Plants & Fungi A - Z
Explore our profiles of plants and fungi.
These illustrated profiles contain a wealth of facts, including details on conservation, uses and habitats – as well as Kew’s connections with the species. They have been chosen to inspire interest in plants, detail our science and conservation work and showcase star plants in the Gardens.
This is a constantly growing resource with new profiles added every week - so do be sure to check back regularly.
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Caliphruria tenera (Amazon lily)
A bulbous herb with small white flowers, Caliphruria tenera has not been recorded in the wild since 1853, and is now considered to be possibly extinct.
Callicarpa argentii
Callicarpa argentii is one of four new species of Callicarpa recently described from the island of Borneo.
More: Mint family, Trees
Calocybe gambosa (St George’s mushroom)
St George's mushroom is one of the few good edible fungi to be found in spring, usually appearing in late April close to St George’s Day (23rd April), hence the popular name.
Calodendrum capense (Cape chestnut)
An African tree producing a spectacular display of pink flowers, Cape chestnut is a popular ornamental.
More: Ornamentals, Trees, Beauty and cosmetics, Building materials
Caloncoba welwitschii
In the dense, green, tropical forest undergrowth in Africa, the profusion of petals of the bright white flowers of Caloncoba welwitschii provide quite a spectacle.
Calvatia gigantea (giant puffball)
Calvatia gigantea produces perhaps the largest fruitbody of any fungus, and is aptly referred to as the giant puffball. The unmistakeable fruitbodies, which appear in late summer and autumn, are often the size of footballs and sometimes much larger.
More: Fungi, Food, Medicinal, Little and large
Camassia leichtlinii (great camas)
Great camas is a bulbous plant native to North America, with broader leaves than other species of this genus, that bears many star-shaped blue or whitish flowers.
More: Ornamentals, Food
Camellia sasanqua (Christmas camellia)
Christmas camellia is an attractive shrub with beautiful white to red flowers and contrasting dark green evergreen leaves.
More: Ornamentals, Food, Trees
Camellia sinensis (tea)
Tea is the most important non-alcoholic beverage in the world, and over three million tonnes are grown annually.
Camillea leprieurii
Camillea leprieurii is a fungus dependent on rainforest trees for survival but can only be easily detected when observed growing out of dead branches.
More: Fungi
Camoensia brevicalyx
The pink-flowered liane Camoensia brevicalyx is widely distributed in Africa, but is infrequently collected and poorly-known scientifically.
More: Legume family
Campanula betulifolia (birch-leaved bellflower)
The birch-leaved bellflower is a large-flowered species found in north-east Turkey.
More: Ornamentals, Alpines
Campanula thyrsoides (yellow bellflower)
Yellow bellflower is unusual amongst the campanulas in having yellow flowers, and is considered rare in many alpine countries.
More: Ornamentals, Alpines
Canarina canariensis (Canary bell-flower)
Canary bell-flower is a winter-flowering scrambler from the Canary Islands, with bright orange bells and copious watery nectar.
More: Ornamentals, Food
Capsicum annuum (chilli pepper)
This species includes a wide variety of peppers, including chilli peppers used in curries and sweet bell peppers used in salads.
More: Food, Ornamentals, House plants
Carapichea lucida
This newly discovered member of the coffee family was found in the threatened Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil.
More: Coffee family, Kew discoveries
Carnegiea gigantea (saguaro cactus)
A star of many Western films, the iconic saguaro cactus is a spectacular feature of the Sonoran Desert in south western North America.
More: Fuels, Building materials, Traditions and beliefs, Ornamentals, Little and large
Carpinus fangiana (Fang’s hornbeam)
The leaves and fruiting catkins of Fang’s hornbeam are larger than those of any other hornbeam.
More: Trees, Ornamentals
Caryota urens (solitary fishtail palm)
Across India and other Asian countries, the sap of solitary fishtail palm is fermented to produce an alcoholic drink called palm wine or toddy.
More: Palms, Building materials, Food, Ornamentals, Textiles and dyes, Out of the ordinary
Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut)
Sweet chestnut is a medium-sized tree that is widely cultivated for its edible nuts contained in prickly husks.
More: Building materials, Trees, Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs
Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle)
The Madagascar periwinkle is a popular ornamental plant found in gardens and homes across the world, and is also used in the treatment of cancer.
More: Medicinal
Celmisia spectabilis (cotton daisy)
The cotton daisy is one of the more widespread species in the mountainous areas of New Zealand.
More: Alpines, Ornamentals, Textiles and dyes
Centaurea montana (perennial cornflower)
A low-growing perennial with beautiful, large, blue flowerheads, perennial cornflower is native to central and southern Europe.
More: Alpines, Medicinal, Ornamentals
Chamaegigas intrepidus
Chamaegigas intrepidus is a rare aquatic plant from Namibia, with a remarkable ability to recover after drought.
More: Amazing adaptations, Saving species
Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet)
Wintersweet is grown chiefly for the wonderful scent produced by its small flowers in late winter and early spring.
More: Medicinal, Beauty and cosmetics, Ornamentals
Chlorophytum tuberosum (musli)
The dried roots of Chlorophytum tuberosum are used as a popular tonic and aphrodisiac in Ayurvedic medicine.
More: Medicinal, Ornamentals, Food
Cicer arietinum (chickpea)
Widely cultivated for its nutritious seeds, chickpea is thought to have originated in Turkey, Syria and Iran.
More: Food, Medicinal, Legume family
Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)
Watermelon has long been valued for its refreshing fruits, which have also been used as an ingredient in cosmetics.
More: Food, Beauty and cosmetics, Medicinal
Clathrus archeri (devil's fingers)
Clathrus archeri, also known as devil's fingers, has a gelatinous egg stage from which the fruitbody arises, its four to eight reddish arms each coated with dark, foul-smelling tissue.
More: Fungi, Out of the ordinary
Clerodendrum paniculatum (pagoda flower)
The pagoda flower, so called because of its tall, pyramidal inflorescences, is one of the most spectacular Clerodendrum species.
More: Mint family, Medicinal, Saving species, Ornamentals
Cochlospermum orinocense (Tefé rose)
A striking South American tree, the empty fruits of which may turn up in your potpourri.
More: Trees, Textiles and dyes, Beauty and cosmetics
Codonopsis tangshen (bellflower)
Codonopsis tangshen is an unusual climber, bearing subtle, yellowish-green, bell-shaped flowers, with purple markings on the inside; the root is used in China to make a tonic.
More: Medicinal, Ornamentals
Coffea ambongensis
The giant beans of Coffea ambongensis are more than twice the size of those used in commercial coffee production.
More: Coffee family, Kew discoveries
Coffea arabica (Arabica coffee)
Coffee is one of the world’s favourite drinks, one of the most important commercial crop-plants, and the second most valuable international commodity; Arabica coffee is considered to produce the finest coffee beans.
More: Coffee family, Food, Medicinal, Building materials, Trees
Coffea pterocarpa
Coffea pterocarpa is a newly identified coffee species with distinctive winged berries.
More: Coffee family, Kew discoveries
Cojoba graciliflora (Guadeloupe blackbead)
Guadeloupe blackbead has beautiful clusters of creamy-white flowers and stunning red pods shaped like a string of beads and containing black seeds.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Medicinal, Trees
Cola nitida (kola nut)
A tropical tree from West African rainforests, kola nut seeds are popularly chewed as a caffeine-containing stimulant and are an ingredient in some soft drinks.
More: Food, Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs, Trees
Colophospermum mopane (mopane)
The mopane tree is reputed to provide the best fuelwood in Africa.
More: Fuels, Trees, Legume family
Commiphora guidottii (scented myrrh)
Believed to be the source of the scented myrrh mentioned in the Bible, Commiphora guidottii is a tree native to Somalia and Ethiopia.
More: Gums and resins, Traditions and beliefs, Medicinal, Beauty and cosmetics
Crassula coccinea (red crassula)
Red crassula is a succulent plant with flat heads of striking, bright scarlet flowers.
More: Ornamentals
Crinum brachynema (karnaphul)
Crinum brachynema is a Critically Endangered bulbous plant, with great potential as an ornamental, and is restricted to Gujarat and Maharashtra States in western India.
More: Medicinal, Ornamentals
Crinum purpurascens (starry crinum)
The bulb, leaves and sap of starry crinum are used in traditional medicine in West Africa for treating a range of ailments from pneumonia to snake-bite.
More: Medicinal, Ornamentals
Crinum woodrowii (Woodrow's crinum lily)
Woodrow’s crinum lily is a Critically Endangered bulbous plant with great potential as an ornamental, and is restricted to Maharashtra State in western India.
More: Medicinal
Crocus baytopiorum
The stunning pale blue flowers of the Turkish Crocus baytopiorum make it one of the most distinctive Crocus species.
More: Alpines, Ornamentals
Crocus sieberi (Sieber’s crocus)
The corms of Sieber’s crocus are edible, apparently tasting of hazelnuts, and are eaten raw by mountain shepherds in Greece.
More: Alpines, Ornamentals
Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin)
A vine native to Mexico and the USA, Cucurbita pepo has been domesticated for thousands of years and is the source of an astonishing variety of cultivated forms, including Halloween pumpkins, courgettes (zucchini) and squashes.
More: Food, Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs
Curcuma caulina (Indian arrowroot)
A tall herb from southwestern India, Indian arrowroot is cultivated for its tubers, which are an important source of starch in times of food scarcity.
More: Food
Curcuma inodora (scentless turmeric)
An attractive, perennial herb from India, scentless turmeric is cultivated as an ornamental and also used in traditional medicine.
More: Ornamentals, Medicinal
Curcuma pseudomontana (hill turmeric)
Hill turmeric is an Indian herb used in local and tribal medicine and as a source of arrowroot starch.
Curcuma roscoeana (jewel of Burma)
A popularly cultivated Curcuma, with beautiful, bright orange or yellow flowers, jewel of Burma is a member of the ginger family and an important Thai export.
More: House plants
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