Category: Amazing Plants

High latitude and altitude floras are characterized by low-statured, small, wind-pollinated plants, which mainly reproduce by self-pollination or asexual reproduction. However, at odds with this are some sub-Antarctic islands that have plant species with giant growth forms and large, brightly coloured flowers which require insect visitation for pollination. The size, colour and shape of the inflorescences and leaves of these megaherbs suggest thermal benefits similar to giant tropical alpine plants of equatorial Africa, South America and Hawaii. We found that leaf and inflorescence temperatures of all megaherbs were higher than simultaneously measured ambient temperatures. Heating was highly correlated with brief, unpredictable periods of solar radiation, and occurred most rapidly in species with hairy, corrugated leaves and darkly pigmented, densely packed inflorescences. This is the first evidence that floral and leaf heating occurs in sub-Antarctic megaherbs, and suggests that leaf hairiness, flower colour and shape could provide thermal benefits like those seen in tropical alpine megaherbs. (Click on title for full story.)

A native parasitic plant found commonly throughout south-eastern Australia, is showing great promise as a potential biological control agent against introduced weeds that cost millions of dollars every year to control. (Click on title for full story.)

If the 600-year-old age estimates are correct, its youth coincided with Britain’s defeat of the French in the Battle of Agincourt and Gutenberg’s invention of movable type. And, of course, all of the voyages by explorers such as Christopher Columbus. (Click on title for full story.)

Miracle fruit, the berry of the Synsepalum dulcificum plant, grows naturally in West Africa and the locals there have long known of its sweetening properties. Pop one of the little berries in the mouth and for an hour, foods like pickles, beer, grapefruit or lime, taste like sweet versions of their former selves. More recently, the effects of the miracle fruit have been popularized by flavor-tripping parties, so named because of the odd sensational resemblance to the effects of hallucinogens. Or as Keiko Abe, one of the team leads, reports, the effect is rather magical. (Click on title for full story.)

“Now the mystery is solved and a new regulatory mechanism defined. Not only is the question solved, but it could have real implications for understanding limitations to plant growth.” (Click on title for full story.)

Diaphorina citri, the insect that transmits the most serious threat to orange groves in Brazil and worldwide, is repelled by essential oils found in three species of Citrus (click on title for full story).

In a low resource situation, the roots of Cycas micronesica refrain from competing with close relatives, according to research from the University of Guam published in Tropical Conservation Science. C. micronesica is an endangered cycad species that hails from several western Pacific Micronesian islands. The global population of cycad plants is facing increasing threats, yet many of the roughly 340 species have never been the subject of ecology or horticulture experimental work. (Click ontitle for full story.)

So when pulling out dandelions, think … you don’t have to head into impenetrable jungle to discover potentially new species. You may find one while doing the weeding. (Click on title for full story.)

Scientists have identified the creature that gave the Earth its first breath of fresh, clean air and made life possible for everything ranging from ardvaarks to Olympic athletes and zebra finches. It was a moss. (Click on title for full story.)