October 2025

Oaks (genus Quercus), part of the beech family (Fagaceae), are one of the most evolutionarily successful groups in the Northern Hemisphere, boasting some 500 species and holding keystone roles in dozens of ecotypes. But from the vantage point of Washington State University, it can be easy to miss that, as there are no oaks native […]

Charles Vancouver Piper (1867-1926) wrote the first flora of the state of Washington (1906) and was the first botanist on the faculty of the State College of Washington (now WSU), as well as the founder of the WSU Herbarium. In the course of his professional duties, Piper described many new species native to Washington, including […]