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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Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum)
The titan arum is a giant among plants, with a massive flowering structure that rises some three metres above the ground. Its flowering is rare and unpredictable, and always grabs the headlines!
More: Little and large, Ornamentals, Out of the ordinary, Amazing adaptations, Making the news
Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress)
Thale cress hit the headlines in 2000, when this small garden weed became the first plant to have its genome sequenced.
More: Making the news, Medicinal
Bulbophyllum nocturnum
Bulbophyllum nocturnum was recently discovered on the island of New Britain (part of Papua New Guinea) and is the first known orchid with flowers that consistently open at night and close during the day.
More: Orchids, Kew discoveries, Making the news
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
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
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
Helixanthera schizocalyx
A striking new mistletoe, recently discovered in the ‘lost forest’ of Mt Mabu in northern Mozambique, is currently known from just five collections made in the same small area.
More: Kew discoveries, Making the news
Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell)
Bluebells, almost half the global population of which is found in the UK, can create a stunning carpet of woodland colour during the spring.
More: Making the news, Ornamentals
Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (chalara ash dieback)
Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus is a virulent fungal pathogen of ash trees that causes ‘chalara ash dieback’ in northern and central Europe and has recently spread to the UK.
More: Making the news, Fungi
Musa itinerans (Yunnan banana)
The Yunnan banana, native to China’s Yunnan province, is the 24,200th plant species saved at Kew's Millennium Seed Bank.
More: Food, Saving species, Making the news
Nymphaea thermarum
Nymphaea thermarum is the smallest waterlily in the world, and the only Nymphaea to grow in damp mud rather than water.
More: Saving species, Making the news, Little and large
Paris japonica (Japanese canopy plant)
The genome of the Japanese canopy plant contains 50 times more DNA than the human genome and is 15% larger than the previous record holders (the marbled lungfish and a trillium).
More: Alpines, Kew discoveries, Food, Making the news
Tahina spectabilis (dimaka)
Large enough to be visible in satellite imagery, dimaka is an enormous ‘self-destructive’ palm that remained undetected by science until 2007.
More: Palms, Out of the ordinary, Little and large, Making the news
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