Plant of the Week
*Thelymitra matthewsii*
Matthew’s Spiral Sun Orchid
Science Shared
Science Shared: October 3
This week: Viruses, floral traits and Arabidopsis thaliana.
Puzzles
Sudoku Garden
You aren’t always what you eat in Korea.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
A familiar weed may be more diverse than we thought
The common weed *Sonchus asper* may actually contain several distinct evolutionary groups that can be revealed by studying both its traits and DNA.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Salt, Flowers and Bees
Salt stress did not change pollen or bee visitation, while the number of open flowers remained as the strongest factor to attract bees.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Why does a wound feel like winter?
Cut a leaf and the wound turns cold, and it turns out the plant is reading that chill as an instruction.
Plants & People
Humans Have a Profound Impact on Urban Biodiversity
Urbanization leads to a 50:50 ratio of native to non-native plant species
Ecosystems
Night Gardeners and Sticky Bottoms: The Unlikely Mistletoe Dispersers of Madagascar
A study in the rainforests of Madagascar reveals that the primary dispersers of mistletoe are not birds, but two small nocturnal lemurs that help disperse seeds using a technique as eccentric as it is effective.
Ecosystems
Travelling Far Does Not Mean Living Long for Moss Spores
A new study shows that moss spore longevity depends strongly on developmental stage and storage conditions, with important consequences for dispersal and establishment.
The Week in Botany
The Week in Botany September 28, 2026
This week: Sreetama Bhadra on the importance of curiosity, how plants avoid sunburn, and making your neighbourhood more pollinator-friendly
Plant of the Week
*Manihot esculenta*: Cassava / Yuca
Another poisonous, edible, plant
Science Shared
Science Shared: September 26
This week: Hormones, proteins and a reminder that science has a human element.