Plants

Ceropegia elegans: a lantern-flower native to India and Sri Lanka Ceropegia elegans Ceropegia elegans is a species of the milkweed family found in India and Sri Lanka. The plant belongs to the Ceropegia genus and is noted for its small vining habit and specialized…

Chamaerops — the European fan palm Chamaerops Chamaerops is a small genus of palms represented by the European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), a clumping, drought-tolerant palm native to parts of the western Mediterranean and w…

Chamomile: description, history, varieties, and traditional uses Chamomile Chamomile is a group of aromatic flowering plants used as herbal tea and traditional medicine. This article outlines its characteristics, history, common species, uses, and cultura…

Chaparral: Mediterranean shrubland of California and similar regions Chaparral Chaparral is a drought‑adapted shrubland shaped by a Mediterranean climate and periodic fire, predominant in California and found in four other global regions with similar climates…

Chard: an overview of Swiss chard, silverbeet, and garden varieties Chard Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla) is a leafy green related to beets, valued for its nutrient-rich leaves and colorful stalks. This article covers appearance, history, uses, cultiv…

Charophyceae: the green algae group closest to land plants Charophyceae Charophyceae (charophytes) are a group of green algae closely related to land plants. This article explains their features, classification debates, evolutionary importance, ecology…

Chenopodioideae — subfamily of Amaranthaceae (goosefoot relatives) Chenopodioideae Chenopodioideae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of Amaranthaceae (formerly Chenopodiaceae) of about 1,400 species, notable for salt- and drought-tolerant herbs and shrubs including edi…

Cheongyang chili pepper A spicy Korean cultivar of Capsicum annuum developed in 1983 by Dr. Il‑ung Yoo; notable for 10,000–23,000 Scoville heat units and common use in Korean cooking.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola): description, cultivation and uses Cherimoya Cherimoya is a sweet, creamy-fruited tree native to the Andes, cultivated for its custard-like flesh. Article covers appearance, origins, cultivation, culinary uses, varieties and…

Cherry blossom (Sakura): biology, varieties, cultural significance Cherry blossom Cherry blossom, or sakura, refers to ornamental Prunus species famed for brief, showy spring flowers. This article covers biology, varieties, cultural history, hanami customs, cult…

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium): a delicate garden herb Chervil Chervil is a delicate annual herb (Anthriscus cerefolium) in the carrot family, valued for its mild anise-like flavor in French cooking and used fresh in salads, sauces, and fines…

Chestnut: trees, nuts, uses, and cultural meanings Chestnut Comprehensive overview of chestnuts: botanical distinctions, major species, uses (culinary, timber, ornamental), threats such as chestnut blight, and cultural notes including idiom…

Chia (Salvia hispanica): plant, edible seeds, uses and cultural notes Chia Chia commonly denotes Salvia hispanica and its nutritious edible seeds, known for fiber and omega‑3s; also a novelty 'Chia Pet' and a modern blockchain. Covers botany, history, nut…

Chico fruit (Sapodilla): overview, uses, cultivation, and history Chico fruit Chico, or sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), is a tropical fruit tree valued for its sweet, grainy flesh and for chicle latex. This article covers identification, cultivation, culinary…

Chicory (Cichorium intybus): biology, uses, and varieties Chicory Chicory is a perennial herb in the daisy family grown for its blue flowers, salad leaves, blanched buds and roots; used as forage, a coffee substitute, and a source of inulin and d…

Chili pepper: overview, characteristics, history, uses and distinctions Chili pepper Summary of the chili pepper (Capsicum): botanical background, origin in the Americas, culinary and medicinal uses, major varieties, cultivation notes and its distinction from black…

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) Chives Perennial herb related to onions with slender, hollow leaves and a mild onion flavor; used fresh as a garnish, in salads, soups, and grown widely in home gardens.

Chloranthaceae — a small family of early-diverging flowering plants Chloranthaceae Chloranthaceae is a small family of aromatic herbaceous and woody angiosperms in four genera. They have inconspicuous, apetalous flowers and an ancient evolutionary history with a…

Chlorella — single-celled green algae: biology, uses, and cultivation Chlorella Chlorella is a genus of unicellular green algae noted for rapid photosynthetic growth. It is used in research, supplements, wastewater treatment and biofuel studies, and reproduces…

Chlorophyll: the green pigment essential to photosynthesis Chlorophyll Chlorophyll is the green pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs light for photosynthesis, enabling plants, algae and cyanobacteria to convert light into chemical energy and produce s…

Chlorophyta (green algae): diversity, biology, and ecological roles Chlorophyta Chlorophyta, commonly called green algae, are a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotes. This article summarizes their features, habitats, life cycles, ecological roles, and sig…

Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant) Chlorophytum comosum Chlorophytum comosum, the spider or airplane plant, is a stoloniferous, easy-care houseplant from southern Africa prized for arching foliage, plantlets, and tolerance of varied ind…

Chloroplast: the photosynthetic organelle in plants and algae Chloroplast Chloroplasts are membrane-bound organelles in plants and algae that capture light with chlorophyll to produce sugars by photosynthesis, release oxygen, and support metabolism and e…

Choix des plus belles fleurs (Pierre-Joseph Redouté) Choix des plus belles fleurs Overview of Pierre-Joseph Redouté’s Choix des plus belles fleurs (1827–1833): its content, production, publication history, artistic techniques, and place in botanical art and coll…

Chrysanthemum: Description, Cultivation, Varieties and Cultural Role Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, grown worldwide for ornamental blooms, teas, and symbolic uses in many cultures.

Chusquea: South American mountain bamboos Chusquea Chusquea is a genus of evergreen, mostly solid-stemmed bamboos native to montane regions of Latin America. They shape mountain habitats, host specialized wildlife, and have local u…

Chusquea albilanata Chusquea albilanata is a species in the Neotropical bamboo genus Chusquea. This article outlines its identity, typical characteristics of the genus, ecological role, uses and conse…

Cicely (Myrrhis odorata): overview, characteristics, uses, and cultivation Cicely Cicely, or sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata), is a perennial herb in the carrot family valued for its anise-like flavor, fragrant leaves and flowers, culinary uses, and traditional fo…

Cinchona pubescens (quinine tree): description, range, uses and invasiveness Cinchona pubescens Cinchona pubescens, the quinine tree, is a South American species prized for bark alkaloids. This article covers its characteristics, native range, medicinal use, and invasive impa…

Cinnamomum: the laurel-family genus that yields cinnamon, camphor and aromatic trees Cinnamomum Cinnamomum is a genus of over 300 evergreen trees and shrubs in the laurel family, native to tropical and subtropical regions; valued for aromatic bark, leaves and essential oils u…

Cirsium (thistles): description, ecology, and human interactions Cirsium Cirsium is a genus of spiny flowering plants in the Asteraceae (thistle) group. Native mainly to Eurasia, North Africa and North America, species range from weeds to pollinator-fri…

Citrus (genus of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs) Citrus Citrus is a group of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae that produce widely cultivated fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits and kumquats.

Clematis: climbing flowering plants prized in gardens worldwide Clematis Clematis is a genus of climbing and scrambling plants valued for diverse, showy flowers. This article summarizes appearance, distribution, cultivation, pruning groups, propagation…

Climbing plant: forms, methods and ecological importance Climbing plant An encyclopedic overview of climbing plants: growth habits, attachment methods, ecological roles, notable groups and practical considerations for cultivation and management.

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus): description, habitat, and uses Cloudberry Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) is a circumpolar, herbaceous bog plant producing golden, vitamin C–rich aggregate fruits prized across northern Europe for preserves, desserts and li…

Clover (Trifolium): biology, distribution, uses and cultural notes Clover Clover (Trifolium) is a genus of about 300 trifoliate legumes in the pea family, valued for forage, soil nitrogen fixation, pollinator resources and cultural symbolism such as the…

Clubmoss (Lycophytes): biology, history, uses and conservation Clubmoss Clubmosses are ancient vascular plants (lycophytes) with small leaves, dichotomous stems and spore reproduction. This article summarizes their features, evolution, uses and conserv…

Coca: the Andean shrub, its uses, cultural role, and alkaloids Coca Coca is an Andean shrub (Erythroxylaceae) whose leaves have traditional cultural, medicinal and stimulant uses. They contain cocaine alkaloids but are used both traditionally and i…

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera): description, uses and cultural importance Coconut palm The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is a widely cultivated tropical palm valued for its fruit, fiber, oil and timber. This article reviews its biology, distribution, products and cul…

Coffea: the coffee genus — plants, uses, cultivation and history Coffea Coffea is a genus of flowering plants whose seeds produce coffee. This article covers species, botany, origins, cultivation, uses (drinks and products), pests and distinctions betw…

Coffee: the Coffea plant, beans, beverage, cultivation and cultural impact Coffee Overview of coffee: the Coffea plant, bean processing, roasting, brewing methods, composition, varieties, and coffee's cultural, economic, and environmental roles.

Collard greens: cultivation, uses, and characteristics Collard greens Collard greens are loose-leaf Brassica oleracea cultivars in the acephala group, prized for large edible leaves. This article covers their traits, history, cultivation, nutrition,…

Commelinaceae: the dayflower and spiderwort family Commelinaceae A family of monocot flowering plants (around 40 genera, over 600 species) including dayflowers and spiderworts. Mostly herbaceous, widespread in tropical and temperate regions, val…

Commelinales (order of flowering plants) Commelinales Commelinales is an order of monocot flowering plants in the commelinid clade, including dayflowers, spiderworts and aquatic families; widespread in tropical to temperate regions wi…

Commelinids: a major clade of monocot flowering plants Commelinids Commelinids are a well-supported clade within the monocots, including grasses, palms and gingers; notable for shared biochemical and molecular traits and many economically importan…

Common ivy (Hedera helix): description, ecology, uses and management Common ivy Hedera helix, the common ivy, is an evergreen climbing vine valued ornamentally and ecologically but sometimes invasive; this article covers its appearance, range, uses, toxicity a…

Common juniper (Juniperus communis) Common juniper A widespread evergreen conifer of the Northern Hemisphere, valued for its aromatic berries, ecological role, and cultural uses including flavoring and traditional medicine.

Common sage (Salvia officinalis): description, cultivation, uses and history Common sage Salvia officinalis, or common sage, is an aromatic evergreen subshrub from the Mediterranean used in cooking, traditional medicine and gardens. This article covers its features, cu…