Boston Flora

Tag: James Lendemer

  • Tuesday, June 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Weird Little Things, Online

    Many corners of our world still contain mysteries that scientists and naturalists alike investigate to understand more about life on Earth, ourselves, and our society. In this fascinating New York Botanical Garden online symposium, on June 14 from 6 – 8, we will pull back the curtain on Mother Nature to reveal some of her most intriguing secrets and celebrate the wonder of the most unusual, ancient organisms on our planet.

    HUNTING ZOMBIE ANTS
    NYBG mycologist João Araujo, Ph.D., will share insights from his research-both in the lab and in the field-on the unusual adaptations of the zombie-ant fungi. These parasitic fungi have evolved to take control of the ants they infect, and cause them to behave in ways they wouldn’t otherwise. Zombies, anyone?

    SHAPESHIFTING SLIME MOLDS
    Myxomycetes, or slime molds, are single-celled organisms commonly found in nature, even if their minuscule size makes them easy to overlook. Naturalist Alison Pollack (@marin_mushrooms on Instagram) will share her otherworldly macro photographs of these miniature marvels and provide an overview of their life cycle, morphology, and behavior.

    LICHENS: NATURE’S PARADOX
    Lichens are vibrant, remarkable microcosms structured around fungi. Both rugged and resilient, yet intricate and fragile, they are defined by contradiction and exist outside the normal rules of life. NYBG scientist James Lendemer, Ph.D., will discuss recent findings that shed new light on these fascinating creatures, placing them at the center of understanding ourselves and our changing world.

    NYBG members $25, nonmembers $29. Register at www.nybg.org

  • Friday, April 6, 6:45 pm – New England Lichens: Leveraging Past Riches to Understanding the Present and Future

    The New England Botanical Club Distinguished Speaker, Dr. James Lendemer, will speak on Friday, April 6 at 6:45 pm in the Haller Lecture Hall, Room 102, Geological Museum, 24 Oxfore Street in Cambridge. Dr. Lendemer is Assistant Curator, Lichenology, Institute of Systematic Botany, New York Botanical Garden, and Assistant Professor, Department of Biology Graduate Center, City University of New York. His topic is New England Lichens: Leveraging Past Riches to Understanding the Present and Future. Dr. Lendemer says: “As the staff lichenologist and an assistant curator in the Institute of Systematic Botany, I spearhead a diverse program of research and education focused on lichens—symbiotic fungi that are often considered to be the equivalent of corals on land. I oversee the curation of the lichen collection at New York Botanical Garden, the largest such collection in the western hemisphere, and one that serves scientists and land managers worldwide by providing access to unique high quality data. My research focuses on understanding the biodiversity of lichens in North America, while simultaneously working with collaborative partners to develop and implement conservation strategies that will safeguard those species for future generations.” Free and open to the public. For more information visit www.rhodora.org.