruit 📷: Arria Belli CCBYSA2. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Clusiaceae have thick, opposite, simple leaves, and–very notably—colorful exudates (variously called resin or latex). 📷1: Trunk slash on Symphonia sp. in Madagascar. 📷2: Yellow exudate from the petiole of Clusia rosea. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Clusiaceae have thick, opposite, simple leaves, and–very notably—colorful exudates (variously called resin or latex). 📷1: Trunk slash on Symphonia sp. in Madagascar. 📷2: Yellow exudate from the petiole of Clusia rosea. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
This week: Clusiaceae, a tropical family related to Hypericaceae. Clusia rosea occurs in the US, in southern FL, often as a hemiepiphyte, i.e., germinating as an epiphyte (often on Sabal palmetto) but eventually sending roots to the ground. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 3, 2025 at 12:30 PM
This week: Clusiaceae, a tropical family related to Hypericaceae. Clusia rosea occurs in the US, in southern FL, often as a hemiepiphyte, i.e., germinating as an epiphyte (often on Sabal palmetto) but eventually sending roots to the ground. #Clusiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
While looking at axillary buds, I noticed this strange phenomenon in Rhus glabra: The petiole base completely covers & conceals the axillary bud, which is revealed (and can grow) only when the leaf has fallen away. #Anacardiaceae #buds #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
November 1, 2025 at 11:56 AM
While looking at axillary buds, I noticed this strange phenomenon in Rhus glabra: The petiole base completely covers & conceals the axillary bud, which is revealed (and can grow) only when the leaf has fallen away. #Anacardiaceae #buds #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
In unbranched palms, the axillary buds are inflorescences. A few palms, like this Wettinia praemorsa, make serial inflorescences in each axil, but the buds are collateral (side by side), not superposed. Very unusual. 📷: ProAves Colombia CCBYNCSA2. #Arecaceae #buds #Botany #TropicalBotany 🌾🧪🌱
October 31, 2025 at 11:16 AM
In unbranched palms, the axillary buds are inflorescences. A few palms, like this Wettinia praemorsa, make serial inflorescences in each axil, but the buds are collateral (side by side), not superposed. Very unusual. 📷: ProAves Colombia CCBYNCSA2. #Arecaceae #buds #Botany #TropicalBotany 🌾🧪🌱
Shifting topics midweek. I have a few photos to share of an interesting phenomenon: multiplication of the axillary buds. This is a relatively uncommon morphological feature. In pecan (Carya illinoinensis), the buds are superposed, i.e., one stacked over the other. #Juglandaceae #buds #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
October 29, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Shifting topics midweek. I have a few photos to share of an interesting phenomenon: multiplication of the axillary buds. This is a relatively uncommon morphological feature. In pecan (Carya illinoinensis), the buds are superposed, i.e., one stacked over the other. #Juglandaceae #buds #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
I was recently in the Peruvian Andes, where I ran into this plant, a species of Phenax (not sure which one). Note the smaller leaves above the stem & the larger leaves that hang below the stem. #anisophylly #Urticaceae #Botany #TropicalBotany 🌾🧪🌱
October 29, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I was recently in the Peruvian Andes, where I ran into this plant, a species of Phenax (not sure which one). Note the smaller leaves above the stem & the larger leaves that hang below the stem. #anisophylly #Urticaceae #Botany #TropicalBotany 🌾🧪🌱
This is Anisophyllea disticha (#Anisophylleaceae), which is perfectly described by the scientific name. Note the larger distichous leaves & the tiny leaves appressed to the stems. This tree is from Malesia. 📷: Cerlin Ng CCBYNCSA2 #anisophylly #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
October 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM
This is Anisophyllea disticha (#Anisophylleaceae), which is perfectly described by the scientific name. Note the larger distichous leaves & the tiny leaves appressed to the stems. This tree is from Malesia. 📷: Cerlin Ng CCBYNCSA2 #anisophylly #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Many species of Selaginella (#Selaginellaceae) have two kinds of leaves (microphylls): Spreading, distichously arranged leaves and a second kind of leaf appressed to the stem. This is Selaginella picta. Classic #anisophylly! #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
October 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Many species of Selaginella (#Selaginellaceae) have two kinds of leaves (microphylls): Spreading, distichously arranged leaves and a second kind of leaf appressed to the stem. This is Selaginella picta. Classic #anisophylly! #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Here’s another case of anisophylly that might be familiar to many of you: the unequal leaves in Tribulus cistoides, a common weed in warm climates. At each node, the leaves are unequal (& the larger leaf alternates sides at sequential nodes) #Zygophyllaceae #anisophylly #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
October 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Here’s another case of anisophylly that might be familiar to many of you: the unequal leaves in Tribulus cistoides, a common weed in warm climates. At each node, the leaves are unequal (& the larger leaf alternates sides at sequential nodes) #Zygophyllaceae #anisophylly #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Anisophylly means “unequal leaves” & refers to the production of unequal leaves continuously & concurrently (not a growth stage). Maples (this is Acer rubrum) produce a pair of leaves at each node, but one leaf has a longer stalk than the other. #Sapindaceae #anisophylly #Acer #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
October 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Anisophylly means “unequal leaves” & refers to the production of unequal leaves continuously & concurrently (not a growth stage). Maples (this is Acer rubrum) produce a pair of leaves at each node, but one leaf has a longer stalk than the other. #Sapindaceae #anisophylly #Acer #Botany 🌾🧪🌱