In a remarkable feat of mimicry, some flowers have evolved similarities to female insects; they thus attract male insects who, after a disappointing visit, still manage to serve as pollinators. How do we understand how floral traits affect pollinators? The answer may not be simple. In a 2018 article, Phillip and collaborators started a quest […]
Written and Illustrated by Laura Mejia. Click on images to enlarge. Liu et al. (2018) analyzed how cryptochrome, CRY1a, affects developmental processes in tomato. They found that this photoreceptor contributes to the regulation of the plant responses to light including the inhibition of hypocotyl growth and the expansion of leaves and cotyledons, and that these […]
Written and Illustrated by Laura Mejia. Click on images to enlarge. This week’s article by Maggini et al. (2017) is focused on the interactions between a plant and its endophytes. Specifically, it explores the contributions of the bacterial endophytes of Echinacea purpura, widely used in traditional medicine, to the production of specific alkamide secondary […]
Written and Illustrated by Laura Mejia. Click on images to enlarge. Mexico is one of the most important dryland regions of the world. Almost half of the cacti species found there are endemic, found nowhere else. This beautiful review by Ramírez-Rodríguez et al., published in 2020 in Food Chemistry, introduces us to the astonishing world […]
This series is the exploration of plants that are notable for various reasons: e.g., by producing specialized metabolites, by illuminating evolution, by serving as genetic models, or by their contributions towards practical applications. Orchids The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is the second largest plant family, comprising nearly 1000 genera. In this highlighted (open access) review article […]
This series is the exploration of plants that are notable for various reasons: e.g., by producing specialized metabolites, by illuminating evolution, by serving as genetic models, or by their contributions towards practical applications. Aristolochia gigantea Aristolochia gigantea, also known as Dutchman’s pipe, is a tropical plant with kettle trap flowers that use complex cues to […]
This series is the exploration of plants that are notable for various reasons: e.g., by producing specialized metabolites, by illuminating evolution, by serving as genetic models, or by their contributions towards practical applications. Papaver somniferum Papaver somniferum (opium poppy) is a plant that sometimes is misunderstood because of the ilegal activities surrounding this species. However, […]
Plants and insects aren’t closely related, but the have indeed a plethora of similar chemical weapons used for their interactions (defense, attraction, etc). In this article Beran, et al, shows the different metabolites that are shared in both groups, in insects and plants. 1.The monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes used for inter and intraespecific interactions, this […]
Plants and insects aren’t closely related, but they have a plethora of similar chemical weapons used for their interactions (defense, attraction, etc.). Beran et al. describe the function and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites that are shared in both insects and plants. The monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes used for inter and intraspecific interactions. These molecules are formed […]