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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Jacob S. Suissa, Assistant Professor of Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee

Take a break from your screen and look at plants − botanizing is a great way to engage with life around you

You may be surprised by what's growing on a familiar trail. Benjamin Goulet-Scott, CC BY-ND

When you hear about the abundance of life on Earth, what do you picture? For many people, it’s animals – but awareness of plant diversity is growing rapidly.

Our planet has nearly 300,000 species of flowering plants. Among animals, only beetles can compete with that number. There are more species of ferns than birds, more mints than mammals, and more beans than butterflies. Measured in total mass, plants make up 82% of all life on land across the globe.

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