Curse of the perfect graft: how the haustorium allows parasitic plants to infect
Dodder plants act as nature’s master grafters, seamlessly hijacking other plants’ vascular systems for survival.
Close Encounters
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Buzz, Bounce, and Stick: The Secret Role of a Flower’s Petal
A specialised petal in a buzz-pollinated flower acts like a pollen traffic controller, guiding grains to the perfect spot on a bee’s body.
Plants Might Get Explosive When It Comes to Ensuring Their Paternity
Like many animals, some plants can actively hamper their rivals’ attempts to reproduce in previously unimagined ways, according to a recent study published in The American Naturalist.
Want More Bees in Your City? Mix Up Your Flowers
A new study finds that cities can support more wild bee species by planting a greater variety of flower shapes—not just more flowers.
Why Thrips Might Be the Unknown Heroes of Pollination
Thrips, tiny insects often seen as pests, play a key role in pollinating many plants.
Lured by Litter? An Australian Tree that Fools Its Pollinator by Mimicking Dead Leaves
A rainforest flower has evolved to look and smell like a pile of dead leaves, convincing enough to trick a beetle into pollinating it.
Fire, Bees, and Ants: How Apodolirion buchananii Masterminds its Reproduction
A unique South African plant brings together fire, bees, and ants in a clever strategy to ensure its survival and reproduction.
The Secret of a Plant’s Sexual Attraction Is Betrayed by the Shadow of Its Scent
Botanists discover that plants seeking to sexually attract a pollinator may be hiding their stocks of potent perfumes in overlooked alkenes.
Hummingbirds in the City: How Urban Life Shapes Their Role as Pollinators
A recent study shows that cities are transforming hummingbird behaviour, favouring generalist interactions with plants and altering the structure of plant-pollinator networks.
Bees avoid wildflowers experiencing drought
New research reveals drought-stressed wildflowers produce smaller flowers with less nectar, causing bees to avoid them.
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