Friday, 23 September 2016 17:31

Visit to Kew Gardens

Written by

 

Just back from a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, Southwest of London. They are keen to promote the science behind the collections and the gardens at Kew and I went to give them some of my ideas as a teaching academic with some experience of science community outreach.

 

Charlotte Sweeney and I in the old Herbarium Building
Charlotte Sweeney and I in the old Kew Herbarium

 

Had a great time there and met with some really enthausiastic staff including:

Charlotte Sweeney, Head, Office of the Science Directorate

Rhian J. Smith, Senior Science Officer (Education and Communication)

Ruth Bone, Orchid Research Fellow

Ester Gaya, Senior Researcher in Mycology

Olwen M. Grace, Research Assistant to Head of Sustainable Uses Group

Ilia J. Leitch, Plant Genetics Scientist

Carlos Magdelena, Senior Tropical Propagation Horticulturalist (you may have seen him appearing with David Attenborough).
 
 
DSC5702
 Carlos Magdalena

 

We were given a tour of the tropical greenhouses by Ruth Bone and I was excited to meet Carlos Magdalena, who was responsible for reviving the Nymphaea thermarum lily from almost certain extinction. He is a whirlwind of enthusiastic energy and formidable knowledge and possibly most importantly, an ability to observe the world with a highly acute eye and an open mind. 

DSC5657
Cafe Marron

 

He showed us lots of plants from the Mascarene Islands which exhibit heterophylly (different leaves on juvenile and adult plants) including the Cafe Marron.  The plants come from lots of families but showed convergent evolution, all having juvenile leaves that look very unappealing to tortoises. Once the plant gets to a height that a tortoise can longer reach the leaves change shape and colour. So for budding scientists out there, how does this happen?

All in all a wonderfull afternoon and a delight to meet such inspiring and dedicated science colleagues who are trying to transform this great institution into a thriving hub of botanical science, horticulture and communication fit for the 21st Century.

 

DSC5605
Ester Gaya and I, Tropical Nursery, Kew

 

 

 

 

Read 3116 times Last modified on Friday, 23 September 2016 17:31
Andrew Netherwood

Website designer and administrator. andrew@ndesign.net.au