Today I split up the Episcia seeds that came from two Episcia Keewee plants from two seedpods.  They were open pollinated and I don’t know much more than that about their lineage.  Some are more green, and some are more pink veined.  They were in two deli trays that had …

Ive shown the photos of the agar gelled tissue culture vessels that line the shelves in our makeshift laboratory.  Many people have contacted us asking what happens to them next.  Most often times they are deflasked and planted into an aquarium, wabi sabi, or terrarium if they aren’t traded off.  …

Heavy rains hit peninsular Malaysia in December, leading to severe floods that resulted in at least 21 deaths and the displacement of some 200,000 residents in the states of Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, and Terengganu. Mongabay reported last month that many local environmental groups argued “deforestation may have exacerbated flooding by …

Several times a week I head downstairs to the makeshift plant tissue culture lab.  Various specimen plants, vessels with cultures, and seed starting tubs sit around the shelves next to the equipment.  I pick out contaminated jars that didn’t make the initiation process.  I water the plants that need planting …

I like Biotope One being a grassroots movement because I am also involved in other local grassroots conservation efforts such as Pericopsis which is a decentralized movement to map every single tree in Malaysia. I am also in full support of the idea that part of the agenda of Conservation …

Deforestation from farming, logging, and development is rampant around the world.  Many plants and animals that only live in these small habitats are being destroyed.  Biotope One started out trying to get more people aware of these issues in a small grass roots way. Cultivation programs and breeding programs in key areas …

We did not expect to find a thriving population of Ameerega macero in such a tiny plot of forest completely surrounded by destroyed habitat…. Henry, my wife, and I took a trip to the jungle of central Peru in search of… frogs. Of course, we were open to any other …

Philcoxia tuberosa is a thin carnivorous plant which grows among the white sand dunes of Bahia in Brazil.  Along with the Philcoxia tuberosa grows cacti and Eriocaulaceae.  The Philcoxia tuberosa resembles a terrestrial version of the genus Utricularia.  it differs from the others in philcoxia as it has tubers in …

If you are into cacti and succulents then you are in for a tasty treat.  Somehow we have missed this fine morsel.  Please take a moment to download their latest and past issues of Xerophilia from their site. The magazine contains an immeasurable amount of information complete with pictures and …

Plant tissue culture is a valuable tool that offers a means to propagate plants that are hard to produce in conventional means.  Even those that are somewhat readily multiplied traditionally can benefit from plant tissue culture.  We utilize plant tissue culture at Biotope One to build the plant library and …