Ask the Botanist
Our ace botanists are here to help you identify wild New England plants and to answer questions about their ecology and conservation. When posting a question, please provide the location, habitat (e.g. river, mountain, woodland), and photographs of the plant.
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All Questions and Answers
Recently Answered Questions
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- Question
- Hello. I read a lot of information about fig trees and there is confusion - conflicting information on each site. Tell me, is the statement true? "Fig trees are dioecious plants. Figs are formed on one tree, and caprifigs are formed on the other tree. Pollination occurs with the help of blastophage wasps. Figs do not develop on male trees". And one more thing: can female fig plants bear fruit without male ones? Sincerely
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- Dear Kampan, Many figs are dioecious, a word that comes from "two houses". Essentially, pollen-bearing flowers are borne on one tree and ovule-bearing flowers on another (so, there are different sexes of plants, like in willows). There are some figs that are monoecious (one house), so the pollen-bearing and ovule-bearing flowers are all separate, but borne on one tree (like oaks). In other words, the individual flowers of figs are unisexual, unlike many flowers where both types of parts are present (like lillies). Different types of fig trees are either monoecious or dioecious. Capifigs are the array of pollen-bearing flowers on trees where the species are dioecious. But (an important exception) some caprifigs due produce some ovule-bearing flowers so that they can produce some fruit. For dioecious species, it is my understanding that these plants are outcrossing, so they require pollination to set fruit (though there may be some exceptions to this somewhere that I have never read about). I hope this is helpful. If you still have questions, feel free to ask. (Wednesday, 22 March 2023)
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- Hello, what is the reference for county native/non-native maps on GoBotany? I observed Yellow Nodding Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes ochroleuca) in Vershire, Orange County, VT. But the map on the species page does not show it present in Orange County: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/spiranthes/ochroleuca/ Is there something useful like vouchering I can do to add it to the record? iNaturalist observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/137861713 Thank you
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- Dear ljcost, good morning. The maps you see displayed on Go Botany are based on herbarium specimens (primarily) and literature reports. I also store images that serve as virtual vouchers for plant occurrences in various counties in New England. The maps get updated as I find edits (which can be additions or exclusions). I'll update the map for this species based on your discovery. Thank you. (Thursday, 2 March 2023)
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- Good day everyone ,Can you kindly help with the identification of this plants.Thank you.
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- Dear onosigoitse, good morning. I do not recognize this woody plant. I do not know where the images were taken--is this a species that grows in North America or elsewhere? If you are living outside of northeastern North America, I may not be able to help. But, I can suggest some locations to get assistance if I knew where this plant was growing. Best wishes. (Thursday, 2 March 2023)
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- Still reviewing older photos, from the same site as the previous one in Shapleigh, Maine.. trying to decide, could this one be Botrychium minganeses? It isnt very good focus and apparently I only took the one photo and maybe dismissed it as something else at the time -2011.
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- Dear P.Smith-80, good morning. You have photographed Botrychium matricariifolium. This is a more common species of moonwort (though still often difficult to find) than members of the B. lunaria complex (to which B. minganense belongs). This species occurs in a variety of forested to open habitats. Best wishes. (Monday, 13 February 2023)
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- Can you name these plants..it seen about 12000km high at Northern Pakistan
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- Dear RahimGilgity, these plants look like a member of the rose family (Rosaceae), but I can't go further than that. I encourage you to try the Index Herbariorum website and find botanists near you that can recognize these species. Best wishes. (Monday, 6 February 2023)
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- Is this plant has any health benefits? Help me to identify the plant
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- Dear RahimGilgity, good morning. I'm sorry, I do not recognize this species. You will need local assistance by those with expertise in your region's flora. If you navigate to the Index Herbariorum website, and search on the country you found these plants in, you can locate a museum that may have botanists that can assist you with your identification questions. Good luck. (Monday, 6 February 2023)
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- Can you help me to identify the plant? It's about 14600km high from seaside At Ghashuchi near thoi pass, Yasin Ghizer Gilgit Baltistan
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- Dear RahimGilgity, good morning. I can't help you with your question because the plants are too far away in the image (i.e., I would need close-up images to have a chance of knowing the plant). Baltistan is a long way from my region of expertise, but I might recognize the family or genus of plants so that I might be able to get you started. But, again, I would need closer images of the plant in question. Best wishes. (Monday, 6 February 2023)
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- Came across some trees in Marlborough, MA that look like they've had a bad spray tan - I'd have thought a tree with orange bark would be easy to identify, but I'm not having much luck! Picture shows a common buckthorn on the right, Japanese knowledge in the middle, and a specimin of our mystery tree on the left, just for color comparison (it's not the lighting, it really is that stark a contrast!) Any ideas?
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- Dear Kamereone, good morning. There are no images associated with your question. Without them, I won't be able to assist you. If you are having trouble uploading images, please attach them to an email, send them to ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org, and I will try to help you. Best wishes. (Monday, 6 February 2023)
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- Continued-Red pine?
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- Dear Nancy, it appears you are having difficulty uploading images. Feel free to attach them to an email and send them my way. My email is ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org. I will try to help you with your question. (Thursday, 2 February 2023)
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- Native or not? Bristol county, MA. Edge of woods, mostly full sun. Round bright red stems, upright and arching. Some sort of rubus? Can’t recall seeing berries/flowers during summer, but remember a “normal” type blackberry leaf. Area might’ve been cut last year, so these might be only 1 year of growth….about 2’-3’ long. Thorns are fairly straight. Thank you.
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- Dear elmorain, hello to you. It does appear you have photographed a species of Rubus in the subgenus Rubus (blackberries). Most of these species are native to New England and most are part of the early successional flora that grows in clearings, disturbed spaces, regenerating fields, forest edges, etc. Best wishes. (Monday, 30 January 2023)
