Science & Conservation | Kew (original) (raw)
Kew is a global resource for plant and fungal knowledge. We have one of the largest and most diverse collections of plant and fungal specimens (living and preserved) in the world.
Our unique combination of extensive collections, databases, scientific expertise and global partnerships gives us a leading role in facilitating access to fundamental plant and fungal information. The core purpose of our science stems from a simple but often overlooked truth: all our lives depend on plants.
Download our Science Strategy to find out how we intend to make an invaluable contribution to some of the biggest issues facing the global population.
Read the Kew Science blog for an insight into Kew's latest scientific research.
Kew Science News
Seed-collecting in China’s Yunnan province
12-Apr-2015
Yunnan province covers only 4% of China’s land surface, yet is home to about half of China’s plant species. Kew scientist Jonas Mueller joined a team from the Kunming Institute of Botany to collect key plant species in the southern parts of the province.
Mind the (gender) gap?
30-Mar-2015
A unique and complete data set created and maintained by Kew scientists over the last 260 years has revealed a striking difference in the number of new plant species described by male and female botanists.
Cold-driven extinctions
11-Mar-2015
An integrated analysis of fossils, geographic ranges, climate and phylogeny shows that past climate cooling has left a strong mark on the phylogenetic structure of northern temperate forest floras.
Homoglutathione in legumes
10-Mar-2015
The presence of homoglutathione in legumes is restricted to species in the Old World clade of subfamily Papilionoideae.
Kew magazine wins at the GMG Awards
Kew magazine won the Environmental Award at the GMG Awards at The Savoy in London (26 November). The award was for a piece by Stephanie Pain called 'Saving for the Future' on the UK National Tree Seed Project, which appeared in the spring issue.
Download 'Saving for the Future'
Fungi research at Kew
Plants and fungi in focus
Passion flower (Passiflora lindeniana)
A passion flower with striking white flowers, Passiflora lindeniana is the tallest of all true tree passion flowers.
Flowers of Passiflora lindeniana
Passiflora lindeniana is native to Venezuela, where populations are threatened by deforestation, felling for firewood and insect pests. This tree can be seen growing in Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory (in the temperate orchid zone).
More about this passion flower