Close Encounters
Pollen on stigmas as proxies pollinator effectiveness
How do you measure the effectiveness of a pollinator? One common method is to sit patiently by a flower and watch for visits. While this can
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Range-wide genetic structure of an endemic herb from the Amazonian Savannas
The study assesses neutral and adaptive genetic structure and genetic diversity in Brasilianthus carajensis (Melastomataceae), an endemic herb from Amazonian Savannas.
Close Encounters
How do plant hybrids aid invasions?
There’s a common belief that hybridization of plants can aid invasions through adaptive introgression. This is where a hybrid breeds with one of its parent
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Puzzles in Moss Genome Evolution
Some plants have pairs of chromosomes, they’re diploid organisms like us. Other plants have more than two copies of chromosomes, they’re polyploid. Strawberries can
Plants & People
The scented story of rice
A guest post by Debarati Chakraborty The power of aroma compounds to offer physical, mental and spiritual delight is one of the oldest enchanting tales. Aroma
featured
Males become female when striped maples take a health hit
Above a certain trauma threshold, male trees had a high probability of becoming female, possibly in a bid to better their chances at reproduction.
Uncategorized
Twitter for Science Networking
Suddenly can’t network at conferences? How could you network on Twitter?
Cells, Genes & Molecules
European white oak hybrids can be well-identified with a small set of genetic markers
A limited set of SNPs identified the species of test trees with a high degree of accuracy, finding asymmetrical mixing among the three species.
Growth & Development
A close-up view of Cardmine hirsuta’s flight jacket
Being rooted, plants have very little opportunity to travel. They can as pollen to find a mate, and also as seeds. In the case of Cardamine
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Mitochondria and stress signalling
How does a plant sense stress and pass those signals around its body? Corentin Dourmap and colleagues have reviewed the role of mitochondria in the plant
Ecosystems
Stomatal anatomy coordinates leaf size with Rubisco kinetics in Limonium
Stomatal anatomy integrates Rubisco kinetics and leaf size in Limonium species, consistent with selection on functional coordination and shared developmental pathways.
Close Encounters
Honeybees much less effective than native pollinators for Lepechinia floribunda
It’s not just a matter of number of visits, a pollinator has to arrive at the right time too.