Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History on Saturday opened an exhibit of pictures endangered, threatened and extinct plants from around the world, officials said.
The goal is "to record the beauty of these plants that are more likely to disappear," said Carol Woodin with the American Society of Botanical Artists and the exhibit coordinator.
The 44 illustrations include detailed work from of "some of the top artists in the world," said Woodin.
"We wanted artists to develop relationships with scientists and then to focus on rare and at risk plants of today," she said.
The artists, who come from Australia, Brazil, Israel, South Africa, South Korea, Britain and the United States, were invited to choose the endangered plant of their choice to illustrate, as long as that plant was on an institutional list of endangered plants.
Of the nearly 300,000 known species of plants across the world, around 20 percent are in danger of extinction, said Peter Raven, president of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
"The US flora is estimated to encompass about 20,000 species," said Raven.
Of these, "nearly 3000 US species are in decline," he told AFP.
The plants portrayed in the museum artwork are from the United States, South America, Australia, Europe and South Africa, organizers said.
The exhibit, titled "Losing Paradise," will remain in Washington until December, when it moves on to Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens outside London, Woodin said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments