Boston Flora

Tag: Harvard

  • Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 pm – Swallowtails: A Kaleidoscope of Natural and Laboratory Hybrids Online Lecture

    The May meeting of the Cambridge Entomological Club will take place Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30 pm on Zoom. Click HERE to join meeting – password nabakov.

    Closely related species are prone to hybridization. The effect of natural hybrids on the evolutionary trajectory of parental species is manifold. On the other hand, laboratory hybrids are useful genetic techniques to study the divergence between incipient species. Historically, swallowtail butterflies are among the best studied insects in terms of both natural and lab hybrids, and are continuing to present challenging problems in insect speciation. In this talk, Tianzhu Xiong will present his recent study on the hybridization within the Asian peacock swallowtails. Specifically, 1) natural hybrids: the debatable relationship between Papilio syfanius and Papilio maackii near a zone of environmental shift; 2) laboratory hybrids: genetic incompatibilities within the Papilio bianor species complex. 

    Tianzhu Xiong is a 4th year graduate student from the Mallet Lab at Harvard Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and is the current president of the Cambridge Entomological Club. His research interests are theoretical population genetics and divergence in swallowtail butterflies from the oriental region.

  • Thursday, May 21, 6:00 pm – From the Hands of the Makers – Cancelled

    From 1886 to 1936, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka applied their artistic talents and knowledge of natural history to create an exquisite collection of glass models of plants to support the botanical education of Harvard students and the public. This May 21 Harvard Museum of Natural History program will explore the history, conservation, and relevance of the Glass Flowers in the twenty-first century, and introduce the publication The Glass Flowers: Marvels of Art and Science at Harvard, a compendium of new photographs that captures the beauty and magnificent detail of the models. Featured speakers are Jennifer Brown, Collection Manager, Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, Natalja Kent, Photographer, Scott E. Fulton, Head Conservator, Ware Collection, and Donald H. Pfister, Asa Gray Professor of Systemic Botany and Curator of the Farlow Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany. The program is free and open to the public, with a book signing and exhibit preview to follow.

  • Lilacs Will Bloom Without Lilac Sunday

    In keeping with CDC and Harvard COVID-19 guidelines for large gatherings, the Arnold Arboretum has suspended all public programs until further notice including Lilac Sunday 2020, our annual festivities celebrating lilacs and the arrival of spring. All formal activities such as tours, family crafts and science, and performances scheduled for Sunday, May 10 are canceled. Picnics will not be allowed on this or any day. The good news is that our spectacular lilacs will bloom as usual over the course of several weeks (typically late April through mid-to-late May). We invite you to visit during these weeks of peak lilac bloom, but request that you follow safety guidelines and respect our plants. If the landscape appears to be too crowded for safe visitation, please return another time.

  • Tuesday, February 11, 7:30 pm – Deadly Cargo

  • Thursday, February 6, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – A Rose is a Rose: The Art of Botanical Prose

    Attention gardeners, readers, and writers! Come in from the cold on Thursday, February 6 from 2 – 3:30 at the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum for an afternoon as delightful as a spring garden. Jonathan Damery, the associate editor for Arnoldia, will provide an enlivening and breathtaking tour of the artistry found in horticultural and botanical reference books. Bask in the profound eloquence of even the most exhaustive of botanical descriptions. Often cloaked in scholarly tomes, these compositions boast opinion, passion, simply gorgeous wordsmithing, and even intrigue, in some cases. Fee $5 Arboretum member, $10 nonmember Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

  • Sunday, January 5, 9:00 am – 10:30 am – Winter Birding Guided Tour of Arnold Arboretum

    Take a 90-minute walk in the Arnold Arboretum on January 5 with docent Bob Mayer from the Main Gate to Bussey Hill and back. The focus will be on winter birds, as well as the woody plant collection.

    Meet inside the Main Gate off the Arborway (parking is along the Arborway). This tour is in conjunction with the Brookline Bird Club.

    Free, but registration requested at www.my.arboretum.harvard.edu

    For cancellations due to inclement weather, call 617-384-5209 by 5:00pm January 4.

  • Saturday, December 28 – Monday, January 6 – New Year’s in the Galapagos

    Ring in the New Year and a new decade on a comprehensive itinerary to the most spectacular outer islands of the Galápagos aboard the 20-passenger premium-class yacht, the 142-foot Origin. The Galápagos Islands are a paradise of diverse landscapes and an amazing array of wildlife species. Most of the animals have never learned fear of humans, enabling astonishing up-close encounters. With pristine beaches, plentiful sea turtles, playful sea lions, and rocky reefs, the Galápagos offers unforgettable snorkeling and swimming experiences.

    • Enjoy two guided shore excursions per day, led by an expert naturalist guide to experience the islands’ birds, reptiles, plants, and volcanic formations
    • Venture out in a kayak or meander along stretches of secluded beaches, swim with playful sea lions, or snorkel among penguins and sea turtles
    • Get up close to the shore life on Zodiac rides through mangroves and along the cliffs.

    There is an optional post trip extension to Machu Picchu January 6 – 12. Discover the breathtaking Lost City of the Inca, Machu Picchu. Fly from Lima to Cusco, the capital city of the Inca Empire. From Cusco, transfer to the lovely town of Yucay in Urubamba Valley. Visit the Pisac market plus the weaving and the llama, alpaca and vicuña center of Awanacancha. Along the way, explore the massive fortress of Sacsayhuamán among other Incan sites. Overnight in Yucay, which is located at a lower elevation, to allow for an easier acclimatization. The next day, take a dramatic train ride through the Urubamba Valley to the enchanting and mystical site of Machu Picchu. On the return, spend two nights in Cusco and absorb a colorful mix of past and present. This seven-day post-tour extension includes deluxe and first class accommodations, all excursions entrance fees; train ticket; six breakfasts, four lunches, and two dinners; air transportation from Lima to Cusco and back; airport taxes; airport-to-hotel transfers; and the services of a Peruvian guide. Accommodations include the Wyndham Costa del Sol in Lima, the Sol y Luna Lodge & Spa in the Urubama Valley, Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel in Machu Picchu and the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Hotel in Cusco.  Airfare from Guayaquil to Lima is not included. Additional information and itinerary will be sent to confirmed travelers.

    This Harvard Business School exclusive trip will be lead by Daniel Lieberman, the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences; Affiliate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; and Chair of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. Complete details can be found at https://alumni.harvard.edu/travel/trips/new-years-galapagos-2019

  • Saturday, October 26, 9:30 am – 12:00 noon – The Art and Science of Mushrooms

    Learn about the science of mushrooms through observations of local fungi, and then try your hand at capturing different mushroom types. Artist and educator, Erica Beade, will introduce techniques for achieving more accuracy, volume, and texture in drawings, while Harvard scientist James Mitchell will provide an overview of local mushrooms based on specimens in hand. This Harvard Museum of Natural History program takes place Saturday, October 26 from 9:30 – 12 at the Museum at 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge. $55 Museum members/$60 nonmembers Click here: Advance registration required.

  • Wednesdays, May 15 – June 12, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm – Smartphone Photography: Spring Close-Ups

    Capture the magic of the season with your smartphone. Lilacs, azaleas, horse chestnuts, redbuds, and more will be flowering and leaves will have recently unfurled, providing a perfect venue for close-up photographs.

    Professional photographer Nancy Katz will teach you that you don’t need fancy equipment or lenses to come in close to shoot these exquisite plants. You need your smartphone and an understanding of shooting macro (close up) and how to enhance the images with your phone’s editing capabilities and a great App, aptly named Snapseed. Most of the time will be spent outdoors, except when working on Snapseed in small groups. The class will take place on three Wednesdays, May 15, 29, and June 12, from 1:30 – 3:30 at the Arnold Arboretum 125 Arborway.

    Fee: Arboretum member $65, nonmember $84

    Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

  • Wednesday, April 17, 6:00 pm – The American Land Museum: Places as Cultural Artifacts

    A free Public Lecture on Wednesday, April 17 entitled The American Land Museum: Places as Cultural Artifacts, will be given by Matthew Coolidge, Director, Center for Land Use Interpretation.

    The Center for Land Use Interpretation explores how land in the United States is apportioned, utilized, and perceived. Through exhibitions and public programs, the Center interprets built landscapes—from landfills and urban waterfalls to artificial lakes—as cultural artifacts that help define contemporary American life and culture. Coolidge will discuss the Center’s approach to finding meaning in the intentional and incidental forms we create and also talk about the Center’s efforts to develop the American Land Museum, a curated selection of locations across the country that exemplifies our relationship with the American landscape.

    The lecture will take place at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, in Menschel Hall, Lower Level. Please enter the museums via the entrance on Broadway. Doors will open at 5:30 pm.

    Free admission, but seating is limited. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 5:30 pm at the Broadway entrance. One ticket per person.

    Free event parking at the Broadway Garage, 7 Felton Street

    This Curatorial Innovations Lecture is presented by the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture in collaboration with the Harvard Art Museums and the Harvard Graduate School of Design