Dr. Wenheng Zhang studied live floral material at Montgomery Botanical Center during the lastith her colleague, Dr. Chuck Davis, Dr. Zhang is researching the evolution of floral development in the Malpighiaceae, which has shown transitions between radial, subradial, and zygomorphic symmetry in its history.

During her research visit, Dr. Zhang utilized the live plant collections at Montgomery, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and The Kampong of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. She performed delicate dissections of these diminutive flowers, isolating the organs of interest, and then froze these specimens in liquid nitrogen for transport back to her lab at Harvard University.

Montgomery Botanical is dedicated to advancing research in botany through live plant collections; Dr. Zhang’s innovative research using live collections affirms Montgomery Botanical Center’s mission.