Enjoying the beauty of nature

Greenhouse under new leadership

By EVI SZTAJNO, Assistant News Editor

Published: October 17, 2007

The leaves of the sensitive mimosa slowly began to fold down as professor of biology Derek Wood brushed his fingers over the plant.

"It's had kind of a bad weekend," the new curator of the SPU greenhouse said referring to the number of students who have touched the mimosa in the past few days for a class lab in order to witness its self-defense mechanism.

Located on the third floor of the science building, the greenhouse has functioned since the premise opened in 2000, Wood said. The room has a "state of the art" computerized control system which automatically adjusts temperature through vents and sun exposure through automated blinds, Wood said.

As the new curator, Wood hopes to continue the work of professor of biology and greenhouse architect Tim Nelson who first assembled the plants with the help of local plant nurseries, other universities and, of course, eBay.com.

Nelson was appointed the chair of the biology department this year. The position of greenhouse curator will continue rotating between the two plant specialists for the coming years, Wood said.

Besides just "hoping to keep everything alive," Wood is also planning to organize an online and on-location tour of the greenhouse. By labeling and describing the plants, Wood hopes to pique people's curiosity about the somewhat hidden room.

"Hopefully people can visit it and enjoy the beauty of nature," Wood said.

To the far left of the mimosa, the brugsmania, or angel trumpet plant, offers one such example of beauty. While the pink tropical flowers look inviting, the sap of the plant is actually poisonous. It is often used by shamans in South America to induce visions, but too much of it is deadly, Wood said.

Back toward the front, rows past the Egyptian papyrus and right next to the banana plant, is a large corpse flower. Like the name suggests, once it blooms, the plant begins to smell like a decomposing body in order to attract insects. This particular plant has never yet undergone that phase, but when it does, botanists and plant fans will line up to witness it.

"That's when you call the P-I," Nelson said.

In addition to using the room as a class resource, Wood also said that students use it for their lab internships and projects.

Fifth-year senior Kim Wellner frequently visits the greenhouse. At least three times a week, Wellner takes 15 minutes out of her day to water the rows of tobacco plants which line the back shelf of the room.

Kept for their strong reaction, the plants take about four weeks to reach maturity, after which Wellner can inject them with agrobacterium vitis. The harmful bacterium causes the plant to launch its hypersensitive response, meaning that it kills off its own surrounding plant cells in order to isolate the disease.

Wellner's goal is to find a mutant strain of the bacteria which would not cause the hypersensitive response.

The project's practical application is that it reveals more about a plant's immune system and allows scientists to find ways to protect plants such as the grapevine, Wood said.

In addition to advancing her practical knowledge, Wellner also feels that the experience benefits her in future career goals.

One negative aspect of the greenhouse is the little parasitic white flies that spread throughout the air. That's where the newly purchased Venus flytraps come in handy, Nelson said.

But in addition to natural selection, the greenhouse also has another benefit.

"The atmosphere is very calm, quiet and peaceful in here," Nelson said.

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