An Evening of Wicked Plants!

Wicked Plants! The Deliciously Dark Side of the Plant Kingdom

Amy Stewart, Author

In her New York Times bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities (Algonquin Books, May 2009), Amy Stewart takes on Mother Nature's most appalling creations. It's an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, Stewart presents tales of bloodcurdling botany that will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers. Find out which plant killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, which shrub ignited a global war, and what plant has killed 90 million people. From strychnine to castor bean, from poison sumac to monkshood, from carnivorous plants to weeds that spontaneously combust, Stewart introduces an unforgettable cast of characters and tells their tales with her own wicked sense of humor.

Join us in the Sterling Morton Library for a special talk by Amy Stewart on Wednesday evening, August 18, 2010. Prepare to be delighted by the wonders of the plant world, and stay for a book signing with the author after the talk.

August 18, 2010

Sterling Morton Library, 7-8:30 p.m.
The Morton Arboretum
Member Fee - $14.00
Non-member Fee - $21.00

Registration details for An Evening of Wicked Plants with Amy Stewart can be found at: http://www.mortonarb.org/calendar/article/19451/an-evening-of-wicked-plants.html

On the Origins of Bird Species

This Thursday, September 24th, we'll be having the 4th lecture in our year-long series in evolutionary biology, "Trees of Life." Dr. Trevor Price from the University of Chicago will be joining us to present a talk called "On the Origins of Bird Species," focusing on his work on speciation of birds in the Himalayas.
How do new species of birds originate? Trevor will discuss Darwin's theory of the origin of species through natural selection, and explain how our understanding of speciation has progressed since Darwin's books were published. He will also share highlights from his own research on the gradient of bird species diversity in the Himalayas and insights from his recent book, Speciation in Birds. The talk will be from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in Cudahy Auditorium at The Morton Arboretum.

Registration details for this event can be found at: http://www.mortonarb.org/education.html

Hope to see you at the lecture!