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A cross section of the pistil of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana&nbsp;</em>plant. Pollen grains are labeled with fluorescent markers and sit at the top of the structure. Fluorescently tagged pollen tubes penetrate the plant&rsquo;s ovary where the ovules (small, curved structures) are located.
The Hidden Dance of Plant Fertilization
A new method enables clear visualization of the dynamic changes during angiosperm reproduction.
The Hidden Dance of Plant Fertilization
The Hidden Dance of Plant Fertilization

A new method enables clear visualization of the dynamic changes during angiosperm reproduction.

A new method enables clear visualization of the dynamic changes during angiosperm reproduction.

flowers

Gasteranthus extinctus, a plant with bright orange flowers and deep green leaves
Science Snapshot: Not “Extinctus” After All
Lisa Winter | Apr 19, 2022 | 1 min read
Assumed to have gone extinct more than 30 years ago, Gasteranthus extinctus has been rediscovered by scientists working in Ecuador.
Sunflowers, in visible spectrum on left half (yellow colors) and UV spectrum on right half (purple and white colors).
Sunflowers’ Bee-Attracting Ultraviolet Also Helps Retain Moisture
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Feb 8, 2022 | 5 min read
The dual purposes of the plants’ hidden colors may conflict as the climate warms, authors of a new study suggest.
Single white snowdrop flower
Plants in UK Bloom a Month Earlier Than in 1980s: Study
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Feb 2, 2022 | 2 min read
Scientists warn that climate change–induced early flowering could have negative effects on wildlife, agriculture, and gardening.
A fresh, peeled lychee fruit held above a harvest of fresh lychees
Genome Spotlight: Lychee (Litchi chinensis)
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jan 27, 2022 | 3 min read
Whole genome sequences reveal multiple domestications of this agriculturally important tree and may hold the secrets to producing the sweet fruit year round.
Photograph of a hummingbird
Even the Tiniest of Birds Use Smell in Some Situations
Jef Akst | Jan 4, 2022 | 4 min read
Once considered anosmic, birds are now widely recognized as using olfactory cues to aid in a wide range of behaviors.
A black and white photo of two sets of flowers in test tubes, one of which is wilting
Posies, Poison, and Periods, Early 1920s
Annie Melchor | Sep 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Centuries of folklore backed by scientists in the early 1900s have perpetuated the idea that menstruating women can exert dangerous forces.
photograph of arabidopsis thaliana with a cantil on a black background
A Newly Found Organ for Arabidopsis
Kerry Grens | Jun 16, 2021 | 2 min read
Horizontal arms dubbed cantils only appear under certain growing conditions—perhaps explaining why they had not been identified before.
Infographic: A Plant Cell’s Cuticle Helps Regulate Toxic Chemical Accumulation
Ashley Yeager | Feb 1, 2021 | 1 min read
Researchers found that thinning petunia cells’ cuticles caused them to slow production of volatile organic compounds.
Petunia’s Waxy Cuticle Regulates the Plant’s Sweet Smell
Ashley Yeager | Feb 1, 2021 | 3 min read
The thicker the flower petals’ cuticle, the more fragrance compounds the plant releases, according to a recent study.
Image of the Day: Roses Are Red, Poppies Are Too
Carolyn Wilke | Feb 14, 2019 | 1 min read
New research shows how they get their deep hue.
scientist to watch
Zach Lippman Susses Out How Gene Regulation Affects Plant Phenotypes
Shawna Williams | Feb 1, 2019 | 3 min read
The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researcher is fueled by curiosity about how one species’ genome can produce a wide variety of traits.
foundations
Flower Preservation, 1916
Catherine Offord | Feb 1, 2019 | 3 min read
James Kirkham Ramsbottom saved Britain’s daffodil industry from a devastating parasite, only to be forgotten.
Image of the Day: Sweet Lure
Carolyn Wilke | Jan 18, 2019 | 1 min read
Thought to be a nectar con artist, the candy spider-orchid actually does feed its pollinators, a select group of bees.
Image of the Day: What Does a Bee See?Ā 
The Scientist and The Scientist Staff | Dec 21, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists identify floral temperature patterns as a sensory cue that may help bees identify flower species. 
Image of the Day: Flower in a Mushroom Suit
The Scientist and The Scientist Staff | Nov 21, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists discover the real pollinators of a popular houseplant flower. 
Image of the Day: 100-Million-Year-Old Flower
The Scientist | Sep 21, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists think dinosaurs brushed these ancient flowers into pools of tree resin, creating fossils preserved in amber.  
Image of the Day: Bees, Flowers, and Pollen Showers
The Scientist | Jul 11, 2017 | 1 min read
Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) can amass pollen by “buzzing”—or oscillating—against a flower, creating a gentle flurry of grains.
To Attract Pollinators, Flower Mimics Wounded Bee
Ben Andrew Henry | Oct 7, 2016 | 2 min read
Umbrella flowers lure in flies by mimicking the alarm signals produced by the flies’ preferred prey.
Wired Flower
Karen Zusi | Nov 24, 2015 | 2 min read
Researchers use a conducting polymer to construct circuits inside plant cuttings in a proof-of-concept study.
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