🌴 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
Pinned
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 🌾🧪🌱
Most flowers have their perianth parts arranged in whorls, i.e., an outer whorl of sepals surrounding 1 or more inner whorls of petals. In this Asimina reticulata, the two whorls of petals are dissimilar & readily distinguished. The sepal whorl isn't visible in the photo. #Annonaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 7, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Most flowers have their perianth parts arranged in whorls, i.e., an outer whorl of sepals surrounding 1 or more inner whorls of petals. In this Asimina reticulata, the two whorls of petals are dissimilar & readily distinguished. The sepal whorl isn't visible in the photo. #Annonaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
The way the perianth parts are arranged in the flower is important to note: In some flowers, the parts are arranged in a spiral around the floral axis. The sepals often intergrade into the petals. The flowers of this cactus, Echinopsis cuzcoensis, are good examples. #Cactaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 7, 2026 at 11:30 AM
The way the perianth parts are arranged in the flower is important to note: In some flowers, the parts are arranged in a spiral around the floral axis. The sepals often intergrade into the petals. The flowers of this cactus, Echinopsis cuzcoensis, are good examples. #Cactaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
In past posts, I’ve mentioned “limb” and “tube” when referring to the flower. These terms apply to sympetalous (petals united) flowers, like this Brunfelsia lactea, where the corolla is narrow at the base & flares broadly at its apex. #Solanaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 6, 2026 at 4:51 PM
In past posts, I’ve mentioned “limb” and “tube” when referring to the flower. These terms apply to sympetalous (petals united) flowers, like this Brunfelsia lactea, where the corolla is narrow at the base & flares broadly at its apex. #Solanaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
I have the sad news that my friend & mentor Walter S. Judd passed away last Sunday. Walt was an award-winning teacher & a stellar systematist & taxonomist. His work with Ericaceae & Melastomataceae is the model of what good taxonomy is all about. He will be greatly missed. #Botany 🌾🧪
January 6, 2026 at 12:34 PM
I have the sad news that my friend & mentor Walter S. Judd passed away last Sunday. Walt was an award-winning teacher & a stellar systematist & taxonomist. His work with Ericaceae & Melastomataceae is the model of what good taxonomy is all about. He will be greatly missed. #Botany 🌾🧪
The sepals and petals have collective terms. The calyx is the collective term for sepals; the corolla is the collective term for petals. Taken together, they are the perianth. The model is Datura metel 'Belle Blanche' #Solanaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 6, 2026 at 11:30 AM
The sepals and petals have collective terms. The calyx is the collective term for sepals; the corolla is the collective term for petals. Taken together, they are the perianth. The model is Datura metel 'Belle Blanche' #Solanaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
I am so excited! My book, “Dearest Clara: The Correspondence of the Nichols Sisters, 1858-1898,” is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble!
The book is a collection of 99 never-before-published letters written by three working-class sisters from Michigan.
The book is a collection of 99 never-before-published letters written by three working-class sisters from Michigan.
January 5, 2026 at 8:46 PM
You can have both kinds of symmetry on the same plant: This Ratibida pinnata (📷: Joshua Mayer CCBYSA2) has two kinds of flowers. Ray flowers are zygomorphic; disk flowers are actinomorphic. Of course, the Asteraceae are famous for this trait. #Asteraceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM
You can have both kinds of symmetry on the same plant: This Ratibida pinnata (📷: Joshua Mayer CCBYSA2) has two kinds of flowers. Ray flowers are zygomorphic; disk flowers are actinomorphic. Of course, the Asteraceae are famous for this trait. #Asteraceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
This Magnolia stellata 'Scented Silver' has an actinomorphic or radially symmetrical flower. You can find many ways to divide the flower into two equal halves. #Magnoliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 5, 2026 at 4:42 PM
This Magnolia stellata 'Scented Silver' has an actinomorphic or radially symmetrical flower. You can find many ways to divide the flower into two equal halves. #Magnoliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
This week, let’s look at flower descriptors, starting with symmetry. If there is only 1 way to divide a flower into 2 equal halves, it’s zygomorphic or bilaterally symmetrical. Orchids, like this Rhyncattleanthe Guanmiau City 'Black Flower', are good examples. #Orchidaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 5, 2026 at 11:30 AM
This week, let’s look at flower descriptors, starting with symmetry. If there is only 1 way to divide a flower into 2 equal halves, it’s zygomorphic or bilaterally symmetrical. Orchids, like this Rhyncattleanthe Guanmiau City 'Black Flower', are good examples. #Orchidaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Prosopanache is the tropical American answer to Hydnora of Africa. The two genera are sisters, holoparasitic & lack chlorophyll. They appear above ground only as flowers. This is Prosopanche americana, parasitic on legumes. 📷: Agustín Zarco CCBY4 #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 3, 2026 at 11:03 AM
Prosopanache is the tropical American answer to Hydnora of Africa. The two genera are sisters, holoparasitic & lack chlorophyll. They appear above ground only as flowers. This is Prosopanche americana, parasitic on legumes. 📷: Agustín Zarco CCBY4 #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Lactoris fernandeziana is the only species in the genus & endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile. It is a shrub with small leaves (1–3 cm) & interpetiolary stipules. It is seldom seen (this one is from iNaturalist; Lukas Mekis CCBYNC4) & not cultivated. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 2, 2026 at 11:27 AM
Lactoris fernandeziana is the only species in the genus & endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile. It is a shrub with small leaves (1–3 cm) & interpetiolary stipules. It is seldom seen (this one is from iNaturalist; Lukas Mekis CCBYNC4) & not cultivated. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Aristolochia fruits are a marvel. Some, like A. dictyophlebia, are berry-like (the former Pararistolochia), but many are wonderful baskets, like this A. ringens, from which the flat seeds sift into the wind. #Aristolochiaceae #TropicalBotany #dispersal #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
January 1, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Aristolochia fruits are a marvel. Some, like A. dictyophlebia, are berry-like (the former Pararistolochia), but many are wonderful baskets, like this A. ringens, from which the flat seeds sift into the wind. #Aristolochiaceae #TropicalBotany #dispersal #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Food mimicry occurs in Aristolochia rotunda (📷: wp-polzin CCBYNC4). The flower emits the same chemicals as those secreted by bugs (Miridae) when predators kill them. Chloropidae flies, which feed on dead bug fluids, are lured into flowers → pollination. #Diptera #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 31, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Food mimicry occurs in Aristolochia rotunda (📷: wp-polzin CCBYNC4). The flower emits the same chemicals as those secreted by bugs (Miridae) when predators kill them. Chloropidae flies, which feed on dead bug fluids, are lured into flowers → pollination. #Diptera #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
In addition to scent & color, the shape of the flowers is likely attractive to flies (Diptera). On A. tricaudata (“3 tails”), the long attenuate lobes of the perianth are probably fly attractants. Flies, it seems, like that sort of thing. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 31, 2025 at 11:30 AM
In addition to scent & color, the shape of the flowers is likely attractive to flies (Diptera). On A. tricaudata (“3 tails”), the long attenuate lobes of the perianth are probably fly attractants. Flies, it seems, like that sort of thing. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Have you heard the one about the fly that walked into a flower?
When a pollen-bearing fly enters the flower of an Aristilochia (like this A. samarensis), the journey is 1-way: Downward-pointing hairs prevent escape. The flower is in the female phase, so the stigma picks up the pollen from the fly.
When a pollen-bearing fly enters the flower of an Aristilochia (like this A. samarensis), the journey is 1-way: Downward-pointing hairs prevent escape. The flower is in the female phase, so the stigma picks up the pollen from the fly.
December 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Have you heard the one about the fly that walked into a flower?
When a pollen-bearing fly enters the flower of an Aristilochia (like this A. samarensis), the journey is 1-way: Downward-pointing hairs prevent escape. The flower is in the female phase, so the stigma picks up the pollen from the fly.
When a pollen-bearing fly enters the flower of an Aristilochia (like this A. samarensis), the journey is 1-way: Downward-pointing hairs prevent escape. The flower is in the female phase, so the stigma picks up the pollen from the fly.
Erbar et al. (2016), “Aristolochia species are generally assumed to be brood-site fraudsters [that] simulate carrion or fungi.” They look & smell like a good place to lay eggs & are pollinated by ovipositing flies. 📷: A. arborea, which mimics fungi. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Erbar et al. (2016), “Aristolochia species are generally assumed to be brood-site fraudsters [that] simulate carrion or fungi.” They look & smell like a good place to lay eggs & are pollinated by ovipositing flies. 📷: A. arborea, which mimics fungi. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Many tropical Aristolochia spp. are lianas, i.e., woody climbers. The 1st photo shows A. maxima, which is cauliflorous, producing long tresses of flowers from the main, woody stem. The 2nd photo is an unlabeled mystery from Atlanta Bot. Gard. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Many tropical Aristolochia spp. are lianas, i.e., woody climbers. The 1st photo shows A. maxima, which is cauliflorous, producing long tresses of flowers from the main, woody stem. The 2nd photo is an unlabeled mystery from Atlanta Bot. Gard. #TropicalBotany #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Flowers of Aristolochia are weird & wonderful. I find them irresistible. (Doesn’t everyone?) This is A. grandiflora, with its large, saxophone-shaped flowers, each with a long, tail-like lobe. #Aristolochiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 29, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Flowers of Aristolochia are weird & wonderful. I find them irresistible. (Doesn’t everyone?) This is A. grandiflora, with its large, saxophone-shaped flowers, each with a long, tail-like lobe. #Aristolochiaceae #TropicalBotany #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Aristolochia manshuriensis is from China & Korea. The strangely shaped calyx (vaguely pipe-like, hence “pipevine”) makes an inviting, protected place for pollinators. Next week’s posts will focus on the tropical species & look at pollination. Stay tuned... #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 27, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Aristolochia manshuriensis is from China & Korea. The strangely shaped calyx (vaguely pipe-like, hence “pipevine”) makes an inviting, protected place for pollinators. Next week’s posts will focus on the tropical species & look at pollination. Stay tuned... #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Aristolochia kaempferi is a temperate climber from central China and Japan. Aristolochia species have elaborate, tubular flowers, but the perianth is uniseriate, meaning the perianth has only one whorl. Hard to say if it's calyx (sepals) or corolla (petals). #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Aristolochia kaempferi is a temperate climber from central China and Japan. Aristolochia species have elaborate, tubular flowers, but the perianth is uniseriate, meaning the perianth has only one whorl. Hard to say if it's calyx (sepals) or corolla (petals). #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Here’s a little present for those of you on the Nice list. This is Asarum speciosum, native to Alabama. Isn’t it fantastic? #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Here’s a little present for those of you on the Nice list. This is Asarum speciosum, native to Alabama. Isn’t it fantastic? #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Aristolochia tomentosa is sometimes put in the segregate genus Isotrema, but most of us recognize that it’s just a pipevine with a 3-lobed flower, rather than a 1- or 2-lobed flower. This woody climber is found in the eastern USA as far west as TX. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 25, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Aristolochia tomentosa is sometimes put in the segregate genus Isotrema, but most of us recognize that it’s just a pipevine with a 3-lobed flower, rather than a 1- or 2-lobed flower. This woody climber is found in the eastern USA as far west as TX. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
The other subfamilies of Aristolochiaceae are mostly tropical (I’ll post tropical spp. next week), but some Aristolochia spp. (subfamily Aristolochioideae) are found in the temperate zone. This is Europe’s native Aristolochia clematitis, a species with erect stems. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The other subfamilies of Aristolochiaceae are mostly tropical (I’ll post tropical spp. next week), but some Aristolochia spp. (subfamily Aristolochioideae) are found in the temperate zone. This is Europe’s native Aristolochia clematitis, a species with erect stems. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
The sister genus to Asarum is Saruma henryi of China. It has sepals & petals. This bright flower is surely insect-pollinated, but I haven’t read any studies on its pollination biology. Asarum & Saruma belong to subfamily Asaroideae, which is primarily temperate. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 24, 2025 at 11:30 AM
The sister genus to Asarum is Saruma henryi of China. It has sepals & petals. This bright flower is surely insect-pollinated, but I haven’t read any studies on its pollination biology. Asarum & Saruma belong to subfamily Asaroideae, which is primarily temperate. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Discerning gardeners find Asarum spp. highly collectible. Who wouldn’t want to grow this beauty, Asarum maximum? What pollinates Asarum spp? Mostly small Diptera. They are probably brood-site mimics. Some have no perceptible odor; others are fetid. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
December 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Discerning gardeners find Asarum spp. highly collectible. Who wouldn’t want to grow this beauty, Asarum maximum? What pollinates Asarum spp? Mostly small Diptera. They are probably brood-site mimics. Some have no perceptible odor; others are fetid. #Aristolochiaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱