As a child, Chris Thorogood, University of Oxford, dreamed of seeing Rafflesia - the plant with the world's largest flowers. He crafted life-size replicas in an abandoned cemetery, carefully bringing them to life with paper and paint. Today, he is a botanist and has dedicated his life to studying the biology of such extraordinary plants, working alongside foresters in Southeast Asia to document these huge, mysterious blooms, and to conserve them. This talk is based on his adventures and conservation efforts, and includes Chris's own paintings inspired by his work. 

Chris is deputy director and head of science at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum. His research focusses on the evolution of parasitic and carnivorous plants and plant diversity in floristic hotspots including the Mediterranean Basin, Macaronesia, Southeast Asia and Japan. He is also a botanical illustrator and best-selling author of specialist field guides and popular science books.

This event is free to attend and advance registration is essential. For more information and to book onto this event, please visit the event page. 

This event is ideal for anyone aged 11-110 who has an interest in biology, plants, adventure and art. Group school bookings are welcome - teachers just need to register for the event via the event page.

For event queries, please contact Sarah Hilton at sarah.hilton@biology.ox.ac.uk