Researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified three species of Vespa hornets that help move most Aquilaria sinensis seeds to more suitable places before they lose viability by eating the plant’s fruit. Results were published in Current Biology.

A corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), also known as titan arum, is blooming at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG). Its bizarre appearance and sheer size have long attracted curious visitors and avid gardeners alike. Many people queue up to see the titan arum flower with their noses stuffed, because the flower releases a revolting stench like rotting flesh, but not the fragrant scent of most flowers.

Recently, king lotus (Victoria amazonica) leaves have entered their best viewing season at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, attracting flocks of tourists to the park for an amazing experience on top the floating lotus leaves.

Twinkle, twinkle little stars! Enter this dreamland where thousands of fireflies give off flashes of light in the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yunnan Province.

My name is Akihiro, or Aki Nakamura, from Japan. I came to China in 2013, almost 9 years ago. I have been working here, in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, XTBG, ever since. At the moment, I’m working as a professor and a group leader of the Forest Canopy Ecology Lab. My life here has been great.

With simple tools, Akihiro Nakamura can quickly climb to the top of a tree that is more than 30 meters from the ground. The Japanese ecologist knows his way around the forest in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan province. But it's only half of the battle to get to the top.