News

Rafflesia banaoana. Credit: Chris Thorogood

Botany News Plant Science

Researchers issue urgent call to save the world’s largest flower -Rafflesia – from extinction

An international group of scientists has issued an urgent call for coordinated action to save the iconic genus Rafflesia, which contains the world’s largest flowers. This follows a new study which found that most of the 42 species are severely…

Isabel22/09/2023

Microscope image of one of the closest algal relatives of land plants, a single-celled alga called Mesotaenium endlicherianum (20 micrometres corresponds to 0.02 millimetres). Credit: Tatyana Darienko

News Plant Science

Algae provide clues about 600 million years of plant evolution

The Earth's surface is covered by plants. They make up the majority of biomass on land and exhibit a wide range of diversity, from mosses to trees. This astounding biodiversity came into existence due to a fateful evolutionary event that…

Isabel21/09/2023

Examples of species that may be ambophilous and that require field experiments to resolve the predominant pollen vector in their natural habitat. (A) The pendulous inflorescences (spikes) of Tetracentron sinense (Trochodendraceae) suggest wind pollination, but the stamens' filaments produce nectar drops (arrow in the insert panel in A). (B) Honeybee collecting nectar and the sticky pollen from the catkins of Salix matsudana (Salicaceae). The inset shows an orange-yellow nectary (arrow) attached to the ovary. (C) A lavatory fly feeding on the liquid offered by the male flowers of Castanea mollissima (Fagaceae). (D) A mosquito collecting nectar from a green female flower of Helwingia japonica (Helwingiaceae); its head carries white pollen from a previously visited male plant. (E) An inflorescence of the dioecious Sargentodoxa cuneata (Lardizabalaceae); the inset shows the yellow greenish petals (white arrow). (F) Female flowers of the gynodioecious Thalictrum smithii (Ranunculaceae) without sepals, typical of wind pollination. (G) A bumblebee collecting pollen from a hermaphroditic flower of Thalictrum delavayi. (H) A halictid bee collecting pollen from white-flowered Juncus allioides (Juncaceae); the inset shows pollen tetrads (arrow) germinating on a stigma. (I) Sticky pollen grains presented on the dehisced anthers of Paris polyphylla (Melanthiaceae). Credit: Shuang-Quan Huang

Botany News Plant Science

90% of flowering plant species found to rely on animal pollinators

Pollen of flowering plants can be dispersed by animals, wind or even by water. In assessing pollination modes, a fundamental question is how many flowering plants are pollinated by animals. Although the question has been raised previously, an accurate estimation…

Isabel20/09/2023

Image: a path through the forest with sunlight shining through the trees. Credit: jusuf111 en Pixabay

News

Can This Forest Survive? Predicting Forest Death or Recovery After Drought

How long can trees tolerate drought before the forest dies? Researchers can now predict which forests could survive despite future drought. Their new method links precipitation to tree growth, and it can help people decide where to put their resources…

Isabel19/09/2023

Image: Cabbage white caterpillar eating an oilseed rape plant. Credit: Benjamin Fuchs/University of Turku

Agriculture Fruits and Vegetables News Plant Health

Fungal–plant symbiosis offers a promising tool to boost crop resilience

Researchers inoculated oilseed rape plants with a species of fungus that is known for its ability to combat pest insects. Utilising the relationship between beneficial fungi and crop plants may introduce a new era of agriculture where the plant resilience…

Isabel18/09/2023

Are you an early-career researcher?

Gold Sponsor

Researchers issue urgent call to save the world’s largest flower -Rafflesia – from extinction

Algae provide clues about 600 million years of plant evolution

90% of flowering plant species found to rely on animal pollinators

Can This Forest Survive? Predicting Forest Death or Recovery After Drought

Fungal–plant symbiosis offers a promising tool to boost crop resilience

Upcoming Events

Popular Within Last Month

Recent publications

Search

Search