Category: Amazing Plants

A team of scientists has unearthed the fossil remnants of a tropical forest on the arctic island of Svalbard, and it could help explain one of the most dramatic climate shifts in Earth’s history. (Click on image or title for full story.)

After 10 million years of evolution, we should not be surprised to see a large amount of variation within the species, some of which might exhibit novel flavors or forms that are resistant to diseases. These varieties may contribute towards improving a developing chocolate industry, (Click on image or title for full story)

The bulk of a prairie grass plant, it turns out, exists out of sight, with anywhere from eight to fourteen feet of roots extending down into the earth. Why should we care? Besides being impressively large, these hidden root balls accomplish a lot—storing carbon, nourishing soil, increasing bioproductivity, and preventing erosion. Unfortunately, these productive, perennial grasses (which live year round) are more rare than they once were. (Click on image or title for full story.)

(The) research group climbed the world’s tallest redwoods, and collected leaf samples from various heights. They discovered that, with increasing height in the tree, the proportion of “xylem tissue” which transports water from the roots decreased, whereas “transfusion tissue,” which stores water, increased. They inferred that in redwood, the stored water came from moisture absorbed through the leaf surface, such as fog and dew. (Click image or title for full story)

But botanists have spoken of their surprise after finding three red berries on a branch of the yew this year – in signs at least part of the male tree is becoming female. (Click image or title for full story)

The ability of these fast-growing willow trees to tolerate contamination and rejuvenate degraded land is well established, but how they can manage such feats is poorly understood. This research suggests the response of each willow tree involves potentially hundreds of other organisms including bacteria, fungi and insects (termed the “meta-organism”.)

The new species is about 11 metres high, whereas as the usual banana species is about three to four metres high. The fruit lux of the new species is about one metres, which is thrice the size of regular species

A carnivorous pitcher plant uses power from falling raindrops to fling ants to their doom, biologists have discovered.

The plant world has evolved numerous ingenious ways to distribute seeds. But one of the least known and least celebrated is raindrop dispersal.

In 2013, a rare and beautiful variety of orchid appeared in cultivation under the commercial trade name ‘Big Pink.’ Now, research by Dutch and Australian biologists has established that it is indeed a new species of the wild orchid genus Dendrochilum.