In 2015, Kew scientists and their collaborators from around the world published 149 species of plants and fungi new to science, as reported in the Independent on Sunday. Martin Cheek reveals the stories behind the species.
Kew’s Orchid Festival, opening this week with a Brazilian theme, features a new short film following an expedition along the French Guiana-Brazil border. The film examines how modern techniques and equipment, coupled with old-fashioned exploration, can help fill voids in our knowledge of the Amazon flora.
Brian Douglas describes how the Lost and Found Fungi project at Kew aims to help develop British fungal conservation, by trying to find out which 'lost' species are truly extinct and which species are simply under-recorded due to lack of survey work.
Bob Allkin explains how Kew’s Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) is involved in helping the world’s health regulators to ensure that herbal products are traded safely by supporting development of an important new medicinal standard.
Paul Green and Aaron Davis explain how scientists at Kew and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are exploring some interesting areas for future research to combat coffee pests, using naturally occurring coffee chemicals and pesticidal plants.
Kew botanist Daniela Zappi is one of the authors of a paper highlighting the extinction risk faced by the charismatic cactus family, and is involved in helping the Brazilian government to improve the measures taken to protect cactus species.
Members of Kew's Lab-based Collections team describe the first steps in the process of digitising Kew's large and diverse microscope slide collection, which includes thin sections of leaves, stems, roots, wood, flowers and pollen.
Following the UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015, which took place at the end of September, Paul Wilkin explains how Kew is making a significant contribution to the UN’s sustainable development goals through its biodiversity science. Kew will use the goals as a focus of its science activities during the 15 year time frame.
Director of Kew, Richard Deverell, explains why 2015 feels like it may end up being a watershed year for the environment, and how when science and politics come together in harmony, great things can be achieved.
Although Kew is mostly known for its work on plants, a large part of the research is focused on the diversity and importance of fungi. Pepijn Kooij explains how mycologists at Kew are working to understand a wide variety of topics in fungal biology and the importance of fungi for plant diversity.
Lee Davies, Fungarium Collections Assistant, introduces Kew’s Fungarium, which represents the most comprehensive collection of fungi in the world and is one of only several collections of fungi with a dedicated research team.