Plants & Fungi A - Z

Dioscorea elephantipes (elephant's foot yam)

Elephant's foot yam is a spectacular shrubby climber from South Africa, which is threatened due to over-collection.

More: Kew discoveries

Dioscorea orangeana (Angona)

Dioscorea orangeana is a newly described, threatened species of edible yam from northern Madagascar.

More: Making the news, Kew discoveries

Dioscorea strydomiana (Strydom's yam)

Dioscorea strydomiana is a recently discovered yam from South Africa. It is critically endangered and one of the most unusual yam species anywhere in the world.

More: Medicinal, Out of the ordinary, Kew discoveries, Making the news

Dioscorea wallichii (kruo)

A yam from Southeast Asia, India and China, Dioscorea wallichii has edible tubers that can grow to over one metre long.

More: Food, Little and large

Dodonaea viscosa (hopbush)

A highly variable, extremely widespread plant with numerous medicinal uses, hopbush is known by over fifty different common names.

More: Building materials, Fuels, Medicinal

Doronicum orientale (leopard's bane)

Doronicum orientale is an early-flowering, lemon-yellow daisy, with a single flowerhead on an upright stem, and soft, rounded leaves.

More: Ornamentals

Dracaena jayniana (red dragon tree)

Dracaena jayniana is an endangered dragon tree from Thailand, the dried red sap of which is used to make a tonic drink.

More: Ornamentals, Food, Amazing adaptations, Kew discoveries, Making the news

Dransfieldia micrantha

Only recently placed in a genus of its own, the Latin name of this palm honours a Kew botanist and palm expert.

More: Palms, Kew discoveries, Building materials

Drimia maritima (maritime squill)

In late summer and autumn, the tall flowering spikes of the maritime squill are a conspicuous feature of dry, barren hillsides in coastal areas around the Mediterranean.

More: Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs

Dypsis ankirindro

A beautiful new species of palm discovered by Kew botanists in Madagascar’s newest protected area.

More: Palms, Kew discoveries

Dypsis brevicaulis

This dwarf palm from Madagascar is threatened by forest destruction. It is only known from three sites, and fewer than fifty Dypsis brevicaulis plants have been found in the wild.

More: Palms

Dypsis gronophyllum

A clustering palm, with leaflets that look as though they have been ‘nibbled’, Dypsis gronophyllum is known only from the Vondrozo area of south-east Madagascar.

More: Palms, Kew discoveries

Dypsis humilis

A highly threatened new species of stemless palm discovered by Kew botanists on the edge of Madagascar’s newest protected area.

More: Palms, Kew discoveries

Dypsis makirae

This stunning new species of palm was discovered by Kew botanists in Madagascar’s newest protected area.

More: Palms, Kew discoveries

Ecbolium tanzaniense

Seeds of Ecbolium tanzaniense, a rare Tanzanian shrub with striking livid-green flowers, were successfully collected by Kew staff and Tanzanian partners on a joint expedition in 2008.

More: Saving species

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Narrow-leaved purple coneflower is a beautiful North American tallgrass prairie plant, long prized for its medicinal qualities.

More: Medicinal

Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)

An attractive North American daisy, Echinacea purpurea has been in cultivation for over 200 years.

More: Medicinal

Echinocereus stramineus (strawberry cactus)

The densely-spined strawberry cactus is known for its hedgehog-like appearance and strawberry-flavoured fruits.

More: Out of the ordinary, Food

Edgeworthia chrysantha (oriental paperbush)

Oriental paper bush is a beautiful, winter-flowering scented shrub, which has bark valued for making high-quality paper in Japan.

More: Ornamentals, Medicinal, Textiles and dyes

Encephalartos altensteinii (Eastern Cape giant cycad)

The Eastern Cape giant cycad originates from South Africa, is long-lived and slow growing, and is popular as an ornamental plant.

More: Great plant hunters, Ornamentals, Kew discoveries, Ancient

Encephalartos tegulaneus (lpision)

This giant Kenyan cycad is a living fossil of the plant world – Encephalartos tegulaneus is a member of an ancient group and impressive, but also rare and only found on remote hills.

More: Ancient

Encephalartos woodii (Wood's cycad)

Wood’s cycad is an extremely rare plant. Along with its striking appearance, this makes it one of the most sought-after cycad species in the world.

More: Ancient

Encholirium agavoides

This striking new species of bromeliad was discovered during conservation-based fieldwork in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

More: Kew discoveries

Encholirium ctenophyllum

This new species of bromeliad, with comb-like leaves, was discovered during conservation-based fieldwork in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

More: Kew discoveries

Ensete lasiocarpa (golden lotus banana)

The golden lotus banana is a small but stunning member of the banana family.

More: Food, Traditions and beliefs

Ensete ventricosum (Ethiopian banana)

A staple food crop in its native Ethiopia, the Ethiopian banana is also a popular ornamental giving gardens a lush tropical effect with its large decorative leaves and striking purple midrib.

More: Food, Ornamentals

Epidendrum montserratense (Montserrat orchid)

In 2006, Kew conservationists rescued several plants of the endangered Montserrat orchid from dead trees on the volcano-ravaged island of Montserrat and installed them in the security of the island’s botanic garden.

More: Orchids, Saving species

Epidendrum radicans

A vigorous terrestrial orchid with bright orange and yellow flowers, Epidendrum radicans is grown as an ornamental and for cut flowers.

More: Orchids, Ornamentals

Epimedium flavum (barrenwort)

Epimedium flavum is a herbaceous perennial with upright stems and bright yellow flowers, produced mainly in spring.

More: Ornamentals

Epimedium perralderianum (barrenwort)

Barrenwort is an evergreen, herbaceous perennial with stiff, heart-shaped leaflets and spikes of small, yellow flowers in spring.

More: Ornamentals

Erythrina senegalensis (coral tree)

One of the coral trees: a scarlet beauty with a sting in its tail.

More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Medicinal

Eucalyptus brandiana (Brand's mallet)

Brand's mallet is a rare and endangered ornamental Eucalyptus recently described from Fitzgerald River National Park in SW Australia.

More: Eucalyptus family, Kew discoveries

Eucalyptus camaldulensis (river red gum)

River red gum is a beautiful tree found along river banks and in valleys in Australia.

More: Building materials, Fuels, Medicinal

Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian blue gum)

The principal source of eucalyptus oil, Tasmanian blue gum is a tall, evergreen tree native to Tasmania and Victoria and is the most widely cultivated eucalypt across Australia and the rest of the world.

More: Trees, Eucalyptus family, Building materials, Medicinal, Beauty and cosmetics

Eucalyptus sweedmaniana (Sweedman's mallee)

Sweedman's mallee is a knee-high rare eucalypt of horticultural merit recently discovered on the burnt coastal slopes of the Mount Arid granite inselberg in SW Australia.

More: Eucalyptus family, Kew discoveries

Eucomis bicolor (pineapple lily)

Pineapple lily is a summer-flowering, bulbous perennial with an impressive, long-lasting display of star-shaped flowers.

More: Ornamentals, Medicinal

Euonymus latifolius (large-leaved spindle)

The large-leaved spindle is a shrub with scarlet fruits and brilliant red leaves in autumn.

More: Ornamentals

Euphorbia caput-medusae (Medusa's head)

Medusa’s head is so named because of its numerous snake-like stems.

More: Ornamentals, Out of the ordinary

Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia)

A small tree or shrub from Mexico and Guatemala, poinsettia is cultivated for its striking red bracts, and potted forms are the basis of a lucrative Christmas industry.

More: House plants, Ornamentals, Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs, Trees

Euphorbia stricta (upright spurge)

The upright spurge is an annual herb, widespread throughout Europe but uncommon in the UK where it is found mainly in a small area around Gloucester.

More: Ornamentals

Euryops pectinatus (golden daisy bush)

Golden daisy bush is a South African shrub bearing bright yellow flower heads and attractive, narrowly divided leaves.

More: Ornamentals

Fagus sylvatica (copper beech)

Copper beech trees can be propagated by grafting to maintain the colour of the leaves.

More: Trees, Fuels, Building materials

Felicia amelloides (blue marguerite)

Blue marguerite is a South African perennial, popularly cultivated for its bright blue flower heads.

More: Ornamentals

Ficus benghalensis (banyan)

The banyan is a type of strangling fig, native to India and Pakistan. Known in Hindu mythology as 'the wish-fulfilling tree', banyans represent eternal life.

More: Trees, Traditions and beliefs, Gums and resins, Building materials, Textiles and dyes

Filipendula rubra (queen of the prairie)

Queen of the prairie is an attractive bog garden perennial, with clusters of rose-pink flowers and fragrant leaves.

More: Ornamentals, Medicinal

Forsythia suspensa (weeping forsythia)

Weeping forsythia is an elegant, hardy shrub, which is a welcome sight in spring, thanks to its abundance of bright golden-yellow flowers on bare branches.

More: Ornamentals, Medicinal

Fraxinus americana (white ash)

White ash is a rapidly growing timber tree native to eastern North America. Its shock-resistant timber is used for tool handles and baseball bats.

More: Trees, Building materials, Ornamentals

Fraxinus excelsior (European ash)

One of Europe’s largest native deciduous trees, European ash provides tough, elastic timber that is widely used for furniture and also used to make tennis racquets and cricket stumps.

More: Making the news, Trees, Building materials, Ornamentals, Medicinal, Traditions and beliefs

Frerea indica

Frerea indica is an endangered succulent restricted to Maharashtra in western India.

Fritillaria meleagris (snake’s head fritillary)

Snake’s head fritillary has stunning, chequer-patterned flowers, and has become quite rare in the wild.

More: Ornamentals, Saving species