News in Brief
The inconstant sex of Mercurialis annua
Many plants have flowers that are hermaphroditic with male and female parts. Some are dioecious, with male or female flowers. Mercurialis annua keeps its options open.
annals-of-botany
Pea seed testa and its role during the establishment of physical dormancy
A water-impermeable testa may act as a barrier to seed imbibition, imposing dormancy. Janská et al. test six pea accessions of contrasting dormancy type for
AoB PLANTS
Ten years of AoB PLANTS the open access journal for plant scientists
All actively managed journals continually undergo self-analysis as they strive to improve their performance but it’s rare for the outcomes to be widely shared.
annals-of-botany
Functional and chemical characterization of XAF
Plants rely on stiff cells walls for support. But these same cell walls have to be flexible to grow when required. Nguyen-Phan and Fry examine
in silico Plants
Maize Reproductive Failure under Drought Quantified
Reproductive failure in maize has long been studied in plant science. Now, for the first time, it has been quantitatively synthesized.
News in Brief
Is Holey Bread, Holy Bread or Wholly Bread?
A ‘bread-like object’ with a hole in it illustrates a gap in our knowledge of prehistoric cuisine.
in silico Plants
Carbon allocation strategies and respiration limit plant growth
A new model allows researchers to understand the consequences of different carbon allocation strategies for plant growth.
AoB PLANTS
Leaf:wood allometry and functional traits explain variation in growth rate of rainforest trees
Plant growth rates drive ecosystem productivity and are a central element of a species’ ecological strategy. For seedlings grown under controlled conditions, a large body of
annals-of-botany
Evolutionary constraints on disparity of ericaceous pollen grains
Flowering plants show a high diversity of pollen morphology. This diversity is assumed to reflect not only variations in the underlying design, but also stress imposed
annals-of-botany
Improving sugarcane’s resilience to salinity and drought
Crops like sugarcane, rice, wheat and maize rely on irrigation. As they’re so thirsty, they are also susceptible to drought. Finding a way to protect
AoB PLANTS
Responses of plant leaf economic and hydraulic traits mediate the effects of drought on grassland productivity
Water availability is a key driver of net primary production. Extreme drought events are forecasted to increase in intensity and frequency within the century with big
AoB PLANTS
Differential adaptation and species diversification between two Melastoma species and their F1 hybrid
In speciation, the formation of new lineages can be driven by two basic evolutionary processes—lineage divergence and lineage fusion. Lineage divergence can happen through differential