This is Brassica nigra, a member of the Brassicaceae family, the mustard family. Members of the Brassicaceae family have four petals, and it was once called the Cruciferae family, referring to the cross-shape of the flowers. [x]
Stachys byzantina, Lamb’s Ear, is originally from Turkey, Armenia and Iran, but has been introduced globally as an ornamental. It is in the Lamiaceae family, which also contains most of the herbs you are familiar with, such as rosemary, basil and mint. It is commonly known as the mint family. [x]
A great way to start learning is by reading! I have a short list of books here, all about different areas of botany. [Followers, if you have any suggestions, please send them my way!] Getting outside and identifying plants can be a great way to learn. If you happen to live in the northeastern US, Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide is awesome, otherwise get a local field guide (your local library should have some) and go on hikes. Wikipedia is actually a great place to find plant information, so if you see a plant or plant family, on here or anywhere else, it’s worth googling to learn more!
That said, my experience with botany degrees is that they do teach you the basics. I was required to take entry-level biology in my freshman year, as well as a basic ecology course my sophomore year.
~ Claire
Nerium oleander is in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It contains several toxic chemicals, including cardiac glycosides. Cardiac glycosides are medicinal in small amounts, but are poisonous in large amounts. [x]
Poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix, is far more poisonous than poison ivy or poison oak. If inhaled, smoke from burning poison sumac can cause pulmonary edema. This is because of the urushiol, the same compound in poison ivy. [x]
Sudden Oak Death, Phytophthora ramorum, is a devastating disease found primarily in California and Oregon. It is a strange, eukaryotic plant pathogen that causes affected trees to leak dark, gross sap. It is found in oaks, but also other tree species. The above picture shows dead trees among unaffected ones. [x]
Hollyhocks are in the Alcea genus, and their thick roots can be used as fuel for fires. [x]
It depends on the flower! Some flowers are incompatible with themselves, so no fertilization will happen. Self pollination is not very common, but it does happen.
There are two types. Type I is when the pollen fertilizes a carpel in the same flower. Type II is when pollen fertilizes a different flower on the same plant. Self pollination helps for rapid growth of a population, but can decrease fitness, because all individuals in a population are genetically similar. If a pathogen moves through the population, it could kill all of the individuals, because none vary to have resistance.
Awesome question!
~ Claire