Cells, Genes & Molecules
Genetic testing and leaf measurements uncover five lineages of Brazil’s iconic but endangered national tree pau-brasil, signalling undiscovered diversity and an urgent need to preserve the evolutionary breadth in the wild before it’s too late.
Close Encounters
Urban hummingbirds opportunistically sip nectar from both native and non-native flowers to survive year-round, though their thieving ways may limit the spread of those alluring alien blooms
Ecosystems
Researchers found that plant species with certain traits, like longer bloom periods and efficient resource utilisation, are more likely to successfully thrive in foreign environments.
Growth & Development
New research reveals how heatwaves and drought together can rapidly and irreversibly damage flowers through a process called runaway cavitation.
Ecosystems
Research found that combining native prairie plants and Sedum species on green roofs enhances stormwater capture, cooling, and thermal insulation compared to using Sedum alone.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
The parasitic dodder weed doesn’t just sap soybean’s strength alone – it lets in fungal gatecrashers like Alternaria too, despite soybean’s attempts to biochemically barricade its roots with flavonoids.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Plants at the edge of populations have to share genes with more distant neighbours to produce offspring, and that can have benefits.
News in Brief
Scientists have found urban cooling solutions in the ancient wisdom of classical Chinese gardens, whose large green spaces and water features create wider cooling zones.
Close Encounters
Lemna minor, Common Duckweed, is typically a small plant only a couple of centimetres long. New research finds that it gets even smaller when microbes interact with the plant.
News in Brief
It’s not just humans that use plants. Spiders might be carnivorous, but they still have uses for crafty arachnids.
Ecosystems
The exotic Bombax ceiba tree emerges as an unlikely champion for urban biodiversity in Brazil, supporting numerous bird species and strengthening the human-nature connection.
Growth & Development
Discover how the survival strategies of grass species, intertwined with climate and functional traits, could forecast the fate of ecosystems amid climate change.