October 9th, Allison Hutt

Flora of the Living Dead: Resurrection Plants of Central Texas

Can plants rise from the dead like zombies? Let’s get into the spirit of Halloween season with a talk about some of the creepiest plants around– resurrection plants! Resurrection plants use a special ability called desiccation tolerance to survive extreme drought conditions that would easily kill most other creatures. This talk will highlight the ecology, evolution, and diversity of resurrection plants native to Texas, and explain what we know (and don’t know!) about how they manage to cheat death. Join Allison Hutt on October 9th to learn about resurrection plants!

Allison Hutt is a Plant Biology PhD student at UT Austin researching the ecology, physiology, and genetics of Texas native resurrection grass Tripogonella spicata (American five minute grass). Resurrection plants have the amazing ability to systematically dry themselves out during drought, allowing them to protect desiccated tissue in a state of dormancy. They can then rehydrate and resume normal function in a matter of hours after rainfall. Allison’s research focuses on the genetic and phenotypic variation in the Texas population of T. spicata, the physiological and genetic response to repeated bouts of desiccation and rehydration, and the ecology of resurrection plant communities in Central Texas.

Lecture Schedule

• 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays
• 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: Guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory (sturdy shoes and water recommended!)
• 8:00 pm: The talk begins!
• 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker

📍 Location: Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703
💡 No RSVP is required – just show up and enjoy!
🅿️ Free parking is available at BFL for all lecture events!
🌦️ While we aim to host all events outdoors, sometimes weather conditions or volunteer capacity may require that we move the event inside the laboratory building.

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