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What the Flora?!

Prepare to be amazed by plants and the cutting-edge research that goes into saving them in our new science video series that’ll have you saying: What the Flora!? 

In each episode of What the Flora!? you'll get up close with Australia's unique plant life with your host Vanessa Fuchs to discover how world-leading scientists at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science are delivering real solutions to protect plants and our future. From hand pollinating tiny endangered orchids with toothpicks to battling plant diseases with DNA science, What the Flora!? is your chance to see our science in action like never before.  

What the Flora?! Season 1

1  -   4  OF   5
Episode 1 - Bushfires: pushing plants to extinction
Last summer, about 7 billion trees were impacted by the bushfires. Discover how scientists are using seed-banking to guard our endangered native plant species against extinction. 
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Episode 2 - DNA Science: Restoring Australia’s Landscape
In this new episode of What the Flora?! We investigate why scientists are mapping the DNA of plant populations.
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Episode 3 - Orchids: Getting a Helping Hand in Survival
Orchids are like the canaries of our ecosystems – their health acts as an indicator of overall ecosystem health. Watch the latest episode of What the Flora!? To find why scientists are trying to protect the world’s orchids.
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Episode 4 – Myrtle Rust: Pushing the Myrtle Family to Extinction
While the world battles the COVID pandemic, did you know that our native species are battling their own plant pandemic? Myrtle rust is threatening the survival of our ecosystems.
 
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The Herbarium
Episode 5 - The priceless filing cabinet for plants you’ve never heard of
In this episode of What the Flora?! we explain the important work that the Herbarium supports and why a new Herbarium is being built.
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What the Flora?! Q&A series

1  -     OF   3
What the Flora!? Q&A: Cycad Sex
If you thought getting a date was hard… imagine being a rare cycad, and your only hope at love is getting pollen posted from the other side of the world!
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What the Flora!? Q&A: Orchids
Everybody knows what an orchid is... but did you know there's over 25,000 species? 
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What the Flora!? Q&A: Adapting to Australia
Discover how some Aussie plants have evolved to love a sunburnt country.
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The Australian Institute of Botanical Science consists of the physical and virtual scientific collections, research, services, facilities and staff at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. The Institute will be one of the nation’s premier botanical research organisations and will help ensure the survival of plants and build more resilient ecosystems for future generations.