Growth & Development
How sterile stamens produce more seeds
One plant has swapped some of its stamens for false petals, and that's something that catches a bee's eye.
annals-of-botany
Paleo Week: Ancient Secrets of the Fibonacci Spiral
Longer cones and a clockwise spiral lead to tighter seed packing in a Jurassic conifer
Growth & Development
The Secret Photosynthesis Inside Seeds
A new method reveals that developing barley seeds run their own form of photosynthesis, distinct from the familiar process in leaves.
Growth & Development
How Temperature Helps Palm Seeds Break Free
New research shows that the seeds of Butia capitata use seasonal temperature cues to weaken their protective barriers, ensuring germination happens when the rainy season gives seedlings the best chance to survive.
Growth & Development
The Hidden Economics of Flowers
By comparing flowers and leaves across 245 species, researchers reveal that flowers follow hidden water-use strategies shaped by the same environmental pressures as the rest of the plant.
Growth & Development
Primed Plants are Prime Plants
From ancient Roman seed-soaking recipes to modern nanopriming, seed priming could help crops germinate faster and survive drought, heat and salinity in a changing climate.
Growth & Development
Open Sesame! The Tiny Doorway That Wakes a Seed
New research shows that Dodonaea viscosa seeds rely on a tiny slit to let water in, and understanding how it opens could help germinate them.
annals-of-botany
Why Needle Length Matters
Shorter pine needles help conifers move water when water is scarce
annals-of-botany
Conifer leaves anticipate their shaded future
Densely packed needles along the shoots of evergreen conifers exhibit shade-acclimated photosynthetic characteristics even under full sunlight
annals-of-botany
Light of the Future
Lettuce grown in plant factories benefit from far-red light
Growth & Development
Pitcher Plants Fine-Tune Their Deadly Pools for Maximum Carnivory
Carnivorous pitcher plants actively regulate their digestive fluid levels to maintain the perfect trap, not too full and not too empty, scientists discover.
Growth & Development
Cannabis Cultivation: Scientific Advice to Reach New Highs
New research provides fascinating insights into the genetic and molecular basis behind the growth of two chemovars of Cannabis.