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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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

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

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Cleavers is a botanical hitchhiker with a medicinal past, present and future.

More: Traditions and beliefs, Medicinal, Coffee family

Gardenia thunbergia (white gardenia)

The large, showy, creamy-white flowers of the white gardenia have an overpowering scent, which is particularly noticeable at night and typical of moth-pollinated plants.

More: Coffee family, Medicinal, Ornamentals