Most bladderworts (genera Pinguicula, Genlisea, Utricularia, Lentibulariaceae) are pollinated by insects. Bird pollination is rare and has probably evolved independently three times in this family. In Western Australia...
Boraginales are typically characterized by a dense cover of stiff, mineralized trichomes, likely providing protection against herbivores. These trichomes have long been known to be mineralized with silica. Mustafa et al...
This study highlights the potential importance of the combined thickness of the cuticle and epidermal cell wall in the absorption of foliar-applied nutrients.
There are several answers to this question. I expect all of you to say guard cells. Those of you who’ve read the previous item about chlorophagy might also be tempted to say plant vacuoles – presumably of guard cells...
Plant defence against herbivores is a crucial theme in the evolution of both plants and animals, yet it is expressed very differently in water and on land. Spines, hairs, and distance signalling are common in land...
In aeroplane design, the leading edge is either “the part of the wing that first contacts the air … or … the foremost edge of an airfoil section“. Plants – as one might expect – have a different take on that (and got...
Capanemia, an orchid comprising seven species and mostly found in the Brazilian Atlantic rain forest, is divided into two sections based on leaf shape. Buzatto et al. examine floral morphology and anatomy and conclude...
Molecular evidence indicates that the orchid subtribe Zygopetalinae is sister to Maxillariinae. Davies and Stpiczyńska show that the labellar micromorphology of Zygopetalinae is less diverse than that of Maxillariinae...
The nectary spur is a characteristic feature of Aeridinae; a large, orchid subtribe displaying diverse pollination strategies. Stpiczyńska et al. describe and compare its anatomy for a range of entomophilous and...