FoPD-USA 2015 CONTEST WINNERS

As US National Coordinator, ASPB hosted four contests for Fascination of Plants Day-USA. Congratulations to the winners!

I. Petunia Cultivar Naming Contest
The new RevolutionBio’s  coloring-changing Petunia hybrida cultivar is:

Petunia hybrida “Oz” by LAURIE MARX, Lotusland in Santa Barbara, CA

Laurie explains, “The horse of a different color from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ amazed me as a child when it changed from black and white to color. This petunia is equally amazing.”

II. Fashion Statement for Fascinating Plants: Design a T-shirt

Know Plants, know life. No plants, no life. –
by LEEANN THORNTON, The College of New Jersey

fascinationofplantsday_t-shirtcontest-gardensthorntonleeanntshirt2The design depicts the Forget Me Not flower that is small and often overlooked. It is a symbol of the diversity of plants in nature. There is also a rice stalk to represent human uses of plants for food. Together, the two plants help me remember to appreciate the natural abundance of plants and the delicate relationship between humans and plants.

III. Fascinating Plant Photos: Give Us Your Best Shot!

Sciencefascinationofplantsday_photocontest-catnip2: MARCIA HARRISON-PITANIELLO, Marshall University
Autofluorescence in the Purple Passion Plant, Gynura ‘Purple Passion’– The UV-absorbing chemicals in the trichomes and epidermal cells fluoresces blue, and the purple pigment in the trichomes fluoresces pink. Also, note the autofluorescence in the small red-fluorescing chloroplasts, especially noticeable in the stomata cells of the leaf epidermis. The image was taken with a confocal fluorescence microscope.

Agriculture: JAfascinationofplantsday photocontest-silks1 Jason WallaceSON WALLACE, Cornell University
Maize silks at flowering time, with high anthocyanin content – We normally don’t think of corn (maize) when we think of attractive flowers, but varieties like this one that produce anthocyanins (colored compounds) in their silks can be quite striking. Each kernel on the ear produces its own silk, which serves as its connection to the outside world–most importantly the pollen that has to land on it to start fertilization and kernel development.
fascinationofplantsday photocontest-3264606660_ee5af1cc67_oLegume Leaf by Lena Struwe

Nature:  LENA STRUWE, Rutgers University
Legume Tree Leaf – A legume leaf with many tiny leaflets from a tree in a public school yard in Dominican Republic.

Gardens:  XINZHI NI, USDA-ARSfascinationofplantsday photocontest-p7032947 night bloomer by Xinzhi Ni
Night Bloomer – The photograph is a flower of Epiphyllum oxypetalum (de Candolle) Haworth (1829), which belongs to family Cactaceae. The common name is either Dutchman’s pipe or night blooming Cereus. The plant only blooms overnight, which lasts about 10 hours.

fascinationofplantsday photocontest-img_3392 timber mill mosaic by julia cavicchiPlant productsJULIA CAVICCHI, Skidmore College
Timber Mill Mosaic

 

 

IV. Fascinating Plant Films – Create a YouTube Video

Education: Avoiding Inbreeding the Jessamine Way by ALAN HARVEY of Georgia Southern University

This video explains how and why some species of plants have two kinds of flowers that differ in stamen and pistil length, illustrated with the native plant Carolina Jessamine.

General: Plant Science for a Better World by Ginseng Research Lab in Kyung Hee University, South Korea

This video introduces our team members and research work in field and lab for plant science. We are working for. We are happy to work for plant science and we want to share this feeling with others.

 

shining_leafFascination of Plants Day 2015 (www.plantday.org) is an international event that showcases how plants are essential to the food, pharma, fuels, and fibers integral to our daily lives and a sustainable environment.

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